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Aim: Human stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAPs) are an appealing stem cell source for tissue regeneration engineering. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are known to exert pivotal regulatory functions in various cell differentiation processes, including osteogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells. However, few studies have shown the potential mechanism of circRNAs in the odonto/osteogenic differentiation of SCAPs. Herein, we identified a novel circRNA, circ‐ZNF236 (hsa_circ_0000857) and found that it was remarkably upregulated during the SCAPs committed differentiation. Thus, in this study, we showed the significance of circ‐ZNF236 in the odonto/osteogenic differentiation of SCAPs and its underlying regulatory mechanisms. Methodology: The circular structure of circ‐ZNF236 was identified via Sanger sequencing, amplification of convergent and divergent primers. The proliferation of SCAPs was detected by CCK‐8, flow cytometry analysis and EdU incorporation assay. Western blotting, qRT‐PCR, Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin red staining (ARS) were performed to explore the regulatory effect of circ‐ZNF236/miR‐218‐5p/LGR4 axis in the odonto/osteogenic differentiation of SCAPs in vitro. Fluorescence in situ hybridization, as well as dual‐luciferase reporting assays, revealed that circ‐ZNF236 binds to miR‐218‐5p. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and mRFP‐GFP‐LC3 lentivirus were performed to detect the activation of autophagy. Results: Circ‐ZNF236 was identified as a highly stable circRNA with a covalent closed loop structure. Circ‐ZNF236 had no detectable influence on cell proliferation but positively regulated SCAPs odonto/osteogenic differentiation. Furthermore, circ‐ZNF236 was confirmed as a sponge of miR‐218‐5p in SCAPs, while miR‐218‐5p targets LGR4 mRNA at its 3′‐UTR. Subsequent rescue experiments revealed that circ‐ZNF236 regulates odonto/osteogenic differentiation by miR‐218‐5p/LGR4 in SCAPs. Importantly, circ‐ZNF236 activated autophagy, and the activation of autophagy strengthened the committed differentiation capability of SCAPs. Subsequently, in vivo experiments showed that SCAPs overexpressing circ‐ZNF236 promoted bone formation in a rat skull defect model. Conclusions: Circ‐ZNF236 could activate autophagy through increasing LGR4 expression, thus positively regulating SCAPs odonto/osteogenic differentiation. Our findings suggested that circ‐ZNF236 might represent a novel therapeutic target to prompt the odonto/osteogenic differentiation of SCAPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deinococcus radiodurans (DR) exhibits strong resistance to ionizing radiation. In this study, by constructing a radiation-resistant genetically engineered strain overexpressing the Cs gene, the tolerance of the bacterium to aluminum ions was enhanced, thereby achieving the goal of microbial sustainable remediation of uranium-contaminated environments. Methods: 1. Extraction of the recombinant plasmid pRADK-Cs, transformation into DR, and verification. 2. Investigation of factors such as time and initial uranium concentration on the efficiency of uranium accumulation by the recombinant strain, characterized by changes in functional groups and surface morphology before and after accumulation using techniques such as scanning electron microscope. Conclusions: The recombinant strain Deino-Cs can reduce the inhibitory effect of aluminum ions on uranium accumulation capability, and it exhibits a higher uranium accumulation rate compared to the wild-type strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the volatility of atmospheric particulates and the evolution of other particulate properties (chemical composition, particle size distribution and mixing state) with temperature, a thermodenuder coupled with a single particle aerosol mass spectrometer was used to conduct continuous observations of atmospheric fine particles in Chengdu, southwest China. Because of their complex sources and secondary reaction processes, the average mass spectra of single particles contained a variety of chemical components (including organic, inorganic and metal species). When the temperature rose from room temperature to 280°C, the relative areas of volatile and semi-volatile components decreased, while the relative areas of less or non-volatile components increased. Most (> 80%) nitrate and sulfate existed in the form of NH 4 NO 3 and (NH 4) 2 SO 4 , and their volatilization temperatures were 50–100°C and 150–280°C, respectively. The contribution of biomass burning (BB) and vehicle emission (VE) particles increased significantly at 280°C, which emphasized the important role of regional biomass burning and local motor vehicle emissions to the core of particles. With the increase in temperature, the particle size of the particles coated with volatile or semi-volatile components was reduced, and their mixing with secondary inorganic components was significantly weakened. The formation of K-nitrate (KNO 3) and K-sulfate (KSO 4) particles was dominated by liquid-phase processes and photochemical reactions, respectively. Reducing KNO 3 and BB particles is the key to improving visibility. These new results are helpful towards better understanding the initial sources, pollution formation mechanisms and climatic effects of fine particulate matter in this megacity in southwest China. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, three iridium(III) tetrazolato complexes have been designed and successfully synthesized. Beside photophysical properties, their performances in protein staining have been comprehensively investigated in this work for the first time. Notably, these iridium(III) tetrazolato complexes with high quantum efficiency exhibited much better protein staining properties than the commercial agent Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB) under the same experimental conditions, which may pave the way to explore new efficient iridium-based protein staining agents both for commercial markets and academic research in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Exploring the transition-metal-based bifunctional electrocatalysts with high performance for efficient water-splitting and urea electrolysis is significant but challenging. This work presents the in situ preparation of holey NiFe-LDH nanosheets on Ni foam (H-NiFe-LDH/NF) via a one-step hydrothermal method in the presence of PEO-PPO-PEO as the soft template. The holey NiFe-LDH nanosheets provide a high electrochemical surface area, more edge catalytic sites, and abundant oxygen vacancies. Consequently, H-NiFe-LDH/NF exhibits excellent catalytic activity to oxygen evolution, urea oxidation, and hydrogen evolution reactions (OER, UOR, and HER) with good stability in alkaline electrolytes. This electrode requires an overpotential of 261 mV for the OER, a potential of 1.480 V for the UOR to achieve a current density of 100 mA cm−2 in alkaline solutions. By employing the self-supported electrode as both the anode and cathode, this electrolysis cell (H-NiFe-LDH/NF||H-NiFe-LDH/NF) gains current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm−2 at low cell voltages of 1.575 and 1.933 V in the 1.0 M KOH solution. After adding 0.33 M urea, the voltages to deliver 10 and 100 mA cm−2 respectively decrease to 1.418 and 1.691 V. The H-NiFe-LDH/NF electrode also shows excellent stability for water-splitting and urea electrolysis. This work not only contributes to developing a low-cost, high-efficiency, bifunctional electrocatalyst but also provides a practically feasible approach for urea-rich wastewater electrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare perioperative, functional, and oncologic outcomes between robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) for renal hilar tumors. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent minimally invasive partial nephrectomy for renal hilar tumors at our institution between January 2014 and August 2018. The entire cohort was divided into two groups according to surgical approach: RAPN and LPN group. Perioperative, functional, and oncologic outcomes of the two groups were collected and compared. Results: A total of 116 patients with renal hilar tumors were identified, including 52 patients who underwent RAPN and 64 patients who underwent LPN, respectively. Demographic baseline characteristics were similar in two groups. There were no differences between the RAPN and LPN groups for operative time, transfusion rate, conversion rate, surgical margin, perioperative complication, and hospital stay. Compared with the LPN group, the RAPN group was associated with significant less estimated blood loss (100 vs 150 mL; p < 0.001), shorter warm ischemia time (20.3 vs 24.5 minutes; p = 0.001), and higher direct cost (p < 0.001). Percentage of estimated glomerular filtration rate change at 6 months after surgery was lower in RAPN group than LPN group (10.4% vs 15.2%; p = 0.020). No significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of oncologic outcomes. Conclusions: For hilar tumors, both RAPN and LPN were safe and feasible surgical treatments. RAPN might be associated with superior perioperative outcomes (less estimated blood loss and shorter warm ischemia time) and better postoperative renal functional preservation. RAPN might be the preferred option when condition permits for renal hilar tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the globalization of trade, the current fresh fruit supply chain now incorporates multiple entities, wide distribution, and intricate transactions. This brings about the issues of information tamper resistance, supply-demand relationship, and traceable supervision. Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology with advantages of tamper resistance of information. It is expected to solve the problem of transaction resource allocation among several untrusted participants in the fresh fruit supply chain. This article recommends the use of blockchain to upgrade the current fresh fruit supply chain, and highlights the advantages of blockchain in supply chain management. The obstacles faced by the implementation of this technology in relation to participants' attitude, fruit preservation, and blockchain technical loopholes have been analyzed as well. Blockchain can upgrade fresh fruit supply chain. It collects and uploads reliable data from fruit picking to final consumption through IoT-related technologies. After hash encryption and consensus verification, it is transmitted to P2P network for sharing. It balances the tension between supply and demand, brings funds for enterprises, simplifies supervision and traceability. Smart contracts reduce the cost of communication and trust. However, blockchain has some limitations such as difficulties in incorporating architecture, reliance on the IoT, immature fruit preservation technology, unclear legal supervision, lack of reference cases, and technical loopholes. • The combination of blockchain and IoT can collect reliable data from fruit picking to consumers. • Blockchain and smart contracts can reduce the operating cost of the fresh fruit supply chain. • Blockchain can simplify the process of government supervision and traceability. • The enterprise application of blockchain in fresh fruit supply chain also faces risks and challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) survival had no significant improvement since 1990 in the United States. This study aims to get insight into the changing trend and distribution of death causes of PSCC. The epidemiology of PSCC is also investigated. Methods: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) (1992–2018) database is utilized to get patients diagnosed with penile squamous cell carcinoma. The trend of incidence, distribution of age, changing trend and distribution of death cause, and survival outcome are analyzed for all PSCC patients and each race. Results: Three thousand four hundred and twenty‐three male patients with PSCC are enrolled in our study. The age‐adjusted incidence rate of the white has a slight increase (Annual percent change [APC] = 0.647%). American Indian/Alaska Native men have the highest average annual incidence, while Asian /Pacific Islander men have the lowest. PSCC patients aged 70–80 are the most common, and patients over 80 years have the highest 3‐year (50%) and 5‐year (63.93%) mortality rate. Non‐cancer disease, especially circulatory system disease, is the most common cause of death, whereas the proportion of patients who died of PSCC significantly increased from 21.17% (1992–2001) to 41.3% (2012–2017) in PSCC patients (p < 0.001). These results have not changed significantly when we only focus on primary PSCC without previous malignant tumors. Hispanics are shown better overall survival than non‐Hispanic White and non‐ Hispanic Black men. (p < 0.001) No statistical differences in cancer‐specific survival are observed (p = 0.15). Conclusion: The current study provides essential initial data regarding the presentation and clinical outcomes of PSCC patients. Notably, non‐cancer disease, especially circulatory system disease, is the more common cause of death than PSCC. However, the proportion of patients who died of penile squamous cell carcinoma has a relatively significant increase in recent years. The increasing trends in the advanced stage of PSCC patients might account for this change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bladder cancer (BC) survival has shown no significant improvement. This study investigated the trends in the common causes of death among patients with BC to improve the management and survival of BC. Method: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) (1992–2018) database was utilized to get the data of BC patients. We presented the proportion of six common causes of death in BC patients. We calculated the annual incidence of death due to the six most common causes and analyzed temporal trends in mortality rates using joinpoint regression. The competitive risk model was utilized to analyze the risk factors for death of BC and other causes. Results: 198037 BC patients were enrolled. BC was the most common cause of death (30.62%), followed by other cancers (22.22%), circulatory diseases (20.28%), non-disease causes (11.58%), other non-cancer diseases (8.29%), and respiratory diseases (7.01%). However, the proportion of cases dying from BC gradually decreased from 44.87% in 1992–1996 to 26.74% in 2012–2018. The proportion of deaths due to BC decreased gradually with survival time from diagnosis. Age-standardized temporal trends present an initial increase in BC-specific and other-cause mortality rates. Advanced stage and older age were the most influential risk factors for BC-specific and other-cause death, respectively. Conclusion: Although BC was still the leading cause of death, other causes, especially other cancers and circulatory diseases, gradually became more critical. The management of other comorbid conditions will be a crucial part of the treatment for BC patients, especially for those with prolonged survival and NMIBC tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

S-NiMoO 4 @NiFe-LDH was prepared by growing NiFe-LDH layer on sulfur-modified NiMoO 4 nanorods supported by Ni foam and shows high OER, HER, and water-splitting activity in alkaline both simulated seawater and natural seawater electrolytes. [Display omitted] • S-NiMoO 4 @NiFe-LDH is synthesized by electrodepositing a NiFe-LDH layer on S-modified NiMoO 4 nanorods. • The NiFe-LDH layer contains amorphous and crystalline species and NiMoO 4 is just modified rather than transformed. • S-NiMoO 4 @NiFe-LDH shows outstanding OER and HER activities in alkaline simulated seawater and natural seawater. • The S-NiMoO 4 @NiFe-LDH electrolyzer exhibits better overall seawater-splitting performance than the IrO 2 ||Pt/C cell. Developing high-efficiency and earth-abundant electrocatalysts for electrochemical seawater-splitting is of great significance but remains a grand challenge due to the presence of high-concentration chloride. This work presents the synthesis of a three-dimensional core–shell nanostructure with an amorphous and crystalline NiFe-layered double hydroxide (NiFe-LDH) layer on sulfur-modified nickel molybdate nanorods supported by porous Ni foam (S-NiMoO 4 @NiFe-LDH/NF) through hydrothermal and electrodeposition. Benefiting from high intrinsic activity, plentiful active sites, and accelerated electron transfer, S-NiMoO 4 @NiFe-LDH/NF displays an outstanding bifunctional catalytic activity toward oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in both simulated alkaline seawater and natural seawater electrolytes. To reach a current density of 100 mA cm−2, this catalyst only requires overpotentials of 273 and 315 mV for OER and 170 and 220 mV for HER in 1 M KOH + 0.5 M NaCl freshwater and 1 M KOH + seawater electrolytes, respectively. Using S-NiMoO 4 @NiFe-LDH as both anode and cathode, the electrolyzer shows superb overall seawater-splitting activity, and respectively needs low voltages of 1.68 and 1.73 V to achieve a current density of 100 mA cm−2 in simulated alkaline seawater and alkaline natural seawater electrolytes with good Cl− resistance and satisfactory durability. The electrolyzer outperforms the benchmark IrO 2 ||Pt/C pair and many other reported bifunctional catalysts and exhibits great potential for realistic seawater electrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Pectin was innovatively modified by cross-linking with β-cyclodextrin. • The modification sensibly raised pectin's cholesterol adsorption capacity. • Modified pectins adsorbed sodium cholate better than β-cyclodextrin or pectin. • The best adsorption was achieved when β-cyclodextrin to pectin ratio was 10:1. • Modified pectins were in line with Langmuir model and pseudosecond-order kinetic. A novel adsorbent β-cyclodextrin-modified pectin was synthesized for removing cholesterol and bile salts from the gastric-intestinal passage. Different amounts of β-cyclodextrin were cross-linked to pectin by aldol condensation reaction via glutaraldehyde. The prepared β-cyclodextrin-modified pectins were successfully confirmed by characterization, showing a higher specific surface area and improved thermal stability with satisfactory cellular compatibility. The introduction of β-cyclodextrins dramatically improved the cholesterol adsorption capacity of pectin due to their hydrophobic cavities. Meanwhile, the modified pectins exhibited superior adsorption for sodium cholate than β-cyclodextrin or pectin itself, which was attributed to hydrophobic interactions. P 10:1 displayed the strongest adsorption performance, with a maximum adsorption ability of 44.21 mg/g for cholesterol and 21.38 mg/g for sodium cholate. Furthermore, their adsorption favored the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudosecond-order kinetic model. These results indicate that modified pectin has potential as a nature-based adsorbent for removal of cholesterol and bile salts in the health food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing renewable energy integrated to the integrated energy systems (IESs), the dynamic characteristics and coupling effects of different forms of energy need to be taken into consideration. Dynamic behaviors of heating systems are not well captured by the traditional steady‐state models of integrated heat‐electricity systems (IHESs). As integrated demand response (IDR) technology is widely used in IHESs, it is of great significance to establish the models of IHESs considering demand side management and dynamic behaviors of district heating network (DHN). Firstly, in order to accurately reflect the real‐time operation of the systems, a modeling method of IHESs containing source, network, and load is proposed. Then, based on the dynamic model of each equipment in the DHN and the demand response of multiple types of loads, a multi‐energy flow dynamic model considering IDR and dynamic behaviors of DHN is proposed. In this paper, the models of the equipment are integrated under a unified framework, and a coordinated control model of the IHES is given, which aims to realize the economic operation of the system. Finally, the system model is placed in different scenarios for