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Aqueous ammonium-ion batteries have attracted intense interest lately as promising energy storage systems due to the price advantage and fast charge/discharge capability of ammonium-ion redox reactions. However, the research on the strength and energy storage characteristics of ammonium-ion fiber batteries is still limited. In this study, an ammonium-ion fiber battery with excellent mechanical strength, flexibility, high specific capacity, and long cycle-life has been developed with a robust honeycomb-like ammonium vanadate@carbon nanotube (NH4V4O10@CNT) cathode. The fiber electrode delivers a steady specific capacity of 241.06 mAh cm−3 at a current of 0.2 mA. Moreover, a fiber full cell consisting of an NH4V4O10@CNT cathode and a PANI@CNT anode exhibits a specific capacity of 7.27 mAh cm−3 at a current of 0.3 mA and retains a high capacity retention of 72.1% after 1000 cycles. Meanwhile, it shows good flexibility and superior electrochemical performance after 500 times bending or at different deformation states. This work offers a reference for long-cycle, flexible fibrous ammonium-ion batteries.

Solar radiation is the energy for all biological, physical, and chemical processes of the earth's surface system, and affects the growth and development of crops at all stages. But the diverse data sources and fusion algorithms lead to large differences in the radiation values in various climate datasets. Accurate estimates of the radiation data is not an easy task, the uncertainty of which and the impact on crop yield simulation remains unknown. In this study, the total solar radiation amounts from four independent global radiation datasets were shown considerable heterogeneity across regions and cropping seasons. Forcing the dynamic crop models with the four radiation inputs produced similarly great uncertainties of simulated yield in most regions, with the greatest uncertainty up to 30% of average yield for wheat in Europe. The global-scale uncertainty of simulated yield is increasing during the past three decades and would reach up to 20% of its averages in the future, equivalent to 300 million tons when converting to the global crop production. The results of this study suggest that the previously projected crop yield changes with climate change have large uncertainties propagated from solar radiation data sources used for projections. These uncertainties may mislead the assessment of future food security.

Beta band (12-30 Hz) hypersynchrony within the basal ganglia-thalamocortical network has been suggested as a hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD) pathophysiology. Abnormal beta band oscillations are found in the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) and primary motor cortex (M1) and are correlated with dopamine depletion. Dopamine acts locomotion and motor performance mainly through dopamine receptors (D1 and D2). However, the precise mechanism by which dopamine receptors regulate beta band electrophysiological activities between the PPN and M1 is still unknown. Here, we recorded the neuronal activity of the PPN and M1 simultaneously by the administration of the drug (SCH23390 and raclopride), selectively blocking the dopamine D1 receptor and D2 receptor. We discovered that the increased coherent activity of the beta band (12-30 Hz) between M1 and PPN in the lesioned group could be reduced and restored by injecting raclopride in the resting and wheel running states. Our studies revealed the unique role of D2 dopamine receptor signaling in regulating β band oscillatory activity in M1 and PPN and their relationship after the loss of dopamine, which contributes to elucidating the underlying mechanism of the pathophysiology of PD.

The expansion ratio, resilience rate, moisture-proof, complex dynamic viscosity and crystallization rate for scCO2-aid glutaraldehyde modified thermoplastic starch (SCaTSGA1.6) foams were substantially improved by further modification with sodium hexametaphosphate (SHP) and/or nano-silica (nano-SiO2) particles during their scCO2-assisted foaming processes. These properties of SHP modified SCaTSGA1.6 (SCaTSGA1.6SHPb and SC11TSGA1.6SHP4SiO2c) foams were further improved with increasing scCO2-pressures during their scCO2-assisted foaming processes. Extremely high expansion ratio of ~ 65 and high resilience rate of 77% of the most appropriate SC11TSGA1.6SHP4SiO20.5 foam were originally prepared using scCO2-assisted foaming processes. The significantly enhanced reliance rate found for SCaTSGA1.6SHPb and SC11TSGA1.6SHP4SiO2c foams is attributed to the better resilience of the smaller cell structures. Moreover, reaction of phosphate groups of SHP with the moisture-sensitive O–H groups of starch did occur favorably, and substantially improved the moisture-proof and complex dynamic viscosity (or melt strength) during the scCO2-assisted modification processing of SCaTSGA1.6SHPb and SC11TSGA1.6SHP4SiO2c. Thermal analyses revealed that crystallization rates and crystallization onset temperatures for SC11TSGA1.6SHP4SiO2c were substantially improved by addition of nano-SiO2 particles. This substantial increase in melt strength, higher dissolved CO2 concentrations at larger scCO2-pressures and/or higher crystallization rates for SCaTSGA1.6SHPb and/or SC11TSGA1.6SHP4SiO2c are expected to considerably enhance their nucleation rate and stability of cell structures during their scCO2-aid foaming processes. Consequently, higher expansion ratio, cell density and better reliance rate was found after the scCO2-aid foaming processes of SCaTSGA1.6SHPb and SC11TSGA1.6SHP4SiO2c foams.

