Search

Abstract Employees in enterprises face numerous challenges due to the severe employment situation and job pressure. Sales personnel and research and development (R&D) personnel in companies are particularly susceptible to mental health issues due to the unique nature and complexity of their work. This study aims to explore the psychological health issues among sales personnel and R&D personnel in high-tech enterprises. Twenty-four R&D personnel (23 males and 1 female) and twenty-six sales personnel (25 males and 1 female) were recruited. The participants’ psychological health conditions were assessed using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and verbal fluency tasks combined with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (VFT-fNIRS), while their work stress level was evaluated using the Personal Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) and Personal Resources Questionnaire (PRQ). The results indicated significantly higher brain activities in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and bilateral Broca’s areas of the R&D group compared to the sales group. The R&D group had significantly lower scores in the total score and multiple dimensions of SCL-90, such as somatization, obsession-compulsion, depression, anxiety, hostility, and paranoia. In addition, the R&D group exhibited significantly lower psychological and physical tension reactions compared to the sales group in PSQ. Based on the PRQ, the R&D group obtained significantly higher scores in self-care compared to the sales group. In conclusion, the mental health status of the R&D group is better than that of the sales group, the difference in self-care may be the most important factor leading to the difference in work stress and mental health of the two groups, VFT-fNIRS might be used to assist in detecting the mental health status of employees.

As the proportion of carbon emissions from urban areas rises, cities like Chengdu have become critical frontiers for emission reduction in China. Consequently, constructing low-carbon cities has emerged as the primary strategy for mitigating carbon emissions. According to the LMDI additive decomposition analysis, Chengdu’s carbon emissions increased by 4,397,700 tons during the 13th Five-Year Plan, primarily due to economic expansion, which alone accounted for an increase of 8,078,200 tons. Meanwhile, shifts in industrial structure and reductions in energy intensity contributed to declines of 657,700 tons and 3,016,500 tons, respectively, while changes in energy structure resulted in a marginal decrease of 640 tons. The LMDI multiplicative decomposition indicates a 10.3% growth in carbon emissions, with economic size amplifying emissions by 1.197 times, while enhanced energy intensity mitigated growth, reducing emissions to 0.935 times 2016 levels. Adjustments in industrial and energy structures exerted minimal impact on emission reductions. By developing a decomposition model for carbon emission influencing factors across various industries, this study identifies challenges to economic growth within the context of carbon reduction constraints and proposes pathways for low-carbon city development, including industrial restructuring, urban optimization, green building initiatives, and comprehensive transportation systems, thereby offering valuable insights for national low-carbon city initiatives.

Abstract Despite the identification of driver mutations leading to the initiation of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), the molecular pathogenesis of MPNs remains incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate that growth arrest and DNA damage inducible gamma (GADD45g) is expressed at significantly lower levels in patients with MPNs, and JAK2V617F mutation and histone deacetylation contribute to its reduced expression. Downregulation of GADD45g plays a tumor-promoting role in human MPN cells. Gadd45g insufficiency in the murine hematopoietic system alone leads to significantly enhanced growth and self-renewal capacity of myeloid-biased hematopoietic stem cells, and the development of phenotypes resembling MPNs. Mechanistically, the pathogenic role of GADD45g insufficiency is mediated through a cascade of activations of RAC2, PAK1 and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways. These data characterize GADD45g deficiency as a novel pathogenic factor in MPNs.

Arsenic (As) contamination of agricultural soils poses a serious threat to crop productivity and food safety. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) have emerged as a potential amendment for mitigating the adverse effects of As stress in plants. Soybean crop is mostly grown on marginalized land and is known for high accumulation of As in roots than others tissue. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of ZnONPs in ameliorating arsenic toxicity in soybean. Our results demonstrated that ZnOB significantly improved the growth performance of soybean plants exposed to arsenic. This improvement was accompanied by a decrease (55%) in As accumulation and an increase in photosynthetic efficiency. ZnOB also modulated hormonal balance, with a significant increase in auxin (149%), abscisic acid (118%), gibberellin (160%) and jasmonic acid content (92%) under As(V) stress assuring that ZnONPs may enhance root growth and development by regulating hormonal signaling. We then conducted a transcriptomic analysis to understand further the molecular mechanisms underlying the NPs-induced As(V) tolerance. This analysis identified genes differentially expressed in response to ZnONPs supplementation, including those involved in auxin, abscisic acid, gibberellin, and jasmonic acid biosynthesis and signaling pathways. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified 37 potential hub genes encoding stress responders, transporters, and signal transducers across six modules potentially facilitated the efflux of arsenic from cells, reducing its toxicity. Our study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms associated with metalloid tolerance in soybean and offers new avenues for improving As tolerance in contaminated soils.

Arsenate (AsV) is absorbed and accumulated by plants, which can affect their physiological activities, disrupt gene expression, alter metabolite content, and influence growth. Despite the potential of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) to mitigate the adverse effects of arsenic stress in plants, the underlying mechanisms of ZnONPs-mediated detoxification of AsV, as well as the specific metabolites and metabolic pathways involved, remain largely unexplored. In this study, we demonstrated root metabolomic profiling of soybean germinating seedlings subjected to 25 μmol L−1 arsenate (Na2HAsO4) and ZnONPs at concentrations of 25 μmol L−1 (ZnO25) and 50 μmol L−1 (ZnO50). The objective of this study was to examine the effects on soybean root metabolomics under AsV toxicity. Metabolomic analysis indicated that 453, 501, and 460 metabolites were significantly regulated in response to AsV, ZnO25, and ZnO50 treatments, respectively, compared to the control. Pathway analysis of the differentially regulated metabolites (DRMs) revealed that the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, glutathione metabolism, proline and aldarate metabolism, and arginine and proline metabolism were the most statistically enriched pathways in ZnONPs-supplemented plants. These findings suggest that ZnONPs enhance the tolerance response to AsV. Collectively, our results support the hypothesis that ZnONPs fertilization could be a potential strategy for improving soybean crop resilience under AsV stress.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a serious public health risk, and prevention and treatment efforts are urgently needed. Effective preventive and therapeutic programs for cardiovascular disease are still lacking, as the causes of CVD are varied and may be the result of a multifactorial combination. Mitophagy is a form of cell-selective autophagy, and there is increasing evidence that mitophagy is involved in cardioprotective processes. Recently, many studies have shown that FUN14 domain-containing protein 1 (FUNDC1) levels and phosphorylation status are highly associated with many diseases, including heart disease. Here, we review the structure and functions of FUNDC1 and the path-ways of its mediated mitophagy, and show that mitophagy can be effectively activated by dephosphorylation of Ser13 and Tyr18 sites, phosphorylation of Ser17 site and ubiquitination of Lys119 site in FUNDC1. By effectively activating or inhibiting excessive mitophagy, the quality of mitochondria can be effectively controlled. The main reason is that, on the one hand, improper clearance of mitochondria and accumulation of damaged mitochondria are avoided, and on the other hand, excessive mitophagy causing apoptosis is avoided, both serving to protect the heart. In addition, we explore the possible mechanisms by which FUNDC1-mediated mitophagy is involved in exercise preconditioning (EP) for cardioprotection. Finally, we also point out unresolved issues in FUNDC1 and its mediated mitophagy and give directions where further research may be needed.

