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In order to probe the effects of freeze-thaw damage and polypropylene (PP) fibres on the capillary water absorption of coal gangue ceramsite concrete (CGCC), the freeze-thaw cycle test and capillary water absorption test were carried out to study the effect of PP fibres content on the unit cumulative water absorption and water absorption rate of CGCC under freeze-thaw damage, establishing a model of initial capillary water absorption rate of PP fibre coal gangue concrete considering freeze-thaw damage. The results showed that, when freeze-thaw cycles were constant, the larger the PP fibres content was, the larger was the unit cumulative water absorption of CGCC. As the freeze-thaw cycles increased, the initial capillary water absorption rate of both PP fibre CGCC and CGCC showed a power function growth trend. In this study, the initial capillary water absorption rate prediction model was obtained through regression analysis, and the test results were in good agreement with the model prediction results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subduction of the Paleo‐Pacific plate is widely credited for the destruction of the eastern North China Craton. However, how the Pacific plate subduction has affected the off‐craton lithospheric mantle in northeastern China is less clear, as few studies have focused on the lithospheric mantle‐derived xenoliths in that region. We report petrography, mineral and rock chemistry, and in situ isotopic compositions of Sr in clinopyroxene and O in olivine for 20 peridotite and 11 pyroxenite xenoliths hosted by the Cenozoic volcanic rocks at Jiaohe and Shuangliao localities. The peridotites include lherzolites, harzburgites, and a wehrlite, many are metasomatized. Group 1 garnet pyroxenites have high Al2O3, Ni, and Mg#; positive Eu and Sr anomalies; and olivine δ18O values of 4.8–5.1‰, which we attribute to recycling of oceanic crustal components to the asthenosphere and their reactions with host peridotites. Groups 2 and 3 pyroxenites are garnet‐free and contain peridotite‐like pyroxenes; we argue that they were formed by reactions of lithospheric peridotites with evolved melts derived from recycled oceanic crust. In addition, one pyroxenite contains orthopyroxene surrounded by fine‐grained olivine and clinopyroxene, while another pyroxenite and the wehrlite contain zoned clinopyroxene with gradual increases in Na2O, (La/Yb)N, Sr, and 87Sr/86Sr ratios and decreases in Ti/Eu from core to rim. These characteristics record infiltration of a carbonatite melt shortly before the transport of the xenoliths. The inferred carbonatite melt has 87Sr/86Sr ≥ 0.70415 and mantle‐like olivine δ18O and originated from carbonated asthenosphere. Our results, together with previous studies on the host basalts, suggest that subducted crustal materials were initially transported to the asthenosphere beneath northeastern China to produce carbonate‐bearing domains. Upwelling of the carbonated asthenosphere produced carbonatite melts that migrated upward and metasomatized the overlying lithospheric mantle. Key Points: Pyroxenites from northeastern China formed by reactions of peridotites with recycled oceanic crust‐derived silicate meltsInfiltration of carbonated asthenosphere‐derived carbonatite melts into the lithospheric mantle produced wehrliteUpwelling of asthenosphere was the major factor in the evolution of the lithospheric mantle beneath northeastern China [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Steamed bread is the traditional fermented wheat product in China and has popularity in other Asian, European, and some North American countries. Wheat flour replaced by potato pulp can be an effective way to improve nutritive values of steamed bread and promote potato consumption. The aim of this study was to investigate the influences of potato pulp on disulfide bond (S–S) contents, protein secondary structures, starch crystallinity, and microstructures of dough and steamed bread. Spectrophotometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were used for analyses. Findings: The dough and steamed bread samples added with 10% potato pulp had higher S–S contents than the other tested samples. Compared with the control, the free sulfhydryl contents in the dough (3.2 μmol/g) and steamed bread (2.7 μmol/g) added with 30% potato pulp significantly increased, whereas those of the S–S decreased to 10.0 and 10.9 μmol/g, respectively. The contents of β‐sheet and α‐helix in the dough and steamed bread containing 10% potato pulp were higher than those in samples without the potato pulp. The relative crystallinity of starch in the dough significantly decreased with increasing potato pulp level (p <.05). The CLSM and SEM images showed that potato pulp significantly affected the microstructure. Sample with 10% potato pulp possessed improved gluten network structures. However, samples with high potato pulp contents (>20%) possessed more gas cells and a loose gluten network structure. Conclusions: The results showed that the addition of potato pulp affected gluten network structural characteristics in wheat flour dough and steamed bread, but appropriate level of potato pulp could be produced for gluten network enhancement. Significance and novelty: The study would contribute to better understanding of the effect of potato pulp on the structural characterization of gluten network in steamed bread making and provide theoretical basis for in‐depth application to wheat‐based products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents new zircon U–Pb ages and Hf isotope data, and whole‐rock major and trace element geochemical data of Permian igneous rocks from the eastern Songnen Massif (SM) and the western Jiamusi Massif (JM), NE China, to constrain their tectonic evolution. Zircon U–Pb dating indicates that Permian magmatism within the eastern SM can be subdivided into two stages: early Permian (ca. 293 Ma) and middle to late Permian (272–257 Ma). The early Permian igneous rocks comprise a bimodal association of rhyolites, basaltic andesites, and gabbros. The middle to late Permian igneous rocks are dominated by gabbro–diorites, monzodiorites, quartz diorites, monzonites, quartz monzonites, granodiorites, monzogranites, syenogranites, and alkali feldspar granites, along with minor bodies of A‐type quartz trachytes. The Permian felsic magmas originated mainly from partial melting of a relatively juvenile lower crust, whereas the coeval mafic rocks were probably derived from partial melting of a relatively depleted lithospheric mantle that was modified by fossil subduction‐related fluids. The igneous rock associations and their geochemical features, together with data from coeval sedimentary and volcanosedimentary successions, indicate that Permian magmatism within the eastern Songnen and western Jiamusi massifs formed in an extensional environment, similar to a back‐arc setting, related to westward subduction of a Palaeo‐oceanic plate beneath the eastern margin of the Jiamusi Massif. We find no evidence for double‐sided subduction of the Mudanjiang oceanic plate during the Permian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated differential phase‐contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (iDPC‐STEM) is capable of directly probing guest molecules in zeolites, owing to its sufficient and interpretable image contrast for both heavy and light elements under low‐dose conditions. This unique ability is demonstrated by imaging volatile organic compounds adsorbed in zeolite Silicalite‐1; iDPC‐STEM was then used to investigate molybdenum supported on various zeolites including Silicalite‐1, ZSM‐5, and mordenite. Isolated single‐Mo clusters were observed in the micropores of ZSM‐5, demonstrating the crucial role of framework Al in driving Mo atomically dispersed into the micropores. Importantly, the specific one‐to‐one Mo‐Al interaction makes it possible to locate Al atoms, that is, catalytic active sites, in the ZSM‐5 framework from the images, according to the positions of Mo atoms in the micropores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lithospheric mantle beneath the Xing'an Massif (XM), northeast China, was formed at the Paleoproterozoic or even earlier, but its thermal state and structure remain poorly understood. To address this issue, we calculate