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Abstract Thermoelectrics converting heat and electricity directly attract broad attentions. To enhance the thermoelectric figure of merit, zT, one of the key points is to decouple the carrier-phonon transport. Here, we propose an entropy engineering strategy to realize the carrier-phonon decoupling in the typical SrTiO3-based perovskite thermoelectrics. By high-entropy design, the lattice thermal conductivity could be reduced nearly to the amorphous limit, 1.25 W m−1 K−1. Simultaneously, entropy engineering can tune the Ti displacement, improving the weighted mobility to 65 cm2 V−1 s−1. Such carrier-phonon decoupling behaviors enable the greatly enhanced μ W/κ L of ~5.2 × 103 cm3 K J−1 V−1. The measured maximum zT of 0.24 at 488 K and the estimated zT of ~0.8 at 1173 K in (Sr0.2Ba0.2Ca0.2Pb0.2La0.2)TiO3 film are among the best of n-type thermoelectric oxides. These results reveal that the entropy engineering may be a promising strategy to decouple the carrier-phonon transport and achieve higher zT in thermoelectrics.

Abstract Lobopodians represent a key step in the early history of ecdysozoans since they were the first animals to evolve legs within this clade. Their Cambrian representatives share a similar body plan with a typically cylindrical annulated trunk and a series of non-jointed legs. However, they do not form a monophyletic group and likely include ancestors of the three extant panarthropod lineages (Tardigrada, Onychophora, Euarthropoda). Some species display astonishing protective devices such as cuticular plates and spines. We describe here the armor and molting process of Microdictyon from the early Cambrian of China. Microdictyon secreted ovoid paired cuticular sclerites that were duplicated in a non-synchronous way along the animal’s body. The reticulated pattern and cuticular architecture of these sclerites have similarities to extant armored tardigrades that recently served in hypothesizing that tardigrades are possibly miniaturized lobopodians. Ecdysis and hard cuticular protection are now well documented in the whole spectrum of early Cambrian ecdysozoans such as soft-bodied scalidophorans, lobopodians and fully articulated euarthropods. We hypothesize that the secretion of sclerotized cuticular elements periodically renewed via ecdysis was a key innovation that opened large-scale evolutionary opportunities to invertebrate animal life, specifically ecdysozoans, both in terms of anatomical functionalities and ecological success.

Abstract Background Citrus canker is a significant bacterial disease caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc) that severely impedes the healthy development of the citrus industry. Especially when citrus fruit is infected by Xcc, it will reduce or even lost its commercial value. However, due to the prolonged fruiting cycle and intricate structure, much less research progress had been made in canker disease on fruit than on leaf. In fact, limited understanding has been achieved on canker development and the response to Xcc infection in fruit. Results Herein, the progression of canker disease on sweet orange fruit was tracked in the field. Results indicated that typical lesions initially appear on the sepal, style residue, nectary disk, epicarp, and peduncle of young fruits after petal fall. The susceptibility of fruits to Xcc infection diminished as the fruit developed, with no new lesions forming at the ripening stage. The establishment of an efficient method for inoculating Xcc on fruit as well as the artificial inoculation throughout the fruit's developmental cycle clarified this infection pattern. Additionally, microscopic observations during the infection process revealed that Xcc invasion caused structural changes on the surface and cross-section of the fruit. Conclusions An efficient system for inoculation on citrus fruit with Xcc was established, by which it can serve for the evaluation of citrus germplasm for canker disease resistance and systematic research on the interactions between Xcc and citrus fruits.

With the increase of the running time of the subway system, long-term use will lead to the reduction of damping, the change of the operating state of the wheels and the track, and the effect of vibration damping measures will gradually weaken. In order to maintain a low level of environmental vibration in vibration sensitive areas, the reconstruction of some existing lines with high level vibration is imminent. In order to solve this problem, this paper focuses on the reconstruction of the existing line of longitudinal sleeper track, which is commonly used in the middle and high level vibration reduction measure in the subway. Because of the high cost of reconstruction of the slab and its lower part, this paper tries to realize the reconstruction of the existing longitudinal sleeper track by changing the fastener system. In this paper, the environmental vibration prediction model of longitudinal sleeper track is established by using the theory of infinite long period structure and the 2.5-dimensional finite element and boundary element (2.5D FE-BE) environmental vibration prediction model. The validity of the numerical model is determined by comparing the field experiment with the numerical simulation. On the basis of the above, the stiffness matching of longitudinal sleeper and fastener is explored by using the verified numerical model. The reasons for the poor vibration reduction effect of the existing longitudinal sleeper matching floating rail fastener (low stiffness) are analyzed. And the matching strategy of the supporting stiffness for vibration reduction of longitudinal sleeper and fastener are summarized.

BackgroundIn the 21st century, childhood overweight and obesity have become major public health issues worldwide. Previous studies have shown that breastfeeding helps prevent overweight or obesity in children. Despite the significant advantages of breastfeeding, the global exclusive breastfeeding rate for infants under 6 months old is only 40%, while in the United States, the rate is only 25%. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between breastfeeding duration and BMI in children aged 2 to 6 in the United States, and to raise awareness of breastfeeding.MethodsA cross-sectional study included 2,769 participants between the ages of 2 and 6 from a sample that represented the entire NHANES 2009–2018. Data was analyzed using EmpowerStats, (www.empowerstats.com) linear regression as well as Chi-square test, t-tests, multivariate regression analysis and smooth cure fitting were done.ResultsBreastfeeding duration long-term group exhibited a statistically significant negative association with BMI, with a regression coefficient of −0.21 (P < 0.05). The continuous analysis of breastfeeding duration by tertile also demonstrate a statistically significant negative association with BMI. Subgroup analysis revealed that the potential benefits of breastfeeding on BMI were more obvious in low-income environments and maternal age 18 to 35 years, with a regression coefficient of −0.57 and −0.24, respectively (all P < 0.05).ConclusionThe findings emphasize the importance of breastfeeding in reducing childhood overweight/obesity and preventing associated diseases, both in clinical and public health settings.

ObjectivePrevious studies have confirmed a positive correlation between the Triglyceride-Glucose (TyG) index and future risk of diabetes. However, evidence of this association in non-obese young populations remains limited. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the TyG index and the future risk of diabetes among non-obese young adults.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included 113,509 non-obese young adults from China and 9,549 from Japan. The mean age was 35.73 ± 6.38 years, and 56,469 participants (45.89%) were male. The median follow-up duration was 3.38 years. The association between baseline TyG index and risk of diabetes was examined using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Non-linear relationships between the TyG index and risk of diabetes were identified using cubic splines and smoothed curve fitting in the Cox models. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were also conducted.ResultsAfter adjusting for covariates, the results indicated a positive correlation between the TyG index and risk of diabetes in non-obese young adults (HR=3.57, 95% CI: 2.92-4.36, P

Abstract Background In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the activation of T and B cell clones specific for self-antigens leads to the chronic inflammation of the synovium. Here, we perform an in-depth quantitative analysis of the seven chains that comprise the adaptive immune receptor repertoire (AIRR) in RA. Results In comparison to controls, we show that RA patients have multiple and strong differences in the B cell receptor repertoire including reduced diversity as well as altered isotype, chain, and segment frequencies. We demonstrate that therapeutic tumor necrosis factor inhibition partially restores this alteration but find a profound difference in the underlying biochemical reactivities between responders and non-responders. Combining the AIRR with HLA typing, we identify the specific T cell receptor repertoire associated with disease risk variants. Integrating these features, we further develop a molecular classifier that shows the utility of the AIRR as a diagnostic tool. Conclusions Simultaneous sequencing of the seven chains of the human AIRR reveals novel features associated with the disease and clinically relevant phenotypes, including response to therapy. These findings show the unique potential of AIRR to address precision medicine in immune-related diseases.

