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The article focuses on improving the efficiency of collecting eggs from the dried fruit mite Carpoglyphus lactis for use as prey in mass-rearing predatory mites, highlighting the significance of this mite both as a pest and as prey. Topics include the challenges of collecting C. lactis eggs, the development of an improved collection method using mesh and cable tie pieces, and the advantages of this method over traditional sieving techniques in terms of efficiency and cleanliness.

In this study we delved into the effects of royal jelly supplementation on the life history traits of Amblyseius herbicolus, a thelytokous predatory mite with potential in biological pest control. Royal jelly, a nutrient-rich substance from honeybees, is known for its diverse biological activities in various species. Our experiments showed the concentration-dependent impacts of royal jelly supplementation on A. herbicolus. While royal jelly positively influenced mite survival at low concentrations (5%), a trade-off emerged: increased survival came at the cost of reduced fecundity. Also, royal jelly reduced ovipositional and post-ovipositional duration. Remarkably, maternal royal jelly supplementation influenced the pre-ovipositional duration of A. herbicolus offspring, suggesting transgenerational effects. However, certain traits, such as developmental time, size at maturity, and lifespan of both parents and offspring, remained unaffected. Our findings emphasise the specificity of royal jelly's impact on different aspects of mite biology and the possibility of inducing adverse influences on life history traits. To fully harness the potential of royal jelly in dietary supplementation, further research exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions is imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship between chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been inconsistent in traditional observational studies. Methods: We explored the total causal and direct causal associations between CHB and the three COVID-19 outcomes using univariate and multivariate Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses, respectively. Genome-wide association study datasets for CHB and COVID-19 were obtained from the Japan Biobank and the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative, respectively. Results: Univariate MR analysis showed that CHB increased the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.07, P = 3.39E−03), hospitalized COVID-19 (OR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.06–1.13, P = 7.31E−08), and severe COVID-19 (OR = 1.16, 95%CI 1.08–1.26, P = 1.43E−04). A series of subsequent sensitivity analyses ensured the stability and reliability of these results. In multivariable MR analyses adjusting for type 2 diabetes, body mass index, basophil count, and smoking, genetically related CHB is still positively associated with increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR = 1.06, 95% CI 1.02–1.11, P = 1.44E−03) and hospitalized COVID-19 (OR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.07–1.16, P = 5.13E−07). However, the causal link between CHB and severe COVID-19 was attenuated after adjustment for the above variables. In addition, the MR analysis did not support the causal effect of COVID-19 on CHB. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that CHB increases COVID-19 susceptibility and severity among individuals of East Asian ancestry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning technology has advanced rapidly and has started to be applied for the detection of welding defects. In the manufacturing process of power batteries for new energy vehicles, welding defects may occur due to the high directivity, convergence, and penetration of the laser beam. The accuracy of deep learning prediction relies heavily on big data, but balanced big data of welding defects is hard to acquire at the battery production site. In this paper, the authors construct a dataset named RIAM, which consists of images captured from an industrial environment for laser welding of power battery modules. RIAM contains four types of images: Normality, Lack of fusion, Surface porosity, and Scaled surface. The characteristics of RIAM are carefully considered in the application scenarios. Moreover, this paper proposes a gradient-based unsupervised model named Grad-MobileNet, which can be trained with only a few normal images and can extract the feature gradients of the input images. Welding defects can then be classified by the gradient distribution. This model is based on MobileNetV3, which is a lightweight convolutional neural network (CNN), and achieves 99% accuracy, which is higher than the accuracy expected from supervised learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remaining useful life prediction of a milling tool is one of the determinants in making scientific maintenance decision for the CNC machine tool. Predicting the RUL accurately can improve machining efficiency and the quality of product. Deep learning methods have strong learning capability in RUL prediction and are extensively used. Multiscale CNN, a typical deep learning model in RUL prediction, has a large number of parameters because of its parallel convolutional pathways, resulting in high computing cost. Besides, the MSCNN ignores various influences of different scales of degradation features on RUL prediction accuracy. To address the issue, a pyramid CNN (PCNN) is proposed for RUL prediction of the milling tool in this paper. Group convolution is used to replace parallel convolutional pathways to extract multiscale features without additional large number of parameters. And the channel attention with soft assignment is used to select the key degradation features, considering different sensors and scales. The milling tool wear experiments show that the score value of the proposed method achieved 51.248 ± 1.712 and the RMSE achieved 19.051 ± 0.804, confirming better performance of the proposed method compared with the traditional MSCNN and other deep learning methods. Besides, the number of parameters of the proposed method is reduced by 62.6% and 54.8% compared with the MSCNN with self-attention and the MSCNN methods, confirming its lower computing cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible and tunable radar absorbers (RAs) are in great demand both in stealth technologies and electromagnetic delusion for concealment of complex targets such as aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle from radar detection. As a general approach, conventional lumped components such as varactor diodes and resistors are employed to achieve frequency and/or amplitude tunability of RAs. However, despite the intricate feeding networks and complex fabrication processes, this approach shows great difficulty in integrating the conventional rigid components with flexible substrate. Hence, it is an enormous challenge to realize both dual‐tunable and flexible RAs. Here the authors for the first time design and experimentally characterize a flexible and dual‐tunable RA with independent control of the frequency and amplitude. Most important is that the achieving both amplitude and frequency control is fully based on the tunability of graphene, without any lumped devices and intricate feeding network, and even without any metal involved. Hence, this dual‐tunable RA shows the priority of being flexible, light weight, and environmentally friendly. Although the prototype in this work is operating in microwave spectrum, the tunable functionalities at millimeter or terahertz spectral bands can also be obtained due to the intrinsic tunability of graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground deformation in the coal mining area of Northwestern China is usually featured by large and inconsistent subsidence. Large subsidence brings great challenge to Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) and Permanent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) technology due to the pixel-level offset in the range direction after co-registration, which could directly result in complete coherence loss even for the artificial Corner Reflectors (CRs). Offset tracking provides an alternative to capture the large deformation although the results could be biased due to the large deformation gradient and use of fixed correlation window size. In this paper, the point-like target (PT) offset tracking method is introduced to deformation monitoring in coal mining area with a levelly decreasing correlation window size. For each PT-centered SLC patch in the reference SAR image, the estimate from the larger correlation window will serve as a guide for the smaller one to locate the matching SLC patch in the slave SAR image, thus providing a guarantee that the residual offsets to be estimated remain to be a small fraction of the decreasing patch size. The offset estimates were evaluated by ground surveying results at 34 CRs obtained using single reference real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS technique, with a RMS error of 1/13-1/14 SLC pixel in both the range and azimuth directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To evaluate the effects of nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) with different pulse durations in cell vitality, apoptosis, and proliferation of TPC-1 cells, optimize pulse parameters and expand the application range of nsPEFs. Methods. The pulse duration of 0, 300 ns, 500 ns, and 900 ns is generated with nsPEF generator. CCK-8 was used to investigate the effect of nsPEFs on the viability of TPC-1 cells. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the apoptosis of TPC-1 after pulse treatment. The effect of nsPEFs on the proliferation ability of TPC-1 cells was detected by 5-ethy-nyl-2 ′ -deoxyuridine. The morphological changes of TPC-1 cells after pulse treatment were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Results. NsPEFs with 900 ns pulse duration can significantly affect the viability of TPC-1 cells and inhibit the proliferation ability of TPC-1 cells. In addition, nsPEFs can also induce apoptosis of TPC-1 cells. Conclusion. NsPEFs with longer pulse duration can significantly affect the biological behavior of TPC-1 cells, such as cell viability and proliferation ability, and can also induce cell apoptosis, thereby inhibiting cell growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compact high‐sensitivity probe for sensing up tangential E‐field is proposed and measured in this paper. The probe consists of an electric dipole with patches used to induce the tangential E‐field, a resonator made up of open circuit stubs (capacitor) and short circuit stubs (inductor), for achieving a specific resonance, and a compact coupled balun for transforming the differential‐mode voltage into the single‐output voltage and impedance matching. The probe is fabricated on five‐layer dielectric lamina. Compared with the referenced broadband probe, the measured |S12| of the probe is enhanced by 18.81 dB. The proposed probe in this paper is validated with simulation and measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Royal jelly (RJ) is a well‐known traditional health food that has a wide range of pharmacological activities. In this study, mice were fed with different doses of RJ for 30 days and their antioxidant activities and gut microbiota were measured to examine the correlation between gut microbiota and overall health. RJ did not influence the feed consumption or relative organ weight, but RJ did increase the amount of serum interleukin 10 (IL‐10), as well as the levels of antioxidant activities in the liver and kidney. The middle dose of RJ (RJM) decreased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria at phylum level, increased the relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and Bacteroides. Correlation analysis indicated that RJ could optimize the functional network of gut microbiota and the interactions between the gut microbiota and the host. In conclusion, RJ could enhance the antioxidant activities and modulate the gut microbiota. RJM treatment had a more positive effect on physical health compared with RJL and RJH treatments. Practical applications: Royal jelly is a healthy dietary supplement which has a wide range of functions. The research helps us know the action mechanism of RJ in healthy body and analyzed the correlation of gut microbiota and physiological state. The appropriate dose of RJ was also studied and the health functions of RJ for healthy body were proved. This research could help to increase the RJ consuming in market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the influence of many factors, distribution cables are often densely placed at the bottom of the cable trench. As a result, it is easy for distribution cables to become the thermal bottleneck of the whole transmission line. To address this dilemma, this paper establishes a finite element simulation model of a cable trench to analyze the hot spots of cables with different arrangements in the cable trench. Then, the model's accuracy is verified based on real temperature rise experiments. For an arrangement with overheating risk, the ampacity improvement method of filling the cable trench with high-thermal-conductivity material was proposed, and the ampacity improvement effect under different filling ratios was assessed. Finally, combined with the analysis of economic benefit and cost, the method of determining the optimal filling ratio was used, and the impact resistance of the cables under the impact of new energy load was analyzed. The results indicate that, for the case of the optimal filling ratio, the cables in the dense cable trench showed superior impact resistance. The investigations in this paper make significant contributions to the promotion of the maximum utilization of cables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) undergo substantial photochemical losses during their transport from emission sources to receptor sites, resulting in serious implications for their source apportionment and ozone (O 3) formation. Based on the continuous measurements of VOCs in suburban Jinan in August 2022, the effects of photochemical losses on VOC source contributions and O 3 formation were evaluated in this study. The observed and initial concentrations of total VOCs (TVOC) were 12.0 ± 5.1 and 16.0 ± 7.4 ppbv, respectively. Throughout the observation period, alkenes had the most prominent photochemical losses (58.2%), followed by aromatic hydrocarbons (23.1%), accounting for 80.6% and 6.9% of the total losses, respectively. During high O 3 episodes, the photochemical loss of VOCs was 6.9 times higher than that during the cleaning period. Alkene losses (exceeding 67.3%), specifically losses of isoprene, propylene, ethylene, and n-butene, dominated the total losses of VOCs during the O 3 increase period. Eight sources of VOCs were identified by positive matrix factorization (PMF) based on the observed and initial concentration data (OC-PMF and IC-PMF, respectively). Concentrations of all emission sources in the OC-PMF were underestimated by 2.4%–57.1%. Moreover, the contribution of each emission source was over- or underestimated compared with that in case of the IC-PMF. The contributions of biogenic and motor vehicle exhaust emissions were underestimated by 5.3 and 2.8 percentage points, respectively, which was associated with substantial oxidation of the emitted high-reactive species. The contributions of coal/biomass burning and natural gas were overestimated by 2.4 and 3.9 percentage points, respectively, which were related to the emission of low-reactive species (acetylene, ethane, and propane). Based on our results, the photochemical losses of VOCs grossly affect their source apportionment and O 3 formation. Thus, photochemical losses of VOCs must be thoroughly accounted to establish a precise scientific foundation for air-pollution control strategies. [Display omitted] • Photochemical losses contributed 58.2% of initial alkenes and 23.1% of initial aromatics. • Photochemical loss of VOCs during high ozone period was 6.9 times higher than that during cleaning period. • Source apportionment based on measured VOCs might lead to biased conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optically transparent and structurally flexible metamaterial absorbers (MMAs) are widely used in many practical applications. However, the realization of such MMAs requires both thickness reduction and bandwidth enhancement, which remains a challenge task. As a multi-objective optimization problem, it is a time-consuming and resource-demanding process. Guided by prior-knowledge, two degrees of freedom are taken into account in the design, namely the structure of unit-cells and their spatial arrangement. In this way, the multi-objective optimization problem is simplified into a two-step problem. A general procedure based on machine-learning (ML) method is proposed to solve this problem. First, an artificial neural network (ANN) is used to map the configuration parameters of a type of meta-atom onto its reflection coefficients; then, a dynamic graph convolutional neural network (DGCNN) is trained to realize the synthesis of quasi-periodic distributed MMA array; finally, combined with the differential evolution (DE) algorithm, the optimized configuration of the meta-atoms and their optimum distribution are obtained. Based on the proposed procedure, an ultrathin optically transparent and flexible MMA is designed, fabricated and further verified by experiments. The designed MMA realizes 87% absorption bandwidth covering 6.22 GHz–19.42 GHz (103% relative bandwidth) with the thickness only 3. 3 mm (0. 068 λ L) , which approaches the theoretical limit 1 / 17 λ L . And its averaged transparency is about 63% at the wavelength range 500 – 800 mm. The whole design process is achieved 50 times faster than the conventional full-wave simulation, which convincingly demonstrates the superiority of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inferior electrical conductivity seriously prevents the application of monoclinic Li 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 (LVP) cathode in lithium energy storage. In this research, we introduce a promising strategy of polypyrrole coating and Zr4+ doping to promote the conductivity of LVP material. The Zr4+-doped and polypyrrole-coated LVP (LVZ x P@PPy) electrode is synthesized by a facile way followed by an in-situ pyrrole polymerization procedure for the first time. The substitution of Zr4+ in V3+ site can enlarge the lattice volume of LVP, providing a big diffusion channel for Li+ extraction and insertion. Besides, Zr4+ doping can also promote the intrinsic conductivity of LVP, whilst polypyrrole film can greatly promote the apparent conductivity. Therefore, the as-fabricated LVZ x P@PPy electrode possesses outstanding rate property for lithium energy storage. Especially, LVZ 5% P@PPy displays the specific capacities of 131.5 and 115.2 mA h g−1 at 0.1 and 5C respectively between 3 and 4.3 V. Meanwhile, it shows the high capacity retention of 95.7% over 400 cycles at 10C in the