In China, grape is one of the top five fruit crops for both bearing acreage and production. Recently, national grape production has been stalling because of an increase in drought events. In order to combat the adverse effects of drought on grape production, it is imperative to understand the historical drought trend and frequency during the growing season. In this study, we focused on agricultural drought during the four growth periods of grape: bud break-flowering, flowering-veraison, veraison-berry maturation, and berry maturation-leaf fall. Based on the weather data from 429 meteorological stations, we computed the Crop Water Deficit Index (CWDI) in the five main grape-growing regions of China: Northeast China, North China, Northwest China, Southwest China, and Southeast China. Then we evaluated the CWDI-based drought distribution and trend in the study regions, as well as the frequency of different degrees of drought. The results showed that exceptional drought was occurring frequently in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, northern Gansu province, and northern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Among the four study growth periods of grape, exceptional drought was the most expansive during bud break-flowering. What’s more, exceptional drought coverage during bud break-flowering in the study regions was increasing from 1981 to 2016. Analysis of butterfly structure showed that the occurrence of drought was continuous and persistent in northern China. Our study results could serve as guideposts to highlight Chinese grape production industry’s vulnerability to agricultural drought against the background of climate change.

Background: To explore the relationship between maternal methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene C677T and A1298C, Methionine Synthase Reductase (MTRR) gene A66G and the recurrence of low birth weight(LBW) in offspring. Methods: Allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (ASPCR) assay combined with TaqMan probe technique were used to detect the mother’s MTHFR and MTRR genotypes respectively. And unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the associations of MTHFR and MTRR polymorphisms, and gene-gene interaction with low birth weight.Results: MTHFR 677TT and 1298CC were independently associated with a higher risk of LBW (OR:2.22, 95%CI:1.14-4.34 and OR:2.82, 95% CI:1.15-6.87,respectively). The MTRR A66G polymorphism was associated with an significant association of LBW when combined with the MTHFR 677TT genotype, although there was no association found between LBW and MTRR A66G alone.Moreover, two or more risk genotypes carriers showed higher odds of LBW than null risk genotype one.Conclusion: Maternal MTHFR gene 677TT, 1298CC can increase the risk of LBW in the offspring.The MTRR A66G polymorphism was not associated with LBW alone. But it may exacerbate the effect of the MTHFR C677T variant.

The present work investigated effects of high-pressure homogenization (HPH) pressure (0, 40, 80 and 120 MPa) on physicochemical, functional and rheological properties of clam myofibrillar protein (CMP). Results showed that HPH changed the CMP secondary and tertiary structures. Absolute zeta potential and protein solubility increased but particle size and turbidity of CMP decreased after HPH treatment. Both of emulsifying properties and foaming properties were significantly improved. The shear stress, apparent viscosity and the viscosity coefficients reduced, but flow index increased. Application of HPH improved the physicochemical, functional and rheological properties of CMP, and 120 MPa was the optimal pressure for modification.

Repeated exposure to estrus synchronization (ES) protocol might have detrimental effects on reproductive function. Therefore, we examined the effects of repeated exposure to a gonadotropin-based ES...

A key problem in the conversion of cellulose into chemicals and fuels is the low product yield from cellulose due to its robust structure. In this work, for the first time, cellulose was pretreated with coupling of liquid nitrogen and ball milling (LN–BM) for cellulose hydrolysis. After the LN–BM treatment, the glucose yield from cellulose by HCl in water increased by almost 2 times and yield of formic acid catalyzed by H2SO4–NaVO3 was more than 3-fold that obtained from untreated cellulose. The yields were also much higher than that from the individually ball-milled cellulose. The structure variation of cellulose indicated that reduction of both crystallinity index and molecular weight contributed to improving the conversion efficiency, but the former was the dominant factor. The combination of liquid nitrogen and ball milling developed in this work is an effective and environment-friendly approach for cellulose pretreatment.

