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Abstract Background Phenotypic age acceleration, which reflects the difference between phenotypic age and chronological age, is an assessment to measure accelerated aging. Klotho is a protein related to slower aging, but its association with accelerated aging remains unclear. Methods Based on data from the 2007–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, phenotypic age was calculated using chronological age and 9 aging-related biomarkers. A total of 4388 participants aged 40 to 79 years with measured serum Klotho and calculated phenotypic age were enrolled. The association between serum Klotho and phenotypic age acceleration was estimated using multivariable linear regression models. The possible nonlinear relationship was examined with smooth curve fitting. We also conducted a segmented regression model to examine the threshold effect. Results The association between serum Klotho and phenotypic age acceleration followed a U-shaped curve (p for nonlinearity

BackgroundRemnant cholesterol (RC) has been suggested to be implicated in atherosclerosis. The objective of the study was to evaluate the association between RC and first-ever stroke in the Chinese general population and to investigate whether the association is mediated via hypertension or diabetes.MethodsThis study is a retrospective cohort analysis of participants from the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Participants without previous stroke and myocardial infarction in 2009 were enrolled and followed up in 2011 and 2015. Logistic regression analyses were adopted to explore the association of RC with stroke risk. Propensity score methods and doubly robust estimation method were used to ensure the robustness of our findings. Potential mediators were identified by mediation analyses.ResultsA total of 7,035 participants were involved, and during 6 years of follow-up, 78 (1.1%) participants experienced a first-ever stroke. Participants with high RC had a significantly higher incidence of stroke (1.4% versus 0.8%; p = 0.007). High RC was associated with 74% higher stroke risk after adjusting for multiple relevant variables (odds ratio [OR], 1.74; 95% CI, 1.06–2.85). The association was consistent in analyses using propensity score methods and doubly robust estimation method. Hypertension showed a significant mediating effect on the association between RC and stroke, while the mediating effect of diabetes was not significant.ConclusionHigh RC increased the risk of first-ever stroke in the Chinese general population without previous stroke and myocardial infarction, partially through the pathway of hypertension. RC might be a potential target for the primary prevention of stroke.

Growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible beta (Gadd45b) is directly intertwined with stress-induced DNA repair, cell cycle arrest, survival, and apoptosis. Previous research on Gadd45b has focused chiefly on non-neuronal cells. Gadd45b is extensively expressed in the nervous system and plays a critical role in epigenetic DNA demethylation, neuroplasticity, and neuroprotection, according to accumulating evidence. This article provided an overview of the preclinical and clinical effects of Gadd45b, as well as its hypothesized mechanisms of action, focusing on major psychosis, depression, autism, stroke, seizure, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and autoimmune diseases of the nervous system.

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of intraoperative B⁃ultrasound real⁃ time monitoring in craniotomy for patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). Methods From March 2017 to June 2019, 64 patients withs TBI who met the admission criteria were in cluded in the study. Craniotomy and/or decompressiv ecraniectomy were performed. According to the application of real⁃time B⁃ultrasound⁃guided surgery, the patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: ultrasound group (n=32) and control group (n=32). The operation time, the number of new hematoma during and after operation, the probability of bone flap removal, the probability of second operation and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score were recorded. Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) was used to evaluate the prognosis and calculate the good prognosisrate. Results In the ultrasound group, 32 cases were successfully operated under the guidance of B⁃ultrasound, and the detection rate of new hematoma was 76% (19/25). The rate of hematoma clearance rate >90% [84.38% (27/32) vs. 59.38% (19/32); χ2=4.947, P=0.026], GCS score at 3 d after operation (11.38±3.54vs.9.19±3.81; t=2.382, P=0.020) and good prognosis rate at discharge [56.25% (18/32) vs. 31.25% (10/32) ; χ2=0.077, P=0.038] in the ultrasound group were higher than those in the control group, but there were no significant differences in the operation time, the probability of bone flap removal and the probability of second operation between 2 groups (P>0.05,forall). Conclusions Intraoperativ ereal⁃time B⁃ultrasound⁃guided surgery can improve the prognosis of patients withs TBI. DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1672⁃6731.2020.08.007

