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A differential magnetic field probe based on a balanced filter is proposed to improve electric field suppression. The probe comprises a rectangular metal loop for detection and a balanced filter transmission. Three 1/4λ stepped impedance transmission lines are designed between the detective part and balanced filter for impedance matching. The balanced filter can suppress the common mode signals generated by a normal electric field but has little influence on the differential signals detected by a tangential magnetic field thus, the electric field suppression of the magnetic probe can be enhanced. The measurement results show that the working frequency of the proposed magnetic probe ranges from 10 to 20 GHz, and the electric field suppression ratio is over 35 dB from 10 to 15 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Texture characterization from the metrological point of view is addressed in order to establish a physically relevant and directly interpretable feature. In this regard, a generic formulation is proposed to simultaneously capture the spectral and spatial complexity in hyperspectral images. The feature, named relative spectral difference occurrence matrix (RSDOM) is thus constructed in a multireference, multidirectional, and multiscale context. As validation, its performance is assessed in three versatile tasks. In texture classification on HyTexiLa, content-based image retrieval (CBIR) on ICONES-HSI, and land cover classification on Salinas, RSDOM registers 98.5% accuracy, 80.3% precision (for the top 10 retrieved images), and 96.0% accuracy (after post-processing) respectively, outcompeting GLCM, Gabor filter, LBP, SVM, CCF, CNN, and GCN. Analysis shows the advantage of RSDOM in terms of feature size (a mere 126, 30, and 20 scalars using GMM in order of the three tasks) as well as metrological validity in texture representation regardless of the spectral range, resolution, and number of bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents Bi 2 O 3 -doped SnO 2 ceramic varistors prepared through conventional ceramic processing in the sintering temperature range of 1290–1320°C. The sample sintered at 1300°C exhibits a breakdown electric field as low as 11.6 V mm - 1 . Scanning electron microscopy images reveal that all the samples have a compact structure, and energy dispersive spectroscopy results for the sample sintered at 1300°C indicate that Bi distributes homogeneously along the grain boundaries and aggregates inhomogeneously on the grain surfaces. With increasing sintering temperature, the grain boundary barrier height remains nearly constant at 0.80 eV. In both the dielectric loss and electric modulus spectra of the sample sintered at 1300°C, obvious relaxations were observed and the activation energies obtained from the respective spectra were 0.33 and 0.15 eV, which are expected to be related to oxygen vacancies and interstitial ions, respectively. Complex impedance spectra are employed to develop a non-typical equivalent circuit model for the Bi 2 O 3 -doped SnO 2 ceramic varistors at low voltage that yields an excellent fit to the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Factor that binds to the inducer of short transcripts of the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (FBI-1) represents as a crucial gene regulator in colorectal cancer; however, the correlation between FBI-1 and preoperative radiotherapy (RT) in rectal cancer (RC) has not yet been reported. The aim was to detect FBI-1 expression in patients with RC with or without RT, by immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and to analyze its association with clinicopathological features and response to RT. The results from immunohistochemistry analysis (n=139) and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (n=55) demonstrated that FBI-1 was overexpressed in patients with RC, whether they had received preoperative RT or not. Subsequently, the association between FBI-1 expression, and the clinicopathological features and response to RT in patients with RC was analyzed. Cytoplasmic FBI-1 was upregulated in non-RT (n=77) and RT (n=62) groups (17.7 vs. 74.0%, P<0.001; 41.1 vs. 69.4%, P=0.002, respectively) of patients with RC compared with normal mucosa. However, nuclear FBI-1 was downregulated (75.8 vs. 22.1%, P<0.001; 83.9 vs. 35.5%, P<0.001, respectively) in both groups. RT had no significant effect on FBI-1 expression in RC tissues. Furthermore, nuclear FBI-1 was positively associated with tumor-node-metastasis stage and distant recurrence (P=0.003 and P=0.010, respectively). In patients with stage I, II or III RC, higher nuclear FBI-1 expression was associated with poorer disease-free survival [hazard ratio (HR)=1.934, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.055–3.579, P=0.033] and overall survival (HR=2.174, 95% CI: 1.102–4.290, P=0.025), independently of sex, age, growth pattern, differentiation and RT. In addition, FBI-1 was positively correlated with numerous biological factors, including p73 [Spearman's correlation coefficient (rs)=0.332, P=0.007], lysyl oxidase (rs=0.234, P=0.043), Wrap53 (rs=−0.425, P=0.0002) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (rs=−0.294, P=0.026). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that nuclear FBI-1 was an independent prognostic factor in patients with RC and correlated with numerous biological factors, which indicated that it may have multiple roles in RC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A formal carbene insertion into C O double bonds of 2-hydroxycinnamaldehydes catalyzed by Rh 2 (esp) 2 with Na 2 CO 3 as additive has been disclosed by using aryldiazoacetates as carbene precursors. 2 H -chromenes with a quaternary carbon at C-2 position were readily obtained from simple starting materials in good yields with excellent diastereoselectivity under mild reaction conditions in one pot. The reaction mechanism was investigated and proposed as the formation of epoxide intermediate from Rh(II)-associated carbene and ( E )-2-hydroxycinnamaldehyde and followed by a cascade epoxide ring-opening procedure in which the ( E )-intermediate was converted into the ( Z )-intermediate to give ( Z )-products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to explore the how microRNA-138 (miR-138) affects the expression of keratin 17 (K17) and psoriasis development. Twenty-eight skin lesions from patients with psoriasis vulgaris and twenty-four normal skin tissues from healthy controls were collected. The HaCaT cells were assigned into blank, negative control (NC), miR-138 mimic, miR-138 inhibitor, hTERT siRNA and miR-138 inhibitor + hTERT siRNA groups. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the miR-138 expression. The hTERT and K17 protein expression were testified by Western Blotting. MTT assay, flow cytometry with PI single staining and Annexin V/PI double staining were performed to detect the cell proliferation activity, cell cycle and apoptosis, respectively. Compared with the healthy skin, the expression of miR-138 decreased in the psoriatic skin, but hTERT and K17 protein expressions increased. The miR-138 mimic and hTERT siRNA groups showed significantly decreased hTERT and K17 protein expressions, inhibited cell proliferation, increased number of cells at G1 phase and elevated apoptosis rate in comparison to the rest three groups. The hTERT and K17 protein expressions in the miR-138 inhibitor group were up-regulated with promoted cell proliferation and reduced apoptosis rate as compared with the other four groups. In the miR-138 inhibitor + hTERT siRNA group, the hTERT and K17 protein expressions, cell proliferation and apoptosis were intermediate between the miR-138 inhibitor and hTERT siRNA groups. These findings indicated that the expression of miR-138 was lower in the psoriatic skin, which was negatively correlated to K17 expression. MiR-138 may regulate K17 protein expression to affect HaCaT cell proliferation and apoptosis by targeting hTERT gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CeO2-CaO-Pd/HZSM5 catalyst, prepared using HZSM5 supports, with CeO2-CaO as the additive components, HZSM5 as the acid component and Pd as the hydrogenation component, have been prepared by the impregnation method, and the catalytic and sulfur-tolerant performance in the Syngas-To-Dimethyl ether (STD) reaction with thiophene and H2S as probe sulfur poisons were examined. The prepared catalyst exhibited higher catalytic performance and better sulfur resistance than a conventional catalyst based on Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 and HZSM5. The sulfur content, Pd sulfidity and acid concentration were determined in order to ascertain the adsorption sites of sulfides on the surface of the catalyst, and the products of the STD reaction from sulfur-containing syngas in an autoclave were analysed by GC-MS at different reaction times in order to determine the sulfur-tolerance mechanism of the catalyst. The study confirms that almost no H2S is absorbed on the surface of CeO2-CaO-Pd/HZSM5 catalyst, while thiophene is absorbed and activated on the acid sites of HZSM5, and hydrogen is adsorbed dissociatively on Pd active sites, followed by active hydrogen spillover to the acid sites to promote hydrogenation and thus convert the adsorbed thiophene to hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MYB transcription factors have various regulatory roles in response to biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. In this study we identified one MYB transcription factor gene OsJAMyb from rice landrace Heikezijing, which encodes a protein with 283 amino-acid residues belonging to R2R3-type MYB transcription factor family. The expression of OsJAMyb gene was detected in the root, stem, leaf, sheath, immature panicle and flowering panicle of rice, with highest expression in the leaf. After inoculation with the blast isolate Hoku1, the expression of OsJAMyb was more rapidly and strongly induced in the seedlings of blast-resistant Heikezijing compared with that in the blast-susceptible landrace Suyunuo. The OsJAMyb overexpressing transgenic lines (T 3 generation) in Suyunuo showed increased resistance to blast infection with less lesion number in inoculated leaves compared with non-transgenic control plants. The results indicate that OsJAMyb might be involved in the resistance to blast infection in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Via field survey and analysis, the problems that authenticity of Yuanmingyuan site protection is nibbled by modern garden engineering, and Yuanmingyuan site display has low identification degree, insufficient historical information and improper construction site piece display are elaborated. Meanwhile, it is proposed locating Yuanmingyuan site protection and display into the residual landscape after burnt and looted in 1860. Virtual reality technology is used for full-landscape coverage, to realize the comparison between history and status quo, and the dissemination of Yuanmingyuan information is expanded by "internet+" model, which aims to impel the public joining in heritage awareness and cultural relic preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mounting evidence from experimental and animal studies suggests that vitamin A may have a protective effect on melanoma, but the findings on the association of vitamin A intake with risk of melanoma have been inconsistently reported in epidemiologic studies. We attempted to elucidate the association by performing a meta-analysis. Methods: Eligible studies were identified by searching PubMed and EMBASE databases, as well as by reviewing the references of retrieved publications. Summary odds ratios (OR) with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were computed with a random-effects model. Study-specific ORs and 95% CIs for the highest vs. lowest categories of vitamin A intake were pooled. Results: A total of 8 case-control studies and 2 prospective studies comprising 3,328 melanoma cases and 233,295 non-case subjects were included. The summary OR for the highest compared with the lowest intake of total vitamin A, retinol and beta-carotene was 0.86 (95% CI = 0.59–1.25), 0.80 (95% CI = 0.69–0.92) and 0.87 (95%CI = 0.62–1.20), respectively. Significant heterogeneity was observed among studies on vitamin A and beta-carotene intake, but not among studies on retinol intake. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses confirmed these findings. There was no indication of publication bias. Conclusion: Findings from this meta-analysis suggest that intake of retinol, rather than of total vitamin A or beta-carotene, is significantly associated with reduced risk of melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The networked application environment has motivated the development of multitasking operating systems for sensor networks and other low-power electronic devices, but their multitasking capability is severely limited because traditional stack management techniques perform poorly on small-memory systems without virtual memory support. In this paper, we show that combining binary translation and a new kernel runtime can lead to efficient OS designs on resource constrained platforms. We introduce SenSmart, a multitasking OS for sensor networks, and present new OS design techniques for supporting preemptive multitask scheduling, memory isolation, and adaptive stack management. Our solution provides memory isolation and automatic stack relocation on usual sensornet platforms. The adaptive stack management frees programmers from the burden of estimating tasks' stack usage, yet it enables SenSmart to schedule and run more tasks than other multitasking OSes for sensor networks. We have implemented SenSmart on MICA2/MICAz motes. Evaluation shows that SenSmart has a significantly better capability in managing concurrent tasks than other sensornet operating systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and implementation of a new project-based learning approach for student learning in laboratory communications electronics is presented. A new aspect of this approach is to inspire student learning by engaging them in real applications they can relate to, which is based on providing a platform for students to learn the subject at the level of communication systems and to structure it around electronic subsystems that integrate to form the complete system. The design of how to divide the large overall project into component integrative tasks that the students can manage is presented. The resulting integration of the individual learning tasks into the project provided students with an understanding that addresses a holistic view. The big picture approach, followed by students' study and investigation of individual elements in the subsystem and their integration to realise a real wireless radio communication link, demonstrated the benefits of project-based learning and enhanced engagement stimulating curiosity and discovery. The results of the student feedback survey indicated that students were highly motivated, and that the approach strongly supported their effective learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present an optical sensor based on Solc filter to measure the transverse strain. The Solc filter is made of highly birefringent fibre by twisting its optical axes back and forth in equal sections. When a polarised light goes through the sensor, a periodic transmission response is obtained with a certain free spectra range (FSR) determined by the modal birefringence and the section length. The transverse strain can be measured by the shift of FSR from the transmitted response as the transverse stress changes the birefringence. More importantly we find that the measurement of transverse strain is free from the influence of temperature. We theoretically analyse the sensor model and simulate it by Jones Formalism. It is found that the sensitivity can achieve 7.14pm/με. The influence of section length, wavelength of light source, modal birefringence and number of sections on the sensitivity is also investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It has been shown that the burst-phase (submillisecond) intermediate of barnase, if it exists, can be only marginally more stable than the fully unfolded state at pH 6.3 and 25 °C. In the study reported here, no stable burst-phase intermediate could be detected, even in the presence of stabilizing salt (0.4 M Na 2 SO 4 ). These results suggest that a burst-phase intermediate with even marginal stability does not exist. The absence of such an intermediate in turn suggests the need for re-examination of the rate-limiting transition state (RLTS) under native conditions, which was previously characterized by using a three-state model with a stable intermediate and protein engineering. Surprisingly, mutations throughout the structure of barnase do not significantly affect the folding rate, suggesting a lack of specific favorable interactions among the side-chains in the RLTS. This RLTS is clearly different from that previously characterized under denaturing conditions, indicating that changes take place in the RLTS under native and denaturing conditions. The occurrence of such changes is further supported by the observation that the unfolding rate constants of barnase and its mutants were divergent or convergent as a function of denaturant concentrations. Consistent with changes in the RLTS, a re-analysis of data from native-state hydrogen exchange studies has shown that the logarithm of the unfolding rate constant inflects down under low concentrations of denaturant. Here, we discuss in detail the question of whether changes in the RLTS involve a kinetically silent intermediate that occurs after the initial RLTS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been shown that the burst-phase (submillisecond) intermediate of barnase, if it exists, can be only marginally more stable than the fully unfolded state at pH 6.3 and 25 °C. In the study reported here, no stable burst-phase intermediate could be detected, even in the presence of stabilizing salt (0.4 M Na2SO4). These results suggest that a burst-phase intermediate with even marginal stability does not exist. The absence of such an intermediate in turn suggests the need for re-examination of the rate-limiting transition state (RLTS) under native conditions, which was previously characterized by using a three-state model with a stable intermediate and protein engineering. Surprisingly, mutations throughout the structure of barnase do not significantly affect the folding rate, suggesting a lack of specific favorable interactions among the side-chains in the RLTS. This RLTS is clearly different from that previously characterized under denaturing conditions, indicating that changes take place in the RLTS under native and denaturing conditions. The occurrence of such changes is further supported by the observation that the unfolding rate constants of barnase and its mutants were divergent or convergent as a function of denaturant concentrations. Consistent with changes in the RLTS, a re-analysis of data from native-state hydrogen exchange studies