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Tightly coupled arrays (TCAs) have received considerable interests recently. Although various TCAs have been reported, they are generally limited to single or dual linear polarizations. Considering the importance of circularly polarization in various wireless systems, it is meaningful to design a circularly polarized (CP) TCA with a simple configuration. This communication presents a CP tightly coupled crossed dipole array (CP-TCCDA) with intrinsic CP feeding structure, which achieves wide overlapped impedance bandwidth and axial ratio (AR) bandwidth. An analysis is given to explain the principles of AR bandwidth improvement and is validated by the comparison of radiated E-fields between a CP-TCCDA and a conventional CP crossed dipole array. To verify the design concept, a $4 \times 4$ CP-TCCDA with elaborate feeding network is fabricated and measured. The measured results confirm that the proposed array achieves VSWR < 3 bandwidth from 2.06 to 6.46 GHz (3.14:1) and 3 dB AR bandwidth from 2.35 to 5.6 GHz (2.38:1), which are much wider than the bandwidth of an isolated element and a conventional array using the same element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maintaining maximum genetic diversity and preserving breed viability in conserved populations necessitates the rigorous evaluation of conservation schemes. Three chicken breeds (Baier Yellow Chicken (BEC), Beijing You Chicken (BYC) and Langshan Chicken (LSC)) are currently in conservation programs in China. Changes in genetic diversity were measured by heterozygosity, genomic inbreeding coefficients, and autozygosity, using estimates derived from runs of homozygosity (ROH) that were identified using SNPs. Results: Ninety DNA samples were collected from three generations for each breed. In the most recent generation, the highest genetic diversity was observed in LSC, followed by BEC and BYC. Inbreeding coefficients based on ROH for the three breeds declined slightly between the first and middle generations, and then rapidly increased. No inbreeding coefficients exceeded 0.1. Population structure assessments using neighbor-joining tree analysis, principal components analysis, and STRUCTURE analysis indicated that no genetic differentiation existed within breeds. LD decay and ROH at different cut-off lengths were used to identify traces left by recent or ancient inbreeding. Few long ROH were identified, indicating that inbreeding has been largely avoided with the current conservation strategy. The observed losses in genetic diversity and occurrences of inbreeding might be consequences of sub-optimal effective population sizes. Conclusions: The conserved Chinese chicken populations have high genomic diversity under the current conservation program (R: F). Furthermore, this study highlights the need to monitor dynamic changes in genetic diversity in conserved breeds over successive generations. Our research provides new insights into genetic diversity dynamics in conserved populations, and lays a solid foundation for improving conservation schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work proposes a novel insight into the autolytic mineral self-healing strategies for cementitious materials. The autolytic mineral microsphere (AMM) was prepared via the fluidization technique with cement clinker/calcium oxide as the healing substances and amino trimethylene phosphonic acid as the autolytic coating film. The basic characteristics of AMM and its hydration influence on the cementitious composite were analyzed by the laser particle analyzer, calorimetry, X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy. The autogenous self-healing capacity of the cementitious composite incorporating AMM was assessed by the crack closure, flexural property restoration and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Through the autolytic procedure, AMM regulated the hydration evolution and enhanced the self-healing performance of cementitious composite. The AMM containing cement clinker steadily healed the crack, leading to a well regeneration of fractured structure and restoration of flexural property. The partial substitution of cement clinker by calcium oxide in AMM further increased the crack filling, but induced a volume instability of the cement matrix as well, resulting in the strength decrease under a long-term secondary hydration. The structural alteration of cementitious composite was predominately impacted by the self-healing effect in the first 28 d re-curing, whilst the volume instability effect played a dominant role subsequently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen vacancy engineering is an appealing strategy in the direction of photocatalytic pollutant purification. Unfortunately, the short lifetime of oxygen vacancies significantly limits photocatalytic efficiencies and their application. Herein, we report that such a scenario can be resolved via plasmonic silver metal modification SrTiO 3 containing oxygen vacancies, which can achieve a high NO removal rate of 70.0% and long stability. This outstanding photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the increased optical response range and carrier separation by metallic Ag with the unique character of localized surface plasmonic resonance (LSPR) effect. Moreover, the intrinsic mechanism of how the plasmonic metal could enhance the stability of oxygen vacancies is proposed. The plasmon-driven hot carriers inject SrTiO 3 support that promotes the regeneration of oxygen vacancies around the interface, meanwhile, the introduction of Ag nanoparticles prevents the oxygen vacancies from being filled by the reactant. This work elucidates the unique role of plasmonic metal in photocatalysis, providing an innovative idea for improving catalytic stability. [Display omitted] • Plasmonic Ag metal modification SrTiO 3 with oxygen vacancies was designed and synthesized by a facile method. • The injection of plasmon-driven hot carriers into SrTiO 3 promotes the regeneration of oxygen vacancies. • The introduction of Ag metal prevents the oxygen vacancies from being filled by the reactant. • The mechanism of photocatalytic NO oxidation was revealed by in-situ DRIFTS and DFT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The rates of infection with E. bieneusi were 42.2% (128/303) for bamboo rats and 14.6% (24/164) for Asiatic brush-tailed porcupines. • Seventeen genotypes of E. bieneusi were identified including 12 known genotypes and five novel genotypes. • 78.3% out of the genotypes identified here were found in humans previously. We investigated the occurrence and genotypic diversity of E. bieneusi in farmed Asiatic brush-tailed porcupines and bamboo rats from Hainan Province, China. Four hundred and sixty-seven fresh feces were collected from 164 Asiatic brush-tailed porcupines and 303 bamboo rats. DNA extraction from the feces and genotyping of E. bieneusi were performed by the amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA of E. bieneusi using PCR. A neighbor-joining tree was constructed based on the sequences obtained here and other sequences of E. bieneusi genotypes stored in Genbank. The total rate of infection with E. bieneusi was 32.5% (152/467), with 14.6% (24/164) in Asiatic brush-tailed porcupines and 42.2% (128/303) in bamboo rats infected. Seventeen genotypes of E. bieneusi were identified including 12 known genotypes, i.e., D (n = 78), Henan-III (n = 21), SHW7 (n = 19), KIN-1 (n = 11), ETMK5 (n = 7), TypeIV (n = 4), EbpD (n = 2), EbpA (n = 1), EbpC (n = 1), S7 (n = 1), HNPL-III (n = 1), HNR-VII (n = 1), and five novel genotypes named as HNZS-I (n = 1) and HNHZ-I to HNHZ-IV (n = 1 per genotype). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the genotypes found here except genotype S7 fell into Group 1. The present study demonstrated a relatively high prevalence of E. bieneusi infection (32.5%) and a large genetic variation of E. bieneusi (seventeen genotypes) in farmed Asiatic brush-tailed porcupines and bamboo rats in Hainan, China. The high proportion (78.3%) of zoonotic genotypes identified in the animals investigated here suggests that there is the potential for zoonotic or cross-species transmission which may pose a serious public health threat in the area. Public education on the management of Asiatic brush-tailed porcupines and bamboo rats should be implemented in the investigated areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A non-destructive assessment method based on EIS is proposed to evaluate the effect of electrodeposition. • Proposing the equivalent circuit model to describe and analyze the cracking and electrodeposition repair process. • The influence of concrete's w/c ratio, crack width, and crack tortuosity on EIS have been calculated and discussed through equivalent circuit model. In this study, the electrochemical impedance spectrum (EIS) is proposed to evaluate the effectiveness of concrete cracks repaired through electrodeposition. The EIS responses of the concrete cracking and electrodeposition repairing processes are investigated. The obtained results show that the impedance of concrete decreases with increasing crack width. The impedance of concrete increases gradually during the electrodeposition process. In order to characterize and forecast the EIS responses during the concrete cracking and electrodeposition repairing processes, a new equivalent circuit model is proposed. The crack repairing rates are defined in terms of the crack resistance and total impedance of concrete. After 14 days of electrodeposition repairing, the crack repairing rates can eventually reach 79.35% and 77.81% in terms of crack resistance and total impedance, respectively. In addition, the influences of the w/c ratio, crack width, and crack tortuosity of concrete on the EIS responses of concrete repaired by