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To reflect both fuzziness and hesitation in the evaluation of interactivity between attributes in the identification process of 2-order additive fuzzy measure, this work uses the hesitant fuzzy linguistic term set (HFLTS) to describe and depict the interactivity between attributes. Firstly, the interactivity between attributes is defined by the supermodular game theory. According to this definition, a linguistic term set is established to characterize the interactivity between attributes. Under the linguistic term set, the experts employ linguistic expressions generated by context-free grammar to qualitatively describe the interactivity between attributes. Secondly, through the conversion function, the linguistic expressions are transformed into the hesitant fuzzy linguistic term sets (HFLTSs). The individual evaluation results of all experts were further aggregated with the defined hesitant fuzzy linguistic weighted power average operator (HFLWPA). Thirdly, based on the standard Euclidean distance formula of the hesitant fuzzy linguistic elements (HFLEs), the hesitant fuzzy linguistic interaction degree (HFLID) between attributes is defined and calculated by constructing a piecewise function. As a result, a 2-order additive fuzzy measure identification method based on HFLID is proposed. Based on the proposed method, using the Choquet fuzzy integral as nonlinear integration operator, a multi-attribute decision making (MADM) process is then presented. Taking the credit assessment of the big data listed companies in China as an application example, the analysis results of application example prove the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. This work successfully reflects both the fuzziness and hesitation in evaluating the interactivity between attributes in the identification process of 2-order additive fuzzy measure, enriches the theoretical framework of 2-order additive fuzzy measure, and expands the applicability and methodology of 2-order additive fuzzy measure in multi-attribute decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-quality seismic data is key to determining the success or failure of oil and gas exploration in complex mountain fronts. Observation systems are important factors affecting the quality of the seismic collection. Currently, the seismic collection design of piedmont zones is mainly based on optimizing and analyzing a single collection parameter. The multiparameter optimization is not performed as a whole. Moreover, the collection parameters that significantly impact the imaging quality of piedmont zones are not deeply excavated. This paper first uses the relationship between the acquisition parameters and the signal-to-noise ratio of a previous seismic data analysis to solve this problem and then obtains the prestack offset profiles of different acquisition parameters through forward modeling and prestack offset methods, further analyzes the acquisition parameters that have a more significant impact on imaging quality, uses the degenerative treatment method to process and analyze the newly collected seismic data, and delves into the most sensitive acquisition parameters for imaging quality. The results show that the influence of the gun line distance is the largest, and the influence of the receiving line distance, the number of receiving lines, and the number of receiving channels is reduced. Therefore, the effect of each acquisition parameter on the imaging quality is different, and different acquisition parameters should be selected according to the depth of the target layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extremophiles possess unique cellular and molecular mechanisms to assist, tolerate, and sustain their lives in extreme habitats. These habitats are dominated by one or more extreme physical or chemical parameters that shape existing microbial communities and their cellular and genomic features. The diversity of extremophiles reflects a long list of adaptations over millions of years. Growing research on extremophiles has considerably uncovered and increased our understanding of life and its limits on our planet. Many extremophiles have been greatly explored for their application in various industrial processes. In this review, we focused on the characteristics that microorganisms have acquired to optimally thrive in extreme environments. We have discussed cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in stability at respective extreme conditions like thermophiles, psychrophiles, acidophiles, barophiles, etc., which highlight evolutionary aspects and the significance of extremophiles for the benefit of mankind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of neurodegenerative disease in the contemporary era, and it is still clinically incurable. Eriodictyol, a natural flavonoid compound that is mainly present in citrus fruits and some Chinese herbal medicines, has been reported to exert anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer and neuroprotective effects. However, few studies have examined the anti-AD effect and molecular mechanism of eriodictyol. Methods: APP/PS1 mice were treated with eriodictyol and the cognitive function of mice was assessed using behavioral tests. The level of amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation and hyperphosphorylation of Tau in the mouse brain were detected by preforming a histological analysis and Western blotting. HT-22 cells induced by amyloid-β peptide (1–42) (Aβ1–42) oligomers were treated with eriodictyol, after which cell viability was determined and the production of p-Tau was tested using Western blotting. Then, the characteristics of ferroptosis, including iron aggregation, lipid peroxidation and the expression of glutathione peroxidase type 4 (GPX4), were determined both in vivo and in vitro using Fe straining, Western blotting and qPCR assays. Additionally, the expression level of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 (Nrf2/HO-1) signaling pathway were tested using Western blotting and qPCR assays. Afterward, HT-22 cells with VDR knockout were used to explore the potential mechanisms, and the relationship between VDR and Nrf2 was further assessed by performing a coimmunoprecipitation assay and bioinformatics analysis. Results: Eriodictyol obviously ameliorated cognitive deficits in APP/PS1 mice, and suppressed Aβ aggregation and Tau phosphorylation in the brains of APP/PS1 mice. Moreover, eriodictyol inhibited Tau hyperphosphorylation and neurotoxicity in HT-22 cells induced by Aβ1–42 oligomer. Furthermore, eriodictyol exerted an antiferroptosis effect both in vivo and in vitro, and its mechanism may be associated with the activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. Additionally, further experiments explained that the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway by eriodictyol treatment mediated by VDR. Conclusions: Eriodictyol alleviated memory impairment and AD-like pathological changes by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway through a mechanism mediated by VDR, which provides a new possibility for the treatment of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To decipher the diversity of unique ectoine-coding housekeeping genes in the genus Halomonas. Results: In Halomonas, 1,4,5,6-Tetrahydro-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinecarboxylic acid has a crucial role as a stress-tolerant chaperone, a compatible solute, a cell membrane stabilizer, and a reduction in cell damage under stressful conditions. Apart from the current 16S rRNA biomarker, it serves as a blueprint for identifying Halomonas species. Halomonas elongata 1H9 was found to have 11 ectoine-coding genes. The presence of a superfamily of conserved ectoine-coding among members of the genus Halomonas was discovered after genome annotations of 93 Halomonas spp. As a result of the inclusion of 11 single copy ectoine coding genes in 32 Halomonas spp., genome-wide evaluations of ectoine coding genes indicate that 32 Halomonas spp. have a very strong association with H. elongata 1H9, which has been proven evidence-based approach to elucidate phylogenetic relatedness of ectoine-coding child taxa in the genus Halomonas. Total 32 Halomonas species have a single copy