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To improve the atmospheric environment of coastal areas, it is important to coordinate the accomplishment of the Emission Control Areas (ECAs) program development. However, it is difficult to achieve this objective to align the conflict interest between the government and shipping companies. This paper analyzes the differences in the benefits of the two main subjects in the implementation of China's ECA supervision. Then, based on a non-perfect rational hypothesis, this paper constructs an evolutionary game model to analyze and test the dynamic changes of participants' decision-making. Furthermore, we contrast the effects of the interfering elements (e.g., uncooperative penalty, external benefits, the shipping company cost, and third-party report rate) on their decisions under various terms, by applying simulation analysis method. The paper's outcomes demonstrate that, to inspire shipping companies to comply with ECA regulations, the government should apply a strategy, which is following dynamic penalty, to make shipping companies more willing to execute the ECA regulation within less time. Additionally, enhancing the external benefits of cooperative shipping companies and encouraging the participation of third-parties including non-governmental organizations and individuals in monitoring ECAs, are effective ways of stimulating shipping companies to comply with ECA regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There was a synergistic inactivation effect between US and lysozyme on S. typhimurium. • US + Lys treated LWE was brighter, yellower and more heat resistance. • US + Lys might be a promising pasteurization technology for LWE. An investigation was conducted into the utilization of treatments combining ultrasound and lysozyme (US + Lys) to deactivate Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium) in the liquid whole egg (LWE). Furthermore, US + Lys and heat treatment (HT) with a similar microbial inactivation effect were comparatively evaluated by examining their impact on the quality attributes of LWE. The LWE was treated with US at 35–45 °C and 605–968 W/cm2 for 5–35 min, and with HT at 58–64 °C for 3–4 min. Lysozyme (Lys) alone achieved a minimal degree of inactivation in S. typhimurium , while it was enhanced with the application of US alone when the treatment temperature, time, and energy were increased. Furthermore, US and US + Lys caused a reduction of 3.31 and 4.26 log 10 cycles in S. typhimurium , respectively at 968 W/cm2 and 35 °C for 20 min, indicating a synergistic relationship between US and Lys for the effective inactivation of S. typhimurium. Similarly, HT and HT + Lys achieved a reduction of 4.10 and 4.75 log 10 cycles at 64 °C/3 min, respectively. The L* and b* values of the LWE following US and US + Lys application were significantly higher than untreated and heat-treated LWE, indicating that US treated LWE had a brighter and yellower appearance. The protein solubility (PS) slightly decreased after all treatments, while the pH increased. Furthermore, the foaming capacity (FC) and foam stability (FS) were decreased, revealing that LWE had a lower FC and unstable foam after all treatments. Therefore, US and US + Lys could increase the viscosity and gelation temperature (Tg) of LWE, indicating that LWE exhibited higher heat resistance after US treatment. These results indicated that US + Lys might be a promising pasteurization technology in the processing of LWE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non-photosynthetic vegetation – soil separation index (NSSI) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) can be used to simultaneously estimate the fractional cover of non-photosynthetic vegetation (fNPV), photosynthetic vegetation (fPV), and bare soil (fBS) in vegetation ecosystems. However, these estimates suffer from problems due to shading by dense vegetation or topography. Based on field-measured data and on hyperspectral data acquired by unmanned aerial vehicles, we analyse how shading affects the morphology of NDVI-NSSI and enhanced vegetation index – NSSI (EVI-NSSI). We also investigate the simultaneous estimation of fNPV, fPV, and fBS. The results show that the NDVI-NSSI normalized difference feature space mitigates the impact of shade. Shade causes the NDVI-NSSI and EVI-NSSI to shift rightward parallel to the BS axis and leftward parallel to the PV axis, respectively. Although such shifts may hinder the determination of NPV, PV, and BS endmembers, they do not affect the spectral separation of NPV. Overall, with the NDVI-NSSI and EVI-NSSI methods, the estimation error for fNPV under shaded conditions is approximately 5% greater than that under illuminated conditions. Shaded green vegetation more strongly affects the estimation error of fPV and fBS in EVI-NSSI than in NDVI-NSSI, whereas fBS and fPV depend more strongly on shade than fNPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydraulic fracturing promotes the shale gas revolution worldwide. Since most of the fracturing fluids used now are water-based, shale hydration could happen before and after the treatment. However, the effects of shale hydration on hydraulic fracture initiation, fracture complexity, and proppant distribution have not been clarified. Thus, we performed shale hydration experiments on thin discs and cubic specimens under confining conditions to investigate the microstructure evolution through the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and acoustic emission (AE) system. Later, the hydrated cubic specimens were fractured to examine the impact of shale hydration on hydraulic fracturing through CT scanning. The results show that under confining conditions, water imbibition volume increases with time, but the effect of the fluid pressure inside the perforation on shale hydration is limited. The SEM images show that the preexisting microfractures extend at the beginning but stop growing with width reduction in 6 h, which is indirectly evidenced by the AE. The confining pressure inhibits the preexisting microfractures from opening and further propagation, resulting in closure of the microfractures near the perforation and the water imbibition stagnating. Those findings obtained from hydration experiments are verified by the hydraulic fracturing experiments, which show that the breakdown pressure increases with shale hydration. Meanwhile, the CT scanning shows that the fractures initiated from the vertical perforation become more complex after hydration, which leads to the width reduction of individual fractures and, consequently, poor proppant distribution. Therefore, it is suggested to utilize the optimal hydration time when microfractures expand or use clay inhibitors to decrease the breakdown pressure and facilitate the proppant placement. Highlights: Imbibition time plays a key role in shale hydration, but the effect of fluid pressure is limited. Microfractures extend in the early stage of shale hydration and finally close due to confining pressure. Breakdown pressure increases in the hydrated shale after 6-h hydration under confining conditions (25–18–3 MPa). Due to stress condition differences, more complex near-wellbore fractures form in vertical perforations than in horizontal ones after hydration. Complexity of the near-wellbore fracture patterns cause poor proppant distribution for the hydrated specimens with a vertical perforation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the article was to study the effects of ultrasound (US) and 80 ppm nisin-assisted US (US + nisin) on the inactivation of microorganisms and the nutritional quality of fresh carrot juice. Fresh carrot juice was exposed to HT (60 °C, 10 min), US, and US + nisin at 271 W and 30 °C for 10 min since the treatments had a similar microbial inactivation effect. Results showed that nisin exhibited an additional inactivation effect on the total aerobic bacteria (TAB) with US, while having no obvious effect on the yeast and mold (YM). The TAB was increased by 2.56, 2.20, and 4.28 log10 cycles, while the YM was increased by 4.67, 4.75, and 6.84 log10 cycles in carrot juice treated by US, US + nisin, and HT, respectively, after 20 days' storage at 4 °C, indicating that US + nisin had a better post-inhibition effect on TAB than US and HT. Moreover, no significant changes occurred in the total suspended solids (TSS), viscosity, turbidity, or color, while carotenoid content was increased by 22.4%, 34.6%, and 21.4% in the carrot juice treated by US, US + nisin, and HT, respectively. In conclusion, the study ascertained that US + nisin is able to ensure both the microbial safety and the quality