Determination of the genomic copy number of Cre transgene is critical for the establishment of transgenic animal models. We demonstrate a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) based method for genomic copy number determination of improved Cre (iCre), which was tested in a transgenic mouse model of CYP19A1-iCre. The standards were derived from tandem repeats of iCre fragments which were constructed by a new application of megaprimer PCR. Two rounds of megaprimer PCR were used to obtain specific tandem repeats of iCre fragments, which were subsequently cloned into pUCm-T vectors. After the fragments of IL-2 (reference gene) were ligated into the same vectors, standards with copy number ratios (CNR) of 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 between iCre and IL-2 were completed. The R2 values of the standard curves exceeded 0.99. The calculated CNR value of the quality control sample was satisfactory. Multiple copies of iCre were detected in founder mice. After several passages, the copy number of iCre gradually decreased to a single copy, which was consistent with theoretical expectation. The established method is a universal and sensitive program for genomic copy number determination of iCre in transgenic mice.

ABSTRACTNeutralizing antibodies are a key component in protective humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2. Currently, available technologies cannot track epitope-specific antibodies in global antibody repertoires. Thus, the comprehensive repertoire of spike-specific neutralizing antibodies elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection is not fully understood. We therefore combined high-throughput immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) repertoire sequencing, and structural and bioinformatics analysis to establish an antibodyomics pipeline, which enables tracking spike-specific antibody lineages that target certain neutralizing epitopes. We mapped the neutralizing epitopes on the spike and determined the epitope-preferential antibody lineages. This analysis also revealed numerous overlaps between immunodominant neutralizing antibody-binding sites and mutation hotspots on spikes as observed so far in SARS-CoV-2 variants. By clustering 2677 spike-specific antibodies with 360 million IgH sequences that we sequenced, a total of 329 shared spike-specific antibody clonotypes were identified from 33 COVID-19 convalescents and 24 SARS-CoV-2-naïve individuals. Epitope mapping showed that the shared antibody responses target not only neutralizing epitopes on RBD and NTD but also non-neutralizing epitopes on S2. The immunodominance of neutralizing antibody response is determined by the occurrence of specific precursors in human naïve B-cell repertoires. We identified that only 28 out of the 329 shared spike-specific antibody clonotypes persisted for at least 12 months. Among them, long-lived IGHV3-53 antibodies are likely to evolve cross-reactivity to Omicron variants through accumulating somatic hypermutations. Altogether, we created a comprehensive atlas of spike-targeting antibody lineages in COVID-19 convalescents and antibody precursors in human naïve B cell repertoires, providing a valuable reference for future vaccine design and evaluation.

ABSTRACT: Various types of dietary fats undergo distinct fermentation processes by gut microbes, potentially leading to the production of neurotransmitters that can influence the gut. Serotonin and dopamine are recognized neurotransmitters with positive effects on gut function. A broiler chicken trial was conducted to evaluate the influence of dietary fat types on protein expression of 2 neurotransmitter transporters, dopamine (DAT) and serotonin (5-HTT). A total of 560 day-old (Ross 708) male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 7 dietary treatments. The experimental treatments included a basal diet of corn-soybean meal (SBM), supplemented with 3% of various fats: poultry fat (CON), olive oil (OLIV), fish oil (FISH), canola oil (CANO), lard (LARD), coconut oil (COCO), or flaxseed oil (FLAX). Bodyweight (BW) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded. Ileal tissues were aseptically collected to determine the expression levels of DAT and 5-HTT through western blot analysis. In addition, plasma samples were analyzed for reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROM) tests on d 55. Results showed that dietary fat type inclusion did not have any detrimental effect on growth performance parameters. The expression levels of DAT were higher (P < 0.05) in FLAX treatments compared to CON treatments on d 20 and d 55, respectively. Similarly, with 5-HTT levels, FLAX, CANO, and LARD treatments were higher (P < 0.05) than CON treatments on d 20 and d 55. However, higher levels of oxidative stress (d-ROM values) were recorded in COCO (32.75 Carr U), CANO (29 Carr U), and CON treatments (25.5 Carr U) compared to FLAX (18.5 Carr U; P < 0.05) treatment. These findings suggest that incorporating dietary flaxseed oil at a 3% level in the diet has significant potential to elevate the expression levels of intestinal DAT and 5-HTT without inducing oxidative stress.

Intensive application of chlorine-based disinfectants driven by the COVID-19 pandemic was suspected to be detrimental to receiving water ecosystems, but with little field evidence. We characterized the occurrences of typical disinfectants and microeukaryotic communities in surface waters associated with three wastewater treatment plants (WWTP)-river systems one year after the lockdown in Wuhan, China. Trihalomethanes (THMs) declined from summer 2020 (0.01–1.82 ​μg/L) to summer 2021 (0.01–0.95 ​μg/L), whereas quaternary ammonium salts (QAs) increased from summer 2020 (0.53–6.35 ​ng/L) to summer 2021 (8.49–191 ​ng/L). Biodiversity monitoring with environmental DNA (eDNA) revealed significant temporal variation in microeukaryotic community composition. The monitored disinfectants were correlated with some eukaryotic communities as demonstrated by redundancy analysis. For example, QAs were positively related to Cryptophyta relative abundance, but negatively related to Rotifera relative abundance. A microeukaryote-based multimetric index indicated ecological impairment near the Han River WWTP outlet in 2020. Our findings indicate the influence of heavily used disinfectants on river microeukaryotic communities, and the usefulness of assessing mid-term ecological risks from disinfectants in the post COVID-19 era.

Extant ecdysozoans (moulting animals) are represented by a great variety of soft-bodied or articulated organisms that may or may not have appendages. However, controversies remain about the vermiform nature (i.e. elongated and tubular) of their ancestral body plan. We describe here Beretella spinosa gen. et sp. nov. a tiny (maximal length 3 mm) ecdysozoan from the lowermost Cambrian, Yanjiahe Formation, South China, characterized by an unusual sack-like appearance, single opening, and spiny ornament. Beretella spinosa gen. et sp. nov has no equivalent among animals, except Saccorhytus coronarius, also from the basal Cambrian. Phylogenetic analyses resolve both fossil species as a sister group (Saccorhytida) to all known Ecdysozoa, thus suggesting that ancestral ecdysozoans may have been non-vermiform animals. Saccorhytids are likely to represent an early off-shot along the stem-line Ecdysozoa. Although it became extinct during the Cambrian, this animal lineage provides precious insight into the early evolution of Ecdysozoa and the nature of the earliest representatives of the group.

