Search

As the stages of the COVID-19 pandemic evolved, the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia have increasingly manifested among Chinese college students. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between these symptoms through network analysis among Chinese college students during COVID-19. A three-wave cross-sectional survey was conducted at 22 colleges in Guangdong Province, involving 381,152 students during three specific time intervals: T1 (baseline, February 3 to 10, 2020), T2 (19 months after baseline, June 10 to 18, 2021), and T3 (37 months after baseline, March 15 to April 22, 2023). Depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), and insomnia (YSIS) were used separately. We analyzed two key network indices: "Expected influence" and "Bridge expected influence". Network stability was assessed through a case-dropping bootstrap program. The effective sample sizes for the three periods were as follows: T1 - 164,101 (103,645 females, 63.2 %), T2 - 86,767 (52,146 females, 60.1 %), and T3 - 130,284 (76,720 females, 58.9 %). Across these three periods, the key central symptoms were "Fatigue" (PHQ4), "Restlessness" (GAD5), "Uncontrollable worrying" (GAD2), "Worry too much" (GAD3) and "Sleep insufficiency" (YSIS6). Notably, "Fatigue" (PHQ4), "Restlessness" (GAD5) and "Irritability" (GAD6) consistently served as bridge symptoms. In the T1 and T2 period, "Motor" (PHQ8) acted as a bridge symptom but weakened in T3. Throughout the three periods, the mental health issues among Chinese college students displayed characteristics of somatization within the depression-anxiety-insomnia comorbidity network. Over time, anxiety symptoms appeared to become more prominent. Consequently, this study highlights the importance of accurately identifying and promptly intervening in these core symptoms of mental health among college students, as these symptoms may evolve across different stages of a pandemic. • The symptom network of depression, anxiety and insomnia in college students at different epidemic stages was discussed. • Throughout the three periods, the mental health issues among Chinese college students displayed characteristics of somatization within the depression-anxiety-insomnia comorbidity network. • Over time, anxiety symptoms appeared to become more prominent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose Methods Results Conclusion This study aimed to investigate the effect of collateral circulation on the outcomes of thrombectomy versus medical management alone in basilar artery occlusion (BAO) patients with varying stroke severities.Data from the ATTENTION cohort were used to perform a post‐hoc analysis comparing the outcomes of thrombectomy with medical management in BAO patients with varying degrees of collateral circulation and stroke severity. Basilar Artery on Computed Tomography Angiography (BATMAN) scores were used to quantify the collateral circulation, and the effect was estimated through a primary outcome of 90‐day functional independence (modified Rankin Scale score, mRS ≤2). Favorable versus unfavorable BATMAN scores were analyzed as both continuous and categorical variables, and an adjusted multivariate regression model was applied.Among 221 BAO patients, thrombectomy significantly improved functional independence compared to medical management in patients with favorable BATMAN scores (aOR 7.75, 95% CI 2.78–26.1), but not in those with unfavorable BATMAN scores (aOR 1.33, 95% CI 0.28–6.92; pinteraction = 0.028). When treated as a continuous variable, increased BATMAN score was found to be associated with a higher likelihood of functional independence in the thrombectomy group (aOR 1.97, 95% CI 1.44–2.81; pinteraction = 0.053). In severe stroke patients with higher BATMAN scores (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) ≥21), we identified a significant interaction for treatment effect with thrombectomy compared to medical management (pinteraction = 0.042).An increased BATMAN score was significantly associated with a higher probability of functional independence after thrombectomy than after medical management, particularly in patients with severe BAO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of efficient heterogeneous catalysts for upgrading CO2, a greenhouse gas, and glycerol (Gly), an untapped biomass resource, into glycerol carbonate (GC) remains a challenge. Herein, 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0] undec–7–ene (DBU)–based poly (ionic liquid)s (PILs) were constructed for the one–pot synthesis of GC from CO2, Gly, and propylene oxide. Among them, P−DVB−DBUVBI–1 exhibited the best catalytic performance, achieving a GC yield of 90 % under optimal reaction conditions (100 °C, 6 h). The PIL catalyst was easily recovered and reused, as demonstrated by stable activity over five cycles. Density functional theory calculations showed that owing the strong positive charge delocalization ability of DBU onium, DBU–based PILs exhibit high nucleophilicity, which is the key to their efficient catalytic performance in the one–pot reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal nitrides (TMNs) possess remarkable catalytic activity and excellent electrical conductivity, making them appealing candidates for electrocatalytic materials. In this study, we have utilized a lattice reconstruction strategy to synthesize porous single crystal (PSC) Nb4N5 by nitriding single crystal microcubes of NaNbO3, with the goal of achieving superior electrocatalytic performance and stability. The resultant PSC Nb4N5 combines the advantages of single crystals and porous materials with an ordered structure and a significant specific surface area. The synergistic effect of porosity and structural coherence of the porous single crystals produces numerous unsaturated Nb–N coordination sites on the surface, providing abundant active sites for catalyzing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). PSC Nb4N5 exhibits outstanding performance in the HER, with an overpotential of only 71.86 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2, and maintains its activity for 100 hours. The single crystal nature of PSC Nb4N5 substantially enhances the catalytic stability of the electrode due to the super stability of the single crystals. Our findings manifest that active materials with an elaborately devised porous structure can enhance the HER properties dramatically during the electrocatalytic process in terms of both activity and stability, providing a new strategy for improving the electrocatalytic properties of the active electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBivalves are a high-quality source of animal protein for human consumption. In recent years, the demand for bivalve proteins has increased dramatically, leading to a sharp increase in global production of marine bivalves. To date, although the amino acid profiles of many bivalves have been reported, such information has not been well organized. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive scientific review of the protein quality of bivalves, especially commercially important edible bivalves. In this context, this study was conducted to evaluate the protein quality of commercially important edible bivalves. In general, most bivalves are rich in protein (> 50% of their dry weight) and amino acids (> 30 g/100g protein). Although most species of bivalves are rich in essential amino acids (EAA) (up to 50 g/100g protein), some species of edible bivalves have very low levels of EAA (< 5 g/100g protein). Based on the AA score, almost all bivalves have at least two limiting AAs. Most bivalve proteins provides delicious flavors with unami, sweetness and a hint of bitterness. The findings of this study not only serve as a a guide for selecting appropriate bivalves based on consumer preferences for specific AAs or AA scores, but also provide information on potential bivalve species for aquaculture to produce higher protein quality to meet the growing demand for high quality animal protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium looping is one of the effective methods for post‐combustion CO2 capture. A key issue is choosing the appropriate supports to synthesize effective calcium‐based sorbents. In this study, calcium looping sorbents incorporated with MgO, Ca3Al2O6, and MgAl2O4 supports were prepared by wet‐mixing synthesis. Characterizations were made to determine the cyclic CO2 capture capacity, crystalline structure, porosity, and morphological changes of the sorbents over multiple cycles. The results showed that, at the mass ratio of CaO to support oxides of 7:3, the MgAl2O4 mixed support showed better CO2 capture performance than the MgO and Ca3Al2O6 supports. Moreover, the sorbent showed a porous and fluffy microstructure with a high specific surface area, making it a suitable candidate for cyclic CO2 capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major applications (40% in Europe) of plastic is packaging, which is often printed to display required information and to deliver an attractive aesthetic for marketing purposes. However, printing ink can cause contamination in the mechanical recycling process. To mitigate this issue, the use of surfactants in an alkaline washing process, known as de-inking, has been employed to remove printing ink and improve the quality of recyclates. Despite the existence of this technology, there are currently no data linking the de-inking efficiency with typical printing ink compositions. Additionally, it is necessary to investigate the de-inking process under the process parameters of existing recycling plants, including temperature, NaOH concentration, and retention time. This study aims to evaluate the performance of commonly used printing inks with different compositions under various washing scenarios for plastic recycling in conjunction with different de-inking detergents containing surfactants or mixtures of surfactants. The results indicate that the pigments applied to the ink have no significant effect on the de-inking process, except for carbon black (PBk 7). Nitrocellulose (NC) binder systems exhibit high de-inkability (over 95%) under the condition of 55 °C and 1 wt.