BackgroundCluster of Differentiation 93 (CD93) plays an important role in angiogenesis and is considered an important target for inhibiting tumor angiogenesis, but there are currently no therapeutic antibodies against CD93 in the clinic. Thus, we describe the screening of novel nanobodies (Nbs) targeting human CD93 from a phage library of shark-derived Nbs.MethodsScreening and enrichment of phage libraries by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anti-CD93 Nbs were purified by expression in E. coli. The binding affinity of anti-CD93 Nbs NC81/NC89 for CD93 was examined by flow cytometry (FC) and ELISA. The thermal stability of NC81/NC89 was examined by ELISA and CD spectroscopy. Afterward, the anti-angiogenic ability of NC81/NC89 was examined by MTT, wound healing assay, and tube formation assay. The expression level of VE-cadherin (VE-Ca) and CD93 was detected by Western Blot (WB). The binding sites and binding forms of NC81/NC89 to CD93 were analyzed by molecular docking.ResultsThe anti-CD93 Nbs were screened in a phage library, expressed in E. coli, and purified to >95% purity. The results of FC and ELISA showed that NC81/NC89 have binding ability to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The results of ELISA and CD spectroscopy showed that NC81/NC89 retained the ability to bind CD93 at 80°C and that the secondary structure remained stable. In vitro, the results showed that NC81 and NC89 significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) as well as tube formation on Matrigel. Western Blot showed that NC81 and NC89 also inhibited the expression of VE-Ca thereby increasing vascular permeability. It was found during molecular docking that the CDR regions of NC81 and NC89 could be attached to CD93 by strong hydrogen bonds and salt bridges, and the binding sites were different.ConclusionWe have successfully isolated NC81 and NC89, which bind CD93, and both Nbs significantly inhibit angiogenesis and increase vascular permeability. These results suggest that NC81 and NC89 have potential clinical applications in angiogenesis-related therapies.

Abstract Time‐delayed reservoir computing with marked strengths of friendly hardware implementation and low training cost is regarded as a promising solution to realize time and energy‐efficient time series information processing and thus receives growing attention. However, achieving a sufficient number of reproducible reservoir states remains a significant challenge, which severely limits its computing performance. Here, an electric‐double‐layer‐coupled oxide‐based electrolyte‐gated transistor with a shared gate and varying channel lengths is developed to construct a deep time‐delayed reservoir computing system. A variety of short‐term synaptic responses related to inherent ion‐electron‐coupled dynamics at the electrolyte/channel interface are demonstrated, reflecting a flexibly regulable channel current. Different stable and tunable relaxation responses corresponding to varying channel lengths are obtained to enrich reservoir states combined with virtual nodes ways. The spoken‐digit classification and Hénon map prediction tasks are implemented with high accuracy (≈92.2%) and ultralow normalized root mean square error (≈0.013), respectively, validating the significant improvement of the computing performance by introducing additional relaxation responses. This work opens a promising pathway in exploiting oxide‐based electrolyte‐gated transistors for realizing temporal information processing hardware systems.

The objective of this study is to minimize the overall transportation cost through the joint decision-making for air-cargo hub network design and fleet planning under the uncertain environment. This joint decision-making considers various factors, including hub location, node connectivity, fleet size, and flight frequency. It takes into account several uncertain parameters such as air-cargo demand and transportation cost in a realistic setting. We propose a mixed-integer programming model tailored to the characteristics of such problem, which utilizes interval numbers to address these challenges. This model aims to provide a robust scheme for the joint hub network design and the fleet planning in the uncertain environment. An improved probability-based interval ranking method is proposed to solve the model. This transformation converts the proposed model into an equivalent real-number one, simplifying the solving process. Then a hybrid heuristic algorithm, combining the advantages of Memory-Based Genetic Algorithm (MBGA) and Greedy Heuristic Procedure (GHP), is introduced to enhance the solving speed. Finally, the performance of our proposed model and algorithm is verified using real-world data from the Australian postal dataset. The results show that the proposed model reduces hub construction costs by 1.37% and fleet operational costs by 7.60%, respectively, as opposed to the use of traditional approaches. The computational time of the proposed algorithm is reduced by 28.4% and 36.5%, respectively, when compared to the use of Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Variable Neighborhood Search (VNS) algorithm.

Patients with bipolar disorder have a higher risk of suicide than the general population. This study aimed to explore the correlation between suicide and gene methylation, as screened by genome-wide scanning, in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. A total of 45 children and adolescents with bipolar disorder were divided into a suicidal ideation group (n = 41), a non-suicidal ideation group (n = 4), a low-risk group (n = 12), and a middle-to-high-risk group (n = 33). A pre-experiment was conducted on the suicidal ideation (n = 6) and non-suicidal ideation groups (n = 4). Blood samples were scanned using an Illumina HD 850K microarray, and methylation levels were analysed. Differential methylation sites among the sample groups were screened from the original data, and genes related to suicide were identified. Methylation of the ABI3BP and DPYSL2 genes was detected by pyrophosphate sequencing and statistically analysed. There was a significant difference in age between the low- and middle-risk groups. The results of GO analysis for the suicidal ideation and non-suicidal ideation groups showed that the differential methylation sites were mainly involved in the interferon-γ-mediated signalling pathway, with the main signalling pathways being the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathway and type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) pathway. There were significant differences in the methylation of ABI3BP, HLA-DQB1, HLA-DRB1, AUTS2, SP3, NINJ2, DPYSL2, and other genes between the suicidal and non-suicidal ideation groups. There was also a statistically significant difference in the gene methylation levels between the two groups. However, there was no significant difference in the degree of methylation of the ABI3BP and DPYSL2 genes between the low- and middle-to-high-risk groups. These results suggest that suicidal ideation is correlated with the methylation levels of differentially methylated genes in children with bipolar disorder. However, the severity of suicide risk in paediatric patients with bipolar disorder may not be correlated with the degree of methylation of the ABI3BP and DPYSL2 genes. Therefore, further validation was required.

Drought is a persistent and devastating obstacle to crop production, affecting both humanity and livestock. The application of selenium (Se) effectively mitigates various types of abiotic stresses and enhances crop yield under unfavorable conditions. However, our understanding of how nano-Se (nSe) alleviates drought stress (DS) in soybeans is still limited. To address this gap, our study focused on assessing the effectiveness of foliar nSe application during the reproductive stage of soybeans. Three concentrations of nSe were applied to plants grown in pots filled with clay loam soil, simulating DS conditions. Our findings reveal that nSe spraying significantly promoted the accumulation of above-ground dry biomass and enhanced relative water content (RWC) and photosynthetic pigment over alone-DS treatment. Furthermore, nSe application boosted the activity and contents of protective enzymes and osmolytes, resulting in a dose-dependent reduction in electrolyte leakage (EL), reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Additionally, nSe improved stomatal characteristics and mesophyll cell ultrastructure, further mitigating the adverse effects of drought stress. These findings suggest the potential of nSe as an effective strategy to enhance soybean tolerance and potentially improve crop yields under drought conditions.