Understanding the historical variability of winter wheat yield in China can provide insights into future wheat production security and adaptation measures. In this study, two indices, i.e., yield gap percentage (YGpercentage) and yield variation difference (VD), were employed to investigate the winter wheat relatively yield level and yield variability from 1980 to 2010 in 1340 counties in China using a county-level dataset and a crop model (APSIM-Wheat). The study area was classified into four types of regions with different yield patterns: relatively high-yield level and high stability (RHY-RHS), relatively high-yield level and low stability (RHY-RLS), relatively low-yield level and high stability (RLY-RHS), and relatively low-yield level and low stability (RLY-RLS). Relatively high-yield levels in terms of YGpercentage were found in the eastern parts of the Northern China Plain (NC) and the Yellow and Huai River Valleys (YH), the southern area of Xinjiang (XJ), and the northern part of the Middle and Lower Yangtze Valleys (YV), as well as a small section in the middle of Southwestern China (SW). Yield potential was more stable than the actual yield in most of the study regions, with positive VD. A decreasing trend was observed in both the YGpercentage and VD over the three decades. Consequently, the county percentage of RHY-RHS and RHY-RLS increased but the percentage of RLY-RHS and RLY-RLS decreased over the three decades, indicating improved winter wheat yield level and yield stability in China, which might be attributed to the development of agricultural technology and breeding. Nonetheless, there are still some vulnerable areas in need of further attention. Western NC and southern YH are regions with a potentially stable yield in the future. Given that YH accounts for a large proportion of winter wheat production in China, further investigation should be conducted to identify the underlying causes of the low-yield level and high yield variability in YH.

Zeolite has traditionally been used to remediate wastewater and soil. The present study shows a new method for natural zeolite (NZ) modification with wood vinegar (WV). The optimal conditions for NZ modification with WV were determined, and the adsorption capacities towards lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As), antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli, heavy metal(loid) fraction and characterizations of selected modified zeolites (MZs) were also investigated. The results indicate that 50-fold dilution of WV, 5 g of NZ dosage, 105 °C of drying temperature, 4 h and 95 °C of water bath are preferred for NZ modification with WV. The WV+NaOH-MZ exhibited the best performance in heavy metal removal and the most powerful antimicrobial activity among all the zeolites. The sequence of WV+NaOH-MZ for the maximum single metal(loid) adsorption capacities was Pb (48.67 mg/g) >Cd (23.67 mg/g) > As (0.024 mg/g). The WV+NaOH and WV modifications also can increase the stabilities of heavy metals in the MZs. The residual fractions of single Pb and Cd in WV+NaOH-MZ and WV-MZ were 50%, 55%, 34% and 30%, respectively. The pore size of WV+NaOH-MZ (11.73 nm) was bigger than that of NZ or WV-MZ. Additionally, the proportion of clinoptilolite in WV+NaOH-MZ was also higher than other zeolites. The surfaces of WV+alkali-MZs were rougher than that of NZ. Considering the low cost and environmental risk of WV, this work provides some useful information for management of agricultural and industrial residues, environment and food safety.

This study aimed to elucidate the effects of repeated pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) treatment for oestrous synchronization (ES) on ovarian gene expression and reproductive parameters in Xinong Saanen dairy goats, the dominant breed of dairy goat in China. The experiment was carried out at the Research Station of Northwest AF University (NWAFU), China (34°16'N, 108°4'E). Forty-one does were randomly assigned to groups receiving ES treatments thrice every fortnight (3-PMSG group; n = 19), or ES treatment only once simultaneously with the third ES treatment in the 3-PMSG group (1-PMSG group; n = 22) during middle of the breeding season from late July (14 hr light) until late September (12 hr light). ES treatment was performed via intravaginal insertion of a controlled internal drug release (CIDR) device impregnated with 300 mg progesterone (P4), followed by 300 IU PMSG injections 48 hr before CIDR withdrawal. Oestrus was monitored using vasectomized bucks. Ovaries of three goats in oestrus from both groups were harvested for morphological examination and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). Then, all the oestrous goats in the 1-PMSG (n = 21) and 3-PMSG (n = 11) groups were artificially inseminated twice. The 3-PMSG group showed reduced oestrous rate (57.89%), pregnancy rate (31.58%) and litter size (1.17) compared, respectively, with 95.45%, 68.18% and 1.67 for 1-PMSG group (p 0.05). However, no differences were found in the ovarian morphology between the 1-PMSG and 3-PMSG groups (p 0.05). RNA-Seq revealed 114 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the ovaries of the 3-PMSG group, among which GCG, FSTL3, TET3 and AQP3 were deemed novel and promising candidate genes for regulating fertility. The present study indicates that the three-time PMSG treatment dysregulated several ovarian genes, thereby reducing reproductive performance.