% NaOH. However, crosslinked binder systems can impede the de-inking effect, whether used as a binder system or as an overprint varnish (OPV). The de-inking process requires heating to 55 °C with 1 wt.% NaOH to achieve a substantial effect. Based on the findings in this work, breaking the Van der Waals forces, hydrogen bonds, and covalent bonds between the printing ink and plastic film is an essential step to achieve the de-inking effect. Further research is needed to understand the interaction between surfactants and printing inks, enabling the development of de-inkable printing inks and high-performance surfactants that allow for de-inking with less energy consumption. The surfactant and NaOH have a synergistic effect in cleaning the printing ink. NaOH provides a negative surface charge for the adsorption of the cationic head of the surfactant and can hydrolyze the covalent bonds at higher concentrations (>2 wt.%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important geophysical data processing technique, seismic inversion estimates subsurface rock properties with seismic observations. However, anisotropic inversion, intended for a vertical transverse isotropy (VTI) media that primarily describes shale gas/oil resources, suffers from high nonlinearity. Simulated annealing is a widely used global optimization algorithm for solving nonlinear seismic inverse problems, but it involves multiple optimization parameters (e.g., initial temperature, search limit, and perturbation range). The importance of such parameters has been proven whilst the relevant analysis is limited in seismic inversion studies. This work hereby proposes a sequential anisotropic inversion method for VTI media, wherein we combine Bayesian linear and simulated annealing nonlinear inversion schemes. The simulated annealing is featured by adaptive optimization parameters aided by the linear result. Rather than the conventional method, the adaptive setting can be implemented trace by trace for complex reservoirs, which endows the method with enhanced stability and extended applicability. Synthetic tests and practical application demonstrate the validity of the method, wherein the obtained stiffness parameters facilitate the characterization of potential shale reservoirs with an improved accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of ultra-low emission (ULE) limits (SO 2 : 35 mg/m3, NO x : 50 mg/m3, PM: 10 mg/m3) promoted the development of flue gas treatment technologies in China. Pollutant control technology development for Chinese coal-fired power plants was summarized and an analysis of the applicability and cost of pollutant control technologies was conducted. Detailed data were collected from 30 ultra-low emission coal-fired units across China. Based on a cost analysis model, the average unit power generation incremental costs were 0.0144 and 0.0095 CNY/(kW·hr) for SO 2 and NO x control technologies, respectively. The unit power generation incremental cost of twin spray tower technology was 7.2% higher than that of dual-loop spray tower technology. The effect of key parameters on operating cost was analyzed. The unit power generation incremental cost increased because of increments in the electricity price for SO 2 control technology and the price of the reductant in NO x control technology. With high sulfur content or NO x concentration, the unit power generation incremental cost caused by pollutant control increased, whereas the unit pollutant abatement cost decreased. However, the annual operating hours or load increased, thereby leading to a decline in unit power generation incremental cost and unit pollutant abatement cost. Unit power generation incremental cost of SO 2 and NO x control technologies for different coal-fired units. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ideal strategy for the management of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) and surplus industrial product-glycerol (Gly) is to convert them into the valuable glycerol carbonate (GC). However, conventional conversion processes rely on high CO2 pressure and reaction temperature. In this work, a series of easily prepared protic ionic liquids (ILs) were studied for the one-pot synthesis of GC using CO2, Gly, and styrene oxide (SO). A 94% yield of GC was obtained with the catalysis of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-enenium iodide (HDBUI) under atmospheric pressure at 45 °C. Experimental results and density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the high catalytic activity of HDBUI is attributed to the strong nucleophilicity and substrate activation afforded by the synergistic effect of the protic HDBU+ cation and I− anion. In addition, high GC yields were also obtained when simulated flue gas and crude Gly were used as substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Residents play a pivotal role in medical students' clinical education. From a feedback lens, the near‐peer relationship between student and resident holds the potential to foster an educational alliance that could influence learning. We undertook the current qualitative study to explore medical students' perceptions of feedback experiences with residents, addressing when, how and why (and conversely when not and why not) resident feedback plays a role in their clinical education. Methods: Our methodology was qualitative interpretive description, informed by phenomenology. We conducted 24 semi‐structured interviews with third and fourth year medical students at one institution. The interviews aimed to foster rich discussion about students' feedback experiences with residents during clinical rotations. Data collection and analysis proceeded iteratively. Initial interviews were independently open‐coded by three investigators and then collaboratively refined. Codes were applied to subsequent interviews, and new codes were developed. During the final stages of analysis, we organised our themes by drawing on a sociocultural perspective to examine students' perceptions of relationship‐building with residents and when and how this influenced feedback and learning. Results: From the students' perspectives, when residents contributed to building interpersonal relationships with students, this in turn influenced students' receptivity to both encouraging and constructive feedback conversations. In the context of resident–student relationships that were perceived as supportive, resident feedback influenced how students approached learning and working in the clinical environment, as well as students' visions of their future selves. In unsupportive relationships, students were less inclined to engage in feedback with residents and students noted resident behaviours that they wanted to avoid in themselves. Conclusion: Residents are uniquely positioned to create a strong educational alliance with students in which feedback conversations can flourish. Focusing educational efforts on resident feedback conversations has the potential to significantly impact the feedback culture of our clinical environments. Wong et al. demonstrate that residents are uniquely positioned to create a strong educational alliance with students in which feedback conversations can flourish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acid-resistant nanofiltration (NF) membranes offer robustness in efficiently separating valuable resource and recycling waste acid in harsh acidic conditions. Yet, the existing ambiguity in understanding the structure-performance relationship of commercially available acid-resistant membranes leads to an unclear direction for designing innovative acid-resistant membranes and poses challenges in selecting suitable membranes for engineering applications. This work thoroughly examined the structural characteristics of commercially available membranes, assessed their effectiveness in removing heavy metals, and established a clear structure-performance relationship. Key findings include that superior permeability is attributed to the thinnest selective layer, higher separation precision is attributed to small pore size and narrow pore size distribution, exceptional acid stability should be owing to the sulfonamide structure, and medium-strength acid resistance of membranes is due to mixed sulfonamide-amide structures or extended carbon chain structures. Additionally, the work highlighted the contribution of dense and thick selective layers to membrane stability and the influence of surface characteristics on fouling removal. These insights provide valuable guidance for the structural design and selection of acid-resistant membranes in engineering applications, enhancing their effectiveness in diverse acidic environments. [Display omitted] • This work established the structure-performance relationship of three membranes. • Sulfonamide structure should be a direction for designing acid-resistant membrane. • Provided reference for selecting membranes in different acidic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The homogeneous catalytic system composed of sulfate ionic liquid and FeCl 3 was cheap, low-corrosive and easily available. • [EMIm][EtSO 4 ] and FeCl 3 could synergistically catalyze the dehydration of 1,4-butanediol to tetrahydrofuran with a high yield of 89.2%. • [EMIm][EtSO 4 ] and FeCl 3 had good long-term stability and continuous operation capability in the dehydration of 1,4-butanediol to tetrahydrofuran for 54 h without any loss in activity with TON of 182. Tetrahydrofuran is a widely used bulk chemical in both laboratory and industry. In this study, a homogeneous catalytic system composed of sulfate ionic liquids and FeCl 3 was applied for the synthesis of tetrahydrofuran by the dehydration of 1,4-butanediol with a high yield of 89.2%. Kinetic studies showed that the reaction rate constant (k) of the dehydration of 1,4-butanediol catalyzed by the combination of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl sulfate ionic liquid ([EMIm][EtSO 4 ]) and FeCl 3 was significantly higher than that of [EMIm][EtSO 4 ] or FeCl 3 as catalyst alone. Besides, the activation energy (E a) of this reaction over [EMIm][EtSO 4 ] and FeCl 3 was lower than either of them as catalyst. Higher reaction rate constant and lower E a indicated that [EMIm][EtSO 4 ] and FeCl 3 had a synergistic catalytic effect. Mechanism studies showed that 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium hydroxybutyl sulfate ionic liquid [EMIm][HO-BuSO 4 ], generated by the transesterification of [EMIm][EtSO 4 ] with 1,4-butanediol over FeCl 3 , acted as an active species to synergistically catalyze the dehydration reaction of 1,4-butanediol with FeCl 3. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrated the synergistic catalytic mechanism of [EMIm][HO-BuSO 4 ] and FeCl 3 , and revealed that the intramolecular nucleophilic attack was the rate-determining step of the dehydration reaction. Continuous reactive distillation of 1,4-butanediol showed [EMIm][EtSO 4 ] and FeCl 3 could be used continuously for 54 h with the TON of 182 without any loss in activity. The catalysts also exhibited good substrate generality in the dehydration of various diols to cyclic ethers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the relationship between the genotype and renal phenotype in a Chinese cohort and guide clinical decision-making for treating tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).Materials and Methods: We reviewed 173 patients with definite TSC at three centers in China from September 2014 to September 2020. All the patients underwent TSC1 and TSC2 genetic testing as well as renal phenotypic evaluation. All analyses were performed using the SPSS software, version 19.0, with a cut-off P value of 0.05 considered statistically significant.Results: We identified variants in 93% (161/173) cases, including 16% TSC1 and 77% TSC2 variants. Analysis of the relationship between the genotype and renal phenotype, revealed that those with TSC2 variants were more likely to develop severe renal AML (> 4) (P = 0.044). In terms of treatment, TSC2 variants were more likely to undergo nephrectomy/partial nephrectomy (P = 0.036) and receive mTOR medication such as everolimus (P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of their response to the everolimus treatment.Conclusion: Patients with TSC2 variants exhibit more severe renal phenotypes, especially those associated with renal angiomyolipomas (AML), and they often require nephrectomy/partial nephrectomy or mTOR medication. Detection of the genotype is helpful in TSC management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) is closely associated with patient prognosis and treatment options in prostate cancer (PCa). However, there is a lack of quantitative indicators related to HRD to predict the prognosis of PCa accurately.Methods: We screened HRD-related genes based on the HRD scores and constructed an HRD cluster system to explore different clinicopathological, genomic, and immunogenomic patterns among the clusters. A risk signature, HRDscore, was established and evaluated by multivariate Cox regression analysis. We noticed that SLC26A4, a model gene, demonstrated unique potential to predict prognosis and HRD in PCa. Multi-omics analysis was conducted to explore its role in PCa, and the results were validated by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.Results: Three HRD clusters were identified with significant differences in patient prognosis, clinicopathological characteristics, biological pathways, immune infiltration characteristics, and regulation of immunomodulators. Further analyses revealed that the constructed HRDscore system was an independent prognostic factor of PCa patients with good stability. Finally, we identified a single gene, SLC26A4, which significantly correlated with prognosis in three independent cohorts. Importantly, SLC26A4 was confirmed to distinguish PCa (AUC for mRNA 0.845; AUC for immunohistochemistry score 0.769) and HRD (AUC for mRNA 0.911; AUC for immunohistochemistry score 0.689) at both RNA and protein levels in our cohort.Conclusion: This study introduces HRDscore to quantify the HRD pattern of individual PCa patients. Meanwhile, SLC26A4 is a novel biomarker and can reasonably predict the prognosis and HRD in PCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a worldwide cancer with rising annual incidence. New medications for patients with CRC are still needed. Recently, fluorescent chemical probes have been developed for cancer imaging and therapy. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) has complex functions in tumorigenesis and its role in CRC still needs further investigation. Methods: RNA sequencing datasets in the NCBI GEO repository were analyzed to investigate the expression of STAT1 in patients with CRC. Xenograft mouse models, tail vein injection mouse models, and azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS) mouse models were generated to study the roles of STAT1 in CRC. A ligand-based high-throughput virtual screening approach combined with SWEETLEAD chemical database analysis was used to discover new STAT1 inhibitors. A newly designed and synthesized fluorescently labeled 4',5,7-trihydroxyisoflavone (THIF) probe (BODIPY-THIF) elucidated the mechanistic actions of STAT1 and THIF in vitro and in vivo. Colonosphere formation assay and chick chorioallantoic membrane assay were used to evaluate stemness and angiogenesis, respectively. Results: Upregulation of STAT1 was observed in patients with CRC and in mouse models of AOM/DSS-induced CRC and metastatic CRC. Knockout of STAT1 in CRC cells reduced tumor growth in vivo. We then combined a high-throughput virtual screening approach and analysis of the SWEETLEAD chemical database and found that THIF, a flavonoid abundant in soybeans, was a novel STAT1 inhibitor. THIF inhibited STAT1 phosphorylation and might bind to the STAT1 SH2 domain, leading to blockade of STAT1-STAT1 dimerization. The results of in vitro and in vivo binding studies of THIF and STAT1 were validated. The pharmacological treatment with BODIPY-THIF or ablation of STAT1 via a CRISPR/Cas9-based strategy abolished stemness and angiogenesis in CRC. Oral administration of BODIPY-THIF attenuated colitis symptoms and tumor growth in the mouse model of AOM/DSS-induced CRC. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that STAT1 plays an oncogenic role in CRC. BODIPY-THIF is a new chemical probe inhibitor of STAT1 that reduces stemness and angiogenesis in CRC. BODIPY-THIF can be a potential tool for CRC therapy as well as cancer cell imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CONSTANS (CO) is an important regulator of photoperiodic flowering and functions at a key position in the flowering regulatory network. Here, two CO homologs, MiCOL16A and MiCOL16B, were isolated from "SiJiMi" mango to elucidate the mechanisms controlling mango flowering. The MiCOL16A and MiCOL16B genes were highly expressed in the leaves and expressed at low levels in the buds and flowers. The expression levels of MiCOL16A and MiCOL16B increased during the flowering induction period but decreased during the flower organ development and flowering periods. The MiCOL16A gene was expressed in accordance with the circadian rhythm, and MiCOL16B expression was affected by diurnal variation, albeit not regularly. Both the MiCOL16A and MiCOL16B proteins were localized in the nucleus of cells and exerted transcriptional activity through their MR domains in yeast. Overexpression of both the MiCOL16A and MiCOL16B genes significantly repressed flowering in Arabidopsis under short-day (SD) and long-day (LD) conditions because they repressed the expression of AtFT and AtSOC1. This research also revealed that overexpression of MiCOL16A and MiCOL16B improved the salt and drought tolerance of Arabidopsis, conferring longer roots and higher survival rates to overexpression lines under drought and salt stress. Together, our results demonstrated that MiCOL16A and MiCOL16B not only regulate flowering but also play a role in the abiotic stress response in mango. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant syndrome that presents with diverse and complex clinical features and involves multiple human systems. TSC-related neurological abnormalities and organ dysfunction greatly affect the quality of life and can even result in death in patients with TSC. It is widely accepted that most TSC-related clinical manifestations are associated with hyperactivation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway caused by loss‑of‑function mutations in TSC1 or TSC2. Remarkable progress in basic and translational research has led to encouraging clinical advances. Although mTOR inhibitors (rapamycin/everolimus) demonstrate great potential in TSC management, two major concerns hamper their generalized application. One is the frequent manifestation of adverse events, such as stomatitis, infections, and menstrual disorders; and the other is the poor response in certain patients. Thus, indicators are required to effectively predict the efficacy of mTOR inhibitors. Herein, we have summarized the current utilization of mTOR inhibitors in the treatment of TSC and focused on their efficacy and safety, in an attempt to provide a reference to guide the treatment of TSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic exploration of unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs (e.g., shale rocks) must take into account the transverse isotropy with a vertical axis of symmetry (VTI) characteristics. Prestack inversion for VTI media is more complex than the isotropic case, since the forward engine is highly nonlinear and more unknowns (five instead of three) are involved, which aggravate the ill-posedness of the inverse problem. Here, we propose a hierarchical inversion scheme to improve the estimation of the five parameters, where the exact reflection coefficient is used as forward engine (instead of the commonly-used approximations which lack accuracy). To handle the highly nonlinear inverse problem, we perform the prestack anisotropic inversion in two steps, namely, a preliminary linear result is used to reduce the search window and to formulate the constrain term and initial models of the subsequent nonlinear step. Specifically, for a reasonable preliminary estimation, we introduce a data-driven