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Alpinia officinarum Hance, a perennial natural medicine-food herb, has been traditionally used to treat colds, stomachache, and diabetes for thousands of years. 1,7-Diphenyl-4E-en-3-heptanone (DPH5), a diarylheptanoid isolated from the rhizome of A. officinarum has been reported to be safe and to have antioxidant and hypoglycemic effects, suggesting its potential in the treatment of insulin resistance (IR).Aim of to investigate the protective effect of DPH5 on IR and elucidate its underlying mechanism of action.HepG2 cells were used as the research objects. Glucose uptake and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in high glucose-induced insulin-resistant HepG2 cells were assessed using flow cytometry. Glucose consumption and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were analyzed using the corresponding assay kits. The expression of mRNA and proteins related to insulin signaling, glucose metabolism, and antioxidant factor, including insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS1), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT), translocation of glucose transporter-4, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β), glucokinase (GCK), pyruvate kinase (PK), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), nuclear factor-erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NADPH quinoneoxidoreductase (NQO1), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) was determined using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Furthermore, molecular docking was performed to determine the spatial mechanism of DPH5 on the key targets PI3K, AKT, Nrf2, and GSK3β.DPH5 could improve IR that manifested as increased glucose uptake and glucose consumption in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells. Moreover, DPH5 could enhance antioxidant capacity by activating Nrf2/HO-1 elements, including increasing Nrf2, HO-1, SOD, NQO1, and GSH-Px expression and reducing MDA, ROS, and JNK levels, thereby improving oxidative stress and ultimately alleviating IR. Additionally, DPH5 could promote the expression of IRS1, PI3K, AKT, GSK3β, GCK, and PK, and downregulate the expression of PEPCK and G6pase, thereby accelerating glucose utilization and enhancing insulin sensitivity. The mechanism underlying the effect of DPH5 in alleviating IR was related to the PI3K/AKT- and Nrf2/HO-1-mediated regulation of the GSK3β signaling pathway, and the results were further confirmed using the specific inhibitors LY294002 and ML385. Results from molecular docking indicated that there were different regulatory sites and interacting forces between DPH5 and PI3K, AKT, Nrf2, and GSK3β; however, the binding force was relatively strong.DPH5 improved oxidative stress and glucose metabolism via modulating the PI3K/AKT-Nrf2-GSK3β pathway, thereby ameliorating IR. Overall, our findings suggest the potential of DPH5 as a natural medicine to treat type-2 diabetes mellitus.

Strain S02T was isolated from a surface sediment sample collected from the Bering Sea (64.3361° N, 170.9541° W). The cells were Gram-stain-negative, motile and rod-shaped. The temperature range for growth was 4–25 °C and the pH for growth was 5.5–9.0, with optimum growth occurring at 20–25 °C and pH 7.0–8.0. Growth occurred in the presence of 0–7 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2–5 %). Strain S02T had menaquinone-8 as the major respiratory quinone and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω7c and/or C18 : 1 ω6c), C16:0, C17 : 0 cyclo, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c /C16 : 1 ω7c), C17 : 0 and C18 : 0 as major fatty acids. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and two glycolipids. The genomic DNA G+C content was approximately 63.8 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain S02T belonged to the genus Devosia . Strain S02T showed the highest sequence similarities to Devosia psychrophila Cr7-05T (97.5 %), Devosia naphthalenivorans CM5-1T (97.7 %), Devosia submarina KMM 9415T (97.4 %), Devosia epidermidihirudinis E84T (97.44 %), Devosia euplotis LIV5T (97.1 %) and Devosia limi DSM 17137T (96.7 %). On the basis of phylogenetic analyses and phenotypic characteristics, a novel species of the genus Devosia , Devosia beringensis sp. nov., is proposed, with the type strain S02T (=JCM 33772=CCTCC AB 2019343).

MiSeq sequencing technology was used to analyze the microbial community diversity of soil in alpine wetlands to understand the degradation processes and environmental factors in these areas. The results showed that the severity of soil degradation changed the species diversity of soil microorganisms at the level of OTUs, and grass patches contained more species than frozen-thawing patches. The soil fungi species of OTUs changed significantly. The diversity indexes of bacteria (between the frozen-thawing patches and the grass patches) were higher than that of fungi. The dominant microbial species were consistent among different degradation stages. The dominant species of bacteria and fungi were Proteobacteria and RB41, and Ascomycota and

Development of noninvasive bioimaging fluorescent probes for detecting particular enzyme activity is greatly recommendable for preclinical diagnosis of cancer. Given that the elevated β-gal activity is positively correlated with several tumors, developing a fluorescent probe for the sensing of β-gal is therefore highly desirable for cancer diagnosis. Herein, a new enzyme-activatable near-infrared (NIR) turn-on fluorescent probe (DMC-βgal) was developed for accurately detecting β-gal activity characterized by excellent selectivity, high sensitivity (LOD = 0.298 U/L), and low toxicity. More importantly, DMC-βgal qualifies remarkable NIR excitation (725 nm) and emission wavelength (770 nm), an ideal tool for restrained photodamage and suppressed autofluorescence. The above excellent performance of DMC-β-gal allowed for the accurate monitoring of endogenous β-gal in living cells. Moreover, the probe was successfully applied to detect intracellular β-gal activity in different types of cancer cells, verifying that SKOV-3 cells had a higher level of β-gal activity than those of A549, HCT-116, MCF-7, and HepG2 cells. Furthermore, DMC-βgal could real-time visualize endogenously β-gal in tumor-bearing nude mice with low auto-fluorescence interference. All results fully demonstrated that DMC-βgal has potential value as a promising strategy for diagnosis of β-gal-related diseases.