Summary: ADAR1-mediated RNA editing establishes immune tolerance to endogenous double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) by preventing its sensing, primarily by MDA5. Although deleting Ifih1 (encoding MDA5) rescues embryonic lethality in ADAR1-deficient mice, they still experience early postnatal death, and removing other MDA5 signaling proteins does not yield the same rescue. Here, we show that ablation of MDA5 in a liver-specific Adar knockout (KO) murine model fails to rescue hepatic abnormalities caused by ADAR1 loss. Ifih1;Adar double KO (dKO) hepatocytes accumulate endogenous dsRNAs, leading to aberrant transition to a highly inflammatory state and recruitment of macrophages into dKO livers. Mechanistically, progranulin (PGRN) appears to mediate ADAR1 deficiency-induced liver pathology, promoting interferon signaling and attracting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)+ macrophages into dKO liver, exacerbating hepatic inflammation. Notably, the PGRN-EGFR crosstalk communication and consequent immune responses are significantly repressed in ADAR1high tumors, revealing that pre-neoplastic or neoplastic cells can exploit ADAR1-dependent immune tolerance to facilitate immune evasion.

Both the conventional and dual compensation strategies are widely adopted in a unified power quality conditioner (UPQC). However, the differences between them are lack of in-depth analysis. This article establishes the small signal models in dq-axis of conventional- and dual-UPQC (C- and D-UPQC) with consideration of the effects of the phase-locked-loop (PLL) and grid impedance, which lays the foundation for static and dynamic performance analysis. In addition, the performance of them is analyzed and compared under different conditions. It is found that: the D-UPQC has a better dynamic performance when the grid voltage or load suffers sudden variation; the harmonic rejection capabilities of the C- and D-UPQC are different; the grid impedance has an obvious influence on the load voltage quality in the C-UPQC. The findings will provide the guideline for the selection of compensation strategies in specific applications. Finally, experimental results verify the correctness of the comparative performance analysis.

Abstract The importance of fostering a thriving green economy is emphasized as a key strategy for mitigating the threats posed by climate change. This study aims to assess the influence of social inclusion and green finance on the sustainable growth of 31 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations between 2010 and 2021. The results obtained using the fully modified OLS (FMOLS) methodology indicate that social factors such as poverty reduction and social inclusion do not impact the green economic prosperity of OECD countries with an industry-focused economic structure. Furthermore, the expansion of green finance markets and the attraction of foreign direct investment with an environmental focus can contribute to the advancement of green development in OECD countries. As a recommendation, it is advisable for OECD nations to place greater emphasis on developing the green digital finance market, exploring blockchain-based green finance solutions, fostering green foreign direct investment, and promoting early warning economic systems.

Abstract A multiscale approach based on molecular dynamics (MD) and kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) methods is developed to simulate the dynamics of an 〈a〉 screw dislocation in α-Ti. The free energy barriers for the core dissociation transitions and Peierls barriers for dislocation glide as a function of temperature are extracted from the MD simulations (based on machine learning interatomic potentials and optimization); these form the input to kMC simulations. Dislocation random walk trajectories from kMC agree well with those predicted by MD. On some planes, dislocations move via a locking-unlocking mechanism. Surprisingly, some dislocations glide in directions that are not parallel with the core dissociation direction. The MD/kMC multiscale method proposed is applicable to dislocation motion in simple and complex materials (not only screw dislocations in Ti) as a function of temperature and stress state.

Abstract The α/β interface is central to the microstructure and mechanical properties of titanium alloys. We investigate the structure, thermodynamics and migration of the coherent and semicoherent Ti α/β interfaces as a function of temperature and misfit strain via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, thermodynamic integration and an accurate, DFT-trained Deep Potential. The structure of an equilibrium semicoherent interface consists of an array of steps, an array of misfit dislocations, and coherent terraces. Analysis determines the dislocation and step (disconnection) array structure and habit plane. The MD simulations show the detailed interface morphology dictated by intersecting disconnection arrays. The steps are shown to facilitate α/β interface migration, while the misfit dislocations lead to interface drag; the drag mechanism is different depending on the direction of interface migration. These results are used to predict the nature of α phase nucleation on cooling through the α-β phase transition.

In this study, as a vital part of the production of Mn-increased 5083 Al alloy, i.e., homogenization annealing before hot rolling, the target states of key Al6Mn precipitation, including the dispersed, initial coarsening and intensive coarsening states, were designed, and the corresponding precipitates formed via the control of the temperature and holding time in the annealing process. By means of metallographic corrosion and nitric acid mass loss tests (NAMLT) for assessing the intergranular corrosion (IGC) resistance, temperatures ranging from 175 °C to 225 °C were determined to induce a transition from sensitization to stabilization for this innovative 5083. At a temperature of 175 °C for a duration of up to 24 h (2 h, 4 h, 8 h, 16 h, 24 h), the results show that when the soak time is 24 h, the sample with initially coarsened Al6Mn phases has a lower degree of sensitization (DOS) compared to the samples with Al6Mn phases in both the dispersed and intensive coarsening states, and its NAMLT is reduced by 11% and 15%, respectively. Subsequently, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis has investigated that for the sample with the best IGC resistance, i.e., that with initially coarsened Al6Mn phases, plate-like Al6Mn particles (200~500 nm) can act as heterogenous nucleation sites for β phases, driving their preferential precipitation on Al6Mn particles and resisting their precipitation along grain boundaries, ultimately improving the IGC resistance of 5083 Al alloy after homogenization annealing.

In this study, finite element (FE) simulation by the software Abaqus was relied on to investigate the roll forming process of a wheel rim made of an innovative dual-phase steel, i.e., DP590, after flash butt welding (FBW). In the simulation, an FE model was generated, including the design of the dies for flaring, three-roll forming, and expansion, and detailed key processing parameters based on practical production of the selected DP590. Combined with the microstructures and properties of the weld zone (WZ) and heat-affected zones (HAZs) after FBW, the distribution of stress/strain and the change in thickness of the base metal (BM), WZ and HAZs were analyzed, and compared in the important stages of roll forming. Theoretically, the variation in the microstructure and the corresponding stress–strain behaviors of the BM, WZ, and HAZs after FBW have led to the thickness reduction of DP590 that originated from softening behaviors occurring at the region of subcritical HAZs (SCHAZs), and a small amount of tempered martensite has evidently reduced the hardness and strength of the SCHAZ. Meanwhile, the distribution of stress/strain has been influenced to some extent. Further, the study includes the influence of the friction coefficient on the forming quality of the wheel rim to guarantee the simulation accuracy in practical applications. In sum, the dual-phase steel has to be carefully applied to the wheel rim, which needs to experience the processes of FBW and roll forming, focusing on the performance of SCHAZs.

Fire blight, caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Erwinia amylovora, poses a substantial threat to pome fruit production worldwide. Despite existing control strategies, a pressing need remains for sustainable and environmentally friendly fire blight management. Myxobacteria, renowned for their predatory behavior and potent enzymes, emerge as a groundbreaking biocontrol approach with significant potential. Here, we report the biocontrol potential of a novel Myxococcus fulvus WCH05, against E. amylovora. Using various in vitro and planta assays, we demonstrated the multifaceted biocontrol abilities of strain WCH05. In plate predation assays, strain WCH05 exhibited not only strong predation against E. amylovora but also broad-spectrum activities against other plant pathogenic bacteria. Pre-treatment with strain WCH05 significantly decreased pear blossom blight incidence in detached inflorescence assays, achieving a controlled efficacy of 76.02% that rivaled the antibiotic streptomycin (79.79%). In greenhouse trials, strain WCH05 effectively reduced the wilting rate and disease index in young pear seedlings, exhibiting both protective (73.68%) and curative (68.66%) control. Further investigation revealed that the biocontrol activity of strain WCH05 relies on both direct contact and extracellular enzyme secretion. While cell extracts lacked inhibitory activity, ammonium sulfate-precipitated secreted proteins displayed potent lytic activity against E. amylovora. Substrate spectrum analysis identified peptidases, lipases, and glycosidases among the secreted enzymes, suggesting their potential roles in pathogen degradation and biocontrol efficacy. This study presents the first evidence of Myxococcus fulvus WCH05 as a biocontrol agent against fire blight. Its potent predatory abilities and enzymatic arsenal highlight its potential for sustainable disease management in pome fruit production. Future research will focus on identifying and characterizing specific lytic enzymes and optimizing strain WCH05 application strategies for field efficacy.