of carrot juice more effectively than HT alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clostridium perfringens is a highly versatile pathogen of humans and animals. Rapid and sensitive detection methods for C. perfringens are urgently needed for the timely implementation of control. In this study, to provide novel promising methods for the detection of C. perfringens, two rapid, sensitive, and instrument-free C. perfringens detection methods based on recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) assay and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated protein 12a (CRISPR/Cas12a) system were developed depending on fluorescence signal (RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-FL) and lateral flow strip (RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-LFS), respectively. The limit of detection of the RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-FL and RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-LFS methods is 2 copies and 20 copies of C. perfringens genomic DNA per reaction, respectively, and the whole process can be completed in 1 hr. Moreover, these two methods show no cross-reactivity with nontarget bacteria, which were used as a negative control to evaluate the specificity of two developed methods in the detection of C. perfringens and have 100% consistent with real-time polymerase chain reaction tests for 12 clinical samples collected from 2 Chinese Milu at Beijing Milu Ecological Research Center and 6 spiked samples from human blood and stool. Overall, the constructed C. perfringens detection methods, RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-FL and RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-LFS, have great potential as a novel detection scheme for the early diagnosis of C. perfringens infection in humans and animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rock mechanical properties and elastic anisotropy of terrestrial shale oil reservoirs are affected by various factors, such as lithology, structure, pores, fractures, and fluids. The experimental study of dynamic and static elastic properties can provide important mechanism analysis for the prediction of geological and engineering "sweet spots" in shale reservoirs. There are a large number of studies on the measurement of static mechanical properties of shale, but the experiments on dynamic cross-band elastic anisotropy of terrestrial shale have not yet been conducted thoroughly. Therefore, we report the anisotropic dispersion mechanism of favorable lithofacies (lamellar dolomitic shale, with vertical and horizontal bedding) in the inter-salt shale oil reservoir of the Qianjiang Formation for different confining pressures and fluid saturation conditions. The experiments were conducted by the cross-band rock physics measurement technology that comprised low-frequency stress-strain measurements and a high-frequency ultrasonic test. The experimental results indicated that: (1) The elastic property dispersion of the terrestrial shale was stronger than that of marine shale due to the high viscosity of the medium oil in the terrestrial shale. The lamellar structures and interbedded fractures were the main factors that determined the strong anisotropy of the terrestrial shale. (2) The dispersion of elastic properties from low to high frequencies in a partial oil saturation state ranged from strong to weak; the wave-induced fluid flow or intrinsic dissipation of viscoelastic inclusions may be the dominant mechanisms that caused the seismic dispersion. (3) The elastic parameters measured in the direction vertical to the bedding plane had stronger dispersion and pressure sensitivity than those measured in the direction parallel to the bedding plane, and the anisotropy and pressure sensitivity at seismic frequencies were higher than those at the ultrasonic frequencies. (4) Fluid filling reduced the pressure sensitivity of the elastic parameters along the direction vertical to the bedding plane, whereas the opposite trend was observed along the direction parallel to the bedding plane. (5) The anisotropic Gassmann theory could explain the P-wave velocity well at an extremely low frequency, but the prediction of S- and P-wave velocities at a relatively high frequency remained insufficient. Overall, our study can serve as a reliable mechanism reference for the study of frequency-dependent properties of azimuthal anisotropy, and provide important guidance for the seismic prediction of "sweet spots" in shale oil reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel stable porous solid amine adsorbent with three-dimensional interpenetrating network structure was prepared by polymerization of divinylbenzene using high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) template method, and followed by further introducing polyethyleneimine (PEI) by impregnation-crosslinking method. Fixed bed dynamic adsorption experiment proved that under wet condition, the former exhibited not only a higher capacity of 6.22 mmol/g but also a better adsorption kinetics process with faster adsorption rate and longer lag in breakthrough point, which makes it potential to be used in gas separation. In CO 2 /CH 4 separation experiment, PolyHIPE-PE30-4 showed a CO 2 /CH 4 separation selectivity of 253 at 298 K and 1 bar, and meanwhile exhibited an extra-high operating capacity. The pure methane productivity of PolyHIPE-PE30-4 was 24.1 mmol/g from CO 2 /CH 4 (80:20, v/v) mixed gas, 4.5 times to that of PE30-4 gel (5.36 mmol/g). Significantly, PolyHIPE-PE30-4 could maintain an excellent regeneration performance after at least 7 cycles, while PolyHIPE-P30 exhibited a remarkably decrease in adsorption capacity after only three adsorption-desorption process in wet condition, demonstrating the advantage of impregnation-crosslinking method for amine functionalization. The superior CO 2 adsorption capacity and regeneration stability, combined with its superior adsorption kinetics property make it a broad prospect in the field of CO 2 /CH 4 separation. • The solid amine adsorbents process interconnected open-cell structure. • PolyHIPE-PE30-4 showed superior CO 2 adsorption kinetics and extra-high adsorption capacity. • PolyHIPE-PE30-4 maintained stable regeneration performance in humidity. • PolyHIPE-PE30-4 showed excellent CO 2 /CH 4 separation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epigenetic abnormalities in DNA hydroxymethylation (5hmC) have been detected in patients with myeloid neoplasms, suggesting that 5hmC might act as a valuable epigenetic mark to reflect the disease status of myeloid neoplasms. Here, we report systematic genome-wide mapping of the DNA hydroxymethylomes in over 70 patients with myeloid neoplasms. Our integrative analysis leads to the identification of distinct 5hmC signatures that can sensitively discriminate patients from healthy individuals. At the molecular level, we unveiled dynamic 5hmC changes within key transcription factor (e.g., the CEBP family) binding motifs that are essential for hematopoiesis and myeloid lineage specification. 5hmC redistribution was found to alter the genome-wide binding of CEBP-α, thereby reprogramming transcriptional outputs to affect leukemia cell survival and stemness. Taken together, we provide a comprehensive 5hmC atlas representative of myeloid neoplasms, which sets the stage for future exploration on the epigenetic etiology of hematological malignancies. Mechanistically, our study further furnishes important insights into how abnormal 5hmC distribution in patients directly interrupts the binding of transcription factors to reshape transcriptional landscapes and aggravate leukemogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In laboratory rock mechanics experiments, it is common practice to employ single-component acoustic emission (AE) sensors to monitor the rock fracturing process, where the fracture location and fracturing mechanism can be inverted from the single-component AE waveforms. However, since such applications are often based on simplified isotropic hypotheses, accurately capturing the influence of strong anisotropy in rock on particle vibrations at rock surfaces using single-component AE sensors remains challenging. This limitation biases the actual particle vibration amplitude and direction, potentially leading to erroneous estimations in AE waveform inversion mof rock fracturing. Here, we combined three piezoelectric discs to create a three-component AE sensor, allowing us to capture particle vibration along three sensing directions on rock surfaces. Through two calibration experiments and polarization analysis of the three-component waveforms, we