pressure–temperature (P–T) arrays for mantle xenoliths entrained by Cenozoic basalts from the XM, using major‐element‐based and rare earth element (REE)‐based two‐pyroxene thermometry as well as single clinopyroxene barometry. Samples (include spinel or garnet lherzolites and harzburgites, dunite and pyroxenite) come from the Keluo, Nuomin, and Aershan regions, which are located on either side of the North–South Gravity Lineament (NSGL). To the west of the NSGL, in the Nuomin and Aershan regions, mantle xenoliths yield consistent REE‐based and major‐element‐based temperatures, suggesting that these samples were derived from stable thermal conditions. Garnet peridotites from these regions yield pressures of 2.37–3.01 GPa and temperatures of 1066–1303°C, revealing a high geothermal gradient (corresponding to a surface heat flow of 70–80 mW/m2) and a crustal thicknesses of ~37 km. The lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary determined from the intersection of this geotherm with the mantle adiabat occurs at a depth of ~100 km, which is much shallower than the lithospheric thickness calculated by geophysical analyses (140–160 km). This discrepancy may have resulted from locally upwelling hot asthenosphere. Low‐temperature (800–900°C) peridotites from the Nuomin and Aershan are chemically fertile with low olivine Mg# values and high modal clinopyroxene contents. By contrast, high‐temperature (1050–1350°C) peridotites consist mainly of refractory harzburgites or clinopyroxene‐poor lherzolites. These facts reveal that the lithospheric mantle beneath the Nuomin and Aershan regions is characterized by juvenile mantle dominating shallow levels and ancient mantle occurring at greater depths. To the east of the NSGL, some Keluo mantle xenoliths yield higher REE‐based temperatures (839–863°C) than major‐element‐based temperatures (<800°C), indicating cooling by thermal relaxation. This cooling process produced a low geothermal gradient (~45 mW/m2) in the lithosphere beneath the Keluo region. The mantle xenoliths comprise both fertile lherzolites and refractory harzburgites without correlation between mineral compositions and temperatures, suggesting that the lithospheric mantle beneath the Keluo region is characterized by juvenile mantle mixed with ancient mantle at all depths. The results show contrasting thermal state and structure of the lithospheric mantle on either side of the NSGL within the XM, which are attributed to a previous cooling process in the Keluo region and local upwelling of hot asthenosphere beneath the Aershan and Nuomin regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Psocodean species are emerging as significant sanitary and stored‐product pests, posing threats to human health and global food security. Out of an estimated 10 000 species, the whole genome sequences of only 4 species have been published. Genomic resources are crucial for establishing effective pest control and enhancing our understanding of the evolution of psocodean species. In this study, we employed Illumina and PacBio sequencing along with Hi‐C scaffolding techniques to generate a chromosome‐level genome assembly for the parthenogenetic booklouse Liposcelis bostrychophila. The assembled genome of this booklouse measures 291.67 Mb in length and comprises 9 chromosomes. Notably, the genome of L. bostrychophila exhibits a high level of heterozygosity and features a distinctive nonhomologous chromosome. This heterozygous characteristic of the parthenogenetic booklouse genome may arise from high mutation rates, based on genomic variations analysis across multiple generations. Our analysis revealed significantly expanded gene families, primarily associated with the detoxification and feeding habits of L. bostrychophila. These include integument esterases (ESTs), ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) transporter genes and gustatory receptors (GRs). The high‐quality genome sequence of L. bostrychophila provides valuable resources for further study on the molecular mechanisms of stress resistance. It enables researchers to identify crucial functional genes and facilitates research on the population genetics, evolution and phylogeny of booklice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: JQ1, a BET bromodomain inhibitor, is a promising therapeutic approach for bladder cancer (BC). Our study aimed to determine whether autophagy is induced by JQ1 and its potential role toward proliferation in BC. Methods: Cell proliferation was determined by methylthiazolyldiphenyl‐tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, cell counting assay, and colony formation assay. Autophagosomes and autolysosomes were observed by transmission electron microscopy and mRFP‐EGFP‐LC3 fluorescence assay. 3‐MA, BAFA1, NH4Cl, and siATG5 were used to inhibit autophagy. AMPK siRNA was used to knock down AMPK. T24 xenograft model in mice was chosen to perform in vivo studies. Autophagy markers LC‐3B and p62, p‐AMPKα, p‐ACC, p‐ULK1, p‐mTOR and p‐LKB1 were determined by western blot in vitro studies and by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in vivo specimens. Results: We found that BC cell proliferation was suppressed by JQ1; moreover, JQ1 induced the accumulation of autophagosomes and autolysosomes, and autophagy flux, and the growth suppression capacity of JQ1 was attenuated by autophagy inhibitors. Furthermore, we found that JQ1 induced the phosphorylation of AMPKα, and AMPKα knockdown attenuated autophagy induction and anti‐proliferation effect induced by JQ1 in BC cells, indicating that autophagy induced by JQ1 is dependent on AMPKα. Through endogenous immunoprecipitation analysis, we found that JQ1 dramatically increased the interaction between LKB1 and AMPKα, which may lead to more AMPK activation. Proliferation inhibition, autophagy induction, and LKB1/AMPK activation capacities of JQ1 were further confirmed in vivo. Conclusions: Taken together, our results demonstrate that autophagy is induced by JQ1 through activation of LKB1/AMPK pathway, and the autophagy induced by JQ1 positively contributes to the inhibition of BC cell proliferation. These findings provide a novel point of view to understand the mechanism of how targeting BET bromodomain suppress cancer cell growth and suggest that targeting BET bromodomain might be a potential approach to treat BC in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid, high‐throughput, and quantitative method for cell entry route characterization is still lacking in nanomedicine research. Here, we report the application of imaging flow cytometry for quantitatively analyzing cell entry routes of actively targeted nanomedicines. We first engineered ICAM1 antibody‐directed fusogenic nanoliposomes (ICAM1‐FusoNLPs) and ICAM1 antibody‐directed endocytic nanolipogels (ICAM1‐EndoNLGs) featuring highly similar surface properties but different cell entry routes: receptor‐mediated membrane fusion and receptor‐mediated endocytosis, respectively. By using imaging flow cytometry, we characterized their intracellular delivery into human breast cancer MDA‐MB‐231 cells. We found that ICAM1‐FusoNLPs mediated a 2.8‐fold increased cell uptake of fluorescent payload, FITC‐dextran, with a 2.4‐fold increased intracellular distribution area in comparison with ICAM1‐EndoNLGs. We also investigated the effects of incubation time and endocytic inhibitors on the cell entry routes of ICAM1‐FusoNLP and ICAM1‐EndoNLG. Our results indicate that receptor‐mediated membrane fusion is a faster and more efficient cell entry route than receptor‐mediated endocytosis, bringing with it a significant therapeutic benefit in a proof‐of‐principle nanomedicine‐mediated siRNA transfection experiment. Our studies suggest that cell entry route may be an important design parameter to be considered in the development of next‐generation nanomedicines. © 2019 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Under dehydration in plants, antagonistic activities of histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methyltransferase and histone demethylase maintain a dynamic and homeostatic state of gene expression by orientating transcriptional reprogramming toward growth or stress tolerance. However, the histone demethylase that specifically controls histone methylation homeostasis under dehydration stress remains unknown. Here, we document that