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Particle image velocimetry (PIV), as a key technique in experimental fluid mechanics, is able to estimate complex velocity field through consecutive input particle images. In this study, an attention-mechanism incorporated deep recurrent network called ARaft-FlowNet has been proposed, on the basis of a previously established Recurrent All-Pairs Field Transforms optical flow model. The attention module is added to improve the network's capability of recognizing tracer particles' motion. Moreover, a parameterized dataset, ParaPIV-Dataset, is generated to explore the influence of particle parameters on deep learning networks, including particle diameter, image particle density, Gaussian noise, and peak intensity. The accuracy and generalizability of the newly proposed model has been evaluated and analyzed comprehensively. The results indicate that ARaft-FlowNet achieves state-of-the-art performance. Compared to previous methods, ARaft-FlowNet shows an accuracy improvement of 62.9%, 10.9%, and 9.4% in cylindrical flow, surface quasi-geostrophic flow, and DNS-turbulence flow. Meanwhile, the proposed model shows the strongest generalization and best capability to deal with complex flow fields with small-scale vortices. Additionally, tests on experimental turbulent jet data reveal that ARaft-FlowNet is able to deal with real PIV images with brightness variations and noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The share of residential building energy consumption in global energy consumption has rapidly increased after the COVID-19 crisis. The accurate prediction of energy consumption under different indoor and outdoor conditions is an essential step towards improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon footprints in the residential building sector. In this paper, a PSO-optimized random forest classification algorithm is proposed to identify the most important factors contributing to residential heating energy consumption. A self-organizing map (SOM) approach is applied for feature dimensionality reduction, and an ensemble classification model based on the stacking method is trained on the dimensionality-reduced data. The results show that the stacking model outperforms the other models with an accuracy of 95.4% in energy consumption prediction. Finally, a causal inference method is introduced in addition to Shapley Additive Explanation (SHAP) to explore and analyze the factors influencing energy consumption. A clear causal relationship between water pipe temperature changes, air temperature, and building energy consumption is found, compensating for the neglect of temperature in the SHAP analysis. The findings of this research can help residential building owners/managers make more informed decisions around the selection of efficient heating management systems to save on energy bills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Three-amino-loop-extension (TALE) superfamily genes are widely present in plants and function directly in plant growth and development and abiotic stress response. Although TALE genes have been studied in many plant species, members of the TALE family have not been identified in wheat. Results: In this study, we identified 70 wheat TALE protein candidate genes divided into two subfamilies, KNOX (KNOTTED-like homeodomain) and BEL1-like (BLH/BELL homeodomain). Genes in the same subfamily or branch in the phylogenetic tree are similar in structure, and their encoded proteins have similar motifs and conserved structures. Wheat TALE genes are unevenly distributed on 21 chromosomes and expanded on the fourth chromosome. Through gene duplication analysis, 53 pairs of wheat TALE genes were determined to result from segmental duplication events, and five pairs were caused by tandem duplication events. The Ka/Ks between TALE gene pairs indicates a strong purification and selection effect. There are multiple cis-elements in the 2000 bp promoter sequence that respond to hormones and abiotic stress, indicating that most wheat TALE genes are involved in the growth, development, and stress response of wheat. We also studied the expression profiles of wheat TALE genes in different developmental stages and tissues and under different stress treatments. We detected the expression levels of four TALE genes by qRT-PCR, and selected TaKNOX11-A for further downstream analysis. TaKNOX11-A enhanced the drought and salt tolerances of Arabidopsis thaliana. TaKNOX11-A overexpressing plants had decreased malondialdehyde content and increased proline content, allowing for more effective adaptation of plants to unfavorable environments. Conclusions: We identified TALE superfamily members in wheat and conducted a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis. The discovery of the potential role of TaKNOX11-A in drought resistance and salt tolerance provides a basis for follow-up studies of wheat TALE family members, and also provides new genetic resources for improving the stress resistance of wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the advantages of hybrid steel I-section beams in reducing engineering costs and fully utilizing the mechanical properties of steel, and the lack of research on their ductility, hybrid steel I-section beams were tested to analyze the effects of the plate width–thickness ratio and steel strength matching