ABSTRACT: In the study, 336 broiler chickens were selected to explore dietary effects of different β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) levels (0 (control), 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15%) on the compositions of fatty acids and free amino acids, and lipid metabolism in the different muscles of broilers. In the breast muscle, dietary HMB supplementation hardly affected the free amino acid composition (P > 0.05). Compared to the control group, dietary 0.10 and 0.15% HMB supplementation decreased the content of C18:1n9c and thus the monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), and dietary 0.15% HMB supplementation increased the sum of saturated fatty acids (SFA) (P < 0.05). Moreover, compared to the control group, dietary 0.05 and 0.10% HMB increased the mRNA expression of proliferator activated receptor-γ and the activity of fatty acid synthase (FAS), and dietary 0.10% HMB increased the acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity (P < 0.05). In the leg muscle, dietary 0.10 and 0.15% HMB increased the MUFA content and decreased the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content, the PUFA to SFA ratio, the mRNA expression of sterol regulatory element binding proteins-1c, and the activities of acyl-CoA oxidase 1 and acetyl-CoA synthetase (P < 0.05). Moreover, dietary 0.10% HMB decreased the activities of hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 1 and FAS in comparison to the control group (P < 0.05). Dietary 0.05% HMB decreased the contents of essential amino acids and nonessential amino acids (NEAA), and dietary 0.15% HMB decreased the NEAA content (P < 0.05). In summary, dietary 0.10% HMB supplementation had superior efficiency on lipogenesis in the breast muscle of broilers. However, dietary HMB supplementation, especially at the level of 0.05 and 0.15%, decreased meat nutritional values and the lipogenesis in leg muscles.

The sirtuin family, a group of NAD+-dependent class 3 histone deacetylases (HDACs), was extensively studied initially as a group of longevity genes that are activated in caloric restriction and act in concert with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotides to extend the lifespan. Subsequent studies have found that sirtuins are involved in various physiological processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle progression, and insulin signaling, and they have been extensively studied as cancer genes. In recent years, it has been found that caloric restriction increases ovarian reserves, suggesting that sirtuins may play a regulatory role in reproductive capacity, and interest in the sirtuin family has continued to increase. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the existing studies and analyze the role and mechanism of SIRT1, a member of the sirtuin family, in regulating ovarian function. Research and review on the positive regulation of SIRT1 in ovarian function and its therapeutic effect on PCOS syndrome.

Leukemia stem cells (LSC) are a rare population capable of limitless self-renewal and are responsible for the initiation, maintenance, and relapse of leukemia. Elucidation of the mechanisms underlying the regulation of LSC function could provide novel treatment strategies. Here, we show that TWIST1 is extremely highly expressed in the LSC of MLL-AF9+ acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and its upregulation is positively regulated by KDM4C in a H3K9me3 demethylation-dependent manner. We further demonstrate that TWIST1 is essential for the viability, dormancy, and self-renewal capacities of LSC, and that it promotes the initiation and maintenance of MLL-AF9-mediated AML. In addition, TWIST1 directly interacts and collaborates with HOXA9 in inducing AML in mice. Mechanistically, TWIST1 exerts its oncogenic function by activating the WNT5a/RAC1 axis. Collectively, our study uncovers a critical role of TWIST1 in LSC function and provides new mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of MLL-AF9+ AML.

Introduction: The development of skeletal muscle is regulated by regulatory factors of genes and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs).Methods: The objective of this study was to understand the transformation of muscle fiber type in the longissimus dorsi muscle of male Ningxiang pigs at four different growth stages (30, 90, 150, and 210 days after birth, n = 3) by histological analysis and whole transcriptome sequencing. Additionally, the study investigated the expression patterns of various RNAs involved in muscle fiber transformation and constructed a regulatory network for competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) that includes circular RNA (circRNA)/long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)-microRNA (miRNA)-messenger RNA (mRNA).Results: Histomorphology analysis showed that the diameter of muscle fiber reached its maximum at 150 days after birth. The slow muscle fiber transformation showed a pattern of initial decrease followed by an increase. 29,963 circRNAs, 2,683 lncRNAs, 986 miRNAs and 22,411 mRNAs with expression level ≥0 were identified by whole transcriptome sequencing. Furthermore, 642 differentially expressed circRNAs (DEc), 505 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DEl), 316 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmi) and 6,090 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEm) were identified by differential expression analysis. Functions of differentially expressed mRNA were identified by gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). GO enrichment analysis indicates that 40 known genes and 6 new genes are associated with skeletal muscle development. Additionally, KEGG analysis shows that these genes regulate skeletal muscle development via MAPK, FoxO, Hedgehog, PI3K-Akt, Notch, VEGF and other signaling pathways. Through protein-protein interaction (PPI) and transcription factor prediction (TFP), the action mode of skeletal muscle-related genes was explored. PPI analysis showed that there were stable interactions among 19 proteins, meanwhile, TFP analysis predicted 22 transcription factors such as HMG20B, MYF6, MYOD1 and MYOG, and 12 of the 19 interacting proteins were transcription factors. The regulatory network of ceRNA related to skeletal muscle development was constructed based on the correlation of various RNA expression levels and the targeted binding characteristics with miRNA. The regulatory network included 31 DEms, 59 miRNAs, 667 circRNAs and 224 lncRNAs.conclusion: Overall, the study revealed the role of ceRNA regulatory network in the transformation of skeletal muscle fiber types in Ningxiang pigs, which contributes to the understanding of ceRNA regulatory network in Ningxiang pigs during the skeletal muscle development period.

With the rapid growth of the aviation industry, the issue of carbon emissions has become a substantial challenge for governments and airlines. This paper proposes a hybrid carbon emission reduction mechanism, including major airlines in the emission trading systems and implementing carbon tax for small and medium-sized airlines. First, a tripartite evolutionary game model is constructed to study strategic behaviors. Second, four scenarios of evolutionarily stable strategies (ESSs) are analyzed. Finally, the influencing parameters of players’ strategy choices are analyzed through simulations. The results show that: 1) the steady development scenarios (1, 1, 1) can be reached under the appropriate conditions; 2) the parameters such as carbon allowances and carbon tax prices significantly influence the evolutionary trend of stakeholders’ dynamic choices; 3) the implementation of a hybrid mechanism by the government could facilitate the choice of low carbon operation strategies for both types of airlines. Accordingly, a series of policy recommendations are proposed to promote carbon emission reduction in civil aviation. This study combines evolutionary game and scenario analysis methods in an attempt to provide a new perspective on carbon emission reduction governance, thereby promoting the effective development of carbon emission reduction in civil aviation in the future.

