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• M/G ratio increased from 2.4 to 3.1 during galactomannan deposition. • Mw of extracted polysaccharides reached the maximum (1.19 × 106) at 17 WAF. • Galactomannan backbone is fully substituted and galactose partly removed later. • Apparent viscosity was largely influenced by the molecular weight and M/G ratio. • The solubility of crude polysaccharides notably decreased with collection time. Pods from a Gleditsia sinensis Lam. tree were collected and the galactomannan content and other properties were determined at their different developmental stages. In green and immature seed, galactomannan was substituted to a great extent with a mannose to galactose (M/G) ratio of 2.4 from crude polysaccharides. During late galactomannan deposition, it was substituted to a lower extent and this ratio increased rapidly, reaching a M/G ratio of 3.1. Average molecular weight (M w) of the extracted polysaccharides first increased, reached the maximum (1.19 × 106) at 17 weeks after flowering (WAF), and then decreased. These changes might result from primary galactomannan biosynthesis and from galactose removal by α-galactosidase in the endosperm. The solubility of crude polysaccharides decreased with increased M/G ratio and maximum solubility was more than 89% that collected at 13 WAF. Rheological properties showed that apparent viscosity was largely influenced by the molecular weight and M/G ratio of galactomannans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, a novel polysaccharide-based complex system was developed through self-assembly driven by electrostatic interactions between carboxymethyl (CM)-modified tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP) and chitosan (CS). First, the carboxymethylation of TSP was confirmed successfully. Then, the relationships among the morphology, physicochemical properties and interfacial activity of CMTSP/CS complexes with different mass ratios (1:5, 1:3, 1:1, 3:1 and 5:1) were systematically investigated. The turbidity of the complex solution gradually increased with higher mass ratios (CMTSP:CS) and pH values. The size of the complex initially decreased and then increased as the proportion of CMTSP increased. The CMTSP/CS complex at 1:1 displayed the smallest particle size, supreme surface wettability and strongest interfacial activity. The microstructure and rheological properties of emulsions stabilized by CMTSP/CS complexes were characterized. CMTSP/CS complexes at 1:1 and 1:3 exhibited enhanced emulsifying capacity and better viscoelastic attributes. Remarkably, stable high internal phase emulsions with 85% oil concentration could be formed using very low concentration (only 0.05 wt%). These findings suggest that CMTSP/CS complex-stabilized emulsions have great application potential as a new oil-in-water system. • The carboxymethylation of TSP was obtained successfully. • A novel polysaccharide-based complex was developed via self-assembly between CMTSP and CS. • CMTSP/CS complex at 1:1 presented the better viscoelasticity and stronger interfacial activity. • CMTSP/CS complexes at 1:1 and 1:3 could stabilize the HIPEs with 85% oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fishmeal is an important protein source in aquafeed. However, due to the limited natural resources, fishmeal is in short supply, resulting in a price surge for fishmeal. Here, we reported a kind of Chinese medicine residue, endothelium corneum gigeriae galli residue (ECGGR), as a fishmeal substitute in the diets of Trachinotus ovatus. Six isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated, substituting fishmeal at 0%, 6.25%, 12.5%, 18.75%, 25%, and 31.25%. There was no significant difference in the growth performance when the fishmeal substitution level was no more than 25%. The smallest FCR was obtained at the 18.75% substitution level. Furthermore, substituting ECGGR for fishmeal had no effect on whole-body and muscle proximate compositions, except when the replacement level exceeded 25%, which led to a decrease in whole-body moisture and an increase in whole-body crude protein. The contents of Gly, Cys, Ile, Tyr, Pro, and EAAs/TAAs were altered as the substitution level varied. However, dietary replacement of fishmeal with ECGGR did not degrade muscle protein quality, according to a nutritional evaluation of muscle essential amino acid composition. In terms of hepatic antioxidant capacity, neither the overall antioxidant status nor the expression of genes in the Nrf2-ARE pathway was altered by dietary ECGGR. Moreover, the expressions of p65, TNF-α, and IL-8 in the intestine were upregulated at the 31.25% substitution level. Also, more goblet cells were observed in the intestine at substitution levels of 25% and 31.25%. In conclusion, ECGGR can substitute for fishmeal at the optimal level of 18.75% without adversely affecting the growth performance, protein quality, or hepatic and intestinal health of golden pompano. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taenioides sp. is a small temperate fish originally known to inhabit muddy bottoms of brackish waters in coastal areas of China. However, it began to invade multiple inland freshwaters and caused severe damage to Chinese aquatic ecosystems in recent years. To investigate the sources and invasive history of this species, we examined the population structure of 141 individuals collected from seven locations based on partial mitochondrial D-loop regions. The results revealed that the genetic diversity gradually decreased from south to north, with the Yangtze River Estuary and Taihu Lake populations possessing the highest haplotype diversity (Hd), average number of differences (k), and nucleotide diversity (π) values, suggesting that they may be the sources of Taenioides sp. invasions. Isolation-by-distance analysis revealed a non-significant correlation (p = 0.166) between genetic and geographic distances among seven populations, indicating that dispersal mediated through the regional hydraulic projects may have played an essential role in Taenioides sp. invasions. The population genetic structure analysis revealed two diverged clades among seven populations, with clade 2 only detected in source populations, suggesting a possible difference in the invasion ability of the two clades. Our results provide insights into how native estuary fish become invasive through hydraulic projects and may provide critical information for the future control of this invasive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer stem-like capacities are major factors contributing to unfavorable prognosis. However, the associated molecular mechanisms underlying cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) maintain remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of the ubiquitin E3 ligase membrane-associated RING-CH 7 (MARCH7) in bladder cancer cell CSCs. Methods: Male BALB/c nude mice aged 4–5 weeks were utilized to generate bladder xenograft model. The expression levels of MARCHs were checked in online databases and our collected bladder tumors by quantitative real-time PCR (q-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Next, we evaluated the stem-like capacities of bladder cancer cells with knockdown or overexpression of MARCH7 by assessing their spheroid-forming ability and spheroid size. Additionally, we conducted proliferation, colony formation, and transwell assays to validate the effects of MARCH7 on bladder cancer CSCs. The detailed molecular mechanism of MARCH7/NOD1 was validated by immunoprecipitation, dual luciferase, and in vitro ubiquitination assays. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing 1 (NOD1) is a substrate of MARCH7. Results: We found that MARCH7 interacts with NOD1, leading to the ubiquitin–proteasome degradation of NOD1. Furthermore, our data suggest that NOD1 significantly enhances stem-like capacities such as proliferation and invasion abilities. The overexpressed MARCH7 counteracts the effects of NOD1 on bladder cancer CSCs in both in vivo and in vitro models. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that MARCH7 functions as a tumor suppressor and inhibits the stem-like capacities of bladder tumor cells by promoting the ubiquitin–proteasome degradation of NOD1. Targeting the MARCH7/NOD1 pathway could be a promising therapeutic strategy for bladder cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drip irrigation with brackish water increases the risk of soil salinization while alleviating water shortage in arid areas. In order to alleviate soil salinity stress on crops, polymer soil amendments are increasingly used. But the regulation mechanism of a polymer soil amendment composed of polyacrylamide polyvinyl alcohol, and manganese sulfate (PPM) on rapeseed photosynthesis under drip irrigation with different types of brackish water is still unclear. In this field study, PPM was applied to study the responses of the rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) phenotype, photosynthetic physiology, transcriptomics, and metabolomics at the peak flowering stage under drip irrigation with water containing 6 g·L−1 NaCl (S) and Na2CO3 (A). The results showed that the inhibitory effect of the A treatment on rapeseed photosynthesis was greater than that of the S treatment, which was reflected in the higher Na+ content (73.30%) and lower photosynthetic-fluorescence parameters (6.30–61.54%) and antioxidant enzyme activity (53.13–77.10%) of the A-treated plants. The application of PPM increased the biomass (63.03–75.91%), photosynthetic parameters (10.55–34.06%), chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (33.83–62.52%), leaf pigment content (10.30–187.73%), and antioxidant enzyme activity (28.37–198.57%) under S and A treatments. However, the difference is that under the S treatment, PPM regulated the sulfur metabolism, carbon fixation and carbon metabolism pathways in rapeseed leaves. And it also regulated the photosynthesis-, oxidative phosphorylation-, and TCA cycle-related metabolic pathways in rapeseed leaves under A treatment. This study will provide new insights for the application of polymer materials to tackle the salinity stress on crops caused by drip irrigation with brackish water, and solve the difficulty in brackish water utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Random laser emission was realized by backward-rayleigh scattering in long distance single mode fibre. • Double-path ring cavities were constructed using two 50:50 optical couplers, OC1 and OC2. • Through the connection of Port1 and Port2, a dual-ring cavity is constructed, resulting in an enhanced output of random laser. This study proposes a erbium-doped random fibre laser (RFL) based on a double-path ring cavity. Random laser (RL) emission was realised via random Rayleigh scattering (RS) in a long-distance passive single-mode fibre (SMF). Double-path ring cavities were constructed using two 50:50 couplers, OC1 (optical couplers) and OC2. To achieve a stronger RFL output, Port1 and Port2 were connected to realise the construction of a double-ring cavity, which makes full use of the bidirectional RS of the SMF, enhances the RFL output, and reduces the laser output threshold. Experiments demonstrated that stable single wavelength RFL outputs of 1558.3 and 1561.8 nm can be achieved by paths 1 and 2. The laser thresholds were 46 and 14 mW, and the slope efficiencies of the total output power to pump power were 0.2 % and 0.7 %, respectively. The linearity of the pump-to-laser output power curves were 99.04 % and 99.18 %, respectively. The power displacement of path 1 was less than 0.74 dB, the wavelength fluctuation was less than 0.41 nm, and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was 27.69 dB. The power displacement of path 2 was less than 0.53 dB, the wavelength fluctuation was less than 0.40 nm, and the SNR was as high as 40.20 dB. With the increase of pump power to 258 mW, the wavelength shifts of paths 1 and 2 were less than 0.46 and 0.51 nm, respectively. RFL have broad application prospects in optical fibre communications and speckle imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N), an important element for crop growth, has a great impact on dry matter weight and yield. Currently, improving N fertilizer use rate is an urgent problem to be solved in agricultural production in the world. In this field experiment, a self-developed water-soluble polymer material (PPM) with water retention and slow-release characteristics was combined with different doses of N fertilizer (N300 (100% N), PN300 (PPM + 100% N), PN240 (PPM + 80% N), PN180 (PPM + 60% N), CK (no N and PPM)) to analyze the impacts on N uptake and use efficiency of wheat plants. The results showed that the combined application of PPM and N fertilizer significantly improved yield, plant height, biomass, and N uptake and use efficiency of drip irrigated wheat, and the PN240 group had the highest N use rate. In addition, the PN300 group had the highest yield. N use efficiency in the PN240 group was 40.23% higher than that in the N300 group. Therefore, the combined application of PPM and N fertilizer, especially PN240, can reduce the N fertilizer application rate by increasing N use efficiency. This study provides technical reference for improving the N use efficiency of drip-irrigated wheat in arid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper proposes an erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) system based on intrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (IFPI) structure for simultaneous measurement of temperature and strain. IFPI is composed of two fiber Bragg grating (FBGs) inscribed by femtosecond laser and used as the frequency selective device in fiber laser. • FBG can be inscribed on fiber core through fiber coating and cladding, its mechanical strength is greater. Moreover, FBG inscribed by femtosecond laser is more resistant to high temperature. • The changes of temperature and strain parameters can be sensed by the drifts of the laser spectrum, the most accurate spectral drifts for high-precision parameter sensitivities can be monitored due to the advantages of fiber lasers, such as narrow linewidth, high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), high stability. In this paper, an erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) system based on intrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (IFPI) structure is proposed for simultaneous measurement of temperature and strain. IFPI with a central wavelength of 1546.2 nm, an interference fringe interval of 1.8 nm is composed of two FBGs inscribed by femtosecond laser and used as the frequency selective device in fiber laser. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and 3-dB linewidth of 1546.2 nm fiber laser are 27.735 dB and 0.21 nm, respectively. For 1546.2 nm-laser stability, the maximum fluctuation of laser peak wavelength and output power is 0.08 nm and 0.655 dBm, respectively. Experimental results show that the proposed EDFL sensing system exhibits a temperature sensitivity of 9.16 pm/℃, the linearity R2 is 0.99965 within the temperature range of 100 °C-800 °C and a strain sensitivity of 7.45 pm/με, the linearity R2 is 0.99985 within the strain range of 0 με–1050 με at 800 °C. The stability of both maximum temperature and maximum strain was monitored within 30 min, and the maximum fluctuation of laser peak wavelength and output power was 0.12 nm and 0.372 dBm, 0.05 nm and 0.667 dBm, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular Gleditsia sinensis gum, Gleditsia microphylla gum, and tara gum are galactomannans (GMs) with similar mannose/galactose (M/G) molar ratios, which complicates the characterization of physicochemical properties using conventional methods. Herein, the hydrophobic interactions and critical aggregation concentrations (CACs) of the GMs were compared using a fluorescence probe technique, in which the I 1 /I 3 ratio of pyrene indicated polarity changes. With increasing GM concentration, the I 1 /I 3 ratio decreased slightly in dilute solutions below the CAC but decreased sharply in semidilute solutions above the CAC, indicating that the GMs formed hydrophobic domains. However, increases in temperature destroyed the hydrophobic microdomains and increased the CACs. Higher concentrations of salts (SO 4 2−, Cl−, SCN−, and Al3+) promoted hydrophobic microdomain formation, and the CACs in Na 2 SO 4 and NaSCN solutions were lower than those in pure water. Hydrophobic microdomain formation also occurred upon Cu2+ complexation. Although urea addition promoted hydrophobic microdomain formation in dilute solutions, the microdomains were destroyed in semidilute solutions and the CACs increased. The formation or destruction of hydrophobic microdomains depended on the molecular weight, M/G ratio and galactose distribution of GMs. Therefore, the fluorescent probe technique enables the characterization of hydrophobic interactions in GM solutions, which can provide valuable insight into molecular chain conformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Galactomannan (GM) has been widely applied in food and other fields due to its appealing physicochemical properties. In this work, considering the changes in structural and physicochemical properties of Sophora japonica f. pendula (SJ-GM) with very high mannose to galactose (M/G) ratio in the late deposition stage, extensive exploration is conducted. The core of structural change is the change of M/G ratio (4.94–5.68), which is caused by the loss of galactose side residues modulated by α- d -galactosidase during seed maturation. Afterwards, the more compact conformation, the higher molecular weight, the increased hydrophobicity, and the greater solution viscosity of SJ-GM can be caused. Notably, the gel strength of SJ-GM with the highest M/G surpasses other GMs, including fenugreek gum (M/G = 1.20), guar gum (M/G = 1.80), Gleditsia microphylla gum (M/G = 2.77), and LBG (M/G = 4.00). Finally, SJ-GM is proven to be an attractive alternative to other GMs. [Display omitted] • Sophora japonica galactomannan has the highest M/G ratio by comparing with other GMs. • α- d -Galactosidase in endosperm regulates the M/G ratio by removing α- d -galactose. • The M/G ratio increases from 4.94 to 5.68 in the late deposition stage of GM. • WAF 23 with the highest M/G exhibits the best gelling property compared to other GMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-density culture for microbial lipid preparation from low-cost lignocellulosic feedstocks is crucial for commercial-scale biodiesel production. Herein, fed-batch saccharification of alkaline organosolv pretreatment (AOP) of corn stover at an extremely high solids content of 47% (w/v) released 299.5 g/L of lignocellulosic sugars including 18.3% of soluble oligosaccharides. Three types of liquid hydrolysates for seed culture, fermentation, and feeding during fed-batch culture were obtained from the hydrolysate slurry using a two-step washing strategy with 99.3% of sugars recovery. Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosum showed excellent capacity for assimilating both monosaccharides and oligosaccharides for lipid production using the fed-batch culture mode. Lipid concentration, content, and yield gained 42.3 g/L, 64.6%, and 20.4 g/100 g, respectively. Turbid hydrolysate collected with high recovery of high-concentration sugars and simplified process could be directly served as feeding medium. In general, the overall hydrolysis yield and lipid yield using fed-batch mode accounted for 93.2% and 97.6% of those using batch mode, respectively, resulting in a lipid output of 102.8 g/kg raw corn stover. The fatty acid composition and the prediction of biodiesel properties of lipid samples indicated the suitability for high-quality fuel production. This study provided valuable information for designing highly efficient lignocelluloses-to-biodiesel routes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microgelation can significantly enhance the interfacial activity of polysaccharide and the ability to stabilize emulsion, but the interfacial behaviour of microgels and the intrinsic mechanism of stabilizing emulsion is not fully understood. In this study, chitosan microgels (h -CSMs) with uniform size were successfully prepared by electrostatic crosslinking hydrophobically modified chitosan (h -CS) with sodium phytate (SP) using microfluidic technique. The microfluidic conditions for fabricating of h -CSM were optimized: the mass ratio of h -CS: SP = 5: 1 with h -CS concentration of 0.5 mg/ml, and the pressure ratio of P h -CS (Pa): P SP (Pa) = 1600:1000. The prepared h -CSMs were pH-responsive, with a swollen state at pH 5 and a shrunken state at pH 3 and 7. Further, the interfacial adsorption kinetics, and the interfacial rheology particularly the nonlinear interfacial rheology were systematically studied. The instantaneous S i -factor was proposed to describe the nonlinear responses of the microgel interface during an individual dilatational oscillation cycle. The results showed that microgelation significantly improved the interfacial ability of chitosan molecules at the oil-water interface. The h -CSM interface exhibited strain-softening response during extension and strain-hardening response during compression. The interface formed by h -CSMs under the swollen state had higher viscoelastic modulus, lower degree of nonlinearity and higher emulsifying capacity compared to that formed under the shrinking state. Low ionic strength significantly increased the viscoelastic modulus and reduced the nonlinearity and enhanced emulsifying capacity of the h -CSM interface, whereas high ionic strength disrupted the interaction between the h -CSMs and increased the nonlinear of the h -CSM interface due to too strong electrostatic screening effect. [Display omitted] • h -CSM was prepared by electrostatic crosslinking h -CS with SP using microfluidic technique. • h -CSM interface exhibited strain-softening in extension and strain-hardening in compression. • h -CSM interface had higher viscoelastic modulus and lower nonlinearity in swollen state than in shrunken state. • Moderate ionic strength enhanced viscoelastic modulus and decreased nonlinearity of h -CSM interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing plants in karst areas tends to be difficult due to the easy loss of water and soil. To enhance soil agglomeration, water retention, and soil fertility, this study developed a physically and chemically crosslinked hydrogel prepared from quaternary ammonium guar gum and humic acid. The results showed that non-covalent dynamic bonds between the two components delayed humic acid release into the soil, with a release rate of only 35 % after 240 h. The presence of four hydrophilic groups (quaternary ammonium, hydroxyl, carboxyl, and carbonyl) in the hydrogel more than doubled the soil's water retention capacity. The interaction between hydrogel and soil minerals (especially carbonate and silica) promoted hydrogel-soil and soil‑carbonate adhesion, and the adhesion strength between soil particles was enhanced by 650 %. Moreover, compared with direct fertilization, this degradable hydrogel not only increased the germination rate (100 %) and growth status of mung beans but also reduced the negative effects of excessive fertilization on plant roots. The study provides an eco-friendly, low-cost, and intelligent system for soil improvement in karst areas. It further proves the considerable application potential of hydrogels in agriculture. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-assembled protein fibers have attracted much attention in the fields of medicine and food because of their high aspect ratio, polymorphic structure and strong surface hydrophobicity. In this study, three different gelation types of polysaccharides/ β -lactoglobulin fiber (Fblg) composite gels, including ionic alginate-Fblg gels, synergistic xanthan-Fblg gels, and double network agar-Fblg gels, were first prepared. The interactions between the polysaccharides and the Fblgs, the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composite gels were investigated using the light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, rheology and texture analysis in order to reveal their formation mechanisms. Then the loading and release properties of the water-soluble drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and the hydrophobic drug curcumin (Cur) through these composite gels were further studied with release mechanisms determined by fitting different release models. It was found that the mechanical properties of the composite gels were determined by the mesh density of the three-dimensional networks formed inside the gels. The network structure and mechanical strength of the alginate-Fblg gels became weaker with the increase of Fblg content at pH 4 due to their attractive interaction which hindered the binding of Ca2+ to ALG, while the network and the strength of the alginate-Fblg gels didn't change much at pH 7 due to the repulsion between Alg and Fblg. The xanthan-Fblg gels formed lamellar structures with enhanced gel network and mechanical strength due to the hydrogen bonding and the electrostatic interaction with Fblg. The Agar-Fblg composite gel formed at 60 °C (above the gelation temperature of agar of 40 °C) had a denser double network structure and higher mechanical strength than that formed at 0 °C due to inhibition of diffusion of Ca2+ as salt bridges for Fblg. The hydrophilic drugs were loaded in the meshes of the composite gels and their release was determined by the structure of the composite gel networks, whereas the hydrophobic drugs were loaded by attaching to the Fblgs in the composite gels and their release was determined by the loading ability and strength of the gels. The study not only provided a new idea for the preparation and application of polysaccharide-protein fiber composite hydrogels, but also provided insights for improving the efficiency of drug carriers. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coded aperture imaging (CAI) based on the modified uniformly redundant array (MURA) has been successfully applied in far-field imaging to locate possible weak radioactive hotspots, such as in astronomy and nuclear security. However, there are difficulties in its direct use in near-field nuclear imaging because of severe artifacts caused by the MURA method itself. Recently, a novel attempt based on the Singer array (SA) has been widely discussed to improve the image quality of CAI. In this study, we carefully compare and evaluate the image artifacts and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the MURA and SA methods under the same near-field conditions. First, the definitions of near-field CAI, two decoding algorithms based on deconvolution and iteration, and the principles of the SA are briefly illustrated. Second, a series of simulations for near-field CAI of multiple sources based on the MURA (19 × 19) and SA (17 × 21) methods are discussed in detail. Third, controlled experiments based on the MURA and SA methods for near-field CAI of multiple sources are set up. The simulation and experiment results show that compared with the regular but difficult-to-remove artifacts in the MURA images for near-field CAI, the artifacts in the SA images are irregular but can be eliminated through finite iterations. For single-source imaging, the CNR of the MURA image is better than that of the SA image, but for multiple sources, their CNRs are roughly equivalent. Therefore, the SA method is more suitable for near-field CAI applications of multi-source objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CdZnTe detector, a room-temperature semiconductor detector, has many applications for nuclear safety and nuclear medicine because of its high energy resolution and small size when compared with scintillator detector and high purity Germanium detector respectively. Radionuclide imaging is one of the most important applications that requires adequate three-dimensional position resolution. In this work, we used a CdZnTe crystal from eV Products with a pixelated anode to achieve approximately 1.0 mm position resolution on an electrode plane and 0.9 mm position resolution in depth when the CdZnTe detector's pixel pitch is 2 mm and thickness is 5 mm. We also improved the energy resolution of a 662 keV full-energy peak in a 137Cs energy spectrum to 1.27% after running a selection of full-energy deposited events based on depth, compared with 4.06% without this operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An autoencoder model based on a multi-domain adversarial network was proposed. • The multi-domain adversarial network is developed to improve feature transfer. • A bearing life prediction network based on multi-channel features is proposed. • A degradation occurrence time identification method was proposed. Predicting the remaining useful life (RUL) of rolling bearings under different working conditions improved significantly by transfer learning. However, existing methods have not studied the following problems thoroughly: (1) The influence of the discrepancy between features of different dimensions on the feature transfer process; (2) The feature transfer process in the degradation stage with apparent discrepancy has a significant influence on the transfer prediction of remaining useful life. In this study, a degradation occurrence time identification method based on the distribution differences in reconstructing degradation indicators has been proposed to obtain samples of degradation stages. A stack convolutional autoencoder model based on a multi-domain adversarial network is also proposed to reduce the impact of discrepancies among extracted degradation features on the feature transfer process. As per the experimental results, it was found that the proposed method can effectively improve the RUL prediction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutron localization, which finds (localizes) neutron sources, is a non-destructive method used in the application of nuclear emergency response and special nuclear material (SNM) localization. Fast neutrons from SNM fission can be detected using a hydrogen-rich scintillation detector system with relatively high efficiency. In this study, we proposed a compact multi-pixel photon counter (MPPC)-based neutron scattering camera prototype consisting of sixteen plastic scintillator pillars. This camera is capable of detecting fast neutrons produced by neutron sources in the far-field. It provides a three-dimensional structure to detect incident neutrons with omnidirectional (4 π) field-of-view. Based on double neutron–proton elastic scattering, a reconstructed image can be achieved by using an Am–Be source. Besides, time-of-flight technology was adopted for separating neutron signals from the gamma-ray background radiation. The results of the imaging efficiency and the average imaging resolution are reported in this article. This camera offers good prospects to expand the application field of SNM localization for nuclear security and proliferation deterrence. • A compact MPPC-based camera for special nuclear materials detection is proposed. • This camera is capable of omnidirectional (4 π) fast-neutron imaging from a far field. • This camera provides a three-dimensional structure to detect incident neutrons. • Original energy and direction information of incident neutrons are detected. • The technology of time-of-flight (TOF) is adopted for neutron–gamma discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the synergistic effect and weak gel mechanism of XG and Gleditsia sinensis polysaccharide (GSP) in different ratios were studied through the rheological properties, microstructure and molecular simulation based on density functional theory (DFT). The results of rheological properties showed that the mixtures formed a weak gel at the concentration of 0.5 % (w/v), with the synergistic impact peaking at a XG/GSP ratio of 3:7. Weak gels produced by XG and GSP had the intersection of G' and G" within the temperature sweep range, and the largest change in the G' slope at a XG/GSP ratio of 3:7. By calculating the interaction energy, it was found that the backbone of XG was more likely to interact with the backbone of GSP. Furthermore, the XG mainchain intersected with the backbone of GSP in a cross shape ("X" shape). As a result, this paper proposed a possible mechanism for the formation of the XG/GSP weak gel, with XG as the main chain and GSP as the grid point, and the main interaction type being hydrogen bonding, with the van der Waals force also involved. The results provide new insight for designing and producing physical gels with specific interactions in food industry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Emerging evidence demonstrates that curcumin has an inhibitory effect on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and its targets and mechanism of action need further exploration. The goal of this study was to explore the potential targets and mechanism of curcumin against NSCLC by network pharmacology, bioinformatics, and experimental validation, thereby providing more insight into combination treatment with curcumin for NSCLC in preclinical and clinical research. Curcumin targets against NSCLC were predicted based on HIT2.0, STD, CTD, and DisGeNET, and the core targets were analyzed via protein-protein interaction network construction (PPI), Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and molecular docking. The gene expression levels of samples in A549 cells, NCI-H460, and curcumin treated groups were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. A total of 67 common targets between curcumin and NSCLC were collected by screening public databases. GO and KEGG analysis suggested that curcumin treatment of NSCLC mainly involves cancer-related pathways, such as PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, Foxo signaling pathway, microRNAs, MAPK signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, etc. The targets with the highest degree were identified through the PPI network, namely CASP3, CTNNB1, JUN, IL6, MAPK3, HIF1A, STAT3, AKT1, TP53, CCND1, VEGFA, and EGFR. The results of the in vitro experiments showed that curcumin treatment of NSCLC down-regulated the gene expressions of CCND1, CASP3, HIF1A, IL-6, MAPK3, STAT3, AKT1, and TP53. Our findings revealed that curcumin functions as a potential therapeutic candidate for NSCLC by suppressing multiple signaling pathways and interacting with multiple gene targets.