has shown that the logarithm of the unfolding rate constant inflects down under low concentrations of denaturant. Here, we discuss in detail the question of whether changes in the RLTS involve a kinetically silent intermediate that occurs after the initial RLTS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aims We aimed to develop an effective bacterial combination that can combat Fusarium oxysporum infection in watermelon using in vitro and pot experiments. Methods and results In total, 53 strains of Bacillus and 4 strains of Pseudomonas were screened. Pseudomonas strains P3 and P4 and Bacillus strains XY-2–3, XY-13, and GJ-1–15 exhibited good antagonistic effects against F. oxysporum. P3 and P4 were identified as Pseudomonas chlororaphis and Pseudomonas fluorescens , respectively. XY-2–3 and GJ-1–15 were identified as B. velezensis , and XY-13 was identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The three Bacillus strains were antifungal, promoted the growth of watermelon seedlings and had genes to synthesize antagonistic metabolites such as bacilysin, surfactin, yndj, fengycin, iturin, and bacillomycin D. Combinations of Bacillus and Pseudomonas strains, namely, XY-2–3 + P4, GJ-1–15 + P4, XY-13 + P3, and XY-13 + P4, exhibited a good compatibility. These four combinations exhibited antagonistic effects against 11 pathogenic fungi, including various strains of F. oxysporum, Fusarium solani , and Rhizoctonia. Inoculation of these bacterial combinations significantly reduced the incidence of Fusarium wilt in watermelon, promoted plant growth, and improved soil nutrient availability. XY-13 + P4 was the most effective combination against Fusarium wilt in watermelon with the inhibition rate of 78.17%. The number of leaves; aboveground fresh and dry weights; chlorophyll, soil total nitrogen, and soil available phosphorus content increased by 26.8%, 72.12%, 60.47%, 16.97%, 20.16%, and 16.50%, respectively, after XY-13 + P4 inoculation compared with the uninoculated control. Moreover, total root length, root surface area, and root volume of watermelon seedlings were the highest after XY-13 + P3 inoculation, exhibiting increases by 265.83%, 316.79%, and 390.99%, respectively, compared with the uninoculated control. Conclusions XY-13 + P4 was the best bacterial combination for controlling Fusarium wilt in watermelon, promoting the growth of watermelon seedlings, and improving soil nutrient availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Using model compounds to study the effects of functional groups and pore structures on low-temperature oxidation of lignite. • Using DFT to study the mechanism of functional group oxidation and adsorption. • Discovering a synergistic effect between CO 2 and active functional groups. The rate of oxygen consumption and the release of CO 2 were studied using a low-temperature oxidation simulation system. Six model compounds with different functional groups and pore structures were used in the experiment. The results showed that the oxygen consumption rate of six model compounds was mainly controlled by pore diffusion; the release of CO 2 for the carbon nanotube (CNT) model compounds CNTs-Mac and CNTs-Mes was controlled by chemical adsorption of oxygen-containing functional groups, while the CNTs-Mic compounds was by diffusion resistance in channels. The carboxyl group, where CO 2 adsorbed, was the main adsorption site; this had a higher oxygen consumption rate than the hydroxyl group. Two different methods were employed in further studies to explore the relationship between CO 2 and oxygen-containing functional groups: a quantum chemical simulation for basic structural units of lignite, and measuring the activation energy of two types of lignite pre-treated by different CO 2 concentrations. Experimental results revealed that the O H bond of the carboxyl was longer than that of the hydroxyl, and the negative surface potential of the carboxyl was stronger than that of the hydroxyl. The non-covalent bond between the reactive group and coal macromolecule could be weakened due to the presence of CO 2. Finally, there was a synergistic effect between 30% CO 2 and active functional groups to promote low-temperature oxidation of lignite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the relationship between cumulative HbA1c exposure and cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). This study included 9307 participants from the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial. Cumulative HbA1c exposure was calculated as the area under the curve during exposure time. After adjusting for covariates, a 1-SD increase in cumulative HbA1c exposure was significantly associated with a higher risk of the primary outcome (HR 1.32, 95 % CI: 1.22–1.43, P < 0.001), all-cause mortality (HR 1.33, 95 % CI: 1.21–1.46, P < 0.001), and cardiovascular death (HR 1.45, 95 % CI: 1.27–1.67, P < 0.001). These associations were independent of baseline HbA1c and the first HbA1c level after enrollment. Cross-tabulation analysis showed that participants in the intensive-therapy group with high baseline HbA1c and cumulative HbA1c exposure had a significantly higher risk of primary outcome, all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death. Higher cumulative HbA1c exposure was significantly associated with an increased risk of the primary outcome, all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death among T2D patients. Patients with T2D should strive for stable glycemic control to reduce their risk of cardiovascular events, and that those with high baseline HbA1c may require more intensive therapy to achieve this goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Cyclophosphamide (CTX) is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of malignant tumors and autoimmune diseases. However, it can cause immunosuppression and damage the intestinal mucosa. The development of new agents to counteract these side effects is becoming increasingly important. Previous studies have shown that the polysaccharides from Gastrodia elata (GEPs) have strong immune‐enhancing effects; however, their functions regarding the intestines and the underlying mechanism are still unclear. In this study, the effects of GEPs on immunomodulatory activity, intestinal barrier function, and gut microbiota regulation were investigated in a mouse model of CTX‐induced immunosuppression. RESULTS: Gastrodia elata polysaccharides attenuated the CTX‐induced decrease in organ indices of the thymus and spleen, and promoted the secretion of immune‐related cytokines and immunoglobulins in the serum. They also improved the intestinal pathology and restored the intestinal barrier function by elevating the expression of intestinal tight junction proteins, occludin and ZO‐1. Moreover, GEPs restored the composition and abundance of the gut microbiota and increased the short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA) content in the colon. The abundance of SCFA‐producing bacteria (Muribaculaceae, Prevotellaceae, and Bacteroidaceae) also increased. CONCLUSIONS: Gastrodia elata polysaccharides can effectively alleviate immunosuppression and regulate the intestinal barrier integrity and the structure of gut microbiota in CTX‐treated mice. They may be used as ingredients to develop functional foods for intestinal health. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the development of the direct syngas to DME (STD)technology, in this work, the hybrid catalyst preparation of Palladiuman (Pd) metal-support for DME synthesis by microwave technology was studied and developed, which has a good effect of sulfur tolerance. All research was divided into following three sections. Firstly, Pd metal-support catalyst for STD reaction was researched. Three series of Palladiuman catalysts supported on different carriers, γ-Al2O3, HZSM-5 and Al-MCM-41 respectively, were prepared by impregnation. The properties of catalysts, such as surface phase structure and adsorption, reduction properties, surface acidity were controlled by changing calcination condition, Pd loading, or single and binary promoters and its added amount. The relationship between STD reactivity and the intrinsic characteristics of the catalyst were investigated. Secondly, the sulfur-tolerant mechanism of Pd catalysts was researched. The STD activity of catalysts after the process of sulfur poisoning with H2S or thiophene and regeneration with syngas was investigated, the influence of carriers type and promoters type on the catalysts' sulfur tolerance was analysis, the catalysts' structure and the reactants' chemical structures were characterized based on various characterizations, and then the adsorption patterns and characteristics of sulfide on Pd metal active sides and acid active sides were revealed. Adsorption position of organic sulfur poisons and inorganic sulfur poisons on in CeO2-CaO-Pd/HZSM-5 catalyst was determined based on GC-MS, and the possible transformation mechanism of sulfides on catalyst were suggested. Finally, the kinetics of STD reaction over CeO2-CaO-Pd/HZSM-5 catalyst was researched. Because owing to good STD reactivity and sulfur tolerant, STD process conditions over CeO2-CaO-Pd/HZSM-5catalyst was further studied. The kinetic equations for STD reaction over CeO2-CaO-Pd/HZSM-5 catalyst in a fixed-bed reactor within the process conditions above were established. Statistical test shows the data calculated by the mechanism models are consistent with the experiments, so these models are reliable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy E ( G ) of a graph G is the sum of the absolute values of all eigenvalues of G . We are interested in the relation between the energy of a graph G and the matching number μ ( G ) of G . It is proved that E ( G ) ≥ 2 μ ( G ) for every graph G , and E ( G ) ≥ 2 μ ( G ) + 5 5 c 1 ( G ) if the cycles of G (if any) are pairwise vertex-disjoint, where c 1 ( G ) denotes the number of odd cycles in G . Besides, we prove that E ( G ) ≥ r ( G ) + 1 2 if G has at least one odd cycle and it is not of full rank, where r ( G ) is the rank of G . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malnutrition is a common complication in the dialysis population, both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis (PD). We report our exploratory study on the characteristics of intestinal microbiota and nutritional status in PD patients. The nutritional status of our PD patients were evaluated, and their feces were collected for 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 regions amplification and high-throughput sequencing. The characteristics and differences of microbiota between the well-nourished (W) and malnourished (M) groups were compared. We studied the genera and the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) within the genus of our patients, initially comparing the malnourished and the well- nourished groups and later on reanalyzing the whole group using these OTUs. At the OTU level, 6 bacteria were significantly correlated with the serum albumin level. The abundances of 2 OTUs (OTU208 Lachnospiraceae_incertae_sedi and OTU4 Bacteroides) were more in W group. Meanwhile, 4 OTUs (OTU225 Akkermansia, OTU87 Megasphaera, OTU31 Peptostreptococcaceae_incertae_sedi and OTU168 Clostridium_sensu_strictu) displayed higher abundance among individuals in M group. Notably, the OTU168 Clostridium_sensu_stricto was the only bacteria that significantly correlated with serum albumin (r = − 0.356, P = 0.05), pre-albumin (r = − 0.399, P = 0.02), and SGA (r = 0.458, P = 0.01). The higher the OTU168 Clostridium_sensu_strictu, the lower serum albumin and pre-albumin and a higher score of SGA signifying a worse nutritional status. Our preliminary findings suggested a relationship between the nutrition status and microbiota in PD patients. Our results provide a basis for further exploration of the interactions between malnutrition and intestinal flora in PD patients with potential interventions using probiotics and prebiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim at the application requirement of logo recognition in image intelligent processing, a logo recognition algorithm based on grid feature and fuzzy matching is proposed. The grid feature of the logo is extracted, and then transformed into the membership degree of fuzzy sets. at last, closeness degree is used to accomplish logo recognition. This significantly enchances adaptability and anti-interference to the poor quality image, and effectively improves the flexible processing capability of logo recognition system. Experimental results show that the recognition rate of the logo recognition algorithm can reach as high as 95.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, we report on the low temperature solution reduction method employed in the synthesis of large quantities of nano/micro-sized bismuth (Bi) crystals with sodium hypophosphite (NaH2PO2·H2O) as reductant in acidic solutions. The achieved Bi crystals exhibited plate-like (100nm in size and few nanometers in thickness) or polyhedral (500nm in size) shapes. Bi nanocrystals transformed to octahedron-like Bi microcrystals only by prolonging the reaction time. The assembly and oriented growth should be the reason. To understand the growth mechanism, we also discussed the possible growth of the Bi nanocrystals exhibits influence of experimental parameters such as reaction time, NaH2PO2·H2O concentration, and pH value. The resulting Bi crystals were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry. Optical properties of the samples were studied by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