Chlamydomonas moewusii is a microalga isolated from the Tarim Basin of Xinjiang, China. The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of C. moewusii strain XJCH-01 was determined in this study (Accession number MT015649). The mitogenome (22,887 bp, 34.58% G + C) consists of 7 protein-coding genes (PCG), discontinuous large and small subunit ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and 4 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes. The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the C. moewusii strain XJCH-01 enriches data resources for further study in genetic and functional evolution.

Abstract Background Previously, we have demonstrated that spleen-derived dendritic cells (DCs) modified with atorvastatin suppressed immune responses of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG). However, the effects of exosomes derived from atorvastatin-modified bone marrow DCs (BMDCs) (statin-Dex) on EAMG are still unknown. Methods Immunophenotypical characterization of exosomes from atorvastatin- and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)-modified BMDCs was performed by electron microscopy, flow cytometry, and western blotting. In order to investigate whether statin-DCs-derived exosomes (Dex) could induce immune tolerance in EAMG, we administrated statin-Dex, control-Dex, or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) into EAMG rats via tail vein injection. The tracking of injected Dex and the effect of statin-Dex injection on endogenous DCs were performed by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry, respectively. The number of Foxp3+ cells in thymuses was examined using immunocytochemistry. Treg cells, cytokine secretion, lymphocyte proliferation, cell viability and apoptosis, and the levels of autoantibody were also carried out to evaluate the effect of statin-Dex on EAMG rats. To further investigate the involvement of FasL/Fas in statin-Dex-induced apoptosis, the underlying mechanisms were studied by FasL neutralization assays. Results Our data showed that the systemic injection of statin-Dex suppressed the clinical symptoms of EAMG rats. These statin-Dex had immune regulation functions in immune organs, such as the spleen, thymus, and popliteal and inguinal lymph nodes. Furthermore, statin-Dex exerted their immunomodulatory effects in vivo by decreasing the expression of CD80, CD86, and MHC class II on endogenous DCs. Importantly, the therapeutic effects of statin-Dex on EAMG rats were associated with up-regulated levels of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO)/Treg and partly dependent on FasL/Fas pathway, which finally resulted in decreased synthesis of anti-R97–116 IgG, IgG2a, and IgG2b antibodies. Conclusions Our data suggest that atorvastatin-induced immature BMDCs are able to secrete tolerogenic Dex, which are involved in the suppression of immune responses in EAMG rats. Importantly, our study provides a novel cell-free approach for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

After the publication of the original article [1], it came to the authors’ attention that there was an error in the originally published version of Fig. 5b. The image of CD4+CD25+ T cells of the statin-Dex group was unintentionally replaced with the image of CD4+CD25+ T cells from the control group. The correct version of Fig. 5b is published in this Erratum.