Background: Osteosarcoma, a tumor that originates from bone cells, has a poor prognosis and a high degree of malignancy. Anlotinib, a small-molecule multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), is the first-line drug in treating osteosarcoma, especially in late-stage osteosarcoma. However, patients often develop resistance after using anlotinib for a certain period, which poses a challenge to its further clinical application. Recently, several TKIs, for instance regorafenib and cabozantinib, have showed clinical interest in treating osteosarcoma and target both vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) and mesenchymal epithelial transition factor (c-MET). Therefore, the identification of new TKI warrants further investigation. Methods: We performed CCK8 aasays to confirm that BMS-794833 sensitization osteosarcoma cells to anlotinib. Bioinformatics analysis and rescue experiments showed that the reduce of resistance were dependent on the VEGFR/Ras/CDK2 pathway. Cell line based xenograft model were used to demonstrate that BMS-794833 and anlotinib could synergistically treat OS. Results: Here, we found that BMS-794833 reduced anlotinib resistance in osteosarcoma by targeting the VEGFR/Ras/CDK2 pathway. CCK8 assay showed that BMS-794833 significantly improved the resistance of osteosarcoma cells to anlotinib. The results of rescue experiments showed that the regulatory effects of BMS-794833 on the proliferation and drug resistance of osteosarcoma cells were dependent on the VEGFR/Ras/CDK2 pathway. In addition, BMS-794833 affected the resistance of osteosarcoma cells to anlotinib through epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and apoptosis pathways. More importantly, BMS-794833 and anlotinib exerted synergistic therapeutic effects against osteosarcoma in vivo. Conclusion: Altogether, this study reveals a new (VEGFR)-targeting drug that can be combined with anlotinib for the treatment of osteosarcoma, which provides an important theoretical basis for overcoming anlotinib resistance.

With the widespread application of carbon dots (CDs) in fluorescence imaging, their toxicity has become a focal point of concern. The potential toxicity of CDs synthesized from different raw materials remains an unresolved issue. Laver and wakame, which are commonly popular sea vegetable foods rich in nutrients, were utilized to investigate whether synthetic CDs derived from these alga sources retain medicinal value. Herein, two types of fluorescent alga-derived CDs were prepared through hydrothermal synthesis using laver and wakame respectively. Zebrafish were immersed in both types of CDs to observe their fluorescence imaging effects within the zebrafish bodies. It was observed that laver-derived CDs and wakame-derived CDs exhibited similar luminescence properties but differed in terms of fish egg imaging localization. Additionally, intestinal flora sequencing revealed varying degrees of influence on the zebrafish gut microbiota by the two types of CDs, suggesting that both alga-derived CDs could enhance the abundance of intestinal flora in zebrafish.

Abstract Background Oocyte maturation arrest results in female infertility and the genetic etiology of this phenotype remains largely unknown. Previous studies have proven that cyclins play a significant role in the cell cycle both in meiosis and mitosis. Cyclin B3 (CCNB3) is one of the members of the cyclin family and its function in human oocyte maturation is poorly understood. Methods 118 infertile patients were recruited and WES was performed for 68 independent females that experienced oocyte maturation arrest. Four mutations in CCNB3 were found and effects of these mutations were validated by Sanger sequencing and in vitro functional analyses. Results We found these mutations altered the location of cyclin B3 which affected the function of cyclin dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) and led to mouse oocyte arrested at germinal vesicle (GV) stage. And then, low CDK1 activity influenced the degradation of cadherin 1 (CDH1) and the accumulation of cell division cycle 20 (CDC20) which are two types of anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) activators and act in different stages of the cell cycle. Finally, APC/C activity was downregulated due to insufficient CDC20 level and resulted in oocyte metaphase I (MI) arrest. Moreover, we also found that the addition of PP1 inhibitor Okadic acid and CDK1 inhibitor Roscovitine at corresponding stages during oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) significantly improved the maturation rates in CCNB3 mutant cRNAs injected oocytes. The above experiments were performed in mouse oocytes. Conclusion Here, we report five independent patients in which mutations in CCNB3 may be the cause of oocyte maturation arrest. Our findings shed lights on the critical role of CCNB3 in human oocyte maturation.

Abstract Nuclear ubiquitous casein and cyclin-dependent kinase substrate 1 (NUCKS1) has been reported to play an oncogenic role in several cancers. However, the biological functions and regulatory mechanism of NUCKS1 in osteosarcoma have not been fully understood. In this study, we reported that NUCKS1 was significantly increased in osteosarcoma. Depletion of NUCKS1 decreased osteosarcoma cell proliferation and metastasis in vivo and in vitro. Overexpression of NUCKS1 accelerated osteosarcoma cell aggressiveness. Mechanistically, NUCKS1 facilitated asparagine (Asn) synthesis by transcriptionally upregulating asparagine synthetase (ASNS) expression and elevating the levels of Asn in osteosarcoma cells, leading to increased cell growth and metastasis. Inhibition of ASNS or reduction of Asn decreased osteosarcoma cell aggressiveness and impaired the promoting effects of NUCKS1 on tumorigenesis and metastasis. Furthermore, we also found that by acting as a sponge for miR-4768-3p, LINC00629 promoted NUCKS1 expression. Collectively, our findings highlight the role of NUCKS1 in regulating asparagine metabolism and reveal that LINC00629 is an important regulator of NUCKS1 that contributes to NUCKS1 upregulation in osteosarcoma.

A series of Cu-ZnO-ZrO2 (CCZ) catalysts were prepared by the solvothermal method with different solvothermal times (1 h, 3 h, 6 h, and 12 h). The physicochemical properties of these catalysts and the catalytic performance for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol were studied. The highest methanol yield was achieved when the solvothermal time was 6 h (CCZ-6). Furthermore, we found that the copper surface area (SCu) increases and then decreases with an increase in the solvothermal time and that there is a strong correlation between the methanol yield and the SCu. This research highlights the crucial influence of the solvothermal time on the structure and catalytic behavior of Cu-ZnO-ZrO2 catalysts, providing a valuable reference for the development of efficient catalysts.