Zonag, Kusai, Hedin Noel and Yanhu Lakes are independent inland lakes in the Hoh Xil region on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. In September 2011, Zonag Lake burst after the water level had increased for many years. Floods flowed through Kusai and Hedin Noel Lakes into Yanhu Lake; since then, the four small endorheic catchments merged into one larger catchment. This hydrological process caused the rapid shrinkage of Zonag Lake and continuous expansion of Yanhu Lake. In this study, based on satellite images, meteorological data and field investigations, we examined the dynamic changes in the four lakes and analyzed the influencing factors. The results showed that before 2011, the trends in the four lake areas were similar and displayed several stages. The change in the area of Zonag Lake corresponded well to the change in annual precipitation (AP), but the magnitude of the change was less than that of a non-glacier-fed lake. Although increased precipitation was the dominant factor that caused Zonag Lake to expand, increased glacier melting and permafrost thawing due to climate warming also had significant effects. After the 2011 outburst of Zonag Lake, due to the increasing AP and accelerating glacier melting, the increases in water volume of the three lakes were absorbed by Yanhu Lake, and Yanhu Lake expanded considerably. According to the rapid growth rates in water level and lake area, Yanhu Lake is likely to burst in 1–2 years.

In the past few years, thin film transistors have a wide range of applications on display technology, material selection and quality for its active layer is critical for device performance. Traditional amorphous silicon (a-Si) silicon has a lot of advantages such as good productivity, short process and low-cost. It also has a lot of shortcomings on these applications on TFTs such as photosensitivity, light degradation, and opacity, etc. The dispute of the material based on a-Si:H as an active layer in TFT is low field effect mobility (~1 cm²/V·S) (M. Shur and M. Hack, J. Appl. Phys. 55, 3831 (1984)), photo sensitivity (low band gap about 1.7 V) and high deposition temperature (~400 °C) (M. Shur, et al., J. Appl. Phys. 66, 3371 (1989); K. Khakzar and E. H. Lueder, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 39, 1438 (1992)). Amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO) had attracted attention that compared with the conventional a-Si:H, due to its good properties of simultaneously high/low conductivity with high visual transparency via doping level. Oxide-based semiconductors, such as ZnO (G. Adamopoulos, et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 95, 133507-3 (2009); H.-C. Cheng, et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 90, 012113-3 (2007)) and IGZO (C. J. Chiu, et al., Electron Device Letters, IEEE 31, 1245 (2010); L. Linfeng and P. Junbiao, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices 58, 1452 (2011)) have been reported for the active channel layer. These oxide-based materials offer good electrical properties and high transparency for thin film transistors, its high transmittance can be applied to fabricate the full transparent TFT on flexible substrate. With In-Situ hydrogen plasma treatment on a-IGZO produced by atmospheric pressure-plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (AP-PECVD), the material characteristics of a-IGZO is studied.

Conventional thin film transistor suffered from high threshold voltage, poor subthreshold swing, and high operation voltage. These shortcomings make the traditional thin film transistor does not meet the needs with the high-performance, high-resolution, low temperature and energy conservation nowadays. Due to the good selectivity of energy transformation and rapid heating rate, microwave annealing is promising to replace conventional furnace annealing and applied in the investigation. LaAlO₃/ZrO₂ is employed as gate electrode and gate dielectric layer for a-IGZO TFTs, under the premise that performance of a-IGZO TFTs without decreasing. With adjusting the power/time of microwave annealing, the effect on electrical characteristics of a-IGZO TFTs is investigated.

TFT panel production process can be divided into three kinds of technology. There have amorphous silicon (a-Si), low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) and amorphous IGZO (a-IGZO) oxide. Traditional amorphous silicon (a-Si) silicon has a lot of advantages such as good productivity, short process and low-cost. It also has a lot of shortcomings on these applications on TFTs such as photosensitivity, light degradation, and opacity, etc. The dispute of the material based on a-Si:H as an active layer in TFT is low field effect mobility (~1 cm²/V·S) (M. Shur and M. Hack, J. Appl. Phys. 55, 3831 (1984)), photo sensitivity (low band gap about 1.7 V) and high deposition temperature (~400 °C) (M. Shur, et al., J. Appl. Phys. 66, 3371 (1989); K. khakzar and E. H. Lueder, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 39, 1438 (1992)). Amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO) had attracted attention that compared with the conventional a-Si:H, in the past three years, a-IGZO thin film transistors is more popular which compared with the other oxide semiconductors, because of its larger Ion/Ioff ratio (>106, smaller subthreshold swing (SS), better field-effect mobility and better stability against electrical stress. Hydrogen plasma treatment is applied in improving a-IGZO TFTs active layer, which is fabricated by atmospheric pressure-plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (AP-PECVD), the electrical characteristics of a-IGZO TFTs is investigated.

Bioglycosylation is an efficient strategy to improve the biological activity and physicochemical properties of natural compounds for therapeutic drug development. In this study, two caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) glucosides (G-CAPE and 2G-CAPE) were synthesized by transglycosylation with dextransucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides 0326 with CAPE as an acceptor and sucrose as a donor. The products were purified and the structures were characterized. The physicochemical properties, anti-inflammatory activity, and cytotoxicity of the two CAPE glucosides were measured. The water solubility of G-CAPE and 2G-CAPE is 35 and 90 times higher, respectively, than that of CAPE. Compared to CAPE, the monoglycoside product showed superior anti-inflammatory effects, and its inhibition rate of NO, IF-6, and TNF-α is 93.4%, 76.81%, and 56.58% in RAW 264.7 macrophages, respectively, at 20 μM. Also, the cytotoxicity of both products was significantly improved. These glycosylation-modified CAPEs circumvent some of the flaws in CAPE application in anti-inflammatory drugs.