Background: California hare coltivirus (CHCV) was isolated in California in 1976 from a hare. Despite its long history, it remained unclear whether CHCV was exclusively distributed in California with limited host ranges. Main body: By next-generation sequencing (NGS), we obtained a complete sequence of CHCV from Ixodes persulcatus collected in 2019 in northeast China. An expanded epidemiological investigation was subsequently performed on ticks belonging to four species ( Ix. persulcatus , Haemaphysalis concinna , Devmacentor silvarum , Haemaphysalis longicornis ) collected in northeastern China by applying CHCV-specific RT-PCR and sequencing. CHCV RNA-positive results were found in 1.56% of the tick samples. Positive ticks were obtained in three of four sampled locations, with the highest rate observed in Inner Mongolia (2.69%), followed by Heilongjiang (1.94%) and Jilin provinces (0.55%). All positive results were derived from Ix. persulcatus ticks (2.33%), while no positive detection was found in the other tick species, even at the same location. Sequence analysis revealed that the current CHCV showed a high genetic identity (>80% amino acid identity) with the previously reported CHCV in all segments except segment seven (64.59% amino acid identity). Phylogenetic analysis based on RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) amino acid sequences demonstrated that both the current and previously reported CHCV strains were grouped phylogenetically into the genus Coltivirus . Both CHCV strains formed a distinct clade, clustering with three human pathogenic coltiviruses (Colorado tick fever virus, Salmon River virus, and Eyach virus), and were distant from the other coltiviruses. Conclusions: We report the identification and characterization of CHCV for the first time in Ix. persulcatus ticks, expanding the currently known geographic scope, host, and genetic heterogeneity in CHCV.