Digital employment is one of the critical concepts of the digital economy for sustainable development. Promoting digital employment intention of potential employees is indispensable for developing the digital economy. The study aims to explore how digital employment policies predict digital employment intentions and to construct a structural equation model. Based on an online survey of 470 students with digital work experience from Chinese higher education institutions, the data were processed using SPSS 26.0 and Amos 26.0. The results uncover that digital employment policies have a positive impact on digital employability (β = 0.538, p < 0.001), digital employment capital (β = 0.524, p < 0.001), and digital employment intentions (β = 0.257, p < 0.001). At the same time, digital employability (β = 0.216, p < 0.001) and digital employment capital (β = 0.505, p < 0.001) also have a positive impact on digital employment intentions. The structural equation model emphasizes the significant mediating effect of digital employability (0.116) and digital employment capital (0.265). Therefore, the government should actively promote digital policies to encourage and enhance digital employment capabilities, promoting digital employment intentions and behaviors. The support and development of digital employability by the entire society, especially schools, and families, is also significant.

Abstract Background Organic acids and anthocyanins are the most important compounds for the flavor and nutritional quality of citrus fruit. However, there are few reports on the involvement of co-regulation of citrate and anthocyanin metabolism. Here, we performed a comparative transcriptome analysis to elucidate the genes and pathways involved in both citrate and anthocyanin accumulation in postharvest citrus fruit with ‘Tarocco’ blood orange (TBO; high accumulation) and ‘Bingtangcheng’ sweet orange (BTSO; low accumulation). Results A robust core set of 825 DEGs were found to be temporally associated with citrate and anthocyanin accumulation throughout the storage period through transcriptome analysis. Further according to the results of weighted gene coexpression correlation network analysis (WGCNA), the turquoise and brown module was highly positively correlated with both of the content of citrate and anthocyanin, and p-type ATPase (PH8), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase kinase (PEPCK), chalcone isomerase (CHI), flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H), flavonoid 3’-hydroxylase (F3’H) and glutathione S transferase (GST) were considered key structural genes. Moreover, MYB family transcription factor (PH4), Zinc finger PHD-type transcription factor (CHR4, HAC12), Zinc finger SWIM-type transcription factor (FAR1) and Zinc finger C3H1-type transcription factor (ATC3H64) were considered hub genes related to these structural genes. Further qRT-PCR analysis verified that these transcription factors were highly expressed in TBO fruit and their expression profiles were significantly positively correlated with the structural genes of citrate and anthocyanin metabolism as well as the content of citrate and anthocyanin content. Conclusions The findings suggest that the CHR4, FAR1, ATC3H64 and HAC12 may be the new transcription regulators participate in controlling the level of citrate and anthocyanin in postharvest TBO fruit in addition to PH4. These results may providing new insight into the regulation mechanism of citrate and anthocyanin accumulation in citrus fruit.

BackgroundThe performance of existing image-based training models in evaluating bowel preparation on colonoscopy videos was relatively low, and only a few models used external data to prove their generalization. Therefore, this study attempted to develop a more precise and stable AI system for assessing bowel preparation of colonoscopy video.MethodsWe proposed a system named ViENDO to assess the bowel preparation quality, including two CNNs. First, Information-Net was used to identify and filter out colonoscopy video frames unsuitable for Boston bowel preparation scale (BBPS) scoring. Second, BBPS-Net was trained and tested with 5,566 suitable short video clips through three-dimensional (3D) convolutional neural network (CNN) technology to detect BBPS-based insufficient bowel preparation. Then, ViENDO was applied to complete withdrawal colonoscopy videos from multiple centers to predict BBPS segment scores in clinical settings. We also conducted a human-machine contest to compare its performance with endoscopists.ResultsIn video clips, BBPS-Net for determining inadequate bowel preparation generated an area under the curve of up to 0.98 and accuracy of 95.2%. When applied to full-length withdrawal colonoscopy videos, ViENDO assessed bowel cleanliness with an accuracy of 93.8% in the internal test set and 91.7% in the external dataset. The human-machine contest demonstrated that the accuracy of ViENDO was slightly superior compared to most endoscopists, though no statistical significance was found.ConclusionThe 3D-CNN-based AI model showed good performance in evaluating full-length bowel preparation on colonoscopy video. It has the potential as a substitute for endoscopists to provide BBPS-based assessments during daily clinical practice.

Previous studies revealed that both Helicobacter pylori infection and some cytokine gene polymorphisms are risk factors for gastric diseases. The association between H. pylori and gene polymorphisms is worth exploring. Here we conducted a case–control study and systematically evaluate on association between H. pylori infection and IL4, TNFA, and IL10 polymorphisms in a Chinese Han population in northwestern China, where gastric cancer is the major burden on the health and the leading cause of death in local community. The Sequenom MassArray platform was used to screen the genotypes and 14C-urea breath test was employed to determine H. pylori infection status of 705 participants of the local rural residents. Significant association between H. pylori infection and the IL4 rs34142320 polymorphism was observed in the dominant model (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.40–0.80, P = 0.030). No significant association was found between IL4 rs2243250, TNFA rs1800630, TNFA rs1800629, TNFA rs1799964, IL10 rs1800871, IL10 rs1800896 and H. pylori infection. Haplotype analysis showed that T-DEL and G-C haplotypes of the observed IL4 SNPs were significantly associated with H. pylori infection. Our analysis demonstrated that the IL4 rs34142320 polymorphism has a protective effect on H. pylori infection in Chinese Han population.

Abstract Aberrant activation of TGF-β signaling plays a pivotal role in cancer metastasis and progression. However, molecular mechanisms underlying the dysregulation of TGF-β pathway remain to be understood. Here, we found that SMAD7, a direct downstream transcriptional target and also a key antagonist of TGF-β signaling, is transcriptionally suppressed in lung adenocarcinoma (LAD) due to DNA hypermethylation. We further identified that PHF14 binds DNMT3B and serves as a DNA CpG motif reader, recruiting DNMT3B to the SMAD7 gene locus, resulting in DNA methylation and transcriptional suppression of SMAD7. Our in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that PHF14 promotes metastasis through binding DNMT3B to suppress SMAD7 expression. Moreover, our data revealed that PHF14 expression correlates with lowered SMAD7 level and shorter survival of LAD patients, and importantly that SMAD7 methylation level of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can potentially be used for prognosis prediction. Together, our present study illustrates a new epigenetic mechanism, mediated by PHF14 and DNMT3B, in the regulation of SMAD7 transcription and TGF-β-driven LAD metastasis, and suggests potential opportunities for LAD prognosis.

Abstract Background Migraine is a prevalent disorder with significant socioeconomic impact. The impairment of metabolic homeostasis in migraine warrants further investigation. Changes in serum levels of Fibroblast-growth-factor 21 (FGF-21) and Growth-differentiation-factor 15 (GDF-15) are characteristic of some metabolic and mitochondrial diseases. This study aimed to assess whether the presence of migraine affects serum levels of FGF-21 and GDF-15, and taking metabolic disorders into account as potential confounding factors. Methods We collected serum samples from 221 migraine patients (153 episodic migraineurs and 68 chronic migraineurs) and 124 healthy controls. The serum concentrations of FGF-21 and GDF-15 were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based approach. Clinical variables, including monthly headache days, peak headache pain intensity, the 6-item Headache Impact Test (HIT-6), and the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS), were also addressed. The associations between the clinical variables of migraine patients and serum levels of FGF-21 and GDF-15 were studied. Results In the multiple regression that corrected for age, we found that the serum levels of FGF-21 and GDF-15 were significantly higher in migraine sufferers than in healthy controls. A significant elevation in serum concentration of FGF-21, but not GDF-15, was observed in patients with chronic migraine (CM) compared to those with episodic migraine (EM). Regarding migraine-related disability, higher scores on the HIT-6 and MIDAS were associated with higher levels of FGF-21 and GDF-15. For the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the diagnosis of migraine using GDF-15 showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.801 and the AUC of chronic migraine was 0.880. Conclusion Serum GDF-15 and FGF-21 levels are increased in patients with migraine and associated with the severity of migraine-related disability.