The waves of liquid film flow play an important role on the process intensification in spinning disk reactors (SDRs). However, the mechanism of wave formation was still unclear. In this work, a three-dimensional large eddy simulation was developed to investigate the mechanism, as well as the characteristics of waves in the SDR. Agreed with the imaging results, different wave patterns were identified as: smooth film, concentric, and spiral waves in spreading direction; sine-like and pulse-like waves in fluctuating direction. The radial and tangential relative movements among the layers of liquid film were found to dominate the formation of different wave patterns. Local average film thickness (havg) and local wave amplitude (Δh) ranged from 0 to 500 μm and 0 to 200 μm, respectively. The waves can improve the turbulent intensity and enlarge the specific surface area, resulting in the intensification of transfer processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is rich in abundant lithium resources characterized by considerable reserves and a concentrated distribution of metallogenic zones or belts, with proven reserves of 4046.8×103 t (calculated based on Li2O) by 2021. China is also a big consumer of lithium. By 2019, China ’s lithium consumption in the battery sector alone had reached 99×103 t, with an average annual growth rate of nearly 26%. China has become the world ’s largest importer of lithium resources, showing a severely unbalanced relationship between supply and demand for lithium resources. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the prospecting, exploitation, and study of lithium resources in China. This study collected, organized, and summarized the data on the major lithium deposits in China, analyzed and compared the spatial-temporal distribution patterns, geological characteristics, and metallogenic regularity of these lithium deposits, and summarized the prospecting and research achievements over the last decade. The major lithium deposits in China are distributed in provinces and regions such as Qinghai, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Tibet, and Xinjiang. These deposits are mostly small in scale. According to different genetic types, this study divided lithium deposits into granitic pegmatite type, granite type, saline lake brine type, underground brine type, and sedimentary type, as well as new types including hot spring type and magmatic-hydrothermal type, and summarized the characteristics and key metallogenic factors of these different types of deposits. Sixteen metallogenic prospect areas of lithium deposits were delineated according to the deposit types and the distribution patterns of metallogenic belts. The paper introduced the research progress in major metallogenic models and lithium extraction techniques made over the past decade. Based on the comprehensive analysis of the prospecting potential of lithium deposits, the authors concluded that the future prospecting of lithium resources in China should focus on lithium metallogenic belts, the deep and peripheral areas of currently determined large-scale pegmatite-type lithium deposits, geophysical-geochemical anomalous areas with mineralization clues, and areas with developed large-scale low-grade associated granite-type and sedimentary lithium resources. The study aims to serve as a guide for the future prospecting of lithium deposits in China.©2022 China Geology Editorial Office.