model building algorithm to provide reliable initial models, and employ the limited-memory Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno combined with the momentum technique (LBFGS-MT) optimization to increase the convergence speed. We derive the Fréchet derivatives of the exact forward operator with respect to the parameters, i.e., the key factors of the linear part. Besides, we introduce a hybrid global optimization, the particle swarm optimization aided by very fast simulated annealing (PSO-VFSA) to enhance the accuracy and computational efficiency of the nonlinear stage. Synthetic tests demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed scheme. The field application shows that the method is capable to obtain reliable elastic information of shale reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CONSTANS-LIKE1 (COL1) gene plays an important role in the regulation of photoperiodic flowering in plants. In this study, two COL1 homolog genes, MiCOL1A and MiCOL1B, were isolated from mango (Mangifera indica L.). The open reading frames of MiCOL1A and MiCOL1B are 852 and 822 bp in length and encode 284 and 274 amino acids, respectively. The MiCOL1A and MiCOL1B proteins contain only one CCT domain and belong to the CO/COL group IV protein family. MiCOL1A and MiCOL1B were expressed both in vegetative and reproductive organs but with expression level differences. MiCOL1A was highly expressed in juvenile and adult leaves, but MiCOL1B was highly expressed in flowers. Seasonal expression analysis showed that MiCOL1A and MiCOL1B have similar expression patterns and higher expression levels during flower induction and flower organ differentiation periods. However, MiCOL1A and MiCOL1B exhibited unstable patterns in circadian expression analysis. MiCOL1A and MiCOL1B were localized in the nucleus and had transcriptional activation activity in yeast. Overexpression of MiCOL1A and MiCOL1B resulted in significantly delayed flowering time in Arabidopsis. Furthermore, we also found that overexpression of MiCOL1A and MiCOL1B enhanced drought tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis. The results demonstrated that MiCOL1A and MiCOL1B are not only involved in flowering regulation but also play a role in the stress response of plants. • Two MiCOL1 genes MiCOL1A and MiCOL1B were isolated from mango. • MiCOL1A was mainly expressed in juvenile and adult leaves, MiCOL1B in flowers. • MiCOL1 proteins are localized in the nucleus and have transcriptional activity. • Overexpression of MiCOL1 in Arabidopsis led to delayed flowering. • Overexpression of MiCOL1 in Arabidopsis led to stronger tolerance to drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas is renowned for its high zinc content, but the significant variation among individuals diminishes its value as a reliable source of zinc supplementation. The Zrt/Irt-like protein 1 (ZIP1), a pivotal zinc transporter that facilitates zinc uptake in various organisms, plays crucial roles in regulating zinc content. In the present study, polymorphisms of a ZIP1 gene in C. gigas (Cg ZIP1-II) were investigated, and their association with zinc content was evaluated through preliminary association analysis in 41 oysters and verification analysis in another 200 oysters. A total of 17 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in the exonic region of Cg ZIP1-II gene, with c.503A>G significantly associated with zinc content. Protein sequence and structure prediction showed that c.503A>G caused a p.Met110Val nonsynonymous mutation located in the metal-binding region of Cg ZIP1-II, which could influence its affinity for zinc ions, thereby modulating its zinc transport functionality. These results indicate the potential influence of Cg ZIP1-II polymorphisms on zinc content and provide candidate markers for selecting C. gigas with high zinc content. [Display omitted] • A total of 17 SNPs were identified in the exonic region of Cg ZIP1-II. • The SNP c.503A>G was found to be associated with zinc content in oysters. • c.503A>G may have impacts on the affinity of Cg ZIP1-II for zinc ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of highly active and stable catalyst materials is the focus of dry reforming of methane (DRM) technology. The effect of substituting transition metals (Mn, Fe, Co, and Cu) on the B-site of La 2 NiO 4 perovskite on the DRM catalytic performance was investigated. Compared to the unsubstituted sample, the Co-substituted sample exhibited reduced reactivity but increased carbon deposition; the Mn-substituted and Fe-substituted samples demonstrated decreased reactivity and carbon deposition; the Cu-substituted sample displayed a slight decrease in CH 4 conversion but a substantial increase in carbon resistance. The effect of the substitution ratios of Cu elements was further investigated. The results showed that Cu substitution could maintain the perovskite phase in the samples. In the 5-h DRM reaction, the reactivity of the samples exhibited a decreasing trend as Cu substitution ratios increased. All Cu-containing samples displayed carbon deposition rates lower than 0.4 mg/(g*h), resulting in an over 90-fold improvement in carbon resistance compared to the La 2 NiO 4 sample. Further investigations revealed that the La 2 Ni 0.6 Cu 0.4 O 4 sample exhibited stable activity during the 50-h DRM reaction with only a small amount of amorphous carbon in the reacted sample (no obvious carbon nanotubes were observed). Characterization results indicated that the enhanced carbon resistance in Cu-substituted samples was attributed to the Ni-Cu alloy formation, which inhibited CH 4 decomposition reactions and reduced solid carbon generation rates. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations showed that the partial substitution of Cu could increase the energy barrier of the CH* dehydrogenation step, which in turn reduced the rate of solid carbon generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monocyte aberrations have been increasingly recognized as contributors to renal damage in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), however, recognition of the underlying mechanisms and modulating strategies is at an early stage. Our studies have demonstrated that brain-derived neurotrophic factor precursor (proBDNF) drives the progress of SLE by perturbing antibody-secreting B cells, and proBDNF facilitates pro-inflammatory responses in monocytes. By utilizing peripheral blood from patients with SLE, GEO database and spontaneous MRL/lpr lupus mice, we demonstrated in the present study that CX3CR1+ patrolling monocytes (PMo) numbers were decreased in SLE. ProBDNF was specifically expressed in CX3CR1+ PMo and was closely correlated with disease activity and the degree of renal injury in SLE patients. In MRL/lpr mice, elevated proBDNF was found in circulating PMo and the kidney, and blockade of proBDNF restored the balance of circulating and kidney-infiltrating PMo. This blockade also led to the reversal of pro-inflammatory responses in monocytes and a noticeable improvement in renal damage in lupus mice. Overall, the results indicate that the upregulation of proBDNF in PMo plays a crucial role in their infiltration into the kidney, thereby contributing to nephritis in SLE. Targeting of proBDNF offers a potential therapeutic role in modulating monocyte-driven renal damage in SLE. [Display omitted] • Peripheral CX3CR1+ patrolling monocytes (PMo) are reduced in SLE. • The infiltration of PMo into the kidneys is increased in SLE. • proBDNF is specifically elevated in CX3CR1+ patrolling monocytes in SLE. • Blocking proBDNF restores the balance of PMo in the blood and kidneys in SLE. • Inhibiting the function of proBDNF alleviates renal inflammation and damage in SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A simple sodium citrate catalyst was used for the glycerol carbonate production. • Sodium citrate showed a high turnover frequency of 16,925 g GC ⋅g−1 Cat ⋅h−1. • Sodium citrate could activate glycerol via strong hydrogen bond interaction. As a by-product in the biodiesel industry, surplus glycerol (Gly) has attracted considerable concern. The transesterification of Gly is one of the most promising reaction pathways to convert Gly to a value-added chemical such as glycerol carbonate (GC). Currently, development of catalysts for the transesterification with high activity is underway. Herein, a readily available biocompatible sodium citrate (Na 3 -citrate) catalyst was applied for efficient production of GC through transesterification of Gly and ethylene carbonate (EC). The effects of reaction parameters such as reaction time, EC to Gly molar ratio, reaction temperature, and catalyst loading on the reaction were investigated. Under optimal conditions, 0.01 wt% of Na 3 -citrate showed high catalytic activities with a Gly conversion of > 99 %, a GC yield of > 99 %, and a high turnover frequency of 16,925 g GC ⋅g−1 Cat ⋅h−1. Furthermore, the reaction kinetic model for transesterification was established, and the activation energy of the Na 3 -citrate catalyzed transesterification was calculated as 51.3 kJ·mol−1. In addition, density functional theory calculations were used to unveil mechanism of the Na 3 -citrate catalyzed transesterification. It revealed that citrate anion of Na 3 -citrate could activate hydroxy of Gly via strong hydrogen bond interaction, thereby efficiently promoting transesterification by reducing energy barrier of rate-determining step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relaxor-based ferroelectric PZN-PT crystals are well known with excellent piezoelectric properties. However, the inhomogeneity has been usually observed in this system, which are closely related to its complicated domain structures and phase transitions. In this work, 0.91PZN-0.09PT crystals have been grown by the flux-Bridgman method. The evolution of the domain structures of (001) oriented wafers have been studied with the in situ observation using high-temperature polarized light microscopy. Both reversible and irreversible domains have been observed during the heating and cooling cycles between 25 and 250 °C. Especially, the unique irreversible domain evolutions are