Abstract Background In previous study, we found that coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) improved glucolipid profile in dyslipidemic individuals, but the mechanism is not yet clear. Adipokines have been demonstrated to be vital targets of metabolic diseases. The hypothesis that adipokines mediate the association of CoQ10 on glucolipid metabolism needs to be further studied in human. Methods In this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, 101 dyslipidemic individuals were administrated to 120 mg CoQ10 or placebo for 24 weeks. Anthropometric parameters, glucolipid profile, serum total adiponectin, leptin, and resistin were evaluated at baseline, week 12 and week 24. Results CoQ10 treatment significantly increased serum adiponectin levels at week 12 (165 [0, 362] ng/mL, p

Whether airport groups develop synergistically has become a concern for the aviation industry. Existing studies have neglected the dynamic comprehensive evaluation and analysis of influencing factors of synergy degree. Taking the synergistic development of airport groups as the research perspective, we integrate the dynamic comprehensive evaluation model into the traditional synergy model. From two dimensions of airport development and regional economy, we measured the static synergy degree of the Chengdu-Chongqing airport group and the dynamic synergetic development degree on the overall time series. Further, using a spatial econometric model, we construct a distance economy-nested spatial weight matrix so as to explore the influence of each indicator on the synergy degree of the composite system. The results show that the overall synergy of the Chengdu-Chongqing airport group is above 0.5 in terms of static synergy degree. The clustering spectrum shows that the Chengdu-Chongqing airport group can be divided into three categories and basically forms the characteristic of “two main and multiple auxiliary airports.” In terms of dynamic synergetic development degree and comprehensive evaluation value, the change speed of synergy degree is relatively smooth in the early stage and fluctuates in the later stage, and the overall dynamic evaluation value of the Chongqing regional airports is high. The effects of the explanatory variables of the airport group composite system on the synergy degree show more direct effects than spillover effects, and the direct effects are all positive feedback effects, while the negative spillover effects of the explanatory variables cannot be ignored.

Targeted protein degradation is a powerful tool for determining the function of specific proteins nowadays. Survivin is the smallest member of the inhibitor of the apoptosis protein (IAP) family. It exists in the cytoplasm and nucleus of cells, but the exact function of survivin in different subcellular locations retained unclear updates due to the lack of effective and simple technical means. In this study, we created a novel nanoantibody-based molecular toolkit, namely, the ubiquitin–proteasome system (Nb4A-Fc-T2A-TRIM21), that can target to degrade survivin localized in cytoplasmic and cell nuclear by ubiquitinating, and by which to verify the potential roles of survivin subcellular localization. Also, the results showed that the cytoplasmic survivin mainly plays an anti-apoptotic function by directly or indirectly inhibiting the caspase pathway, and the nuclear survivin mainly promotes cell proliferation and participates in the regulation of the cell cycle. In addition, the Nb4A-Fc-T2A-TRIM21 system can degrade the endogenous survivin protein in a large amount by the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway, and the system can provide theoretical support for ubiquitination degradation targeting other endogenous proteins.

This study discussed the influence of aerosols on the relative frequency of positive cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning and its dependence on thermodynamic and cloud-related factors in Sichuan during the warm season from 2005 to 2017. The relative frequency of positive CG lightning is defined as the proportion of positive CG lightning flashes to total CG lightning flashes. Although the total CG lightning density in the Western Sichuan Plateau is significantly lower than that in the Sichuan Basin, the relative frequency of positive CG lightning is higher than that in the basin. Convective available potential energy (CAPE) and vertical wind shear in the low-to-mid level of the troposphere (SHEAR-5 km) are the controlling factors of positive CG lightning frequency. A small CAPE and a large SHEAR-5 km represent weak convection, which is more conducive to the generation of positive CG lightning. The upper main positive charge region in a thriving thunderstorm is higher from the ground, which is not conducive to the transport of positive charge to the ground, so it is not conducive to the generation of positive CG lightning. In the basin, the relationship between aerosols and positive lightning is not significant, which may be due to the strong total CG lightning and the low proportion of positive CG lightning. In the plateau, both sulfate aerosol and black carbon (BC) aerosol have a significant inhibition effect on the positive CG lightning relative frequency. Sulfate aerosol stimulates the ice-phase process through a microphysical effect and promotes the development of convection. The distribution of the main positive charge center is higher, which is not conducive to the transport of positive charge to the ground and the generation of positive CG lightning. The significant heating effect of BC aerosol on the lower troposphere makes the convective development more vigorous and is not conducive to the occurrence of positive CG lightning.

This study aimed to explore the effects of the incremental injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on liver histopathology, inflammation, oxidative status, and mitochondrial function in piglets. Forty healthy Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire castrated boars (21 ± 2 days old, weight 6.84 ± 0.11 kg) were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 8) and then slaughtered on days 0 (group 0, without LPS injection), 1 (group 1), 5 (group 5), 9 (group 9), and 15 (group 15) of LPS injection, respectively. The results showed that, compared to the piglets without LPS injection, LPS injection caused liver injury in the early phase, as manifested by the increased activities of serum liver injury-related parameters (aspartate amino transferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, cholinesterase, and total bile acid) on day 1, and impaired liver morphology (disordered hepatic cell cord arrangement, dissolved and vacuolized hepatocytes, karyopycnosis, and inflammatory cell infiltration and congestion) on days 1 and 5. Meanwhile, LPS injection caused liver inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction on days 1 and 5, as reflected by the upregulated mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB; increased MPO and MDA content; and impaired mitochondrial morphology. However, these parameters were ameliorated in the later phase (days 9~15). Taken together, our data indicate that the incremental injection of the LPS-induced liver injury of piglets could be self-repaired.

Ensuring training safety is paramount to flight schools. In response to the inadequacy of traditional flight training assessment for comprehensive quantitative evaluation of cadet competency, an initial flight training competency assessment standard based on behavioral indicators was developed and optimized using the VENN model. Firstly, the Assessor Score Measurement Form (ASMF) was constructed according to the requirements of the Training Evaluation Worksheet specification, such as typical subjects, observations, and completion criteria. Secondly, based on the basic principles of the experience of the flight expert and the Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA), a matrix of correlations between the observations and each competency-based behavioral indicator was created to construct a competency assessment matrix. In addition, a two-dimensional model for representing competency items characterized by behavioral indicators was established and an optimization model for competency assessment criteria was constructed. Finally, through combining actual flight training data, the proposed method was validated in the flight screening check phase. The results show that the optimized flight training competency assessment scheme can be well quantified and matched to real instructor ratings with an accuracy of 84%. The assessment worksheet, the assessment matrix, and the VENN competency rating model can be adapted to the different teaching requirements of each flight phase, achieving a perfect match between the behavioral indicators and the competency items, which is highly versatile. The proposed model can more accurately reflect the core competencies of flight trainees, enable quantitative assessment of behavioral indicators and competency items, and provide support for subsequent training of trainees.