Background: The cell growth and ethanol yield of Zymomonas mobilis may be detrimentally affected by salt stress frequently present in some biomass-based fermentation systems, leading to a decrease in the rate of sugar conversion to ethanol or other bioproducts. To address this problem, improving the salt tolerance of Z. mobilis is a desirable way. However, limited progress has been made in development of Z. mobilis with higher salt tolerance for some technical challenges in the past decades. Recently, transposon insertion mutant system has been widely used as a novel genetic tool in many organisms to develop mutant strains. In this study, Tn5-based transposon insertion mutagenesis system firstly used for construction of higher salt tolerance strain in Z. mobilis. Results: Approximately 200 Z. mobilis ZM4 mutants were generated by using Tn5-based transposon mutagenesis system. The mutant strain ZMT2 with improved salt tolerance phenotype was obtained by screening on RM agar plates with additional 1 % NaCl. Strain ZMT2 was confirmed to exhibit better fermentation performance under NaCl stress than wild type of strain ZM4. The transposon insertion was located in ZMO1122 (himA) by genome walking. Discruption of himA gene showed that himA may play an important role in response to salt tolerance in Z. mobils. Conclusions: The mutant strain ZMT2 with a transposon insertion in himA gene of the genome showed obviously higher sugar conversion rate to ethonal under up to 2 % NaCl stress than did the wild ZM4 strain. Besides, ZMT2 exhibited shared fermentative capabilities with wild ZM4 strain under no or low NaCl stress. This report firstly showed that himA played a role in responding to NaCl stress. Furthermore, the result indicated that Tn5-based transposon mutagenesis system was a feasible tool not only for genetic engineering in Z. mobilis strain improvement, but also in tapping resistent genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Purpose Postoperative knee flexion protocol has been widely recognized as a highly attractive, simple, and cost-effective tactic to improve patient’s outcomes after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, optimal knee position and duration of knee flexion are still controversial. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the effectiveness of different postoperative knee flexion protocols, as an aid to find out optimal limb management strategy following TKA. Methods We conducted a meta-analysis to identify the available and relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with regard to the influence of different postoperative knee positions on clinical outcomes after primary TKA in electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Med Online, and VIP, up to May 2018. In this meta-analysis, three major subgroups based on diverse postoperative knee flexion protocols were considered: long-term (≥ 24 h) high flexion (> 30°), short term ( 30°), and long-term (≥ 24 h) mild flexion (≤ 30°). The statistical analysis was performed using the Review Manager (RevMan) version 5.3 software. Results A total of 16 trials were finally included in this meta-analysis. The result of subgroup analysis indicated that keeping the knee in high flexion (> 30°) postoperatively for a long time (≥ 24 h) significantly reduced total blood loss (P 30°) postoperatively for a short time ( 30°) protocol could be an optimal limb management to reduce blood loss and blood transfusion requirements and facilitate early postoperative rehabilitation exercises in patients after primary TKA without increasing in complication rate.