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) excels in producing medium to large components with a high deposition rate. Process optimization is crucial for uniform, defect-free components. This research employs orthogonal experimental design and response surface methodology (RSM) to control TIG WAAM-ed 308L stainless steel components. Varied parameters, including tungsten electrode angle, welding current, and speed, target weld bead attributes. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) evaluates multi-processing parameter influence on weld bead formation. Comparison with experimental results confirms accurate modeling of the relationship between parameters and bead attributes. The study optimizes process parameters and swing to enhance dimensional accuracy in single-layer and multi-layer components, improving precision, quality, and accuracy in thin-walled structures.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a highly malignant tumor with a poor prognosis and a growing incidence. LncRNAs and microRNAs control the occurrence and development process of osteosarcoma through ceRNA patterns. The LPAR3 gene is important in cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis and disease development. However, the regulatory mechanism of the ceRNA network through which LPAR3 participates in osteosarcoma has not been clarified. Herein, our study demonstrated that the AP003352.1/miR-141-3p axis drives LPAR3 expression to induce the malignant progression of osteosarcoma. First, the expression of LPAR3 is regulated by the changes in AP003352.1 and miR-141-3p. Similar to the ceRNA of miR-141-3p, AP003352.1 regulates the expression of LPAR3 through this mechanism. In addition, the regulation of AP003352.1 in malignant osteosarcoma progression depends to a certain degree on miR-141-3p. Importantly, the AP003352.1/miR-141-3p/LPAR3 axis can better serve as a multi-gene diagnostic marker for osteosarcoma. In conclusion, our research reveals a new ceRNA regulatory network, which provides a novel potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of osteosarcoma.

Background & objectives: To determine the effect of Wen Run Fei Ning formula (WRFNF) intervention in class I integron-mediated carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. Methods: A drug-susceptibility test and PCR amplification were used to screen for carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae containing class I integrons. Following nasal drip and tail vein injection to infect healthy male rats with carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae, three models were created: control (group A); model (group B, tail vein injection); and model-WRFNF treatment group (group C, by tail vein injection). Rats in Group C were gavaged with pre-warmed WRFNF extract. On the third, fifth, and seventh days after the experiment, the rats in groups A and B were gavaged with an equal quantity of saline and killed in batches. Results: Group C showed considerably higher serum IL-6 and TNF- levels on days 3, 5, and 7 compared to group A, as well as a significant increase in peripheral blood leukocyte count and a histopathologic inflammatory cell infiltration of the lungs. As the WRFNF delivery duration was prolonged, group C's histopathologic inflammatory cell infiltration gradually improved in contrast to group B, with the biggest improvement occurring on day 7. Compared to group B, group C's serum IL-6 and TNF- levels were lower. When the trial's duration was increased to 7 days, the levels of IL-6 and TNF- in group C decreased on day 7 compared to on day 5. Interpretation & conclusion: WRFNF decreased inflammatory cell infiltration as well as IL-6 and TNF expression in the lung of the rats infected with carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae.

Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and systemic inflammation response index (SIRS) are being increasingly used to predict outcomes of various diseases. However, its utility for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) has not been established. Through this first systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to collate data on the prognostic ability of SII and SIRI for predicting functional outcomes and mortality after AIS. PubMed, CENTRAL, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science were searched up to January 5, 2023, for studies reporting the association between SII or SIRI and outcomes of AIS. Adjusted data were pooled in a random-effects model. Meta-regression was conducted for variable cut-offs. Twelve studies were included. Pooled analysis of data showed that high SII was associated with poor functional outcomes after AIS (OR: 2.35 95% CI: 1.77, 3.10 I2 = 44% P < 0.00001). Meta-regression showed an increasing effect size with a higher cut-off of SII. Similarly, the meta-analysis demonstrated that AIS patients with high SIRI were at an increased risk of poor functional outcomes (OR: 1.69 95% CI: 1.08, 2.65 I2 = 78% P = 0.02). No association was noted with different cut-offs on meta-regression. Data on mortality were scarce but were suggestive of a higher risk of mortality with high SII and SIRI. SII and SIRI can be used to predict poor functional outcomes in AIS patients. Data on mortality are scarce to derive strong conclusions. Limited number of studies and variable cut-offs are important limitations that need to be overcome by future studies.

Abstract Background Escaping from ER stress-induced apoptosis plays an important role in the progression of many tumours. However, its molecular mechanism in osteosarcoma remains incompletely understood. Methods The molecular mechanism was investigated using RNA sequencing, qRT–PCR and Western blot assays. The relationship between LINC00629 and KLF4 was investigated using RNA pulldown and ubiquitylation assays. The transcriptional regulation of laminin subunit alpha 4 (LAMA4) by KLF4 was identified using bioinformatic analysis, a luciferase assay, and a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Results Here, we demonstrated that LINC00629 was increased under ER stress treatment. Elevated LINC00629 inhibited ER stress-induced osteosarcoma cell apoptosis and promoted clonogenicity and migration in vitro and in vivo. Further mechanistic studies indicated that LINC00629 interacted with KLF4 and suppressed its degradation, which led to a KLF4 increase in osteosarcoma. In addition, we also found that KLF4 upregulated LAMA4 expression by directly binding to its promoter and that LINC00629 inhibited ER stress-induced apoptosis and facilitated osteosarcoma cell clonogenicity and metastasis by activating the KLF4-LAMA4 pathway. Conclusion Collectively, our data indicate that LINC00629 is a critical long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) induced by ER stress and plays an oncogenic role in osteosarcoma cell by activating the KLF4-LAMA4 axis.

Abstract The Jahn-Teller (JT) effect involves the ions M with a degenerate electronic state distorting the corner-sharing MO6 octahedra to lift the degeneracy, inducing strong coupling of electrons to lattice, and mediating the exotic properties in perovskite oxides. Conversely, the anti-Jahn–Teller (AJT) effect refers to the deformation against the Jahn-Teller-distorted MO6 octahedra. However, it is difficult to experimentally execute both effects descending from the fine-tuning of crystal structures. We propose the AJT can be introduced by THz laser illumination at 11.71 THz in a candidate superconducting perovskite material BaBiO3 near room temperature. The illumination coherently drives the infrared-active phonon that excites the Raman breathing mode through the quadratic-linear nonlinear interaction. The process is characterized by the emergence of an AJT effect, accompanied by an insulator-to-metal transition occurring on the picosecond timescale. This study underlines the important role of crystal structure engineering by coherent phonon excitation in designing optoelectronic devices.