number of 11 distinct ectoine-coding genes that help Halomonas spp., produce ectoine under stressful conditions. Furthermore, the existence of the Universal stress protein (UspA) gene suggests that Halomonas species developed directly from primitive bacteria, highlighting its role during the progression of microbial evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Echinocandin B, a kind of antimycotic with cyclic lipo-hexapeptides, was produced by fermentation with Aspergillus nidulans using fructose as main carbon source. The objective of this study was to screen a high-yield mutant capable of using cheap starch as main carbon source by atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) treatment in order to decrease the production cost of echinocandin B. A stable mutant A. nidulans ZJB19033, which can use starch as optimal carbon source instead of expensive fructose, was selected from two thousands isolates after several cycles of ARTP mutagenesis. To further increase the production of echinocandin B, the optimization of fermentation medium was performed by response surface methodology (RSM), employing Plackett-Burman design (PBD) followed by Box-Behnken design (BBD). The optimized fermentation medium provided the optimal yield of echinocandin B, 2425.9 ± 43.8 mg/L, 1.3-fold compared to unoptimized medium. The results indicated that the mutant could achieve high echinocandin B production using cheap starch as main carbon source, and the cost of carbon sources in fermentation medium reduced dramatically by about 45%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on discrete-event dynamic system theory, train operation events in high-speed railway transportation systems are regarded as the basic elements of these dynamic systems. For non-periodic timetable railways in China, based on a max-plus algebra method, a delay propagation cellular automata model is proposed to evaluate the robustness of high-speed train operation plans. The cellular automata evolution rules that can reproduce the delay propagation state of trains mainly consider train safety headway constraints, passenger transfer constraints, and electric multiple unit (EMU) connection constraints. A simulation analysis of actual cases is performed. The simulation results show that the model can be used to evaluate the robustness of the train operation plan. The numerical results show that in the preparation of train operation plans, the proposed model can predict which trains have significant influences on delays in advance and improve the possibility of reducing the occurrence of delays to maintain high-quality service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solvothermal reaction of Cd(NO3)2·4H2O with different donor ligands afforded two new Cd(II)-based coordination polymers [Cd(Hcia)(btz)]n (1, H3cia = 5-(4-carboxyphenoxy)isophthalic acid, btz = 4,4'-bi(1,2,4-triazole)) and {[Cd(2,2-bpy)(NO3)2(H2O)](DMA)}n (2, 2,2'-bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine). Complex 1 shows a 3 D 2-fold interpenetrated network based on 1 D infinite [–btz–Cd–btz–] chains, and complex 2 shows 1 D chain-like network based on the 2,2'-bpy chelating Cd centers extended by the NO3- ions. Furthermore, the CCK-8 assay and Annexin V-FITC/PI detection was performed to evaluate the anti-cancer activity of the two complexes against the Hey ovarian cancer cell lines. Western blot was conducted for the mechanism evaluation of the complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solvothermal reactions of 2,2-bipyridine (2,2-bpy) or 1,10-phenanthroline (1,10-phen) with Bi(NO3)3·5H2O or Ce(NO3)3·6H2O in the presence of different pH modulator afforded two new coordination complexes [Bi2(2,2-bpy)2(BA)6] (1, HBA = benzoic acid) and [Ce(1,10-phen)Cl2]Cl (2). The structures of the two complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectrum and X-ray crystal diffraction. Furthermore, the anticancer activity of the two synthesized complexes has been evaluated via the preformation of the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays. And the relative expression of the inflammatory response genes p53, nf-κb, and tnf-α was detected by reverse transcriotion-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To regulate the effectiveness of photosynthesis and photoprotection cyanobacteria utilize a system consisting of only few components. Photoactivation of the orange carotenoid protein (OCP) enables its interaction with a specific, yet controversial site in the core of the light-harvesting antenna, the phycobilisome (PBS). The resulting delivery of a quenching carotenoid molecule to the antenna pigments leads to thermal dissipation of the excitation energy absorbed by the latter, and, consequently, to depression of the photosynthetic activity. The nature of the OCP-induced PBS fluorescence quenching mechanism remains debatable, however, specific protein-protein interactions between PBS and photoactivated OCP should provide a unique environment for interactions between the excitation energy donor and acceptor. Here we questioned whether the Förster theory of resonance energy transfer can explain PBS quenching by OCP even at their very small spectral overlap and whether in model systems, the absence of specific protein-protein interactions of OCP with a donor of energy can be compensated by a better spectral overlap. Hybridization of algal R-phycoerythrin with cyanobacterial OCP by chemical crosslinking results in a significant decrease of R-phycoerythrin fluorescence lifetime, irrespective of the OCP photoactivation status. Supported by structural considerations, this indicates that FRET may be the essence of cyanobacterial photoprotection mechanism. Image 1 • Hybrid system of algal R-PE (donor) and cyanobacterial OCP (acceptor) was tested. • The lack of specific OCP binding to R-PE is compensated by a good spectral overlap. • As a polyspecific quencher of excitation, OCP reduces R-PE fluorescence upon Xlinking • FRET is likely the essence of cyanobacterial photoprotection mechanism. • Energy transfer (from any source) to orange carotenoid protein can (re)activate it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly porous three-dimensional (3D) metal−organic framework (MOF) [Ni 3 (BTC) 2 (MA)(H 2 O)](DMF) 7 (1) incorporating both exposed metal sites and nitrogen-rich melamine was successfully constructed via solvothermal assembly of 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid (H 3 BTC), melamine (MA) and Ni(II) ions. The resulting activated Ni(II)-MOF-1a features high CO 2 loading capacity and excellent CO 2 affinity due to the Lewis-base property together with abundant micropores. The heterogeneous catalytic activity of the activated Ni(II)-MOF-1a was confirmed by remarkably high efficiency on CO 2 cycloaddition with small epoxides under ambient conditions. Moreover, the Ni(II)-MOF-1a exhibited satisfied stability and versatility, and it was easy to recycle with no obvious decrease of catalytic activity. Then the feasible synergistic mechanism of Ni(II)-MOF/Bu 4 NBr catalysts for CO 2 conversion was proposed. A highly porous MOF incorporating both exposed metal sites and nitrogen-rich melamine was successfully constructed via solvothermal reaction. The obtained Ni(II)-MOF-1 features high CO 2 loading capacity and excellent CO 2 affinity due to the Lewis-base property together with abundant micropores. The heterogeneous catalytic activity of the activated Ni(II)-MOF-1 was confirmed by remarkably high efficiency on CO 2 cycloaddition with small epoxides under ambient conditions. Moreover, the Ni(II)-MOF-1 exhibited satisfied stability and versatility, and it was easy to recycle with no obvious decrease of catalytic activity. Then the feasible synergistic mechanism of Ni(II)-MOF/Bu 4 NBr catalysts for CO 2 conversion was proposed. Unlabelled Image • A new porous Ni(II)-organic framework with Lewis acid−base bifunctional sites has been synthesized. • It shows excellent CO 2 sorption capacity around room temperature. • It shows remarkably high efficiency on CO 2 cycloaddition with small epoxides under ambient conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four novel pyran derivatives (1–4) were successfully prepared and realized by means of IR, 1H NMR, HRMS and single crystal X-ray crystallography. The