Abstract Background Few studies investigated the associations between dietary patterns and overweight/obesity among Chinese preschool children. Thus, the study aims to explore dietary patterns and their associations with overweight/obesity among preschool children in the Dongcheng District of Beijing. Methods With a stratified proportionate cluster sampling, the study included 3373 pairs of preschool children and their guardians. Children’s weight and height were measured by school nurses, and their food and beverage consumption frequencies were reported by guardians via a food frequency questionnaire. Children’s age, gender, physical activity time, and sedentary time, as well as their parents’ highest level of educational attainment, occupation, weight, and height were also collected. Dietary patterns were identified through exploratory factor analysis. Among these identified dietary patterns, the one with the largest factor score was defined as the predominant dietary pattern for each child. The associations between predominant dietary patterns and overweight/obesity were tested by two-level random-intercept logistic models with cluster-robust standard errors. Results Four dietary patterns, i.e., a “Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and snack” pattern, a “Chinese traditional” pattern, a “Health conscious” pattern, and a “Snack” pattern, were identified. Among the children, 21.02% (95% CI: 19.68 to 22.43%) were predominated by the “SSB and snack” pattern, 27.78% (95% CI: 26.29 to 29.32%) by the “Chinese traditional” pattern, 24.90% (95% CI: 23.47 to 26.39%) by the “Health conscious” pattern, and 26.30% (95% CI: 24.84 to 27.81%) by the “Snack” pattern. After controlling for potential confounders, the “SSB and snack” pattern characterized by fresh fruit/vegetable juice, flavored milk drinks, carbonated drinks, flavored fruit/vegetable drinks, tea drinks, plant-protein drinks, puffed foods, fried foods, and Western fast foods was associated with a higher risk of overweight/obesity (OR: 1.61, 95% CI:1.09 to 2.38), compared with the “Chinese traditional” pattern. Conclusions The preference for dietary patterns with high energy density but low nutritional value was prevalent among preschool children in the Dongcheng District of Beijing. Comprehensive measures to simultaneously reduce consumption of SSBs and unhealthy snacks among preschool children should be taken urgently to address the childhood obesity problem in China, particularly in metropolises.

This paper uses the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-16) to investigate the fatigue status of pilots, and the reliability and validity of the scale are tested by Cronbach’s α and exploratory factor analysis. The founding shows that mild fatigue and above accounted for 67.7%. For further quantify the impact of different flights on pilots’ fatigue, research improves the fatigue coefficient model based on the results of pilot fatigue feeling questionnaire. Combined with multifactor analysis of variance and multiple linear regression, it is found that the independent variables have different and positive effects on the dependent variables, and there is no multicollinearity. Through the actual test, its accuracy is improved by 16.7% compared with the original model.

Abstract Regulation of the apoptotic pathway plays a critical role in inducing tumor cell death and circumventing drug resistance. Survivin protein is the strongest inhibitor of apoptosis found so far. It is highly expressed in several cancers and is a promising target for cancer therapy. However, clinical applications are limited by incomplete inhibition of survivin expression. Here, we present a novel strategy that extended the release of YM155 (an effective survivin inhibitor that works by inhibiting the activity of survivin promoter) and TATm‐survivin (T34A) (TmSm) protein (survivin protein mutant with penetrating peptide, a potential anticancer protein therapeutic) via tumor matrix microenvironment‐mediated ferritin heavy chain nanocages (FTH1 NCs), enabling significant inhibition of survivin activity at both transcript and protein levels. FTS (FTH1‐matrix metalloproteinase‐2‐TmSm)/YM155 NC synthesis was easily scaled up, and these NCs could sequentially release TmSm protein through matrix metalloproteinase‐2 and promote YM155 to enter the nucleus via transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1) binding, which increased the cytotoxicity and apoptosis of Capan‐2 and A549 cells compared to that with individual drugs. Moreover, FTS/YM155 NCs enhanced drug accumulation at tumor sites and had a higher tumor inhibition rate (88.86%) than the compounds alone in A549 tumor‐bearing mice. In addition, FTS/YM155 NCs exerted significant survivin downregulation (4.43‐fold) and caspase‐3 upregulation (4.31‐fold) and showed better therapeutic outcomes without inducing organ injury, which highlights their promising future clinical application in precision therapy. This tumor microenvironment‐responsive platform could be harnessed to develop an effective therapy via multilevel inhibition of cancer targets.

The increase in travel mode options has led to changes in the travel decision-making behaviors of passengers and differences in spatial patterns of the markets of high-speed rail and air travel. Taking China’s central cities as the research subject, we analyze the spatial differentiation characteristics of high-speed rail and air transportation markets from a geographic perspective based on the passenger travel utility function. We analyze the influence on passenger travel decision-making behavior from the perspectives of the socioeconomic level and fare structure. The findings show that in the central city transportation market, passengers have a stronger preference for air travel. However, there are differences between regions, with high-speed rail dominating more in the partial north and air focusing on the partial south. As the value of time per capita increases, the dominant range of air travel gradually increases, while the dominant range of high-speed rail travel is compressed to some extent. An increase in fares does not cause a significant decrease in air demand; however, a reduction in fares leads to an increase in air passenger travel satisfaction.

The reservoir computing (RC) system, known for its ability to seamlessly integrate memory and computing functions, is considered as a promising solution to meet the high demands for time and energy-efficient computing in the current big data landscape, compared with traditional silicon-based computing systems that have a noticeable disadvantage of separate storage and computation. This review focuses on in-materio RC based on nanowire networks (NWs) from the perspective of materials, extending to reservoir devices and applications. The common methods used in preparing nanowires-based reservoirs, including the synthesis of nanowires and the construction of networks, are firstly systematically summarized. The physical principles of memristive and memcapacitive junctions are then explained. Afterwards, the dynamic characteristics of nanowires-based reservoirs and their computing capability, as well as the neuromorphic applications of NWs-based RC systems in recognition, classification, and forecasting tasks, are explicated in detail. Lastly, the current challenges and future opportunities facing NWs-based RC are highlighted, aiming to provide guidance for further research.

Iron is a trace element necessary for cell growth, development, and cellular homeostasis, but insufficient or excessive level of iron is toxic. Intracellularly, sufficient amounts of iron are required for mitochondria (the center of iron utilization) to maintain their normal physiologic function. Iron deficiency impairs mitochondrial metabolism and respiratory activity, while mitochondrial iron overload promotes ROS production during mitochondrial electron transport, thus promoting potential disease development. This review provides an overview of iron homeostasis, mitochondrial iron metabolism, and how mitochondrial iron imbalances-induced mitochondrial dysfunction contribute to diseases.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced chronic immune stress on intestinal morphology and function, immune system, oxidative status, and mitochondrial function in piglets. Fifty healthy Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire piglets (21 ± 2 days old, barrow, 6.98 ± 0.14 kg body weight) were selected and randomly allotted to five groups, which were slaughtered at 0 (0 group), 1, 5, 9, and 15 d of LPS injection. The results showed that compared with the piglets without LPS injection, LPS injection significantly impaired the intestinal morphology and permeability at 1, 5, and 9 d, as manifested by the increased serum lactic acid and decreased ratio of villus height to crypt depth (p < 0.05). Moreover, intestinal inflammation and oxidative and mitochondrial injury were caused at 1 d, as manifested by upregulated IL-6 mRNA expression, increased malondialdehyde content, and impaired mitochondrial morphology (p < 0.05). However, these parameters were restored to levels identical to 0 group at 9~15 d, accompanied by significantly increased antioxidant capacity, enhanced protein expression of CD3+ and CD68+, and upregulated mRNA abundance of genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis and functions (p < 0.05). Collectively, these results suggest that the intestinal injury of piglets caused by chronic immune stress could be self-repaired.