the electrodeposition process are calculated and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In general, dynamic traffic signal control or smooth driving benefits energy saving and CO2 emissions. However, most of studies in the past lack the integrated optimization of traffic signals control and instantaneous vehicle motion states simultaneously on energy saving and CO2 emission reduction. In this paper, a bi-level optimization model is proposed to minimize fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by considering real-time traffic signal control in road side unit (RSU) and instantaneous vehicle motion states optimization in on-board unit (OBU) synthetically. The RSU communicates with OBUs by vehicle wireless communication networks. Then, the traffic signal scheme in RSU is optimized with the received vehicle motion data sent from OBUs, and the system in vehicles optimize their speed and acceleration with the received traffic signal scheme sent from RSU. The simulation results indicate that the proposed model outperforms the existing Maximize Throughput Model (MaxTM) up to 10% in reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions especially when the traffic is heavy.In general, dynamic traffic signal control or smooth driving benefits energy saving and CO2 emissions. However, most of studies in the past lack the integrated optimization of traffic signals control and instantaneous vehicle motion states simultaneously on energy saving and CO2 emission reduction. In this paper, a bi-level optimization model is proposed to minimize fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by considering real-time traffic signal control in road side unit (RSU) and instantaneous vehicle motion states optimization in on-board unit (OBU) synthetically. The RSU communicates with OBUs by vehicle wireless communication networks. Then, the traffic signal scheme in RSU is optimized with the received vehicle motion data sent from OBUs, and the system in vehicles optimize their speed and acceleration with the received traffic signal scheme sent from RSU. The simulation results indicate that the proposed model outperforms the existing Maximize Throughput Model (MaxTM) up to 10% in reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions especially when the traffic is heavy.In general, dynamic traffic signal control or smooth driving benefits energy saving and CO2 emissions. However, most of studies in the past lack the integrated optimization of traffic signals control and instantaneous vehicle motion states simultaneously on energy saving and CO2 emission reduction. In this paper, a bi-level optimization model is proposed to minimize fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by considering real-time traffic signal control in road side unit (RSU) and instantaneous vehicle motion states optimization in on-board unit (OBU) synthetically. The RSU communicates with OBUs by vehicle wireless communication networks. Then, the traffic signal scheme in RSU is optimized with the received vehicle motion data sent from OBUs, and the system in vehicles optimize their speed and acceleration with the received traffic signal scheme sent from RSU. The simulation results indicate that the proposed model outperforms the existing Maximize Throughput Model (MaxTM) up to 10% in reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions especially when the traffic is heavy.In general, dynamic traffic signal control or smooth driving benefits energy saving and CO2 emissions. However, most of studies in the past lack the integrated optimization of traffic signals control and instantaneous vehicle motion states simultaneously on energy saving and CO2 emission reduction. In this paper, a bi-level optimization model is proposed to minimize fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by considering real-time traffic signal control in road side unit (RSU) and instantaneous vehicle motion states optimization in on-board unit (OBU) synthetically. The RSU communicates with OBUs by vehicle wireless communication networks. Then, the traffic signal scheme in RSU is optimized with the received vehicle motion data sent from OBUs, and the system in vehicles optimize their speed and acceleration with the received traffic signal scheme sent from RSU. The simulation results indicate that the proposed model outperforms the existing Maximize Throughput Model (MaxTM) up to 10% in reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions especially when the traffic is heavy.In general, dynamic traffic signal control or smooth driving benefits energy saving and CO2 emissions. However, most of studies in the past lack the integrated optimization of traffic signals control and instantaneous vehicle motion states simultaneously on energy saving and CO2 emission reduction. In this paper, a bi-level optimization model is proposed to minimize fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by considering real-time traffic signal control in road side unit (RSU) and instantaneous vehicle motion states optimization in on-board unit (OBU) synthetically. The RSU communicates with OBUs by vehicle wireless communication networks. Then, the traffic signal scheme in RSU is optimized with the received vehicle motion data sent from OBUs, and the system in vehicles optimize their speed and acceleration with the received traffic signal scheme sent from RSU. The simulation results indicate that the proposed model outperforms the existing Maximize Throughput Model (MaxTM) up to 10% in reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions especially when the traffic is heavy.In general, dynamic traffic signal control or smooth driving benefits energy saving and CO2 emissions. However, most of studies in the past lack the integrated optimization of traffic signals control and instantaneous vehicle motion states simultaneously on energy saving and CO2 emission reduction. In this paper, a bi-level optimization model is proposed to minimize fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by considering real-time traffic signal control in road side unit (RSU) and instantaneous vehicle motion states optimization in on-board unit (OBU) synthetically. The RSU communicates with OBUs by vehicle wireless communication networks. Then, the traffic signal scheme in RSU is optimized with the received vehicle motion data sent from OBUs, and the system in vehicles optimize their speed and acceleration with the received traffic signal scheme sent from RSU. The simulation results indicate that the proposed model outperforms the existing Maximize Throughput Model (MaxTM) up to 10% in reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions especially when the traffic is heavy.In general, dynamic traffic signal control or smooth driving benefits energy saving and CO2 emissions. However, most of studies in the past lack the integrated optimization of traffic signals control and instantaneous vehicle motion states simultaneously on energy saving and CO2 emission reduction. In this paper, a bi-level optimization model is proposed to minimize fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by considering real-time traffic signal control in road side unit (RSU) and instantaneous vehicle motion states optimization in on-board unit (OBU) synthetically. The RSU communicates with OBUs by vehicle wireless communication networks. Then, the traffic signal scheme in RSU is optimized with the received vehicle motion data sent from OBUs, and the system in vehicles optimize their speed and acceleration with the received traffic signal scheme sent from RSU. The simulation results indicate that the proposed model outperforms the existing Maximize Throughput Model (MaxTM) up to 10% in reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions especially when the traffic is heavy.In general, dynamic traffic signal control or smooth driving benefits energy saving and CO2 emissions. However, most of studies in the past lack the integrated optimization of traffic signals control and instantaneous vehicle motion states simultaneously on energy saving and CO2 emission reduction. In this paper, a bi-level optimization model is proposed to minimize fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by considering real-time traffic signal control in road side unit (RSU) and instantaneous vehicle motion states optimization in on-board unit (OBU) synthetically. The RSU communicates with OBUs by vehicle wireless communication networks. Then, the traffic signal scheme in RSU is optimized with the received vehicle motion data sent from OBUs, and the system in vehicles optimize their speed and acceleration with the received traffic signal scheme sent from RSU. The simulation results indicate that the proposed model outperforms the existing Maximize Throughput Model (MaxTM) up to 10% in reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions especially when the traffic is heavy.In general, dynamic traffic signal control or smooth driving benefits energy saving and CO2 emissions. However, most of studies in the past lack the integrated optimization of traffic signals control and instantaneous vehicle motion states simultaneously on energy saving and CO2 emission reduction. In this paper, a bi-level optimization model is proposed to minimize fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by considering real-time traffic signal control in road side unit (RSU) and instantaneous vehicle motion states optimization in on-board unit (OBU) synthetically. The RSU communicates with OBUs by vehicle wireless communication networks. Then, the traffic signal scheme in RSU is optimized with the received vehicle motion data sent from OBUs, and the system in vehicles optimize their speed and acceleration with the received traffic signal scheme sent from RSU. The simulation results indicate that the proposed model