Background Neutrophil dysfunction plays an important role in inflammation-induced tissue injury. Previously, we identified protein kinase C-δ (PKCδ) as a critical controller of neutrophil activation and trafficking but how PKCδ is regulated in inflammation has not been delineated. PKCδ activity is regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation on multiple sites. Tyrosine155 is a key regulator of apoptosis and gene expression, but its role in proinflammatory signaling is not known. Methods In-vitro studies - superoxide anion (O2) and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) were measured in bone marrow neutrophils (BMN) isolated from wild type (WT) and PKCδY155F knock-in mice (PKCδ tyrosine 155 → phenylalanine). Our novel 3D biomimetic microfluidic assay (bMFA) was used to delineate PKCδ-mediated regulation of individual steps in neutrophil adhesion and migration using WT and PKCδY155F BMN and mouse lung microvascular endothelial cells (MLMVEC). In-vivo studies - WT and PKCδY155F knock-in mice underwent sham or cecal ligation and puncture surgery and the lungs harvested 24 h post-surgery. Results In vitro - PKCδY155F BMN had significantly reduced O2 and NETs release compared with WT. WT BMN, but not PKCδY155F BMN, demonstrated significant adhesion and migration across tumor necrosis factor-activated MLMVEC in bMFA. PKCδ inhibition significantly reduced WT BMN adhesion and migration under low shear and near bifurcations, but had no effect on PKCδY155F BMN. In vivo - mutation of PKCδ tyrosine 155 significantly decreased neutrophil migration into the lungs of septic mice. Conclusions PKCδ tyrosine 155 is a key phosphorylation site controlling proinflammatory signaling and neutrophil-endothelial cell interactions. These studies provide mechanistic insights into PKCδ regulation during inflammation.

Recent trend in increasing the penetration level of renewable energy challenges safety and stability of the power grid. Electrical energy storage (EES) has been deemed as one of the key elements needed to mitigate the fluctuant and intermittent nature of renewables, and is undergoing rapid development nowadays. However, there are still many questions regarding the benefits and drawbacks that EES technologies will present to society, as well as the economic feasibility of EES in monopoly power markets. Given this, this paper presents a grid-scale production cost model for monopoly power markets in which EES generates profits by offering both energy and ancillary services. The production costs of the power system with and without an EES power plant was compared in order to generate a value estimation. Results indicate that the value of EES is related to the unit fuel price and the start-up cost of thermal power units, the penetration level of wind power and size of the EES system. Based on these variables, a value-driven pricing mechanism for EES was put forward and compared with other policies. Economic viability analysis revealed that the pricing mechanism currently used in monopoly power markets are highly inaccurate in capturing the value generated by EES.

Multiple cropping systems have been widely used in China as smart strategies to address climate change to ensure that increasing food demand is met. In the context of climate warming, the climate-based boundaries of multiple cropping systems are moving northward, and the potential crop yield is projected to increase due to continuous cropping that will be possible with increased light and heat resources. However, increasing demands for crop water have further aggravated the severity of water shortages in Northern China. In this study, we determine the impacts of climate change on the double cropping system (DCS) in Northern China using the annual accumulated temperature above 0 °C. The northern climate-based boundaries of the DCS have moved significantly northward and westward in Liaoning, Hebei, Gansu, Shaanxi and Shanxi Provinces. At the same time, the annual crop water requirement has increased by 198–403 mm in the planting areas sensitive to climate change [areas where the cropping system can potentially be transformed from a single cropping system (SCS) to a DCS]. The highest probability of water deficit exceedance was found during the winter wheat growing season. In addition, the difference in crop yields between the two planting patterns was analyzed using the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) model. The annual output per arable land unit in the potential DCS region, which benefited from the increase in winter crops, increased by 11.6–86.2% under different irrigation scenarios. The increase in crop production is related to irrigation. In the water-saving irrigation scenarios of Irrigation-Wheat (180 mm for winter wheat critical growth periods) and Irrigation-Wheat & Maize (180 mm for winter wheat critical growth periods and 50 mm for maize sowing), the annual output reached approximately 74–80% of the potential high yield in the Full Irrigation scenario. Our research provides suggestions for adjusting planting patterns under climate change. In the future, it will be necessary to develop multiple cropping practices that include innovative water-saving techniques and breeding technologies.

Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is a lipid-soluble membrane component found in organisms ranging from bacteria to mammals. The biosynthesis of CoQ has been intensively studied in Escherichia coli, where 12 genes (ubiA, -B, -C, -D, -E, -F, -G, -H, -I, -J, -K, and -X) are involved. In this study, we first investigated the putative genes for CoQ8 biosynthesis in the phytopathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris using a combination of bioinformatic, genetic, and biochemical methods. We showed that Xc_0489 (coq7Xc) encodes a di-iron carboxylate monooxygenase filling the E. coli UbiF role for hydroxylation at C-6 of the aromatic ring. Xc_0233 (ubiJXc) encodes a novel protein with an E. coli UbiJ-like domain organization and is required for CoQ8 biosynthesis. The X. campestris pv. campestris decarboxylase gene remains unidentified. Further functional analysis showed that ubiB and ubiK homologs ubiBXc and ubiKXc are required for CoQ8 biosynthesis in X. campestris pv. campestris. Deletion of ubiJXc, ubiBXc, and ubiKXc led to the accumulation of an intermediate 3-octaprenyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid. UbiKXc interacts with UbiJXc and UbiBXc to form a regulatory complex. Deletion analyses of these CoQ8 biosynthetic genes indicated that they are important for virulence in Chinese radish. These results suggest that the X. campestris pv. campestris CoQ8 biosynthetic reactions and regulatory mechanisms are divergent from those of E. coli. The variations provide an opportunity for the design of highly specific inhibitors for the prevention of infection by the phytopathogen X. campestris pv. campestris.

Monoclonal antibodies have emerged as an important class of therapeutics in oncological and autoimmune diseases due to their several attractive properties, such as high binding affinity and specificity. However, it has recently become clear that antibodies recovered from serum show a significantly decreased potency owing to various reasons, including deamidation, oxidation, fragment antigen binding (Fab) exchange, and disulfide shuffling. Fab exchange and disulfide shuffling result because of the instability of disulfides in serum. Herein, we reported a 'one-pot' stapling strategy using isobutylene motifs to stabilise the interchain disulfides of antibodies. This general method was applied to a Fab fragment of the anti-HER2 antibody. The stapled Fab was completely stable in the presence of biological thiols. The approach was further applied to two different full-length IgGs, trastuzumab and rituximab, under mild and biocompatible conditions. The binding affinity of the antibody was enhanced, relative to its native form, after being stapled. The stapled structure maintained its effector functions and behaved similarly to its native form in vivo. This work provides a straightforward and scalable method for the stabilisation of antibodies in various formats.

To increase the added value and commercialization of wood vinegar (WV), a new method for comprehensive utilization of WV was developed. The primary distillation, liquid–liquid extraction and secondary distillation were used to isolate the different active fractions from WV in the new route. The antioxidant activities of all the fractions were expressed as vitamin C equivalent antioxidant capacities in mg/L using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl scavenging assay, and the antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli (E. coli) in vitro were represented by the absorbance at a wavelength of 600 nm. The results demonstrated that the isolation of the antioxidants (phenolic compounds) from the residue obtained from primary distillation was satisfactory when the EtOAc/n-hexane (7/3, v/v) was used as extraction solvent and pH value was 4. Acetic acid has inhibition effect on the antioxidant activities of phenolic compounds. The fraction enriched with acetic acid exhibited high antimicrobial activity. Considering the low environmental risk of WV, the findings suggest that WV is potentially useful for the developments of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents in the field of medicine or food preservation and safety.

A novel polyethylene glycol-polycaprolactone-poly-l-tyrosine (MPEG-PCL-PTyr) amphiphilic triblock copolymer micelle was synthesized for the first time. 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) was embedded in MPEG-PCL-PTyr nanomicelles using the emulsion solvent evaporation method. A series of was conducted to confirm the structure of the compound and to evaluate the physical properties of the MPEG-PCL-PTyr nanomicelles. Cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and apoptosis were assessed using flow cytometry and MTT assays. Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry results demonstrated that the nanocapsules carrying HCPT had significantly increased anti-tumor activity against HepG2 cells and could target HepG2 cell lysosomes with obvious liver targeting. In addition, the drug-loaded nanomicelles could significantly block the S phase of cancer cells and induce apoptosis; thus, they could be potential carriers for future 10-HCPT delivery and cancer treatment.

Today's widely used and rapidly updated electronic substrates are composed of petroleum-based polymers, but the resulting electronic waste (such as Dioxin, oxole, PCBs, etc.) will cause massive harm to the environment and human body. Therefore, we report an effective approach for fabricating recyclable and high-performance cellulose films as green electronic substrates by calendering. The crosslinking between CH and CH CH in cellulose modified by maleic anhydride led to the in-situ formation of a chemical crosslinking network, and hydrogen bonds acted as a sacrificial physical crosslinking network. The dual crosslinked cellulose film exhibits high strength (120.56 MPa), improved elongation (increased by 263%), and outstanding thermal stability (thermal decomposition temperature is 311 °C). Further, the film has been successfully used as a substrate for biomass sensor and realized apparent responses to changes. The scientific strategy paves the way for the large-scale fabrication of high-performance cellulose films and simultaneously promotes green electronic substrates' industrialization.