During an investigation of Xylariaceae from 2019 to 2020, isolates representing eight Nemania (Xylariacese) species were collected from Yunnan, Guizhou and Hainan Provinces in China. Morphological and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses, based on combined ITS, α-actin, rpb2 and β-tubulin sequences, confirmed that six of them are new to science, viz. Nemania camelliae, N. changningensis, N. cyclobalanopsina, N. feicuiensis, N. lishuicola and N. rubi; one is a new record (N. caries) for China and one is a known species (N. diffusa). Morphological descriptions and illustrations of all species are detailed. In addition, the characteristics of Nemania are summarised and prevailing contradictions in generic concepts are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetracycline (TC), as a typical micro-pollutant in natural environment, has attracted much attention. The peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based advanced oxidation process is regarded as a promising technology for TC treatment, while its potential practical application is mainly dependent on the oxidant yield derived from activating PMS by catalysts. Therefore, the development of improved activators which are characterized by adequate activity and stability for PMS decomposition is in high demand. In this paper, the high-efficiency K2−xMn8O16 nanowire hydrogels (KNH) with high stability was synthesized through a simple hydrothermal method and then an enhanced PMS/KNH system for antibiotic degradation via multiple strategies was established. For removal of low-concentration TC, a high degradation of nearly 95% could be achieved by activating PMS in a wide pH rang. More than that, a further catalytic mechanism of this PMS/KNH system was also put forward, thus providing a guideline for designing and fabricating transition-metal catalysts to activate PMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at investigating the cytoprotective effect of an ethyl acetate extract of insect fungi against high glucose- (HG-) induced oxidative damage in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). An insect fungus strain termed CH180672 (CH) was found for protecting HUVECs from HG-induced damage. In this study, CH was identified as Simplicillium sp. based on a phylogenetic analysis of ITS‐rDNA sequences. Ethyl acetate extract (EtOAc) of this strain (CH) was subjected to the following experiments. Cell viability was examined with the MTT method. To evaluate the protection of CH, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes were measured and the expression of oxidation-associated proteins was assessed. In the current study, it has been found that CH can increase the survival rate of HUVECs induced by HG. Additionally, we found that HG-induced nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) signal decreased and increased the intracellular ROS and MDA generation in HUVECs. However, CH treatment strongly promoted the translocation of Nrf2 and its transregulation on HO-1 and ultimately inhibited the high level of ROS and MDA induced by HG. The regulatory ability of CH was similar to Nrf2 agonist bardoxolone, while the effect was abolished by ML385, suggesting that Nrf2 mediated the inhibition of CH on HG-induced oxidative stress in HUVECs. Taken together, CH can improve HG-induced oxidative damage of HUVECs, and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is a leading cause of human mortality around the globe. In this study, mechanism-based SAR (Structure-Activity Relationship) was employed to investigate the carcinogenicity of aromatic amines and nitroaromatics based on CPDB. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were used to construct the SAR model. Principle component analysis generated three principal components from 12 mechanism-based descriptors. The extracted principal components were later used for cluster analysis, which divided the selected 55 chemicals into six clusters. The three principal components were proposed to describe the "transport", "reactivity" and "electrophilicity" properties of the chemicals. Cluster analysis indicated that the relevant "transport" properties positively correlated with the carcinogenic potential and were contributing factors in determining the carcinogenicity of the studied chemicals. The mechanism-based SAR analysis suggested the electron donating groups, electron withdrawing groups and planarity are significant factors in determining the carcinogenic potency for studied aromatic compounds. The present study may provide insights into the relationship between the three proposed properties and the carcinogenesis of aromatic amines and nitroaromatics. • Three properties (transport, reactivity and electrophilicity) of the chemicals about the carcinogenicity are screened out. • Cluster analysis indicated the relevant "transport" properties positively correlated with the carcinogenic potential. • The properties of electrophilicity significantly influenced the carcinogenic potency for studied aromatic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local energy extrema of the bands in momentum space, or valleys, can endow electrons in solids with pseudospin in addition to real spin. In transition metal dichalcogenides this valley pseudospin, like real spin, is associated with a magnetic moment that underlies the valley-dependent circular dichroism that allows optical generation of valley polarization, intervalley quantum coherence and the valley Hall effect. However, magnetic manipulation of valley pseudospin via this magnetic moment, analogous to what