potential range of 3∼4.8 V. [Display omitted] • Zr4+-doped and polypyrrole-coated Li 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 electrode has been successfully synthesized through a facile approach for lithium energy storage. • The doped Zr4+ and coated polypyrrole can significantly enhance the electrical conductivity of Li 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3. • The fabricated cathode exhibits outstanding rate capability and cycling stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes literature on acupoint selection for supplementation/drainage needling in the chapter "Zongshi" (Beginning and Ending) in Lingshu (Spiritual Pivot), and explores the actual meaning of texts related to the location of acupoints for supplementation/drainage needling, the way of acupoint selection, and the specific manipulation. According to the results of literature analysis, it is believed that the positions for supplementation/drainage needling are the starting acupoints of the meridians, i. e. the benshu (original acupoints), rather than the meridians based on conventional understanding. For example, "foot shaoyang" in "draining foot shaoyang and supplementing foot jueyin" refers to the original acupoint of the foot shaoyang gallbladder meridian rather than the meridian itself. The specific needling manipulation "two drainage and one supplementation" means draining the original acupoint of the yang meridian twice and supplementing the original acupoint of the yin meridian once; "two supplementation and one drainage" means supplementing the original acupoint of the yang meridian twice and draining the original acupoint of the yin meridian once. In addition, the original acupoint in this context denotes only one acupoint (the starting acupoint) according to its original meaning, rather than the five transport points, a prevalent explanation at that time. The locations of the original acupoints in the meridians are specified in the chapter "Weiqi" (Defense Qi) in Lingshu. It is hoped that the paper has helped to clarify the actual needling manipulation in "Zhongshi". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the global tracking control problem for a class of nonlinear systems. Compared with the existing results, one significant distinction of this work is that it allows the high-order powers, zero dynamics, time-delay and external disturbances. By constructing a new Lyapunov–Krasovskii (L–K) functional and using the modified adding a power integrator method, we successfully design a non-smooth tracking controller which guarantees that all the signals of the closed-loop system are bounded. The tracking error can be adjusted small enough using the designed parameters. As a practical application, in the simulation, the single-link robot system is studied to show the validness of the strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We performed a meta-analysis to determine whether vitamin D supplementation is beneficial in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Design. Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Results. Vitamin D supplementation in patients with CHF improved health-related quality of life and C-reactive protein levels [weighted mean difference (WMD): 6.75, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.87 to 10.64, p < .001; standardised mean difference (SMD): -0.41, 95% CI: -0.71 to -0.11, p = .007]. However, this supplementation was not superior to conventional treatment in terms of mortality, changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (ΔLVEF), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide or B-type natriuretic peptide levels, and 6-minute walk distance (risk ratio: 1.11, 95% CI: 0.79 to 1.57, p = .53; WMD: 2.56, 95% CI: -2.18 to 7.31, p = .29; SMD: -0.18, 95% CI: -0.42 to 0.06, p = .15; WMD: -23.30, 95% CI: -58.31 to 11.72, p = .19). In contrast, ΔLVEF significantly improved (WMD: 6.75, 95% CI: 4.16 to 9.34, p < .001) in the subgroup without calcium supplementation. Additionally, some randomised controlled trials showed that adverse events were more frequent in people with high vitamin D levels. Conclusions. Vitamin D supplementation decreases serum levels of inflammatory markers and improves quality of life in CHF patients. Pooled analysis of vitamin D supplementation did not show reduced mortality or improved left ventricular function perhaps because of excessive increase in plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D and calcium levels. Future studies should pay attention to vitamin D and calcium levels achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate that a graphene-based attenuator on a half-mode substrate integrated waveguide (HMSIW) can achieve dynamically tunable attenuation. This attenuator is produced by depositing a graphene sandwich structure (GSS) on the substrate of a HMSIW. By applying a bias voltage on the GSS, the surface impedance of graphene and the attenuation of the attenuator can be tuned. A prototype was fabricated and measured to verify the analysis. The measurement results manifest that as the bias voltage increases from 0 V to 4 V, the attenuation can be increased from 3 dB to 14 dB at the frequency from 7.7 GHz to 19 GHz, while |S11| of the attenuator can always remain at a low level smaller than −20 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is catalyzed by the enzyme dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) in humans, and the role for ADMA has been associated with hepatic fibrogenesis. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) has been shown to mediate the myofibroblastic transformation myofibroblasticof quiescent hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), a pivotal step in liver fibrogenesis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Accumulation of ADMA due to low activity of DDAH has been reported to be associated with liver damage and hepatic fibrosis. In this study, the role of the DDAH/ADMA pathway in the TGF-β1-induced HSC activation was assessed. Freshly harvested primary HSCs from rat liver were used in this study. It was demonstrated that TGF-β1 treatment significantly suppressed the DDAH protein expression and activity, and increased levels of ADMA in the culture medium of rat primary HSCs. Notably, the TGF-β1-mediated effects on DDAH/ADMA were significantly abrogated by the p38 mitogen activated protein kinase specific inhibitor, SB203580. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that excessive ADMA led to an increase in the number of TGF-β1-positive HSCs and induced the expression of α-smooth muscle actin and collagen type I in rat primary HSCs. In addition, rat primary HSCs exposed to excessive ADMA showed a significant increase in the expressions of α-SMA and collagen type I. Finally, it was revealed that ADMA treatment promoted the proliferation of rat primary HSCs. In conclusion, the results obtained from the study suggest a potentially novel role for the ADMA/DDAH1 signaling pathway in TGF-β1-induced HSC activation, and along with the studies of others, suppression of the ADMA/DDAH1 pathway may be an alterative approach for the treatment of liver fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numb is a protein whose asymmetric segregation during cell division determines cell fate and has numerous functions relevant to multiple fields of study, including developmental neurobiology and cancer biology. Little is known about the role of Numb in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), the predominant histological esophageal carcinoma in Asian populations. In this study, we focused on the expression and biologic functions of Numb in the context of ESCC. From analysis of tissue microarrays with 212 patients, it was found that Numb was significantly upregulated in ESCC tissues compared with corresponding non-cancerous tissues. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis suggests that higher expression of Numb was significantly associated with a high tumor recurrence (p = 0.015) and poor overall post-surgical survival (p = 0.016). Using multiple Cox regression, the expression of Numb was determined to be an independent predictor of poor prognosis. When siRNA was used to knockdown Numb in ESCC cell lines, there was a consistent increase in caspase-3 dependent apoptosis and inhibition of cellular proliferation, as well as downregulation of expression of the cancer stem cell markers Oct-4, SOX-2 and Nanog. In addition, downregulated Numb expression was not significantly associated with the migration of ESCC cells. These results indicate that Numb acts as an oncoprotein and has potential as a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in ESCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is known to mediate angiogenic effects in endothelial cells. The underlying mechanisms, however, remain largely unknown. In this study, we showed that LPS induced high motility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) secretion in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs). Knockdown and overexpression of HMGB1 by adenoviral vectors effectively inhibited and promoted LPS-induced HPMEC migration and capillary-like tube formation, respectively. On the other hand, HMGB1 exerted an inhibitory effect on LPS-suppressed expression of platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule (CD31) and p120 catenin (p120); HMGB1 knockdown reversed this effect. These results suggest a functional synergy between LPS and HMGB1 in angiogenesis. Mechanistically, physical interaction of LPS with HMGB1 mediated dissociation of p120, β-catenin, and γ-catenin from vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin), but without affecting VE-cadherin expression. The synergistic effect of LPS and HMGB1 was closely associated with ERK/P38/Src signaling pathway, as evidenced by the reduced degree of migration and capillary-like tube formation in HPMECs treated with signaling pathway inhibitor. Collectively, our study shows a novel mechanism whereby LPS and HMGB1 synergistically regulate the angiogenic behavior of endothelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitellogenin (Vg) is a yolk precursor protein in most oviparous females. However, Vg has not been studied in the Apis cerana cerana. In this work, the Vg gene of the A. cerana cerana has been cloned and sequenced. The gene codes for a protein consisting of 1770 amino acids in seven exons with a predicted molecular mass and isoelectric point of 200 kDa and 6.46, respectively. Additionally, an 807-bp 5′-flanking region was isolated, and potential transcription factor binding sites associated with development and stress response were identified. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that AccVg is highly expressed in pupae during different developmental stages. In addition, the expression of AccVg could be induced by cold (4 and 16 °C), CdCl, and pesticide treatment. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) and western blot analyses indicated that AccVg transcription was induced by various abiotic stresses. Western blot was used to measure the expression levels of AccVg protein. Taken together, these results suggest that AccVg most likely plays essential roles in antioxidant defence and that it may be of critical importance to honey bee survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the continuous online measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at a suburban site in Jinan, Shandong province in the wintertime of 2021, characteristics, chemical transformations and sources of VOCs were analyzed. The total mixing ratio of VOCs was 30.35 ± 19.9 ppbv, with alkanes being the most abundant species. Alkenes and aromatics were the major contributors to the hydroxyl radical loss rate (L OH) and the ozone formation potential (OFP), accounting for 44.9% and 32.7% to L OH , and 43.2% and 33.4% to OFP, respectively. Aromatics had the primary contribution (98.1%) to the secondary organic aerosol potential (SOAP), and the high correlation between SOAP and PM 2.5 concentrations (R = 0.70) suggested that VOCs were critical precursors of PM 2.5. Coal/biomass burning and motor vehicle emissions were the main sources of VOCs (24.6% and 23.8%, respectively), followed by petrochemical and fuel evaporation (19.9%), industrial sources (16.9%), and liquefied petroleum gas/natural gas use (14.8%). Backward trajectories and the potential source contribution function (PSCF) analysis results suggested that short-range transport from the southeast was the primary potential source of VOC concentrations in suburban Jinan. The results can provide theoretical support for local governments to develop VOC emission control strategies in suburban areas. • Daytime VOCs were significantly influenced by strong localized emissions. • SOAP of VOCs and PM 2.5 were highly correlated. • Coal/biomass burning and vehicle emissions were the most significant sources of VOCs. • Short-distance transport from the southeast was important for VOCs control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Alcohol increases intrahepatic B-lineage cells-related apoptosis and immunosuppressive cytokines productions. • Alcohol decreases the frequencies of intrahepatic follicular helper CD4+T cells(Tfh cells) and peripheral helper CD4+T cells(Tph cells) among CD4+T cells. • The frequrncy of Tph cells is negatively correlated to B-lineage cells related apoptosis and immunosuppressive cytokines productions. • Alcohol reduces the germinal center B cells area and the production of IL-21 by intrasplenic cells. • Alcohol delays the clearance of HBsAg, increases the level of HBeAg, and reduces the production of Hepatitis B surface antibody at 40 dpi. Alcohol consumption is widespread. As the main organ of alcohol metabolism, the liver also has an immune tolerance function. However, little is known about how alcohol affects intrahepatic immune dysregulation and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. In a mice model, alcohol intake increased Fas expression on intrahepatic B220+B cells and intrahepatic CD138+B cells, increased TGF-β and IL-10 production by intrahepatic CD19+B cells, and decreased frequencies of intrahepatic T peripheral helper (Tph) cells and intrahepatic T follicular helper (Tfh) cells. Tph cells, but not Tfh cells, were negatively correlated with the B-lineage cell-related apoptosis and the production of immunosuppressive cytokines. Besides, alcohol intake significantly reduced the production of IL-21 by Tfh-like cells and CD8+PD-1+ cells and reduced the area of the splenic germinal center B cells. After 4 weeks of alcohol intake, we induced HBV infection in mice by injecting plasmid pAAV-HBV1.2. Alcohol intake increased serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B envelope antigen levels, delayed HBsAg clearance and decreased anti-HBsAg antibodies production at 40 days post-injection. In conclusion, our study reveals that alcohol intake can suppress humoral immunity and impede HBV clearance, providing further evidence for alcohol abstinence in patients with HBV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of thymectomy in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients with a history of myasthenic crisis (MC) has not been well established. Here, we determined the efficacy of thymectomy by assessing the long-term clinical outcomes and reviewed thymectomy reports on MC patients. Methods: Subjects included 31 patients who suffered at least one crisis before surgery, with a cumulative total 73 episodes of MC in Southern China between May 2000 and December 2010. Long-term follow-up was performed and clinical outcomes were evaluated. We used complete stable remission (CSR), termed an asymptomatic status without medication for at least 12 months; general complete remission (GCR), termed an asymptomatic status with or without some form of therapy excluding cholinesterase inhibitors, to assess patient outcomes. Results: All patients underwent thymectomy with an overall complication rate of 16.1 % and a perioperative mortality rate of 3.2 %. Long-term follow-up occurred between 12.6 and 177 months, at which point 18 (58.1 %) patients experienced improved status, including one patient who achieved CSR; 13 (41.9 %) patients achieved GCR; 6 (19.4 %) showed unchanged status and one worse (3.2 %) status. The remaining 6 patients died, with 3 due to MG-related causes. Using a multivariate Cox regression analysis of GCR by characteristics, patients with better response to medical treatments before thymectomy were positively associated with GCR rates ( p = 0.028). Conclusions: Extended transsternal thymectomy is a feasible and effective therapy for MG patients with crisis history, especially for those patients who have shown positive signs of remission after exhausting conventional medical treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental and numerical studies on the bending properties of three-dimensional full five-directional (3DF5D) braided composites are presented in this article. Three-point bending tests of the braided specimens with different braiding angles were first preformed. Then, the full-scale specimen model was constructed and a strength analysis method based on repeated unit-cell (RUC) model was established to describe the strength characteristics of the 3DF5D braided composites. The differences between yarn configurations in corner, surface and interior RUCs were considered and continuum damage models were introduced into the components such as yarns and matrix of the RUCs in the method. This linked the macroscopic nonlinear response with the damages in the microstructures. Good agreements were achieved in the load-deflection curves and damage morphology between experimental and numerical results. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:2478-2493, 2016. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of studies have showed that High mobility group box-1 (HMGB1), which played key role in inflammation activation by triggering the toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling axis in hepatic fibrogenesis, may share similar inflammation stimulating mechanism with LPS. Herein, we introduced a recently established anti-LPS protein cysteine-rich secretory protein LCCL domain containing 2 (CRISPLD2) to investigate endogenous protection mechanism of HMGB1 induced inflammatory response. Our results shows that stromal cells and monocytes showed an evaluated pattern for CRISPLD2 expression after HMGB1 treatment, which was dependent on the integrity of TLR4 function. Pro-inflammatory Cytokines levels were significantly elevated after CRISPLD2 silencing despite the HMGB1 status. Soluble CRISPLD2 administration relieve the HMGB1 dependent pro-inflammatory cytokines release. Interestingly, we found that miRNA 155 play a key role in the process. Our data suggest that CRISPLD2 may have a unique anti-HMGB1 effect via miRNA and play an important role in immune balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A corrosive medium (particularly a chloride medium) with water is typically found in the working environment of a prestressed anchor cable. The anchor cable structure itself has certain characteristics such as complex details, high working stress, extremely difficult control in construction, and hidden operation in construction and maintenance. Thus, corrosion is the key problem related to the use of anchor cables. Relevant research focuses on the corrosion type, basic corrosion principle, and corrosion development law of anchor cables at the qualitative level. In this paper, the corrosion progress of the interior bond section of anchor cable under chloride attack is studied through long-term systematic experiments and theoretical analysis. Serial time-varying models, such as those for instantaneous corrosion rate, weight loss rate of corrosion, and tensile capacity, are established based on the Hill function. Two factors, namely, chlorine ion concentration and pore water saturation of the ground around anchor cables, are set as the independent variables in all of the models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amorphous alloy transformer has a smaller coercive force and lower specific iron loss. It precedes the conventional silicon steel sheet transformer from the perspective of energy conservation. However, amorphous alloy material has a more significant magnetostriction coefficient, resulting in stronger vibration and acoustic noise. This paper investigates the measurement, analysis, and improvement of vibroacoustic characteristics of one three-phase, four-frame amorphous alloy distribution transformer to reduce environment noise pollution. This study adopts a coupling analysis method of magnetic–force–acoustic multi-physical fields to analyze the vibroacoustic characteristics. It then introduces a novel combination method of magnetic field analysis and an electric circuit to improve the efficiency of magnetic field analysis. This new combination method can greatly reduce the solution time of multiple physical fields through comparison with the traditional field-circuit coupling method. Different from other studies, this paper studies the acoustic and vibration characteristics of an amorphous alloy transformer under both no-load and load conditions. It is found that the load vibration noise of an amorphous transformer is more severe than that of a traditional silicon steel transformer. Accordingly, the study measures the vibroacoustic characteristic with different excitations and load levels under different working conditions to verify the numerical analysis method. Furthermore, according to the analysis results, this paper suggests a few vibration and noise control strategies. In conclusion, the paper deduces an essential basis for exploring strategies of vibration reduction and noise control for amorphous alloy distribution transformers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcriptome sequencing has become the main methodology for analyzing the relationship between genes and characteristics of interests, particularly those associated with diseases and economic traits. Because of its role of functional food for humans, commercial royal jelly (RJ) and its production are major research focuses in the field of apiculture. Multiple lines of evidence have demonstrated that many factors affect RJ output by activating or inhibiting various target genes and signaling pathways. Available coding sequences from the Honey Bee Genome Sequencing Consortium have permitted a pathway-based approach for investigating the development of the hypopharyngeal glands (HGs). In the present study, 3573941, 3562730, 3551541, 3524453, and 3615558 clean reads were obtained from the HGs of five full-sister honey bee samples using Solexa RNA sequencing technology. These reads were then assembled into 18378, 17785, 17065, 17105, and 17995 unigenes, respectively, and aligned to the DFCI Honey Bee Gene Index database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) data were also correlated with detailed morphological data for HGs acini. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important anthropogenic source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), industrial emissions have a significant impact on air quality and human health. In this study, the characteristics, chemical reactivities, and health risks of VOCs around an industrial park in Zibo were analyzed at two sampling sites. The results showed that the concentrations of total VOCs at Dongzhang Community (DZ) and Special School (SS) sites were 113.12 ppb and 139.40 ppb, respectively, with oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) as the most abundant species, accounting for 42–45%, followed by alkanes (19.3–19.6%). Diurnal variation of OVOCs exhibited noticeable peaks at 3:00, which may be related to the nighttime sneaky emissions of some enterprises. OVOCs were the species with the highest photochemical activity, with an average contribution of 56.5% to OH radical loss rate and 57% to ozone generation. In addition, OVOCs contributed 40% to secondary organic aerosol formation potential at both sites, second only to aromatics (55%). Acrolein and 1,2-dichloropropane presented the highest non-cancer and cancer risks to human health. The results highlight the importance of OVOCs in some industrial areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maleic anhydride (MAH) functionalized acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile(ASA) copolymers (F-ASA) were prepared via an emulsion polymerizationprocess. The F-ASA particles were used to toughen Polyamide-6 (PA-6).Molau tests showed the compatibilization reactions between PA-6 andF-ASA. The notched impact strength of PA-6 was effectively improvedby the use of F-ASA. At a rubber content of 20% by weight in PA-6/F-ASAblends, it was found that the impact strength increased with the MAHcontent. When the MAH content was 8% in F-ASA, the impact strengthwas 1008 J/m. The influence of rubber content on the properties ofPA-6/F-ASA8 blends was investigated. The results showed that brittle-ductiletransition took place when the rubber content was 20%. Moreover, increasingthe MAH content of the blends reduced the brittle-ductile temperatureof the F-ASA/PA-6 blends from 50 °C to about 0 °C. Scanningelectron microscopy (SEM) results showed that cavitation of rubberparticles and shear yielding of the PA-6 matrix were the major tougheningmechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy storage devices with high power and energy density are in demand owing to the rapidly growing population, and lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are promising rechargeable energy storage devices. However, there are many issues associated with the development of electrode materials with a high theoretical capacity, which need to be addressed before their commercialization. Extensive research has focused on the modification and structural design of electrode materials, which are usually expensive and sophisticated. Besides, polymer binders are pivotal components for maintaining the structural integrity and stability of electrodes in LIBs. Polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) is a commercial binder with superior electrochemical stability, but its poor adhesion, insufficient mechanical properties, and low electronic and ionic conductivity hinder its wide application as a high-capacity electrode material. In this review, we highlight the recent progress in developing different polymeric materials (based on natural polymers and synthetic non-conductive and electronically conductive polymers) as binders for the anodes and cathodes in LIBs. The influence of the mechanical, adhesion, and self-healing properties as well as electronic and ionic conductivity of polymers on the capacity, capacity retention, rate performance and cycling life of batteries is discussed. Firstly, we analyze the failure mechanisms of binders based on the operation principle of lithium-ion batteries, introducing two models of "interface failure" and "degradation failure". More importantly, we propose several binder parameters applicable to most lithium-ion batteries and systematically consider and summarize the relationships between the chemical structure and properties of the binder at the molecular level. Subsequently, we select silicon and sulfur active electrode materials as examples to discuss the design principles of the binder from a molecular structure point of view. Finally, we present our perspectives on the development directions of binders for next-generation high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries. We hope that this review will guide researchers in the further design of novel efficient binders for lithium-ion batteries at the molecular level, especially for high energy density electrode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significance: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Endothelial dysfunction is closely associated with the development and progression of CVDs. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) especially type 2 DM (T2DM) exhibit a significant endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction with substantially increased risk for CVDs. Recent Advances: Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress are important contributing factors to EC dysfunction and subsequent CVDs. ROS production is significantly increased in DM and is critically involved in the development of endothelial dysfunction in diabetic patients. In this review, efforts are made to discuss the role of excessive ROS and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction and the mechanisms for excessive ROS production and oxidative stress in T2DM. Critical Issues: Although studies with diabetic animal models have shown that targeting ROS with traditional antioxidant vitamins C and E or other antioxidant supplements provides promising beneficial effects on endothelial function, the cardiovascular outcomes of clinical studies with these antioxidant supplements have been inconsistent in diabetic patients. Future Directions: Preclinical and limited clinical data suggest that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) treatment may improve endothelial function in diabetic patients. However, well-designed clinical studies are needed to determine if NAC supplementation would effectively preserve endothelial function and improve the clinical outcomes of diabetic patients with reduced cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. With better understanding on the mechanisms of ROS generation and ROS-mediated endothelial damages/dysfunction, it is anticipated that new selective ROS-modulating agents and effective personalized strategies will be developed for the management of endothelial dysfunction in DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributed micro‐energy harvesting devices offer the flexibility, sustainability, and multi‐scenario applicability that will be critical to wearable electronic products in the Internet of Things. The radiofrequency and triboelectric (RF‐TE) hybrid energy harvester (HEH) concept and prototype is presented for the first time, to simultaneously capture the energy from ambient electromagnetic waves and biological motions. The proposed hybrid energy harvesting system consists of a wearable rectenna, a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), and a power management circuit (PMC). Among them, the all‐fabric rectenna exhibits good impedance matching characteristics in the ISM frequency. The flexible TENG unit can generate a maximum power density of 0.024 µW cm−2. The designed multifunctional fabric‐based PMC can considerably enhance the controllability of harvested hybrid energy. Additionally, a normalizable fabric circuit board quasi surface mount technology (FCB‐SMT) is proposed to integrate all modules on the same fabric substrate in one step, making the entire system superior mechanical robustness. The proposed wearable fabric‐based RF‐TE hybrid energy harvester is capable of successfully driving consumer electronics (such as sensors, watches, etc.). It provides a new energy solution strategy for self‐powered wearable electronic devices and is anticipated to encourage the efficient utilization of renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), one of the key regulators of the G2/M checkpoint, is expressed in many cells and plays an important role in cell cycle control. However, CDK1 expression is substantially increased in many tumors of diverse origins and is associated with tumorigenesis. Targeting CDK1 shows promising results for several tumors. However, a systematic and integrative analysis of CDK1 in cancer has not been conducted. The present study aims to use pan-cancer analysis to investigate the relationship, similarities, and differences in genetic and cellular changes associated with CDK1 in various tumors and tumor microenvironments. Our findings elucidate that CDK1 expression increases in more than 20 human tumors and is highly correlated with oncogenic signature gene sets, biological pathways, immune cell infiltration, tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability, and lower survival rate across multiple tumors. Targeting CDK1 may provide a novel and effective strategy for cancer immunotherapy. Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) is essential for cell division by regulating the G2/M phase and mitosis. CDK1 overexpression can also promote the development and progression of a variety of cancers. However, the significance of CDK1 in the formation, progression, and prognosis of human pan-cancer remains unclear. In the present study, we used The Cancer Genome Atlas database, Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium, Human Protein Atlas, Genotype-Tissue Expression, and other well-established databases to comprehensively examine CDK1 genetic alterations and gene/protein expression in various cancers and their relationships with the prognosis, immune reactivities, and clinical outcomes for 33 tumor types. Gene set enrichment analysis was also conducted to examine the potential mechanisms of CDK1 in tumorigenesis. The data showed that CDK1 mutation was frequently present in multiple tumors. CDK1 expression was significantly increased in various types of tumors as compared with normal tissues and was associated with poor overall and disease-free survival. In addition, CDK1 expression was significantly correlated with oncogenic genes, proteins, cellular components, myeloid-derived suppressor cell infiltration, ESTMATEScore, and signaling pathways associated with tumor development and progression and tumor microenvironments. These data indicate that CDK1 could serve as a promising biomarker for predicting tumor prognosis and a potential target for cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effective components contained in compound Kushen injection (CKI) and the genes and signalling pathways related to gastric cancer (GC) were analyzed through the network pharmacology method of traditional Chinese medicine, and various possible mechanisms by which CKI affects the proliferation, differentiation, survival, and metastasis of GC cells were discussed. The PI3K/AKT signalling pathway is considered to be one of the most important pathways targeted by CKI in the regulation of GC cells. The implementation of related cell experiments also confirmed the information we revealed. Methods: Effective drug components of Kushen and Baituling in CKI were identified from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database (TCMSP). Genes related to GC were identified using the GENECARD and OMIM databases. The common target genes related to the effective components of the drug and GC were identified using the intersection method and visualized using software. A protein–protein interaction network (PPI) was established using STRING online software to confirm the key genes. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed to predict the key pathways of CKI in GC treatment. BGC-803 and MKN-28 GC cells were used to verify the signalling pathway. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration ability, and invasion ability were assessed using CCK8, flow cytometry, scratch, and transwell assays. Immunofluorescence assays and western blotting were used to detect the expression of related proteins. Results: CKI regulated GC cells through 35 effective drug components of GC-related target genes. In total, 194 genes were common targets of CKI and GC. The most significant function of the enriched genes was DNA-binding transcription activator activity as demonstrated by GO enrichment analysis. The metabolic pathway with the highest enrichment was the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway as demonstrated by KEGG enrichment analysis. Our cell experimental evidence also shows that CKI inhibits GC cell growth and migration and induce GC cell apoptosis. In addition, CKI inhibits the EMT process in GC cells through the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. Conclusion: AKT1 is a key gene for CKI treatment of GC. CKI inhibited GC cell growth and migration and induced GC cell apoptosis. In addition, CKI regulated the EMT process in GC cells through the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effective components contained in compound Kushen injection (CKI) and the genes and signalling pathways related to gastric cancer (GC) were analyzed through the network pharmacology method of traditional Chinese medicine, and various possible mechanisms by which CKI affects the proliferation, differentiation, survival, and metastasis of GC cells were discussed. The PI3K/AKT signalling pathway is considered to be one of the most important pathways targeted by CKI in the regulation of GC cells. The implementation of related cell experiments also confirmed the information we revealed. Methods: Effective drug components of Kushen and Baituling in CKI were identified from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database (TCMSP). Genes related to GC were identified using the GENECARD and OMIM databases. The common target genes related to the effective components of the drug and GC were identified using the intersection method and visualized using software. A protein–protein interaction network (PPI) was established using STRING online software to confirm the key genes. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed to predict the key pathways of CKI in GC treatment. BGC-803 and MKN-28 GC cells were used to verify the signalling pathway. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration ability, and invasion ability were assessed using CCK8, flow cytometry, scratch, and transwell assays. Immunofluorescence assays and western blotting were used to detect the expression of related proteins. Results: CKI regulated GC cells through 35 effective drug components of GC-related target genes. In total, 194 genes were common targets of CKI and GC. The most significant function of the enriched genes was DNA-binding transcription activator activity as demonstrated by GO enrichment analysis. The metabolic pathway with the highest enrichment was the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway as demonstrated by KEGG enrichment analysis. Our cell experimental evidence also shows that CKI inhibits GC cell growth and migration and induce GC cell apoptosis. In addition, CKI inhibits the EMT process in GC cells through the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. Conclusion: AKT1 is a key gene for CKI treatment of GC. CKI inhibited GC cell growth and migration and induced GC cell apoptosis. In addition, CKI regulated the EMT process in GC cells through the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past decades have witnessed surging demand for wearable electronics, for which thermoelectrics (TEs) are considered a promising self-charging technology, as they are capable of converting skin heat into electricity directly. Bi2Te3 is the most-used TE material at room temperature, due to a high zT of ~1. However, it is different to integrate Bi2Te3 for wearable TEs owing to its intrinsic rigidity. Bi2Te3 could be flexible when made thin enough, but this implies a small electrical and thermal load, thus severely restricting the power output. Herein, we developed a Bi2Te3/nickel foam (NiFoam) composite film through solvothermal deposition of Bi2Te3 nanoplates into porous NiFoam. Due to the mesh structure and ductility of Ni Foam, the film, with a thickness of 160 μm, exhibited a high figure of merit for flexibility, 0.016, connoting higher output. Moreover, the film also revealed a high tensile strength of 12.7 ± 0.04 MPa and a maximum elongation rate of 28.8%. In addition, due to the film's high electrical conductivity and enhanced Seebeck coefficient, an outstanding power factor of 850 μW m−1 K−2 was achieved, which is among the highest ever reported. A module fabricated with five such n-type legs integrated electrically in series and thermally in parallel showed an output power of 22.8 nW at a temperature gap of 30 K. This work offered a cost-effective avenue for making highly flexible TE films for power supply of wearable electronics by intercalating TE nanoplates into porous and meshed-structure materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic dyes pollution of contaminated water is posing serious environmental crisis. In this work, the robust absorbent of organic dyes has been proposed by using carboxyl-modified carbon fiber (CF) cloths as scaffolds to structure ZIF-8 powder with specific shape (area: 10 × 10 cm2 and thickness: 2 mm). The grinding ZnO and 2-methylimidazole powder was deposited on –COOH groups functionalized CF-cloth via an in situ non-solvent synthesis process without using binder. This as-synthesized robust absorbent was assembled layer-by-layer with four folds of ZIF-8 layers by inserting three folds of CF (3k, T300) between ZIF-8 layers. The surface microstructure of ZIF-8 and robust absorbent has been investigated and compared by X-ray diffraction. The techniques including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have been proposed to confirm the interfacial adhesion and surface modification of CF cloths layers in robust adsorbent. Moreover, compared to ZIF-8, CF-ZIF-8 composite exhibited improved thermal stability by the thermal gravimetric (TG) analysis. The CF-ZIF-8 composite exhibited two types of adsorption curves by using UV absorption spectra, which could discriminate six kinds of organic dyes by charge effect. The UV absorption of MB(Methylene Blue), CV(Crystal Violet) and TB(Toluidine Blue) dropped dramatically and exhibited only 4.5%, while the UV absorption of RB19 (Reactive Blue 19), RhB (Rhodamine B) and MO (Methyl Orange) exhibited 58.2%, 58.3% and 70.0% of original absorption intensity after conducted adsorption processes of 700 min, respectively. The as-synthesized robust adsorbent would be easily adapted and recycled from wasted water of real industry fields, which may attract more attentions to build the bridge between MOFs powder materials to carbon fiber cloth for real use. This work demonstrated the synthesis of structured CF-ZIF-8 composite with specific shape by binder-free method for adsorption of organic dyes in aqueous media. Image 1 • Binder-free method was induced to synthesize CF-ZIF-8 composite for dyes adsorption. • The CF-ZIF-8 composite could be synthesized with tunable size, area and specific shapes. • The dyes adsorption mechanism of CF-ZIF-8 composite has been studied. • The CF-ZIF-8 composite could be reused after regeneration. • The CF-ZIF-8 composite exhibited excellent mechanical and thermal stability after recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a low profile dynamically tunable microwave absorber is proposed, which consists of high impedance surface and graphene sandwiched structure. We theoretically demonstrate and experimentally verify that the proposed absorber can provide a dynamically tunable reflection range from larger than −3 dB to less than −30 dB at operating center frequency of 11.2 GHz. The entire thickness of this absorber is only 2.8 mm, nearly one tenth of working wavelength. In addition, a modified equivalent circuit model is proposed to explicate its absorption mechanism. At last, we fabricate a prototype absorber, measure its reflection coefficient in anechoic chamber. The experimental results agree well with the full wave simulation results. This work may provide a reference for design and fabrication of dynamically tunable microwave absorber based on large‐scale graphene and may promote the actual applications of graphene at microwave frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impulse control behaviors (ICBs) and apathy are believed to represent opposite motivational expressions of the same behavioral spectrum involving hypo- and hyperdopaminergic status, but this has been recently debated. Our study aims to estimate the co-occurrence of ICBs and apathy in early Parkinson's disease (PD) and to determine whether this complex neuropsychiatric condition is an important marker of PD prognoses. Neuropsychiatric symptoms, clinical data, neuroimaging results, and demographic data from de novo PD patients were obtained from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative, a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort. The clinical characteristics of ICBs co-occurring with apathy and their prevalence were analyzed. We compared the prognoses of the different groups during the 8-year follow-up. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was conducted to predict the development of levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) using baseline neuropsychiatric symptoms. A total of 422 PD patients and 195 healthy controls (HCs) were included. In brief, 87 (20.6 %) de novo PD patients and 37 (19.0 %) HCs had ICBs at baseline. Among them, 23 (26.4 %) de novo PD patients and 3 (8.1 %) HCs had clinical symptoms of both ICBs and apathy. The ICBs and apathy group had more severe non-motor symptoms than the isolated ICBs group. Cox regression analysis demonstrated that the co-occurrence of ICBs and apathy was a risk factor for LID development (HR 2.229, 95 % CI 1.209 to 4.110, p = 0.010). Co-occurrence of ICBs and apathy is common in patients with early PD and may help to identify the risk of LID development. • The co-occurrence of ICBs and apathy is common in patients with early PD. • The co-occurrence of ICBs and apathy may help to identify the risk of LID development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liver fibrosis can progress to cirrhosis and hepatic carcinoma without treatment. CircDCBLD2 was found to be downregulated in liver fibrosis. However, the precise underlying mechanism requires further investigation. Methods: qRT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry assays were used to detect the related molecule levels. HE, Masson's trichrome, and Sirius Red staining were used to assess the pathological changes in mice's liver tissues. Flow cytometric analysis and commercial kit were used to assess the levels of lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS), malonaldehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and iron. Cell viability was assessed by MTT. Immunoprecipitation was used to study the ubiquitination of PARK7. Mitophagy was determined by immunostaining and confocal imaging. RIP and Co-IP assays were used to assess the interactions of circDCBLD2/HuR, HuR/STUB1, and STUB1/PARK7. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence staining were used to assess the co-localization of circDCBLD2 and HuR. Results: CircDCBLD2 was downregulated, whereas PARK7 was upregulated in liver fibrosis. Ferroptosis activators increased circDCBLD2 while decreasing PARK7 in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and mice with liver fibrosis. CircDCBLD2 overexpression reduced cell viability and GSH, PARK7, and GPX4 expression in erastin-treated HSCs while increasing MDA and iron levels, whereas circDCBLD2 knockdown had the opposite effect. CircDCBLD2 overexpression increased STUB1-mediated PARK7 ubiquitination by promoting HuR-STUB1 binding and thus increasing STUB1 mRNA stability. PARK7 overexpression or HuR knockdown reversed the effects of circDCBLD2 overexpression on HSC activation and ferroptosis. CircDCBLD2 reduced liver fibrosis in mice by inhibiting PARK7. Conclusion: CircDCBLD2 overexpression increased PARK7 ubiquitination degradation by upregulating STUB1 through its interaction with HuR, inhibiting HSC activation and promoting HSC ferroptosis, ultimately enhancing liver fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental pollution has gained negative attention in recent years. The pesticides and heavy metals are top list of environmental toxicants directly endangering the survival and development of Apis cerana cerana. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are heteromeric serine/threonine kinases that participate in cell cycle regulation and have a vital role in pesticide and heavy metal stress in Apis cerana cerana. In this experiment, we filtered out CDK8 gene from Apis cerana cerana (AccCDK8) and investigated its functions of pesticide and heavy metals resistance. Sequence analysis indicated that AccCDK8 is highly homologous to multiple CDK8s and contains a highly conserved CDK active site sequence. Phylogenetic analysis showed that AmCDK8 and AccCDK8 were closely related evolutionarily in Apis mellifera. Transcriptome analysis revealed that AccCDK8 expression was differentially affected after exposure to pesticide and heavy metal stresses. This indicates that AccCDK8 has a significant role in the resistance of Apis cerana cerana to pesticide and heavy metal stresses. It has implications for studying the function of CDK in other insects in response to stress. [Display omitted] • Pesticides and heavy metals affect the survival of Apis cerana cerana. • CDK8 takes part in the oxidative stress response of Apis cerana cerana. • CDK8 is involved in the growth and reproduction of Apis cerana cerana. • AccCDK8 plays an important role in pesticide and heavy metals stresses. • We highlight the effects of some pesticides on the health of Apis cerana cerana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To characterize sleep duration and investigate its association with quality of life among Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients. In this multicenter cross-sectional study, 970 PD patients were divided into five groups based on self-reported sleep duration: <5, ≥5 to <6, ≥6 to <7, ≥7 to ≤8, and >8 h. The quality of life was evaluated using the 39-Item Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39). Multivariable linear regression analysis, subgroup analysis, and mediation analysis were conducted to examine the association between sleep duration and quality of life. In multivariable linear regression model, patients with sleep duration (<5 h) had significantly higher PDQ-39 scores (β = 8.132, 95 % CI: 3.99 to 12.266), especially in mobility, activities of daily living, emotional well-being, stigma, social support, cognition, communication, and bodily discomfort (p < 0.05). The association between sleep duration (<5 h) and worse quality of life was more pronounced in patients with higher HY stage, longer disease duration, and sleep disorders. Moreover, a significant indirect effect of sleep duration (<5 h) on quality of life was observed, with UPDRS I, UPDRS II, and UPDRS IV scores acting as mediators. Short sleep duration (<5 h) is associated with worse quality of life among PD patients. This association was stronger among patients with advanced PD and sleep disorders, while non-motor symptoms and motor complications were identified as significant mediators in this association. These findings highlight the significance of adequate sleep duration and suitable interventions for sleep may help improve quality of life. • There is a high prevalence of short sleep duration among PD patients. • There is a significant association between short sleep duration (<5 h) and a decline in quality of life. • Non-motor symptoms and motor complications were identified as significant mediators in this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous measurements of atmospheric volatile organic compounds (VOCs), conventional gases and meteorological parameters were performed at an urban site in Jinan, East China, in June 2021 to explore the formation and evolution mechanisms of summertime ozone (O3) pollution events. O3 Episode Ⅰ, O3 Episode II, and non-O3 episodes were identified based on the China Ambient Air Quality Standards and the differences in precursor concentrations. The O3 concentrations in Episode I and Episode II were 145.4 μg/m3 and 166.4 μg/m3, respectively, which were significantly higher than that in non-O3 episode (90 μg/m3). For O3 precursors, VOCs and NOx concentrations increased by 48% and 34% in Episode I, and decreased by 21% and 27% in Episode II compared to non-O3 episode days. The analysis of the m,p-xylene to ethylbenzene ratio (X/E) and OH exposure demonstrated that the aging of the air masses in Episode II was significantly higher than the other two episodes, and the differences could not be explained by localized photochemical consumption. Therefore, we speculate that the high O3 concentrations in Episode II were driven by the regional transport of O3 and its precursors. Backward trajectory simulations indicated that the air masses during Episode II were concentrated from the south. In contrast, the combination of high precursor concentrations and favorable meteorological conditions (high temperatures and low humidity) led to an excess of O3 in Episode I. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) model results indicated that increased emissions from combustion and gasoline vehicle exhausts contributed to the elevated concentrations of VOCs in Episode I, and solvent usage may be an important contributor to O3 formation. The results of this study emphasize the importance of strengthening regional joint control of O3 and its precursors with neighboring cities, especially in the south, which is crucial for Jinan to mitigate O3 pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cubature Kalman filter phase unwrapping (CKFPU) is an effective algorithm in unwrapping the interferograms. The local phase slope estimation is a key factor that affects the unwrapped accuracy. However, the estimation accuracy of local phase slop is relatively low in high noisy and dense stripes areas, which usually leads to the unsatisfactory unwrapped results. In order to effectively solve this issue, the rewrapped map of the unwrapped phase (obtained by CKFPU algorithm), which is a filtered interferogram with clearer fringes and more detailed information, is proposed in this paper to improve the phase slope estimation. In order to solve the problem of imprecise error variance for the new phase slope estimation, an adaptive factor is introduced into the CKFPU algorithm to increase the stability and reliability of the phase unwrapping algorithm. The proposed method is compared with the standard CKFPU algorithm using both simulated and real data. The experimental results validate the feasibility and superiority of the proposed method for processing those high noise dense fringe interferograms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) play significant roles in protecting organisms from abiotic stress damage. Here, we report the sequence and characterization of a P450s gene (AccCYP4AV1), isolated from Apis cerana cerana Fabricius. The open reading frame of AccCYP4AV1 is 1506 base pairs long and encodes a predicted protein of 501 amino acids and 57.84 kDa, with an isoelectric point of 8.67. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis indicated that AccCYP4AV1 is more highly expressed in the midgut than in other tissues. In addition, the highest expression occurs in newly emerged adult workers, followed by the first instar of the larval stage. In addition, the expression of the AccCYP4AV1 was upregulated by low temperature (4 °C), ultraviolet radiation, hydrogen peroxide, paraquat, and dichlorvos treatments. In contrast, AccCYP4AV1 transcription was downregulated by other abiotic stress conditions: exposure to increased temperature (44 °C), deltamethrin, cadmium chloride, and mercury (II) chloride. Moreover, when AccCYP4AV1 was knocked-down by RNA interference, the results suggested that multiple antioxidant genes (AccsHSP22.6, AccSOD2, AccTpx1, and AccTpx4) were downregulated and antioxidant genes AccGSTO1 and AccTrx1 were upregulated. The activity levels of peroxidase and catalase were upregulated in the AccCYP4AV1-knocked-down samples, compared with those in the control groups. These findings suggest that the AccCYP4AV1 protein might be involved in the defense against abiotic stress damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Environmental stress can induce oxidative stress in Apis cerana cerana, leading to cellular oxidative damage, reduced vitality, and even death. Currently, owing to an incomplete understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which A. cerana cerana resists oxidative damage, there is no available method to mitigate the risk of this type of damage. Cyclin plays an important role in cell stress resistance. The aim of this study was to explore the in vivo protection of cyclin H against oxidative damage induced by abiotic stress in A. cerana cerana and clarify the mechanism of action. We isolated and identified the AccCyclin H gene in A. cerana cerana and analysed its responses to different exogenous stresses. RESULTS: The results showed that different oxidative stressors can induce or inhibit the expression of AccCyclin H. After RNA‐interference‐mediated AccCyclin H silencing, the activity of antioxidant‐related genes and related enzymes was inhibited, and trehalose metabolism was reduced. AccCyclin H gene silencing reduced A. cerana cerana high‐temperature tolerance. Exogenous trehalose supplementation enhanced the total antioxidant capacity of A. cerana cerana, reduced the accumulation of oxidants, and improved the viability of A. cerana cerana under high‐temperature stress. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that trehalose can alleviate adverse stress and that AccCyclin H may participate in oxidative stress reactions by regulating trehalose metabolism. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]