The proportions of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) involving portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) varies greatly in different countries or regions, ranging from 13% to 45%. The treatment regimens for PVTT recommended by HCC guidelines in different countries or regions also vary greatly. In recent years, with the progress and development of surgical concepts, radiotherapy techniques, systematic therapies (for example, VEGF inhibitors, tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors), patients with HCC involving PVTT have more treatment options and their prognoses have been significantly improved. To achieve the maximum benefit, both clinicians and patients need to think rationally about the indications of treatment modalities, the occurrence of severe adverse events, and the optimal fit for the population. In this review, we provide an update on the treatment modalities available for patients with HCC involving PVTT. Trials with large sample size for patients with advanced or unresectable HCC are also reviewed.

In recent decades, respiratory infections, including SARS, HINI and the currently spreading COVID-19, caused by various viruses such as influenza and coronavirus have seriously threatened human health. It has generated inconsistent recommendations on the mandatory use of facemasks across countries on a population level due to insufficient evidence on the efficacy of facemask use among the general population. This meta-analysis aimed to explore (1) the efficacy of facemask use on preventing respiratory infections, and (2) the perceptions, intentions, and practice about facemask use among the general population worldwide. We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane, bioRxiv, and medRxiv databases since inception to August 17, 2020. From 21,341 records identified, eight RCTs on facemask in preventing infections and 78 studies on perception, intention, and practice of facemask use among the general population were included in the analysis. The meta-analysis of RCTs found a significant protective effect of facemask intervention (OR = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.71–0.99;I2 = 0%). This protective effect was even more pronounced when the intervention duration was more than two weeks (OR = 0.76; 95% CI = 0.66–0.88;I2 = 0%). The meta-analysis of observational studies on perception, intention, and practice on facemask use showed that 71% of respondents perceived facemasks to be effective for infection prevention, 68% of respondents would wear facemasks, and 54% of respondents wore facemasks for preventing respiratory infections. Differences in perception, intention, and practice behavior of facemask use in different regions may be related to the impact of respiratory infections, regional culture, and policies. The governments and relevant organizations should make effort to reduce the barriers in the use of facemasks.

granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a hematopoietic growth factor existing in neutrophils, glial cells and neurons. Increasing researches discovered that G-CSF improved cell survival in neurodegenerative diseases by its anti-inflammatory effect. However, the effect of G-CSF in suppressing inflammation in Parkinson's disease (PD) remains unclear. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explored the anti-inflammatory effect of G-CSF in mouse model of PD.G-CSF was administrated in the PD model induced by MPTP. Subsequently, the protein of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1) and the inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) in the midbrain were examined. In addition, the phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) including c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 MAPK in the midbrain were investigated.Compared with the MPTP group, the protein of TH in the midbrain was increased, while the Iba-1 and the inflammatory factors were decreased. In addition, the expression of phosphorylated JNK (p-JNK) in the midbrain of the MPTP + G-CSF group was decreased, while the phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK) levels were elevated.These findings emphasize that G-CSF inhibited the degradation of DA neurons. The protective effect is associated with the reduction of the inflammatory factors caused by the inhibition of the microglial activation. Moreover, G-CSF may decrease the inflammatory factors through the decrease of P-JNK and the increase of P-ERK.

Objective This study was devoted to identifying natural thrombin inhibitors from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and evaluating its biological activity in vitro and binding characteristics. Methods A combination strategy containing molecular docking, thrombin inhibition assay, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and molecular dynamics simulation were applied to verify the study result. Results Gallic acid was confirmed as a direct thrombin inhibitor with IC50 of 9.07 μmol/L and showed a significant inhibitory effect on thrombin induced platelet aggregation. SPR-based binding studies demonstrated that gallic acid interacted with thrombin with a KD value of 8.29 μmol/L. Molecular dynamics and binding free energy analysis revealed that thrombin-gallic acid system attained equilibrium rapidly with very low fluctuations, the calculated binding free energies was −14.61 kcal/mol. Ala230, Glu232, Ser235, Gly258 and Gly260 were the main amino acid residues responsible for thrombin inhibition by gallic acid, providing a mechanistic basis for further optimization. Conclusion This study proved that gallic acid is a direct thrombin inhibitor with platelet aggregation inhibitory effect, which could provide a basis for the follow-up research and development for novel thrombin inhibitors.

Transparent conductive oxide (TCO) semiconductors are attracted considerable attention due to a wide range of applications, such as flat panel display (FPD), touch panels, solar cells, and other optoelectronic devices. Owing to the different carrier conduction paths between

Pandemics have become more frequent and more complex during the twenty-first century. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following pandemics is a significant public health concern. We sought to provide a reliable estimate of the worldwide prevalence of PTSD after large-scale pandemics as well as associated risk factors, by a systematic review and meta-analysis. We systematically searched the MedLine, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang, medRxiv, and bioRxiv databases to identify studies that were published from the inception up to August 23, 2020, and reported the prevalence of PTSD after pandemics including sudden acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), H1N1, Poliomyelitis, Ebola, Zika, Nipah, Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), H5N1, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A total of 88 studies were included in the analysis, with 77 having prevalence information and 70 having risk factors information. The overall pooled prevalence of post-pandemic PTSD across all populations was 22.6% (95% confidence interval (CI): 19.9-25.4%, I2: 99.7%). Healthcare workers had the highest prevalence of PTSD (26.9%; 95% CI: 20.3-33.6%), followed by infected cases (23.8%: 16.6-31.0%), and the general public (19.3%: 15.3-23.2%). However, the heterogeneity of study findings indicates that results should be interpreted cautiously. Risk factors including individual, family, and societal factors, pandemic-related factors, and specific factors in healthcare workers and patients for post-pandemic PTSD were summarized and discussed in this systematic review. Long-term monitoring and early interventions should be implemented to improve post-pandemic mental health and long-term recovery.