A digital signature is one of the most widely used cryptographic primitives in asymmetry cryptography. According to the security requirements in different symmetry or asymmetry network models, various digital signatures have been developed in the literature. To protect the right of the signer, Chaum and Antrepen first introduced the concept of an undeniable signature, where interactive protocols are needed for the verification process. Besides, a signer can, also, perform a disavowal protocol to prove that they did not sign the message. On the other hand, threshold cryptography is, usually, used to protect the system from a single point of failure. In a (t,n)-threshold signature scheme, as long as t people in the group of n people participate, the signature can be smoothly signed. By combining these two features, an undeniable threshold signature enjoys the advantages from both sides. After our survey, we found that the existing undeniable threshold signature schemes are either insecure or apply impractical assumptions. Thus, in this manuscript, we aim at designing a novel and provably secure undeniable threshold signature scheme. The proposed scheme is formally proven to be unforgeable and invisible. Besides, our scheme supports cheater identification, which allows one to find the cheater, when a signing protocol fails. Moreover, the proposed scheme can be performed without the help of trusted third parties or secure cryptographic modules, which would be more practical when our scheme is deployed in real-world applications.

Background: IL-1β has been shown to play a pivotal role in autoimmunity. Cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1 (caspase-1) inhibitor may be an important drug target for autoimmune diseases. However, the effects of caspase-1 inhibitor on myasthenia gravis (MG) remain undefined. Methods: To investigate the effects of caspase-1 inhibitor on experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG), an animal model of MG, caspase-1 inhibitor was administered to Lewis rats immunized with region 97-116 of the rat AChR α subunit (R97-116 peptide) in complete Freund's adjuvant. The immunophenotypical characterization by flow cytometry and the levels of autoantibody by ELISA were carried out to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of caspase-1 inhibitor. Results: We found that caspase-1 inhibitor improved EAMG clinical symptom, which was associated with decreased IL-17 production by CD4+ T cells and γδ T cells, lower affinity of anti-R97-116 peptide IgG. Caspase-1 inhibitor decreased expression of CD80, CD86, and MHC class II on DCs, as well as intracellular IL-1β production from DCs. In addition, caspase-1 inhibitor treatment inhibited R97-116 peptide-specific cell proliferation and decreased follicular helper T cells relating to EAMG development. Conclusions: Our results suggest that caspase-1 inhibitor ameliorates experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis by innate DC IL-1-IL-17 pathway and provides new evidence that caspase-1 is an important drug target in the treatment of MG and other autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution patterns of nonylphenol (NP) were surveyed in 26 surface sediments and one sediment core collected from Yangtze Estuary and its adjacent area from May to June of 2010. In the surface sediments, NP concentrations first increased and then decreased from inshore to offshore, ranging from 137.5 ng/g dry weight (d.w.) to 559.0 ng/g d.w. High values of NP were found in coastal mud areas. The spatial distribution of NPwas influenced by Yangtze River runoff and other water currents controlling sediment transport. In the core sample, NP concentrations decreased with increasing depth, indicating more serious NP pollution from 2000 to 2010. Overall, the NP contamination level in this area was at the medium level, when compared with those of other estuaries and bays. However, the high risk quotient values of NP that ranged from 3.5 to 14.3 in all the stations suggested a significant risk for sediment biota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effects of supports (CMK-3, SiO2ZrO2, MgO, Al2O3) and promoters (Cu, Ce, Fe) on textual properties of Ni based catalysts. o-Cresol was used as a probe to test the activity of these catalysts under the condition of 230 °C and nitrogen pressure of 0.1 MPa. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, H2 temperature programmed reduction ammonium programmed desorption, and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms. The results showed that the catalytic performance of Ni/CMK-3 (the conversion of o-cresol reached 45.4%) was significantly better than the other three kinds of supports. The modification of Ni/CMK-3 was also investigated and over 60% conversion of o-cresol was obtained after the addition of Ce (64.6%)and Cu (66.8%) in Ni/CMK-3, whereas the addition of Fe led to a decrease of conversion. In the meantime, Cu changed the products distribution. The appearance of toluene indicated that another pathway existed in the reaction. Accompanied by the ascension of conversion in both sides, side effects also occurred and got more serious. The apparent order of activity for all the tested catalysts was NiCe/CMK-3> NiCu/CMK-3>Ni/CMK-3>NiFe/CMK-3>Ni/Al2O3>Ni/SiO2>ZrO2>Ni/MgO. The reaction pathway, involving three routes, was also mentioned in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionizing irradiation kills pathogens by destroying nucleic acids without protein structure destruction. However, how pathogens respond to irradiation stress has not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we observed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 could release nucleic acids into the extracellular environment under X-ray irradiation. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray irradiation was observed to induce outer membrane vesicle (OMV) formation in P. aeruginosa PAO1. The size distribution of the OMVs of the irradiated PAO1 was similar to that of the OMVs of the non-irradiated PAO1 according to nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). The pyocin-related proteins are involved in OMV production in P. aeruginosa PAO1 under X-ray irradiation conditions, and that this is regulated by the key SOS gene recA. The OMV production was significantly impaired in the irradiated PAO1 Δlys mutant, suggesting that Lys endolysin is associated with OMV production in P. aeruginosa PAO1 upon irradiation stress. Meanwhile, no significant difference in OMV production was observed between PAO1 lacking the pqsR, lasR, or rhlR genes and the parent strain, demonstrating that the irradiation-induced OMV biosynthesis of P. aeruginosa was independent of the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS).