Aberrant NF-κB activation and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are associated with breast cancer progression. How NF-κB and NETs modulate each other in breast cancer development remains unclear. Here, we found that NETs induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate promote breast cancer cell progression. In turn, cancer cells-derived factors, such as IL-8 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, stimulate neutrophils to form NETs. Mechanistically, NETs increased the interaction of NF-κB essential modifier (NEMO) with IκB kinase (IKK)α/β and enhanced NF-κB activation. We then employed a cell-permeable peptide corresponding to the NEMO-binding domain (NBD) of IKKα/β, termed NBD peptide, which disrupts NETs-mediated NEMO interaction with IKKα/β and abolished NF-κB activation in vitro. NBD peptide also reduced IL-8 level and NETs formation, and suppressed primary tumor growth and/or lung metastasis in human breast cancer mouse xenograft models and mouse spontaneous breast cancer model. Blockade of NET formation using a peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) pharmacologic inhibitor decreased NF-κB activation and tumor metastasis. Collectively, these data suggest that NF-κB associates with NETs to form a positive loop facilitating breast tumor progression and metastasis, and that selective inhibition of NF-κB and PAD4-dependent NETs provides an effective therapeutic approach for treating breast cancer.

The Tibetan grasslands has very strong land-air interactions and plays an important role in the regional climate system of the Tibetan Plateau and understanding of land-air interactions in the Tibetan grasslands is significantly important for the sustainable development of it under the climate change. In this paper, we assessed the Noah-MP by conducting ensemble experiments for analyzing the sensitive physical processes, and selected the optimal combinations of parameterization options at four alpine meadow sites in the Tibetan grassland ecosystems. Measurements collected from four study sites over the Tibetan grassland ecosystems in the Heihe Watershed Allied Telemetry Experimental Research (HiWATER) are used. The results showed that the dynamic vegetation (Dveg), the canopy stomatal resistance (Crs), the runoff and the groundwater (Run) and the surface exchange coefficient (Sfc) physical processes are the most sensitive control physical processes for energy and water fluxes in the Tibetan grassland ecosystems. Importantly, the optimal combination of parameterization options in Noah-MP overestimates the sensible heat flux (H) and underestimates soil moisture (θ) obviously. After finding the problems in the simulations outputed by the optimal combination of parameterization options, two groups of improved experiments were conducted to find out the reason. We found that the improved calculation of the surface exchange coefficient can alleviate the overestimation H, and the improved method of soil parameters considering the soil organic carbon (SOC) and an exponential form of root vertical distribution for each soil layers can effectively solve the underestimation of θ at all four sites.

The land cover of Bohai Rim region has changed greatly due to urbanization and economic development. Monitoring the land cover with high accuracy and real time is the most important basis for relevant researches. Traditional single-machine processing mode is difficult to realize rapid monitoring for large-scale and long-time series. The emergence of remote sensing big data makes it possible to combine computing platform and massive data. The land cover maps of study area were interpreted based on Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform with decision tree (CART) method from 2000 to 2019. The land cover change was analyzed, and the interpretation results using different data sources were compared. The results showed that the GEE platform could realize the rapid land cover interpretation in a large area, which interpreted coastal wetlands and other cover types with high accuracy over 80% comparing the surveyed points. Compared with Landsat images, the Sentinel-2A images interpretation results had a great improvement in accuracy, which increased from 85% to 95%, and thus more detailed surface information could be reflected. In 2000, the area of wetland, build-up area, farmland, forest, and water in the study area were 1612.5, 5734.9, 32074.8, 11853 and 3504.3 km环渤海地区由于城市和经济发展,导致土地覆盖快速变化,对其进行高精度实时的变化监测是相关研究的重要基础。传统单机处理模式难以进行大尺度和长时间序列的快速监测,而整合海量数据的遥感大数据云计算平台的出现使其成为可能。本研究基于Google Earth Engine(GEE)处理平台,采用决策树(CART)方法对研究区2000—2019年土地覆盖进行解译分类,并综合分析研究区土地覆盖变化及对比不同数据源解译结果。结果表明: 基于GEE平台能够实现大区域快速土地覆盖分类,对沿海湿地和其他覆盖类型具有较高的分类精度,与实测点对比达到80%以上。相较于Landsat影像,基于Sentinel-2A影像的解译结果在精度上有较大的提高,总体分类精度从85%提高到95%,地表更多细节信息得到体现。2000年,研究区湿地、建设用地、耕地、林地和水体的面积分别为1612.5、5734.9、32074.8、11853、3504.3 km