observed in the region which contains remaining monoclinic phase after the thermal cycles. The results indicate that the irreversible domains in PZN-PT crystal are possibly correlated to the remaining monoclinic phase which is frozen to room temperature during the thermal cycles. It may provide deeper insight into the intriguing mechanism of phase transition and domain evolutions for relaxor ferroelectrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of everolimus and sirolimus in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex-associated angiomyolipomas (TSC-AML).Materials and Methods: We performed a multi-institutional retrospective study of TSC-AML patients treated with oral everolimus 10 mg or sirolimus 2 mg per day for at least 3 months. Angiomyolipoma volume was estimated using orthogonal measurements by MRI or CT. Adverse events (AEs) were assessed according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. All analyses were performed using SPSS 19.0 software.Results: Response rates were high in both groups. With the prolonged medication durations, the therapeutic efficacy of both agents became more significant. The TSC-AML volume reduction after 6 and 12 months was more pronounced in patients with everolimus than those with sirolimus. More than half of the patients treated with everolimus had ≥ 50% reduction, and approximately 80% of them had ≥ 30% reduction, which was higher than that in patients treated with sirolimus. Regarding safety, there was no significant difference in the incidence of AEs between the two groups.Conclusions: Both everolimus and sirolimus are excellent therapeutic options for TSC-AML. However, everolimus has a better therapeutic efficacy than sirolimus, particularly in reducing TSC-AML volume. Everolimus is therefore recommended as the first choice of therapy for TSC-AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the multi-objective energy-efficient flexible job shop scheduling problem with machine breakdowns. To mitigate the impact of machine breakdowns, a rescheduling strategy is implemented in the scheduling process. In addition to sequencing the operations, the current problem is to determine the appropriate allocation of the machine and the proper speed of the machine to minimize both makespan and total energy consumption simultaneously. A mixed integer linear programming model is established to describe the considered problem. With the aim of effectively solving this problem, a knowledge-driven two-stage memetic algorithm (KTMA) is proposed. In the first stage, a hybrid initialization strategy that combines three problem-specific heuristics is applied to generate a high-quality initial population. Then, a knowledge-driven variable neighborhood search approach is designed for quickly converging and fully exploiting the solution space of the KTMA. In the second stage, two energy-saving strategies are designed to further reduce the total energy consumption. Extensive experiments carried out to compare the KTMA with some well-known algorithms confirm that the proposed KTMA can efficiently solve this problem. • A two-stage evolution framework is proposed for EMBFJSP. • A rescheduling strategy is applied for machine breakdowns. • The population is initialized by three problem-specific heuristics. • Four knowledge-driven variable neighborhood search operators are proposed. • Two types of energy-saving strategies are designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ten MiPR1 genes were first identified in mango. • MiPR1 family genes had different expression patterns under salt, drought stress and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. • Overexpression of MiPR1A in Arabidopsis improved plant resistance to salt stress and drought stress. • Overexpression of MiPR1A in Arabidopsis improved plant resistance to Colletotrichum gloeosporioides stress. Pathogen-related protein 1 (PR1) is an essential component of plant defense mechanisms against a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses. However, knowledge of PR1 in mango (Mangifera indica L), one of the most important horticultural crops, is limited. In the present study, a total of 10 PR1 family members were first discovered by bioinformatics analysis of the mango genome. Chromosomal mapping revealed that the MiPR1 genes were unevenly distributed on the five chromosomes of mango. The conserved domain and genetic structure analysis showed that all ten MiPR1 genes have a conserved CAP domain and intron-free. Cis element analysis indicated that several stress response elements were found in these promoters. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that the MiPR1 genes have differences in expression patterns among the organs and under low temperature, polyethylene glycol (PEG), sodium chloride (NaCl) and anthracnose treatments. Furthermore, MiPR1A was selected for further functional analysis. Overexpression of MiPR1A increased salt and drought tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis , superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and proline content were significantly upregulated and malondialdehyde (MDA) content was significantly downregulated in transgenic Arabidopsis compared with control lines. In addition, MiPR1A enhanced resistance to Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Taken together, these findings provide insight into the potential functional roles of the MiPR1A gene in biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in mango. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-stack seismic inversion of the P- and S-wave velocities and bulk density is important in seismic exploration for evaluating lithological units and fluid properties. Generally, this inversion is based on ray-tracing modeling, which introduces errors and requires substantial pre-processing for stratified models due to its oversimplified single-interface assumption. To overcome those problems, we propose a pre-stack inversion method, using wave-equation-based modeling as a forward engine. Most wave-equation-based pre-stack inversions are based on the reflectivity method and adopt nonlinear optimization algorithms, although accurate, but computationally expensive. Hence, we use a fast propagator matrix (PM) method valid for layered media. To improve the stability and accuracy, the PP data inversion is extended to joint PP and PS PM-based inversion (JPMI). A linear inversion scheme is adopted to reduce the computational cost, and the Fréchet derivatives are computed accordingly. Moreover, to obtain an optimal model solution, the L-BFGS (Limited-memory Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno) optimization algorithm and L-curve criterion, an adaptive regularization parameter acquisition method, are implemented. A posterior probability analysis shows that the method has a higher parameter sensitivity than the joint exact Zoeppritz-based inversion and gives better estimations than the single-data inversion. We discuss the effects of dataset weight, internal multi-reflections, time window setting, noise level and initial model by using model tests. Synthetic and real-data examples demonstrate that the algorithm is better than the single PP inversion in terms of stability and accuracy, especially for S-wave velocity and density estimations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-lauroyl-L-Valine sodium (NLLVS) was synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, 1H-NMR spectrometry. Surface and interface tension were measured by wilhelmy plate and spinning drop method. The effects of surfactant concentration, salt, polymer and mixed surfactant on interfacial tension were studied in detail. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) was 6 × 10−3 mol/L and cmcoil was 8 × 10−3 mol/L. The equilibrium interfacial tension (IFTequ) first decreased and then increased with NLLVS increasing. Mixed salts were less effective at reducing interfacial tension than NaCl and CaCl2, while the higher concentration of NaCl was needed to obtain the same IFT as added CaCl2 and NaCl/CaCl2. The lowest IFTequ obtained at the NaCl concentration of 10% when the ratio of NLLVS and Alkyl polyoxypropylene polyoxyethylene ether sulfate (P12) was 2:8. Polyacrylamide was disadvantage to reduce IFT, while polyacrylamide was arranged more tightly by NLLVS. Morphology of HPAM with different concentrations of NLLVS (a) 0 mol/L (b) 10−4 mol/L (c) 10−3 mol/L (d) 10−2 mol/L (e) 10−1 mol/L [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Despite the early diagnosis and treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), some older children still need open reduction. It is usually difficult to get a satisfactory reduction particularly in patients with acetabular defect. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the shortterm outcomes of acetabulum reaming and sartorius muscle pedicle iliac bone grafting in the treatment of older children with DDH and acetabular defect. Methods The records of 15 patients with DDH (mean age 113.9 months (sd 29); 17 hips) who were treated with the reported technique between February 2015 and January 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients acquired regular clinical and radiographic follow-ups, and alterations in the acetabular index, centre-edge angle and acetabular head index were measured. Joint function and radiographic results were evaluated with McKay and Severin modified criteria, respectively. Results A total of 15 patients were followed up for mean 32.4 months (sd 6.9). The percentages of excellent and good conditions were 94.1% (16/17) according to the Severin modified criteria and 88.2% (15/17) according to the McKay modified criteria. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head and redislocation only occurred in one hip. No cases of ankylosis or bone graft absorption occurred during the follow-up. Conclusion Reaming the acetabulum and sartorius muscle pedicle iliac bone grafting for repairing the acetabular defect can recover the arcuate structure by increasing the volume of the acetabulum, which is beneficial for achieving a concentric reduction. The short-term outcome was satisfactory, while the long-term results need to be further observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) increases the mortality of septic patients, but its mechanism remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the roles of T lymphocytes, proBDNF, and their interaction in the pathogenesis of SAE.Methods: Fear conditioning tests were conducted for cognitive assessment in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5 mg kg-1)-induced septic mice. Meninges and peripheral blood were harvested for flow cytometry or qPCR. FTY720 and monoclonal anti-proBDNF antibody (McAb-proB) were used to investigate the effect of lymphocyte depletion and blocking proBDNF on the impaired cognitive functions in the septic mice.Results: In the septic mice, cognitive function was impaired, the percentage of CD4+ T cells were decreased in the meninges (P = 0.0021) and circulation (P = 0.0222), and pro-inflammatory cytokines were upregulated, but the anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-4 (P < 0.0001) and IL-13 (P = 0.0350) were downregulated in the meninges. Lymphocyte depletion by intragastrically treated FTY720 (1 mg kg-1) for 1 week ameliorated LPS-induced learning deficit. In addition, proBDNF was increased in the meningeal (P = 0.0042) and peripheral (P = 0.0090) CD4+ T cells. Intraperitoneal injection of McAb-proB (100 μg) before LPS treatment significantly alleviated cognitive dysfunction, inhibited the downregulation of meningeal (P = 0.0264) and peripheral (P = 0.0080) CD4+ T cells, and normalized the gene expression of cytokines in the meninges. However, intra-cerebroventricular McAb-proB injection (1 μg) did not have such effect. Finally, exogenous proBDNF downregulated the percentage of CD4+ T cells in cultured splenocytes from septic mice (P = 0.0021).Conclusion: Upregulated proBDNF in immune system promoted the pathogenesis of SAE through downregulating the circulating CD4+ T cells, limiting its infiltration into the meninges and perturbing the meningeal pro-/anti-inflammatory homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional organoid culture systems show great promise as innovative physiological and pathophysiological models. Their applications in immunological research have been widely explored. For instance, immune organoids allow functional studies of immune system-related conditions, in a context that closely mimics the in vivo microenvironment, enabling an in-depth understanding of the immune tissue structures and functions. The newly developed coculture organoid and the air-liquid interface (ALI) systems also provided new insights for studying epithelia-immune cell interactions based on their endogenous distribution. Additionally, organoids have enabled the innovation of immunological disease models and exploration of the link between immunity and cancer, showing potential for personalized immunotherapy. This review is an overview of recent advances in the application of organoids in immunological research. Furthermore, the potential improvements for further utilization of organoids in personalized immunotherapy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor precursor (proBDNF) has been reported to strengthen the dysfunction of monocytes/macrophages in animal studies. However, it is still unknown the roles of proBDNF in the dysfunction of monocytes in the inflammatory diseases in humans. In the present study, we showed that proBDNF and pan neurotrophic receptor p75 were significantly upregulated in monocytes from healthy donors (HD) after lipopolysaccharide treatment. Exogenous proBDNF treatment upregulated CD40 and proinflammatory cytokines expression in monocytes including interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α. In Stanford type‐A acute aortic dissection (AAD) patients, proBDNF was upregulated in CD14+CD163+CX3CR1+ M2‐ but not CD14+CD68+CCR2+M1‐like monocytes. In addition, sera from AAD patients activated gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines in cultured PBMCs from HD, which was attenuated by proBDNF monoclonal antibody (Ab‐proB) treatment. These findings suggested that upregulation of proBDNF in M2‐like monocytes may contribute to the proinflammatory response in the AAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

. • The Sr-doping Ba 1-x Sr x CoO 3-δ /CeO 2 achieved higher productions of syngas and hydrogen comparing with BaCoO 3-δ /CeO 2. • The synergistic effect of A-site element (Ba/Sr) and CeO 2 increased reaction capacity of Ba 1-x Sr x CoO 3-δ /CeO 2. • The slightly sintering of Ba 1-x Sr x CoO 3-δ perovskite could enhance the oxygen mobility in Ba 1-x Sr x CoO 3-δ /CeO 2. Perovskite-type oxides could be applied for chemical looping steam methane reforming (CL-SMR) with a high selectivity in reacting with methane, but the reaction capacity is relative low. The supports with a high oxygen capacity could enhance the relative low reaction capacity of perovskite and improve the reaction selectivity. In this study, CeO 2 -supported Ba 1-x Sr x CoO 3-δ perovskite with different A-site doping ratios (x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9) were synthesized by sol-gel method, and the reactivity and cyclic performance of Ba 1-x Sr x CoO 3-δ /CeO 2 were analyzed. The Sr-doping Ba 1-x Sr x CoO 3-δ /CeO 2 oxygen carrier had a higher gas production than non-doping BaCoO 3-δ /CeO 2 , and the Ba 0.3 Sr 0.7 CoO 3-δ /CeO 2 showed the highest gas productions among the six samples. Sr-doping in A-site of perovskite increased the amounts of syngas and hydrogen, H 2 /CO ratio of syngas production was closed to the ideal value. XRD, XPS and FESEM were employed to investigate the physical and chemical properties of Ba 1-x Sr x CoO 3-δ /CeO 2. The XRD results suggested that a part of CeO 2 reacted with A-site elements of perovskite and converted to BaCeO 3 and SrCeO 3. Ce ion reversibly shuttle between CeO 2 and ACeO 3 (A = Ba, Sr) depending on the local redox condition, this synergistic effect of A-site element and CeO 2 not only enhanced the selectivity of partial oxidizing of methane, but also increased the gas production of syngas and hydrogen compared with pure CeO 2 and Ba 1-x Sr x CoO 3-δ. XPS results indicated that lattice oxygen was the main oxygen source for syngas production. Moreover, Ba 1-x Sr x CoO 3-δ layer could get oxygen supply from CeO 2 and increase the gas production. FESEM showed that the uniformly adhered perovskite particles on the surface of CeO 2 could get more oxygen supply of CeO 2 to enhance gas productions; the slightly aggregation of Ba 1-x Sr x CoO 3-δ perovskite could enhance the oxygen mobility and improve the cyclic performance of Ba 1-x Sr x CoO 3-δ /CeO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most existing amplitude variation with angle (AVA) inversions are based on the exact Zoeppritz equation or its approximations. These modeling methods, which are ray-tracing-based and describe P-wave primary reflections only, lead to exacting requirements for pre-processing of the input data. Current processing is inadequate to satisfy these demands, especially for removing the effects of transmission losses, P-wave multiples and various converted-wave modes. By using input data with processing errors, inversion results of primary-only methods are predictably not accurate enough. The propagator matrix (PM), like the reflectivity method, uses an analytical solution to the wave equation and considers full-wave propagation effects in horizontal or nearly horizontal multilayered earth models. The numerical examples verify that a PM can effectively estimate transmission losses, multi-reflections and the comprehensive responses of thin interbedded layers, and also has higher reflection sensitivities to P-wave and S-wave velocity and density, as compared with ray-tracing-based AVA modelling. A pre-stack AVA three-parameter inversion by using a PM as the forward engine is proposed. Following a Bayesian approach, the inversion is stabilized by including the correlation of P-wave velocity, S-wave velocity and density. For inversion accuracy, the limited-memory Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno (L-BFGS) optimization method is used to solve the augmented function, and the generalized cross-validation (GCV) criterion (Huang et al. in J Geophys Eng 14(1):100–112, 2017) is introduced to adaptively acquire the regularization parameter. Theoretical model inversion analysis shows that the proposed inversion can make use of transmission losses, P-wave multiples and converted wave modes, which not only cost-effectively simplifies the pre-processing, but also generates reasonable inverted results for multilayered conditions. The proposed inversion is then applied to a set of real data, and a comparison with Zoeppritz equation-based inversion demonstrates that PM inversion is clearly superior to Zoeppritz equation-based inversion in terms of stability and accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CONSTANS (CO) is the key gene in the photoperiodic pathway that regulates flowering in plants. In this paper, a CONSTANS-like 14A (COL14A) gene was obtained from mango, and its expression patterns and functions were characterized. Sequence analysis shows that MiCOL14A-JH has an additional A base, which leads to code shifting in subsequent coding boxes and loss of the CCT domain. The MiCOL14A-JH and MiCOL14A-GQ genes both belonged to group Ⅲ of the CO / COL gene family. Analysis of tissue expression patterns showed that MiCOL14A was expressed in all tissues, with the highest expression in the leaves of seedling, followed by lower expression levels in the flowers and stems of adult leaves. However, there was no significant difference between different mango varieties. At different development stages of flowering, the expression level of MiCOL14A-GQ was the highest in the leaves before floral induction period, and the lowest at flowering stage, while the highest expression level of MiCOL14A-JH appeared in the leaves at flowering stage. The transgenic functional analysis showed that both MiCOL14A-GQ and MiCOL14A-JH induced delayed flowering of transgenic Arabidopsis. In addition, MiCOL14A-JH enhanced the resistance of transgenic Arabidopsis