is possible with real spin, has not been shown before. Here we report observation of the valley Zeeman splitting and magnetic tuning of polarization and coherence of the excitonic valley pseudospin, by performing polarization-resolved magneto-photoluminescence on monolayer WSe2. Our measurements reveal both the atomic orbital and lattice contributions to the valley orbital magnetic moment; demonstrate the deviation of the band edges in the valleys from an exact massive Dirac fermion model; and reveal a striking difference between the magnetic responses of neutral and charged valley excitons that is explained by renormalization of the excitonic spectrum due to strong exchange interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemoresistance in multidrug-resistant (MDR) cells over expressing P-glycoprotein (P-gp) encoded by the MDR1 gene, is a major obstacle to successful chemotherapy for colorectal cancer. Previous studies have indicated that sinomenine can enhance the absorption of various P-gp substrates. In the present study, we investigated the effect of sinomenine on the chemoresistance in colon cancer cells and explored the underlying mechanism. We developed multidrug-resistant Caco-2 (MDR-Caco-2) cells by exposure of Caco-2 cells to increasing concentrations of doxorubicin. We identified overexpression of COX-2 and MDR-1 genes as well as activation of the NF-κB signal pathway in MDR-Caco-2 cells. Importantly, we found that sinomenine enhances the sensitivity of MDR-Caco-2 cells towards doxorubicin by downregulating MDR-1 and COX-2 expression through inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway. These findings provide a new potential strategy for the reversal of P-gp-mediated anticancer drug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ash–ZnO heat carrier effectively improves sulfur fixation rates during coal pyrolysis. • ZnO in ash–ZnO heat carrier promotes the transformation of tar sulfur to char sulfur after 600 °C. • Ash–ZnO heat carrier effectively inhibits the generation of H 2 S and COS. • Solid solutions (Zn, Fe)S can be formed by FeS and ZnS under pyrolysis conditions. In this paper, the effects of ash heat carrier (AHC) and ash-ZnO heat carrier (A-ZHC) on the release and transformation of sulfur during the pyrolysis of Yuandatan (YDT) high-sulfur bituminous coal were studied. The samples were pyrolyzed in a fixed-bed reactor, the composition of sulfur in char, crystal structure of inorganic sulfur, and species of sulfur in pyrolysis gas were analyzed by XPS, XRD and GC. Compared with AHC, the A-ZHC can better inhibit sulfur migration to tar and gas during coal pyrolysis so as to obtain more pure volatile products. Both the AHC and A-ZHC promote the formation of CaS and FeS. The presence of ZnO in the A-ZHC promotes the formation of ZnS, and the interaction between ZnS and FeS can produce solid solutions (Zn,Fe)S, which further reduces the release of H 2 S and COS and advances the increase of sulfide sulfur content. In addition, the catalytic effect of ZnO in A-ZHC promotes the conversion of thiophene sulfur to sulfide sulfur in char at high temperature. The catalytic effect of ZnO also promotes the conversion of tar sulfur to sulfide and sulfone sulfur in char by reacting with metal-oxides and oxygen-containing groups during the secondary reaction stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Acorus calamus L. (AC), family Araceae, have been used in the Indian and Chinese systems of medicine for hundreds of years. The radix of AC is widely used in the therapy of diabetes in traditional folk medicine of America and Indonesia. Aim of the study: To investigate the insulin sensitizing activity and antidiabetic effects of the ethyl acetate fraction of AC (ACE). Materials and methods: Glucose consumption mediated by insulin was detected in L6 rat skeletal muscle cells. Diabetes and its complications related indexes were monitored after orally administrating to genetically obese diabetic C57BL/Ks db/db mice daily for 3 weeks. Results: ACE (12.5 and 25μg/ml) increased glucose consumption mediated by insulin in L6 cells (p <0.05 and p <0.01). In db/db mice, ACE (100mg/kg) significantly reduced serum glucose, triglyceride, reinforce the decrease of total cholesterol caused by rosiglitazone (at least p <0.05), and markedly reduced free fatty acid (FFA) levels and increased adiponectin levels (p <0.01 and p <0.05) as rosiglitazone did (p <0.05 and p <0.001). Serum insulin was decreased but not significantly. In addition, ACE decreased the intake of food and water, and did not increase body weight gain whereas rosiglitazone did. Conclusions: Owing to the ability of insulin sensitizing, ACE has the potential to be useful for the treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular complications without body weight gain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Aurivillius type bismuth layer-structured compound potassium lanthanum bismuth titanate (K0.5La0.5Bi4Ti4O15) is synthesized using conventional solid-state processing. The phase analysis is performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the microstructural morphology is conducted by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The ferroelectric, dielectric and piezoelectric properties of K0.5La0.5Bi4Ti4O15 (KLBT) ceramics are investigated in detail. The remnant polarization (P r) and coercive field (E c) are found to be 8.6μCcm−2 and 60kVcm−1, respectively. The Curie temperature T c and piezoelectric coefficient d 33 are 413°C and 18pCN−1, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) such as rosiglitazone are antidiabetic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonists. PPARγ agents improve diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity and enhancing the differentiation of preadipocytes into adipocytes. The present study aimed to identify if 1-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-5-hydroxy-2-methyl-3-indoleacetitic acid (GY3), a newly synthesized indole compound, could enhance adipocytes differentiation and insulin sensitivity. The results showed that both GY3 and rosiglitazone significantly increased the lipid accumulating of 3T3-L1 adipocytes induced by isobutylmethylxanthine, dexamethasone and insulin mixture, but GY3 (not rosiglitazone) failed to increase the lipid accumulation when induced by insulin alone. In addition, GY3- or rosiglitaozne-induced