verify the new sensor's capability to reliably capture the vibration features of hypocenters that are not easily obtainable using a single-component sensor. We apply this new sensor in uniaxial compression tests on shale, a material known for its strong anisotropy. The results indicate that the AE behaviors monitored by the three-component sensor are consistent with those obtained from the widely used single-component sensor. Moreover, the polarization analysis of the three-component waveforms reveals the presence of coupled hypocenters associated with multiple fractures. This is the first time a three-component AE sensor is used in laboratory rock mechanics experiments, which offers a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamic evolution of fractures in rock formations. • A three-component AE sensor is applied in rock mechanics experiments for the first time. • Polarization analysis of three-component AE waveforms can distinguish P - and S -wave. • A single three-component AE sensor can pinpoint fracture locations in a rock sample. • Three-component AE waveforms can reveal complex rock fracturing processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A simulation–optimization method to optimize screen length and depth is proposed. • MARS method is used to predict the required parameters in the proposed method. • Screen length is more critical to the optimization of well screen than screen depth. • It is more necessary to optimize well screen for higher N cw , R I , and lower K v / K h. Simulation-optimization methods are widely used in dewatering optimization. However, traditional simulation–optimization methods do not address the optimization of well screen length and depth. This study proposes a modified simulation–optimization method for confined aquifer dewatering optimization, which is capable of determining the optimal screen length and depth. The proposed method is based on the linear programming method, and the multivariate adaptive regression splines method is also introduced to develop the prediction model for the parameters required in the linear programming model. A hypothetical case of deep excavation dewatering was optimized using the proposed method to demonstrate its feasibility, with the optimal pumping rate, screen length and depth of each well computed. Furthermore, parametric studies were performed to investigate the effects of some key factors on the optimization results, such as the number of considered pumping wells, required drawdown, insertion ratio of the waterproof curtain, aquifer anisotropy coefficient, and prescribed well screen. The results show that optimal total pumping rate and screen length generally increase with increasing required drawdown and aquifer anisotropy coefficient, while they decrease with increasing well number and insertion ratio of the waterproof curtain. Adjusting screen length is more critical to the optimization results since lower screen depth is always preferred. Optimizing well screen is more essential for higher well number, insertion ratio of the waterproof curtain, and lower aquifer anisotropy coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Luminescent and stable CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) capped with sulfur calixarene are prepared for the selective determination of mercury ions in acetonitrile with high sensitivity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The study aimed to characterize the prevalence of alcohol consumption and further investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods: We studied 39,259 participants aged 18 to 79 years of the Henan Rural Cohort study. The associations between alcohol consumption and T2DM were examined using the logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline.Results: For men, alcohol abstinence was associated with an increased risk of T2DM (1.491(1.265, 1.758)), whereas current drinkers were not associated with T2DM (1.03(0.91, 1.15)). Further analysis of alcohol drinkers revealed that only high-risk drinkers of WHO drinking risk levels increased the risk of T2DM (1.289(1.061,1.566)) compared to never drinkers. The risk of T2DM increased as the age of starting to consume alcohol decreased and as the number of years of consuming alcohol and the alcohol intake increased only in men. We further found that the risk of T2DM decreased as the number of years of abstinence increases and no association between alcohol abstinence and T2DM was found after more than 10 years of abstinence among men.Conclusions: Our results suggested that reducing the amount of alcohol consumed and adhering to abstinence from alcohol consumption are beneficial in reducing the risk of T2DM.Trial Registration: The Henan Rural Cohort Study has been registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Register (Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-15006699). Date of registration: 2015-07-06. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=11375. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] This paper studies the application of lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) in fluorescence detection. The europium-based metal-organic frameworks (Eu-MOFs) are synthesized by a facile solvothermal method, and then the as-prepared MOF were further characterized by PXRD, FT-IR, TG, EDS, SEM, UV–vis spectra and fluorescence spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that Eu-MOF exhibits an intense red fluorescence, which can be readily observed by naked eye in solid state, good structural stability and fluorescence stability in aqueous solution or other organic solvents, especially high selectivity and sensitivity to Fe3+ and benzaldehyde and the visible color change by the naked eye under UV-light. This luminescent MOF can be used to detect Fe3+ and benzaldehyde in an aqueous environment with low detection limits of 0.027 μM for Fe3+ and 0.011 μM for benzaldehyde. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study aimed to investigate the independent and combined effects of midpoint of sleep and night sleep duration on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in areas with limited resources.Methods: A total of 37,276 participants (14,456 men and 22,820 women) were derived from the Henan Rural Cohort Study. Sleep information was assessed based on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Logistic regression models and restricted cubic splines were used to estimate the relationship of the midpoint of sleep and night sleep duration with T2DM.Results: Of the 37,276 included participants, 3580 subjects suffered from T2DM. The mean midpoint of sleep among the Early, Intermediate and Late groups were 1:05 AM ±23 min, 1:56 AM ±14 min, and 2:57 AM ±34 min, respectively. Compared to the Intermediate group, adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of T2DM were 1.13 (1.04-1.22) and 1.14 (1.03-1.26) in the Early group and the Late group. Adjusted OR (95% CI) for T2DM compared with the reference (7- h) was 1.28 (1.08-1.51) for longer (≥ 10 h) night sleep duration. The combination of late midpoint of sleep and night sleep duration (≥ 9 h) increased 38% (95% CI 10-74%) prevalence of T2DM. These associations were more obvious in women than men.Conclusions: Late and early midpoint of sleep and long night sleep duration were all associated with higher prevalence of T2DM. Meanwhile, midpoint of sleep and night sleep duration might have combined effects on the prevalence of T2DM, which provided potential health implications for T2DM prevention, especially in rural women.Trial Registration: The Henan Rural Cohort Study has been registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Register (Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-15006699 ). Date of registration: 2015-07-06. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been shown to play a crucial role in tumorigenesis. In this study, we investigated the function of hsa_circ_0137008 and its underlying molecular mechanism in colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: Gene expression was conducted by quantitative real-time PCR or western blot. Functional experiments were performed by cell count kit-8, colony formation assay, wound healing, and transwell assays. Luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down assay were performed to investigate the molecular mechanism of hsa_circ_0137008 in CRC. In addition, the xenograft tumor model was applied to determine the role of hsa_circ_0137008 in vivo. Results: Downregulation of hsa_circ_0137008 was observed in CRC tissues and cell lines. Functionally, overexpression of hsa_circ_0137008 inhibited the proliferation of CRC cells, as indicated by the inhibition of proliferative protein expression (Ki67 and PCNA), reduced cell viability and colony formation ability. Upregulation of hsa_circ_0137008 suppressed the migration, invasion, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of CRC cells. Mechanically, hsa_circ_0137008 negatively regulated the expression of microRNA-338-5p (miR-338-5p). Furthermore, hsa_circ_0137008 abated the miR-338-5p mediated promotion on CRC cell progression. Tumor suppressive function of hsa_circ_0137008 was validated in vivo. Conclusion: These findings highlighted the fact that overexpression of hsa_circ_0137008 inhibited the progression of CRC via sponging miR-338-5p, suggesting that hsa_circ_0137008/miR-338-5p axis is a principal regulator of CRC tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid-amine adsorbents are promising CO 2 post-combustion adsorption materials to mitigate global warming. As one of the most important evaluation criteria, the CO 2 adsorption capacity of the adsorbent was determined by both kinetic and thermodynamic factors, while high temperature is good for mass transfer and low temperature is advantageous for equilibrium to move towards adsorption. In this study, surfactants were added into polyethylenimine (PEI) cryogel to enhance mass transfer and reduce the adsorption temperature, thereby promoting its adsorption capacity. With the addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG200), the CO 2 adsorption capacity reached a maximum value of 6.48 mmol/g at 65 °C, and the amine efficiency reached a maximum value of 0.52 mol C/mol N at 45 °C. Further characterization revealed that the addition of PEG not only enhanced the mass transfer, but also changed the chemisorption mechanisms, which were very similar to the effects of water. Besides, PEG would form hydrogen bonds with the PEI polymer network and showed stable regeneration capacity, thereby exhibiting a greater application potential. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vegetation-abundant ecosystems, accurate fractional cover estimation of multiple targets, including non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV), photosynthetic vegetation (PV) and bare soil (BS) is an important indicator of carbon storage and climate change, and a contributing factor to soil and water conservation, wildfire, and drought. Satellite remote sensing began with sensors limited to the visible and near infrared (VNIR, 380 nm to 1000 nm), and advancing to sensors spanning the whole solar domain (350 nm to 2500 nm) over the last five decades. However, NPV is still difficult to distinguish from BS in satellite images covering large spatial areas, since their spectral reflectances are always mixed and have subtly different spectral features. Many spectral indices have been proposed to identify NPV, however, most include a short-wave infrared band which is lacking on many current and historical spaceborne sensors. To fully utilize current and historical airborne/satellite images with only VNIR bands, a novel spectral index – the VNIR spectral shape index (SSI) – is proposed in this paper. Using spectra of PV, NPV, and BS acquired from world-recognized spectral libraries, the SSI was devised using only blue, green, red, and NIR bands. When applied to Sentinel-2 MSI images, the SSI was effective in estimating/mapping the fractional cover of PV, NPV, and BS using the triangular space method. The resulting fractional cover was evaluated in three 3 km × 2 km study areas including one grassland, one woodland, and one cropland. The spectral reflectance collected by spectroradiometer in field work and digital image collect by digital camera mounted on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) support that the triangular space method is able to estimate the fractional cover of photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic vegetation simultaneously, and that endmember selection relying solely on satellite images is reasonable. Comparing the abundance of each target in UAV images to corresponding MSI pixels, the SSI index and triangular space method proved effective for fractional cover estimation in varied vegetated ecosystems. For fractional cover evaluation in grassland, woodland, and cropland, the R2 reaching to 0.59, 0.62, and 0.70, respectively. These results demonstrate that the SSI is feasible for multiple sensors, enabling potential large temporal and/or spatial scale applications. • Spectral index, SSI, is devised to separate soil and non-photosynthetic vegetation. • SSI employs blue, green, red, and NIR bands to catch spectral shape difference. • Four bands in SSI are equipped on most satellite/airborne sensors since 1980s. • SSI-NDVI combination can estimate fraction of land cover using triangle method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supercapacitors have rapidly become an important electrochemical energy storage system due to their advantages such as fast power delivery, fast charging, and long cycle life, and play a dominant role in the field of high power transmission or absorption. Among various electrode materials, biomass carbon exhibits exciting electrochemical properties and impressive prospects owing to its wide availability, environmentally friendly renewability, and low-cost electricity storage. In this work, we report sulfur/nitrogen-doped biomass carbon with covalently grafted anthraquinone organic small molecules on its surface, derived from banana leaves (DAAQ-S/N-C-850). The prepared DAAQ-S/N-C-850 electrode material exhibits a high specific capacitance value of 355.3 F g−1 at a current density of 5 mV s−1 in three-electrode system. The experimental results show that the double doping of S and N can effectively improve the electrical conductivity of the electrode material, and the synergy between DAAQ organic molecules and double doping can availably improve the pseudocapacitive performance of the electrode material. Moreover, the asymmetric supercapacitor of DAAQ-S/N-C-850//CNT@RGO achieves energy density (30.9 Wh kg−1) and power density (0.714 kW kg−1) in 1 M H 2 SO 4 electrolyte. This article proposes functionalized S/N-doped biomass carbon and provides a novel method for the application of biomass carbon in the field of energy storage. [Display omitted] • S/N-doped porous carbon is prepared from banana tree leaves for supercapacitors. • DAAQ molecules are used as connecting bridges to link biomass carbons together. • graphene network is created through cross-linking reaction. • Heteroatoms and DAAQ organic small molecules achieve a significant synergy effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal carbide is being used as an emerging high-capacity anode material for the next-generation potassium ion batteries (PIBs). Herein, a general method was introduced for the preparation of nanocomposites from metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) coated with ammonium ferric citrate. A novel composite material of Fe 3 C nanoparticles was designed and prepared by pyrolysis of MOF, and embedded in graphitic carbon as a PIB anode (Fe 3 C@MOF–C/N). The Fe 3 C particles were encapsulated in an N-doped carbon shell with a hierarchical porous carbon network. N-doped porous carbon exhibited a large specific surface area and abundant carbon edge defects, which led to the increase in the number of exposed active sites, facilitating the adsorption of potassium ions. As a result, the prepared carbon material shows high structural stability, electrical conductivity, and proton conductivity. As a PIB anode, Fe 3 C@MOF–C/N-1 shows a high capacity of 294 mAh g−1 over 1000 cycles at 200 mA g−1, revealing its potential application as carbon material in PIB anodes. Fe 3 C in the formation of nanocrystallization is encapsulated in the separate N-doping carbon, and shows remarkably enhanced electrochemical potassium ion storage performance. [Display omitted] • ZIF-8 derived porous carbon core provide space for s physical adsorption of the PIBs. • Capacity of 294 mAh g−1 is remained for Fe 3 C@MOF–C/N-1 at 200 mA g−1 after 1000 cycles. • Fe 3 C in the formation of nanocrystallization is encapsulated in the separate N-doping carbon. • The Fe 3 C@MOF–C/N-1 anodes exhibit enhanced cyclic stability and rate performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutenite is composed of gravel, matrix and their cementing surface in meso-scale. The fracture propagation in it is therefore different from the fine-grained rocks such as shale and sandstone. In order to study the influence of mechanical contrast between the matrix and gravel on fracture propagation and mechanical properties