outperforms the existing Maximize Throughput Model (MaxTM) up to 10% in reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions especially when the traffic is heavy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoinduced single electron transfer cyclization processes for synthesis of a series of 3‐hydroxy isoindolinone cyclotripeptides containing double pharmacophores (cyclotripeptides and phthalimide moiety) are described to develop novel antitumor cyclopeptide drugs. The results showed that our proposed method could be used to synthesize various isoindolinone cyclotripeptides highly regioselectively at a moderate rate. Moreover, the inhibitory potency toward human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells of the target cyclopeptides and the linear tripeptide precursors were evaluated, and most of the compounds were observed with potent inhibition ability against tumor growth. Specifically, compound 6c was found to inhibit HeLa cells with an IC50 value of 32 μM, which may serve as a potential candidate for drug development. In addition, 3‐hydroxy isoindolinone‐cyclo‐Gly‐Ala‐Pro (6a1) was chosen from the obtained cyclopeptides for the absolute configuration research, and an S configuration of C‐3 was established by experimental electronic circular dichroism with the aid of theoretical calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple approach towards the fabrication of Au-CeO 2 Janus-like nanoparticles is presented. Composite micelles of polystyrene- block -poly (ethylene oxide) (PS- b -PEO)/Ce(NO 3 ) 3 /HAuCl 4 with HAuCl 4 and Ce(NO 3 ) 3 precursors incorporated in the PEO domains are prepared first. By manipulating the pH value of the composite micelles solution, a redox reaction between Au(III) with Ce(III) in the PEO domains occurs and Au-CeO 2 Janus-like nanoparticles composed of a porous CeO 2 and an Au nanoparticle are generated. X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis spectrum (UV), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements are employed to characterize the Janus-like nanoparticles. The catalytic degradation of methyl orange dye (MO) under ultrasonic irradiation is chosen as the test reaction to examine the catalytic activity of the Au-CeO 2 Janus-like nanoparticles. It is found that Au-CeO 2 Janus-like nanoparticles show higher activity than that of CeO 2 nanoparticles or Au-CeO 2 composite nanoparticles. The increased catalytic activity of Au-CeO 2 Janus-like nanoparticles is attributed to the exposed Au core on one side of the Janus nanoparticles and the Au-CeO 2 heterointerfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, pure zinc stents were implanted into the abdominal aorta of rabbits for 12 months. Multiscale analysis including micro-CT, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and histological stainings was performed to reveal the fundamental degradation mechanism of the pure zinc stent and its biocompatibility. The pure zinc stent was able to maintain mechanical integrity for 6 months and degraded 41.75 ± 29.72% of stent volume after 12 months implantation. No severe inflammation, platelet aggregation, thrombosis formation or obvious intimal hyperplasia was observed at all time points after implantation. The degradation of the zinc stent played a beneficial role in the artery remodeling and healing process. The evolution of the degradation mechanism of pure zinc stents with time was revealed as follows: Before endothelialization, dynamic blood flow dominated the degradation of pure zinc stent, creating a uniform corrosion mode; After endothelialization, the degradation of pure zinc stent depended on the diffusion of water molecules, hydrophilic solutes and ions which led to localized corrosion. Zinc phosphate generated in blood flow transformed into zinc oxide and small amounts of calcium phosphate during the conversion of degradation microenvironment. The favorable physiological degradation behavior makes zinc a promising candidate for future stent applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a single-layer circularly polarized reflectarray which achieves large bandwidth (BW) in terms of axial ratio (AR), gain, aperture efficiency (AE) and radiation pattern. By using a novel wideband S-shaped phasing element, an offset-fed reflectarray with 20° offset beam is designed based on the element angular rotation method. Theoretical analysis is given to analyze the effect of angular rotated elements on the performance of the reflectarray, which indicates that the AR BW of the reflectarray can exceed the AR BW of the feed horn. Furthermore, the influence of the differential spatial phase delay is analyzed quantitatively, and the performance of S-element-based reflectarrays with different aperture sizes are investigated and discussed. To verify these concepts, a 180 mm $\times180$ mm prototype with $15 \times 15$ elements is fabricated and measured. The measured results confirm that the proposed reflectarray achieves a 68.5% 3-dB AR BW (7 to 14.3 GHz) and a 47.8% 3-dB gain BW (8.6 to 14 GHz). Moreover, the AE is larger than 50% in a 33% BW and larger than 30% in a 64% BW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a wideband dual circularly polarized (CP) array which has two independent beams in orthogonal circular polarizations and the two beams can scan to ±23° individually. The proposed array consists of stacked patches fed by 90° hybrid couplers. To achieve two independent beams, the beam-forming networks (BFNs) for the left-hand circular polarization (LHCP) beam and right-hand circular polarization (RHCP) beam are printed on two separate layers with ground plane between them. This arrangement facilitates the integration of the BFNs and reduces the fabrication complexity. Two prototypes with different beam-scanning angles are fabricated and measured. The measured results confirm that the array achieves good impedance matching, larger than 20 dB isolation and smaller than 3 dB axial ratio (AR) from 27 to 30 GHz when the array scans to ±23°. Due to the independent beam-scanning ability, high isolation between the LHCP and RHCP beams and the wide bandwidth, the proposed array is promising for high data-rate Ka-band satellite communications which utilize polarization diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel antenna with both frequency and pattern reconfigurability is presented. The reconfigurability is achieved by integrating an active frequency selective surface (AFSS) with feed antenna. The smart FSS comprises a printed slot array loaded by varactors. A novel dc biasing arrangement is proposed to feed the slots vertically so that the unwanted effects caused by bias lines are minimized. A monopole antenna is designed to illuminate the AFSS. The resulting structure can operate in a frequency tuning range of 30%. By reconfiguring the different sections of active FSS cylinder into a transparent or reflector mode, the omnidirectional pattern of the source antenna can be converted to a directive beam. As an illustration, half of the AFSS cylinder is successively biased, enabling the beam switching to cover the entire horizontal plane over a range of frequencies. An antenna prototype was fabricated and measured. Experimental results demonstrate the capability of providing useful gain levels and good impedance matching from 1.7 to 2.3 GHz. The antenna offers a low-cost, low-power solution for wireless systems that require frequency and beam reconfigurable antennas. The proposed design consumes about 1000 times less dc power than the equivalent narrowband beam-switching antenna design using p-i-n diode-loaded AFSS. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this work, PtPd nanoparticles functionalized porphyrin metal-organic framework nanoenzymes (PtPd@PCN-224 nanoenzymes) are exploited as signal amplification tags to fabricate a rapid and ultrasensitive sensitive CRISPR/Cas14a-based electrochemical biosensor for Burkholderia pseudomallei (B. pseudomallei) specific DNA sequences detection. The prepared PtPd@PCN-224 nanoenzymes not only catalyze the reduction peak current of H 2 O 2 to obtain a strong electrochemical signal output, but also provide massive active sites for the assembly of nucleic acids by Zr–O–P bonds. Besides, the designed target-activated CRISPR/Cas14a is able to recognize the target DNA sequences and further trigger the trans -cleavage of ssDNA for signal amplification. Benefiting from the target-activated CRISPR/Cas14a and PtPd@PCN-224 nanoenzymes, the developed electrochemical biosensor for B. pseudomallei DNA detection exhibits high sensitivity with detection of limit down to 12.8 aM and excellent specificity for distinguishing non-targeted bacteria. Moreover, the CRISPR/Cas14a-based electrochemical detection platform can also apply for other pathogenic bacteria diagnostic by well-designing sgRNA for target sequence recognition, possessing high flexibility and versatility in clinical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Window shape analysis of CT and its rotation-window extension is presented. • A multi-resolution chirplet transform (MrCT) is proposed to characterize the mixture of chirp-like and impulse-like signals. • The MrSECT based on a combined IF equation is proposed to improve the readability of the MrCT. • The proposed approach localizes the signal in both time and frequency better than it is possible with any single CT. The standard chirplet transform (CT) with the chirp-modulated Gaussian window provides a valuable tool for analyzing linear chirp signals. The parameters present in the window determine the performance of the CT and play a vital role in high-resolution time-frequency (TF) analysis. In this paper, we give the window shape analysis of the CT and compare it with the extension that employs a rotating Gaussian window by the fractional Fourier transform. The