BackgroundThe outbreak and pandemic of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 caused significant threaten to global public health and economic consequences. It is extremely urgent that global people must take actions to develop safe and effective preventions and therapeutics. Nanobodies, which are derived from single‑chain camelid antibodies, had shown antiviral properties in various challenge viruses. In this study, multivalent nanobodies with high affinity blocking SARS-CoV-2 spike interaction with ACE2 protein were developed.ResultsTotally, four specific nanobodies against spike protein and its RBD domain were screened from a naïve VHH library. Among them, Nb91-hFc and Nb3-hFc demonstrated antiviral activity by neutralizing spike pseudotyped viruses in vitro. Subsequently, multivalent nanobodies were constructed to improve the neutralizing capacity. As a result, heterodimer nanobody Nb91-Nb3-hFc exhibited the strongest RBD-binding affinity and neutralizing ability against SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses with an IC50value at approximately 1.54 nM.ConclusionsThe present study indicated that naïve VHH library could be used as a potential resource for rapid acquisition and exploitation of antiviral nanobodies. Heterodimer nanobody Nb91-Nb3-hFc may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of COVID-19.

The wake-induced transition, natural transition, and instability induced by the Klebanoff streaks complicate the transition process. In this paper, the boundary layer on the suction surface...

Epithelial cells are typically connected through different types of cell junctions that are localized from the apical membrane to the basal surface. In this way, epithelium cells form the first barrier against pathogenic microorganisms and prevent their entry into internal organs and the circulatory system. Recent studies demonstrate that bacterial pathogens disrupt epithelial cell junctions through targeting junctional proteins by secreted virulence factors. In this review, we discuss the diverse strategies used by common bacterial pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Helicobacter pylori, and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, to disrupt epithelial cell junctions during infection. We also discuss the potential of targeting the pathogenic mechanisms in the treatment of pathogen‐associated diseases., Epithelial cells are typically connected through different types of cell junctions that are localized from the apical membrane to the basal surface. Bacterial pathogens disrupt epithelial cell junctions through targeting junctional proteins by secreted virulence factors.

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in stage pIIIA‐N2 non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with positive surgical margins. Methods Between January 2003 and December 2015, patients who had undergone lobectomy or pneumonectomy plus mediastinal lymph node dissection or systematic sampling in our single institution were retrospectively reviewed. Those with pIIIA‐N2 NSCLC and positive surgical margins were enrolled into the study. The Kaplan‐Meier method was used for survival analysis, and the log‐rank test was used to analyze differences between the groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses using Cox proportional hazards regression models were performed to evaluate potential prognostic factors for OS. Statistically significant difference was set as P, Postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) has been recommended to treat patients with positive surgical margins. However, the existing evidence is controversial and high‐level evidence is lacking. In our study, the PORT group had markedly, but not statistically significant, longer median OS compared with the non‐PORT group in R1 resection patients. OS was significantly longer in the R1 resection patients receiving adjuvant CRT than the surgery alone group.

In China, foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is one of the main cereal crops. Due to its rich nutrition, foxtail millet has also been widely used as Traditional Chinese Medicine in dietary therapy. The spatial distribution of foxtail millet production plays an important role in domestic cropping pattern. Cropping pattern needs to be continually adjusted in order to combat ongoing climate change in China. Such adjustments could greatly affect national foxtail millet production. Under future climate scenarios, adopting climate-smart management has become the general trend to achieve a high and stable foxtail millet production. In this case study, we used DSSAT (Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer) to assess the potential impacts of future climate change on foxtail millet production in Lishu county of Jilin province in Northeast China. According to these potential impacts, we proposed corresponding measures to adapt local foxtail millet production to future climate change. As compared to the base period (1988–2018), foxtail millet grain yield in Lishu county would change by 15.3% (-8.9%) during the 2020s, -8.8% (-10.5%) during the 2030s, -17.7% (0.4%) during the 2040s, and -25.0% (-18.3%) during the 2050s under RCP4.5 (RCP8.5). Under future climate scenarios, climate-smart management (e.g., adjusting sowing date, supplementing irrigation) could partially offset the adverse impact of climate change on foxtail millet yield. However, adopting climate-smart management alone may only provide temporary relief to the potential stresses local foxtail millet production could be facing. In order to achieve a high and stable foxtail millet yield in the future, we suggest local producers adopt new varieties in addition to using climate-smart management.