of glutenite, three-point bending tests on semi-circular samples were performed. The results of three-point bending indicate that not all glutenite was enhanced by gravel on fracture toughness. Therefore, we classified the glutenite into gravel-enhanced and gravel-weakened. In gravel-enhanced glutenite, gravel increases the fracture toughness of the glutenite, and the fracture is characterized by deflection when it hits the gravel. In gravel-enhanced glutenite, the fracture is single and tortuous when gravel content is less than 35 % and bifurcate and tortuous when gravel content is more than 35 %. As for the gravel-weakened glutenite, gravel reduces fracture toughness of glutenite, and the fracture penetrates the gravel when it hits gravel, which leads to a single and flat fracture. The enhancing or weakening effect of gravel is caused by the mechanical contrast between the matrix and gravel. In gravel-enhanced glutenite, the hardness of gravel is higher than that of the matrix, and the gravel prevents fracture from propagating. While in gravel-weakened glutenite, there are large amounts of weak gravels whose hardness is lower than that of the matrix. Instead of preventing the fracture from propagating, the weak gravels are penetrated. Gravel content and support pattern also have an important effect on the mechanical properties of glutenite. When gravel content is less than 35 %, the gravel is not in contact with each other, the supporting phase is the matrix, and the mechanical properties of glutenite are therefore mainly controlled by the matrix. When gravel content rises above 35 %, gravel begins to contact with each other, and the contacted gravel forms a skeleton bearing the external load. In this case, the supporting phase changes from the matrix to gravel, resulting in a drastic variation of elastic modulus of glutenite as gravel content increases. According to gravel content and the hardness contrast between the matrix and gravel, glutenite was subdivided into four types. The main controlling factors of fracture propagation of the four types were clarified. This classification is of great significance in guiding hydraulic fracturing for different glutenite reservoirs. • The effect of mechanical contrast between the matrix and gravel on fracture propagation in glutenite was studied. •Mechanical contrast has an essential influence on both the propagation resistance and the fracture morphology. •We classified the glutenite as gravel-enhanced and gravel-weakened according to the mechanical contrast. •According to gravel content and the hardness contrast, glutenite was subclassified into four types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different from fine-grained sedimentary reservoirs such as sandstone and shale, glutenite reservoir is rich in gravel. Its physical and mechanical properties are affected by gravel content and gravel size and are related to the cementation and support pattern between the matrix and gravel. Characterizing the meso-structure of glutenite reservoirs and its influence on the physical and mechanical properties is of great significance for the evaluation, exploration and development of glutenite reservoirs. Thus, an experimental study on ultrasonic characteristics was conducted on glutenite of different meso-structures. Measurements were performed along different travel paths in each sample to study the effect of gravel. Combined with the meso-structure of samples, the scattering effect on ultrasonic waves by gravel was analyzed. The results show that (1) Gravel content, gravel size and the support pattern between the matrix and gravel have an important influence on the ultrasonic waveform, frequency spectrum and velocity. The higher gravel content or larger gravel size is, the more severe waveform disturbance is. And the wave velocity decreases with the increase of gravel content or gravel size. (2) In glutenite, the scattering of waves by gravel is responsible for the ultrasonic characteristics. The higher the gravel content or larger the gravel size is, the stronger the scattering effect is. (3) Because the gravel size and wavelength in glutenite are approximately the same, the effective medium theory does not work on ultrasonic propagation in glutenite. (4) Thus, we established the velocity heterogeneity model to evaluate the meso-structure of glutenite. The rise of the velocity heterogeneity reflects the increase of gravel content, gravel size and meso-heterogeneity, and the transition of support pattern from matrix-support to gravel-support. This approach is more concise and effective and may potentially realize downhole meso-structure characterization by logging. • Experimental study on ultrasonic characteristics was carried out on glutenite with different meso-structures. • Gravel content, gravel size and the support pattern influence the waveform, frequency spectrum and velocity. • Scattering by gravel was found to be the dominant behavior when ultrasonic travels in glutenite. • The velocity heterogeneity model was built and applied to characterize the meso-structure of glutenite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Previous studies indicate that bile acids (BAs) promote normal liver regeneration and repair after injury. However, the impact of insufficient BA signaling, which is observed in patients with BA sequestrant medication or cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) disease, on liver injury is still unknown. Our aim is to determine the outcomes of reduced BA levels upon liver injury. Methods: Seventy percent partial hepatectomy (PH) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) treatment were performed using CYP27 −/− mice, a genetic animal model with low BA levels. The liver repair of CYP27 −/− mice after the treatments was characterized by histological staining, chemical analysis, and quantitative real-time PCR. Results: CYP27 −/− mice exhibited enhanced CCl4-induce liver injury, and defective liver regeneration and prolonged steatosis after 70% PH. Due to the insufficient BA signaling, farnesoid X receptor (FXR) activities were significantly reduced in CYP27 −/− livers after 70% PH. Activation of FXR by either 0.2% cholic acid feeding or oral infusion of an FXR agonist greatly promoted liver regeneration in CYP27 −/− mice. Conclusions: Normal physiological levels of BAs are required for liver repair. Patients with BA sequestrant medications or CTX disease due to CYP27 gene mutations may have an increased risk of liver failure, and treatment with FXR ligands can promote liver regeneration of patients with low BA levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Light-chain restricted hematogones (LCR HGs) can mimic involvement by B-lymphoma. • Misinterpretation of LCR HGs may lead to disease stage upgrade. • LCR HGs show a similar immunophenotype to normal HGs. • LCR HGs are consistently positive for CD10, CD19, CD38 (bright), CD43, and CD200. • CD20 expression in LCR HGs shows a spectrum from dim/negative to positive. Light-chain restricted hematogones (LCR HGs) detected by flow cytometry analysis can mimic bone marrow involvement by B-cell lymphoma. This phenomenon can present a diagnostic pitfall and negatively impact patient management, as misinterpretation may upgrade disease stage. In this study, we characterized the immunophenotype of LCR HGs with an aim to differentiate them from B-cell lymphoma. We analyzed 24 patients with LCR HGs, 12 (50 %) were kappa light chain restricted and 12 (50 %) were lambda light chain restricted. LCR HGs account for 51 % (range, 1.5%–99%) of B cells, and 0.5 % (range, 0.1%–3.7%) of total cells. In 15 patients in whom multiple specimens were analyzed, 10 (67 %) showed persistent LCR HGs in more than 1 specimen, and the duration of the light chain restriction ranged from 4 months to 2 years. Among 24 patients, 4 (16.6 %) cases were concurrently involved by B-cell lymphoma/myeloma in addition to LCR HGs. With the exception of light chain restriction, LCR HGs showed a similar immunophenotype as normal HGs and had a distinct location on the CD45/Side Scatter (SSC) plot. They were also consistently positive for CD10, CD19, CD38 (bright), CD43, and CD200. CD20 expression showed a spectrum from dim/negative to positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg2+) is a highly hazardous and widespread environmental pollutant with bioaccumulative properties, so highly sensitive detection and effective removal of mercury in water environment are very necessary. Considering "soft base" property of N atom, N-containing organic groups cannot coordinate effectively with "hard acid" rare earth ions. A [Sm(ATPA) 1.5 (DEF)] n (Sm-MOF) (H 