Scientific fertilization is an important technical means of achieving high and stable peanut yields. Using soil testing and formula fertilization, the "3414" optimal regression design was used and included 14 nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilization treatments. Ternary quadratic functions of the fertilizer effect were established according to three-season field experiments and the regression analysis of fertilizer-yield function was performed to explore the optimal fertilizer application mode and ratio for peanuts under mulched drip irrigation (MDI), and a suitable fertilizer application system was established. The ternary quadratic equation relating peanut yield ( y ) and the fertilizer application rates of N (N), P (P 2 O 5 ), and K (K 2 O) was obtained after fitting, i.e., y = 2912.528 + 21.432N + 16.324P + 6.181K - 0.051N 2 - 0.109P 2 - 0.061K 2 + 0.017NP + 0.023NK + 0.086PK, and significance analysis and typicality assessment were performed. The model R 2 was 0.9709, both values are extremely significant ( p < 0.01), which indicates that the obtained ternary quadratic fertilizer effect function is typical and could be used for statistical purposes and fertilization recommendations. Three quadratic fertilizer effect functions were obtained. Among them, the equation for K is extremely significant, and the equations of N and P are significant. According to the assumption that the marginal yield is zero and the marginal profit is zero, the fertilizer application rate with the maximum yield, the fertilizer application rate with the best economic benefits, and the corresponding yields were obtained. The optimal fertilizer application rate predicted by the ternary quadratic fertilizer effect function was relatively high, so the three quadratic fertilizer effect functions were used for prediction. Under the test conditions, the recommended fertilizer application rates for peanuts under MDI are 256.6 kg N per ha, 164.2 kg P 2 O 5 per ha, and 213.2 kg K 2 O per ha, the recommended fertilization ratio is 1:0.64:0.83, and the recommended ratio under formula fertilization is 23:15:19. The study has developed a data-based decision support system for Xinjiang drip-irrigated peanut, which assists farmers and agricultural managers in making more scientific and precise fertilization decisions based on the specific growth requirements of the crops and soil conditions. This evidence-based methodology enhances the precision of agricultural management, which is conducive to increasing crop yields while reducing resource wastage and environmental impact. However, multipoint and multiyear experiments are still needed to ensure that the findings are adaptable to the diverse soil conditions and fluctuating climate patterns that may be encountered in practice., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: Authors state no conflict of interest., (© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter.)