on the flexural bearing capacity and ductility. The steel strength matching of the hybrid steel I-section beam with a high steel strength utilization rate and good ductility was related closely to the section size. Additionally, a parametric analysis based on the finite- element method was performed for further study. The steel strength ratio φ of the web to the flange with the best ductility was less than 1, and φ decreased with an increase in flange steel strength. The steel strength utilization rate and ductility decreased with an increase in φ. Based on the parametric analysis results, the optimal range of φ in hybrid-steel I-section beams with flange steel strength of 460–690 MPa was 0.56–1. The plate width–thickness ratio limit of the ductile section decreased with the decrease of φ. Considering the plate interaction and steel strength matching, a sectional ductility design method is proposed that is more applicable to hybrid steel I-section beams than existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to develop a radiomics model to predict the histopathological grading of meningiomas by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before surgery. We recruited 131 patients with pathological diagnosis of meningiomas. All the patients had undergone MRI before surgery on a 3.0 T MRI scanner to obtain T1 fluid- attenuated inversion recovery (T1 FLAIR) images, T2-weighted images (T2WI) and T1 FLAIR with contrast enhancement (CE-T1 FLAIR) images covering the whole brain. The removing features with low variance, univariate feature selection, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were used to select radiomics features. Six classifiers were used to train the models (logistic regression (LR), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), decision tree (DT), support vector machine (SVM), random forests (RF), and XGBoost), and then 24 models were established using a random verification method to differentiate low-grade from high-grade meningiomas. The performance was assessed by receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the f1-score, sensitivity, and specificity. The radiomics features were significantly associated with the histopathological grading. Quantitative imaging features (n = 1409) were extracted, and nine features were selected to predict the grades of meningiomas. The best performance of the radiomics model for the degree of differentiation was obtained by SVM (area under the curve (AUC), 0.956; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.83–1.00; sensitivity, 0.87; specificity, 0.92; f1-score, 0.90). The radiomics models are of great value in predicting the histopathological grades of meningiomas, and have broad prospects in radiology and clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, Na0.5Bi4.5Ti4O15-Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 and Cr2O3-modified Na0.5Bi4.5Ti4O15-Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 composite ceramics were fabricated and investigated as potential candidates for high-temperature piezoelectric applications. The microstructure, phase structure, and resulting piezoelectric properties of the ceramics were studied in detail. The coexistence of bismuth layer-structured ((Bi2O2)2+(Am−1BmO3m+1)2−) and perovskite structured (ABO3) phases was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The volume fraction ratio of pristine Na0.5Bi4.5Ti4O15-Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 was determined to be 84.3:15.7, while that of the Cr2O3-modified one was 85.9:14.1, which agreed well with the theoretical value. Following doping, a small amount of Cr3+ ions was diffused into the crystal lattices of both phases, promoting the grain growth and resulting in a slight increase of the Curie temperature TC from 656 to 658 °C. Moreover, optimized piezoelectric properties with a significant piezoelectric constant d33 of 25 pC/N and a stable thermal annealing behavior were achieved in this ceramic. In addition, compared with the pure composite ceramic, the Cr2O3-modified composite ceramic exhibited a higher resistivity of 0.04 MΩ·cm at 600 °C. These results demonstrated the potential of the Cr2O3-modified Na0.5Bi4.5Ti4O15-Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 composite ceramic in high-temperature piezoelectric applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• TA significantly increased serum total cholesterol concentration and decreased the nutrient digestibility of Brandt's voles. • The small intestine of male Brandt's vole between the control and tannic acid groups were analyzed by RNA sequencing. • There were 174 DEGs in the duodenum, 96 DEGs in the jejunum, and 88 DEGs in the ileum. • Many genes associated with fat digestion and absorption were altered after tannic acid treatment. Tannic acid (TA), a significant plant secondary metabolite, is contained in the daily food of Brandt's voles. Its adverse effect on gut function has been shown in earlier research, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain uncertain. In this study, male Brandt's vole (13 weeks old) were divided into two groups and given 0 (control) or 1,200 (TA-treated) mg•kg−1 TA for 18 days. Then RNA sequencing was used to conduct a thorough transcriptome analysis on the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of Brandt's voles. Results showed that TA significantly increased serum total cholesterol concentration (P < 0.05) and decreased the nutrient digestibility (P < 0.05) of Brandt's voles. Furthermore, there were 174 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the duodenum, 96 DEGs in the jejunum, and 88 DEGs in the ileum between the control and TA-treated groups. Enrichment analysis revealed that many genes associated with bile secretion, fat digestion and absorption, innate immune response, and tight junction such as ABCG2 , ABCG8 , PEAK1 , and IFR2 , etc. were altered after TA treatment, which were verified by quantitative real-time PCR. These findings suggested that TA can change the expression of intestinal genes, thereby, altering nutrition metabolism and immunological function, eventually hindering the growth of Brandt's voles. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for explaining how TA affects the gut function of Brandt's voles at the molecular level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone is one of the most common metastatic sites of breast cancer, and bone metastasis profoundly affects the quality of life of breast cancer patients. Bone metastasis is commonly observed among all the subtypes of breast cancer; however, its molecular mechanism has been analyzed only in triple‐negative subtype of breast cancer (TNBC). To characterize the molecular mechanisms of bone metastasis of luminal breast cancer, we established a bone‐metastatic model of the MCF7, luminal breast cancer cell line, with enhanced osteolytic activity by intracaudal arterial injection (CAI). Pathological analysis of the established cell lines revealed that they exhibited fierce osteolytic ability by promoting osteoclast differentiation and activity. The signature genes extracted from highly osteolytic MCF7 cell lines were differed from those of bone‐metastatic TNBC cell lines. Our results suggest that unique mechanisms of osteolysis in bone‐metastatic lesions of luminal breast cancer. In addition, several up‐regulated genes in MCF7‐BM (Bone Metastasis) 02 cell lines correlated with poor prognosis with luminal breast cancer patients. Our findings support further study on the bone‐metastatic mechanisms of luminal breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superhydrophobic surface has attracted significant attention since their potentiality to industrial and academic applications. Moreover, superhydrophobic surface wettability at non-ambient temperature, especially at high temperature (but not boiling) was of great importance in many industrial processes. In this paper, we designed and fabricated 4 series superhydrophobic micro-pillar surfaces on the Silicon wafers to investigate wettability at different temperatures. These micro-pillar surfaces were fabricated by photolithography and ICP etching technologies. The temperature-dependent wettability of DI water droplets was characterized using contact angle measurements. The wetting behavior was observed to be different on the surfaces, and the wetting transition occurred at a specific temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triterpenoids and flavonoids from licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) are known to have a wide range of applications in the pharmaceutical, skin care, and food industries. The effects of various types of abiotic stresses and associated phytohormones - polyethylene glycol, sodium chloride, ultraviolet, cadmium, abscisic acid, and methyl jasmonate - on both the content of these secondary metabolites and the transcript levels of genes encoding enzymes of important biosynthetic pathways were evaluated in hydroponic seedlings of G. uralensis. In these treatments, abscisic acid induced a substantial increase in the levels of the four active compounds, compared to the control. Analysis of the expression of genes involved in the biosynthetic pathways of these compounds, such as FPPS , showed that their transcript levels were significantly up-regulated in the four stresses. These findings suggested that the multi-stress superposition pattern of the content of active compounds and the gene expression of their biosynthetic pathways may provide insights to explore the management of secondary metabolite synthesis pathways in medicinal plants. It could facilitate a better understanding of the formation patterns of active compounds in licorice in artificial cultivation. Further insights may also be provided to increase the yield of these high value components. [Display omitted] • Exogenous abscisic acid has a positive effect on the active compounds of licorice. • Glycyrrhizic acid-related gene expression was uprated in PEG and UV treatments. • Hydroponic system can be used to study the effect of abiotic stresses on licorice. • Multi-stress has potential in regulation and production of secondary metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress triggers complex physiological and biochemical responses in plants. Different plant species have also evolved several morphological, physiological, biochemical, cellular, and molecular mechanisms to overcome drought stress conditions. However, genotype-specific response factors associated with drought tolerance and the balanced relationship between active components and stress conditions are still not fully elucidated. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza Tourn. L.) is a perennial herb of the Leguminosae family which is widely used as a spice in the food industry. It is favored for its sweet and distinctive aromatic flavor, which is attributed to its glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, and other components. The influence of drought stress on different species of licorice was analyzed. Seed germination parameters, the activity of anti-oxidative enzymes, osmoregulation, and active compound contents were compared in three licorice species (Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., and Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat.). The results indicated a level of drought stress that balanced relatively good growth trends and high expression of active compounds in individual licorice species. With increasing drought stress, G. uralensis and G. glabra had lower values of early germination indicators (germination energy, germination rate, and germination index), when compared to G. inflata. The highest values of antioxidant enzyme activity and active compound content were detected at lower stress levels in both G. uralensis and G. glabra. The active components (glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin, 4′,7-dihydroxyflavone, and licochalcone A) showed significantly different trends in different species under drought stress. The current study will help understand the effects of drought stress on licorice plants. The results highlight the importance of preserving regional genetic diversity for adaptive evolution in response to global climate change. It also provides a theoretical basis for revealing rational cropping regions and formulating adaptive irrigation strategies. [Display omitted] • Three licorice genotypes show differential germination response to drought stress. • Enzyme activity in licorice seedlings was significantly influenced by genotypes. • Proline content was not influenced by genotypes. • Contents of active components differed significantly among genotypes under drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unprecedented coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a disaster for public health in the last 2 years, without any sign of an ending. Various vaccines were developed rapidly as soon as the outbreak occurred. Clinical trials demonstrated the reactogenicity, immunogenicity and protection efficacy in humans, and some of the vaccines have been approved for clinical use. However, waves of infections such as the recently circulating Omicron variant still occur. Newly emerging variants, especially the variants of concern, and waning humoral responses pose serious challenges to the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, we summarized the humoral and cellular immunity, safety profiles and protection efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines with clinical data published by 21 May 2021. In this review, we summarize and update the published clinical data of COVID-19 vaccines and candidates up to 31 December 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new criterion is proposed to identify different thermal behaviors for diffusion controlled liquid–liquid heterogeneous reactions. • A new kind of adiabatic temperature diagram is developed to seek the secondary decomposition reactions. • A series of boundary diagrams and adiabatic temperature diagrams under different operating conditions diagrams are plotted. • A practical procedure is introduced to easily predict the inherently safe operating conditions. It is common that diffusion controlled liquid–liquid heterogeneous reactions are performed in isoperibolic semibatch reactors (SBRs) in chemical and pharmaceutical industries. In this paper dimensionless maximal temperature of the synthesis reactions under cooling failure conditions (MTSR 0) and the corresponding dimensionless instant θ MTSR vs. jacket temperature profiles for this kind of reactions are thoroughly studied. Based on the variations of MTSR 0 and θ MTSR a robust criterion to identify different thermal behaviors is introduced. Then a series of boundary diagrams (BDs) and corresponding adiabatic temperature diagrams (ATDs) are plotted. The influences of operating conditions on the shape and location of BDs and ATDs are also investigated. Combining the established BDs and ADTs, the inherently safe operating conditions for this kind of reactions could be easily obtained. Finally a practical procedure is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: VQ motif-containing (VQ) proteins are cofactors of transcriptional regulation that are widely involved in plant growth and development and respond to various stresses. The VQ gene family has been identified and characterized for many plants, but there is little research on VQ gene family proteins in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Results: In this study, 113 TaVQ genes (40 homoeologous groups) were identified in the wheat genome. TaVQ proteins all contain the conserved motif FxxhVQxhTG, and most of the TaVQ genes do not contain introns. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that TaVQ proteins can be divided into 8 subgroups (I-VIII). The chromosomal location mapping analysis indicated that TaVQ genes are disproportionally distributed on 21 wheat chromosomes. Gene duplication analysis revealed that segmental duplication significantly contributes to the expansion of the TaVQ gene family. Gene expression analysis demonstrated that the expression pattern of TaVQ genes varies in different tissues. The results of quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) found that TaVQ genes displayed different expression levels under different phytohormones and abiotic stresses. The cis-elements analysis of the promoter region demonstrated that stress responses, hormone responses, growth and development, and WRKY binding elements are all widely distributed. Additionally, a potential regulatory network between TaVQ proteins and WRKY transcription factors was visualized. Conclusion: This study systematically analyzed the wheat TaVQ gene family, providing a reference for further functional characterization of TaVQ genes in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide, has limited efficient therapeutic options. Here, we first demonstrated that simultaneously targeting poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and autophagy could evoke striking synergistic lethality in HCC cells. Specifically, we found that the PARP inhibitor Niraparib induced cytotoxicity accompanied by significant autophagy formation and autophagic flux in HCC cells. Further experiments showed that Niraparib induced suppression of the Akt/mTOR pathway and activation of the Erk1/2 cascade, two typical signaling pathways related to autophagy. In addition, the accumulation of reactive oxygen species was triggered, which was involved in Niraparib-induced autophagy. Blocking autophagy by chloroquine (CQ) in combination with Niraparib further enhanced cytotoxicity, induced apoptosis and inhibited colony formation in HCC cells. Synergistic inhibition was also observed in Huh7 xenografts in vivo. Mechanistically, we showed that autophagy inhibition abrogated Niraparib-induced cell-cycle arrest and checkpoint activation. Cotreatment with CQ and Niraparib promoted the formation of γ-H2AX foci while inhibiting the recruitment of the homologous recombination repair protein RAD51 to double-strand break sites. Thus, the present study developed a novel promising strategy for the management of HCC in the clinic and highlighted a potential approach to expand the application of PARP inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-CoV-2 variants with severe immune evasion are a major challenge for COVID-19 prevention, especially the circulating Omicron XBB/BQ.1.1/BF.7 strains. Thus, the next-generation of broad-spectrum vaccines are urgently needed. Previously, we developed a COVID-19 protein subunit vaccine, ZF2001, based on the RBD-homodimer as the immunogen. To adapt SARS-CoV-2 variants, we developed chimeric RBD-heterodimers to induce broad immune responses. In this study, we further explored the concept of tandem RBD homotrimer and heterotrimer. Prototype SARS-CoV-2 RBD-homotrimer, prototype-Delta-BA.1 (PDO) RBD-heterotrimer and Delta-BA.2-BA.5 (DBA2BA5) RBD-heterotrimer were designed. Biochemical and cryo-EM structural characterization demonstrated total epitope exposure of the RBD-trimers. In mouse experiments, PDO and DBA2BA5 elicited broad SARS-CoV-2 neutralization. Potent protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants was observed in challenge assays and was correlated with neutralizing antibody titer. This study validated the design strategy of tandem RBD-heterotrimers as multivalent immunogens and presented a promising vaccine candidate, DBA2BA5, eliciting broad-spectrum immune responses, including against the circulating XBB/BF.7/BQ.1.1. Author summary: SARS-CoV-2 variants continue to emerge and circulate. Omicron sub-variants show severe evasion of the immune response induced by early-approved vaccines. Bivalent mRNA vaccines (prototype and Omicron BA. 5) have been approved for use in the United States and other countries. However, the co-circulation of SARS-CoV-2 variants (such as BA. 5.2, BF. 7, BQ. 1.1 and XBB) poses a challenge to disease control. The next-generation of COVID-19 vaccines need to induce potent and broad-spectrum immune responses. Here, we demonstrate a design strategy for trivalent SARS-CoV-2 vaccines with RBD-heterotrimers, which are single protein molecules without any linker sequences or trimerization domain. Biochemical and cryo-EM structural characterization demonstrated the total epitope exposure of RBD-trimers. Animal experiments showed that RBD-heterotrimers induce broad-spectrum protective immune responses. As a proof-of-concept, this trivalent immunogen design strategy is promising and practical for preventing the continuous circulation of SARS-CoV-2. This study provides guidance for future vaccine design against coronavirus and other viruses such as the influenza and dengue viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tannic acid (TA) is a polyphenol with antioxidant properties present in various plants. In this study, we explored the protective effect of TA against ovarian oxidative stress in Brandt’s voles and its underlying mechanism. At various doses, 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NPA) was intraperitoneally injected into Brandt’s voles to simulate ovarian oxidative stress. Thereafter, various doses of TA were intragastrically administered to examine the protective effect of TA against 3-NPA-induced ovarian damage. Changes in inflammation, autophagy, apoptosis, and oxidative stress-related factors were investigated through various biochemical and histological techniques. Ovarian