2 ATPA = 2-aminoterephthalic acid) containing free amino groups is constructed for simultaneous detection and removal of Hg2+ ions. Hg2+ can quench effectively the charge transfer emission of Sm-MOF in aqueous solution, and simultaneously induce the Sm3+ characteristic fluorescence emission of Sm-MOF. The results shows that the prepared Sm-MOF has an excellent selectivity and a high sensitivity for detecting Hg2+ with a wide linear range of 0.6–300 μM and a low detection limit of 0.87 μM. At the same time, the MOF is also employed to adsorb and remove Hg2+ in aqueous solution and it is found that over 97% of Hg2+ can be removed in approximately 2 h. [Display omitted] • Using Sm-MOF to detect and remove Hg2+ in aqueous solutions simultaneously. • 97% Hg2+ in aqueous solution was removed in 2 h. • The optical sensor delivered a low detection limit and a wide linear range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sandwich-like layered composite materials possess a high contact area and can expose many reactive active sites, which exhibit great potential in the application of supercapacitors. In this paper, a sandwich-like composite material was synthesized based on polyaniline (PANI), graphene oxide (GO) and ZIF-67 (denoted as GO@ZIF-67/PANI). Among them, GO is designed as a deposition substrate of ZIF-67 and transfer scaffold of electrons and PANI works as a wire to connect graphene layers and nanoparticles, which increases the conductivity of the material and makes the electron transfer easier. At the current density of 1 A g−1, the specific capacitance of the ZIF-67 composite is up to 5 times that of the ZIF-67. After alkali treatment, ZIF-67 is converted into Co(OH) 2 nanosheet (denoted as GO@Co(OH) 2 /PANI), which remarkably promotes the transfer of electrolyte ions and electrons. At the current density of 1 A g−1, the resulting specific capacitance is 15 times more than ZIF-67. The excellent energy storage performance indicates that the prepared novel composite material has important development prospects in energy storage. Image 1 • Simple & cheap. • GO@Co(OH) 2 /PANI, a new electrode material with special sandwich structure, applied for supercapacitors for the first time. • The specific capacitance of GO@Co(OH) 2 /PANI is up to 15 times that of the ZIF-67. • Excellent cyclic stability of GO@Co(OH) 2 /PANI (80%@20,000).. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mediastinum contains essentially all major intrathoracic organs except for the lungs. A variety of both benign and malignant tumors can involve the mediastinum, of which lymphoma is the most common malignancy. Compared to secondary mediastinal involvement by systemic lymphomas, primary mediastinal lymphomas are less common with several specific entities that are mainly confined to mediastinal lymph nodes, and/or thymus. This review will summarize the clinical, histologic, immunophenotypic and molecular genetic features of the most common and most aggressive primary mediastinal lymphomas as well as provide suggested immunohistochemistry panels and differential diagnoses., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Hippo signaling is instrumental in regulating organ size, regeneration, and carcinogenesis. The cytoskeleton emerges as a primary Hippo signaling modulator. Its structural alterations in response to environmental and intrinsic stimuli control Hippo signaling pathway activity. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the cytoskeleton regulation of Hippo signaling are not fully understood. RAP2 GTPase is known to mediate the mechanoresponses of Hippo signaling via activating the core Hippo kinases LATS1/2 through MAP4Ks and MST1/2. Here we show the pivotal role of the reciprocal regulation between RAP2 GTPase and the cytoskeleton in Hippo signaling. RAP2 deletion undermines the responses of the Hippo pathway to external cues tied to RhoA GTPase inhibition and actin cytoskeleton remodeling, such as energy stress and serum deprivation. Notably, RhoA inhibitors and actin disruptors fail to activate LATS1/2 effectively in RAP2-deficient cells. RNA sequencing highlighted differential regulation of both actin and microtubule networks by RAP2 gene deletion. Consistently, Taxol, a microtubule-stabilizing agent, was less effective in activating LATS1/2 and inhibiting cell growth in RAP2 and MAP4K4/6/7 knockout cells. In summary, our findings position RAP2 as a central integrator of cytoskeletal signals for Hippo signaling, which offers new avenues for understanding Hippo regulation and therapeutic interventions in Hippo-impaired cancers., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest with the contents of this article., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Malignant pleural effusion is mostly a complication of advanced malignant tumors. However, the cancer markers such as carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA 125), carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), and cytokeratin fragment 21-1 (CYFRA 21-1) have low sensitivity and organ specificity for detecting malignant pleural effusion., Research Question: Is IR808@MnO nano-near infrared fluorescent dye worthy for the diagnosis in differentiating benign and malignant pleural effusions., Study Design and Methods: This experiment was carried out to design and characterize the materials for in vitro validation of the new dye in malignant tumor cells in the A549 cell line and in patients with adenocarcinoma pleural effusion. The dye was verified to possess tumor- specific targeting capabilities. Subsequently, a prospective hospital-based observational study was conducted, enrolling 106 patients and excluding 28 patients with unknown diagnoses. All patients underwent histopathological analysis of thoracoscopic biopsies, exfoliative cytological analysis of pleural fluid, and analysis involving the new dye. Statistical analyses were performed using Microsoft Excel, GraphPad Prism, and the R language., Results: The size of IR808@MnO was 136.8 ± 2.9 nm, with peak emission at 808 nm, and it has near-infrared fluorescence properties. Notably, there was a significant difference in fluorescence values between benign and malignant cell lines (p < 0.0001). The malignant cell lines tested comprised CL1-5, A549, MDA-MB-468, U-87MG, MKN-7, and Hela, while benign cell lines were BEAS-2B, HUVEC, HSF, and VE. The most effective duration of action was identified as 30 min at a concentration of 5 μl. This optimal duration of action and concentration were consistent in patients with lung adenocarcinoma accompanied by pleural effusion and 5 μl. Of the 106 patients examined, 28 remained undiagnosed, 39 were diagnosed with malignant pleural effusions, and the remaining 39 with benign pleural effusions. Employing the new IR808@MnO staining method, the sensitivity stood at 74.4%, specificity at 79.5%, a positive predictive value of 69.2%, and a negative predictive value of 82.1%. The area under the ROC curve was recorded as 0.762 (95% CI: 0.652-0.872). The confusion matrix revealed a positive predictive value of 75.7%, a negative predictive value of 75.6%, a false positive rate of 22.5%, and a false negative rate of 26.3%., Interpretation: The IR808@MnO fluorescent probe represents an efficient, sensitive, and user-friendly diagnostic tool for detecting malignant pleural fluid, underscoring its significant potential for clinical adoption., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Rat primitive extraembryonic endoderm (pXEN) stem cell lines indefinitely preserve the characteristic features of the early extraembryonic endoderm (ExEn) in vitro, but require unknown serum factors and exhibit a hybrid (mesenchymal-epithelial) phenotype. We report two chemically defined conditions that differ by the addition of the cytokine leukemia inhibitory factor (Lif) and the β-catenin-stabilizing drug Chir99021, and enable permanent self-renewal as mesenchymal and epithelial morphotypes, respectively. The morphotypes are interconvertible and equipotent, as shown by the formation of well-differentiated organoids. Surprisingly, the proliferation of both morphotypes requires Lif-type Gp130/Stat3 signaling (autocrine in the absence of added Lif) and noncanonical Wnt signaling (autocrine). In addition, the epithelial version requires β-catenin for proliferation and morphology. Interestingly, the mesenchymal cells also express key epithelial markers, but those are improperly structured and/or not functional, indicating a primed state. These results provide an improved platform for studying the proliferation and plasticity of the early ExEn, which occurs in mesenchymal and epithelial forms in vivo.