Sn-doped Ga 2 O 3 thin films and metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) ultraviolet detectors were prepared using the co-sputtering method to enhance their photoelectric performance. The results revealed that Sn doping can effectively change the optical and electrical properties of thin films, greatly improving the photoelectric responsiveness of the devices. Through microstructure testing results, all of the thin film structures were determined to be monoclinic beta phase gallium oxide. At a DC power of 30 W, the thickness of the Sn-doped thin film was 430 nm, the surface roughness of the thin film was 4.94 nm, and the carrier concentration, resistivity, and mobility reached 9.72 × 10 18 cm -3 , 1.60 × 10 -4 Ω·cm, and 45.05 cm 3 /Vs, respectively. The optical results show that Sn doping clearly decreases the transmission of thin films and that the bandgap can decrease to 3.91 eV. Under 30 W DC power, the photo dark current ratio of the detector can reach 101, time responses of t r = 31 s and t f = 22.83 s were obtained, and the spectral responsivity reached 19.25 A/W.

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of the CD8 + T cells infiltration from the 4 subtypes in medulloblastoma (MB), to analyze the relationship between CD8 + T cells infiltration and prognosis, to study the function of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 11 (CXCL11) and its receptor in CD8 + T cells infiltration into tumors and to explore the potential mechanism, and to provide the necessary clinicopathological basis for exploring the immunotherapy of MB., Methods: In the study, 48 clinical MB samples (12 cases in each of 4 subtypes) were selected from the multiple medical center from 2012 to 2019. The transcriptomics analysis for the tumor of 48 clinical samples was conducted on the NanoString PanCancer IO360 TM Panel (NanoString Technologies). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections from MB was carried out using CD8 primary antibody to analyze diffe-rential quantities of CD8 + T cells in the MB four subtypes. Through bioinformatics analysis, the relationship between CD8 + T cells infiltration and prognosis of the patients and the expression differences of various chemokines in the different subtypes of MB were investigated. The expression of CXCR3 receptor on the surface of CD8 + T cells in MB was verified by double immunofluorescence staining, and the underlying molecular mechanism of CD8 + T cells infiltration into the tumor was explored., Results: The characteristic index of CD8 + T cells in the WNT subtype of MB was relatively high, suggesting that the number of CD8 + T cells in the WNT subtype was significantly higher than that in the other three subtypes, which was confirmed by CD8 immunohistochemical staining and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database analysis by using R2 online data analysis platform. And the increase of CD8 + T cells infiltration was positively correlated with the patient survival. The expression level of CXCL11 in the WNT subtype MB was significantly higher than that of the other three subtypes. Immunofluorescence staining showed the presence of CXCL11 receptor, CXCR3, on the surface of CD8 + T cells, suggesting that the CD8 + T cells might be attracted to the MB microenvironment by CXCL11 through CXCR3., Conclusion: The CD8 + T cells infiltrate more in the WNT subtype MB than other subtypes. The mechanism may be related to the activation of CXCL11-CXCR3 chemokine system, and the patients with more infiltration of CD8 + T cells in tumor have better prognosis. This finding may provide the necessary clinicopathological basis for the regulatory mechanism of CD8 + T cells infiltration in MB, and give a new potential therapeutic target for the future immunotherapy of MB.

Due to the high content of impurities such as proteins in tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP), they must be separated and purified before it can be used. TSP can disperse in cold water, but a solution can only be obtained by heating the mixture. Therefore, it is important to understand the dispersion and dissolution process of TSP at different temperatures to expand the application of TSP. In this study, pasting behavior and rheological properties as a function of temperature were characterized in comparison with potato starch (PS), and their relationship with TSP molecular features and microstructure was revealed. Pasting behavior showed that TSP had higher peak viscosity and stronger thermal stability than PS. Rheological properties exhibited that G ' and G '' of TSP gradually increased with the increase in temperature, without exhibiting typical starch gelatinization behavior. The crystalline or amorphous structure of TSP and starch was disrupted under different temperature treatment conditions. The SEM results show that TSP particles directly transformed into fragments with the temperature increase, while PS granules first expanded and then broken down into fragments. Therefore, TSP and PS underwent different dispersion mechanisms during the dissolution process: As the temperature gradually increased, TSP possibly underwent a straightforward dispersion and was then dissolved in aqueous solution, while PS granules initially expanded, followed by disintegration and dispersion.

Single cell oil (SCO) prepared from biodiesel-derived crude glycerol (BCG) and lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) via oleaginous yeasts is an intriguing alternative precursor of biodiesel. Here, a novel strategy combining alkaline BCG pretreated corn stover and dilute acid pretreated water hyacinth for SCO overproduction was developed. The mixed pretreatment liquors (MPLs) were naturally neutralized and adjusted to a proper carbon-to-nitrogen ratio beneficial for SCO overproduction by Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosum. The toxicity of inhibitors was relieved by dilution detoxification. The enzymatic hydrolysate of solid fractions was suitable for SCO production either separately or simultaneously with MPLs. Fed-batch fermentation of the MPLs resulted in high cell mass, SCO content, and SCO titer of 80.7 g/L, 75.7 %, and 61.1 g/L, respectively. The fatty acid profiles of SCOs implied high-quality biodiesel characteristics. This study offers a novel BCG&LCB-to-SCO route integrating BCG-based pretreatment and BCG/LCB hydrolysates co-utilization, which provides a cost-effective technical route for micro-biodiesel production., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Adaptation to thermal conditions in tidal mudflats always involves tolerating frequent fluctuations and often extreme environmental temperatures. Regulation of gene expression plays a fundamental role in the evolution of these thermal adaptations. To identify the key gene regulatory networks associated with the thermal adaptation, we investigated the capability of cold tolerance, as well as the transcriptomic changes under cold stress in two mudflat inhabitants ( Odontamblyopus lacepedii and O. rebecca ) with contrasting latitude affinity. Our results revealed a remarkable divergent capacity of cold tolerance (CT min : 0.61 °C vs. 9.57 °C) between the two gobies. Analysis of transcriptomic changes under cold stress unveiled 193 differentially expressed genes exhibiting similar expression profiles across all tissues and species, including several classic metabolic and circadian rhythm molecules such as ACOD and CIART that may represent the core cold response machinery in eel gobies. Meanwhile, some genes show a unique expression spectrum in the more cold-tolerant O. lacepedii suggesting their roles in the enhanced cold tolerance and hence the extreme thermal adaptations. In addition, a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed a subset of metabolic hub genes including MYH11 and LIPT2 showing distinct down-regulation in O. lacepedii when exposed to cold stress which highlights the role of reduced energy consumption in the enhanced cold tolerance of eel gobies. These findings not only provide new insights into how mudflat teleosts could cope with cold stress and their potential evolutionary strategies for adapting to their thermal environment, but also have important implications for sound management and conservation of their fishery resources in a scenario of global climate warming in the marine realm.