anticancer activity of the four compounds were investigated against four human cervical cancer cells (Hela, C-33A, B01022 and C4-1) by MTT assay. Furthermore, molecular docking studies supported the biological assay data and suggested that 2 may be a potential anticancer agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims CD1d is a member of the cluster of differentiation 1 (CD1) family of glycoproteins expressed on the surface of various antigen-presenting cells, which is recognized by natural killer T (NKT) cells. CD1d-dependent NKT cells play an important role in immune-mediated diseases; but the role of these cells in regulating cardiac remodelling remains unknown. Methods and results Cardiac remodelling was induced by angiotensin (Ang) II infusion for 2 weeks. Ang II-induced increase in hypertension, cardiac performance, hypertrophy and fibrosis, inflammatory response, and activation of the NF-kB and TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathways was significantly aggravated in CD1d knockout (CD1dko) mice compared with wild-type (WT) mice, but these effects were markedly abrogated in WT mice treated with α-galactosylceramide (αGC), a specific activator of NKT cells. Adoptive transfer of CD1dko bone marrow cells to WT mice further confirmed the deleterious effect of CD1dko. Moreover, IL-10 expression was significantly decreased in CD1dko hearts but increased in αGC-treated mice. Co-culture experiments revealed that CD1dko dendritic cells significantly reduced IL-10 mRNA expression from NKT cells. Administration of recombinant murine IL-10 to CD1dko mice improved hypertension, cardiac performance, and adverse cardiac remodelling induced by Ang II, and its cardioprotective effect was possibly associated with activation of STAT3, and inhibition of the TGF-β1 and NF-kB pathways. Conclusion These findings revealed a previously undefined role for CD1d-dependent NKT cells in Ang II-induced cardiac remodelling, hence activation of NKT cells may be a novel therapeutic target for hypertensive cardiac disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of gas rarefaction and surface roughness are temperature-related and always neglected in macroscale. These effects were considered in the analysis of the thermohydrodynamic performance of micro spherical spiral groove bearings. The Reynolds equation and the energy equation incorporated with Wu's slip model and the Weierstrass-Mandelbrot function to analysis the coupling effect of slip flow and surface roughness. The effects of spherical grooves on computational accuracy were reduced through parameter transformation and oblique coordinates. To describe the temperature boundary condition at the grooved region, a simple gas-mixing model was presented for the grooves. Prediction results showed that temperature reduced bearing forces and friction torque through the slip flow effect. Surface roughness increased not only temperature significantly but also bearing forces and friction torque through a high eccentricity ratio and a low bearing clearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accuracy and diversity are two important measures in evaluating the performance of recommender systems. It has been demonstrated that the recommendation model inspired by the heat conduction process has high diversity yet low accuracy. Many variants have been introduced to improve the accuracy while keeping high diversity, most of which regard the current node-degree of an item as its popularity. However in this way, a few outdated items of large degree may be recommended to an enormous number of users. In this paper, we take the recent popularity (recently increased item degrees) into account in the heat-conduction based methods, and propose accordingly the improved recommendation models. Experimental results on two benchmark data sets show that the accuracy can be largely improved while keeping the high diversity compared with the original models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quaternary climate fluctuations have profoundly affected the current distribution patterns and genetic structures of many plant and animal species in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) and adjacent mountain ranges, e.g. Tianshan (TSR), Altay, etc. In this greater area disjunct distributions are prominent but have nevertheless received little attention with respect to the historical processes involved. Here, we focus on Pedicularis kansuensis to test whether the current QTP and TSR disjunction is the result of a recent Holocene range expansion involving dispersal across arid land bridge(s) or a Pleistocene range fragmentation involving persistence in refugia. Two chloroplast DNA spacers were sequenced for 319 individuals from 34 populations covering the entire distribution range of this species in China. We found a total of 17 haplotypes of which all occurred in the QTP, and only five in the TSR. Overall genetic diversity was high (HT = 0.882, HS = 0.559) and higher in the QTP than in the TSR. Genetic differentiation among regions and populations was relatively low (GST = 0.366) and little evidence for a phylogeographic pattern emerged. The divergence times for the four main lineages could be dated to the early Pleistocene. Surprisingly, the two ubiquitous haplotypes diverged just before or around the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and were found in different phylogenetic lineages. The Species Distribution Model suggested a disappearance of P. kansuensis from the TSR during the LGM in contrast to a relatively constant potential distribution in the QTP. We conclude that P. kansuensis colonized the TSR after the LGM. The improbable long-distance dispersal by wind or water across arid land seed flow may well have had birds or men as vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let G be a simple connected graph and let S k (G) be the sum of the first k largest Laplacian eigenvalues of G. It was conjectured by Brouwer in 2006 that S k (G) ≤ e (G) + ( k + 1 2 ) holds for 1 ≤ k ≤ n − 1. The case k = 2 was proved by Haemers, Mohammadian and Tayfeh-Rezaie [Linear Algebra Appl., 2010]. In this paper, we propose the full Brouwer's Laplacian spectrum conjecture and we prove the conjecture holds for k = 2 which also confirm the conjecture of Guan et al. in 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a significant complication of diabetes that impacts the eye and is a primary contributor to vision loss in individuals with diabetes. Early control of the related risk factors is crucial to reduce the incidence of DME. Artificial intelligence (AI) clinical decision-making tools can construct disease prediction models to aid in the clinical screening of the high-risk population for early disease intervention. However, conventional machine learning and data mining techniques have limitations in predicting diseases when dealing with missing feature values. To solve this problem, a knowledge graph displays the connection relationships of multi-source and multi-domain data in the form of a semantic network to enable cross-domain modeling and queries. This approach can facilitate the personalized prediction of diseases using any number of known feature data. In this study, we proposed an improved correlation enhancement algorithm based on knowledge graph reasoning to comprehensively evaluate the factors that influence DME to achieve disease prediction. We constructed a knowledge graph based on Neo4j by preprocessing the collected clinical data and analyzing the statistical rules. Based on reasoning using the statistical rules of the knowledge graph, we used the correlation enhancement coefficient and generalized closeness degree method to enhance the model. Meanwhile, we analyzed and verified these models' results using link prediction evaluation indicators. The disease prediction model proposed in this study achieved a precision rate of 86.21%, which is more accurate and efficient in predicting DME. Furthermore, the clinical decision support system developed using this model can facilitate personalized disease risk prediction, making it convenient for the clinical screening of a high-risk population and early disease intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Activation of the rennin-angiotensin system plays a critical role in the development of hypertension and its complication. Our previous study has demonstrated that a cellular “memory” is involved in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced cardiac hypertrophy. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of reversal of high Ang II to normal condition on hypertension and vascular damage. Main methods Wild-type male mice were randomly divided into five groups. The vascular function, inflammation, oxidative stress and angiogenesis were examined by aortic ring relaxation studies, histological analysis, real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. Key findings We found that continuous high Ang II infusion for 3 weeks (Ang II 3w) significantly elevated blood pressure, increased aortic wall thickness, collagen deposition, inflammation, oxidative stress, vascular function and activation of p38 MAPK, JNK1/2, STAT3 and NF-κB pathways in mouse aorta compared with saline group. High Ang II exposure for 2 weeks followed by saline for 1 week (Ang II 2 + 1w) failed to reverse these alterations. This phenomenon was named “metabolic memory” (or persistent effect). However, addition of NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin during saline infusion (Ang II 2 + 1w + Apo) markedly ameliorated such deleterious effects. Significance These results showed that we report the first that persistent effect or “metabolic memory” of angiotensin II through NADPH oxidase-mediated oxidative stress plays important roles in hypertension and vascular injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of a gas-lubricated micro spherical spiral groove bearing (MSSGB) with slip flow effect is investigated. A modified Reynolds equation incorporated with Barber's first-order slip flow model is proposed to investigate the flow characteristics of gas in MSSGBs. Parameter transformation and oblique coordinate transformation are applied to eliminate the curve effect on the calculation domain. An improved finite difference method (FDM) based on Green's formula is used to solve the Reynolds equation. The perturbation method is adopted to determine the dynamic coefficients. The effects of slip flow and bearing parameters, including the groove depths, rotor speeds, and eccentricity ratios, on the bearing characteristics are investigated and discussed. Prediction results show that the slip flow effect on MSSGB performance is significant. Moreover, the groove depth at micro clearance has a crucial influence on bearing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional recommender algorithms usually employ the early and recent records indiscriminately, which overlooks the change of user interests over time. In this paper, we show that the interests of a user remain stable in a short-term interval and drift during a long-term period. Based on this observation, we propose a time-aware diffusion-based (TaDb) recommender algorithm, which assigns different temporal weights to the leading links existing before the target user's collection and the following links appearing after that in the diffusion process. Experiments on four real datasets, Netflix, MovieLens, FriendFeed and Delicious show that TaDb algorithm significantly improves the prediction accuracy compared with the algorithms not considering temporal effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium (K) isotopic compositions for a suite of crustal rocks (plutonic unit, sheeted dike complex, and volcanic sequence) in the Troodos ophiolite, Cyprus, were determined to investigate fluid-transport processes during subduction inception. The gabbros and plagiogranites in the plutonic unit have restricted K isotopic compositions (0.01–0.20 ‰ and −0.17 to 0.02 ‰, respectively), whereas diabases in the sheeted dike complex have variable δ41K values from −0.24 to 1.13 ‰. The δ41K values of the volcanic sequence range from −0.26 to −0.07 ‰ in the lower pillow lavas, and from −0.71 to 0.34 ‰ in the upper pillow lavas. These δ41K values are clearly distinct from those of subducting sediments and altered oceanic crust, ruling out direct crustal input as the cause of the unusually heavy K isotopic compositions. Rather, the high K/Th, K/U, and Sr/Th ratios of the investigated samples, together with binary mixing modelling, reveal that the anomalously heavy K isotopic compositions in Troodos rocks are attributed to the influx of fluids during subduction inception. Notably, the δ41K values in the crustal rocks of the Troodos ophiolite are more variable and extend to higher values than those of arc-front and rear-arc lavas of the Izu arc and arc lavas of Martinique in the Lesser Antilles, indicating continuous K isotope fractionation during slab dehydration. Thus, the heavy K isotopic compositions of the Troodos ophiolite reflect K isotope fractionation during dehydration of a shallow slab within a newly formed subduction system, where heavy K isotopes preferentially enter into the aqueous fluids. Later, progressive breakdown of K-bearing phases at deeper levels results in isotopically lighter hydrous melts, which can be delivered to the arc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we employed a polyphasic approach to determine the taxonomic position of a newly isolated actinomycete, designated SE31T, obtained from a sediment sample collected at Cape Rochado, Malaysia. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain SE31T belonged to the family Pseudonocardiaceae and exhibited the highest sequence similarity (98.9%) to Sciscionella marina. Further genomic analysis demonstrated a 93.4% average nucleotide identity and 54.4% digital DNA–DNA hybridization relatedness between strain SE31T and S. marina. The chemotaxonomic characteristics of strain SE31T were typical of the genus Sciscionella, including cell-wall chemotype IV (with meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid, and arabinose and galactose as whole-cell sugars). The identified polar lipids of strain SE31T were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, and hydroxyphosphatidymethylethanolamine. The primary menaquinone observed was MK-9(H4), and the major cellular fatty acid was iso-C16:0. The genomic DNA size of strain SE31T was determined to be 7.4 Mbp with a G+C content of 68.7%. Based on these comprehensive findings, strain SE31T represents a novel species within the genus Sciscionella, in which the name Sciscionella sediminilitoris sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Sciscionella sediminilitoris is SE31T (= DSM 46824T = TBRC 5134T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents high-precision analyses of calcium (Ca) isotope ratios using a collision-cell multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (CC-MC-ICP-MS, Nu Sapphire). This instrument allows Ca isotope measurement in the low resolution mode, requiring much less sample compared with TIMS and conventional MC-ICP-MS, and has additional measurement capability of both radiogenic (ε40Ca) and stable isotope ratios (δ44/40Ca and δ44/42Ca). The effects of several factors on the precision and accuracy of Ca isotopic data were evaluated, including the total Ca concentration, Ca intensity mismatch between the sample and standard, HNO3 molarity mismatch between the sample and standard, and the presence of matrix elements. High precision was obtained on 100 ng g−1 Ca samples (i.e., for 6 replicates ∼600 ng of Ca). Accurate measurements require the following conditions: (1) Ca intensities matched within 3% between the sample and standard, (2) low contents of Sr, Mg and Cr (Sr/Ca, Mg/Ca and Cr/Ca ratios need to be lower than 0.01%, and K/Ca, Al/Ca, Ti/Ca and Cr/Ca ratios <1%). Eleven standard reference materials analyzed using the established method yield highly consistent Ca isotope results with literature values. The long-term external precisions are higher than 0.07‰ (2 SD) for δ44/40Ca and higher than 0.05‰ (2 SD) for δ44/42Ca. The slope of the fractionation line between δ44/40Ca and δ44/42Ca is 1.9616 ± 0.0794, within the error of the slope value from the exponential law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new nickel(II) complexes, [Ni(4, 4′-bpy)(H2O)4] n · n(cpp) ·0.5 nH2O ( 1) and [Ni(cpp)(4, 4′-bpy)(H2O)2] n ( 2) [4, 4′-bpy = 4, 4′-bipyridine, H2cpp = 3-(4-carboxyphenyl)propionic acid] were synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, and thermal analysis. In complex 1, NiII ions are bridged by 4, 4′-bpy into 1D chains, and cpp ligands are not involved in the coordination, whereas in complex 2, cpp ligands adopt a bis(monodentate) mode and link NiII ions into 2D (4, 4) grids with the help of 4, 4′-bpy ligands. Triple interpenetration occurs, which results in the formation of a complicated 3D network. The difference in the structures of the two complexes can be attributed to the different reaction temperatures and bases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the lepton-flavor-violating processes of τ- → μ-PP decays with PP = K+K-, $K^0\bar{K}^0$, π+π-, π0π0 in the framework of two-Higgs-doublet model III by virtue of the chiral perturbation theory. In this model, only three neutral Higgs bosons contribute to these decays. With the current experimental constraints, we show that (a) the contributions of the |λuu(dd)| term are very small for these four decays; (b) we get the correlation between |λss| and |λτμ|; for |λτμ| ~ 10-400, one has |λss| ~ 40-1; (c) in the existing model parameter space, Br(τ- → μ- K+K-) could reach the order of ${\mathcal O}(10^{-8})$, but Br(τ → μ-π+π-/π0π0) are too small to be observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: TiB2–TiC composites were prepared using TiB2 and TiC powders as starting materials by a floating zone (FZ) method in Ar atmosphere. TiB2–TiC was a binary eutectic system with the eutectic composition of 28TiB2–72TiC (mol%) and showed a laminar texture. The Vickers microhardness of TiB2–TiC eutectic composite was 23 to 26 GPa. The electrical conductivity was 5.0×105 to 1.6×106 S m−1 at room temperature and decreased with increasing temperature. The thermal conductivity was 30 to 45 W K−1 m−1 at room temperature and slightly decreased with increasing temperature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A full-length cDNA encoding putative phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx) was cloned from Raphanus sativus. The cDNA, designated RsPHGPx, includes an open reading frame which encodes 197 amino acid residues. The alignment of amino acid sequences showed that RsPHGPx had the highest sequence homology to plant PHGPx and contained an N-terminal extension characteristic of a mitochondrial targeting peptide. Northern blot analysis indicated that RsPHGPx was constitutively and ubiquitously expressed during radish development, and its expression was differently regulated by various stress conditions. The expression of RsPHGPx in a yeast PHGPx-deletion mutant significantly rescued the mutant sensitivity to oxidation-sensitive linolenic acid, just as the yeast PHGPx3 gene did. This suggested that RsPHGPx encodes a functional PHGPx protein. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

TP53 and BRCA2 are frequently mutated in cancer and polymorphisms of these genes may modify cancer risk. We used SSCP and DNA sequencing to assess and compare frequencies of R72P (TP53) and 5′UTR203G>A, N372H, and K1132K (BRCA2) polymorphisms in healthy Chinese subjects at varying risk for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and in ESCC patients. Suggestive overall differences in the distributions of genotypes by risk groups were seen for all genotypes except K1132K. Differences in R72P and N372H were most likely a reflection of lack of Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE), however, the difference in 203G>A was due to low prevalence of GG in ESCC patients (0.22 versus 0.36 in high risk group (P=0.047), and 0.22 versus 0.40 in low risk group (P=0.010)), consistent with a disease association. These data suggest that the 203G>A polymorphism in BRCA2 may be associated with risk of ESCC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The MoS2 nanowires with diameters of 4 nm and lengths of 50 nm were synthesized by a hydrothermal method using 0.36 g MoO3 and 1.8 g Na2S as precursors in 0.4 mol/l HCl solution at 260°C. The products are characterized by XRD, XPS, TEM, HTEM and BET. Results show that the as-prepared MoS2 nanowires consist of 1–10 sulfide layers with BET surface areas of 107 m2/g. The possible reaction route and the formation mechanism of the MoS2 nanowires are discussed. The effects of exterior conditions such as pH value, temperature, concentration of precursors and additives on the particle size and morphology of MoS2 crystallites were investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Previous studies have shown frequent allelic loss on chromosome 13 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We assessed the frequency of allelic loss on chromosome 13q14 and mutations of deleted in cancer 1 (DICE1) (also found on 13q14) in ESCC patients to determine if this candidate tumor suppressor gene has a role in the development of ESCC, and whether this gene was an inactivation target for allelic loss on chromosome 13q14. Initially, we examined allelic loss at five markers flanking DICE1 in 56 ESCC patients from Shanxi Province, China, and then examined the entire coding sequence of this gene for mutations using polymerase chain reaction–single-strand confirmation polymorphism (PCR–SSCP) analysis and DNA sequencing. Subsequently, we extended our evaluation to an additional 80 ESCC patients and 232 healthy individuals to confirm the germline variant found in the initial 56 ESCC patients. The frequencies of allelic loss were 71, 58, and 75% for D13S325, D13S757, and D13S887, respectively, in the initial 56 ESCC patients studied. Overall, 73% of informative patients had loss of heterozygosity (LOH) for at least one of these three markers. Somatic mutations were identified in three patients (3/56, 5%), and one novel polymorphism was identified in 3% of ESCC patients (4/136) and 3% of healthy individuals (6/232). We conclude that DICE1 mutations occur in ESCC but are infrequent. The candidate tumor suppressor gene corresponding to the frequent allelic loss on chromosome 13q14 in ESCC remains unknown.Oncogene (2003) 22, 314–318. doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1206098 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium (K) isotopes have been used as a tracer of K recycling in the Earth, but K isotope fractionation during magma evolution is poorly constrained. Here, we present K isotope data for a magmatic suite of alkaline silicate-carbonatite affinity. The suite was formed from liquid-liquid immiscibility and subsequent phlogopite fractionation. The K isotopic signatures of diferent rock types are in the following order: alkaline silicate lavas (δ41K = –0.424 to 0.090‰) > carbonatitic silicate lavas (δ41K = –0.640 to –0.035‰) > carbonatites (δ41K = –0.858 and –0.258‰). Phlogopite phenocrysts in the silicate lavas are isotopically lighter (δ41K = –0.628 to –0.534‰) than the lavas in which they occur (Δ41KPhlogopite-whole rock = –0.502 to –0.109‰). Correlations between δ41K values and chemical proxies of melt immiscibility and phlogopite fractionation indicate that K isotopes are significantly fractionated by both processes at a ~0.6‰ magnitude. Such K isotope variation overlaps the range of δ41K in arc lavas. Compilations of literature data further confirm the critical roles of melt immiscibility and phlogopite fractionation in K isotope variations of high-K lavas (K2O >1 wt%) from post-collision orogenic and intra-continental settings. In comparison, basaltic arc lavas are depleted in K2O (mostly <1 wt%) and lack evidence of significant phlogopite fractionation. The K isotope variations of arc lavas are mainly controlled by their mantle sources, which were metasomatized by melt or fluid released from the subducting slab. Therefore, K recycling and K isotope variation are controlled by distinct mechanisms in diferent tectonic settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytopathogenic microorganisms have caused blight diseases that present significant challenges to global agriculture. These diseases result in substantial crop losses and have a significant economic impact. Due to the limitations of conventional chemical treatments in effectively and sustainably managing these diseases, there is an increasing interest in exploring alternative and environmentally friendly approaches for disease control. Using endophytic fungi as biocontrol agents