The striped fruit fly, Bactrocera (Zeugodacus) scutellata occurred in East and Southeast Asia and is one of the most serious pest insects in China. Complete mitochondrial genome was sequenced and characterized for the fruit fly from Anshun, Guizhou Province in Southwest China. The pest fruit fly has a total length of 15,904 bp, consisting of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA, 2 rRNA genes and a non-coding region (A + T-rich control region). The phylogenetic position of B. scutellata was closely clustered with B. cucurbitae, B. tau, B. caudata and B. diaphora. The all species of the subgenus Zeugodacus formed a sister group which was monophyletic. The complete mitochondrial genome of B. scutellata will provide helpful information for genetics, systematics and phylogeny of tephritid fruit flies, Particularly Bactrocera genus.

Aims To provide evidence for the clinically rational administration of bupropion (BUP), the effects of high-fat diet and CYP2B6 mutants on BUP and hydroxybupropion (HBUP) among 44 healthy Chinese subjects. Methods The concentrations of BUP and HBUP in plasma were determined with a high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) analysis. Genotypes were ascertained after amplified by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results The maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and time to Cmax (tmax) of BUP as well as the concentration–time curve (AUC(0→96)) and Cmax of HBUP all increased by 1.18-, 1.41-, 1.38-, and 1.33-fold in the feeding group relative to the fasting group, respectively. Interestingly, the Cmax and terminal half-life (t1/2) of BUP increased by 1.33- and 1.39-fold among those subjects carrying the CYP2B6*1/*1 genotype in the feeding group relative to those in the fasting group. Similarly, the apparent volume of distribution (Vd) and clearance (CL) of HBUP increased by 1.38- and 1.59-fold, respectively, while the Cmax and AUC(0→96) of HBUP decreased by 1.44- and 1.49-fold among those subjects carrying the CYP2B6*1/*1 genotype in the feeding group relative to those in the fasting group. Concliusion These data suggest that high-fat diet and CYP2B6 mutants can influence the pharmacokinetic parameters of BUP and HBUP, thereby offering clear evidence for the rational administration of BUP among Chinese subjects in clinical settings.

Introduction: though endoscopic and percutaneous drainage have emerged as the most common minimally invasive treatments for pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs), estimates of therapeutic superiority for either treatment have yielded inconsistent results. Methods: we retrieved studies comparing the efficacy and safety of these two approaches in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Primary outcomes were differences in technical success, clinical success, and adverse events, and secondary outcomes included differences in reintervention, need for surgical intervention, mortality, recurrence rate, and length of hospital stay. Results: there were nonsignificant differences in technical success rate (OR 0.54; CI: 0.15-1.86), clinical success rate (OR 1.39; CI: 0.82-2.37), adverse events rate (OR 1.21; CI: 0.70-2.11), mortality rate (OR 0.81; CI: 0.30-2.16), and recurrence rate (OR 1.94; CI 0.74-5.07) between the two groups. Reintervention rate (OR 0.19; CI: 0.08-0.45) and percentage of need for surgical intervention (OR 0.08; CI: 0.02-0.39) in the endoscopic drainage group were much lower than in the percutaneous drainage group. Total length of hospital stay (standard mean difference [SMD] -0.60; CI: -0.84 to -0.36) in the endoscopic drainage group was shorter; however, there was a nonsignificant difference in the length of post-procedure hospital stay (SMD: -0.30; CI: -1.05-0.44) between the two groups. Conclusion: endoscopic drainage is effective for PFCs, and superior in terms of lower reintervention and need for surgery rates over traditional percutaneous drainage, despite a similar clinical efficacy and safety compared with traditional percutaneous drainage.

To effectively replace the isotope radiation source in litho-density logging, this study presents a method for measuring the formation density and photoelectric absorption index (Pe) using a switchable X-ray tube. First, the gamma-ray litho-density logging (GLD) method for measuring formation density and Pe using chemical sources is introduced. Then, a benchmark verification based on the X-ray litho-density logging tool prototype and data published by Simon (In: Paper presented at the SPWLA 59th annual logging symposium, London, UK, 2018) was carried out using Monte Carlo numerical simulations. Second, the impacts of the photoelectric effect and detector statistical error on the GLD method were analyzed. Finally, based on a theoretical analysis, the formation density and Pe measurement algorithm (double energy window (DEW) method) was improved, which was found to be suitable for X-ray litho-density logging. Moreover, the results obtained using this algorithm were compared with those obtained using the GLD method. The results indicate that owing to the impact of photoelectric effect and detector statistical error on the density energy window, the accuracy of formation density and Pe measurement using the GLD method is relatively low, with the uncertainty in formation density and Pe measurement reaching 2.620 ± 0.047 g/cm3 and 4.090 ± 0.580 b/e, respectively. In comparison, the DEW method can improve the accuracy of density and Pe measurement to 0.006 g/cm3 and 0.065 b/e, respectively, as the photoelectric effect in the density window is corrected using the counts in the lithology window of the energy spectrum. This study aims to provide a new theoretical foundation for processing X-ray litho-density logs in the future.