oxidative stress was successfully induced by the intraperitoneal administration of 12.5 mg/kg 3-NPA for 18 days. As a result, the ovarian coefficient decreased and ovarian tissue fibrosis was induced. TA treatment effectively alleviated the increase in luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone levels; the decrease in estradiol, progesterone, and anti-Müllerian hormone levels; and the decline in fertility induced by 3-NPA. Compared to that in the 3-NPA group, TA decreased the expression of autophagy-related proteins beclin-1 and LC3, as well as the level of apoptosis. It also activated the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, downregulated PTEN and p-NF-κB expression, and upregulated Nrf2 expression. In conclusion, our findings indicate that TA could inhibit autophagy via the regulation of AKT/mTOR signaling, suppressing oxidative damage and inflammatory responses through Nrf2 to alleviate 3-NPA-induced ovarian damage. Collectively, the current findings highlight the protective effects of TA in Brandt’s vole, where it promotes the maintenance of normal ovarian function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tertiary amine-structured compounds containing stimulating response groups such as diethylaminoethyl isobutyrate and N-(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl)methyl, were synthesised by an acid chloride esterification method using acrylamide, N-(2-(dimethylamino) ethyl)isobutyramide, 2-methyl-N-[3-(methyl-phenyl-amino)-propyl]-acrylamide and 2-Methyl -N-[3-(methyl-phenyl-amino)-propyl]-propionamide reactants. The effects of different ratios of reactants on product purity, reaction time on purity and yield were investigated. Product purity was characterised by gas chromatography. The structure was characterised by infrared spectroscopy (IR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), and the purity of the five different synthesised compounds was determined to be more than 97%. This study provides a convenient and efficient method for the synthesis of compounds containing tertiary amine structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The serine carboxypeptidase-like protein (SCPL) family plays a vital role in stress response, growth, development and pathogen defense. However, the identification and functional analysis of SCPL gene family members have not yet been performed in wheat. Results: In this study, we identified a total of 210 candidate genes encoding SCPL proteins in wheat. According to their structural characteristics, it is possible to divide these members into three subfamilies: CPI, CPII and CPIII. We uncovered a total of 209 TaSCPL genes unevenly distributed across 21 wheat chromosomes, of which 65.7% are present in triads. Gene duplication analysis showed that ~ 10.5% and ~ 64.8% of the TaSCPL genes are derived from tandem and segmental duplication events, respectively. Moreover, the Ka/Ks ratios between duplicated TaSCPL gene pairs were lower than 0.6, which suggests the action of strong purifying selection. Gene structure analysis showed that most of the TaSCPL genes contain multiple introns and that the motifs present in each subfamily are relatively conserved. Our analysis on cis-acting elements showed that the promoter sequences of TaSCPL genes are enriched in drought-, ABA- and MeJA-responsive elements. In addition, we studied the expression profiles of TaSCPL genes in different tissues at different developmental stages. We then evaluated the expression levels of four TaSCPL genes by qRT-PCR, and selected TaSCPL184-6D for further downstream analysis. The results showed an enhanced drought and salt tolerance among TaSCPL184-6D transgenic Arabidopsis plants, and that the overexpression of the gene increased proline and decreased malondialdehyde levels, which might help plants adapting to adverse environments. Our results provide comprehensive analyses of wheat SCPL genes that might work as a reference for future studies aimed at improving drought and salt tolerance in wheat. Conclusions: We conducte a comprehensive bioinformatic analysis of the TaSCPL gene family in wheat, which revealing the potential roles of TaSCPL genes in abiotic stress. Our analysis also provides useful resources for improving the resistance of wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The design and challenges of frequency upconversion luminescence dyes are discussed. Frequency upconversion luminescence (FUCL) is a specific anti-Stokes process whereby excitation of long wavelengths with low energy can be converted to emission of short wavelengths with high energy, which has attracted increasing attention in biological applications due to its superior features, such as low autofluorescence and excellent signal-to-noise ratios. In this review, we introduce the differences between traditional fluorescence and FUCL, summarize the composition, molecular design and characteristics of FUCL materials and conduct a survey of recent advances in FUCL systems, focusing on their broad applications in the fields of bioimaging, biodetection and cancer therapy. In addition, we further present the current challenges and perspectives with the expectation of making new breakthroughs in FUCL materials in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current investigation deals with the nonlinear oscillation response of conical microshells made of