has become a promising strategy in recent years. Endophytic fungi live inside plant tissues, forming mutually beneficial relationships, and have been discovered to produce a wide range of bioactive metabolites. These metabolites demonstrate significant potential for fighting blight diseases and provide a plentiful source of new biopesticides. In this review, we delve into the potential of endophytic fungi as a means of biocontrol against blight diseases. We specifically highlight their significance as a source of biologically active compounds. The review explores different mechanisms used by endophytic fungi to suppress phytopathogens. These mechanisms include competing for nutrients, producing antifungal compounds, and triggering plant defense responses. Furthermore, this review discusses the challenges of using endophytic fungi as biocontrol agents in commercial applications. It emphasizes the importance of conducting thorough research to enhance their effectiveness and stability in real-world environments. Therefore, bioactive metabolites from endophytic fungi have considerable potential for sustainable and eco-friendly blight disease control. Additional research on endophytes and their metabolites will promote biotechnology solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pink-pigmented bacterium, designated as strain SYSU D00476T, was isolated from sandy soil collected from the Kumtag Desert in China. Colonies were opaque, smooth and of a slight convexity with a clearly defined border. Cells were rod-shaped, Gram-stain-negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive. Growth occurred at 4–45 ℃ (optimum at 28–30 ℃), pH 6.0–8.0 (optimum at 7.0), and with 0–3.0% NaCl (w/v, optimum at 0–2.0%). Major fatty acids (> 10%) were C16:0, summed feature 3 (C16:1ω7c and/or C16:1ω6c), iso-C17:0 3-OH and iso-C15:0. Polar lipids comprised of three unidentified polar aminolipids (ALs), two unidentified aminophosphoglycolipids (APLs), one unidentified glycolipid (GL) and three unidentified phospholipids (PLs). The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7. The genomic DNA G + C content was 50.5%. The low digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH, 27.4%) and average nucleotide identity (ANI, 85%) values between strain SYSU D00476T and Telluribacter humicola KCTC 42819T indicated that SYSU D00476T represent a distinct species. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain SYSU D00476T belonged to the genus Telluribacter, showing 97.5% similarity with T. humicola KCTC 42819T. All these data support that strain SYSU D00476T represent a novel species of the genus Telluribacter within the family Spirosomataceae, named as Telluribacter roseus sp. nov. The type strain is SYSU D00476T (= KCTC 82285T = CGMCC 1.18647T = MCCC 1K04983T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we present an analytical method for Zinc (Zn) isotopic measurements using "standard‐sample bracketing" on a Nu Sapphire multi‐collector inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometer. The effects of Zn mass fraction and HNO3 molarity mismatch between the standard and the sample, as well as the presence of matrix elements have been evaluated. Long‐term reproducibility of better than ±0.03‰ for δ66Zn (2s) was routinely obtained. Accurate measurements were achieved when CNi/CZn < 0.001, CTi/CZn < 0.03, CBa/CZn < 0.05, CNa/CZn and CAl/CZn < 0.5, CMg/CZn < 0.1, CFe/CZn < 5 and CCu/CZn as well as CCd/CZn < 10. High‐precision Zn isotopic determination were performed on twenty‐one widely available geological certified reference materials, with an overall range of ~ 0.62‰ (0.15 to 1.07‰), which is nearly twenty times the current analytical precision (0.03), and the results are in agreement with most previously published data within 2s. Among them, δ66ZnJMC 3‐0749L of eleven geological certified reference materials are reported for the first time: 0.22 ± 0.03‰ (dolerite, DR‐N), 0.23 ± 0.02‰ (gabbro, GSR‐10), 0.20 ± 0.04‰ (microgabbro, PM‐S), 0.15 ± 0.02‰ (andesite, GSR‐2), 0.22 ± 0.08‰ (diorite, GSR‐9), 0.19 ± 0.07‰ (syenite, GSR‐7), 0.30 ± 0.06‰ (granite, GSR‐1), 0.25 ± 0.00‰ (rhyolite, GSR‐11), 0.37 ± 0.01‰ (shale, GSR‐5), 0.21 ± 0.03‰ (limestone, GSR‐6) and 0.20 ± 0.03‰ (hornblendite, GSR‐15). The novel Zn isotopic data from these certified reference materials can be used for future interlaboratory comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A xylanase gene (named xyngmqa) was identified from the metagenomic data of the Gumingquan hot spring (92.5 °C, pH 9.2) in Tengchong City, Yunnan Province, southwest China. It showed the highest amino acid sequence identity (82.70%) to endo-1,4-beta-xylanase from Thermotoga caldifontis. A constitutive expression plasmid (denominated pSHY211) and double-layer plate (DLP) method were constructed for cloning, expression, and identification of the XynGMQA gene. The XynGMQA gene was synthesized and successfully expressed in Escherichia coli DH5α. XynGMQA exhibited optimal activity at 90 °C and pH 4.6, being thermostable by maintaining 100% of its activity after 2 h incubated at 80 °C. Interestingly, its enzyme activity was enhanced by high temperatures (70 and 80 °C) and low pH (3.0–6.0). About 150% enzyme activity was detected after incubation at 70 °C for 20 to 60 min or 80 °C for 10 to 40 min, and more than 140% enzyme activity after incubation at pH 3.0 to 6.0 for 12 h. Hydrolytic products of beechwood xylan with XynGMQA were xylooligosaccharides, including xylobiose (X2), xylotriose (X3), and xylotetraose (X4). These properties suggest that XynGMQA as an extremely thermophilic xylanase, may be exploited for biofuel and prebiotic production from lignocellulosic biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Genome-scale phylogenetic analysis based on core gene sets is routinely used in microbiological research. However, the techniques are still not approachable for individuals with little bioinformatics experience. Here, we present EasyCGTree, a user-friendly and cross-platform pipeline to reconstruct genome-scale maximum-likehood (ML) phylogenetic tree using supermatrix (SM) and supertree (ST) approaches. Results: EasyCGTree was implemented in Perl programming languages and was built using a collection of published reputable programs. All the programs were precompiled as standalone executable files and contained in the EasyCGTree package. It can run after installing Perl language environment. Several profile hidden Markov models (HMMs) of core gene sets were prepared in advance to construct a profile HMM database (PHD) that was enclosed in the package and available for homolog searching. Customized gene sets can also be used to build profile HMM and added to the PHD via EasyCGTree. Taking 43 genomes of the genus Paracoccus as the testing data set, consensus (a variant of the typical SM), SM, and ST trees were inferred via EasyCGTree successfully, and the SM trees were compared with those inferred via the pipelines UBCG and bcgTree, using the metrics of cophenetic correlation coefficients (CCC) and Robinson–Foulds distance (topological distance). The results suggested that EasyCGTree can infer SM trees with nearly identical topology (distance < 0.1) and accuracy (CCC > 0.99) to those of trees inferred with the two pipelines. Conclusions: EasyCGTree is an all-in-one automatic pipeline from input data to phylogenomic tree with guaranteed accuracy, and is much easier to install and use than the reference pipelines. In addition, ST is implemented in EasyCGTree conveniently and can be used to explore prokaryotic evolutionary signals from a different perspective. The EasyCGTree version 4 is freely available for Linux and Windows users at Github (https://github.com/zdf1987/EasyCGTree4). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A xylanase gene (named xyngmqa) was identified from the metagenomic data of the Gumingquan hot spring (92.5 °C, pH 9.2) in Tengchong City, Yunnan Province, southwest China. It showed the highest amino acid sequence identity (82.70%) to endo-1,4-beta-xylanase from Thermotoga caldifontis. A constitutive expression plasmid (denominated pSHY211) and double-layer plate (DLP) method were constructed for cloning, expression, and identification of the XynGMQA gene. The XynGMQA gene was synthesized and successfully expressed in Escherichia coli DH5α. XynGMQA exhibited optimal activity at 90 °C and pH 4.6, being thermostable by maintaining 100% of its activity after 2 h incubated at 80 °C. Interestingly, its enzyme activity was enhanced by high temperatures (70 and 80 °C) and low pH (3.0–6.0). About 150% enzyme activity was detected after incubation at 70 °C for 20 to 60 min or 80 °C for 10 to 40 min, and more than 140% enzyme activity after incubation at pH 3.0 to 6.0 for 12 h. Hydrolytic products of beechwood xylan with XynGMQA were xylooligosaccharides, including xylobiose (X2), xylotriose (X3), and xylotetraose (X4). These properties suggest that XynGMQA as an extremely thermophilic xylanase, may be exploited for biofuel and prebiotic production from lignocellulosic biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four natural chromite samples (LBS13‐04, LBS13‐06 and LBS13‐13) from the Luobusa ophiolite (China) and 16SW2‐6 from the Stillwater Complex (USA) were developed as reference materials for in situ element microanalysis. Approximately 8 g of chromite fragments with grain sizes of 0.5–1.5 mm from each chromite sample were separated under a binocular microscope and analysed by EPMA, XRF, LA‐ICP‐MS and solution nebulisation ICP‐MS techniques for major and trace elements at six laboratories. The results show that the four chromite samples are homogeneous with respect to MgO, Al2O3, Cr2O3, FeO, Sc, Ti, V, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn and Ga. These samples are thus suitable to be used as reference materials for in situ microanalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planococcus is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria known for potential industrial and agricultural applications. Here, we report the first draft genome sequence and phylogenomic analysis of a CRISPR-carrying, multidrug-resistant, novel candidate Planococcus sp. NCCP-2050T isolated from agricultural soil in Pakistan. The strain NCCP-2050T exhibited significant resistance to various classes of antibiotics, including fluoroquinolones (i.e., ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, ofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and bacitracin), cephalosporins (cefotaxime, ceftazidime, cefoperazone), rifamycins (rifampicin), macrolides (erythromycin), and glycopeptides (vancomycin). Planococcus sp. NCCP-2050T consists of genome size of 3,463,905 bp, comprised of 3639 annotated genes, including 82 carbohydrate-active enzyme genes and 39 secondary metabolite genes. The genome also contained 80 antibiotic resistance, 162 virulence, and 305 pathogen–host interaction genes along with two CRISPR arrays. Based on phylogenomic analysis, digital DNA–DNA hybridization, and average nucleotide identity values (i.e., 35.4 and 88.5%, respectively) it was suggested that strain NCCP-2050T might represent a potential new species within the genus Planococcus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bacterial strain, designated TRPH29T, was isolated from saline-alkaline soil, collected from the southern edge of the Gurbantunggut desert, Xinjiang, People’s Republic of China. The isolate was Gram-staining positive, facultatively anaerobic, straight rods. Growth occurred at 15–40 °C (optimum, 28 °C), pH 8.0–13.0 (optimum, 10.0), and in the presence of 0–15% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2%). Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain TRPH29T showed the highest sequence similarities to Alkalihalobacillus krulwichiae (98.31%), Alkalihalobacillus wakoensis (98.04%), and Alkalihalobacillus akibai (97.69%). Average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain TRPH29T and Alkalihalobacillus krulwichiae, Alkalihalobacillus wakoensis, Alkalihalobacillus akibai were in the range of 73.62–75.52% and 15.0–21.20%, respectively. Results of genome analyses indicated that the genome size of strain TRPH29T was 5.05 Mb, with a genomic DNA G + C content of 37.30%. Analysis of the cellular component of strain TRPH29T revealed that the primary fatty acids were anteiso-C15:0 and iso-C15:0, and the polar lipids included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified glycolipid, and an unidentified phospholipid. The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7. Based on the genomic, phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses, strain TRPH29T represents a novel species of the genus Alkalihalobacillus, for which the name Alkalihalobacillus deserti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is TRPH29T (= CGMCC 1.19067T = NBRC 115475T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the individual cultures of Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) were treated with morphologically modified silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and were found to display zones of inhibition of ~ 8 mm, 16 mm, 20 mm, and 22 mm (P. mirabilis) and 6 mm, 14 mm, 20 mm, and 24 mm (K. pneumoniae) at concentrations of 25 µg/ml, 50 µg/mL, 75 µg/mL, and 100 µg/mL, respectively. In addition, turbidity tests were performed based on O. D. values, which exhibited 92% and 90% growth inhibitions at 100 µg/mL concentration for P. mirabilis and K. pneumoniae, respectively. Furthermore, the IC50 concentration of Ag NPs was established for A549 lung cancer cells and found to be at 500 µg/mL. Evidently, the morphological variation of Ag NPs treated A549 lung cancer cells was exhibited with differential morphology studied by phase-contrast microscopy. The results demonstrated that the synthesized Ag NPs was not only efficient against gram-positive bacteria but also against gram-negative bacteria and A549 cancer cells, suggesting that the potential of these biosynthesized Ag NPs is a future drug discovery source for inhibiting bacteria and cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tick-borne rickettsioses are world-spreading infectious zoonoses. Ticks serve as reservoirs and vectors for Rickettsia and play a key role in transmission of rickettsioses. Most of the Chinese rickettsiosis patients are reported from Northeastern China but the distribution of tick and tick-borne Rickettsia species in Northeastern China remain poorly studied. In this study, a total of 1,286 ticks were captured from the seven counties of Harbin, an area in Northeastern China, and the tick-borne Rickettsia species were identified by PCR and sequencing of rrs, gltA, groEL, ompA and 17-kDa antigen-encoding genes. Of the 5 identified tick species, Haemaphysalis longicornis and Ixodes persulcatus were the predominant tick species in the livestock and vegetation, respectively. Rickettsia raoultii and "Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae" were the two detectable Rickettsia species in the ticks with a 28.8% positive rate but no rickettsiae were found in ticks of Haemaphysalis concinna. R. raoultii detected in 37.6% of the Dermacentor nuttalli, Dermacentor silvarum and H. longicornis ticks while "Ca. R. tarasevichiae" was only present in 22.8% of the I. persulcatus ticks. In particular, the positive rate of both R. raoultii and "Ca. R. tarasevichiae" in ticks from the livestock (40.7%) was significantly higher than that from the vegetation (19.5%). The results indicate that the tick and tick-borne Rickettsia species are diverse in different regions of Harbin due to geographic difference and the ticks from livestock may play a more important role in transmission of rickettsioses to human. Author summary: Rickettsiosis is a tick-borne infectious disease of global importance. The disease has been prevailing in Northeastern China but the distribution of tick and tick-borne Rickettsia species from different areas of Northeastern China remain poorly studied. We collected a total of 1,286 ticks in the seven counties with different geographic environments of Harbin, an area of Northeastern China, and all the ticks were classified as Dermacentor nuttalli, Dermacentor silvarum, Haemaphysalis concinna, Haemaphysalis longicornis or Ixodes persulcatus. A total of 28.8% of the ticks tested positive for either Rickettsia raoultii or "Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae", in which 37.6% of the D. nuttalli, D. silvarum and H. longicornis ticks were positive for R. raoultii while 22.8% of the I. persulcatus ticks were positive for "Ca. R. tarasevichiae". The positive rate of both R. raoultii and "Ca. R. tarasevichiae" in ticks from the livestock (40.7%) was significantly higher than that from the vegetation (19.5%). All the data indicate that ticks in the Harbin area have a high infection rate with Rickettsia species and domestic animals may have a tick-livestock rickettsial circulation that may play an important role in transmission of rickettsioses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Babesia spp. are important emerging tick-borne protozoan hemoparasites, and pose a great impact on companion animals. Canine babesiosis has been well described worldwide, while felis babesiosis has primarily been reported from South Africa. To the best of our knowledge, Babesia spp. infections in dogs have been well elucidated in pet dog population in China, no report about Babesia spp. infection in cat population in mainland China. Results: In this study, a total of 203 blood samples were collected from pet cats in Shenzhen city, and detected the presence of Babesia spp. with nested-PCR. Sequence comparison based on the 18S rRNA gene and ITS region revealed that three cats (1.48%) were infected with Babesia. vogeli. Notably, the sequences of ITS region obtained in this study shared the highest nucleotide identity with the sequence of B. vogeli strain isolated in cat from Taiwan. Conclusions: This study is the first report about babesiosis in domestic cats, and also provides molecular evidence of Babesia spp. infection in cat in mainland China. The data present in this study suggest B. vogeli may be circulating in cat population in mainland China. Further study to investigate the epidemiology of Babesia infection in cat nationwide is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artemisia rutifolia var. ruoqiangensis Y.R. Ling, described in 1992, was not validly published because four gatherings were cited but a holotype was not indicated. The gathering S.G. Wu et al. 2755 kept in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Museum of Biology (QTPMB) is here designated as the holotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An actinobacterium, designated as SYSU T00001T, was isolated from a tidal flat sediment sample from Guangdong province, China. Cells were Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, motile and short rod-shaped. Colonies on marine agar 2216 were smooth, yellow-pigmented, and circular with low convexity. The isolate was able to grow at the temperature range 4–37 °C (optimum 30 °C), at pH 4.0–10.0 (optimum 7.0) and in the presence of 0–10% (w/v) NaCl. The major menaquinones were MK-11 and MK-10. The cell wall contained alanine, glutamic acid, lysine and ornithine. The major fatty acids were C19:0 cyclo ω8c (35.7%) and anteiso C15:0 (26.0%). The polar lipids consisted of one diphosphatidyl glycerol, one unidentified glycolipid and one unknown lipid. Whole genome sequencing of strain SYSU T00001T revealed 2,837,702 bp with a DNA G + C content of 67.8%. Phylogenetic analyses clearly demonstrated that strain SYSU T00001T belonged to the genus Salinibacterium, and the highest 16S rRNA gene similarity to Salinibacterium hongtaonis 194T (97.8%). The ANI and dDDH values of strain SYSU T00001T relative to Salinibacterium hongtaonis 194T were 74.5% and 19.5%, respectively. According to our data, strain SYSU T00001T represents a novel species of the genus Salinibacterium, for which the name Salinibacterium sedimenticola sp. nov. is proposed, the type strain is SYSU T00001T (= GDMCC 1.3283T = KCTC 49758T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estuarine system functions as natural filters due to its ability to facilitate material transformation, planktonic bacteria play a crucial role in the cycling of complex nutrients and pollutants within estuaries, and understanding the community composition and assembly therein is crucial for comprehending bacterial ecology within estuaries. Despite extensive investigations into the composition and community assembly of two bacterial fractions (free-living, FLB; particle-attached, PAB), the process by which bacterioplankton communities in these two habitats assemble in the nearshore and offshore zones of estuarine ecosystems remains poorly understood. In this study, we conducted sampling in the Yangtze River Estuary (YRE) to investigate potential variations in the composition and community assembly of FLB and PAB in nearshore and offshore regions. We collected 90 samples of surface, middle, and bottom water from 16 sampling stations and performed 16S rRNA gene amplicon analysis along with environmental factor measurements. The results unveiled that the nearshore communities demonstrated significantly greater species richness and Chao1 indices compared to the offshore communities. In contrast, the nearshore communities had lower values of Shannon and Simpson indices. When compared to the FLB, the PAB exhibit a higher level of biodiversity and abundance. However, no distinct alpha and beta diversity differences were observed between the bottom, middle, and surface water layers. The community assembly analysis indicated that nearshore communities are predominantly shaped by deterministic processes, particularly due to heterogeneous selection of PAB; In contrast, offshore communities are governed more by stochastic processes, largely due to homogenizing dispersal of FLB. Consequently, the findings of this study demonstrate that nearshore and PAB communities exhibit higher levels of species diversity, while stochastic and deterministic processes exert distinct influences on communities among near- and offshore regions. This study further sheds new light on our understanding of the mechanisms governing bacterial communities in estuarine ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Cytoplasmic dynein-2 powers retrograde intraflagellar transport that is essential for cilium formation and maintenance. Inactivation of dynein-2 by mutations in DYNC2H1 causes skeletal dysplasias, and it remains unclear how the dynein-2 heavy chain moves in cilia. Here, using the genome-editing technique to produce fluorescent dynein-2 heavy chain in Caenorhabditis elegans , we show by high-resolution live microscopy that dynein-2 moves in a surprising way along distinct ciliary domains. Dynein-2 shows triphasic movement in the retrograde direction: dynein-2 accelerates in the ciliary distal region and then moves at maximum velocity and finally decelerates adjacent to the base, which may represent a physical obstacle due to transition zone barriers. By knocking the conserved ciliopathy-related mutations into the C . elegans dynein-2 heavy chain, we find that these mutations reduce its transport speed and frequency. Disruption of the dynein-2 tail domain, light intermediate chain, or intraflagellar transport (IFT)-B complex abolishes dynein-2’s ciliary localization, revealing their important roles in ciliary entry of dynein-2. Furthermore, our affinity purification and genetic analyses show that IFT-A subunits IFT-139 and IFT-43 function redundantly to promote dynein-2 motility. These results reveal the molecular regulation of dynein-2 movement in sensory cilia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese baijiu, an ancient fermented alcoholic beverage, contains ethanol and a variety of compounds. One of the most popular types of Chinese baijiu is Jiang-flavor baijiu. To investigate the effects of Jiang-flavor baijiu on organ function and gut microbiota, we developed a moderate drinking mouse model and studied its effects on the liver, kidney biomarkers, memory function, and gut microbiota. The results showed that ethanol caused more hepatic steatosis, liver and kidney damage, and memory impairment than Jiang-flavour baijiu consumption. Furthermore, Jiang-flavor baijiu altered the gut microbiota by increasing the abundance of beneficial taxa such as Lactobacillus and Akkermansia , whereas ethanol increased the abundance of harmful bacteria such as Prevotella and Mucispirillum. Our findings provide preliminary evidence that moderate dose Jiang-flavor baijiu regulates gut microbiota and organ function and provide a theoretical foundation for future research on the positive health effects of particular varieties of Chinese baijiu. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]