simulation. The results verify the dynamic characteristics of the DHN, and prove that the control strategy design for the IHES can help to improve the wind power consumption capacity and reduce costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the destabilization resistance of Sc 2 O 3 and CeO 2 co-stabilized ZrO 2 (SCZ) ceramics was tested in Na 2 SO 4 + V 2 O 5 molten salts at 750°C–1100 °C. The phase structure and microstructure evolution of the samples during the hot corrosion testing were analyzed with X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Results showed that the destabilization of SCZ ceramics at 750 °C was the result of the chemical reaction with V 2 O 5 to produce m-ZrO 2 and CeVO 4 , and little ScVO 4 was detected in the Sc 2 O 3 -rich SCZ ceramics. The primary corrosion products at 900 °C and 1100 °C were CeO 2 and m-ZrO 2 due to the mineralization effect. The Sc 2 O 3 -rich SCZ ceramics exhibited excellent degradation resistance and phase stability owing to the enhanced bond strength and the decreased size misfit between Zr4+ and Sc3+. The destabilization mechanism of SCZ ceramic under hot corrosion was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grammar is central to any natural language. In the past decades, the artificial grammar of the AnBn type in which a pair of associated elements can be nested in the other pair was considered as a desirable model to mimic human language syntax without semantic interference. However, such a grammar relies on mere associating mechanisms, thus insufficient to reflect the hierarchical nature of human syntax. Here, we test how the brain imposes syntactic hierarchies according to the category relations on linearized sequences by designing a novel artificial "Hierarchical syntactic structure‐building Grammar" (HG), and compare this to the AnBn grammar as a "Nested associating Grammar" (NG) based on multilevel associations. Thirty‐six healthy German native speakers were randomly assigned to one of the two grammars. Both groups performed a grammaticality judgment task on auditorily presented word sequences generated by the corresponding grammar in the scanner after a successful explicit behavioral learning session. Compared to the NG group, we found that the HG group showed a (a) significantly higher involvement of Brodmann area (BA) 44 in Broca's area and the posterior superior temporal gyrus (pSTG); and (b) qualitatively distinct connectivity between the two regions. Thus, the present study demonstrates that the build‐up process of syntactic hierarchies on the basis of category relations critically relies on a distinctive left‐hemispheric syntactic network involving BA 44 and pSTG. This indicates that our novel artificial grammar can constitute a suitable experimental tool to investigate syntax‐specific processes in the human brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green innovation is the key to achieving a win-win situation between economic growth and environmental pollution control. Informal environmental regulation, represented by ENGOs, is playing an increasingly important role. This article used the 'Pollution Information Transparency Index' (PITI) of 113 cities in 2008, jointly published by two ENGOs (IPE and NRDC), as a quasi-natural experiment, and evaluated the 'net effect' of green innovation of informal environmental regulation by the identification methods of DID and DID-PSM. The main research conclusions were as follows: (1) Informal environmental regulation did induce urban green innovation. After passing a series of parallel trend tests, DID-PSM regression tests and placebo tests, the results were still robust. (2) From the perspective of regional heterogeneity, it was concluded that more attention was paid to informal environmental regulation in the eastern and western regions, which responded more positively to the release of PITI, while the central region received less impact. From the perspective of time trend, the green innovation effect induced by informal environmental regulation was the strongest in the first year of policy implementation, and then showed a trend of weakening year by year. (3) The green innovation effect of informal environmental regulation was more obvious in cities with higher level of government environmental information disclosure. In addition, the information diffusion level of cities also affected the green innovation effect to a certain extent. In comparison with the level of urban information diffusion, the green innovation effect of informal environmental regulation was more significantly affected by the level of environmental information disclosure. (4) After eliminating a series of other environmental policy shocks that were likely to affect urban green innovation activities, such as carbon emissions trading pilots in the same period, carbon emissions trading pilots in five provinces and eight cities, and sulfur dioxide emissions trading pilots, the green innovation of informal environmental regulation still existed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of the partial Y 2 O 3 substituted by Gd 2 O 3 on thermal and mechanical properties of ZrO 2 -Ta 2 O 5 -Y 2 O 3 ceramics were studied. Results indicated the single stable tetragonal phase of zirconia co-doped with 16 mol% YO 1.5 +16 mol% TaO 2.5 (YTZ) and zirconia co-doped with (16-x) mol% YO 1.5 + x mol% GdO 1.5 +16 mol% TaO 2.5 (xGYTZ, x = 2, 4, 8) just existed at and above 1500 °C. The Gd 2 O 3 substitution caused a decrease in phase stability when annealed at 1300 °C and 1400 °C. YTZ and 2GYTZ ceramics exhibited high fracture toughness, large thermal expansion coefficients (TECs), and low thermal conductivity. With the Gd 2 O 3 substitution, the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity showed a decreasing trend, while TECs increased due to the decrease of crystal energy. The thermal durability of YTZ and 2GYTZ TBCs was evaluated. The cycling life of 2GYTZ TBCs was much shorter. The combination of sintering effect and thermal expansion mismatch stresses was significant factor for the failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) serve as important regulators of the tumorigenesis and progression of many human cancers. Therefore, we evaluated the biological function and underlying mechanism of miR-363 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Methods: The expression of miR-363 in ccRCC tissues compared with adjacent normal renal tissues was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and the association between miR-363 levels and prognosis of ccRCC patients was analyzed. The candidate target gene of miR-363 was determined by in silico analysis and luciferase reporter assays. The effects of miR-363 on the proliferation, migration and invasion of ccRCC cells in vitro were determined by MTS assay, colony formation assay, Transwell assay and wound healing assay. We also investigated the roles of miR-363 in vivo by a xenograft tumour model. The mechanism of miR-363 on the proliferation, migration and invasion of ccRCC was determined by gain- and loss-of-function analyses. Results: we demonstrated that miR-363 expression was obviously downregulated in ccRCC tissues and that reduced miR-363 expression was correlated with poor disease-free survival (DFS) in ccRCC patients after surgery. S1PR1 expression was inversely correlated with the level of miR-363 in human ccRCC samples. Luciferase reporter assays suggested that S1PR1 was a direct functional target of miR-363. miR-363 downregulated S1PR1 expression and suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of ccRCC cells in vitro and suppressed xenograft tumour growth in vivo. Importantly, miR-363 exerted its biological function by inhibiting S1PR1 expression in ccRCC cells, leading to the repression of ERK activation. Moreover, we found that the levels of downstream effectors of ERK, including PDGF-A, PDGF-B, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related genes, were decreased after miR-363 overexpression. Conclusions: Our results suggest that miR-363 acts as a tumour suppressor by directly targeting S1PR1 in ccRCC and may be a potential new therapeutic target for ccRCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-particle aerosol mass spectrometry was used to study the characteristics of Fe-containing particles during winter in Chengdu, southwest China. The mass concentrations of PM 2.5 and PM 10 during the study period were 64 ± 38 and 89 ± 49 µg/m3, respectively, and NO 2 and particulate matter were high compared with most other regions of China. The Fe-containing particles were divided into seven categories with different mass spectra, sources and aging characteristics. The highest contribution was from Fe mixed with carbonaceous components (Fe-C, 23.1%) particles. Fe was more mixed with sulfate than nitrate and therefore the contribution of Fe mixed with sulfate (Fe-S, 20.7%) particles was higher than that of Fe mixed with nitrate (Fe-N, 12.5%) particles. The contributions from Fe-containing particles related to primary combustion were high in the small particle size range, whereas aged Fe-containing particles and dust-related particles were mostly found in the coarse particle size range. The air masses mainly originated from the west and east of Chengdu, and the corresponding PM 2.5 concentrations were 79 ± 36 and 55 ± 36 µg/m3, respectively. The west and east air masses showed stronger contributions of Fe-containing particles related to biomass burning (Fe-B) and fossil fuel combustion (Fe-C and Fe-S) particles, respectively. The southwest area contributed the most Fe-containing particles. Future assessments of the effects of Fe-containing particles during heavy pollution period should pay more attention to Fe-C and Fe-S particles. Emission-reduction of Fe-containing particles should consider both local emissions and short-distance transmission from the surrounding areas. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The inhibition of pancreatic lipase by banana condensed tannins was non-competitive. • Soluble polysaccharides reduced the binding of condensed tannins to pancreatic lipase. • Soluble polysaccharides bound condensed tannins through non-covalent interactions. • Polyphenol-polysaccharide interactions should be emphasized in the intake of foods. The inhibition of soluble polysaccharides (SPs) (arabic gum, dextran and pectin from citrus) on the binding between banana condensed tannins (BCTs) and pancreatic lipase (PL) was studied from variant aspects. Molecular docking simulations predicted that BCTs strongly bound SPs and PL through non-covalent interactions. The experimental results showed that SPs reduced the inhibition of BCTs on PL, and the IC 50 value increased. However, the addition of SPs did not change the inhibitory type of BCTs on PL, which all were non-competitive inhibition. BCTs quenched PL fluorescence through static quenching mechanism and changed the secondary structure of PL. The addition of SPs alleviated the trending. The effect of SPs on the binding of BCTs-PL was mainly due to the strong non-covalent interaction between SPs and BCTs. This study emphasized that attention should be paid to the counteracting effects of polysaccharides and polyphenols in dietary intake to maximize their respective roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficiency and safety of partial nephrectomy (PN) compared with radical nephrectomy (RN) for large (≥7 cm) renal tumors. A comprehensive literature search with no restrictions on language or region was conducted from August up to October in 2018 in the electronic databases of PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and Scopus. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were subjected to a systematic review and cumulative meta-analysis to assess the oncological, functional, and perioperative outcomes of PN compared with RN for large renal tumors. Sensitivity analyses were performed by repeating the original meta-analyses with exclusion of the lowest-weighted or lowest-scored study. Thirteen retrospective studies including 2906 patients (PN: 1172; RN: 1734) were included in our analyses. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) of overall survival (OS) indicated significant differences between the PN and RN groups (HR: 0.76; p = 0.001), although no significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of cancer-specific survival (CSS; HR: 0.91; p = 0.51). The pooled eGFR decrease was significantly lower in the PN group than that in the RN group (mean difference (MD): 11.59; p < 0.001). PN was associated with longer operative time and more estimated blood loss (MD: 65.33 min, p < 0.001 and MD: 97.83 ml, p < 0.001, respectively). Pooled odds ratios (ORs) revealed that, compared with RN, PN is associated with a significantly higher risk of low-grade and high-grade (OR: 1.59, p = 0.01 and OR: 7.35, p < 0.001, respectively) surgical complications. No statistical significances were changed in sensitivity analyses on all outcome variables, except for that on the low-grade complication when excluding the lowest-scored study. All results were pooled using the fixed-effects model due to the nil or low heterogeneity. No obvious publication bias was screened about reporting OS. In conclusion, while PN for large (≥7 cm) renal tumors is associated with better OS compared with RN, these methods show a similar CSS. However, the advantages of PN, a more involved procedure than RN, in preserving renal function are accompanied by a higher risk of surgical complications. Large-sample and well-designed randomized controlled trials with extensive follow up are needed to confirm and update our conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to use word category information (WCI) for syntactic structure building has been hypothesized to be the essence of human language faculty. The neural substrate of the ability of using the WCI for the complex syntactic hierarchical structure processing, however, is yet unknown. Therefore, we directly conducted an fMRI experiment by using a pseudo‐Chinese artificial language with syntactic structures containing a center‐embedded relative clause. Thirty non‐Chinese native (Korean) speakers were randomly divided into two groups: one acquired WCI and WCI‐based syntactic rules (the WCI group) before the scanning session, and the other did not (the non‐WCI group). Both groups were required to judge the grammaticality of the testing sentences, with critical long‐distance dependencies between two elements (the main verb and the relativizer). Behaviorally, the WCI group's accuracy was significantly higher and its reaction time was shorter. The scanning results showed that the left superior temporal gyrus (STG) and Broca's area were more strongly activated for the WCI group, and the dynamic causal modeling analyses revealed a distinct effective connectivity pattern for this group. Therefore, the present research, for the first time, reveals that the activation of and the functional connectivity between Broca's area and the left STG play a critical role in the ability of the rule‐based use of the WCI which is crucial for complex hierarchical structure building, and might be substantially corresponding to the "labeling competence" within the linguistic framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We propose a method utilizing graph database system to store and allow computations on real-world genome dataset in a privacy preserving manner. • A novel indexing scheme is proposed on such database to make the secure query operations more efficient. • We test the proposed approach along with the corresponding indexing scheme on a large-scale genome dataset containing 735; 317 human SNPs (∼ 200 GB data). • Experimental results show that it takes less than a minute for a query compared to best-known attempt where it required around 7 min. Abstract Background and Objective Cloud computing plays a vital role in big data science with its scalable and cost-efficient architecture. Large-scale genome data storage and computations would benefit from using these latest cloud computing infrastructures, to save cost and speedup discoveries. However, due to the privacy and security concerns, data owners are often disinclined to put sensitive data in a public cloud environment without enforcing some protective measures. An ideal solution is to develop secure genome database that supports encrypted data deposition and query. Methods Nevertheless, it is a challenging task to make such a system fast and scalable enough to handle real-world demands providing data security as well. In this paper, we propose a novel, secure mechanism to support secure count queries on an open source graph database (Neo4j) and evaluated the performance on a real-world dataset of around 735,317 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). In particular, we propose a new tree indexing method that offers constant time complexity (proportion to the tree depth), which was the bottleneck of existing approaches. Results The proposed method significantly improves the runtime of query execution compared to the existing techniques. It takes less than one minute to execute an arbitrary count query on a dataset of 212 GB, while the best-known algorithm takes around 7 min. Conclusions The outlined framework and experimental results show the applicability of utilizing graph database for securely storing large-scale genome data in untrusted environment. Furthermore, the crypto-system and security assumptions underlined are much suitable for such use cases which be generalized in future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proanthocyanidin (PAC) holds strong free radicals scavenging ability and is widely used as oxygen free radical scavenger. Huge demand, safety and economic aspect are forcing the PAC extraction to explore new resource and greener solvent. An efficient extraction method of PAC from Ginkgo biloba leaves was established by employing deep eutectic solvent (DES)-water mixture. After a rational design, a DES-water mixture (named as Ch-M 55 ) was chosen as the extraction solvent, which was prepared from choline chloride and malonic acid at a molar ratio of 1:2 with water addition of 55% (w/w). The main factors affecting the extraction yield were statistically optimized using a central composite design combined with response surface methodology (RSM). The optimal conditions were obtained as follows: extraction temperature of 65 °C, extraction time of 53 min and Ch-M 55 to solid ratio of 10.57:1 (v/w, mL/g). The PAC extraction yield was 22.19 ± 0.71 mg/g under the optimized conditions, which was much higher than those of conventional organic solvents. The antioxidant activity of PAC extracted by Ch-M 55 was similar to that of 70% acetone, but a little less than 70% methanol and 70% ethanol. The differences in constituent and polymerization degree of PAC extracted by different solvents might account for the difference in antioxidant activity. In consideration of biodegradability and pharmaceutical acceptability, the Ch-M 55 -based extraction method is obviously efficient, green and ecofriendly. Extraction of PAC from Ginkgo biloba leaves also provides a new PAC resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel metal/dielectric hybrid grating structure incorporating ultrathin plasma metals and intercross-cascaded dielectric gratings is proposed, characterized by owning the capacities of freely design of resonance and flexibly controls of filtering and polarization, for TE- and TM-polarized lights. Its distinctive resonant behaviors in reflection and transmission and controllable trimming ability in coloration and spectrum are systematically studied as well as origins of the resonances. Several specific grating structures are designed and optimized for color security and transparent display, and their characteristics of peak-splitting, resonance, filtering and polarization for coloration also discussed. By virtue of the structure, respectively manipulation and control for resonant spectra including locations of peak-valley, line-shapes and band-widths for TE- and TM-lights can be realized as well as simultaneously combined modulation for both polarizations. Better prospect of application exists in various fields for the structure including color decoration, optical and color security, transparent display and