When the pulse-sequence-based image sensor films high-speed moving objects, the image lag problem may appears as blurring in reconstructed images. In this paper, an algorithm is proposed to suppress lags by distinguishing the lag area and calculating ratio of bright to dark part in one trigger interval. The algorithm bases on the sensor's characteristics and image lag principle that the change of light intensity cannot be immediately reflected on the pulse generated from photoelectric accumulation. The effectiveness of the algorithm is verified both on the sensor's behavior-level model and the real image sensor. In both experiments the curves of LSF (line spread function) and MTF (modulation transfer function) show the reconstructed edges after lag elimination algorithm are similar to the real edges both in sharpness and position. The indexes to evaluate image similarity including LMD (location mean deviation), PSNR (peak signal to noise ratio) and SSIM (structural similarity index) improve respectively. In the experiment on sensor's model, when the simulation velocity of edge is low, the algorithm can reconstruct the perfect edges as input images. As velocity increases, the reconstructed edges are still sharp but with slight shifts. In the real experiment to film a turntable with a rotation speed of 6000r/min, the LMD, PSNR and SSIM improve from 22.2833 to 2.5167, 18.2485 to 21.8603 and 0.8345 to 0.9364 respectively. These results show that the algorithm can suppress image lag and improve reconstructed image quality.

Recurrent hydatidiform mole (RHM) is characterized by the occurrence of at least twice hydatidiform mole. Unlike sporadic complete hydatidiform moles (CHMs), which are androgenetic with 2 paternal chromosomes, CHMs associated with familial recurrence are genetically biparental with a maternal and a paternal chromosome. NLRP7 mutations have been reported in 55% of RHM cases. Here, we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from a patent with NLRP7 gene mutation c.1261C > T by reprogramming peripheral blood mononuclear cells by non-integrated method. The resulting iPSCs carrying NLRP7 mutation, had normal karyotype, expressed pluripotency markers, and could differentiate into three germ layers in vivo.

As a natural enemy of green peach aphids, harlequin ladybirds, Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), are also indirectly affected by azadirachtin. In this study, we evaluated the effects of ladybird exposure to azadirachtin through azadirachtin-treated aphids. About 2 mg/L azadirachtin treated aphid can deliver the azadirachtin to ladybird larvae in 12 and 24 h. And azadirachtin treatment affected the rate at which fourth instar larvae and adult ladybirds preyed on aphids. Furthermore, the antifeedant effect increased with increasing azadirachtin concentrations. Twelve hours after exposing fourth instar ladybird larvae to aphids treated with 10 mg/L azadirachtin, the antifeedant effect was 47.70%. Twelve hours after exposing adult ladybirds to aphids treated with 2 mg/L azadirachtin, the antifeedant effect was 67.49%. Forty-eight hours after exposing ladybird larvae to azadirachtin-treated aphids, their bodyweights were 8.37 ± 0.044 mg (2 mg/L azadirachtin), 3.70 ± 0.491 mg (10 mg/L azadirachtin), and 2.39 ± 0.129 mg (50 mg/L azadirachtin). Treatment with azadirachtin affected the ability of ladybirds to prey on aphids. The results indicated that the instant attack rate of ladybird larvae and adults and the daily maximum predation rate were reduced by azadirachtin treatment. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and peroxide (CAT) enzyme activities of ladybirds were affected after feeding on aphids treated with azadirachtin. Azadirachtin has certain antifeedant effects on ladybirds and affects the ability of ladybirds to prey on aphids and the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT enzymes, which results in inhibition of normal body development.

Objective: Pharmacokinetic (PK) similarity between biosimilar candidate LRG201902 and European Union-sourced liraglutide reference product (Victoza®) was evaluated. Safety and immunogenicity were also assessed.Methods: This single-dose, randomized, open-label, 2-period crossover study (CTR20192342) was conducted in thirty-eight healthy adult male subjects. Volunteers were randomized 1:1 at the beginning to receive a single 0.6 mg dose of Victoza® or LRG201902 by subcutaneous injection during the first period. Following 8 days washout period, all subjects received the alternate formulation during the second period. Blood samples were collected up to 72 h after administration. The primary pharmacokinetic endpoints were AUC0–t, AUC0–∞, and Cmax. Pharmacokinetic similarity was achieved if 90% confidence intervals (CIs) of the geometric mean ratios (GMRs) of AUC0-t, AUC0–∞, and Cmax were within the range of 80–125%. Other pharmacokinetic parameters including Tmax, t½, and λz were also measured. Safety profile and immunogenicity data were collected from each subject.Results: Cmax, AUC0–t, and AUC0–∞ were similar between the two groups. GMRs of Cmax, AUC0–t, and AUC0–∞ were 113.50%, 107.21%, and 106.97% between LRG201902 and Victoza® respectively. The 90% CIs for the GMRs of Cmax, AUC0-t, and AUC0–∞ were all within the PK equivalence criteria. Mean serum concentration-time profiles, secondary pharmacokinetic parameters (Tmax, t½, and λz) were comparable between groups. Treatment-related adverse events were reported by 27.8% and 23.7% subjects in the LRG201902 and Victoza® arms, respectively. All post-dose samples were detected negative for anti-drug antibodies.Conclusion: This study demonstrates pharmacokinetic similarity of LRG201902 to Victoza® in healthy subjects. The safety and immunogenicity profiles were similar for the two products.

Betaine is a natural compound present in commonly consumed foods and may have a potential role in the regulation of glucose and lipids metabolism. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of its action remains largely unknown. Here, we show that supplementation with betaine contributes to improved high-fat diet (HFD)-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis and increases anti-obesity strains such as Akkermansia muciniphila, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium. In mice lacking gut microbiota, the functional role of betaine in preventing HFD-induced obesity, metabolic syndrome, and inactivation of brown adipose tissues are significantly reduced. Akkermansia muciniphila is an important regulator of betaine in improving microbiome ecology and increasing strains that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Increasing two main members of SCFAs including acetate and butyrate can significantly regulate the levels of DNA methylation at host miR-378a promoter, thus preventing the development of obesity and glucose intolerance. However, these beneficial effects are partially abolished by Yin yang (YY1), a common target gene of the miR-378a family. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that betaine can improve obesity and associated MS via the gut microbiota-derived miR-378a/YY1 regulatory axis, and reveal a novel mechanism by which gut microbiota improve host health.

Botanical pesticides have received increasing attention for sustainable control of insect pests. Plants from the genus Tephrosia are known to produce rotenone and deguelin. Rotenone is known to possess insecticidal activities against a wide range of pests, but deguelin’s activities remain largely inconclusive. On the other hand, the biosynthesis of rotenone and deguelin may vary in Tephrosia species. This study analyzed the rotenone and deguelin contents in 13 strains across 4 Tephrosia species over 4 growing seasons using HPLC. Our study shows that the species and even the strains within a species vary substantially in the biosynthesis of rotenone and deguelin, and their contents can be affected by the growing season. After identification of the LC50 values of chemical rotenone and deguelin against Aphis gossypii (Glover) and Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), leaf extracts derived from the 13 strains were used to test their insecticidal activities against the 2 pests. The results showed that the extracts derived from 2 strains of T. vogelii had the highest insecticidal activity, resulting in 100% mortality of A. gossypii and greater than 90% mortality of B. tabaci. The higher mortalities were closely associated with the higher contents of rotenone and deguelin in the two strains, indicating that deguelin also possesses insecticidal activities. This is the first documentation of leaf extracts derived from 13 Tephrosia strains against 2 important pests of A. gossypii and B. tabaci. The strain variation and seasonal influence on the rotenone and deguelin contents call for careful attention in selecting appropriate strains and seasons to produce leaf extracts for the control of insect pests.