given parameters analysis provides theoretical guidance for developing high-resolution CT. We then propose a multi-resolution chirplet transform (MrCT) by combining multiple CTs with different parameter combinations. These are combined geometrically to obtain an improved TF resolution by overcoming the limitations of any single representation of the CT. We further develop a TF post-processing approach to enhance the readability of the MrCT by deriving a combined instantaneous frequency equation, which can characterize the mixture of the chirp-like and impulse-like signals. Numerical experiments on simulated and real signals verify the effectiveness of the proposed approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melioidosis caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp) infection has high mortality in tropical and subtropical regions. A rapid and sensitive method for its detection is urgently needed. Herein, a ratiometric fluorescent sensor with dual recognition sites of target was designed for sensitive detection of Bp DNA. The sensor was constructed with a TAMRA-labeled DNA as probe, which could adsorb on polymer dots (Pdots) at acidic pH to produce TAMRA fluorescence at the excitation wavelength of Pdots via fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). In the presence of target DNA, the trans-cleavage activity of CRISPR/Cas12a was activated with the dual recognition sites, which digested the probe DNA to weaken the FRET. With the fluorescence ratio of Pdots to TAMRA as the detection signal, a ratiometric fluorescent biosensing was thus achieved. This method with dual CRISPR/Cas12a trans-cleavage assisted signal enhancement showed a detectable range of target DNA from 1.0 pM to 10 nM, and could be successfully used to detect Bp DNA extract with a detection time of 40 min. The excellent performance such as high sensitivity, good specificity, acceptable accuracy and short analytical time along with convenient operation demonstrated its potential in clinic diagnosis of melioidosis. • A dual CRISPR/Cas12a trans-cleavage assisted signal enhancement strategy is proposed for biosensing of biomarker. • The proposed biosensing method based on ratiometric fluorescence has been used for detection of Burkholderia pseudomallei. • The proposed method shows a wide detection range with LOD of 1 pM and a detection time of 40 min with simple operation. • This proposed strategy possesses excellent performance and good extendability for target DNA analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary hydration is the main driving force of autogenous self-healing and directly impacts the closure of cracks in damaged cementitious materials. In fiber-reinforced cement composites, secondary hydration also dominates the regeneration of the fiber-matrix interface during the self-healing processes. As an important factor influencing the cement hydration, silica fume (SF) addition can be crucial to the self-healing performance of cementitious materials and composites. In this paper, the effect of SF on the autogenous self-healing of ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete was investigated. With a ≥20% SF addition, the secondary hydration the cement matrix adjacent to the cracks was accelerated. The dissolution of amorphous silica and the formation of Si-containing healing phases was observed. These effects predominated the closure of the mouth and the inner part of the cracks. SF addition also enhanced the regeneration of fiber-matrix interface by promoting the growth of self-healing products in these areas. The closure of cracks and the regeneration of fiber-matrix interface are both responsible for the restoration of flexural properties. • The secondary hydration acceleration of the cement matrix after cracking was found with a ≥20% SF addition, which promoted the self-healing of the cracks in UHPFRC. • The effect of SF on the structural regeneration of the cracks in UHPFRC was elucidated with a self-healing mechanism of the amorphous Si dissolution. • The self-healing of the deep matrix crack and fiber-matrix interface together induced the flexural property restoration of the SF-containing UHPFRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • (NiFe)OOH-S catalytic layer in situ grows on the NiFe foam by combining surface reconstruction and electrochemical oxidation. • (NiFe)OOH-S shows competitive alkaline catalytic OER performance (238 mV @ 10 mA cm−2). • The S doping results in the super hydrophilic surface (CA≈0o) and optimizes the OER intermediates, improving the OER activity. • A water electrolyzer driven by solar energy is operated at industrial conditions. The well-known NiFe hydroxides show tremendous promise as low-cost oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts, which however suffer from the rapid decline of activity at current densities exceeding 100 mAcm−2. Herein, we constructed a sulfur-doped OER electrode ((Ni 7 Fe 3)OOH-S) by facile sulfurization and anodic displacement processes. The as-prepared (Ni 7 Fe 3)OOH-S electrode shows an overpotential of 238 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH at 25 °C, which is due to the high intrinsic catalytic activity, the super hydrophilic nature of the electrode for the S dopant. DFT calculations reveal that the S dopant changes the electronic structure and charge density (NiFe)OOH, thereby optimizing the OER rate-determining step, improving the binding energy for OER intermediates, which ensures the high intrinsic catalytic activity. In addition, the long-term stability (e.g., 200 h) at industrial-level current density (399 mV at 500 mA cm−2) holds the promise for the real application of the (Ni 7 Fe 3)OOH-S electrode. Furthermore, a solar-powered electrolyzer consisting of the (Ni 7 Fe 3)OOH-S anode and a 20 % Pt/C@CC cathode operates successfully at a low voltage of 1.46 V(10 mA cm−2) in 10 M KOH at 75 °C. Overall, the combined sulfidation and anodic displacement approach could be a general approach to prepare efficient and durable catalysts for water electrolyzers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel broadband circularly polarized (CP) antenna with wide axial ratio (AR) beamwidth is proposed. It is composed of two curved arms shaped like an inverted “S.” The mechanisms of wideband CP operation and wide AR beamwidth are explained. To validate the concept, a prototype at C-band is manufactured and measured. Experimental results confirm that the antenna achieves an impedance bandwidth of 63% and a CP bandwidth of 42%. Furthermore, maximum AR beamwidth of 140° is achieved and wide AR beamwidth can be maintained in a frequency bandwidth of 35% in nearly all elevation planes. In addition, the antenna has the advantage of being easily extended to arrays. A four-element array using the proposed antenna is investigated through both simulations and experiments, and achieves 60% CP bandwidth and wide AR beamwidth. The proposed inverted-S antenna can realize wide CP bandwidth and wide AR beamwidth, and can easily form wideband CP arrays. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The fracture and movement of hard thick strata, particularly super thick hard key stratum, can induce strong mine seismicity. The disturbance caused by mine seismicity can directly influence the stability of a roadway. To address this problem, the numerical simulation software FLAC2D was used to simulate strong seismicity by applying strong stress waves on the bottom of hard thick strata. The stress, displacement, and plastic zone data of roadway surrounding rock were extracted. The dynamic response laws of roadway surrounding rock under the disturbance were investigated. The influence of boundary condition on the dynamic response of the roadway was studied simultaneously. Result indicates that the increase in horizontal stress of the roof and vertical stress of the ribs result in the spallation damage of the roof and the compression of the coal ribs under seismic influence. The convergence of the ribs is greater than that of the roof and the floor, and rock bursts can easily occur in the ribs of the roadway. The significant influencing time for the ground displacement of the roadway is 0.6 s. The convergence of two ribs of the gob-side roadway is 9.27 times as high as that of the solid-coal roadway. The results are verified via a case study. The conclusions obtained in this study provide a theoretical basis for the design of a roadway support on hard thick rock strata, which is significant to the safety of the working face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel fluorescent chemosensor with good selectivity for F− anion was designed and synthesized. The sensor has a bearing on a single functionalized pillar[5]arene and Fe3+ metal complex (PN-Fe), which showed prominent fluorescent response for F− anion over other common anions (Cl−, Br−, I−, AcO−, HSO4−, H2PO4−, ClO4−, CN− and SCN−). These results were evaluated by fluorescent method. The detection limit of PN-Fe to F− was calculated to be 2.50×10−7 mol/L. Moreover, the sensor PN-Fe3+ might serve as a recyclable component in sensing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of underground structures subjected to internal blasts is an important topic in protective engineering. Due to various constraints, pertinent experimental data are extremely scarce. Adequately detailed numerical simulation thus becomes a desirable alternative. However, the physical processes involved in the internal explosion and blast wave propagation are very complex, and hence, a realistic and detailed reproduction of the phenomena would require sophisticated numerical models for the loading and material responses. In this article, a fully coupled numerical model is established to simulate dynamic responses of tunnel structure in soils under internal blasting loads. The approach considers all the stages of the process: detonation of the internal charge; shock wave propagation in the internal gas; coupled fluid–structure interaction between explosive wave and tunnel structure; structure damage; soil–structure dynamic interaction; and wave propagation in the surrounding soil medium. Effects of soil–structure interactions, soil stiffnesses, buried depths, cross-sectional shapes and locations of charge are thoroughly investigated on dynamic responses of tunnel structures subjected to internal blasting loads. Results show that the tunnel responses are driven by the soil stiffness rather than by the interface friction, and the location of charge has a significant effect on the tunnel responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CaO 2 and Fe(Ⅱ)-citric acid process effectively enhanced BaP degradation at circumneutral pH. • BaP degradation kinetic dominated by hydroxyl radicals mainly included three stages. • A pathway for BaP degradation was proposed based on DFT calculation. • CaO 2 /Fe(II)/CA treatment is applicable in PAHs contaminated black-odor sediments remediation. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are found ubiquitously in contaminated aquatic sediments. They are difficult to degrade, particularly the high-molecular-weight PAHs (e.g., benzo[a]pyrene, BaP). In this study, CaO 2 assisted with ferrous ion (Fe(II)) - citric acid (CA) was applied for the first time in BaP degradation in aquatic sediment. Among the treatment processes we studied, CaO 2 /Fe(Ⅱ)/CA could effectively degrade BaP at circumneutral pH (7.0 ± 0.3), reaching a maximum of nearly 80% under optimal conditions (0.84 mM CaO 2 , 0.21 mM Fe(Ⅱ), and 0.35 mM CA in per gram of dry sediment). Contrary to some external environmental factors such as temperature, common metal ions, and natural organic matters, a certain amount of moisture content and inorganic anions (Cl−, SO 4 2−) exhibited a positive effect on BaP degradation, which can probably be contributed to the improved mass transfer rate in the non-homogeneous sediment-water mixture and a higher level of free radicals. The degradation kinetic dominated by hydroxyl radicals included three main stages contribution ∼29.4%, ∼43.1%, and ∼2.4% to BaP degradation, respectively. Based on the theoretical calculations of density functional theory, a pathway for BaP degradation was proposed. For the treatment of actual contaminated sediment, the CaO 2 /Fe(II)/CA process could realize the elimination of black-odor and effective removal of PAHs from the sediment, as well as negligible ecotoxicity on benthic organisms. This study provides a reference and guidance for the use of CaO 2 based Fenton-like systems in treating PAH-contaminated black-odor river sediments. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel rapid crack-healing approach is proposed by electric-induced in-situ synthesis of ettringite. • Electric-induced in-situ synthesis of ettringite to heal concrete cracks is feasible under the asymmetric healing condition. • Electric field-induced ettringite can significantly shorten the healing time. • The rapid healing mechanism was disclosed through both the macroscopic and microscopic tests. Cracking is inevitable in concrete and can seriously threaten the durability of the structures. This paper proposed electric-induced in-situ synthesis of ettringite as a crack healing strategy for concrete structure. Composite solutions of aluminum sulfate and calcium acetate with four different molar ratios of Ca to Al (1, 3, 5, 7) were used as electrolyte solutions. The effectiveness of healing was evaluated by crack closure ratio, permeability, and coverage ratio of the crack section, while the composition and microstructure of products were also investigated. From the results, when the Ca-Al ratio is 3 or 5, the crack closure time shortened to 1 day, and the permeability coefficient reduced by nearly 4 orders of magnitude compared to the unrepaired specimen after healing for 7 days. Of all the groups, the products penetrated the entire crack, and the coverage ratio of crack section can reach more than 60 % when the Ca-Al ratio is 5. Additionally, ettringite was detected as the main phase of products by X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Needle-shaped ettringite can be observed during the whole healing period through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In-situ synthesized ettringite crystals evolved from small and short prismatic shapes to long and acicular shapes. These crystals overlapped with each other and formed a dense network structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium enhances the advantages of abundant reserves, low cost, and low standard electrode potential. Therefore, potassium ion batteries have recently received a lot of attention and research as an ideal low-cost secondary battery system. In this paper, the template method is utilized to prepare porous carbon anode material for potassium ion batteries using low-cost calcium carbonate as the template and sucrose as the carbon source. The material has unordered microstructure, large specific surface area, and hierarchical porous structure formed by "macropore-mesopore-micropore". Electrochemical test results show that the prepared porous carbon anode material has a specific capacity of 259.5 mAh·g−1 at a current density of 50 mA·g−1, and the capacity retention rate is 92.8% after 100 cycles. After the cycle, the pole piece has a flat surface without obvious cracks, indicating that the material experienced a small volume change during the potassium ion intercalation/deintercalation process. Porous carbon material exhibits good rate performance at a high current density of 2000 mAh·g−1, with a specific capacity of 129.6 mAh·g−1 after 10,000 cycles. • In this paper, the template method is utilized to prepare porous carbon anode material for potassium ion batteries using low-cost calcium carbonate as the template and sucrose as the carbon source. • The material has unordered microstructure, large specific surface area, and hierarchical porous structure formed by "macropore-mesopore-micropore". • Electrochemical test results show that the prepared porous carbon anode material has the advantages of good cycling performance and high rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low-impedance impulse voltage calibrator of high accuracy and stability can be used as a primary reference of impulse voltage. It is recommended to be utilized in the calibration of the reference measuring system composed of impulse resistor divider and digital recorder in IEC 61083. The impulse voltage calibrator is made up of resistors and capacitors of given values. The parameters of its output waveform, Up , T1 , and T2 , can be calculated based on the parameters of the circuit elements and circuit principle of the calibrator. The uncertainties of the waveform parameters are always evaluated by Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) in previous publications. However, GUM exhibits some limitations when it is applied. In this paper, a 1-kV low-impedance impulse voltage calibrator ( 1.56~\mu \texts/60~\mu \texts ) is developed. The values and uncertainties of Up , T1 , and T2 are evaluated with another two new approaches, Monte Carlo method and random fuzzy variable (RFV). Particularly, the combination of several RFVs with both random and nonrandom effects is also discussed when RFV method is applied. The detailed process of each approach is presented and the results are compared. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A compact-size low-profile wideband circularly polarized (CP) omnidirectional antenna with reconfigurable polarizations is presented in this communication. This design is based on a low-profile omnidirectional CP antenna which consists of a vertically polarized microstrip patch antenna working in \textTM01/\textTM02 modes and sequentially bended slots etched on the ground plane for radiating horizontally polarized electric field. The combined radiation from both the microstrip patch and the slots leads to a CP omnidirectional radiation pattern. The polarization reconfigurability is realized by introducing PIN diodes on the slots. By electronically controlling the states of the PIN diodes, the effective orientation of the slots on ground plane can be changed dynamically and the polarization of antenna can be altered between left-hand circular polarization (LHCP) and right-hand circular polarization (RHCP). The proposed antenna exhibits a wide-operational bandwidth of 19.8% (2.09–2.55 GHz) with both axial ratio below 3 dB and return loss above 10 dB when radiates either LHCP or RHCP waves. Experimental results show good agreement with the simulation results. The present design has a compact size, a thickness of only $0.024\lambda$ and exhibits stable CP omnidirectional conical-beam radiation patterns within the entire operating frequency band with good circular polarization. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is an important flavonoid component of licorice and has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but its exact mechanism of action remains poorly understood. Previously, we demonstrated that ISL could suppress IL-6 expression in multiple myeloma. Here, we further characterized the anti-inflammatory effects of ISL in several psoriasis models, including the keratin 14/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) transgenic mouse, the imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like mouse, and the human keratinocytes HaCaT and NHEK in vitro. We found that ISL ameliorated the inflammatory process in psoriasis models but not in their respective controls. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory effects of ISL were attributed to the suppression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity, which consequently resulted in the reduction of pro-inflammation cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 expression. In conclusion, ISL exhibited anti-inflammatory effects in psoriasis models, by downregulating IL-6 and IL-8 via suppression of NF-κB activity, suggesting that ISL might serve as a potential candidate for treatment of psoriasis and other autoimmune inflammatory diseases. Key message: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), combining monoclonal antibody with high cytotoxicity chemotherapeutic drug (warhead), have been successfully applied for clinical cancer therapy. Linker technology to select and design linker connecting warhead with antibody, is critical to the success of therapeutic ADCs. In this study, three kinds of linkers were designed to connect SN-38, the bioactive metabolite of the anticancer drug irinotecan (CPT-11), which is 100–1000 times more potent than CPT-11, with the anti-HER2 antibody trastuzumab to prepare three different ADC conjugates (T-SN38 A, B and C). Meanwhile, we compared the anti-ovarian cancer effect of these three T-SN38 conjugates with trastuzumab in vitro and in vivo . Our in vitro results showed that T-SN38 A, B and C (drug-to-antibody ratio, DAR = 3.7, 3.2, 3.4) were 2 to 3 times as cytotoxic as SN-38, and the IC 50 for these three conjugates on SKOV-3 cell line at 72 h were 5.2 ± 0.3, 4.4 ± 0.7, and 5.1 ± 0.4 nM respectively. In our in vivo studies, T-SN38 conjugates had well targeting ability for tumor tissue and all three of them had much higher anti-ovarian cancer potency than trastuzumab. Among of them, T-SN38 B, which coupled SN-38 with trastuzumab by a carbonate bond, has the best anti-ovarian cancer potency. In conclusion, the novel HER2-targeting ADCs T-SN38 have great potential for HER2-positive ovarian cancer. Moreover, the SN-38-Linkers designed in this study can also be used to connect with other antibodies for the therapy of other cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Autoimmunity plays a critical role in the development of rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Recent studies have linked Th17 cells to the autoimmune mechanism associated with RHD. This study aimed to investigate changes in Th17 cell-related cytokine expression in acute and chronic RHD. Methods We established a Lewis rat model of experimental RHD, which was induced by inactivated Group A streptococci and complete Freund's adjuvant. After 7- and 24-week intervention treatments, we measured serum levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and IL-6, key cytokines associated with Th17 cells, using a Luminex liquichip method, and levels of IL-17 and IL-6 in heart tissues using immunohistochemical assays. Moreover, expression levels of IL-17, IL-21, IL-6, and IL-23 in mitral valve tissues of human RHD patients were also measured using immunohistochemistry. Results Compared with the normal control group, serum IL-17 and IL-6 concentrations were significantly increased, and the expression levels of IL-17 and IL-6 in the mitral valve were also significantly increased in 7- or 24-week RHD rats ( P < .017). Compared with the control group, expression of IL-17, IL-21, IL-6, and IL-23 in mitral valve tissues was significantly increased in RHD patients ( P < .05). Conclusions Our study suggested that the increased expression of Th17 cell-associated cytokines might play an important role in the pathogenesis and development of RHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular anomalies included hemangiomas and vascular malformations (VMs). VMs are mediated by mutations in the endothelial cell-specific receptor tyrosine kinase Tie2 (TEK),which is essential for angiogenesis and vascular stabilization. We identified five types of Tie2 mutations in 80 patients with soft tissue or spinal VMs by PCR including the previously detected missense mutations 2690A > G (Y897C), 2740C > T (L914F), 2743C > T (R915C), and two nonsense mutations 2763G > A, 2688C > T, we identified Tie2 mutation in primary spinal VMs for the first time. Tie2 mutations were found to be absent in 33 patients with hemangiomas and DNA samples of VMs. In addition, we showed that Tie2 mRNA expression in spinal VMs was similar to soft tissue VMs, but obviously lower than infant hemangiomas ( P < 0.01). This study provides new insights into spinal VMs, the association of Tie2 and vascular anomalies needs to be further discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, laboratory-scale experiments were conducted to investigate the feasibility of the combined use of calcium peroxide and hydroxyapatite (CaO 2 /HAP) for simultaneous black-odor sediment remediation and heavy metal stabilization. The ecotoxicological effects of remediated sediment were also evaluated based on biological toxicity. Results showed that CaO 2 /HAP effectively eliminated the black-odor and simultaneously stabilized heavy metals in the sediment. Under the optimal dosage ratio of CaO 2 /HAP (1:2), the acid volatile sulfides decreased to approximately 20 mg/kg (dry weight, dw) and oxidation-reduction potential increased from − 165 mV to approximately − 90 mV. The leaching of heavy metals meets the strictest standards (Level I) of the "Technical Specification for Output Disposal of Contaminated Sediment Treatment Plant of River and Lake" (SZDB/Z 236-2017). The indigenous microbial community succession occurred (p < 0.01), Proteobacteria and Firmicutes accounting for 75.54% and 20.19%, respectively, were the predominant bacteria in the remediated sediment. Additionally, CaO 2 /HAP remediated sediments were safer and more environmentally friendly than raw sediments, and were not biotoxic to the benthic environment (p < 0.01). This study provides new insights into the combined use of the beneficial amendments remediating heavy metal-contaminated black-odor river sediment. [Display omitted] • CaO 2 /HAP effectively eliminated black-odor and stabilized metals in sediment. • CaO 2 and HAP synergistically affected heavy metals stabilization. • Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were the predominant bacteria after remediation. • CaO 2 /HAP remediated sediments were safe to benthic eco-environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Designed dual-activators in double perovskite according to site-beneficial occupation principle. • Perovskite La 3 Li 3 W 2 O 12 matrix contains abundant sites that suitable the doping of Mn4+ and Lanthanide. • Taking advantage of diverse thermal quenching between Mn4+ and Eu3+ ions for optical thermometry. Currently, Eu3+ or Mn4+ activated red-emitting fluorescent materials are widely used for solid-state lighting and optical temperature sensing. Here, we have chosen an abundant double perovskite structure that provides not only a trivalent Eu3+ lattice but also a tetravalent Mn4+ lattice and guarantees simultaneous emission. A family of rare earth (Eu3+) and transition metal (Mn4+) co-doped La 3 Li 3 W 2 O 12 (LLWO) red-emitting phosphors were obtained by designing a site-occupation strategy. By changing the concentration of Eu3+, the coordination environment of the activator is adjusted to finally achieve the adjustable emission of the phosphor from orange to red. In addition, when the doping concentration of Eu3+ is greater than 0.05, the symmetry of the doping sites in the perovskite structure decreases leading to the luminescence performance of red color and the enhancement of luminescence intensity. Finally, optical thermometry based on fluorescence intensity ratio shows that the developed phosphor has high sensitivity. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) is a well-known histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor and has been used as practical therapy for breast cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is previously demonstrated that SAHA treatment could extensively change the profile of acetylome and proteome in cancer cells. However, little is known about the impact of SAHA on other protein modifications and the crosstalks among different modifications and proteome, hindering the deep understanding of SAHA-mediated cancer therapy. In this work, by using SILAC technique, antibody-based affinity enrichment and high-resolution LC-MS/MS analysis, we investigated quantitative proteome, acetylome and ubiquitylome as well as crosstalks among the three datasets in A549 cells toward SAHA treatment. In total, 2968 proteins, 1099 acetylation sites and 1012 ubiquitination sites were quantified in response to SAHA treatment, respectively. With the aid of intensive bioinformatics, we revealed that the proteome and ubiquitylome were negatively related upon SAHA treatment. Moreover, the impact of SAHA on acetylome resulted in 258 up-regulated and 99 down-regulated acetylation sites at the threshold of 1.5 folds. Finally, we identified 55 common sites with both acetylation and ubiquitination, among which ubiquitination level in 43 sites (78.2%) was positive related to acetylation level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenza vaccines elicit antigen-specific antibodies and immune memory to protect humans from infection with drift variants. However, what supports or limits vaccine efficacy and duration is unclear. Here, we vaccinated healthy volunteers with annual vaccine formulations and investigated the dynamics of T cell, natural killer (NK) cell and antibody responses upon restimulation with heterologous or homologous influenza virus strains. Influenza vaccines induced potential memory NK cells with increased antigen-specific recall IFN-γ responses during the first 6 months. In the absence of significant changes in other NK cell markers (CD45RO, NKp44, CXCR6, CD57, NKG2C, CCR7, CD62L and CD27), influenza vaccines induced memory NK cells with the distinct feature of intracellular NKp46 expression. Indeed, surface