color imaging, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human language is proposed to be hierarchically constructed according to syntactic information. Studies on languages with overt morphosyntactic markers (e.g., German) have found a key frontotemporal syntactic network that includes Broca's area (Brodmann Area, BA 44/45) and the posterior temporal cortex (pTC). Whether this syntactic network is language-general is still unspecified. Mandarin Chinese is a suggestive empirical test case, lacking morphosyntax and relying heavily on function words to guide syntactic hierarchy construction. By developing the jabberwocky sentence paradigm, we created sets of visually-presented Chinese structures formed by function words and pseudo-words (the structure condition), and contrasted the structures with comparable word lists (the word-list condition) in healthy Chinese-speaking adults in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment. Participants were required to identify the syntactic category of each structure by merging its constituents into syntactic hierarchies, guided by function words. Compared with the word-list condition, the structure condition (a) elicited higher involvement of left BA 44, and (b) recruite d a language-general syntactic network as revealed by the effective connectivity between BA 44, precentral gyrus, and pTC. These findings specified the neural basis for Chinese syntax and further corroborated the unique human language faculty across languages in a neurobiologically ubiquitous fashion. • The left Brodmann Area 44 is critical for hierarchical syntactic processing in Mandarin Chinese based on function words. • Effective connectivity between BA 44 and the posterior temporal cortex revealed a pivotal syntactic network for Chinese. • Chinese syntactic processing might rely on a language-general syntactic network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-phase systems developed with hydrophilic deep eutectic solvents (DESs) and hydrophobic DESs were prepared in this study for the first time. Ginkgo biloba leaves containing several bioactive compounds were chosen as the model plant material to evaluate the possibility of the two-phase DES system as a designer solvent for the simultaneous extraction of the various bioactive compounds with different polarities. After tailoring, a two-phase DES system prepared with two hydrophilic DESs and one hydrophobic DES at a volume ratio of 35 : 5 : 40 could effectively extract flavonoids, terpene trilactones (TTLs), procyanidine (PAC) and polyprenyl acetates (PPAs) simultaneously from the Ginkgo biloba leaves. The extraction conditions were further optimized using the response surface methodology. When the two-phase DES system was employed in the extraction under the optimal conditions, the PPAs moved into the hydrophobic phase, and the flavonoids, TTLs, and PAC were enriched into the hydrophilic phase. The first extraction rates for PAC, flavonoids, TTLs and PPAs were 86.07%, 77.72%, 93.29% and 94.63%, respectively. After extraction, the hydrophilic and hydrophobic phases containing different bioactive compounds could be easily separated for different preparations. Extraction with the two-phase DES system is a new application trial of DESs, which has the potential to be widely used for the extraction of bioactive compounds from plant materials or removal of different polar impurities from specific extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel film containing thymol and carvacrol loaded UiO-66-NH 2 was designed. • Thymol/carvacrol as active compounds were successfully encapsulated in UiO-66-NH 2. • MOFs controlled the release of thymol and carvacrol. • The introduction of MOFs improved the properties of the films. • The film we fabricated is a promising material for active food packaging. In this work, Zirconium-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), UiO-66-NH 2 , were designed as loading carriers for thymol and carvacrol and added into chitosan to construct antimicrobial packaging films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were applied to characterize the films. Besides, we analyzed the physical properties, mechanical performance, hydrophobicity, release behavior, and antimicrobial capacity of the films. It can be clearly seen that the addition of thymol and carvacrol loaded MOFs into chitosan film significantly improved the thermal stability, light barrier properties, tensile strength, and hydrophobicity. Importantly, UiO-66-NH 2 restrained the release rate of thymol and carvacrol compared with pure chitosan film, which endowed efficient antimicrobial capacity against E. coli , S. aureus, and P. citrinum to chitosan films. Overall, the strategy conceived here can be a superior candidate to develop a premium antimicrobial material for active food packaging, which has potential application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic significance of tumor size in pathological T3aN0M0 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treated by radical nephrectomy. Materials and methods: Patients who underwent radical nephrectomy for sporadic RCC with pathological T3aN0M0 RCC at our institution between January 2006 and June 2015 were identified. The entire cohort was divided into two groups according to the cutoff of tumor size obtained from receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Clinicopathological variables were retrospectively collected and compared. Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox regression were conducted to evaluate the effect of tumor size on survival outcomes. Results: 163 pT3aN0M0 RCC patients were included with a median follow-up period of 31 months. The optimal cutoff for tumor size was 7 cm according to the ROC curve. 90 cases (55.2%) presented tumors which measured 7 cm or less, and 73 cases (44.8%) showed tumor size greater than 7 cm. Patients with larger tumors tended to exhibit higher rates of symptoms and higher Fuhrman grades; they also indicated more necrosis features, and were more likely to invade the collecting system and renal vein. Compared with patients who exhibited tumor size of≤7 cm, those with tumor size>7 cm were associated with shorter estimated five-year cancer-specific survival (CSS, 46.6% versus 75.0%, P = 0.003) and five-year recurrence-free survival (RFS, 35.6% versus 62.7%, P = 0.011). Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that tumor size was retained as an independent factor for CSS (HR = 2.506, 95% CI 1.169–5.373, P = 0.018). Conclusions: The tumor size significantly affected the survival outcomes of pT3aN0M0 RCC treated by radical nephrectomy, and a cutoff size of 7 cm can help enhance the prognostic discrimination. Thus, the tumor size may be considered in the future TNM classification of stage pT3a. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, an electroluminescence (ECL) biosensor was constructed by combining click chemistry with activators regenerated by electron transfer-atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET-ATRP) to sensitively assay tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) RNA for the first time. First, hairpin DNA (hDNA) was self-assembled on the gold electrode surface through Au–S bonding. The hDNA hybridized with the tDNA to form tRNA/hDNA hybrids in the presence of TMV RNA (tRNA), so that the azide group labelled at the end of the hDNA was kept away from the electrode surface. Subsequently, the initiator for the ARGET-ATRP reaction was modified on the electrode surface by chemical bonds via click chemistry. Then, N-acryloxysuccinimide (NAS)-labelled polymer chains were successfully formed on the electrode surface by ARGET-ATRP. Under the optimized conditions, a good linear relationship existed with the ECL signal and the logarithm of tRNA concentration in the range of 0.1 pM–10 nM, and the limit of detection was 2.61 fM. In addition, this strategy can identify mismatched bases and performs well in recovery assays in real samples. For its high sensitivity, selectivity, simplicity and economy, the ECL biosensor shows great potential for practical applications. An electroluminescence (ECL) biosensor for the highly sensitive detection of TMV RNA was constructed based on click chemistry and ARGET ATRP. [Display omitted] • An RNA ECL biosensor was constructed by click chemistry and ARGET ATRP. • ARGET ATRP as signal amplification strategy guarantees the sensitivity of the sensor. • Immobilization of the initiator by click chemistry improves the reproducibility. • The method provides a new solution for the detection of nucleic acid molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the characteristics and pollution formation mechanism of fine particles in the atmosphere of Chengdu, one of the cities most affected by haze in China, ambient single aerosol particles were measured by single particle aerosol mass spectrometry from April to May 2021. All particles collected during the study period could be divided into seven categories: Dust, vehicle emission (VE), biomass burning (BB), coal combustion (CC), organic carbon (OC), K-nitrate (KNO 3) and K-sulfate (KSO 4) particles. BB and VE particles contributed 29.2% and 25.0% to the total particles, respectively, and these two types of particles can be used as the focus of pollution reduction in the future. The mixed state analysis showed that all types of particles highly mixed with their tracer ions, and the non secondary inorganic particles (i.e., Dust, VE, BB, CC and OC particles) showed stronger mixing with nitrate than sulfate. The increase of PM 2.5 concentration can be divided into three stages, and the increase of PM 2.5 concentration in these three stages was dominated by Dust and OC particles, BB and KNO 3 particles, and the remaining three types of particles, respectively. The air masses mainly originated from the area northeast of Chengdu, while the southwest trajectory corresponded to the highest PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations. Meanwhile, the potential source areas of the different types of particles were different and the area southwest of Chengdu was the most important potential source of PM 2.5 and of