Background: The high price is a critical barrier of access to new direct-anting-antiviral (DAA) therapies for hepatitis C for both the patients and the society. Many countries continue to face the challenge of financing such expensive medicines. Such examples include both high-income and middle-income countries. Existing evidence about the efforts of China to address this challenge is limited. To our knowledge, this is the first detailed description of a novel financing model and comprehensive analysis of its impact on patient financial burden of hepatitis C treatment in China. Objective: To examine the evolution of approaches to navigating patients’ barriers of access to DAA-based treatment of hepatitis C in Tianjin City, China. Methods: Review of publicly available literature, including published and grey literature. Conduct on-site data extraction and key informant interview. The patient financial burden of hepatitis C treatment was analyzed. The financial burden of hepatitis C patients with different treatment models and health insurance financing models was measured by calculating the number of annual income to cover patient out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure for the standard treatment course accordingly. Findings: Tianjin is the first area to pilot a capitated provider payment program for the treatment of hepatitis C. Through which, the retirees and employees spend 0.7 and 1.0 months of their salary, and residents spend 5.6-6.8 months of their salary for the treatment, the financial burden of patients were much relieved. By the end of March 2019, the first-year pilot program had 876 hepatitis C patients registered the new insurance coverage and treated in Tianjin. Conclusions: The study showed that the financial barriers of access to new hepatitis C treatment for patients could be unblocked with government commitment and novel financing models. International experiences demonstrated that centralized bulk procurement is a good leverage for price negotiation, primarily when using innovative payment approaches. To replicate the initial success of Tianjin, continued efforts are needed for stronger strategic price negotiation, preferably at central level. The case of Tianjin brings implications to the other areas of China and even other developing countries that government commitment, novel financing model and pooled procurement are critical elements of stronger purchasing power and a better secure of treatment.

Biological control is a key component of integrated pest management (IPM). To suppress pests in a certain threshold, chemical control is used in combination with biological and other control methods. An essential premise for using pesticides in IPM is to ascertain their compatibility with beneficial insects. Chrysopa sinica (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) is an important predator of various pests and used for pest management. This study was intended to analyze metabolic changes in C. sinica larvae after feeding on azadirachtin-treated Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera, Plutellidae) larvae through a non-targeted LC–MS (Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry) based metabolomics analysis. Results showed that C. sinica larvae did not die after consuming P. xylostella larvae treated with azadirachtin. However, their pupation and eclosion were adversely affected, resulting in an impairment in the completion of their life cycle. Feeding C. sinica larvae with azadirachtin-treated P. xylostella larvae affected over 10,000 metabolites across more than 20 pathways, including the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, lipid, cofactors, and vitamins in C. sinica larvae, of which changes in amnio acid metabolism were particularly pronounced. A working model was proposed to illustrate differential changes in 20 metabolites related to some amino acid metabolisms. Among them, 15 were markedly reduced and only five were elevated. Our results suggest that azadirachtin application may not be exclusively compatible with the use of the predator C. sinica for control of P. xylostella. It is recommended that the compatibility should be evaluated not only based on the survival of the predatory insects but also by the metabolic changes and the resultant detrimental effects on their development.

Four kinds of 3D models of origami tubes are developed by employing the Miura origami pattern and then assemble into stacked folded structures which are used as the cores of sandwich beams. The quasi-static mechanical behaviors of stacked folded structures and dynamic responses of sandwich beams were theoretically and numerically investigated. The Possion's ratio, force-displacement, back-facet deflection and energy dissipation were considered. The results indicate that the original folding angle has significant effect on Poisson's ratio. The origami tubes with unique mechanical properties can be used as programmable materials to fit specified engineering demand. The arrangement of layers has little influence on the anti-blast performance of corresponding sandwich beams. Compared with the traditional sandwich beams, the influence of core relative density on deformation modes of sandwich beam with foldable core can be ignored. Keywords: Origami-inspired structure, Sandwich beam, Blast loading, Energy absorption

Excessive fat accumulation can lead to obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, and other diseases. MicroRNAs are a class of microRNAs that regulate gene expression and are highly conserved in function among species. microRNAs have been shown to act as regulatory factors to inhibit fat accumulation in the body. We found that miR-370-3p was expressed at lower levels in the fat mass of mice on a high-fat diet than in mice on a normal control diet. Furthermore, our data showed that the overexpression of miR-370-3p significantly suppressed the mRNA expression levels of adipogenic markers. Thus, miR-370-3p overexpression reduced lipid accumulation. Conversely, the inhibition of miR-370-3p suppressed 3T3-L1 preadipocyte proliferation and promoted preadipocyte differentiation. In addition, Mknk1, a target gene of miR-370-3p, plays an opposing role in preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation. Moreover, consistent results from in vitro as well as in vivo experiments suggest that the inhibition of fat accumulation by miR-370-3p may result from the inhibition of saturated fatty acids that promote the accumulation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. In conclusion, these results suggest that miR-370-3p plays an important role in adipogenesis and fatty acid metabolism through the regulation of Mknk1.

The viscosity (9.34–405.92 mPa·s) and absorption capacity (0.4394–1.0562 g·g−1) of (1-ethyl-3-methylidazolium trifluoroacetate + triethanolamine) binary blends atmospheric pressure in the temperature range of 303.15–343.15 K and at different mole fractions of [EMIM] [TFA] have been carried out. The molar fraction of [EMIM] [TFA] dependence of the viscosity and absorption capacity was demonstrated. The addition of a small amount of [EMIM] [TFA] into TEA led to rapidly decreased rates of binary blends’ viscosity and absorption capacity. However, the viscosity and absorption of binary blends did not decrease significantly when [EMIM] [TFA] was increased to a specific value. Compared with the molar fraction of the solution, the temperature had no obvious effect on viscosity and absorption capacity. By modeling and optimizing the ratio of viscosity and absorption capacity of ([EMIM] [TFA] + TEA), it is proven that when the mole fraction of [EMIM] [TFA] is 0.58, ([EMIM] [TFA] + TEA) has the best viscosity and absorption capacity at the same time. In addition, at 303.15 K, ([EMIM] [TFA] + TEA) was absorbed and desorbed six times, the absorption slightly decreased, and the desorption increased.

A comparison of the different types of resting state reveals some interesting characteristics of spontaneous brain activity that cannot be found in a single condition. Differences in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) between the eyes open (EO) and the eyes closed (EC) almost have a spatially distinct pattern with traditional EO-EC activation within sensory systems, suggesting the divergent functional roles of ALFF and activation. However, the underlying mechanism is far from clear. Since the thalamus plays an essential role in sensory processing, one critical step toward understanding the divergences is to depict the relationships between the thalamus and the ALFF modulation in sensory regions. In this preliminary study, we examined the association between the changes of ALFF and the changes of thalamic functional connectivity (FC) between EO and EC. We focused on two visual thalamic nuclei, the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and the pulvinar (Pu). FC results showed that LGN had stronger synchronization with regions in lateral but not in medial visual networks, while Pu had a weaker synchronization with auditory and sensorimotor areas during EO compared with EC. Moreover, the patterns of FC modulation exhibited considerable overlaps with the ALFF modulation, and there were significant correlations between them across subjects. Our findings support the crucial role of the thalamus in amplitude modulation of low-frequency spontaneous activity in sensory systems, and may pave the way to elucidate the mechanisms governing distinction between evoked activation and modulation of low-frequency spontaneous brain activity.