Mudanjiang phlebovirus (MJPV) is a newly discovered phlebovirus, initially detected from Ixodes persulcatus ticks in China in 2022. In this study, by next-generation sequencing (NGS) on a wide variety of ticks and wild small animals in China, we detected MJPV from I. persulcatus and Meriones meridianus . Additionally, we conducted RT-PCR and sequencing on 1815 adult ticks and 805 wild small mammals collected from eight provinces in China between 2017 and 2021. MJPV RNA-positive results were found in 0.22% (4/1815) of tick samples, as well as in 0.12% (1/805) of rodent samples. All positive detections were obtained from Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia. Sequencing analysis revealed nucleotide similarities ranging from 98.23% to 99.11%, as well as amino acid similarities ranging from 99.12% to100%, between the current MJPV strain and previously reported strains of MJPV. Phylogenetic tree analysis demonstrated that the previously reported MJPV strain along with our two variants clustered together with other tick-borne phenuiviruses, indicating their close relationship within this viral group. This study represents the first detection of MJPV infection in wild rodents, expanding the known host range for this virus in the endemic regions.

Zn is an important trace element involved in various biochemical processes in aquatic species. An 8-week rearing trial was thus conducted to investigate the effects of Zn on juvenile largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides ) by feeding seven diets, respectively, supplemented with no Zn (Con), 60 and 120 mg/kg inorganic Zn (Sul60 and Sul120), and 30, 60, 90 and 120 mg/kg organic Zn (Bio30, Bio60, Bio90 and Bio120). Sul120 and Bio120 groups showed significantly higher weight gain and specific growth rate than Con group, with Bio60 group obtaining the lowest viscerosomatic index and hepatosomatic index. 60 or 90 mg/kg organic Zn significantly facilitated whole body Zn retention. Up-regulation of hepatic superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities and decline of malondialdehyde contents indicated augmented antioxidant capacities by organic Zn. Zn treatment also lowered plasma aminotransferase levels while promoting acid phosphatase activity and hepatic transcription levels of alp1 , acp1 and lyz-c than deprivation of Zn. The alterations in whole body and liver crude lipid and plasma TAG contents illustrated the regulatory effect of Zn on lipid metabolism, which could be possibly attributed to the changes in hepatic expressions of acc1 , pparγ , atgl and cpt1 . These findings demonstrated the capabilities of Zn in potentiating growth and morphological performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity as well as regulating lipid metabolism in M. salmoides . Organic Zn could perform comparable effects at same or lower supplementation levels than inorganic Zn, suggesting its higher efficiency. 60 mg/kg supplementation of organic Zn could effectively cover the requirements of M. salmoides .

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a low-fish-meal diet supplemented with coenzyme Q10 on the growth, antioxidant capacity, immunity, intestinal health and hypoxic resistance of Litopenaeus vannamei . L.vannamei with an initial weight of 0.66 g were fed with the experimental diets for 56 days. Diets D1 (20% FM level) and D2-D7 (15% FM level), supplemented with 0%, 0.002%, 0.004%, 0.006%, 0.008% and 0.01% coenzyme Q10 were formulated. In terms of growth performance, the weight gain and specific growth rate in the D2 diet were significantly lower than those in the D1 diet ( p < 0.05). The final body weight, weight gain and specific growth rate in the D2-D7 diets had an upward trend, and the condition factor in the D2-D7 diets was lower than those in the D1 diet ( p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the crude protein and crude lipid levels in the whole body among all diet treatments ( p > 0.05). In terms of hepatopancreas antioxidant parameters, the D5 and D6 diets significantly promoted the total antioxidant capacity and total superoxide dismutase activity, and significantly decreased the malondialdehyde content ( p < 0.05). The expression levels of cat , mnsod and gpx in shrimp fed with the D5 and D6 diets were significantly higher than those of shrimp fed with the D2 diet ( p < 0.05). In addition, the mRNA level of ProPO was increased in the D4 and D5 diets, and LZM expression was increased in the D6 diet compared with the D1 diet ( p < 0.05). The villus height of shrimp fed with diets supplemented with coenzyme Q10 was significantly increased ( p < 0.05), and the intestinal thickness and submucosal thickness of shrimp fed with the D6 diet were the highest ( p < 0.05). After acute hypoxia stress, lethal dose 50 time in the D3-D7 diets was significantly increased compared with the D1 and D2 diets ( p < 0.05), and the highest value was found in the D4 diet ( p < 0.05). After stress, the expression levels of TLR pathway-related genes ( Toll , Myd88 , Pelle , TRAF6 and Dorsal) in the D4 and D6 diets were significantly increased compared with the D2 diet. In general, Litopenaeus vannamei fed with the D6 diet achieved the best growth, antioxidant capacity, immunity, and intestinal morphology among all low FM diets and D4-D6 diets improved hypoxic resistance.

Aquatic animals have benefited from Bacillus subtilis -based probiotics over the past few decades. This study evaluated the effects of B. subtilis DSM 32315 probiotics as a feed additive on growth, immune response and resistance to acute ammonia challenge in Nile tilapia. Specifically, four supplemental levels (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3%) of B. subtilis probiotics were tested under two dietary protein levels (32% and 28%). Five replicate tanks were randomly allotted to each dietary treatment, with each tank containing 30 Nile tilapia. After 8 weeks of feeding, Nile tilapia in each tank were exposed to 43.61 mg/L of total ammonia nitrogen for 48 h. The results revealed that reducing protein levels from 32% to 28% did not affect growth performance or antioxidant capacity. However, the low protein diet tended to induce an inflammatory effect shown by increased expressions of TGF-β and IFN-γ genes ( P  < 0.05) in the liver. The impact was alleviated by the probiotic supplementation. Compared with the non-supplemented group, 0.1% probiotic supplementation remarkably increased plasma lysozyme activity, total antioxidant capacity and complement C3 and interleukin-10 mRNA levels ( P  < 0.05) in the 28% protein diet, while higher supplementation of probiotics (0.3%) was shown to be beneficial for the high protein diet (32%). In both the dietary protein levels, 0.1% supplementation of probiotics promoted the antioxidant capacity of Nile tilapia before exposure to ammonia stress but higher probiotic supplementation (0.3%) proved to be necessary under ammonia stress as evidenced by higher fish survival rate. Results exhibited that supplementation with B. subtilis probiotics had a better effect on the intestinal morphology (villi height and width) regardless of protein levels. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of B. subtilis DSM 32315 probiotics at 0.1% in the low protein diet and up to 0.3% in the high protein diet showed beneficial effects on the growth, immunity, and antioxidant capacity of Nile tilapia. Under ammonia stress conditions, the higher supplementation of B. subtilis DSM 32315 probiotics at 0.3% improves stress tolerance of Nile tilapia despite the two dietary protein levels (32%; 28%)., (© 2023 The Authors. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co. Ltd.)