a histone demethylase, JMJ17, belonging to the KDM5/JARID1 family, plays crucial roles in response to dehydration stress and abscisic acid (ABA) in Arabidopsis thaliana.jmj17 loss‐of‐function mutants displayed dehydration stress tolerance and ABA hypersensitivity in terms of stomatal closure. JMJ17 specifically demethylated H3K4me1/2/3 via conserved iron‐binding amino acids in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, H3K4 demethylase activity of JMJ17 was required for dehydration stress response.Systematic combination of genome‐wide chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with massively parallel DNA sequencing (ChIP‐seq) and RNA‐sequencing (RNA‐seq) analyses revealed that a loss‐of‐function mutation in JMJ17 caused an ectopic increase in genome‐wide H3K4me3 levels and activated a plethora of dehydration stress‐responsive genes. Importantly, JMJ17 bound directly to the chromatin of OPEN STOMATA 1 (OST1) and demethylated H3K4me3 for the regulation of OST1 mRNA abundance, thereby modulating the dehydration stress response.Our results demonstrate a new function of a histone demethylase under dehydration stress in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: The genome‐wide sequencing information of PJS is still lacking. Our result demonstrates that c.862+2T>C variant on STK11 as an important foundation of molecular mechanism in this familial PJS. Variants in KDR and MLL3 may play important roles in the initiation and development of this familial PJS polyps. The genome‐wide sequencing information of PJS is still lacking. Our result demonstrates that c.862+2T>C variant on STK11 as an important foundation of molecular mechanism in this familial PJS. Variants in KDR and MLL3 may play important roles in the initiation and development of this familial PJS polyps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium‐doped diamond‐like carbon (Ti‐DLC) coatings with Ti concentration of 4 at.% (Ti4at.%‐DLC) and 27 at.% (Ti27at.%‐DLC) were prepared by a hybrid ion beam deposition system for comparison. The tribological behaviors of Ti‐DLC coatings under dry friction and boundary lubrication conditions were systematically investigated. Results showed that, under dry friction, the Ti4at.%‐DLC coating displayed lower friction coefficient (0.07) and wear rate due to the continuous transfer film formed in the sliding interface, while Ti27at.%‐DLC coating was worn out at initial stage due to severe abrasive wear. And under boundary lubrication, both the Ti4at.%‐DLC and Ti27at.%‐DLC coatings showed excellent tribological properties attributing to the formation of oil film between sliding interface. In particular, Ti27at.%‐DLC performed the lowest wear rate of 1.12 × 10−16 m3 N−1 m−1 in this friction case. In conclusion, compared with Ti27at.%‐DLC coating, Ti4at.%‐DLC coating exhibited better tribological performances both under dry friction and boundary lubrication. The present result provides guidance for the selection of DLC coatings according to the realistic environment of starved‐oil and rich‐oil conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lenglongling fault (LLLF) is located along the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau and forms a part of the Tianzhu seismic gap along the Qilian‐Haiyuan fault zone. Little is known about the recurrence of large earthquakes along the LLLF nor the associated seismic hazards of the gap. Here the six most recent surface rupturing paleoearthquakes of the LLLF are revealed by measurement of offset landforms, trench excavations, and radiocarbon dating. They are labeled E1–E6 from youngest to oldest, and their timings are constrained to the following time ranges: 636–498 to present, 2951–1155, 4016–3609, 5325–4476, 7284–6690, and 8483–7989 years BP, respectively. The LLLF displays evidence of fresh, recent surface rupture, and the trench sections reveal that the fault ruptured to the ground surface during the most recent event. Based on this fresh surface rupture and historical earthquake records, the latest event E1 was most likely the 1927 M8.0 Gulang earthquake. In conjunction with previous studies, Gulang earthquake might be a complicated event characterized by the combined rupture of both strike‐slip and thrust faults. The average recurrence interval of the six paleoearthquakes is 1643 ± 568 years, and the coefficient of variation is 0.34, indicating that the LLLF follows a quasiperiodic recurrence model. Based on this new understanding of the last event, the LLLF may not be a part of the Tianzhu seismic gap. However, an earthquake of up to MW7.6 could still rupture the gap sections composed of the Jinqianghe, Maomaoshan, and Laohushan faults. Key Points: Six recent surface rupturing paleoearthquakes of the Lenglongling fault were revealed by trench excavationsThe most recent event of the Lenglongling fault was most likely the 1927 M8.0 Gulang earthquakeThe Lenglongling fault may follow a quasiperiodic recurrence model [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tailoring the morphology of a specific crystalline material through distinct crystal growth mechanisms (classical and nonclassical) is challenging. Herein, we report the two unique morphologies of a medium‐pore (10×8‐ring) zeolite, ZSM‐57, prepared by employing an identical organic structure‐directing agent (OSDA) and different inorganic cations, namely Na+ and K+, denoted as ZSM‐57‐Na (pentagonal nanoplates) and ZSM‐57‐K (pentagonal nanoprisms), respectively. The tunable twin domain size and twin boundaries in both samples have been unraveled at the atomic level by electron crystallography. It is of significance to note that the 10‐ring pore openings run perpendicular to the pentagonal nanoplates and nanoprisms. Moreover, the distinct crystal growth mechanisms, which result in the different unique morphologies and tunable twin domains, were further determined by electron crystallography combined with other techniques. Nonclassical growth involving the aggregation of amorphous aluminosilicate nanoparticles to the smooth ZSM‐57‐Na crystal surface dominates the ZSM‐57‐Na crystallization process. For the ZSM‐57‐K sample, the classical layer‐by‐layer growth through the addition of silica molecules to advancing steps on the crystal surface dominates the ZSM‐57‐K crystallization process. The different morphologies of both samples result in the distinct catalytic lifespan of the methanol conversion and selectivity of lower olefins. Bridging the gap: Tunable nonclassical and classical crystal growth mechanisms in the ZSM‐57 zeolite have been revealed with the aid of electron crystallography (see figure). The different mechanisms lead to zeolites with different unique morphologies and twin domains than can be tuned by varying the metal cation in the reaction medium. The methanol conversion reaction revealed the two zeolites with different morphologies exhibit different catalytic behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports mineral and whole‐rock geochemical data (major and trace elements, Sr–Nd isotopes, and in situ plagioclase Sr‐isotope analysis) for Cenozoic volcanic rocks from Sabeto, NW Fiji, with the aim of constraining the origin of Cenozoic shoshonitic rocks found throughout Fiji. The most mafic shoshonitic lavas (absarokites) exhibit porphyritic textures and massive structure with phenocrysts of olivine (Fo = 76–78), clinopyroxene (Mg# = 73.9–80.0), and plagioclase (An = 71.9–92.1). Major element geochemical data include SiO2 = 47.31–48.46 wt%, MgO = 4.20–5.76 wt%, Mg# = 49–51, Al2O3 = 17.64–18.93 wt%, and (Na2O + K2O) = 5.12–7.01 wt%. The trace element geochemistry is typically arc like, with enrichment in the large ion lithophile elements (LILEs), the light rare earth elements (LREEs), and P, along with depletion in the heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) and high‐field‐strength elements (HFSEs; e.g., Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, and Ti). Whole‐rock (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios and εNd(t) values vary from 0.7037 to 0.7039 and from +7.62 to +8.45, respectively. The former is near equal to the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of plagioclase phenocrysts (0.7034–07039). Based on these geochemical data and the results of previous studies, we propose that the Sabeto shoshonitic primary magma was derived