IntroductionArtemisinin (ART) is very common as a diet additive due to its immunoregulatory activities. Nonetheless, the immunoregulatory mechanism of ART in marine fish remains unknown. This study comprehensively examined the effects and explored the potential mechanism of ART ameliorating intestinal immune disease (IID) in fat greenlings (Hexagrammos otakii).Methods and resultsThe targets of ART were screened using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database. Here, eight putative targets of ART were collected and identified with the Uniprot database, and 1419 IID-associated target proteins were filtered through the Drugbank, Genecards, OMIM, and PHARMGKB Databases. The results of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways point out that ART may have immunoprotective effects by regulating cellular responses to stress, hypoxia, inflammation, and vascular endothelial growth factor stimulus through the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway. The findings of molecular docking indicated that ART contains one active ingredient and three cross-targets, which showed a kind combination with hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1-a), transcription factor p65 (RELA), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), respectively. Furthermore, an ART feeding model was established to assess the ART’s immunoprotect effect on the intestine of H.otakii in vivo. The D48 group showed smaller intestinal structural changes after being challenged by Edwardsiella tarda. The supplementation of ART to the diet improved total superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) in intestine of H. otakii. The expression of transcription factor p65, HIF1-α, VEGF-A, cyclin D1, matrix metalloprotease 9 (MMP9), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) was decreased after dietary ART in the intestinal of H. otakii.DiscussionThe present results demonstrated that dietary ART improved antioxidants and immunity, optimized the intestinal structure, and increased resistance to E. tarda through the SOD2/nuclear-factor-kappa- B (NFkB)/HIF1-a/VEGF-A pathway in the intestinal tract of H.otakii. This study integrated pharmacological analysis and experimental validation and revealed the mechanism of ART on IID, which provides insight into the improvement of IID in H. otakii.

Objectives: Circulating exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as promising biomarkers for diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. Nevertheless, the diagnostic potential of miRNAs in circulating exosomes for stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) remains unclear. We aim here to analyze the exosomal differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) in plasma of SCAD patients and investigate their diagnostic potential as SCAD biomarkers.Methods: Plasma was collected from SCAD patients and healthy controls, and exosomes were isolated by ultracentrifugation. Exosomal DEmiRNAs were analyzed by small RNA sequencing and were further validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in a larger set of plasma samples. Relationships between plasma exosomal let-7c-5p, miR-335–3p, miR-652–3p, genders and Gensini Scores in patients with SCAD were analyzed using correlation analyses. Moreover, we conducted receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for these DEmiRNAs and analyzed their possible functions and signaling pathways.Results: Vesicles isolated from plasma displayed all characteristics of exosomes. In the small RNA sequencing study, a total of 12 DEmiRNAs were identified, among which seven were verified to be statistically significant by qRT-PCR. The areas under the ROC curves of exosomal let-7c-5p, miR-335–3p, and miR-652–3p were 0.8472, 0.8029, and 0.8009, respectively. Exosomal miR-335–3p levels were positively correlated with Gensini scores of patients with SCAD. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that these DEmiRNAs may be involved in the pathogenesis of SCAD.Conclusion: Our findings indicated that plasma exosomal let-7c-5p, miR-335–3p, and miR-652–3p can be used as promising biomarkers for diagnosis of SCAD. In addition, plasma exosomal miR-335–3p levels coordinated with severity of SCAD.

Microbial residue nitrogen can indicate soil quality and is crucial for soil nitrogen retention and supply. However, it is still unclear how the dynamic changes in soil microbial residue nitrogen affect crop nitrogen uptake in agricultural practice. Based on a long-term wheat-maize rotation experiment with different nitrogen application rates (150 kg N ha−1, 200 kg N ha−1, and 300 kg N ha−1), 15N-labeled nitrogen fertilizer was applied during the wheat season to track the dynamics of soil microbial residue nitrogen and its mediated fertilizer nitrogen. The results showed that nitrogen addition was beneficial to the accumulation of microbial residue nitrogen (mainly fungal microbial residue nitrogen). Its contribution rate to soil total nitrogen is 54.87–56.55%, and the fertilizer nitrogen allocated to it accounts for 27.10–47.50% of the remaining fertilizer nitrogen in the soil. Ultimately, 6.77–10.24% of the nitrogen fertilizer applied remained in the soil as microbial residue nitrogen. In addition, microbial residue nitrogen is mainly mineralized during the jointing and filling stages of wheat. In a word, the accumulation and mineralization of soil microbial residue nitrogen during the application of 200 kg N ha−1 better guaranteed the uptake of nitrogen by wheat, which provided a reliable basis for guiding farmland fertility improvement and nitrogen fertilizer reduction in the North China Plain.

This study explores the mechanical properties, as well as the water-reducing and setting delay mechanism, of a novel xylonic acid-based water reducer applied to cementitious materials. Four xylonic acid water reducers were synthesized in this study: XACa (PX) from pure xylose, XACa (HS) from hemicellulose hydrolysate, XANa (PX) from pure xylose, and XANa (HS) from hemicellulose hydrolysate. These were generated through the whole-cell catalysis of Gluconobacter oxydans bacteria, using pure xylose and hemicellulose hydrolysate as substrates. The findings indicate that the xylonic acid-based water reducer can attain a water-reducing capability between 14% and 16% when the dosage (expressed as a mass fraction of cement) is roughly 0.2%. In initial and final setting tests, XACa (PX) demonstrated a pronounced retarding influence at admixture levels below 0.15%, reaching its apex at 0.10%. This delayed the initial setting time by 76% and the final setting time by 136% relative to the control group. However, a slight pro-setting effect was noted beyond a 0.2% dosage. In the compressive and flexural tests of concrete, under the same slump, the XA group improved its mechanical properties by 5% to 10% compared to the SodiuM lignosulfonate (SL) group. In the air content and chloride ion migration resistance tests, the XA group reduced the air content by 38% compared to the SL group, but also increased the data of rapid chloride migration (DRCM) by 16%. Characterization studies revealed that the carboxyl and hydroxyl groups in xylonic acid undergo chemisorption with the Si-O bonds on the surface of cement particles. These groups interact with the Si-O bonds on cement particles, contributing to water-reducing effects and delaying the setting process by impeding Ca2+ ion aggregation in the calcium-silicate-hydrate gel. Its significant water-reducing effect, adjustable setting time, and excellent mechanical and durability properties suggest its viability as an alternative to lignosulfonate series water-reducing agents.

Abstract Background Hydroxyl acid is an important platform chemical that covers many industrial applications due to its dual functional modules. At present, the traditional technology for hydroxyl acid production mainly adopts the petroleum route with benzene, cyclohexane, butadiene and other non-renewable resources as raw materials which violates the development law of green chemistry. Conversely, it is well-known that biotechnology and bioengineering techniques possess several advantages over chemical methods, such as moderate reaction conditions, high chemical selectivity, and environmental-friendly. However, compared with chemical engineering, there are still some major obstacles in the industrial application of biotechnology. The critical issue of the competitiveness between bioengineering and chemical engineering is products titer and volume productivity. Therefore, based on the importance of hydroxyl acids in many fields, exploring a clean, practical and environmental-friendly preparation process of the hydroxyl acids is the core purpose of this study. Results To obtain high-purity hydroxyl acid, a microbiological regulation for its bioproduction by Gluconobacter oxydans was constructed. In the study, we found a critical point of chain length determine the end-products. Gluconobacter oxydans catalyzed diols with chain length ≤ 4, forming hydroxyl acids, and converting 1,5-pentylene glycol and 1,6-hexylene glycol to diacids. Based on this principle, we successfully synthesized 75.3 g/L glycolic acid, 83.2 g/L 3-hydroxypropionic acid, and 94.3 g/L 4-hydroxybutyric acid within 48 h. Furthermore, we directionally controlled the products of C5/C6 diols by adjusting pH, resulting in 102.3 g/L 5‑hydroxyvaleric acid and 48.8 g/L 6-hydroxycaproic acid instead of diacids. Combining pH regulation and cell-recycling technology in sealed-oxygen supply bioreactor, we prepared 271.4 g 5‑hydroxyvaleric acid and 129.4 g 6-hydroxycaproic acid in 6 rounds. Conclusions In this study, a green scheme of employing G. oxydans as biocatalyst for superior-quality hydroxyl acids (C2–C6) production is raised up. The proposed strategy commendably demonstrated a novel technology with simple pH regulation for high-value production of hydroxyl acids via green bioprocess developments.