Intrinsically poor conductivity, sluggish ion transfer kinetics, and limited specific area are the three main obstacles that confine the electrochemical performance of manganese dioxide in supercapacitors. Herein, one-dimensional mesoporous MnO2 nanotubes were prepared using a polycarbonate film as a template and a large number of oxygen vacancies were introduced by calcination under a N2 atmosphere. The effects of calcination temperature on the crystal structure, micro-morphology and electrochemical performance of MnO2 nanotubes were studied. The presence of oxygen vacancies increases the redox capacity of ov-MnO2-300 nanotubes, and the unique one-dimensional mesoporous structure also provides an effective channel for ion transport. Therefore, the ov-MnO2-300 nanotube has an excellent specific capacitance of 459.0 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 and also has outstanding rate performance and cycle performance. An asymmetric supercapacitor assembled with ov-MnO2-300 nanotubes as the positive electrode and graphene@MoS2 as the negative electrode delivered an energy density of 40.2 W h kg-1 at a power density of 1024 W kg-1. The excellent capacitance performance is mostly attributed to the introduction of oxygen vacancies to increase the intrinsic conductivity of MnO2, and the unique one-dimensional mesoporous nanotube structure increases the active sites of redox reactions.

Purpose The aim of this was to discover disease‐causing gene mutations linked to genetic epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+) in a family in the Southern Chinese Han population. Of a three‐generation pedigree of 18 members in this family, 4 were affected with GEFS+. Method Blood samples of 7 family members—3 affected and 4 unaffected individuals—were collected. Whole‐exome sequencing was performed to assess for genetic mutations in two of the affected individuals and two of the unaffected individuals. Results Fourteen potentially consequential mutations were found in the two affected individuals and were validated with the Sanger sequencing method. Blood DNA tested in polymerase chain reaction with KCNAB3 primers revealed that one novel missense mutation, c.773A>G (p.H258R) in the KCNAB3 gene, which encoded the potassium voltage‐gated channel subfamily A regulatory β subunit 3 (KCNAB3), was shared by all three affected and one unaffected family member. However, this mutation did not appear in 300 unrelated control subjects. According to the bioinformatics tools SIFT and PROVEAN, p.H258R was thought to affect protein function. Functional verification showed that the KCNAB3 mutation could accelerate the inactivation of potassium channels, thus inhibiting potassium current, increasing neuronal excitability, and promoting epileptic convulsion. Conclusions These results reveal that mutations in the KCNAB3 gene may be associated with GEFS+., A novel missense mutation in KCNAB3 was found in sufferers of a Chinese Han GEFS+ family using whole‐exome sequencing. Functional verification showed that KCNAB3 mutation could accelerate the inactivation of potassium channels, thus inhibiting potassium current, improving neuronal excitability, and promoting epileptic convulsion. It is the first report about mutation in KCNAB3 gene relating to GEFS+, and these findings may provide a new insight that mutations in the KCNAB3 gene may be the pathology of GEFS+.

The effectiveness of China’s stock market is low, and the degree of information disclosure is worse than that of capital markets in developed countries. In particular, GEM stocks are slow to reflect basic supply and demand factors, and investor sentiment will have an impact on GEM stock prices. This paper selects the historical posting data of “GEM Finger Bar” of Eastmoney website. Firstly, Bayesian model algorithm is used to classify the sentiment of text comments, and investor sentiment proxy variables are constructed. Then, through correlation analysis and Granger causality test, the relationship between investor sentiment and the GEM stock price in China is empirically studied. The results show that there is a strong correlation between GEM stock prices and investor sentiment.

As a typical stylized fact in stock market, fat-tail phenomenon has been widely concerned and applied to risk management practice, while the mechanism of its production has been a mystery for a long time. Based on the discussion of the modeling paradigms of the emerging agent-based computational finance, classical finance and behavioral finance, this paper deems that the later two models cannot study fat-tail phenomenon. The agent-based computational finance model has great potential, but its ability to solve financial problems is impeded by the confused modeling solutions. In this paper, an agent-based modeling approach for computational finance is presented. According to the new approach, a simple and analysable model is established. The evidence that market microstructure can produce fat-tail phenomenon has been found, and its mechanism has been analyzed. Results and conclusions of this study will influence ideas of applying fat-tail phenomenon to risk management.

The Wenyu River is an important ecological corridor of Beijing. In this study, the spatio-temporal dynamics of water quality and phytoplankton community in the Wenyu River in 2006, 2011, and 2018, as well as their relationship were thoroughly analyzed by historical data analysis and field surveys. Results show that the water quality in the Wenyu River improved significantly from serious pollution owing to pollution containment. The major water pollutant has shifted from ammonia nitrogen (NH

This study aimed to investigate the influence of single-nucleotide polymorphism in exon 26 (C3435T) of multidrug resistance 1 (The frequencies ofThis study showed that the polymorphism of

Compared with the well-documented research on the supply and demand of cultural ecosystem services (CESs), there is a knowledge gap with respect to service connecting areas. SCAs are areas that connect the supply of CESs with the demand for CESs. We developed a framework with which to analyze the relationship between CES provision, benefit, and connection areas. The framework was applied to Aba Prefecture in the southwestern mountainous area of China. Landscapes with alpine gorges and unique Tibetan – qiangzhu culture provide a large variety of cultural services but coexist with a high risk of landslides and debris flows occurring. The results show that the study area provides rich but scattered CESs, leading to low accessibility with travel times varying from 53 min to 11½ hours. A CES connection area includes roads and towns along the route. This is a high risk area for landslides and debris flow, with a disaster density of 4 events per 10 km per year. Geological disasters in SCAs significantly reduce CES accessibility, with up to tenfold increase in travel time. Section C of national road G213 bears the critical impact on CES, with cumulative IFd of 59.8 days. Integrated management can be implemented by regional partitioning, protecting and enhancing CES supply in the provision area, strengthening governance and improving accessibility after geological disasters in the connection areas, optimizing the supply of SPAs, and improving transmission of disaster warning information for CES users in the benefit area(s). Keywords: Critical area, Geological disasters, Service connection area, Aba prefecture, China