most particle types. [Display omitted] • Mass spectrum and chemical composition of single particles were measured by SPAMS. • Non secondary inorganic particles showed stronger mixing with nitrate than sulfate. • The increase of PM 2.5 in three stages was caused by different types of particles. • The potential source area was mainly distributed in areas southwest of Chengdu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Polyphenols can reduce the risk of diabetes and obesity. • Obesity can induce type 2 diabetes. • Polyphenols play an important role between diabetes and obesity. • The exploitation of polyphenols consequently shows great prospects. Polyphenols are a group of secondary plant metabolites widely present in diets and have antagonistic effects on some chronic metabolic diseases, like type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity. We attempt to investigate the effects of polyphenols in fruits and vegetables on reducing the risk of T2D and obesity by collecting epidemiological evidence, including cross-sectional survey (CSS), prospective cohort study (PCS), and randomized controlled trial (RCT). Further, we provide possible mechanisms for the anti-diabetic effects including protecting pancreatic β-cells, affecting glucose digestion, absorption, and uptake, and activating glucose/lipid metabolism pathways, while improving obesity by reducing lipid accumulation, regulating intestinal microflora, alleviating inflammation, and reducing food intake. Polyphenols also play an important role in the relationship between T2D and obesity. On the one hand, obesity is a low-grade chronic inflammation causing insulin resistance, so polyphenols can reduce T2D risk by improving obesity. On the other hand, obesity decreases the polyphenols bioavailability by disturbing gastrointestinal microflora, thus increasing T2D risk. These are instructive for diets and bring considerable development value. Therefore, we discussed the hotspots of polyphenols exploitation in the food industry, including masking bitter and astringent taste, ensuring stability, and improving the bioavailability, which provides ideas for polyphenols application in anti-diabetics and anti-obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delayed judgment of learning (JOL) is a widely used metacognitive monitoring strategy that can also enhance learning outcomes. However, the potential benefits of delayed JOL on subsequent learning of new material, known as the forward effect of delayed JOL, and its stability and underlying mechanisms have yet to be fully explored. In this study, we investigated the forward effect of delayed JOL using previously unexamined word pair materials and explored the boundary conditions of this effect by manipulating the difficulty of the materials. We also examined this effect within the context of category learning. Our findings demonstrate that delayed JOL significantly enhanced the retention of new information (Experiment 1A), while the forward effect of the delayed JOL occurred only for material with a certain degree of difficulty rather than for easy material (Experiment 1B). These findings were extended and replicated using category learning (Experiment 2). These results suggest that delayed JOL can be used as a preparation strategy for subsequent learning, particularly when faced with challenging materials. Our study provides novel insights into the potential benefits and limitations of delayed JOL and contributes to our understanding of the underlying mechanisms that govern metacognitive monitoring and learning strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strengthening effect of composites is rather limited in comparison with the excellent properties of graphene due to difficulty in acquiring strong interfacial bonding. To enhance the interfacial bonding and reduce the interface mismatch between the matrix and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), a novel strategy in this study is proposed through generating hybrid layered double oxides (LDO) nanoparticles on rGO (LDO@rGO). The 2024Al composites with heterogeneous structure were constructed by ball milling and spark plasma sintering (SPS), which was reinforced by flake-like LDO@rGO-rich zones contained LDO@rGO in the Al matrix with fine grain size of ~1 µm. The yield strength, elongation and fracture energy of 1 vol% LDO@rGO/Al composite with heterogeneous microstructure were 69.6%, 63.9% and 140.5% higher than those of the composite reinforced by uniformly distributed 0.67 vol% graphene oxide (GO), respectively, achieving an improvement in the strength-ductility synergy of the fabricated LDO@rGO/Al composite. The rationally spatial arrays of LDO@rGO-rich and LDO@rGO-free zones are beneficial for promoting the synergistic strengthening of Orowan, solid solution, thermal mismatch and load transfer and simultaneously toughening the composite through enhanced crack deflection and bridging effects. The proposed method offers a promising route for fabricating composite with optimized and improved material properties by coupling interface and heterogeneous structure. [Display omitted] • Hybrid nano interfacial products improve the bonding between the Al matrix and rGO. • The hierarchical composite reinforced by LDO@rGO-rich zones is constructed. • Tailoring spatial arrays of LDO@rGO-rich zones optimizes the performance. • The strengthening and toughening mechanisms of the composites are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the extensive exploitation of nuclear energy and uranium, the problem of uranium-contaminated soil is becoming increasingly prominent. In recent years, various technologies for remediation of uranium-contaminated soil have emerged, such as bioremediation, physical remediation and chemical remediation. Bioremediation technology has the widespread attention because of its environmental friendliness, low cost and high economic benefits. This paper mainly reviews the evaluation index of uranium-contaminated soil, soil remediation technology and its advantages and disadvantages, introduces especially the research status of soil bioremediation technology in detail, and puts forward some suggestions and prospects for bioremediation of uranium-contaminated soil. • Uranium-contaminated soil can be remediated by different bioremediation technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Word category information (WCI) is proposed to be fundamental for syntactic learning and processing. However, it remains largely unclear how left-hemispheric key regions for language, including BA 44 in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and superior temporal gyrus (STG), interact with their right-hemispheric homologues to support the WCI-based syntactic learning. To address this question, this study employed a unified structural equation modeling (uSEM) approach to explore both the intra- and inter-hemispheric effective connectivity among these areas, to specify the neural underpinnings of handling WCI for syntactic learning. Modeling results identified a distinctive intra-left hemispheric connection from left BA 44 to left STG, a more integrated intra-right hemispheric network, and a particular frontal right-to-left hemispheric connectivity pattern for WCI-based syntactic learning. Further analyses revealed a selective positive correlation between task performance and the lagged effect in left BA 44. These results converge on a critical left fronto-temporal language network with left BA 44 and its connectivity to left STG for WCI-based syntactic learning, which is also facilitated in a domain-general fashion by the right homologues. Together, these results provide novel insights into crucial neural network(s) for syntactic learning on the basis of WCI. • Intra- and interhemispheric networks for word category information (WCI) -based syntactic learning are unclear. • Unified structural equation modeling can profitably explore effective connectivity. • Left BA 44 and its connectivity to left STG are critical for syntactic learning. • Right language network homologue plays a domain-general role. • Inter-hemispheric interaction presents a frontal right-to-left pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analogical reasoning is central to thought and learning. However, previous neuroscience studies have focused mainly on neural substrates for visuospatial and semantic analogies. There has not yet been research on the neural correlates of analogical reasoning on syntactic patterns generated by the syntactic rules, a key feature of human language faculty. The present investigation took an initial step to address this paucity. Twenty-four participants, whose brain activity was monitored by fMRI, engaged in first-order and second-order relational judgments of syntactic patterns as well as simple and complex working memory tasks. After scanning, participants rated the difficulty of each step during analogical reasoning; these ratings were related to signal intensities in activated regions of interest using Spearman correlation analyses. After prior research, differences in activation levels during second-order and first-order relational judgments were taken as evidence of analogical reasoning. These analyses showed that analogical reasoning on syntactic patterns recruited brain regions consistent with those supporting visuospatial and semantic analogies, including the anterior and posterior parts of the left middle frontal gyrus, anatomically corresponding to the left rostrolateral pFC and the left dorsolateral pFC. The correlation results further revealed that the posterior middle frontal gyrus might be involved in analogical access and mapping with syntactic patterns. Our study is the first to investigate the process of analogical reasoning on syntactic patterns at the neurobiological level and provide evidence of the specific functional roles of related regions during subprocesses of analogical reasoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The air quality in China has improved significantly in the last decade and, correspondingly, the characteristics of PM 2.5 have also changed. We studied the interannual variation of PM 2.5 in Chengdu, one of