to drought stress, while MiCOL14A-GQ increased the sensitivity of transgenic Arabidopsis to salt stress. Further protein protein interaction analysis showed that MiCOL14A-JH directly interacted with MYB30-INTERACTING E3 LIGASE 1 (MiMIEL1), CBL-interacting protein kinase 9 (MiCIPK9) and zinc-finger protein 4 (MiZFP4), but MiCOL14A-GQ could not interact with these three stress-related proteins. Together, our results demonstrated that MiCOL14A-JH and MiCOL14A-GQ not only regulate flowering but also play a role in the abiotic stress response in mango, and the lack of the CCT domain affects the protein protein interaction, thus affecting the gene response to stress. The insertion of an A base can provide a possible detection site for mango resistance breeding. • An A base inserted into the coding region of MiCOL14A-JH , resulted in loss of the CCT domain missing. • Overexpression of MiCOL14A in Arabidopsis resulted in late flowering. • Overexpression of MiCOL14A-GQ decreased the salt stress tolerance. • Overexpression of MiCOL14A-JH enhanced the drought stress tolerance. • MiCOL14A-JH interact with MiMIEL1, MiCIPK9 and MiZFP4 Proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Catalytic performance of HDBUI and complementary mechanism of one-pot reaction promote the conversion of CO 2 and glycerol. • Glycerol, a reactant in transesterification, promotes the cycloaddition of CO 2 with propylene epoxide by hydrogen bonds. • A cycloaddition intermediate, with strong alkalinity, promotes the transesterification of glycerol with propylene carbonate. The chemical conversion of inert carbon dioxide (CO 2) into high value-added chemicals is a continuing challenge. In this work, an experimental and theoretical mechanism study is presented for one-pot synthesis of glycerol carbonate (GC) from CO 2 , glycerol (Gly), and propylene epoxide (PO) catalyzed by 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-enenium iodide (HDBUI) ionic liquid. 92% GC yield was obtained in the one-pot reaction through cycloaddition of CO 2 with PO to produce propylene carbonate (PC), followed by transesterification of Gly with PC to yield targeted products. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to unveil the HDBUI-mediated catalytic mechanism and key catalytic species. It was revealed that the HDBUI-catalyzed cycloaddition was assisted by the hydrogen bond donor Gly, the transesterification reactant, by promoting the ring-opening of PO and the insertion of CO 2. By activating Gly hydroxyl group, alkaline HDBUI-bonded propan-1-ylium-2-yl carbonate, an intermediate in cycloaddition, catalyzed transesterification. The complementary mechanism of cycloaddition and transesterification in the one-pot provides a feasible method for utilizing inert CO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of the global economy and the enhancement of environmental awareness, energy-efficient permutation flow shop scheduling gets more attention. Nevertheless, research on distributed scheduling with heterogeneous factories is scarce. In this paper, a knowledge-driven MOEA/D (KMOEA/D) is proposed to address the energy-efficient scheduling of distributed permutation flow shop problem in heterogeneous factories (DPFSP-HF) with the criteria of minimizing the makespan (C m a x) and total energy consumption (T E C). First, an efficient energy-saving strategy is proposed to reduce the T E C criteria. Second, a constructive heuristic is designed to generate a high-quality solution set. Third, an ingenious genetic operator is utilized to maintain population diversity. Fourth, the knowledge-driven local search operator combined the problem-specific knowledge is constructed according to the properties of DPFSP-HF. Additionally, the Taguchi approach is used to calibrate the parameter configuration of KMOEA/D. We evaluate the effectiveness of each improvement of KMOEA/D and compare it to other well-known multi-objective optimization algorithms on different instances. The results indicate the effectiveness of each improvement of KMOEA/D, and verify that KMOEA/D is an efficient approach to address DPFSP-HF. • A knowledge-driven MOEA/D is proposed for DPFSP-HF. • An efficient energy-saving strategy is devised. • Knowledge-driven local search operator is constructed. • Results incudate the effectiveness of our approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the research priorities in dry reforming of methane (DRM) technology is the development of highly active and stable catalysts. Using crystalline oxides as catalyst precursors is an effective catalyst optimization scheme for DRM. Therefore, the application of La 2 NiO 4 perovskite in DRM was systematically studied, including preparation, characterization, carbon deposition properties, regeneration properties, and B-site doping, etc. This paper is the first part, the effects of preparation methods (sol-gel, co-precipitation, hydro-thermal, and solid-state methods) on the physicochemical properties and DRM performance of La 2 NiO 4 samples were investigated, and the relationship between materials' structure and their catalytic performance was analyzed. The results showed that compared with the samples prepared by the hydro-thermal and co-precipitate methods, the sample prepared by the sol-gel method exhibited the highest conversion of CH 4 and CO 2 (91.4% and 91.5%, respectively) and the best carbon resistance in DRM, which were mainly attributed to its richer microstructure, higher reducibility and basicity. While the lowest DRM performance of the sample prepared by the solid-state method was mainly due to the small amount of reduced amorphous NiO and the weak reducibility of the perovskite phase in this sample, resulting in the inability of perovskite in-situ decomposition under the DRM atmosphere. • A series of La 2 NiO 4 perovskite oxides were synthesized by the sol-gel, co-precipitation, hydro-thermal, and solid-state methods for DRM. • The sample prepared by the sol-gel method (L2N-SG) exhibited the highest reactivity and the best carbon resistance in the DRM. • The best DRM catalytic activity and carbon resistance of L2N-SG were due to its rich microstructure, high reducibility, and high basicity. • The in-situ reduction process of perovskites in the DRM depends on the amount of reduced amorphous NiO and the reducibility of the perovskite phase in the material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organotin compounds are currently utilized as stabilizers for polyvinyl chloride plastics and as antifungal agents (such as agricultural fungicides, paints, and antifouling agents). Particularly, the brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reveals multiple abnormal signal foci, distributed in the brainstem, bilateral occipital lobe, thalamus, left basal ganglia, and right frontal parietal lobe (Fig. Concluding remarks For patients with sudden consciousness disturbance and multiple intracranial lesions in the brain MRI, except the cerebrovascular disease, toxic encephalopathy should be taken into consideration with detailed inquiry about the medical history. [Extracted from the article]

Effect of NaCl on IFT equ between C 12-14 P m E 2 S aqueous solutions and n-decane. Effect of the numbers of oxypropylene on dynamic interfacial tensions (IFT) of five extended surfactants C 12-14 P m E 2 S (m = 0, 3, 5, 8 and 12) were investigated. The effects of electrolyte (NaCl and CaCl 2) concentration, salinity, surfactant concentration were studied in detail. The IFTs between C 12-14 P m E 2 S aqueous solutions and n-decane obtained ultralow range at optimum NaCl concentration expect C 12-14 E 2 S. The optimum salinity (S*) decreased with increase of number of oxypropylene. Also, the IFTs of C 12-14 P 8 E 2 S and C 12-14 P 12 E 2 S approached or obtained ultralow IFT in a wide range of CaCl 2 concentrations. The IFTs between C 12-14 P 12 E 2 S aqueous solution and n-decane decreased as salinity increased. With increasing surfactant concentration, the values of IFT decreased initially and then increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent need to develop efficient combination drug delivery approaches to address the low efficiency of clinical cancer monotherapy. However, how to achieve high-efficient synchronous co-delivery and synergistic therapy remains a big challenge. Herein, we report a self-facilitated nanoassembly of a heterotypic chemo-photodynamic dimer for multimodal cancer therapy. A reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive dimer of paclitaxel (PTX) and pyropheophorbide a (PPa) is rationally designed and synthesized. The "Two-in-One" dimer serves as both carrier material and cargo, could self-assemble into nanoparticles in water with ultrahigh co-loading capacity and self-facilitated ROS-responsive drug release. The endogenous ROS overproduced in tumor cells together with PPa-generated ROS under laser irradiation synergistically facilitate on-demand drug release from the nano-assembly. The disintegration of nanoassembly triggered by ROS effectively addresses the dilemma of aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect of photosensitizer (PPa). Both in vitro and in vivo results suggest that PTX-initiated chemotherapy in combination with PPa-mediated PDT exhibits synergistic antitumor activity. Our findings provide a strategy for the rational design of nanocarrier for high-efficient synergetic cancer therapy. Unlabelled Image • Self-facilitated ROS-responsive nanoassembly of heterotypic dimer was designed. • Synergistic drug release and synergistic combination therapy were obtained. • Chemotherapy combining PDT showed efficient synergistic therapy in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Mango eIFs were firstly identified and conducted phylogenetic analysis. • 18 MieIF genes were closely associated with salinity, osmotic, and cold stress. • Overexpression MieIF1A-a in transgenic plants enhanced salt tolerance. Abstract Eukaryotic translation initiation factors (eIFs) function as important regulatory factors in protein synthesis and play crucial roles in the response to abiotic stress in plants. However, the eIF gene family and its biological functions have not been