Controlling and mitigating infectious diseases caused by multiple pathogens or pathogens with several subtypes require multiplex nucleic acid detection platforms that can detect several target genes rapidly, specifically, sensitively, and simultaneously. Here, we develop a detection platform, termed Multiplex Assay of RPA and Collateral Effect of Cas12a-based System (MARPLES), based on multiplex nucleic acid amplification and Cas12a ssDNase activation to diagnose these diseases and identify their pathogens. We use the clinical specimens of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) and influenza A to evaluate the feasibility of MARPLES in diagnosing the disease and identifying the pathogen, respectively, and find that MARPLES can accurately diagnose the HFMD associated with enterovirus 71, coxsackievirus A16 (CVA16), CVA6, or CVA10 and identify the exact types of H1N1 and H3N2 in an hour, showing high sensitivity and specificity and 100% predictive agreement with qRT-PCR. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that MARPLES is a promising multiplex nucleic acid detection platform for disease diagnosis and pathogen identification.

Background: Cerebrovascular diseases are associated with high incidence of health care-associated infections (HAIs) and poor prognosis in elderly patients. This study aimed to investigate the incidence and clinical characteristics of HAIs in elderly patients with cerebrovascular disease in the intensive care unit (ICU)., Methods: Patients admitted with cerebrovascular disease, aged ≥65 years, were included. The clinical data of the patients were retrospectively analyzed to determine the risk factors, infection type, distribution, and pathogenic characteristics of HAIs in the context of cerebrovascular diseases., Results: Out of 381 ICU inpatients monitored, 79 (20.73%) developed HAIs. Risk analysis revealed number of ventilator days as significant risk factors for HAIs in elderly patients with cerebrovascular diseases in the comprehensive ICU. In the HAI group, 56 patients (70.89%) had respiratory tract infection (RTI). Sixty-five patients (82.28%) were infected with Gram-negative bacteria (GNB), and 42 (53.16%) with multi-drug-resistant organism (MDRO). The length of hospitalization days, ventilator days, and overall hospitalization costs were higher in the HAI group than in the non-HAI group (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between groups in the treatment outcome of patients. Patients with MDRO infection had longer duration and higher cost of hospitalization than those infected with non-MDRO (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the groups in the treatment outcome of patients., Conclusions: HAIs occurred mostly due to RTI and GNB infection. The hospitalization cost and duration, as well as the length of ventilator days, were higher for cerebrovascular patients with HAIs than for non-HAIs patients., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

CD2 is a costimulatory protein expressed in all mature T/NK-cells, in particular memory T-cells. CD58 (or LFA-3) is the receptor for CD2 and is ubiquitously expressed. CD2-CD58 interaction has key functions in T-cell activation and organization of the immunological synapse between T- and antigen-presenting cells. Cancer cells have developed multiple mechanisms to evade immune surveillance. Loss of CD58 expression is one frequently reported in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL). On the other hand, in non-hematological neoplasms, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) with reduced expression of CD2 have been associated with defective cytotoxicity and T-cell exhaustion. Here, we reported a case of DLBCL involving the jejunal mucosa associated with a rim of cytotoxic reactive T-cells with features of immune evasion (CD2- and TCR-) and T-cell exhaustion (PD1 + high). This case likely exemplifies a previously unrecognized immune evasion mechanism in lymphoma involving a decreased CD2 expression in the lymphoma-associated T-cells., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

T- lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (T-LL) is an aggressive malignancy of immature T-cells with poor overall survival (OS) and in need of new therapies. LIM-domain only 2 (LMO2) is a critical regulator of hematopoietic cell development that can be overexpressed in T-LL due to chromosomal abnormalities. Deregulated LMO2 expression contributes to T-LL development by inducing block of T-cell differentiation and continuous thymocyte self-renewal. However, LMO2 expression and its biologic significance in T-LL remain largely unknown. We analyzed LMO2 expression in 100 initial and follow-up biopsies of T-LL from 67 patients, including 31 (46%) early precursor T-cell (ETP)-ALL, 26 (39%) cortical and 10 (15%) medullary type. LMO2 expression was present in 50 (74.6%) initial biopsies with an average of 87% positive tumor cells (range 30-100%). LMO2 expression in ETP, medullary and cortical T-LLs was not statistically different. In patients with biopsies after initial therapy, LMO2 expression was stable. LMO2 expression was associated with longer OS (p = 0.048) regardless of T-lymphoblast stage or other clinicopathologic features. These findings indicate that LMO2 is a promising new prognostic marker that could predict patients' outcomes and potentially be targeted for novel chemotherapy, i.e. PARP1/2 inhibitors, which have been shown to enhance chemotherapy sensitivity in LMO2 expressing diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) tumors by decreasing DNA repair efficiency., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to United States & Canadian Academy of Pathology.)

Plants inevitably receive harmful UV-B radiation when exposed to solar energy, so they have developed a variety of strategies to protect against UV-B radiation damage during long-term evolution. In this study, Zebrina pendulaSchnizl. was used to investigate the plant defence against UV-B radiation because of its strong adaptability to sunlight changes, and the colour of its leaves changes significantly under different sunlight intensities. The experiment was carried out to study the changes of Z. pendula leaves under three light conditions: artificial daylight (control check); shading 50%; and artificial daylight + UV-B, aiming to explore the mechanism of defence against UV-B radiation by observing changes in leaf morphological structure, anthocyanin content and distribution. Results showed that the single leaf area increased but leaves became thinner, and the anthocyanin content in the epidermal cells decreased under 50% shading. In contrast, under daylight + UV-B, the single leaf area decreased but thickness increased (mainly due to the increase of the thickness of the upper epidermis and the palisade tissue), the trichomes increased. In addition, the anthocyanin content in the epidermal cells and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity increased, and the leaf colour became redder, also, the photosynthetic pigment content in mesophyll cells and the biomass per unit volume increased significantly under daylight + UV-B. Thus, when UV-B radiation was enhanced, Z. pendula leaves reduced the exposure to UV-B radiation by reducing the area, and reflect some UV-B radiation by growing trichomes. The UV-B transmittance was effectively reduced by increasing the single leaf thickness and anthocyanin content to block or absorb partial UV-B. Through the above comprehensive defence strategies, Z. pendula effectively avoided the damage of UV-B radiation to mesophyll tissue.