NKp46 was internalized, and the dynamic increase in NKp46(intracellular)+CD56dim NK cells positively correlated with increased IFN-γ production to influenza virus restimulation after vaccination. In addition, anti-NKp46 antibodies blocked IFN-γ responses. These findings provide insights into a novel mechanism underlying vaccine-induced immunity and NK-related diseases, which may help to design persisting and universal vaccines in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we established a sensitive label-free immunosensor by palladium-reduced graphene oxide (Pd-rGO), which was prepared by one-pot synthesis under the reduction of extra-injected CO gas. The Pd-rGO nanocomposite structure has been confirmed by TEM, SEM, X-ray diffraction, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The Pd-rGO nanocomposite exhibited excellent stability in aqueous dispersion. The Pd-rGO-based label-free electrochemical immunosensor was used for detection of the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) biomarker alpha fetoprotein (AFP). The immunosensor determination was based on the fact that due to the formation of antigen-antibody immunocomplex, the decreased response amperometric currents of H 2O2 were directly proportional to the concentrations of AFP. The limit of detection of this immunosensor for AFP detection is 5pg/mL, and is linear from 0.01 to 12ng/mL. The proposed immunosensor has been used to determine AFP in clinical serum samples with satisfactory results. This suggests the sensor may have great potential utility in the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, four groups of laboratory scale experiments were performed by adding sodium acetate (SA), phthalic acid (PA), and SA-PA to river sediment to observe the microbial response and biodegradation efficiency of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The results showed that the amount of total organic carbon consumed and the amount of sulfate reduction were both positively correlated (p < 0.01) with the biodegradation efficiency of the sum (∑) PAHs (∼40.5%). The lower the number of rings, the more PAHs were biodegraded, with an efficiency of 63.0% for ∑ (2 + 3) ring PAHs. Based on high-throughput sequencing and molecular ecological network analysis, it was found that the combined stimulation of SA and PA not only increased the relative abundance of PAHs-degrading bacterial (eg., Proteobacteria , Desulfobacterota , Campilobacterota and Firmicutes), but also had a strengthening effect on microbes in sediments. The altered microbial structure caused a variation in metabolic functions, which increased the amino acid metabolism to 12.2%, thus increasing the positive correlations among genera and improving the connectivity of the microbial network (p < 0.01). These changes may be responsible for the enhanced biodegradation of PAHs under SA-PA dosing in comparison to SA or PA dosing alone. This study revealed that the microbial community was stimulated by the combined addition of SA and PA, and indicated its role in enhancing biodegradation of PAHs in contaminated river sediments. [Display omitted] • Combined stimulation with sodium acetate/phthalic acid enhanced the biodegradation of PAHs. • Metabolic process involving carbon and sulfur favored the bioremediation of sediment. • Sodium acetate/phthalic acid played an enhanced role in microbial diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, four groups of laboratory scale experiments were performed by adding sodium acetate (SA), phthalic acid (PA), and SA-PA to river sediment to observe the microbial response and biodegradation efficiency of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The results showed that the amount of total organic carbon consumed and the amount of sulfate reduction were both positively correlated (p < 0.01) with the biodegradation efficiency of the sum (∑) PAHs (∼40.5%). The lower the number of rings, the more PAHs were biodegraded, with an efficiency of 63.0% for ∑ (2 + 3) ring PAHs. Based on high-throughput sequencing and molecular ecological network analysis, it was found that the combined stimulation of SA and PA not only increased the relative abundance of PAHs-degrading bacterial (eg., Proteobacteria , Desulfobacterota , Campilobacterota and Firmicutes), but also had a strengthening effect on microbes in sediments. The altered microbial structure caused a variation in metabolic functions, which increased the amino acid metabolism to 12.2%, thus increasing the positive correlations among genera and improving the connectivity of the microbial network (p < 0.01). These changes may be responsible for the enhanced biodegradation of PAHs under SA-PA dosing in comparison to SA or PA dosing alone. This study revealed that the microbial community was stimulated by the combined addition of SA and PA, and indicated its role in enhancing biodegradation of PAHs in contaminated river sediments. [Display omitted] • Combined stimulation with sodium acetate/phthalic acid enhanced the biodegradation of PAHs. • Metabolic process involving carbon and sulfur favored the bioremediation of sediment. • Sodium acetate/phthalic acid played an enhanced role in microbial diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An efficient HILIC-QQQ-MS/MS method (8.5 min per run) was developed and validated. • Forty-five hydrophilic compounds in tea samples were simultaneously quantified. • Amino acids and nucleotides relating to umami had higher content in GT and RAPT. • Most alkaloids and nucleosides showed higher contents in fermented tea (BT/RIPT). • OPLS-DA model was established to discriminate four types of Yunnan large-leaf tea. Hydrophilic constituents are significant for the taste and nutrition of tea, but their simultaneous quantification remains challenging due to the lack of efficient methods. Based on the hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole-tandem mass spectrometry, this work developed and validated an efficient (8.5 min per run), sensitive (LOQ: 0.002–0.493 μg/mL) and accurate method. This method was successfully used to determine the contents of 45 hydrophilic constituents in Yunnan large-leaf tea. Umami amino acids and umami-enhanced nucleotides generally exhibited higher content in green tea and Pu-erh raw tea. By contrast, a few number of amino acids (e.g., proline and γ-aminobutyric acid) and most alkaloids and nucleosides showed significantly higher contents in black tea or Pu-erh ripen tea. By performing the orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis, classification models for distinguishing four types of tea, and green tea from Pu-erh raw tea were established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several recent studies investigated the role of the miR-29 family in muscle development. However, only a few studies focused on chicken skeletal muscle. In the present study, cell cycle, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), and other assays indicated that miR-29b-1-5p can inhibit the proliferation of chicken primary myoblasts (CPMs); the western blot assay and immunofluorescence detection of MYHC demonstrated that miR-29b-1-5p can promote the differentiation of myoblasts. The functional enrichment analysis revealed that the target genes of miR-29b-1-5p may be involved in muscle tissue development, muscle organ development, and striated muscle tissue development, which are biological processes related to muscle development. The correlation analysis showed that these 6 genes, that is, ankyrin repeat domain 9 ( ANKRD9 ), lactate dehydrogenase A ( LDHA ), transcription factor 12 ( TCF12 ), FAT atypical cadherin 1 ( FAT1 ), lin-9 homolog ( LIN9 ), and integrin beta 3 binding protein ( ITGB3BP ), can be used as effective candidate target genes of miR-29b-1-5p. Moreover, miR-29b-1-5p inhibits the expression of ANKRD9 by directly binding the 3′UTR of ANKRD9. Overall, these data indicate that miR-29b-1-5p inhibits the proliferation of primary chicken myoblasts, stimulates their differentiation, and is involved in the process of muscle development and that its effective target gene is ANKRD9. This study identified the molecular mechanism of miR-29b-1-5p in chicken muscle development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a pH-thermal dual responsive nanogel was applied for cisplatin (CDDP) delivery. CDDP was loaded into the nanogels via conjugation with the carboxyl groups in the nanogels. The conjugation was confirmed by FTIR and XPS. The bonding between CDDP and COOH can be broken by the H+ or Cl−. We found that the CDDP released much faster at more acidic environment. The Cl− concentration in the human body is about 95–105 mm. The conjugated bond could be easily attacked by Cl− while the nanosystem is injected into the body. In order to diminish the Cl− triggering release of CDDP from the nanogels, we introduced a thermal-responsive units-NIPAm into the nanogel structure. After NIPAm introduced, the CDDP released much slower from the nanogels at 37 °C in pH = 7.38 buffer in the present of Cl− (150 mm) than that without NIPAm. And the CDDP also released slower from the nanogels at 37 °C than at 25 °C. By in vitro release behavior studying, we found that CDDP release from the NIPAm containing nanogels can be accelerated by H+ attacking and reduced by temperature arising. By cellular uptake observation, we found that the nanogels were mainly localized in the cytoplasm of the cancer cells. The CDDP-loaded nanogels exhibited longer circulation time in vivo while compared to free CDDP. And it has better anti-cancer performance than free CDDP in vivo therapy of breast cancer in mice model. Furthermore, some side effects of CDDP, such as renal toxicity, phlebitis, bone marrow suppression etc. have also been reduced by nanogels loading. The in vitro and in vivo results demonstrated that the dual responsible nanogel is a suitable CDDP delivery candidate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A corn stalk cellulose-based adsorbent with bifunctional groups of -NH−/-NH 2 and C-S/C=S for efficient removal of Cu2+ and Pb2+ was successfully synthesized. Under specific alkali and reaction conditions, 4.58 mmol/g of C-S/C=S groups were further introduced on surface of aminated cellulose with 6.99 mmol/g of amino groups. The introduced CS 2 would only participate in the esterification with -NH 2 groups to form special dithiocarbamate (DTC) structures containing -NH- groups (-NHCS 2 −). The synthesized DTC structures would not reduce total amount of -NH−/-NH 2 groups on aminated cellulose to keep its excellent adsorption performance for Cu2+, and the introduced appropriate number of C-S/C=S groups could ensure the efficient removal of Pb2+. It was suitable for removal of coexisting Cu2+ and Pb2+ with low initial concentration in real wastewater, and the removal rates were both close to 100%. The application of the bifunctional cellulose offered a novel way for purpose of 'waste treatment by waste'. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulsed power supply (PPS) applied in the electromagnetic launch system must have a compact design and high reliability. In this paper, a PPS for electromagnetic launch system is built up. The main parts in a pulse forming unit (PFU) of a PPS are energy storage capacitors (8 kV/75 kJ), pulse-shaping inductor (10 \muH), pulse thyristor, crowbar diode, and a Rogowski coil for current measuring. The energy storage density of the PFU is 0.74 MJ/m^3. Eight PFUs form a pulse forming network (PFN) of 600 kJ. In many cases, the discharge current waveform of the PFN must be adjusted for lower peak value and lower electromagnetic force. On the basis of this PFN, in this paper, we analyze the effect of sequence discharge on the semiconductors. To prevent diode from overvoltage during the recovery process, different parameters of snubber circuit have been researched in the experiments. Finally, we set up a model of the serial augment rail gun in a personal simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis, and the safety of PFU can be affirmed by simulation if the voltage of the rail gun keeps positive during the course of the discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: A simple, easy, colorimetric immunoassay for cancer biomarker prostate specific antigen (PSA) is reported based on pH induced color change. Glutathione functionalized gold nanoparticles (Glu-AuNPs) were prepared and used as label for the immunoassay, while dopamine anchored Fe3O4 (DA-Fe3O4) was selected to immobilize anti-PSA antibody (Ab1). AuNPs and Fe3O4 were further assembled into immuno-complex in the presence of PSA. After the separation of the immuno-complex using magnet, the left AuNPs was mixed with methyl red solution and displaying colors. Different colors corresponding to different concentrations of PSA can be directly detected with eyes. This novel immunoassay has great potential to the detection of other cancer biomarkers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Acute liver failure (ALF) is characterized by impaired regeneration of hepatocytes, partially resulting from the defective signaling between elevated levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and the downregulation of its receptor, c-met.Aims: In this study, we assess the therapeutic efficacy of in vivo c-met gene transfer in ALF.Methods: We established a D: -galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide (D: -GalN/LPS)-induced ALF model in rats. The levels of HGF and c-met in D: -GalN/LPS rats were compared with vehicle-injected rats and those undergoing liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy (PH). To deliver c-met in vivo, pcDNA-c-met was constructed and transfected into the rat liver via hydrodynamic injection. Control rats were transfected with the pcDNA3.1 plasmid. The expressions of c-met in different tissues were examined by immunohistochemistry. Hepatocyte proliferation and apoptosis were determined by PCNA staining and TUNEL assay, respectively. The survival of rats in the control and c-met-expressing rats was compared by Kaplan-Meier analysis.Results: Compared with control rats, D: -GalN/LPS or PH -treated rats had significantly higher levels of HGF (P < 0.01). D: -GalN/LPS also led to significantly lower c-met expression in the liver (P < 0.01) than PH. The in vivo c-met gene transfer led to its specific expression on hepatocytes, which was accompanied by the enhancement of hepatocyte proliferation, a reduction in apoptosis, as well as significant improvement in overall survival (P < 0.01).Conclusions: This study provides the initial evidence that c-met may serve as a novel target for gene therapy, and may be of clinical benefit in the treatment of patients with ALF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 450-kJ pulsed-power supply (PPS) for electromagnetic launcher has been built up. It consists of six 75-kJ pulse forming units (PFUs). Each PFU is composed of a 75-kJ capacitor (1000 \mu \F/12.2 kV), a thyristor stack as main switch, a diode stack as crowbar, a specific pulse-shaping inductor (15\ \mu\H/18\ \m\Omega), and a coaxial cable. The peak value of the output current of one PFU is 85 kA with a peak time of 190 \mu\s. The influencing factors of overvoltages on the series thyristor valves are studied by experiments and simulations based on PSCAD/EMTDC. A proper protection is used to prevent the series thyristor valves from being damaged by overvoltage when a switch is turned on. At the end, the total discharge currents of the PPS test with a short-circuit load and a railgun load are presented, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: FeNi alloy nanoparticles with controllable sizes were attached on the multiwalled carbon nanotubes by adjusting the atomic ratio of metal to carbon in the mixed solution of nitrate with Fe:Ni=1:1 (atomic ratio) via wet chemistry. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution TEM indicated that quasi-spherical FeNi alloy nanoparticles with sizes in the range 12–25nm are obtained. FeNi alloy composed of major face center cubic (fcc) and minor body center cubic (bcc) structures, which is proved by the X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). Magnetization measured by vibrating sample magnetometer demonstrated that both the coercive force and saturation magnetizations decrease as the size of the FeNi alloy nanoparticles decreased. The chemical method is promising for fabricating FeNi alloy nanoparticles attached on carbon nanotubes for magnetic storage and ultra high-density magnetic recording applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Herein, a novel ratiometric aptasensor based on carbon quantum dots@2-Methylimidazole zinc salt (CQDs@ZIF-8) and aptamer-functionalized gold nanoparticles (Apt-AuNPs) was developed for highly sensitive detection of ABA by fluorescence spectrometry. The CQDs@ZIF-8 nanomaterials displayed dual-emission properties at 490 nm and 657 nm with excitation at 420 nm were synthesized for the first time. ZIF-8 not only served as an anchor point for CQDs but also acted as a modulator to regulate fluorescence signals of CQDs. Interestingly, introduction of ZIF-8 changed the quenching properties of the AuNPs on CQDs. The AuNPs quenched the fluorescence of CQDs@ZIF-8 at 490 nm but not at the second peak of 657 nm. Few studies have been reported on the ineffectiveness of AuNPs in fluorescence quenching as far as we know. In this study, we found that incorporation of ABA triggered the aggregation of AuNPs due to the specific ABA-aptamer recognition and this changed the fluorescence intensity of the ratiometric probe (CQDs@ZIF-8@Apt-AuNPs). The proposed probe increased the sensitivity and selectivity of determining ABA levels in rice seeds in the range of 0.100–150 ng/mL with an LOD of 30.0 ng/L. Importantly, the method proposed here offers a new unique strategy for the construction of ratiometric probes and ultra-sensitive measurement of biomolecules. • The CQDs@ZIF-8 can be easily prepared with dual-emission and good stability nature. • ZIF-8 serves as a modulator to change the quenching properties of AuNPs on CQDs. • The proposed aptasensor shows high sensitivity for ABA with the LOD of 30.0 ng/L. • The aptasensor possesses prominent potential for ABA determination in rice seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 1. The sensor based on UiO-66-NH 2 @MWCNTs was fabricated for Cd2+ detection. • 2. The sensor shows excellent electrochemical performance. • 3. The sensor has good sensitivity toward Cd2+ with a LOD of 0.2 μg/L. • 4. The sensor was reliable for determination of Cd2+ in real samples. This work presents an electrochemical device based on a composite modification of amine functionalized Zr(IV) metal–organic framework (UiO-66-NH 2) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for voltammetry determination of cadmium ions (Cd2+). The UiO-66-NH 2 @MWCNTs composites were prepared by one-pot hydrothermal reaction. The prepared sensor performs excellent performance, which was attributed to the synergism between UiO-66-NH 2 with a special octahedral structure and enlarged surface area and MWCNTs with outstanding conductivity. Under optimal experiment condition, the fabricated sensor showed good linear relationship from 0.5 to 170 μg/L, with a detection limit of 0.2 μg/L. Finally, the sensor was successfully applied to detect Cd2+ in meat samples (N = 21) with relative standard deviation (RSD) lower than 4.5% and recovery of 95.1–107.5%, and the results were compared with certified method, there was no statistical significance difference between the developed sensor and certified method at a 95% confidence level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]