a composite material with functional graded (FG) in-plane heterogeneity is studied in the presence of the size dependency. To accomplish this purpose, various types of homogenization schemes including Voigt model, Reuss model, Mori-Tanaka model, and Hashin-Shtrikman bounds model are employed. The size-dependent characteristics are taken into consideration on the basis of the modified couple stress theory of elasticity within the framework of the higher-order shear deformation shell theory. The couple stress-based differential equations of motion are constructed via the Hamilton's principle. An efficient numerical solution methodology adopting generalized differential quadrature (GDQ) method together with the pseudo-arc technique is put to use to obtain the modified couple stress-based nonlinear frequency of homogenized FG composite conical microshells. It is demonstrated that by increasing the value of the maximum shell deflection, the couple stress type of size effect plays more important role in the nonlinear vibration response of FG composite conical microshells. Additionally, it is indicated by changing the boundary conditions from simply supported one to clamped one, the influence of couple stress size dependency decreases. • Development a modified couple stress-based conical shell model. • Modeling FGM conical micro/nano-shells based on different homogenization schemes. • Obtain the modified couple stress-based nonlinear frequency of FGM conical micro/nano-shells. • Study the influences of boundary conditions and geometrical parameters on the size-dependent nonlinear vibration response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The failure mode and deformation characteristics of segmented utility tunnel are analyzed. • The relationship between the failure mode and intersection angles is analyzed. • The deformation of utility tunnel is calculated based on the holding effect of stratum. Ground fissures are a special urban geological disaster within the city of Xi'an. The differential settlement between strata can cause ground cracking and severely threatens the safe construction and operation of underground engineering. This study establishes a 3D-FDM calculation model of different intersection relationships between the segmented utility tunnel and the ground fissures using Flac 3D software. The influence of the intersection angles on the deformation and failure characteristics of the structure was analyzed. The results show that the segmented utility tunnel presents with the deformation characteristic of three-dimensional movement under the action of the ground fissures. The deformation between structures is primarily vertical dislocation, horizontal tension, and compression, indicating that the structure may be subjected to a bending-torsion failure. The vertical settlement of the roof of the utility tunnel shows the deformation characteristics of three broken lines. The third and fourth structures have a significant differential settlement, showing a negative correlation with the intersection angle. The segmented measures can eliminate the void area at the bottom of the hanging wall in the utility tunnel; however, when the intersection angle is ≤30°, the contact pressure at the bottom is close to 0, indicating that the intersection angle has a significant impact on the formation of the void areas. In addition, the calculation method of the vertical settlement of the segmented utility tunnel crossing the ground fissure zone is also proposed. It has proven to be effective in calculating the vertical deformation of the structure. This study provides scientific guidance for constructing utility tunnels within ground fissure development areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breakthrough infections by SARS-CoV-2 variants become the global challenge for pandemic control. Previously, we developed the protein subunit vaccine ZF2001 based on the dimeric receptor-binding domain (RBD) of prototype SARS-CoV-2. Here, we developed a chimeric RBD-dimer vaccine approach to adapt SARS-CoV-2 variants. A prototype-Beta chimeric RBD-dimer was first designed to adapt the resistant Beta variant. Compared with its homotypic forms, the chimeric vaccine elicited broader sera neutralization of variants and conferred better protection in mice. The protection of the chimeric vaccine was further verified in macaques. This approach was generalized to develop Delta-Omicron chimeric RBD-dimer to adapt the currently prevalent variants. Again, the chimeric vaccine elicited broader sera neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 variants and conferred better protection against challenge by either Delta or Omicron SARS-CoV-2 in mice. The chimeric approach is applicable for rapid updating of immunogens, and our data supported the use of variant-adapted multivalent vaccine against circulating and emerging variants. [Display omitted] • A chimeric RBD-dimer immunogenic approach can be used to rapidly adapt SARS-CoV-2 variants • Chimeric RBD-dimers elicit broader responses to variants compared with homodimers • Prototype-Beta chimeric vaccine is protective in both mice and macaques • Delta-Omicron chimeric vaccine protects mice from either Delta or Omicron challenge Vaccine immunogens designed as chimeras of the spike protein receptor-binding domain of two distinct SARS-CoV-2 variants elicit broad serum neutralization and