the most heavily polluted megacities in southwest China, during the most polluted season (winter). Our results show that the mass concentrations of PM 2.5 decreased significantly year-by-year, from 195.8 ± 91.0 µg/m3 in winter 2016 to 96.1 ± 39.3 µg/m3 in winter 2020. The mass concentrations of organic matter (OM), SO 4 2−, NH 4 + and NO 3 − decreased by 49.6%, 57.1%, 49.7% and 28.7%, respectively. The differential reduction in the concentrations of chemical components increased the contributions from secondary organic carbon and NO 3 − and there was a larger contribution from mobile sources. The contribution of OM and NO 3 − not only increased with increasing levels of pollution, but also increased year-by-year at the same level of pollution. Four sources of PM 2.5 were identified: combustion sources, vehicular emissions, dust and secondary aerosols. Secondary aerosols made the highest contribution and increased year-by-year, from 40.6% in winter 2016 to 46.3% in winter 2020. By contrast, the contribution from combustion sources decreased from 14.4% to 8.7%. Our results show the effectiveness of earlier pollution reduction policies and emphasizes that priority should be given to key pollutants (e.g., OM and NO 3 −) and sources (secondary aerosols and vehicular emissions) in future policies for the reduction of pollution in Chengdu during the winter months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A preliminary examination was carried out for hot corrosion resistance to V 2 O 5 and thermal cycling behaviors of two alternative materials: zirconia co-doped with 16 mol% YO 1.5 + 16 mol% TaO 2.5 (YTZ) and zirconia co-doped with 14 mol% YO 1.5 + 2 mol% GdO 1.5 + 16 mol% TaO 2.5 (2GYTZ). The compositions and microstructures of the samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Results showed ZrV 2 O 7 and YVO 4 /GdVO 4 were the main reaction products at 750 °C and 850 °C for 2 h, while YVO4 and m-ZrO 2 were detected as the main corrosion products at 850 °C for 10 h or rising temperature to 950 °C. With the depletion of V 2 O 5 , ZrV 2 O 7 disappeared and decomposed into m-ZrO 2 and V 2 O 5. The hot corrosion mechanisms are similar for YTZ and 2GYTZ ceramics. However, the amount of m-ZrO 2 in the 2GYTZ was much more than that in the YTZ at the same corrosion conditions. The weaker bonds due to partial substitution of Y3+ with larger size of Gd3+ and the size misfit between Gd3+ and Zr4+ resulted in decreasing the anti-corrosion capability of 2GYTZ ceramic. The tetragonal phase was very stable for YTZ and 2GYTZ coatings during high temperature heat treatment. The thermal durability of the YTZ and 2GYTZ TBCs can be significantly improved by using the YSZ buffer layer. While the cycling lifetimes for 2GYTZ coating was much shorter than that of YTZ coating whether designed for single-ceramic-layer structure or double-ceramic-layer structure. Failure of the 2GYTZ coating mainly resulted from the thermal expansion mismatch stress, concentrated thermal stress introduced by the severe sintering and low fracture toughness. • The corrosion products were dependent on the corrosion temperature and the amount of residue V 2 O 5 , and the final corrosion products were YVO 4 /GdVO 4 and m-ZrO 2. • The single stable t' phase of YTZ and 2GYTZ coatings can exist at and above 1400°C. • The longer cycling lifetime was achieved by double-ceramic-layer structure design, else the resistance of both single-layer coatings was poor. • CTE mismatch, sintering and low fracture toughness were among the causes for early failure of single-layer systems and especially of 2GYTZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review thoroughly presents the recent progress of Deinococcus radiodurans, recombinant D. radiodurans and immobilized D. radiodurans as superior adsorbents to efficiently remove toxic heavy metals ions and radionuclides. Finally, a summary and prospect on the opportunities and challenges of D. radiodurans are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1-x)(0.75Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-0.25SrTiO3)-xErBiO3 (NBST-xEB, x = 0–0.04) ceramics were fabricated through a solid state reaction method. Scanning electron microscopy investigation shows that grain size of the ceramics decreases with increasing x. X-ray diffraction results reveal that all the ceramics are pseudocubic phase. An enhanced disordering of local structure by EB doping is revealed by Raman spectra. The NBST-xEB ceramics exhibit excellent dielectric stability within a wide temperature range after EB doping. A relatively high recoverable energy storage density (Wrec) of 1.834 J/cm3 with efficiency (η) of 71% are obtained for NBST-0.02 EB ceramics under a moderate electric field of 148 kV/cm. The Wrec and η of the NBST-0.02 EB ceramics exhibit excellent fatigue stability (104) and temperature stability (Wrec > 0.834 J/cm3, η > 64%) within 30–200 °C under 100 kV/cm. With the introduction of EB, the NBST-xEB ceramics also show strong photoluminescence properties due to the presence of Er3+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the demands of miniaturization, weight reduction and green development for electronic devices, development of lead-free dielectric ceramic capacitors with high recoverable energy density (W rec) and energy storage efficiency (η) attracts much attention. To this end, (1- x)[0.75(Na 0.5 Bi 0.5)TiO 3 -0.25SrTiO 3 ]- x NdNbO 4 (abbreviated as: NBST- x NN) ceramics were fabricated through a solid-state reaction method. After adding NN, the non-perovskite phase of Bi 2 Ti 2 O 7 (BTO) with low dielectric constant (ε r) and loss (tan δ) is generated. Finite element software (COMSOL) was used to explore the influence of the BTO phase on breakdown strength (E b). The simulation result indicates that the BTO phase with a low ε r concentrates a larger local electric field (LEF), and thus weakens the LEF loading in the main perovskite phase, which is beneficial for enhancing E b. Moreover, NN doping significantly decreases the oxygen vacancy concentration in NBST ceramics, which plays a key role in improving E b. On the other hand, as NN content increases, the hysteresis of the polarization (P)-electric field (E) loops is substantially suppressed, and the polarization saturation is delayed, which can be ascribed to the appearance of the BTO phase having a linear dielectric characteristic and to the enhanced fluctuations of composition and charge by NN doping. Benefitting from the above factors, the optimal energy storage performance (ESP) with a W rec of 4.14 J/cm3 and an η of 90 % is obtained in NBST-0.08NN ceramics. Meanwhile, the ESP of NBST-0.08NN ceramics shows good charge-discharge properties and thermal stability. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that NBST-0.08NN ceramics are promising candidates as environment-friendly dielectric capacitor materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene as one of the best reinforcements for improving the comprehensive properties of the composites has attracted extensive attention. However, the severe aggregation of graphene in the matrix obviously weakened the strengthening efficiency. A novel method, flake powder thixoforming (FPT) that combines both the advantages of flake powder metallurgy and thixoforming, was proposed to construct the FPT-0.4 wt%RGO/Al composite with hierarchical microstructure that reduced graphene oxide (RGO) only uniformly distributed into the local regions of secondary solidified structures (SSSs). The ultimate tensile strength (UTS, 439 MPa), yield strength (YS, 294 MPa) and elongation (8.5%) of FPT-0.4 wt%RGO/Al composite fabricated by FPT were increased by 45.8% and 44.8% and decreased by 44.1% compared with the 2024Al alloy, respectively. Moreover, a 34.9% enhancement in YS and a 54.5% improvement in elongation were achieved when compared with the HEM-0.4 wt%RGO/Al composite prepared by high energy milling (HEM). The RGO-rich zones in the FPT-0.4 wt%RGO/Al composite behaved as reinforcing units that can sustain the tensile stress and thus strengthened the matrix. Simultaneously, crack deflection and bridging contributed by the RGO-free zones effectively toughened the composite. FPT is promising for strengthening and toughening the RGO/Al composites by tailoring the spatial arrangement of RGO to form hierarchical microstructure. Image 1 • Flake powder thixoforming technology was developed. • A FPT-0.4 wt%RGO/Al composite with hierarchical microstructure was fabricated. • The strengthening and toughening are achieved by tailoring the dispersion of RGO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights from the article: According to simulation haplotype analysis of insufficient related donor haplotypes considering complete family haplotype table, better related donor can be selected for haploidentical transplantation. According to the integrity of family-based HLA haplotype frequencies, we divided that 3568 families into 3groups, including group1, that 1422 complete family-based HLA haplotype frequencies; group2, containing 1310 patients and one of their either parents or children and group3, that 836 patients and their HLA-5/10 matching sibling donor. According to simulation haplotype analysis of insufficient related donor haplotypes considering complete family haplotype table, better related donor can be selected for haploidentical transplantation.