Aggressive B-cell lymphomas are currently classified based in part upon the presence or absence of translocations involving BCL2, BCL6, and MYC. Most clinical laboratories employ fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis for the detection of these rearrangements. The potential role of RNA-based sequencing approaches in the evaluation of malignant lymphoma is currently unclear. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing (RNAseq) in 37 cases of aggressive B-cell lymphomas using a commercially available next generation sequencing assay and compared results to previously performed FISH studies. RNAseq detected 1/7 MYC (14%), 3/8 BCL2 (38%) and 4/8 BCL6 (50%) translocations identified by FISH. RNAseq also detected 1 MYC/IGH fusion in a case not initially tested by FISH due to low MYC protein expression and 2 BCL6 translocations that were not detected by FISH. RNAseq identified the partner gene in each detected rearrangement, including a novel EIF4G1-BCL6 rearrangement. In summary, RNAseq complements FISH for the detection of rearrangements of BCL2, BCL6 and MYC in the evaluation and classification of aggressive B-cell lymphomas by detecting rearrangements that may be cryptic by FISH methods and by identifying the rearrangement partner genes. Detection of these clinically important translocations may be optimized by combined use of FISH and RNAseq., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A novel dual-emission ratiometric fluorescent sensor (CDs@Eu-MOFs) has been synthesized successfully by encapsulating water-soluble fluorescent CDs into the chambers of Eu-MOFs via a simple one-pot hydrothermal method, which can be used for the detection of Hg 2+ in environmental water samples. The synthesized CDs@Eu-MOFs inherited simultaneously the excellent luminescence performance of Eu 3+ and CDs and exhibited good structural and fluorescence stability in aqueous solution. The presence of Hg 2+ changed the fluorescence intensity of CDs, while the fluorescence intensity of Eu-MOFs hardly changed, which could be used as the recognition part and the reference part respectively to construct the ratiometric fluorescence sensor. The obtained Hg 2+ fluorescent probe showed a wide linear range (0-300 μM) and a low detection limit (0.12 nM). The developed method can be used as a multi-functional fluorescent sensor with high sensitivity and good selectivity for the determination of Hg 2+ in actual water samples., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest About this paper, no any interest conflict exists., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A novel composite (CDs@ZIF-8) based on carbon dots (CDs) and zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) was successfully synthesized by encapsulating CDs into the pores of ZIF-8 through a simple one-pot solvothermal method. The as-synthesized CDs@ZIF-8 inherited simultaneously the strong adsorption capacity of ZIF-8 and the excellent optical properties of CDs. The composite exhibited excellent dispersibility and high structural and fluorescence stability in aqueous solution, which could be employed as an excellent turn-off mode fluorescent probe to detect Cu 2+ . The large specific surface area and strong adsorption properties of ZIF-8 enabled the resultant composite to effectively enrich Cu 2+ for further improving the analytical sensitivity. The possible fluorescence quenching mechanism has also been discussed in detail and it was found that the effective fluorescence quenching of Cu 2+ to CDs@ZIF-8 could be attributed to the strong ability of Cu 2+ to combine with the carboxyl group or amino group on the CD surface and the strong adsorption capacity of ZIF-8; their synergistic effect resulted in effective fluorescence quenching.

The deafness-associated m.12201T>C mutation affects the A5-U68 base-pairing within the acceptor stem of mitochondrial tRNA His The primary defect in this mutation is an alteration in tRNA His aminoacylation. Here, we further investigate the molecular mechanism of the deafness-associated tRNA His 12201T>C mutation and test whether the overexpression of the human mitochondrial histidyl-tRNA synthetase gene ( HARS2 ) in cytoplasmic hybrid (cybrid) cells carrying the m.12201T>C mutation reverses mitochondrial dysfunctions. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrate that the m.12201T>C mutation perturbs the tRNA His structure and function, supported by decreased melting temperature, conformational changes, and instability of mutated tRNA. We show that the m.12201T>C mutation-induced alteration of aminoacylation tRNA His causes mitochondrial translational defects and respiratory deficiency. We found that the transfer of HARS2 into the cybrids carrying the m.12201T>C mutation raises the levels of aminoacylated tRNA His from 56.3 to 75.0% but does not change the aminoacylation of other tRNAs. Strikingly, HARS2 overexpression increased the steady-state levels of tRNA His and of noncognate tRNAs, including tRNA Ala , tRNA Gln , tRNA Glu , tRNA Leu(UUR) , tRNA Lys , and tRNA Met , in cells bearing the m.12201T>C mutation. This improved tRNA metabolism elevated the efficiency of mitochondrial translation, activities of oxidative phosphorylation complexes, and respiration capacity. Furthermore, HARS2 overexpression markedly increased mitochondrial ATP levels and membrane potential and reduced production of reactive oxygen species in cells carrying the m.12201T>C mutation. These results indicate that HARS2 overexpression corrects the mitochondrial dysfunction caused by the tRNA His mutation. These findings provide critical insights into the pathophysiology of mitochondrial disease and represent a step toward improved therapeutic interventions for mitochondrial disorders., (© 2020 Gong et al.)

Objective: To study the effects of cell immobilization on sulfide degradation ability and microbial community structure., Methods: Sulfide oxidizing microbiota was immobilized by entrapment on polyvinyl alcoholsodium alginate-activated carbon carrier. Sulfide degradation ability of the immobilized and free sulfide oxidizing microbiota was compared in sulfide-rich minimal medium. PCR-DGGE technique was used to reveal the effects of immobilization on microbial community structure., Results: The maximum sulfide degradation ability of the sulfide oxidizing microbiota in 12 h decreased from 1000 to 600 mg/L after immobilization. Community structure of the sulfide oxidizing microbiota changed after immobilization, but Catenococcus thiocycli was little affected. Thioclava pacifica was even strengthened in the microbiota after immobilization and sulfide degrading., Conclusion: In conclusion, limited by substrate diffusion and transfer in carrier material, sulfide degradation ability of the sulfide oxidizing microbiota under high sulfide concentration decreased after immobilization. Also, immobilization could affect the microbial community structure of sulfide oxidizing microbiota due to different adaptation ability to the microenvironment and adhesion ability to the carrier material.

A simple, rapid ligand exchange route to prepare highly fluorescent, stable and water-soluble CdSe quantum dots (QDs) is reported by using p-sulfonatocalix(n)arene (SFCA(n), n = 4 or 6) instead of original trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) ligands. The ligands were found to have a profound effect on the luminescence response of QDs to amino acids. The SFCA(4) coated CdSe QDs were sensitive to methionine. On the other hand, SFCA(6) coated CdSe QDs turned out to be sensitive to phenylalanine. To demonstrate the detection capability of these new probes, SFCA(n) (n = 4, 6) coated CdSe QDs were used to detect methionine and phenylalanine in physiological buffer solution. Under optimal conditions, the relative fluorescence intensities of the SFCA(n) coated QDs (n = 4, 6) increased linearly with increasing concentration of amino acids. Methionine and phenylalanine enhanced the luminescence of SFCA(n) coated QDs with a concentration dependence that was best described by a Langmuir-type equation. The possible mechanism is also discussed.