protection from infection by the Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants in mice and macaques. The chimeric approach is applicable for rapid updating of immunogens against both circulating and emerging variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is useful to monitor cell movement and gene expression in live animals. However, D-luciferin has a short wavelength (560 nm) which is absorbed by tissues and the use of near-infrared (NIR) luciferin analogues enable high sensitivity in vivo BLI. The AkaLumine-AkaLuc BLI system (Aka-BLI) can detect resolution at the single-cell level; however, it has a clear hepatic background signal. Here, to enable the highly sensitive detection of bioluminescence from the surrounding liver tissues, we focused on seMpai (C15H16N3O2S) which has been synthesized as a luciferin analogue and has high luminescent abilities as same as AkaLumine. We demonstrated that seMpai BLI could detect micro-signals near the liver without any background signal. The solution of seMpai was neutral; therefore, seMpai imaging did not cause any adverse effect in mice. seMpai enabled a highly sensitive in vivo BLI as compared to previous techniques. Our findings suggest that the development of a novel mutated luciferase against seMpai may enable a highly sensitive BLI at the single-cell level without any background signal. Novel seMpai BLI system can be used for in vivo imaging in the fields of life sciences and medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccines are urgently needed to control the ongoing pandemic COVID-19 and previously emerging MERS/SARS caused by coronavirus (CoV) infections. The CoV spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) is an attractive vaccine target but is undermined by limited immunogenicity. We describe a dimeric form of MERS-CoV RBD that overcomes this limitation. The RBD-dimer significantly increased neutralizing antibody (NAb) titers compared to conventional monomeric form and protected mice against MERS-CoV infection. Crystal structure showed RBD-dimer fully exposed dual receptor-binding motifs, the major target for NAbs. Structure-guided design further yielded a stable version of RBD-dimer as a tandem repeat single-chain (RBD-sc-dimer) which retained the vaccine potency. We generalized this strategy to design vaccines against COVID-19 and SARS, achieving 10- to 100-fold enhancement of NAb titers. RBD-sc-dimers in pilot scale production yielded high yields, supporting their scalability for further clinical development. The framework of immunogen design can be universally applied to other beta-CoV vaccines to counter emerging threats. • A dimeric form of MERS-CoV RBD is highly immunogenic and protective in mice • RBD-dimer structure guides further design of a homogeneous dimer by tandem repeat • The strategy is generalizable to design beta-CoV vaccines against COVID-19 and SARS • CoV RBD-dimer immunogens can be produced at high yields in pilot scale production Gao et al. present the structure-guided design of a coronavirus immunogen comprised of two protein subunits each containing the virus spike receptor binding domain fused together via a disulfide link or tandem repeat. The immunogen elicits strong immunogenicity in mice and protects them against viral challenge. The vaccine design strategy can be universally applied to SARS, MERS, COVID-19, and other CoV vaccines to counter emerging threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First and repeated cat and rabbit odor exposure decreased hovering over pups in postpartum voles. • First and repeated cat odor exposure decreased pup retrieval in postpartum voles. • First and repeated rabbit odor exposure affected pup licking in parturient voles. • Repeated cat odor exposure during postpartum period enhanced offspring's locomotor activity. Recent evidence indicates that predation risk plays a special role in the rodent behavior of dams and offspring, but little is known about the effect of maternal exposure to the predator cues in the absence of pups. Here, we assessed the effects of repeated predator odor exposure on various maternal responses in postpartum Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii). We also examined offspring's behavioral response to a novel environment. Only mother voles were exposed to distilled water, rabbit urine and cat urine for 60 min daily from postpartum day (PP) 1–18. Maternal behavior was immediately tested after these exposures on PP1, 3, 6, 9 and 18. Repeated cat odor (CO) and rabbit odor (RO) exposure disrupted hovering over pups in a time-dependent fashion. Repeated CO exposure also time-dependently disrupted pup retrieval, whereas RO exposure induced long-term reduction in pup licking. Juvenile offspring of CO-exposed mothers showed increased locomotor activity and decreased rearing in the open field at postnatal day 30. These findings demonstrated that maternal exposure to predator or non-predator odors had a disruptive effect on the maternal behavior of Brandt's voles when only the mother was exposed to these odors, and that the adversity experience with predation risk significantly impacted the behavioral development of offspring. Future work should explore possible behavioral mechanisms, such as the effect of predation risk, on the dams' emotional processing or pup preference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]