Amorphous InGaZnO (a-IGZO) Thin Film Transistors (TFTs) has been studied extensively for their perspective applications in next generation active-matrix displays such as liquid crystal displays and flat-panel displays, due to its better field-effect mobility (10 cm²/V · S), larger

Non-volatile memory (NVM) is essential in almost every consumer electronic products. The most prevalent NVM used nowadays is flash memory (Meena, J.S., et al., 2014. Overview of emerging nonvolatile memory technologies. Nanoscale Res. Letters, 9(1), p.526). However, some bottlenecks of flash memory have been identified, such as high operation voltage, low operation speed, and poor retention time. Resistive random access memory (RRAM) is considered to be the most promising one to become the next generation NVM device since its simple structure, fast program/erase speed, and low power consumption. In this experiment, the RRAM device is fabricated, and its IGZO (memory) layer is deposited with AP-PECVD technique which can reduce cost of the process. Microwave annealing (MWA) is used to enhance electrical characteristics of the RRAM device (Fuh, C.S., et al., 2011. Role of environmental and annealing conditions on the passivation-free In–Ga– Zn–O TFT. Thin Solid Films, 520, pp.1489–1494). Experiment results show that with appropriate MWA treatment, the IGZO RRAM device exhibits better electrical characteristics under bipolar operation, all forming/set/reset voltage for RRAM device is simultaneously lowered.

Recently oxide-based thin-film transistors (TFTs) are investigated for emerging applications of the next generation display devices and other electronic circuits (Fortunato, E., et al., 2012. Oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors: A review of recent advances.

BACKGROUND Bupropion (BUP) is an antidepressant and its pharmacological activity is mediated by its major metabolite, hydroxybupropion (HBUP). We investigated the effects of genetic polymorphisms of CYP2B6 on BUP and HBUP to provide certain evidence on the clinical rational administration of BUP. MATERIAL AND METHODS Plasma BUP and HBUP concentrations were assayed using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). RESULTS A total of 23 healthy volunteers (eleven participants with CYP2B6*1/*1, 7 participants with CYP2B6*1/*6, 3 participants with CYP2B6*4/*6, and 2 participants with CYP2B6*1/*4) received orally administered 150 mg of BUP according to protocol. Blood samples were obtained up to 96 hours after administration. The whole blood was subject to genotyping by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The concentration-time curve (AUC(0→96)), maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), and terminal half-life (t1/2) values of BUP in CYP2B6*1/*4 were lower than those of CYP2B6*1/*1. By contrast, the time to Cmax (tmax) value of the former was higher than that of the latter. The HBUP AUC(0→96) values in CYP2B6*4/*6 and CYP2B6*1/*4 increased to values 1.12-fold and 1.98-fold, compared with CYP2B6*1/*1 carriers. However, the HBUP AUC(0→96) value in CYP2B6*1/*1 was 1.51-fold higher than that in CYP2B6*1/*6. Similarly, the HBUP Cmax values in CYP2B6*4/*6 and CYP2B6*1/*4 increased by 1.12-fold and 1.97-fold, whereas the HBUP Cmax value in CYP2B6*1/*6 decreased to a value 1.64-fold lower than that in CYP2B6*1/*1. CONCLUSIONS Genetic polymorphisms of CYP2B6 influence the pharmacokinetic parameters of BUP and HBUP and thus establish rational BUP administration for Chinese patients in clinical settings.

Atmospheric pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (AP-PECVD) was employed for the fabrication of indium gallium zinc oxide thin-film transistors (IGZO TFTs) with high transparent gallium zinc oxide (GZO) source/drain electrodes. The influence of post-deposition annealing (PDA) temperature on GZO source/drain and device performance was studied. Device with a 300 °C annealing demonstrated excellent electrical characteristics with on/off current ratio of 2.13 × 108, saturation mobility of 10 cm2/V-s, and low subthreshold swing of 0.2 V/dec. The gate stacked LaAlO3/ZrO2 of AP-IGZO TFTs with highly transparent and conductive AP-GZO source/drain electrode show excellent gate control ability at a low operating voltage.

Current metal-oxide-based sensing materials are confronted with several challenges, especially in sensitivity, selectivity and stability, for their application in the breath acetone analysis. Herein, hierarchical walnut-like Fe-C-codoped WO3 microspheres were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The amount of Fe doping was optimized based on detecting the acetone responses dependent on the operating temperature. The sensor based on the optimal Fe-C-codoped WO3 (FW3) exhibited high response to acetone and very low responses to NH3, CO, toluene, methanol, ethanol and NO. The results indicate that the optimized material possesses high sensitivity and good selectivity toward acetone vapor. Besides, the FW3 sensor presented superior anti-interferential ability to various mixed-gas systems. More importantly, the responses of the sensor exhibited no obvious fluctuation over 12 weeks, implying good long-term stability of the synthesized material. We suggest that the phase, morphology and the increased number of oxygen vacancies induced by Fe doping are the underlying reason for the improved gas sensing performance of the Fe-C-codoped WO3 microspheres.