Adropin, a secretory signal peptide, has shown beneficial effects on improving glucose homeostasis and dyslipidemia. However, whether this peptide affects nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has remained unclear. In this study, the serum adropin levels, liver injury and oxidative stress were measured in diet-induced NASH mice. Adropin knock-out mice and palmitate treated primary hepatic cells were used to investigate the influence of adropin on liver injury. Our results show that serum adropin levels were decreased and negatively correlated with liver injury in NASH mice. Knockout of adropin significantly exacerbated hepatic steatosis, inflammatory responses and fibrosis in mice after either methionine-choline deficient diet (MCD) or western diet (WD) feeding. And the treatment with adropin bioactive peptides ameliorated NASH progression in mice. Adropin alleviated hepatocyte injury by upregulating the expression of Gclc, Gclm, and Gpx1 in a manner dependent on Nrf2 transcriptional activity and by increasing the glutathione (GSH) levels. And adropin significantly increased CBP expression and promoted its binding with Nrf2, which enhanced Nrf2 transcriptional activity. Furthermore, AAV8-mediated overexpression of hepatic Nrf2 expression functionally restored the liver injury induced by adropin-deficiency MCD-fed mice. These findings provide evidence that adropin activates Nrf2 signaling and plays a protective role in liver injury of NASH and therefore might represent a novel target for the prevention and treatment of NASH. Keywords: NASH, ROS, Lipotoxicity, Nrf2, GSH

The mode-1 semidiurnal internal tides that emanate from multiple sources in the Sulu-Sulawesi Seas are investigated using multi-satellite altimeter data from 1993–2020. A practical plane-wave analysis method is used to separately extract multiple coherent internal tides, with the nontidal noise in the internal tide field further removed by a two-dimensional (2-D) spatial band-pass filter. The complex radiation pathways and interference patterns of the internal tides are revealed, showing a spatial contrast between the Sulu Sea and the Sulawesi Sea. The mode-1 semidiurnal internal tides in the Sulawesi Sea are effectively generated from both the Sulu and Sangihe Island chains, forming a spatially inhomogeneous interference pattern in the deep basin. A cylindrical internal tidal wave pattern from the Sibutu passage is confirmed for the first time, which modulates the interference pattern. The interference field can be reproduced by a line source model. A weak reflected internal tidal beam off the Sulawesi slope is revealed. In contrast, the Sulu Island chain is the sole energetic internal tide source in the Sulu Sea, thus featuring a relatively consistent wave and energy flux field in the basin. These energetic semidiurnal internal tidal beams contribute to the frequent occurrence of internal solitary waves (ISWs) in the study area. On the basis of the 28-year consistent satellite measurements, the northward semidiurnal tidal energy flux from the Sulu Island chain is 0.46 GW, about 25% of the southward energy flux. For M2, the altimetric estimated energy fluxes from the Sulu Island chain are about 80% of those from numerical simulations. The total semidiurnal tidal energy flux from the Sulu and Sangihe Island chains into the Sulawesi Sea is about 2.7 GW.

Synthetic insecticides are effective in controlling insect pests but can also harm nontarget organisms and the environment. During the last 40 years, there has been an increasing interest in alternative insecticides, particularly those derived from plants, commonly known as botanical insecticides. However, commercially available botanical insecticides remain limited. Rotenone is one of the earliest identified compounds and was used as fish poison and pest management. Due to its link with Parkinson disease, the use of rotenone was banned in many developed countries. Rotenone used to be isolated from Derris spp. and Lonchocarpus spp., and it can also be isolated from Tephrosia species. In this article, we present basic botanical information on selected Tephrosia species and their major compounds related to insecticidal activities and highlight the current use of extracts derived from some species, Tephrosia vogelii in particular, for control of insect pests in stored grains and crop production. The crude extracts contain multiple bioactive compounds, mainly rotenone, deguelin, rotenolone, and tephrosin, which act in either additive or synergistic fashion, resulting in effective control of insect pests. There are about 400 species in the genus Tephrosia, and species and even strains or variants vary greatly in these active compounds. We argue that a systematic evaluation of bioactive compounds in different species are needed, and species or strains with high insecticidal activities should be selected for use in the sustainable control of insect pests.

Millimeter wave cloud radar (MMCR) is one of the primary instruments employed to observe cloud−precipitation. With appropriate data processing, measurements of the Doppler spectra, spectral moments, and retrievals can be used to study the physical processes of cloud−precipitation. This study mainly analyzed the vertical structures and microphysical characteristics of different kinds of convective cloud−precipitation in South China during the pre-flood season using a vertical pointing Ka-band MMCR. Four kinds of convection, namely, multi-cell, isolated-cell, convective−stratiform mixed, and warm-cell convection, are discussed herein. The results show that the multi-cell and convective−stratiform mixed convections had similar vertical structures, and experienced nearly the same microphysical processes in terms of particle phase change, particle size distribution, hydrometeor growth, and breaking. A forward pattern was proposed to specifically characterize the vertical structure and provide radar spectra models reflecting the different microphysical and dynamic features and variations in different parts of the cloud body. Vertical air motion played key roles in the microphysical processes of the isolated- and warm-cell convections, and deeply affected the ground rainfall properties. Stronger, thicker, and slanted updrafts caused heavier showers with stronger rain rates and groups of larger raindrops. The microphysical parameters for the warm-cell cloud−precipitation were retrieved from the radar data and further compared with the ground-measured results from a disdrometer. The comparisons indicated that the radar retrievals were basically reliable; however, the radar signal weakening caused biases to some extent, especially for the particle number concentration. Note that the differences in sensitivity and detectable height of the two instruments also contributed to the compared deviation.

Excessive accumulation of adipose tissue is a main cause of obesity or overweight, which is significantly involved in increasing the risk of diseases. Recently, numerous studies have proved that microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in adipogenesis by negatively regulating gene expression at posttranscriptional levels. In this study, we showed that miR-125a-5p was expressed at lower levels in the adipose tissues of high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice than the normal chow (NCW)-fed mice. MiR-125a-5p expression were strongly up-regulated by nearly five-fold, when 3T3-L1 preadipocyte were induced and differentiated into mature adipocytes. Functional analysis indicated that overexpression of miR-125a-5p promoted 3T3-L1 preadipocyte proliferation and inhibited its differentiation. By contrast, inhibition of miR-125a-5p repressed 3T3-L1 preadipocyte proliferation and accelerated its differentiation. Furthermore, a dual-luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a direct target gene of miR-125a-5p during 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation. Further analysis confirmed that the process of miR-125a-5p inhibiting 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation might be associated with the regulation of fatty acid metabolism related genes. Taken together, our results indicated that miR-125a-5p might promote 3T3-L1 preadipocyte proliferation, whereas inhibiting 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation by negatively regulating STAT3.