Amphioctopusaegina is an economically important species that has been intensively exploited in the marine areas along the Chinese coast. However, the genetic variation and population genetic structure, which would provide valuable information for their fisheries management, have rarely been investigated. In this study, the genetic variation within and among four A.aegina populations throughout its full distribution range were estimated based on mitochondrial cytochrome b DNA sequences. Our results indicated low (Qinzhou) to high (Dongshan) genetic diversities among the four populations. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), ΦST statistics, phylogenetic tree and haplotype networks revealed two significant ( p < 0.01) divergent lineages with a ΦST value of 0.7116 between them, one from a population in Qinzhou and the other from the remaining three populations of Dongshan, Huizhou and Zhanjiang. However, the low genetic distance (0.0032) and only two fixed substitutions between them suggest their recent divergence is possibly due to the last glacial period barriers to gene flow produced by the Leizhou Peninsula. The observed lineage divergence suggests that populations of A.aegina in China are genetically subdivided and may represent evolutionary lineages that should be managed individually., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Yantao Liu, Long Hou, Liqin Liu, Amna Sulaman, Faiz Muhammad.)

Amblyopinae is one of the lineage of bony fish that preserves amphibious traits living in tidal mudflat habitats. In contrast to other active amphibious fish, Amblyopinae species adopt a seemly more passive lifestyle by living in deep burrows of mudflat to circumvent the typical negative effects associated with terrestriality. However, little is known about the genetic origin of these mudflat deep-burrowing adaptations in Amblyopinae. Here we sequenced the first genome of Amblyopinae species, Taenioides sp., to elucidate their mudflat deep-burrowing adaptations. Our results revealed an assembled genome size of 774.06 Mb with 23 pseudochromosomes anchored, which predicted 22,399 protein-coding genes. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that Taenioides sp. diverged from the active amphibious fish of mudskipper approximately 28.3 Ma ago. In addition, 185 and 977 putative gene families were identified to be under expansion, contraction and 172 genes were undergone positive selection in Taenioides sp., respectively. Enrichment categories of top candidate genes under significant expansion and selection were mainly associated with hematopoiesis or angiogenesis, DNA repairs and the immune response, possibly suggesting their involvement in the adaptation to the hypoxia and diverse pathogens typically observed in mudflat burrowing environments. Some carbohydrate/lipid metabolism, and insulin signaling genes were also remarkably alterated, illustrating physiological remolding associated with nutrient-limited subterranean environments. Interestingly, several genes related to visual perception (e.g., crystallins) have undergone apparent gene losses, pointing to their role in the small vestigial eyes development in Taenioides sp. Our work provide valuable resources for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying mudflat deep-burrowing adaptations in Amblyopinae, as well as in other tidal burrowing teleosts.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoVs) have emerged as a global health threat, which had caused a high rate of mortality. There is an urgent need to find effective drugs against these viruses. Objective: This study aims to predict the activity of unsymmetrical aromatic disulfides by constructing a QSAR model, and to design new compounds according to the structural and physicochemical attributes responsible for higher activity towards SARS-CoVs main protease. Methods: All molecules were constructed in ChemOffice software and molecular descriptors were calculated by CODESSA software. A regression-based linear heuristic method was established by changing descriptors datasets and calculating predicted IC 50 values of compounds. Then, some new compounds were designed according to molecular descriptors from the heuristic method model. The compounds with predicted values smaller than a set point were constantly screened out. Finally, the properties analysis and molecular docking were conducted to further understand the structure-activity relationships of these finalized compounds. Results: The heuristic method explored the various descriptors responsible for bioactivity and gained the best linear model with R 2 0.87. The success of the model fully passed the testing set validation, proving that the model has both high statistical significance and excellent predictive ability. A total of 5 compounds with ideal predicted IC 50 were found from the 96 newly designed derivatives and their properties analyze was carried out. Molecular docking experiments were conducted for the optimal compound 31a, which has the best compound activity with good target protein binding capability. Conclusion: The heuristic method was quite reliable for predicting IC 50 values of unsymmetrical aromatic disulfides. The present research provides meaningful guidance for further exploration of the highly active inhibitors for SARS-CoVs., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Song, Sun, Ma, Wang, Luan, Zhai, Su and Liu.)

Objective: To analyze the inpatient cost of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in children, so as to support clinical decision-making., Methods: Study population were children who received HSCT in a tertiary children's hospital (Sichuan, China) between 1st January 2020 and 31st December 2021. The median and interquartile range (IQR) of total cost at 100 days post transplantation were calculated. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on age, gender, transplantation types, and post-transplant complications. The cost differences between subgroups were analyzed to determine whether it had an impact on the total costs., Results: A total of 142 pediatric patients were included in the study with a total cost of 250721.78 yuan (197019.16-315740.52, 1 yuan equals to around 0.15 US dollars). Drug costs accounted for 51.85% of the total cost, followed by medical service costs (12.57%) and treatment expenses (12.24%). In terms of transplantation types, the cost of autologous transplantation was lower than that of allogeneic transplantation (115722.98 yuan vs. 256043.99 yuan, p  < 0.05), and the cost of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) complete matched was lower compared with that of partial matched (213760.88 yuan vs. 294044.84 yuan, p  < 0.05). As for post-transplant complications, cases with <3 types of complications cost less than those with ≥3 types (212893.25 yuan vs. 286064.60 yuan, p  < 0.05), and those with severity ≤ grade 2 cost less than those > grade 2 (235569.37 yuan vs. 280061.58 yuan, p  < 0.05). Age and gender of patients did not lead to statistical differences in the total cost, while the transplantation types and post-transplant complications influenced the total cost., Conclusion: The total cost at 100 days post transplantation associated with HSCT treatment were substantial for pediatric patients. The HLA compatibility between donors and recipients, and post-transplant complications were important factors affecting the total cost., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Chen, Liu, Yang, Hong and Ni.)

Objective: The antifriction and antiwear effects of gelatin nanoparticles (GLN-NP) on artificial joint materials in bionic joint lubricant were investigated to provide a theoretical basis for the development of new bionic joint lubricant., Methods: GLN-NP was prepared by cross-linking collagen acid (type A) gelatin with glutaraldehyde by acetone method, and the particle size and stability of GLN-NP were characterized. The biomimetic joint lubricants with different concentrations were prepared by mixing 5, 15, and 30 mg/mL GLN-NP with 15 and 30 mg/mL hyaluronic acid (HA), respectively. The friction reduction and antiwear effects of the biomimetic joint lubricants on zirconia ceramics were investigated on a tribometer. The cytotoxicity of each component of bionic joint lubricant on RAW264.7 mouse macrophages was evaluated by MTT assay., Results: The particle size of GLN-NP was about 139 nm, and the particle size distribution index was 0.17, showing a single peak, indicating that the particle size of GLN-NP was uniform. In complete culture medium, pH7.4 PBS, and deionized water at simulated body temperature, the particle size of GLN-NP did not change more than 10 nm with time, indicating that GLN-NP had good dispersion stability and did not aggregate. Compared with 15 mg/mL HA, 30 mg/mL HA, and normal saline, the friction coefficient, wear scar depth, width, and wear volume were significantly reduced by adding different concentrations of GLN-NP ( P <0.05); there was no significant difference between different concentrations of GLN-NP ( P >0.05). Biocompatibility test showed that the cell survival rate of GLN-NP, HA, and HA+GLN-NP solution decreased slightly with the increase of concentration, but the cell survival rate was more than 90%, and there was no significant difference between groups ( P >0.05)., Conclusion: The bionic joint fluid containing GLN-NP has good antifriction and antiwear effect. Among them, GLN-NP saline solution without HA has the best antifriction and antiwear effect.