Background Infection with the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has been associated with a hypercoagulable state. Emerging data from China and Europe have consistently shown an increased incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE). We aimed to identify the VTE incidence and early predictors of VTE at our high-volume tertiary care center. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of 147 patients who had been admitted to Temple University Hospital with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from April 1, 2020 to April 27, 2020. We first identified the VTE (pulmonary embolism [PE] and deep vein thrombosis [DVT]) incidence in our cohort. The VTE and no-VTE groups were compared by univariable analysis for demographics, comorbidities, laboratory data, and treatment outcomes. Subsequently, multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the early predictors of VTE. Results The 147 patients (20.9% of all admissions) admitted to a designated COVID-19 unit at Temple University Hospital with a high clinical suspicion of acute VTE had undergone testing for VTE using computed tomography pulmonary angiography and/or extremity venous duplex ultrasonography. The overall incidence of VTE was 17% (25 of 147). Of the 25 patients, 16 had had acute PE, 14 had had acute DVT, and 5 had had both PE and DVT. The need for invasive mechanical ventilation (adjusted odds ratio, 3.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-9.55) and the admission D-dimer level ≥1500 ng/mL (adjusted odds ratio, 3.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-9.78) were independent markers associated with VTE. The all-cause mortality in the VTE group was greater than that in the non-VTE group (48% vs 22%; P = .007). Conclusions Our study represents one of the earliest reported from the United States on the incidence rate of VTE in patients with COVID-19. Patients with a high clinical suspicion and the identified risk factors (invasive mechanical ventilation, admission D-dimer level ≥1500 ng/mL) should be considered for early VTE testing. We did not screen all patients admitted for VTE; therefore, the true incidence of VTE could have been underestimated. Our findings require confirmation in future prospective studies.

At low Reynolds numbers operating condition, the boundary layer of the high-lift low-pressure turbine (LPT) of aero-engines is prone to separate on the suction surface of the airfoil. The profile losses of the airfoil are largely governed by the size of the separation bubble and the transition process in the boundary layer. However, the wake-induced transition, the natural transition and the instability induced by the Klebanoff streaks complicate the transition process. The boundary layer on the suction surface of a high-lift LPT was investigated at Re = 50,000 with upstream wakes. The numerical simulation was performed with the CFX software using large eddy simulations (LES), and the experiment was performed on a linear cascade. In this study, the wake is divided into the wake center and the wake tail, the unsteady formation process of the streaks and the wall shear stress caused by the wake are analyzed. A new mechanism of generation and development of Klebanoff Streaks was presented to better understand the effect of the wake on the boundary layer. Moreover, it was found that after entering the blade passage, the wake center does not contact the blade but causes the wall shear stress of the front part on the suction surface to increase. However, it is not possible to form strong Klebanoff streaks at the leading edge of the blade by shear sheltering effect. Only the wake tail can form Klebanoff streaks when it contacts the blade.

An efficient Rh(III)-catalyzed synthesis of 2-arylindole derivatives via intermolecular C–H annulation of arylhydrazines with sulfoxonium ylides was accomplished. A variety of 2-acetyl-1-arylhydrazines with sulfoxonium ylides were converted into 2-arylindoles in satisfactory yields. Excellent selectivity and good functional group tolerance of this transformation were also observed.

Radiation-induced endothelial/vascular injury is a major complicating factor in radiotherapy and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in nuclear or radiological catastrophes. Exposure of tissue to ionizing radiation (IR) leads to the release of oxygen radicals and proteases that result in loss of endothelial barrier function and leukocyte dysfunction leading to tissue injury and organ damage. Microvascular endothelial cells are particularly sensitive to IR and radiation-induced alterations in endothelial cell function are thought to be a critical factor in organ damage through endothelial cell activation, enhanced leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions, increased barrier permeability and initiation of apoptotic pathways. These radiation-induced inflammatory responses are important in early and late radiation pathologies in various organs. A better understanding of mechanisms of radiation-induced endothelium dysfunction is therefore vital, as radiobiological response of endothelium is of major importance for medical management and therapeutic development for radiation injuries. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of cellular and molecular mechanisms of radiation-induced endothelium damage and their impact on early and late radiation injury. Furthermore, we review established and emerging in vivo and in vitro models that have been developed to study the mechanisms of radiation-induced endothelium damage and to design, develop and rapidly screen therapeutics for treatment of radiation-induced vascular damage. Currently there are no specific therapeutics available to protect against radiation-induced loss of endothelial barrier function, leukocyte dysfunction and resulting organ damage. Developing therapeutics to prevent endothelium dysfunction and normal tissue damage during radiotherapy can serve as the urgently needed medical countermeasures.

Phenazine-1-carboxamide (PCN) produced by multifarious