Rare earth is a very important resource. But, impurities, such as Fe2+ have great influence on the properties of rare earth material. In this paper, a novel Fe2+-ionic imprinted polyamine functionalized silica gel adsorbent was prepared by a surface imprinting technique for selective adsorption of Fe2+ from rare earth solution. Firstly, functional macromolecule polyethyleneimine (PEI) was grafted onto the surfaces of silica gel particles, and the PEI/SiO2 was formed. Secondly, the ionic imprinting process was carried out using Fe2+ ion as a template, and Cr3+ ionic imprinting polyamine IIP-PEI/SiO2 was prepared. The adsorption and recognition properties of IIP-PEI/SiO2 for Fe2+ were studied in detail, and the effects of main imprinting conditions, such as the amount of crosslinking agent and reaction time, on the adsorption property of the imprinted material IIP-PEI/SiO2 were examined. The experimental results showed that the IIP-PEVSiO2 possesses strong adsorption affinity, specific recognition ability, and excellent selectivity for Fe2+ The adsorption capacity could reach to 0.334 mmol g-1, and relative selectivity coefficients to Pr3+ and Ce3+ are 23.25 and 18.42, respectively. Besides, the IIP-PEI/SiO2 was regenerated easily using diluted hydrochloric acid solution as eluent and IIP-PEI/SiO2 possesses better reusability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to establish a 3D digitized model of pelvic vasculature for anatomic study, preoperative planning, and virtual reality. Three adult fresh cadavers were perfused with carboxymethyl cellulose/lead oxide mixture to mark blood vessels, and subjected to multilayer spiral computed tomography scanning to obtain a series of thin sections. Then, the 2D images of the pelvis and pelvic blood vessels were transformed into 3D digitized models using Mimics 11.0. The 2D images of carboxymethyl cellulose/lead oxide filled arteries had the features of entire outline and few constructed defects. The 3D digitized models of the pelvis and pelvic artery system displayed spatial location and the adjacent relationship of arteries with the pelvis. Not only the well-known arteries but also the tiny blood vessels in the reconstructed structures were well demonstrated and observed interactively. The reconstructed tissue flaps, including a lobulated skin flap with the pedicel of superficial epigastric artery, and an iliac flap with the pedicel of deep iliac circumflex artery, demonstrated their blood supply area. This indicated that the modified technique of vascular perfusion with carboxymethyl cellulose/lead oxide and reconstitution with Mimics 11.0 software contributed to 3D digitized model of pelvic vasculature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The imbalance and insufficiency of China's regional economic development has led to huge differences in regional energy efficiency. Reducing the differences in regional energy efficiency has become an urgent energy issue in China. The constant absorption of foreign direct investment (FDI) has brought advanced technologies to China, which has an important impact on China's energy efficiency. To explore whether FDI can reduce regional energy efficiency differences, this paper investigates the existence of energy intensity convergence while incorporating foreign direct investment (FDI). Since existing research on regional energy intensity convergence lacks of consideration of the data spatial dependence, we focus on spatial econometric model to test energy intensity convergence. We use panel data of 30 provinces in China over the period of 2005–2014 to test energy intensity convergence by β convergence model. The empirical results show that considering the spatial dependence of the data, FDI can promote the formation of conditional energy intensity convergence. Further analysis found that the spillover effect of FDI plays an important role in this formation. In addition, the convergence speed accelerates after considering the spatial dependence. Finally, the spillover effect of FDI, which is global, inhibits the declining speed of energy intensity during the research period. The scale effect of FDI and energy rebound effect plays an important role in the effect of FDI on energy intensity. These results show that guiding foreign investment more reasonably in each province in China can make contributions to the reduction of energy efficiency differences. Highlights • Use spatial econometric approach to test the convergence of energy intensity. • FDI can promote the convergence of energy intensity. • The spillover effect of FDI plays an important role in the formation of energy intensity convergence. • The effect of FDI on energy intensity has brought a rebound effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Studying the economic performance is of great significance to the policy improvement and investment decisions making of concentrated solar power (CSP) industry. This study developed a cost-benefit model to analyze the economic benefits of CSP industry, under the current technological level and policy system of China. The results showed that: Firstly, the huge initial costs resulted in that the investment of CSP industry had to bear a long capital recovery period, which might add the investment risks; meanwhile it was still economically feasible because of better expected benefits. Secondly, for CSP industry, the internal rate of return mainly varied from 8% to 12%, and the average levelized cost of energy was $0.148/kWh; the economic performance of CSP industry was attractive from the multiple dimensions analysis, and the benchmark feed-in-tariffs could provide effective support for the CSP industry development of China. Thirdly, adopting solar tower CSP technology was better choice to improve the economic benefits of CSP industry, compared with parabolic trough and linear Fresnel CSP technologies. Lastly, the direct normal irradiation, initial costs, annual electricity production and loans ratio had important impacts on the economic benefits of CSP industry, and should be paid more attention in investment decisions. Graphical abstract The policy system determines the costs and benefits of CSP industry by the economic parameters, and then affects the economic performance of CSP industry. The analysis on the economic benefits can provide scientific basis references for the industrial policy improvement and investment decisions. Image Highlights • Develop a cost-benefit model to analyze the economic performance of CSP industry. • Capital recovery period, usually more than 11 years, adds investment risks of CSP. • In spite of high initial costs, investment in CSP industry is economically feasible. • IRR of CSP industry mainly varied from 8% to 12%, with average LCOE of $0.148/kWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]