Background: Smoking behavior alters the analgesic threshold, which challenges postoperative pain management for patients who smoke., Objectives: We aimed to assess the analgesic efficacy of tramadol versus sufentanil in relieving postoperative pain for patients who do and do not smoke who underwent a partial hepatectomy., Study Design: Double-blinded randomized controlled trial., Setting: Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China., Methods: All patients in this study were men. A total of 66 patients who smoke were randomly assigned to receive tramadol or sufentanil (n = 33 each). In addition, a total of 66 patients who do not smoke were randomly assigned to receive tramadol or sufentanil (n = 33 each). The primary outcome was the consumption of additional analgesics within the first 48 hours to control postoperative pain. Secondary outcomes included the postoperative pain level, the frequency of postoperative nausea and vomiting, the sedation score, and the frequency of fever within 48 hours postsurgery., Results: A significant interaction between "analgesic strategy" and "smoking history" was detected on the consumption of additional analgesics. In those who smoke, the requests for additional doses of analgesics were significantly less in those receiving tramadol than those receiving sufentanil; such a difference was not observed in those who do not smoke. The postoperative pain level was not significantly different between the tramadol group and the sufentanil group within patients who smoke within 48 hours postsurgery. The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was not significantly different between the tramadol group and the sufentanil group within both those who do and do not smoke., Limitations: Only men patients were included. Also, the superior analgesic effect and the incidence of adverse events of tramadol in patients who smoke were only assessed within the first 48 hours postsurgery., Conclusions: Our data suggest that tramadol has a better analgesic effect than sufentanil in relieving postoperative pain in patients who smoke.

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a major cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and cancer stem cell is responsible for the poor clinical outcome of NSCLC. Previous reports indicated that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in maintaining cancer stemness, however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigates the role of ASAP1 Intronic Transcript 1 (ASAP1-IT1) in cancer cell stemness of NSCLC., Methods: The expression of ASAP1-IT1, microRNA-509-3p (miR-509-3p) and apoptosis-/stemness-related genes was analyzed by qRT-PCR in NSCLC tissues, cancer cells and spheres of cancer stem cells. Knockdown of ASAP1-IT1 or overexpression of miR-509-3p in NSCLC cells by infection or transfection of respective plasmids. Sphere formation and colony formation were used to detect NSCLC stem cell-like properties and tumor growth in vitro. Luciferase reporter assays, RNA immunoprecitation (RIP) and qRT-PCR assays were used to analyze the interaction between lncRNA and miRNA. The expression of expression of regulated genes of ASAP1-IT1/miR-509-3p axis was evaluated by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The NSCLC xenograft mouse model was used to validate the role of ASAP1-IT1 in NSCLC stemness and tumor growth in vivo., Results: ASAP1-IT1 was up-regulated in NSCLC tissues, cancer cells, and in spheres of A549-derived cancer stem cells. Downregulation of ASAP1-IT1 or overexpression of miR-509-3p significantly decreased cell colony formation and stem cell-like properties of A549-dereived stem cells with decreased expression of stem cell biomarkers SOX2, CD34, and CD133, and suppressing the expression of cell growth-related genes, Cyclin A1, Cyclin B1, and PCNA. Furthermore, knockdown of ASAP1-IT1 or overexpression of miR-509-3p repressed tumor growth in nude mice via reducing expression of tumorigenic genes. ASAP1-IT1 was found to interact with miR-509-3p. Moreover, overexpression of ASAP1-IT1 blocked the inhibition by miR-509-3p on stem cell-like properties and cell growth of A549-dereived stem cells both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the level of YAP1 was regulated by ASAP1-IT1 and miR-509-3p., Conclusions: YAP1-involved ASAP1-IT1/miR-509-3p axis promoted NSCLC progression by regulating cancer cell stemness, and targeting this signaling pathway could be is a promising therapeutic strategy to overcome NSCLC stemness., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

The mechanisms underlying the growth inhibitory effect of Benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) against breast cancer are still not fully understood. Therefore, we further investigated the mechanism in BITC triggering breast cancer. In the present study, we found that the overexpression of FOXH1 in breast cancers tissues and cells, and FOXH1 significantly promoted cell proliferation, invasion and tumorigenesis in vitro. FOXH1 significantly increased the expression levels of β-catenin, cyclinD1, and c-myc proteins in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, siβ-catenin reduced FOXH1 promotion of cell proliferation and invasion in breast cancer cells. Taken together, these results suggest that FOXH1 promoted breast cancer cell growth and invasion by potentiating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, suggesting that FOXH1 may be a potential molecular target for breast cancer prevention and therapy. Furthermore, BITC treatment has remarkable effect on the expression level of FOXH1 and β-catenin mRNA and protein in MCF-7 cells, MDA-MB-231 cells and SUM 159 cells. BITC treatment has an obvious significance on transcriptional activity of FOXH1. Cell growth and invasion inhibition resulting from BITC exposure were significantly augmented by FoxH1 knockdown. In conclusion, the present study provides novel insights into the molecular circuitry of BITC-induced cell death involving FoxH1-mediated tumorigenesis. Thus, the present study provides a novel insight into the underlying mechanism of tumorigenesis in BITC triggering breast cancer, indicating the therapeutic potential of FOXH1 in the treatment of breast cancer.

To identify SJCHGC01743 gene of Schistosoma japonicum and evaluate the potential of the recombinant protein as a new vaccine candidate for schistosomiasis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was used to amplify the cDNA of the gene and real-time RT-PCR was used to analyze the transcription profiles of SJCHGC01743 at different development stages. Recombinant plasmid was successfully constructed and transformed into competent Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). Then the recombinant protein was expressed, purified and emulsified with ISA206 adjuvant to immunize BALB/c mice for three times. The immunogenicity was confirmed by Western blotting and tissue localization was detected by indirect immunofluorescent assay. The specific antibody level was detected by ELISA. The immunoprotection of rSjOST48 was evaluated by the reduction in worm and egg counts in mice. A cDNA with 1 248 nucleotides was isolated from 28-day-old schistosomes cDNAs by PCR. Sequence analysis revealed that SJCHGC01743 was a 48-kDa subunit of the oligosaccharyltransferase complex (OST48) and named as SjOST48. Real-time PCR analysis indicated that this gene was expressed in all investigated stages and had the highest expression level in 28 d worms, the level of gene transcription in female worms was significantly higher than that of male worms. Then recombinant plasmid pET28a(+)-SjOST48 was successfully constructed and expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3). Western blotting analysis showed that rSjOST48 had good immunogenicity. Indirect immunofluorescent analysis revealed that SjOST48 was mainly distributed on the tegument of the worms. The result of ELISA indicated that the rSjOST48 vaccinated group could induce a significant increase in the level of specific IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a. An immunoprotection experiment showed that the vaccination of rSjOST48 in mice induced 32.62% (P < 0.05) reduction in the numbers of worms and 57.61% (P < 0.01) in eggs in liver, compared with that of the control group. This study provides the foundation for proceeding further research on the biological function of SjOST48 and screening new vaccine candidates for schistosomiasis.

A novel palladium catalyzed direct ortho-arylation of N-phenacylpyridinium bromide was developed. The amazing N-phenacyl group regioselectively activates the C-H bond of pyridine and automatically departs from the arylated products. A kinetic isotope effect study proved that the reaction went through a C-H-bond activation pathway and 2,6-diphenylpyridine was produced stepwise from 2-phenylpyridine.