Atmospheric pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (AP-PECVD) technique and KrF excimer laser annealing (ELA) were employed for the fabrication of indium gallium zinc oxide thin-film transistors (IGZO-TFTs). Device with a 150 mJ/cm2 laser annealing densities demonstrated excellent electrical characteristics with improved on/off current ratio of 4.7×107, high channel mobility of 10 cm2/V-s, and low subthreshold swing of 0.15 V/dec. The improvements are attributed to the adjustment of oxygen vacancies in the IGZO channel to an appropriate range of around 28.3% and the reduction of traps at the high-k/IGZO interface.

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic Spiegel lobectomy is difficult due to its deep location and being surrounded by gross vessels. Extrahepatic Glissonean pedicle transection method has been proposed by Takasaki during open liver resections. This approach can be successfully performed during laparoscopic anatomic hepatectomy. Here we describe pure laparoscopic Spiegel lobectomy using the extrahepatic Glissonean approach. METHODS The patient was a 25-year-old male with a background of hepatitis B. A 1.5 cm×1.7 cm mass was detected in liver Spiegel lobe and highly suspected to be an hepatocellular carcinoma. The liver function was normal (Child-pugh 5), and alpha-fetoprotein was within the normal ranges. Laparoscopic Spiegel lobectomy using extrahepatic Glissonean approach was proposed. The hilar plate was partly detached from liver parenchyma, and 2 Glissonean pedicles of the Spiegel lobe were dissected, clamped and divided. Liver parenchymal transection was performed using the harmonic scalpel. RESULTS The operation time was 196 minutes without Pringle's maneuver. Estimated blood loss was

As a widely used anticancer drug in the clinic, cisplatin has obvious side effects, especially nephrotoxicity. Previous studies have suggested that the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a hallmark of cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between ROS accumulation induced by cisplatin and 5-HT degradation. In vivo, by HE and TUNEL staining, we found that cisplatin-induced renal lesions and apoptotic regions, which were located in proximal tubular epithelial cells, were also the regions in which tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (Tph1), aromatic l -amino acid decarboxylase (AADC), 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR) and monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) were overexpressed, as determined by immunohistochemistry. Notably, the 5-HT2AR antagonist sarpogrelate hydrochloride (SH) and the AADC inhibitor carbidopa (CDP) significantly attenuated cisplatin-induced increases in serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels, renal ROS levels, oxidative stress (SOD activity and MDA), proinflammatory cytokine levels (NF-κB, TNF-α and IL-1β), proapoptotic factor levels (Bax, Bcl-2, C-caspase 3 and C-caspase 9) and the phosphorylation of p38 and STAT3, as well as renal lesions and apoptosis. The combination of SH and CDP could almost abolish the effects of cisplatin challenge. In vitro, the effects of cisplatin challenge and the inhibitory effects of SH and CDP were also observed in HK-2 cells. Additionally, similar to the combination of SH and CDP, the MAO-A inhibitor clorgyline could also abolish the effects of cisplatin challenge. More importantly, by western blotting, we detected that the upregulation of Tph1, AADC and MAO-A expression induced by cisplatin both in vivo and in vitro could be obviously suppressed by SH to decrease 5-HT synthesis and mitochondrial 5-HT degradation. Altogether, these findings suggested that cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity is due to the activation of the 5-HT degradation system in proximal tubular epithelial cells, including 5-HT2AR and 5-HT synthesis and degradation. 5-HT2AR plays a role by mediating the expression of MAO-A and the 5-HT synthases Tph1 and AADC.

Improving enzyme stability is very important for enzyme applications. Structural modification is a reliable and effective method to improve the characteristics of protein. By artificially extending the C-terminus, 6 domain modification variants of different sizes were constructed, and a new enzyme species with high stability was obtained. Experimental results affirmed that high stability can be achieved by decreasing the degree of domain freedom. The optimum temperatures of domain modification variants were improved by 10 °C compared with the original enzyme. Specifically, compared with the original enzyme, the half-life of the variant dexYG-fdx (D-F) was increased to 280% under 35 °C and 200% under 45 °C, and the pH tolerance range was wider. Further structural simulations and molecular docking studies provided a reasonable explanation (The increased domain reduced the degree of freedom of the enzyme terminal to some extent) for this variant to increase stability and produce dextran. This study can provide valuable information for increasing the characteristics of recombinant dextransucrase.

Aims To explore the relationship between renal ischemia/reperfusion injury (RIRI) and the activation of the renal 5-HT degradation system, including 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR), 5-HT synthases and monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A). Main methods Rat RIRI was induced by removing the right kidney, causing ischemia of the left kidney for 45 min and reperfusion for different times. RIRI model (ischemia for 45 min and reperfusion for 24 h) was pretreated with 5-HT2AR antagonist sarpogrelate hydrochloride (SH) and the 5-HT synthase inhibitor carbidopa. In HK-2 cells, cellular damage was induced by hypoxia (24 h)/reoxygenation (12 h) (H/R) and treated with SH, carbidopa or the MAO-A inhibitor clorgyline. Hematoxylin-eosin, immunohistochemistry, TUNEL and fluorescent probe staining, RT-qPCR, western blotting, ELISA, etc. were used in the tests. Key findings The development of RIRI and the emergence of the RIRI peak were consistent with renal 5-HT degradation system activation. The highest expression regions of the 5-HT degradation system overlapped with those of the most severe lesions in the kidney, which were in proximal renal tubules. Rat RIRI and HK-2 cell damage, including oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis, could be almost abolished by synergistic inhibition of SH and carbidopa. Clorgyline also abolished the cellular damage induced by H/R. H/R–induced production of mitochondrial ROS in HK-2 cells was due to MAO-A–catalyzed 5-HT degradation, and 5-HT2AR was involved by mediating the expression of 5-HT synthases and MAO-A. Significance These findings revealed a close association between RIRI and activation of the renal 5-HT degradation system.