studied in mango (Mangifera indica L.). In this study, 18 eIF genes were identified from mango transcriptome data and subjected to phylogenetic analysis, which indicated that the 67 eIF proteins from mango, Arabidopsis , Oryza sativa, and Citrus clementina clustered into three major groups. Quantitative reverse-transcription PCR analysis demonstrated that the expression of most of the 18 MieIF genes were closely associated with abiotic stress, and MieIF1A-a , MieIF5, and MieIF3sB were most strongly expressed under salinity, osmotic, and low temperature (2°C) stress, respectively. Transgenic analysis indicated that the overexpression of MieIF1A-a in Arabidopsis resulted in enhanced seedling growth and survival rates, higher chlorophyll content, increased superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activities, and decreased malondialdehyde accumulation under salt treatment compared to the wild-type Arabidopsis. Our findings revealed that MieIF genes are associated with abiotic stress in mango, and MieIF1A-a can enhance the salt tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis through increasing antioxidant enzyme activities. This study provides new insights into the MieIF genes that could be applied to the breeding of stress-resistant mango varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A series of new chiral liquid crystal compounds named MOP n B containing (−)-menthyl group has been prepared and characterized by FT-IR and 1H NMR spectra. The thermal properties and optical textures were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarizing optical microscopy (POM). Increasing the length of the terminal alkoxy group tended to decrease the clearing points and narrow the temperature range of the N* phase as well as favored the development of SmC* phase. Furthermore, Bragg selective reflection spectra of the compounds were measured by ultraviolet/visible spectrometer (UV/Vis). All compounds MOP n B (n = 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) revealed the thermochromic property or selective reflection of visible light in the N* phase. Additionally, only MOP10B and MOP12B in the SmC* phase had the thermochromic phenomena and gave red-saffron colour. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Novel CLCs MOP n B based on (−)-menthol with high chirality were synthesized. • All chiral liquid crystals MOP n B displayed blue phase. • MOP n B (n = 2–10) revealed the thermochromic property in N* phase on heating. • MOP n B (n = 10, 12) revealed the thermochromic property in SmC* phase on cooling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In order to explore the effect of various functional groups on the mesomorphic properties, a series of menthol-based blue phase liquid crystal compounds (A , B1 , B2 , C1 , C2 , D1 , D2) with various core structures in the molecules were synthesized. Their chemical structures and phase behavior were characterized with FT-IR, 1H NMR, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and polarizing optical microscopy (POM). The selective reflection and photoisomerization were investigated with ultraviolet/visible (UV/VIS) spectrometer. In our case, all BPLCs showed oily streak texture with selectively reflection and blue phase (BP), irrespective of the structure of mesogenic cores. This demonstrated that (−)‑menthol had high chirality, and via succinyloxy spacer group could drive molecules to arrangement in double twist cylinders of BP. The length-to-diameter ratio, the bridge bond in the aryl rings and the conjugate action in the mesogenic core had a significant effect on T m , T i and temperature range of BP. BPLC A without conjugated structure in three-benzene mesogenic core revealed a larger temperature range of BP than other BPLCs with conjugated structure. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • (−)-Menthol with high chirality was introduced to mesogenic cores via succinyloxy spacer group. • Seven (−)-menthol-based blue phase liquid crystals with ester, azo and Schiff base cores were designed. • All (−)-menthol-based liquid crystals showed oily streak texture with selectively reflection and blue phase. • The effects of various functional groups on mesomorphic behaviors, blue phase and optical properties were discussed. • Compound A without conjugated structure in the core revealed larger Δ T of blue phase than others with conjugated structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A homologous series of new chiral liquid crystal compounds, MnBEB (n = 4-10), was prepared by covalently linking a chiral (-)-menthyl with biphenyl-benzoate via a dicarboxylic spacer of varying length and parity. A combination of analysis methods, such as FT-IR, 1H NMR spectra, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarised optical microscopy (POM) and X-ray diffraction was carried out to systematically investigate their phase structures and phase transition behaviours. The length and parity of the flexible spacers has a profound influence on the Tm and Tc and a modest odd-even effect is observed for the chiral liquid crystal compounds MnBEB. Only compound M4BEB developed an N* phase with selectively reflection on heating and a blue phase on cooling process. In addition, increasing the length of the flexible spacers tends to narrow the temperature range of the N* phase and widen the smectic phase, moreover, the pitch becomes longer with the spacer increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anticancer efficacy of chemotherapy is greatly limited by short blood circulation and poor tumor selectivity. Thus, anticancer prodrugs with prolonged systemic circulation, tumor-specific distribution and bioactivation, could significantly strengthen the chemotherapy efficacy. Herein, we design two novel tumor cell reduction/oxidation-responsive docetaxel (DTX) prodrugs, DTX-maleimide conjugates with disulfide bond (DSSM) or thioether bond (DSM) linkages, to evaluate the roles of different sensitive linkages in drug release, pharmacokinetics and therapeutic efficacy. An ester bond-linkage prodrug (DM) is utilized as a non-sensitive control. DSSM and DSM show reduction- or oxidation-sensitive release behavior, respectively, and exhibit hyperselective bioactivation and cytotoxicities between cancerous and normal cells. They could instantly hitchhike blood circulating albumin after i.v. administration with albumin-binding half-lives as short as 1 min, resulting in prolonged systemic circulation, increased tumor accumulation. In response to the upregulated reduction/oxidation environment within tumor cells, DSSM and DSM exhibit selectively release capacity in tumor tissues, their TAI Tumor/Liver values are over 30-fold greater than DM. Combining the above delivery advantages into one, DSSM and DSM achieve enhanced antitumor efficacy of DTX. Such a uniquely developed strategy, integrating high albumin-binding capability and reduction/oxidation-sensitive drug superselective release in tumors, has great potential to be applied in clinical cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A homologous series of new chiral liquid crystal compounds, M6BnB (n = 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18), with varying length of n-alkoxy chains at one end, was formed by covalently linking a chiral (−)-menthyl with biphenyl-benzoate via adipoyloxy spacer group. A combination of analysis methods such as Fourier transform infrared, 1H NMR spectra, differential scanning calorimetry, polarised optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction was carried out to systematically investigate their phase structures and phase transition behaviours. The length of the flexible terminal alkoxy group has a profound influence on the clearing points (Tiso) and Tiso decrease with the increase of alkoxy chain (n). In addition, increasing the length of the terminal alkoxy group tends to narrow the temperature range of the N* phase and favour the development of chiral smectic C phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two new SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE genes were cloned from mango. • MiSVP3 and MiSVP4 delayed flowering time in transgenic Arabidopsis. • MiSVP3 resulted in defined inflorescences, while MiSVP4 resulted in abnormal floral organs. • MiSVP3 was sensitive to Pro-Ca treatment, while MiSVP4 was sensitive to GA 3 , Pro-Ca and ABA treatment. • Y1H, Y2H and BiFC assay revealed that MiSVP3 and MiSVP4 have different regulatory mechanisms. SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP) belongs to the MADS-box gene family, its main function is to regulate plant flowering, maintain normal flower development and bud dormancy. However, its function in mango (Mangifera indica L.) flowering needs further study. In this research, we obtained two SVP genes, MiSVP3 and MiSVP4, from genomic and transcriptomic data of M. indica L. cv. 'SiJiMi'. Sequence analysis showed that MiSVP3 and MiSVP4 were typical MADS-box transcription factors. Promoter element analysis suggested that MiSVP3 and MiSVP4 were associated with several hormone responses, stress responses and CArG box cis-elements. Expression analysis indicated that MiSVP3 and MiSVP4 were lowly expressed in flower/buds and highly expressed in vegetative tissue. Subcellular localization indicated that MiSVP3 and MiSVP4 were localized in the nucleus. Overexpression of MiSVP3 and MiSVP4 delays flowering time and results in abnormalities in inflorescences and floral organs in Arabidopsis. MiSVP3 was sensitive only to prohexadione-calcium (Pro-Ca) treatment, while MiSVP4 was sensitive to abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellin (GA 3) and Pro-Ca treatment. The Y2H and BiFC assays showed that MiSVP3 interacted with MiSEP1–1 and MiSOC1D but not MiFLC, MiAP1–1 and MiAP1–2, MiSVP4 interacted with MiFLC, MiAP1–1, MiAP1–2 and MiSOC1D but not MiSEP1–1. The Y1H assay showed that MiSVP3 and MiSVP4 could interact with MiFLC, but only MiSVP3 could interact with MiSOC1D. These results suggest that MiSVP3 and MiSVP4 can inhibit mango flowering and participate in the regulation of mango flower formation gene network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]