The Kuanchuanpu biota (ca. 535 Ma) from the basal Cambrian in South China yields various phosphatized, three-dimensionally preserved microscopic fossils, such as animal embryos, cyanobacteria, and algae. This provides an exceptional window for investigating the rapid divergent evolution of animal phyla in the early Cambrian ocean. However, the fossil eukaryotic algae are poorly documented and are not properly incorporated into the conceptual food web of the Cambrian ocean ecosystem. In this study, we report a new taxon of calathiform alga, Calathophycus irregulatus Tang gen. et sp. nov., and an indeterminate alga, from the Kuanchuanpu biota. Calathophycus irregulatus can be distinguished from other reported phosphatized multicellular algal fossils from the Kuanchuanpu biota and the Ediacaran Weng’an biota (Guizhou Province, China), based on the external morphology and features of cell clump aggregation. The observation of C. irregulatus and the indeterminate alga indicates a certain diversity of algae at the beginning of the Cambrian. Concerning the regularly or irregularly shaped multicellular algal fossils from the Kuanchuanpu Formation, co-occurring spherical fossils, previously interpreted as “cleavage stage” of animal embryos, should be reconsidered in affinity.

Abstract Severe rail roughness leads to a series of problems in metro systems, particularly the vehicle noise problem. To ensure a better acoustic environment, rail roughness control is therefore one of the main concerns for the metro operators. But the existing roughness acceptance criteria are not suitable for metro interior noise control. It is an appropriate method to determine the rail roughness limit based on interior noise. A rail roughness acceptance criterion based on metro interior noise is accordingly proposed in this paper. The relationship between rail roughness and interior noise can be derived with wheel-rail noise as link. With this objective, a combined test and simulation method is adopted. A validated wheel-rfigil noise prediction model is thus established to determine the relationship between rail roughness and wheel-rail noise. Moreover, the transfer function of wheel-rail noise to interior noise is developed based on extensive field test. Using this method, the noise sensitivity to roughness wavelength and acceptance criteria at different speeds and track structures are investigated. Finally, an eclectic rail corrugation acceptance criterion on curved track is suggested in consideration of practical application.

RNA binding proteins (RBPs) can participate in regulatory networks to control alternative splicing. Here the authors show that DAP3 functions as an RBP splicing modulator via two mechanisms, and that its overexpression leads to mis-splicing events in cancers.

Abstract Operational transfer path analysis (OTPA) is an advanced vibration and noise transfer path identification and contribution evaluation method. However, the application of OTPA to rail transit vehicles considers only the excitation amplitude and ignores the influence of the excitation phase. This study considers the influence of the excitation amplitude and phase, and analyzes the contribution of the secondary suspension path to the floor vibration when the metro vehicle runs at 60 km/h, using an analysis based on the OTPA method. The results show that the vertical direction of the anti-rolling torsion bar area provides the maximum contribution to the floor vibration, with a contribution of 22.1%, followed by the longitudinal vibration of the air spring area, with a contribution of 17.1%. Based on the contribution analysis, a transfer path optimization scheme is proposed, which may provide a reference for the optimization of the transfer path of metro vehicles in the future.

RNA editing and circRNAs are involved in tumorigenesis. Here the authors report that ADARs regulate the circular transcriptome in a bidirectional manner through and beyond their editing function in multiple cancer cells.

The vast majority of early Paleozoic ecdysozoan worms are often resolved as stem-group Priapulida based on resemblances with the rare modern representatives of the group, such as the structure of the introvert and the number and distribution of scalids (a spiny cuticular outgrowth) and pharyngeal teeth. In Priapulida, both scalids and teeth create symmetry patterns, and three major diagnostic features are generally used to define the group: 25 longitudinal rows of scalids (five-fold symmetry), 8 scalids around the first introvert circle and the pentagonal arrangement of pharyngeal teeth. Here we describe Ercaivermis sparios gen. et sp. nov., a new priapulid from the early Cambrian Chengjiang Lagerstätte, characterized by an annulated trunk lacking a sclerotized ornament, four pairs of anal hooks and 16 longitudinal rows of scalids along its introvert and eight scalids around each introvert circle, giving the animal an unusual octoradial symmetry. Cladistic analyses resolve Ercaivermis as a stem-group priapulid. Ercaivermis also suggests that several biradial symmetry patterns (e.g., pentagonal, octagonal) expressed in the cuticular ornament, may have co-existed among early Cambrian priapulids and that the pentaradial mode may have become rapidly dominant during the course of evolution, possibly via the standardization of patterning, i.e., the natural selection of one symmetry type over others.

The long, straight grain boundary of the high-entropy alloy (HEA) produced via laser melting deposition (LMD) is prone to cracking due to unidirectional scanning (single wall). To enhance the competitive growth of columnar grains and improve the overall performance of the alloy, a vertical cross scanning method was employed to fabricate FeCoCrNi HEA (bulk). The influence of grain orientation on the microstructure and mechanical properties of FeCoCrNi-LMD was systematically investigated. Microhardness tests and tensile tests were conducted to assess the mechanical property differences between the single-wall and bulk samples. This study shows that using a single scanning strategy results in monolayer wall grains sized at 129.40 μm, with a max texture strength of 21.29. Employing orthogonal scanning yields 61.15 μm block-like grains with a max texture strength of 11.12. Dislocation densities are 1.084 × 1012 m−2 and 1.156 × 1012 m−2, with average Schmid factors of 0.471 and 0.416. In comparison to the FeCoCrNi-LMD single wall, the bulk material produced through cross-layer orthogonal scanning exhibited reduced residual stress, weakened anisotropy, and improved mechanical properties. These findings are expected to enhance the potential applications of FeCoCrNi-LMD in various industries.

The design of new materials with special performances is still a great challenge, especially for the deep-ultraviolet nonlinear optical materials in which it is difficult to balance large bandgaps and strong second harmonic generation responses due to their inverse relationship. Cation variation not only influences the whole structure frameworks but also directly participates in the formation of electronic structures, both of which could lead to the uncontrollability of the properties of the designed materials. Here, a novel approach, aiming at purposeful and foreseeable material designs, is proposed to characterize the role of cations. By the verification of several series of borates, the influences of cation variation on property changes are explored systematically. Accordingly, a feasible strategy of designing deep-ultraviolet nonlinear optical materials by substituting barium for lead has been concluded, which could obviously blue-shift the ultraviolet cutoff edge and maintain the relatively strong second harmonic generation response (more than 2 times of KH2PO4), achieving the property optimization, and especially works efficiently in fluorooxoborates. The property optimization design strategy and the cation characterization method are not only helpful in exploring nonlinear optical materials but also enlightening in material design and selection.