5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is involved in the pathological processes of several liver diseases. Acute liver injury underlies the development of many liver diseases, but the mechanism remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the role of 5-HT in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced acute liver injury. Acute liver injury was induced with CCl4 (10 mg/kg) in mice pretreated with the 5-HT2A receptor antagonist sarpogrelate hydrochloride (SH) and the 5-HT synthesis inhibitor carbidopa (CDP). LO2 cells were treated with CCl4, 5-HT or 2,5-dimethoxy-4-idopametamine and pretreated with SH, CDP or the monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitor clorgyline. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, Real-time quantitative PCR, western blotting, fluorescent probe and biochemical markers were used to evaluate liver compromise. 5-HT2A receptor, 5-HT synthetase and MAO-A were expressed in hepatocytes; their gene and protein expression were upregulated by CCl4, which led to the degradation of mitochondrial 5-HT and overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Hepatic injury may be aggravated by ROS, which induce oxidative stress and the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, Jun N-terminal kinase, extracellular regulated protein kinase, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 and nuclear factor kappa-B. 5-HT2A receptor may contribute to acute liver injury by modulating 5-HT synthase and MAO-A expression. The synergistic action of SH and CDP treatment may inhibit CCl4-induced acute liver injury in a dose-dependent manner. Hence, CCl4-induced acute liver injury is due to an increase in mitochondrial ROS production caused by increased 5-HT degradation and probably involves increases in 5-HT2A receptor expression and 5-HT synthesis.

The characteristic of hull wake for a ship operating in oblique flow significantly affects the ship performance at off-design conditions. This paper presents a numerical study on the hull wakes under oblique flow conditions and analyzes the scale effect. RANS method combined with SST k-ω turbulence model is adopted and an international benchmark ship, Japan Bulk Carrier (JBC), is computed. Drift angles ranging from 0° to 20° with an interval of 5° are considered. Results show that the oblique flow considerably changes the hull wake field. Unlike a left-right symmetric pattern at zero drift angle, the nominal wake in oblique flow conditions shows a strong asymmetry since the flow at the windward side is close to the incoming flow whereas the flow at the leeward side is featured by the vortices detached from the hull. It is also revealed that the mean wake fraction decreases as the drift angle increases. Both model and full scales are simulated and the comparison between them shows significant differences in the wake pattern on the leeward side and the magnitude of the mean wake fraction. Compared with the model scale, the full scale has a stronger aft-body vortex and a smaller mean wake fraction.

While Ag nanoparticles hold great promise for broad spectrum antibacterial activity, the potential risks of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on human health remain a challenge. In this study, Ag/Fe3 O4 composites have been successfully prepared and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and their magnetic and antibacterial properties have been assessed. In vivo results show that the antibacterial effect of 500 μg/mL Ag/Fe3 O4 nanocomposites was significantly higher than that of 1000 μg/mL AgNPs after 72 h of treatment (p

Even though Paranosema locustae is widely used in China as a biological agent for controlling grasshoppers, the mortality rate is initially quite low. This study sought to determine whether the simultaneous use of P. locustae and Beauveria bassiana would be a more effective control strategy. Additionally, changes in the intestinal microbial communities of migratory locusts infected with the two pathogens were analyzed to investigate the roles of gut microbes in pathogen-host interactions. The mortality rate of locusts inoculated with B. bassiana and P. locustae simultaneously was not significantly higher than expected, but the mortality rates of locusts inoculated with B. bassiana 3, 6, and 9 days after inoculation with P. locustae were significantly higher than if their effects were additive, indicating synergism. A MiSeq analysis found that Weissella was the most common bacterium, representing 41.48% and 51.62% of the total bacteria in the mid- and hindguts, respectively, and the bacterial declines were greatest during dual infections with B. bassiana and P. locustae. The appropriately timed combined application of P. locustae and B. bassiana was more effective against locusts than either treatment alone. Moreover, the combined inoculation of the two pathogens changed the gut microflora of locusts, indicating the potential relevancy of their synergistic effects on locust control.

Gallium-based liquid metal alloys (LMAs) are extensively studied and used recently due to their excellent fluidity, high conductivity, and low evaporation pressure. Nonwettable and nonsticky liquid metal marbles (LMMs) are also developed to address the stickiness issue of oxidized LMAs in air. Current LMMs, however, lack acceptable controllability, shape stability, and robustness, greatly limiting their practical application. Here, a magnetically controllable liquid metal marble (MCLMM) that is noncorrosive and nonsticky, and exhibits good elasticity and mechanical robustness, is presented. The as-obtained MCLMM consists of a soft liquid metal core coated with a mixture of ferronickel (FN) and polyethylene (PE) microparticles. This combined structure shows excellent magnetic controllability, good elasticity, and favorable mechanical robustness, as demonstrated by contact angle measurements, rolling angle measurements, corrosive testing, magnetically actuated locomotion, and impact and bounce tests. The MCLMM also possesses satisfying stability in air and stability against temperature changing. In addition, its capabilities are demonstrated as a robotic motor, controllable obstacle cleaner, and a flexible switch for circuits, which shows the potential for MCLMM applications in robotic locomotion and manipulation, electronic circuits, and beyond.