Deinococcus radiodurans (DR) was used as a biological adsorbent for uranium adsorption of low-concentration uranium wastewater.The enrichment performance of the DR was investigated at several conditions,and characterized by SEM and EDS, genes with relatively different expression of DR enriched uranium were screened through RNA-seq. Through GO analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, to find the main regulatory pathways.The results show that: The DR under the culture condition, pH = 5, temperature 30 ℃, initial concentration of 10 mg/L, dosage of DR 16 mL, adsorption time for 60 min, uranium(VI) adsorption rate was 91%, the solution pH = 6.1 after enrichment; several genes were up-regulated or down-regulated, which involved in a variety of signaling pathways, mainly involving oxidative phosphorylation, various glucose metabolism and amino acid synthesis metabolism. Cytochrome C oxidase was significantly up-regulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in 2019 and the pandemic continues for more than one year, a vast amount of drug research has been conducted and few of them got FDA approval. Our objective is to prioritize repurposable drugs using a pipeline that systematically integrates the interaction between COVID-19 and drugs, deep graph neural networks, and in vitro/population-based validations. We first collected all available drugs (n = 3635) related to COVID-19 patient treatment through CTDbase. We built a COVID-19 knowledge graph based on the interactions among virus baits, host genes, pathways, drugs, and phenotypes. A deep graph neural network approach was used to derive the candidate drug's representation based on the biological interactions. We prioritized the candidate drugs using clinical trial history, and then validated them with their genetic profiles, in vitro experimental efficacy, and population-based treatment effect. We highlight the top 22 drugs including Azithromycin, Atorvastatin, Aspirin, Acetaminophen, and Albuterol. We further pinpointed drug combinations that may synergistically target COVID-19. In summary, we demonstrated that the integration of extensive interactions, deep neural networks, and multiple evidence can facilitate the rapid identification of candidate drugs for COVID-19 treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To study prognostic values of bladder neck involvement (BNI) and survival outcomes in non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Method and materials: The national Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (2004–2015) was applied to gain further insight into the prognostic values of BNI and 19,919 patients diagnosed with NMIBC were included in our study. We used the Kaplan–Meier method with the log‐rank test and subgroup analyses to evaluate cancer‐specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS). In addition, the multivariable Cox proportional hazard model and propensity score matching (PSM) were utilized. Results: In all, 3446 patients with BNI and 16,473 patients with sites except for bladder neck were enrolled in our study. Compared with other sites, a tendency toward a higher proportion of higher grade (p < 0.001), bigger tumor size (p < 0.001), and more patients with T1 and Tis stage (p < 0.001) was seen in BNI group. After 1:1 PSM, 3425 matched pairs were selected. Under the survival analyses, the BNI group had a lower survival probability in both OS (p = 0.0056) and CSS analyses (p < 0.0001) in NMIBC patients. However, in the subgroup analysis, only observed in the Ta and T1 stage in terms of CSS (all p < 0.05), and patients with Tis stage failed to show statistical survival differences (p > 0.05). In addition, subgroups stratified by tumor size and grade all revealed poor prognosis of BNI in NMIBC patients. Moreover, better survival outcomes of OS were observed in BNI patients who received radical cystectomy (p = 0.02) or chemotherapy (p < 0.001) multivariable Cox regression after PSM revealed that the BNI group had a higher risk of overall mortality (OM) (BNI vs. other sites hazards ratios [HR]: 1.127, 95% CI: 1.154–1.437, p < 0.001) and cancer‐specific mortality (CSM) (BNI vs. other sites HR: 1.127, 95% CI: 1.039–1.223, p < 0.001), while before PSM, similar situations were only existed in CSM (BNI vs. other sites HR: 1.288, 95% CI: 1.154–1.437, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The prognosis of BNI was poorer than that of the other sites. BNI was an independent risk factor for OM and CSM in patients with NMIBC, especially for those with Ta or T1 stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is an extremely malignant tumor with low survival rate. Effective biomarkers and therapeutic targets for PC are lacking. The roles of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in cancers have been explored in various studies, however more work is needed to understand the functional roles of specific circRNAs. In this study, we explore the specific role and mechanism of circ_0035435 (termed circCGNL1) in PC. Methods: qRT-PCR analysis was performed to detect circCGNL1 expression, indicating circCGNL1 had low expression in PC cells and tissues. The function of circCGNL1 in PC progression was examined both in vitro and in vivo. circCGNL1-interacting proteins were identified by performing RNA pulldown, co-immunoprecipitation, GST-pulldown, and dual-luciferase reporter assays. Results: Overexpressing circCGNL1 inhibited PC proliferation via promoting apoptosis. CircCGNL1 interacted with phosphatase nudix hydrolase 4 (NUDT4) to promote histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) dephosphorylation and subsequent HDAC4 nuclear translocation. Intranuclear HDAC4 mediated RUNX Family Transcription Factor 2 (RUNX2) deacetylation and thereby accelerating RUNX2 degradation. The transcription factor, RUNX2, inhibited guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase (GAMT) expression. GAMT was further verified to induce PC cell apoptosis via AMPK–AKT–Bad signaling pathway. Conclusions: We discovered that circCGNL1 can interact with NUDT4 to enhance NUDT4-dependent HDAC4 dephosphorylation, subsequently activating HDAC4–RUNX2–GAMT-mediated apoptosis to suppress PC cell growth. These findings suggest new therapeutic targets for PC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5-amino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene-1,3-diol (ATNBD) was synthesized using an improved literature method. The reactions of ATNBD with different N-bases (e.g., ammonia, hydrazine, hydroxylamine, and guanidine) and metathesis reactions producing energetic salts were reported. Several energetic compounds were synthesized and characterized for the first time using multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC). The crystal structures of ATNBD and three energetic salts were determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction at room temperature. Heats of formation (HOF) for the metal-free species were calculated using the Gaussian 09 software. Detonation parameters were estimated using the EXPLO5 program. The sensitivities toward impact and friction were also determined. Energetic evaluation indicates that, in addition to the molecular ATNBD, some ionic derivatives, 3, 4, 5, and 9, also have high densities (1.79–1.88 g cm−3), good detonation pressures, and velocities (P, 31.5–38.8 GPa; vD, 8450–9097 m s−1), as well as acceptable impact and friction sensitivities (IS, 5–42 J; FS, 120–360 N). These attractive features highlight the application potential of the salts of 3, 4, and 9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum testosterone levels and the risk of congestive heart failure (CHF) in adult males. Previous research has suggested a potential link between serum testosterone and cardiovascular health, but the findings have been inconclusive. Methods: This study was cross-sectional, and the data were obtained from the 2011–2016 cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which included a sample of 6,841 male participants. Serum testosterone levels were measured using a standardized assay, and CHF status was assessed through self-reporting. Covariates such as age, ethnicity, lifestyle factors, and health conditions were considered in the analysis. Results: Among the participants, 242 individuals had a documented history of CHF. We observed a linear correlation between serum testosterone levels and CHF occurrence, with higher serum testosterone levels associated with a decreased risk of CHF (Q4 vs. Q1, OR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.19–0.47, P < 0.001). After adjusting for confounding variables, multivariate analysis revealed that high serum testosterone levels remained significantly associated with a lower risk of CHF (OR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.27–0.80, P = 0.01). Subgroup analysis indicated a significant association between high serum testosterone levels and reduced CHF risk in individuals over 50 years old. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the serum testosterone level was positively associated with CHF in adult males. This study highlights the potential role of serum testosterone in cardiovascular health, particularly in older individuals. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and explore the clinical implications of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare the efficiency and safety of a novel flexible ureteral access sheath (f-UAS) and traditional ureteral access sheath (UAS) during retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS). Patients and methods: Between January 2022 and September 2022, a total of 152 consecutive cases with renal stones underwent RIRS with the f-UAS. Their outcomes were compared with those of another 152 consecutive cases undergoing RIRS with traditional UAS using a 1:1 scenario matched-pair analysis, with matching parameters including age and stone size. The f-UAS is a novel UAS with a 10-cm-long tube at the tip that can follow the bends of flexible ureteroscope (f-URS). Results: Baseline characteristics were found to be similar between the two groups. The f-UAS group demonstrated significantly higher SFR (76.3% vs. 7.2%; P < 0.001) at 1 day postoperatively and a higher clearance rate of stone volume (98.11% vs. 91.78%; P < 0.001). The f-UAS group also had lower total complications rate (9.9% vs. 22.4%; P = 0.003), lower incidence of fever (5.9% vs 11.9%; P = 0.001), shorter operative times (56.5 min vs. 59.9 min; P = 0.047), and lower usage rate of baskets (17.1% vs. 100%; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in SFR at 1 month postoperatively (P = 0.627) and in the length of postoperative hospital stay between the two groups (P = 0.225). Conclusion: Compared to the traditional UAS during RIRS, the f-UAS showed several advantages, including higher SFR at 1 day postoperatively, shorter operative times, lower incidence of complications, and less use of basket. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]