from partial melting of the depleted lithospheric mantle, modified by subduction‐related fluids. The thermobarometric calculation indicates that the P–T conditions of Fiji shoshonitic magma chamber are ~1100 °C and ~2.8 GPa (~90 km depth), with an average H2O fraction of ~6 wt%. In addition, the shoshonitic melts experienced fractional crystallization of clinopyroxene, olivine, and plagioclase during magma evolution. These volcanic rocks formed in an extensional setting following collision of the Vitiaz arc and the Ontong Java Plateau during the Pliocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A >1500–km–long northeast–southwest trending Neoproterozoic metamorphic belt in the South China Craton (SCC) consists of subduction mélange and extensional basin deposits. This belt is present under an unconformity of Devonian–Carboniferous sediments. Tectonic evolution of the Neoproterozoic rocks is crucial to determining the geology of the SCC and further influences the reconstruction of the Rodinia supercontinent. A subduction mélange unit enclosed ca.1000–850–Ma mafic blocks, which defined a Neoproterozoic ocean that existed within the SCC, is exposed at the bottom of the Jiangnan Orogen (JO) and experienced at least two phases deformation. Combined with new (detrital) zircon U–Pb ages from metasandstones, as well as igneous rocks within the metamorphic belt, we restrict the strongly deformed subduction mélange as younger than the minimum detrital age ca. 835 Ma and older than the ca. 815 Ma intruded granite. Unconformably overlying the subduction mélange and the intruded granite, an intra–continental rift basin developed <800 Ma that involved abundant mantle inputs, such as mafic dikes. This stratum only experienced one main phase deformation. According to our white mica 40Ar/30Ar data and previously documented thermochronology, both the Neoproterozoic mélange and younger strata were exhumed by a 490–400–Ma crustal–scale positive flower structure. This orogenic event probably induced the thick–skinned structures and was accompanied by crustal thickening, metamorphism and magmatism and led to the closure of the pre–existing rift basin. Integrating previously published data and our new results, we agree that the SCC was located on the periphery of the Rodinia supercontinent from the Neoproterozic until the Ordovician. Furthermore, we prefer that the convergence and dispersal of the SCC were primarily controlled by oceanic subduction forces that occurred within or periphery of the SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Members of the family Scutelleridae (Heteroptera: Pentatomomorpha: Pentatomoidea) are also called shield bugs because of the greatly enlarged scutellum, or jewel bugs because of the brilliant colours of many species. All scutellerids are phytophagous, feeding on various parts of their host plants. Due to lack of obvious synapomorphies and the failure to apply rigorous phylogenetic methods, the higher classification of Scutelleridae has been disputed for more than 150 years. Here we reconstructed a phylogeny of Scutelleridae based on complete sequences of 18S and 28S nuclear rDNAs and all 13 protein‐coding genes of the mitochondrial genome, with the sampled taxa covering all of the currently recognized subfamilies. The monophyly of Scutelleridae was confirmed by the congruence of the results of analyses conducted using Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony. The phylogenetic relationships among subfamilies were well resolved for the first time. Furthermore, time‐divergence studies estimated that the time of origin of Scutelleridae was in the Early Cretaceous (142.1–122.8 Ma), after the origin of the angiosperms. The diversification between the extant subfamilies of Scutelleridae and within the subfamilies occurred from the late Palaeocene to the late Miocene, simultaneously with the rise of the major groups of angiosperms and other phytophagous insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An on‐line high‐performance liquid chromatography–biochemical detection (HPLC‐BCD) method, in which compounds separated by HPLC were on‐line reacted with enzyme and substrate solutions delivered by flow injection and the enzyme inhibition signal was collected by UV detection, was developed to rapidly screen α‐glucosidase inhibitors from green tea extracts in this study. The chromatographic fingerprints and enzyme inhibition profiles of the different brands of green tea could be simultaneously detected by the on‐line HPLC‐BCD method. Enzyme inhibition profiles were detected by the UV detector at 415 nm based on the reaction of α‐glucosidase and p‐nitrophenyl α‐ d‐glucopyranoside (PNPG). PNPG (1.25 m m), α‐glucosidase (0.4 U/mL) and the flow rate 0.07 mL/min were applied as optimized parameters to detect α‐glucosidase inhibitors in green tea. Four components in green tea showed α‐glucosidase inhibition action and three of them were identified as HHDP‐galloyl glucose, (−)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate and (−)‐epicatechin‐3‐gallate by HPLC–fourier‐transform mass spectrometry (HPLC‐FTMS). Two brands of green tea derived from Mengding and Enshi mountainous areas might be superior to the other samples in the prevention and treatment of diabetes owing to their stronger activities of enzyme inhibitors. The proposed on‐line HPLC‐BCD method could be used to rapidly identify the potential enzyme inhibitors in complex matrixes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this article, mechanisms of phosphine‐catalyzed [4 + 3] annulation of allenoates with C, N‐cyclic azomethine imines have been investigated using density functional theory. The catalytic cycle for the title reaction consists of five steps. Namely, the first step is the nucleophilic addition of phosphine catalyst, the second one is the CC bond formation, the third one is the proton transfer process, and the next one is the ring‐closure process, the last one is dissociation of the catalyst and the product generation. The calculated results indicate that the nucleophilic addition of phosphine catalyst is rate‐determining. With the use of Cat as the chiral catalyst, optically active products were obtained in good yields with excellent enantioselectivities while the CC bond formation is stereoselectivity‐determining. Furthermore, the theoretically predicted the main product is SS configuration, which is in good agreement with the experimental results. The special role of the catalysts and origin of stereoselectivity was also identified by NBO, GRI, and FMO analyses. This work might be helpful for understanding the significant roles of phosphine catalyst and thus provide valuable insights on the rational design of potential catalysts for this kind of reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular multilevel converters (MMCs) provide advantages to reach medium‐voltage operation increasing the power level in industrial applications. In this study, a tundish induction heating power supply based MMC (MMC‐TIHPS) is investigated for heating molten steel. The equivalent model of MMC‐TIHPS is established and the energy in horizontal and vertical directions are analysed. The heating control for molten steel consists of temperature increasing and constant temperature processes (alternatively called transient‐state and steady‐state operation). The main contribution of this study is to propose a direct power feedforward control based load current feedforward strategy for TIHPS. With this strategy, TIHPS can be controlled operating with full power to heat molten steel in transient state and guarantee the insulation effectiveness in steady state. Proper parameters of controllers are designed. Experimental results are conducted to validate the feasibility of MMC‐TIHPS and the effectiveness of the proposed control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relative to the commonly used mitochondrial and nuclear protein-coding genes, the noncoding intron sequences are a promising source of informative markers that have the potential to resolve difficult phylogenetic nodes such as rapid radiations and recent divergences. Yet many issues exist in the use of intron markers, which prevent their extensive application as conventional markers. We used the diverse group of snakes as an example to try paving the way for massive identification and application of intron markers. We performed a series of bioinformatics screenings which identified appropriate introns between single-copy and conserved exons from two snake genomes, adding particular constraints on sequence length variability and sequence variability. A total of 1,273 candidate intron loci were retrieved. Primers for nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were designed for over a hundred candidates and tested in 16 snake representatives. 