protein expression of GLUT4 and adiponectin was determined by Western blot analysis. GY3 activated PPARα weakly but did not affect PPARγ, while rosiglitazone activated PPARγ significantly, suggesting different mechanisms between GY3 and rosiglitazone on adipocyte differentiation. Furthermore, both GY3 and rosiglitazone enhanced the adiponectin and insulin pathway proteins expression and adiponectin secretion in mature adipocytes, but only GY3 not rosiglitazone elevated gene expression of leptin and resistin. Both GY3 and rosiglitazone enhanced glucose consumption in HepG2 cells especially in the presence of insulin. In the in vivo study, GY3 decreased serum glucose and insulin in db/db mice, indicating the insulin sensitizing effect might contribute to its antidiabetic mechanism. Altogether, these results suggest that GY3 could improve insulin resistance and lower glucose level, GY3 and its derivatives might be developed as a substitution therapy for diseases with insulin resistance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, two different processing routes were adopted for the preparation of lead-free (Na0.52K0.44Li0.04)Nb0.87Sb0.08Ta0.05O3 ceramics and favorable results were obtained. The samples were characterized by X-ray techniques and scanning electron microscopy. Piezoelectric and dielectric data were presented. All the (Na0.52K0.44Li0.04)Nb0.87Sb0.08Ta0.05O3 samples possessed pure perovskite phase, and not any secondary phase could be certified. Excellent piezoelectric properties of d 33 =376pC/N, k p =44.1% and tanδ =2.4% were obtained for the composition compounded with (Na0.52K0.44Li0.04)NbO3 and (Na0.52K0.44Li0.04)Nb0.74Sb0.16Ta0.1O3 in the molar ratio 1:1. The remarkably strong piezoelectricity is probably due to the improved compositional homogeneity and enhanced densification achieved by the two-stage preparation method. The work will lead to further improvements in the properties of KNN-based piezoelectric materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Single-crystalline SnO2 nanorods with large aspect ratios have been synthesized in poly (ethylene glycol) 200 (PEG-200) medium. The products are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The results indicate that the average diameter and length of the nanorods are 13nm and 550nm, respectively, presenting a mean aspect ratio of 42. These SnO2 nanorods show typical rutile phase and exhibit preferential growth along the [] direction. A proposed mechanism for the formation of SnO2 nanorods has also been discussed. In addition, photocatalytic activity study indicates that the as-prepared SnO2 nanorods present excellent photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). When irradiated by a 300W high-pressure mercury lamp, the degradation of RhB reaches 100% within 45min. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A 3D open structure FeIII(OH)[C 6 H 2 (CO 2) 2 (CO 2 H) 2 ]·xH 2 O(MIL-82) with carboxyl-rich groups is designed as a parent metal-organic framework (MOF). A stable lanthanide fluorescent MOF was successfully constructed by doping the Eu3+ cation on the coordination site of MIL-82. The intense luminescence of Eu3+ incorporated MIL-82 indicates that uncoordinated carboxyl group is an efficient framework for accommodating and sensitizing Eu3+ cations. The luminescent MOF can be developed as a chemical sensor for Ag+ in aqueous solution. The sensor also displays high selectivity towards Ag+, excellent sensitivity with a relatively low detection limit (0.09 μM) and fast response time within 3 min. In addition, the framework has excellent water stability and thermal stability, which provides a rare method for detecting Ag in daily water samples. • A thermally stable Eu-functionalized metal-organic framework has been synthesized. • The flourescence probe presents the high selectivity towards Ag+ in aqueous solution. • It also displays good sensitivity with a compartively low detection limit and fast response to Ag+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibrous Ag/AgCl composites have been successfully in situ synthesized using fibrous Ag as substrate prepared with cotton fiber as a template by in situ redox reaction. The as-obtained materials perfectly maintain the fibrous morphology of Ag fiber or cotton fiber. The fibrous Ag/AgCl composites are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectra and ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The as-prepared fibrous Ag/AgCl composites are employed as photocatalysts for the degradation of methyl orange. The results show that the photocatalytic performances of samples are closely related with the molar ratio of Ag to AgCl in the fiber composite. The Ag/AgCl-1:1.5 photocatalyst demonstrates the optimal photocatalytic activity and the photodegradation efficiency can be retained 78.51% after four cycles. The photocatalytic mechanism study suggests that the photo-generated holes and superoxide radicals play important roles in the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange under direct solar light. Image 1 • Fibrous Ag/AgCl composite is successfully synthesized by in situ reaction. • The optimal photocatalytic activity of Ag/AgCl composite is demonstrated with the appreciable ratio of Ag to AgCl. • Photo-generated holes and superoxide radicals play important roles in photocatalysis. • Ag/AgCl photocatalyst maintains stable photocatalytic activity under solar light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Al2O3-doped ZnO varistors with high performance have been fabricated with nano composite powders, which were prepared by the sol–gel method. The xerogels, calcined powders and sintered material ceramics were fully characterized. The electrical properties and grain boundary characteristics were measured. The average grain size decreased from 4.4μm to 3.0μm and the breakdown voltage increased from 720V/cm to 1160V/cm as the amount of Al2O3 increased from 0.0wt.% to 0.40wt.%. 2ms square-wave test indicates that the energy capability was better in a sol–gel derived ZnO varistor than a conventional sample and was enhanced by Al2O3 doping. Improved electrical properties of sol–gel derived ZnO varistors is attributed to the smaller grain size and more uniform distribution of additives. Al2O3-doped ZnO varistor obtained from sol–gel process is useful for device miniaturization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]