96 intron markers were developed that could be amplified across a broad range of snake taxa with high PCR successful rates. The markers were then applied to 49 snake samples. The large number of amplicons was subjected to next-generation sequencing ( NGS). An analytic strategy was developed to accurately recover the amplicon sequences, and approximately, 76% of the marker sequences were recovered. The average p-distances of the intron markers at interfamily, intergenus, interspecies, and intraspecies levels were .168, .052, .015, and .004, respectively, suggesting that they were useful to study snake relationships of different evolutionary depths. A snake phylogeny was constructed with the intron markers, which produced concordant results with robust support at both interfamily and intragenus levels. The intron markers provide a convenient way to explore the signals in the noncoding regions to address the controversies on the snake tree. Our improved strategy of genome screening is effective and can be applied to other animal groups. NGS coupled with appropriate sequence processing can greatly facilitate the extensive application of molecular markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure solution, prediction, and targeted synthesis of a family of embedded isoreticular zeolites (EIZs) with expanding structural complexity, denoted the RHO family, were reported recently. Here, the naming and building rules of body-centered cubic EIZs with the lta cage as the lattice point are presented. The rearrangement of a pair of pau and d8r cages between two lta cages and its repetitive insertion, combined with the strong reflections and fragment methods, allows the creation of three other new zeolite families, designated the HPO, RHO(b), and KFI families. Among them, the KFI family is found to be the only EIZ family, on the basis of the similarity of structure factor amplitudes and phases of strong reflections, that is, structural coding, within its family members. The structural credibility of this family is confirmed by both local interatomic distances and T−T−T angle analyses. The existence of tetragonal EIZ families is also demonstrated. The overall results provide useful insights into the prediction of unprecedented EIZ families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Lizards are ancestrally diurnal, and most of them remain so. Nocturnality is common among lizards, but the environmental factors associated with lizard nocturnal activity are still unknown. Here, we contrasted the ambient temperature and productivity hypotheses, where we predicted that cold temperatures will pose a stonger limit to nocturnal species richness than diurnal lizards. Moreover, we contrasted the relative importance of annual, day and night mean temperatures to pinpoint the drivers of nocturnal lizard richness. Location Mainland Eurasia. Methods We collected distribution range and activity time data for all 1,113 lizard species found throughout mainland Eurasia. This represents the largest geographical scope to date, for studies of lizard species richness. We examined the spatial patterns of nocturnal species richness in relationship to diurnal species richness across environmental gradients of ambient temperature and productivity. Results Nocturnal lizards are richest in the tropics and in deserts, and their richness decreases with latitude. However, nocturnal lizards are absent from the highest latitudes and coldest regions inhabited by lizards. Diurnal and nocturnal lizards respond in a similar manner to climatic factors. Ambient temperature has a strong influence on both, whereas productivity is more tightly related to the proportion of nocturnal species. Main conclusions Nocturnality is widespread among Eurasian lizards. However, nocturnal lizards are absent from invariably cold regions, and low temperatures seem to be a limiting factor for lizard activity period. We suggest that the year-round warm nights of the tropics reduce the cost of being active at night and open the nocturnal niche for many lizards. In hot deserts, the combination of hot days and aridity increases the cost of diurnal activity, whereas nocturnal activity provides a shelter from these extreme conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serine proteases play important roles in digestion and immune responses during insect development. In the present study, the serine protease gene BmSP36, which encodes a 292-residue protein, was cloned from the midgut cells of Bombyx mori. BmSP36 contains an intact catalytic triad (H57, D102 and S195) and a conserved substrate-binding site (G189, H216 and G226), suggesting that it is a serine protease with chymotrypsin-like specificity. The temporal and spatial expression patterns of BmSP36 indicated that its messenger RNA and protein expression mainly occurred in the midgut at the feeding stages. Western blotting, immunofluorescence and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analyses revealed secretion of BmSP36 protein from epithelial cells into the midgut lumen. The transcriptional and translational expression of BmSP36 was down-regulated after starvation but up-regulated after refeeding. Moreover, expression of the BmSP36 gene could be up-regulated by a juvenile hormone analogue. These results enable us to better define the potential role of BmSP36 in dietary protein digestion at the feeding stages during larval development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surfactant-free magnetic ionic liquid (MIL)-water Janus microdroplets with adjustable structures and morphologies are prepared in capillary-based microfluidic devices. Their morphologies (e.g., sizes, curvatures of the interfaces, and structures from Janus to core/shell) can be adjusted in a wide range by changing the flow rate ratio of water to MIL, adding different mass fractions of polyethylene glycol in water, and using soybean oil rather than liquid paraffin as the continuous phase. MIL-water-MIL ternary Janus magnetic microdroplets with adjustable symmetric and asymmetric structures are also prepared. These Janus microdroplets can be manipulated by magnetic attraction, leading to easy formation of water-MIL-water, MIL-water-oil, necklace-structured MIL-water alternative Janus droplets as well as more complex Janus droplets, such as MIL-CO2-in-water and MIL-water-water droplets. Such preparation strategy is simple and can be applied in fields like pharmaceuticals, multi-drug chemotherapies, and catalysis with expensive materials. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 4115-4123, 2017 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The switch of tumor cells from a dormant, non-angiogenic phenotype to an active, angiogenic phenotype is a critical step in early cancer progression. To date, relatively little is known about the cellular behaviors of angiogenic and non-angiogenic tumor cell phenotypes. In this study, holographic imaging cytometry, a quantitative phase imaging (QPI) technique was used to continuously and non-invasively analyze, quantify, and compare a panel of fundamental cellular behaviors of angiogenic and non-angiogenic human osteosarcoma cells (KHOS) in a simple and economical way. Results revealed that angiogenic KHOS cells (KHOS-A) have significantly higher cell motility speeds than their non-angiogenic counterpart (KHOS-N) while no difference in their cell proliferation rates and cell cycle lengths were observed. KHOS-A cells were also found to have significantly smaller cell areas and greater cell optical thicknesses when compared with the non-angiogenic KHOS-N cells. No difference in average cell volumes was observed. These studies demonstrate that the morphology and behavior of angiogenic and non-angiogenic cells can be continuously, efficiently, and non-invasively monitored using a simple, quantitative, and economical system that does not require tedious and time-consuming assays to provide useful information about tumor dormancy. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal pollution is a serious problem for Lentinula edodes; however, the treatment of contaminated L. edodes has seldom been studied. This study investigated the removal of cadmium (Cd) from contaminated L. edodes and its lentinan by complexation and coagulation. Some influencing factors, such as pH, medical dosage, and preoxidation were examined. Cd complexation from contaminated L. edodes was shown to be more efficient under acidic conditions ( pH 5.0), with a clearance rate of 80.47% in 25 mmol/L EDTA and 78.45% in 25 mmol/L sodium citrate. The Cd content in the lentinan of the contaminated L. edodes was markedly lower than that in the powdered mushroom (2.77 mg/kg vs. 19.49 mg/kg) and was easier to remove. The maximum Cd clearance rate (96.3%) for lentinan was obtained using an optimized process that involved preoxidation with 0.5 mg/L KMnO4, complexing with 25 mmol/L EDTA and 25 mmol/L sodium citrate, and coagulation with 50 mg/L activated carbon ( AC) at pH 10.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollination systems and associated floral traits generally differ between core and marginal populations of a species. However, such differences are rarely examined in plants with a mixed wind- and bumblebee-pollination system, and the role of wind pollination during range expansion in ambophilous plants remains unclear. We compared floral traits and the contributions of bumblebee and wind pollination in refugium and marginal populations of the ambophilous plant Aconitum gymnandrum. We found that most floral traits differed between the two populations, and those traits associated with the shift to wind pollination were pronounced in the marginal population. Bumblebee visitation rates varied significantly, but were generally low in the marginal population. Wind pollination occurred in both populations, and the efficiency was lower than that of bumblebee pollination. Two types of pollen grains, namely round and fusiform pollen, were transported to a stigma by bumblebees and wind, but fusiform pollen contributed to wind pollination to a larger degree, especially in the marginal population. Our results suggest that wind pollination was enhanced by pollen dimorphism in the marginal population of A. gymnandrum, and wind pollination may provide reproductive assurance when bumblebee activity is unpredictable during range expansion, indicating that ambophily is stable in this species and shift in pollination system could be common when plants colonize new habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the jump characteristic of power system, a time‐delay stability control strategy that avoids the effect of jump progress is proposed in this study. First, the Newton–Leibniz formula based on the free weighting matrix and the time‐delay system model considering Markov jump are introduced to the differential equation of Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional, and a non‐linear minimising time‐delay controller considering the jump characteristic of power system is designed. Then, the Schur complement is used to decouple the non‐linear items in the control algorithm, so that the matrix inequalities containing the non‐linear items are transformed to standard linear matrix inequalities. Thus, low solving efficiency due to iteration could be avoided. Time‐domain simulation tests on the IEEE 16‐machine 68‐bus system verify that the proposed controller could effectively damp the inter‐area oscillations before and after the system jump, and the system after jump will not go unstable due to the time‐delay control measures before the jump. Compared with traditional time‐delay control methods, the proposed method is suitable for power system with jump characteristic and has better computational efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim H2S is an important gasotransmitter in the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of exogenous H2S on gastric acid secretion. Methods Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into physiological saline (PS) group, sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS; 50, 100, and 150 µmol/kg body weight) group, glibenclamide + NaHS group, and SQ22536 + NaHS group. PH of gastric juice before injection and after injection were determined by a PH meter. Results The results showed that NaHS, an exogenous H2S donor, injected into the enterocoelia significantly reduced the PH of gastric juice, the same volume of PS administered similarly did not change PH of gastric juice, the promotional effect of NaHS on gastric acid secretion could be abolished by glibenclamide, an ATP-sensitive potassium channel K(ATP) blocker SQ22536, an inhibitor of adenyl cyclase. Conclusions The data from these experiments suggest that exogenous H2S promoted gastric acid secretion, which may occur via K(ATP) channels and activate AC-cAMP pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viridovipera stejnegeri is one of the most common pit vipers in Asia, with a wide distribution in southern China and Vietnam. We investigated historical demography and explored how the environment and climatic factors have shaped genetic diversity and the evolutionary history of this venomous snake. A total of 171 samples from 47 localities were sequenced and analysed for two mitochondrial gene fragments and three nuclear genes. Gene trees reveal the existence of two well-supported clades (Southwest China and Southeast China) with seven distinct and strongly supported, geographically structured subclades within V. stejnegeri. Estimation of divergence time and ancestral area suggests that V. stejnegeri originated at ~6.0 Ma in the late Miocene on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. The estimated date of origin and divergence of the island populations of Taiwan and Hainan closely matches the geological origin of the both islands. The mt DNA gene tree reveals the presence of west-east diversification in V. stejnegeri populations. Complex orogenesis and heterogeneous habitats, as well as climate-mediated habitat differentiation including glacial cycles, all have influenced population structure and the distribution of this taxon. The validity of V. stejnegeri chenbihuii is questionable, and this subspecies most probably represents an invalid taxon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With rapid advances in nanomedicine, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have emerged as a promising theranostic tool in biomedical applications, including diagnostic imaging, drug delivery and novel therapeutics. Significant preclinical and clinical research has explored their functionalization, targeted delivery, controllable drug release and image-guided capabilities. To further develop MNPs for theranostic applications and clinical translation in the future, we attempt to provide an overview of the recent advances in the development and application of MNPs for drug delivery, specifically focusing on the topics concerning the importance of biomarker targeting for personalized therapy and the unique magnetic and contrast-enhancing properties of theranostic MNPs that enable image-guided delivery. The common strategies and considerations to produce theranostic MNPs and incorporate payload drugs into MNP carriers are described. The notable examples are presented to demonstrate the advantages of MNPs in specific targeting and delivering under image guidance. Furthermore, current understanding of delivery mechanisms and challenges to achieve efficient therapeutic efficacy or diagnostic capability using MNP-based nanomedicine are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the first in a series wherein efficient computational methods are developed and implemented to accurately quantify the transport, deposition, and clearance of the microsized particles (range of interest: 2 to 10 µm) in the human respiratory tract. In particular, this paper (part I) deals with (i) development of a detailed 3D computational finite volume mesh comprising of the NOPL (nasal, oral, pharyngeal and larynx), trachea and several airway generations; (ii) use of CFD Research Corporation's finite volume Computational Biology (CoBi) flow solver to obtain the flow physics for an oral inhalation simulation; (iii) implement a novel and accurate nodal inverse distance weighted Eulerian-Lagrangian formulation to accurately obtain the deposition, and (iv) development of Wind-Kessel boundary condition algorithm. This new Wind-Kessel boundary condition algorithm allows the 'escaped' particles to reenter the airway through the outlets, thereby to an extent accounting for the drawbacks of having a finite number of lung generations in the computational mesh. The deposition rates in the NOPL, trachea, the first and second bifurcation were computed, and they were in reasonable accord with the Typical Path Length model. The quantitatively validated results indicate that these developments will be useful for (i) obtaining depositions in diseased lungs (because of asthma and COPD), for which there are no empirical models, and (ii) obtaining the secondary clearance (mucociliary clearance) of the deposited particles. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The white-lipped tree viper ( Trimeresurus albolabris) is one of the most common venomous snakes with medicine importance in South East Asia. To explore the genetic diversity, population structure and evolutionary history of Trimeresurus albolabris, we collected 98 samples from 27 localities covering its entire distribution. Two mitochondrial gene fragments (cyt-b and ND-4) and two nuclear genes (RAG-1 and NT-3) were sequenced and analysed. Bayesian inference and maximum-likelihood methods were employed to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships among populations based on the two mitochondrial fragments, and the median-joining networks were depicted using nuclear genes. Divergence date and ancestral area were estimated, and the population demographic history was inferred. Both phylogenetic analyses consistently uncovered that Trimeresurus albolabris was monophyletics, with five geographically structured lineages. Divergence date and ancestral area estimation indicated that T. albolabris originated in northern Thailand and eastern Myanmar at c. 7.15 Ma. Population dynamics analyses showed the southern China lineage has experienced population expansion and contraction, but the others have not. Both the interglacial expansion and the highly heterogeneous habitats resulting from the uplift of the Plateau played a joint role in shaping the present distribution and population structure. The evolutionary history of T. albolabris can be explained by a pattern of two direction dispersal: first from North to South, and then from West to East. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel structural coding approach combining structure solution, prediction, and the targeted synthesis of new zeolites with expanding complexity and embedded isoreticular structures was recently proposed. Using this approach, the structures of two new zeolites in the RHO family, PST-20 and PST-25, were predicted and synthesized. Herein, by extending this approach, the next two higher generation members of this family, PST-26 and PST-28, have been predicted and synthesized. These two zeolites have much larger unit cell volumes (422 655 Å3 and 614 912 Å3, respectively) than those of the lower generations. Their crystallization was confirmed by a combination of both powder X-ray and electron diffraction techniques. Aluminate and water concentrations in the synthetic mixture were found to be the two most critical factors influencing the structural expansion of embedded isoreticular zeolites under the synthetic conditions studied herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Krüppel-like factor 5 ( KLF5) promotes cell proliferation of bladder cancer. However, whether KLF5 regulates other cell processes in bladder cancer is not clear. We found that KLF5 increases cell migration and lamellipodia formation, expression of FYN and phosphorylation of FAK in bladder cancer cells. In addition, KLF5 promotes transcription of FYN through binding to its promoter. FYN overexpression rescues cell migration and lamellipodia formation reduced by KLF5 knockdown. Furthermore, the KLF5/ FYN/p- FAK axis is necessary for lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) to promote cell migration. Our findings indicate that both KLF5 and FYN are important in the regulation of cell migration in bladder cancer cells. We propose the KLF5/ FYN/p- FAK axis as a potential therapeutic target in bladder cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The specific cochaperonin, chloroplast chaperonin (Cpn)20, consisting of two tandem Gro ES-like domains, is present abundantly in plant and algal chloroplasts, in addition to Cpn10, which is similar in size to Gro ES. How Cpn20 oligomers, containing six or eight 10-kDa domains, cooperate with the heptameric ring of chaperonin at the same time as encountering symmetry mismatch is unclear. In the present study, we characterized the functional cooperation of cochaperonins, including two plastidic Cpn20 homo-oligomers from Arabidopsis (AtCpn20) and Chlamydomonas (Cr CPN20), and one algal Cr CPNs hetero-oligomer, consisting of three cochaperonins, Cr CPN11, Cr CPN20 and Cr CPN23, with two chaperonins, Escherichia coli Gro EL and Chlamydomonas Cr CPN60. AtCpn20 and Cr CPNs were functional for assisting both chaperonins in folding model substrates ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase from Rhodospirillum rubrum (RrRubisco) in vitro and complementing Gro ES function in E. coli. Cr CPN20 cooperated only with Cr CPN60 (and not Gro EL) to refold RrRubisco in vitro and showed differential complementation with the two chaperonins in E. coli. Cochaperonin concatamers, consisting of six to eight covalently linked 10-kDa domains, were functionally similar to their respective native forms. Our results indicate that symmetrical match between chaperonin and cochaperonin is not an absolute requisite for functional cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The aim of this study was to identify the incidence and risk factors of bacterial vaginosis among pregnant women. Material and Methods Prospective data from a cohort of 668 pregnant women were used to identify potential risk factors for bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy by Cox proportional hazards regression. Results A total of 204 incident cases of bacterial vaginosis were diagnosed in 274.8 woman-years of follow-up. The bacterial vaginosis incidence rate was 0.74 per 1 woman-year and median prevalence during follow-up was 15.6%. In the adjusted model, changing underwear nearly everyday, miscarriage history, urinary tract infection during follow-up, husbands' education level, and concurrent trichomoniasis and candidiasis remained significantly associated with bacterial vaginosis (adjusted hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval were 1.87 [1.26-2.77]; 2.96 [1.96-4.47]; 2.41 [1.05-5.49]; 0.50 [0.32-0.77]; 1.82 [1.02-3.25]; 1.88 [1.30-2.70], respectively). Conclusion Bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy can be affected by many factors, and some are indirectly acting factors. Further prospective studies that include a larger sample size and more information on the development of bacterial vaginosis are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous organic polymers have prospects as functional substrates for catalysis, with quite different molecular properties from inorganic substrates. Here we disclose for the first time that porous palladium(II)-polyimines are excellent catalysts for cooperatively catalyzed and enantioselective cascade reactions. In synergy with a chiral amine co-catalyst, polysubstituted cyclopentenes and spirocyclic oxindoles, including the all-carbon quaternary stereocenter, were synthesized in high yields. High diastereo- and enantioselectivities were achieved for these dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformations (DYKAT) of enals with propargylic nucleophiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To determine whether elevated light levels in classrooms in rural areas can protect school-age children from myopia onset or myopia progression. Methods A total of 317 subjects from 1713 eligible students aged six to 14 in four schools located in northeast China participated in the study. Students received a comprehensive eye examination including cycloplegic refraction and ocular biometry, which included axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and corneal curvature (CC) measurement, and completed a questionnaire. The intervention arm included 178 students in two schools with rebuilt elevated lighting systems and the control arm included 139 students in which lighting systems were unchanged. Results for the two arms were compared with a Wilcoxon rank sum test, a chi-squared test or a t-test, as appropriate. Factors that might help explain any differences were explored with multivariate linear regression analysis. Results The median average illuminance of blackboards and desks and uniformity of desk lighting were significantly improved, however, the uniformity of blackboard lighting declined after intervention. At baseline, the mean refraction, AL, CC, ACD and myopia prevalence between the two arms were not significantly different. After 1 year, compared with the control arm the intervention arm had a lower incidence of new myopia onset (4% vs 10%; p = 0.029), a smaller decrease in refractive error among no myopic subjects (−0.25 dioptre [D] vs −0.47 D; p = 0.001), and shorter axial growth for both non-myopic (0.13 vs 0.18 mm; p = 0.023) and myopic subjects (0.20 vs 0.27 mm; p = 0.0001). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed the intervention program, lower hyperopic baseline refraction, lower father's education level, longer time sleeping and less time in screen-viewing activities were associated with less refractive shift in the direction of myopia in non-myopic children. For myopic subjects, myopia progression was significantly associated with family income only. The intervention program and older age had a protective effect on axial growth for both myopic and non-myopic subjects. The father's education level and sleep duration were significantly associated with axial growth in non-myopic children. Conclusions Elevated light levels in classrooms have a significant effect on myopia onset, decreases in refraction, and axial growth; if the findings of lighting intervention are reproduced in future studies, the ambient light levels in schools should be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This study aims to assess the prevalence of and factors associated with induced abortion among married women in rural areas of Anhui Province, China. Material and Methods A multistage probability sampling method was used to identify a representative sample of 53 652 married women aged 18-49 years in rural areas of Anhui Province, China. All women were interviewed in the form of a standardized questionnaire. Results We found that 32.0% (16 800) of these women had had at least one induced abortion: 21.1% (11 090) of women had had one; 7.6% (3976) of women had had two; and 4.1% (1734) of women had had at least three. The number of induced abortions per 100 pregnancies was found to be 22.0. Multivariate analysis showed that education, the age of a woman at her first marriage, number of total births, number of total pregnancies, and contraceptive methods were significant predictors for induced abortion after controlling for women's current age, employment and family yearly income. Conclusion The study shows that the prevalence of induced abortion is still very high among married women in rural China, and highly effective methods of contraception (sterilization, intrauterine device) decrease women's recourse to induced abortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions Ecologists are increasingly interested in community-level consequences of biotic interactions. However, community-level studies have not considered that biotic interactions might have contrasting directions within communities, and indirect interactions are rarely quantified although they may influence community-level outcomes. We tested the hypotheses that in species-rich plant communities from intermediate severe environmental conditions: (1) direct facilitation by dominant functional groups is balanced by negative indirect interactions among beneficiary species with no net effect at the community level on diversity and biomass, and (2) both direct and indirect interactions contribute to community composition. Location A species-rich subalpine community of the eastern Tibet Plateau ( China). Methods We removed dominant shrubs and graminoids and quantified, at the community and species levels, their direct and indirect effects on 43 forb species. We used multivariate analyses to assess the contribution of direct and indirect effects on community composition. Results There were no community-level effects of either dominant life form on forb diversity and biomass. There were multiple species-level interactions that we grouped into six types based on the direction and intensity of indirect effects. We found significant relationships between species-level interactions and community composition. Conclusions Our study highlights that communities are sets of hidden interactions that contribute to community composition, although no interaction might be detected at the community level because hidden interactions balance each other. Future studies should assess the ecological and functional drivers of these hidden interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the effect of overexpression of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein ( COMP) on bone morphogenetic protein-2 ( BMP-2) induced osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells ( MSCs). In this study, we used liposomes to transfect MSCs with plasmid encoding COMP and then induced the transfected MSCs to differentiate in osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation media containing BMP-2. Methods MSCs transfected with plasmid DNA encoding recombinant human COMP were induced to differentiate into osteocytes and chondrocytes by BMP-2. Real-time polymerase chain reaction ( PCR) assays of osteogenesis-related markers (collagen type I alpha 1, runt-related transcription factor 2, osteopontin, bone gla protein) and chondrogenesis-related markers (collagen type II alpha 1, sry-related high-mobility group box 9, Aggrecan) was performed to evaluate the process of cell differentiation. Cell differentiation was evaluated by alkaline phosphatase ( ALP) and Alizarin red S stains for osteogenic differentiation and alcian blue staining for chondrogenic differentiation. Results Real-time PCR assay showed significantly greater COMP expression by MSCs when COMP gene had been transfected into the cells ( P < 0.01). Overexpression of COMP down-regulated expression of osteogenesis-related markers and up-regulated expression of chondrogenesis-related markers. ALP staining and Alizarin red S staining were weakened, whereas alcian blue staining was enhanced. Conclusion Overexpression of COMP inhibits BMP-2-induced osteogenic differentiation and promotes BMP-2-induced chondrogenic differentiation. These findings may provide new insights for cartilage tissue engineering. The experiments in the present study were all in vitro, which has potential limitations. Further in vivo studies to investigate the effects of COMP in animal models are necessary, which will be the next step in our research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) deposition significantly affects the soil carbon (C) cycle process of forests. However, the influence of different types of N on it still remained unclear. In this work, ammonium nitrate was selected as an inorganic N (IN) source, while urea and glycine were chosen as organic N (ON) sources. Different ratios of IN to ON (1 : 4, 2 : 3, 3 : 2, 4 : 1, and 5 : 0) were mixed with equal total amounts and then used to fertilize temperate forest soils for 2 years. Results showed that IN deposition inhibited soil C cycle processes, such as soil respiration, soil organic C decomposition, and enzymatic activities, and induced the accumulation of recalcitrant organic C. By contrast, ON deposition promoted these processes. Addition of ON also resulted in accelerated transformation of recalcitrant compounds into labile compounds and increased CO2 efflux. Meanwhile, greater ON deposition may convert C sequestration in forest soils into C source. These results indicated the importance of the IN to ON ratio in controlling the soil C cycle, which can consequently change the ecological effect of N deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]