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Background: KNOTTED1-like homeobox (KNOX) genes, plant-specific homologous box transcription factors (TFs), play a central role in regulating plant growth, development, organ formation, and response to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, a comprehensive genome-wide identification of the KNOX genes in Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis), the fastest growing plant, has not yet been conducted, and the specific biological functions of this family remain unknown. Results: The expression profiles of 24 KNOX genes, divided into two subfamilies, were determined by integrating Moso bamboo genome and its transcriptional data. The KNOX gene promoters were found to contain several light and stress-related cis-acting elements. Synteny analysis revealed stronger similarity with rice KNOX genes than with Arabidopsis KNOX genes. Additionally, several conserved structural domains and motifs were identified in the KNOX proteins. The expansion of the KNOX gene family was primarily regulated by tandem duplications. Furthermore, the KNOX genes were responsive to naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and gibberellin (GA) hormones, exhibiting distinct temporal expression patterns in four different organs of Moso bamboo. Short Time-series Expression Miner (STEM) analysis and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assays demonstrated that PeKNOX genes may play a role in promoting rapid shoot growth. Additionally, Gene Ontology (GO) and Protein–Protein Interaction (PPI) network enrichment analyses revealed several functional annotations for PeKNOXs. By regulating downstream target genes, PeKNOXs are involved in the synthesis of AUX /IAA, ultimately affecting cell division and elongation. Conclusions: In the present study, we identified and characterized a total of 24 KNOX genes in Moso bamboo and investigated their physiological properties and conserved structural domains. To understand their functional roles, we conducted an analysis of gene expression profiles using STEM and RNA-seq data. This analysis successfully revealed regulatory networks of the KNOX genes, involving both upstream and downstream genes. Furthermore, the KNOX genes are involved in the AUX/IAA metabolic pathway, which accelerates shoot growth by influencing downstream target genes. These results provide a theoretical foundation for studying the molecular mechanisms underlying the rapid growth and establish the groundwork for future research into the functions and transcriptional regulatory networks of the KNOX gene family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we adopt a monolingual, comparable, and cross-modal approach to investigate the use of hedges in interpreted and non-interpreted English speeches. To achieve this, we compile a corpus comprising speech data sourced from the interpreter-mediated Chinese government press conferences and the White House press conferences, respectively. Two research questions are formulated to guide our examination of hedging-related features in the corpus: (1) How does the use of hedges differ between interpreted English produced in different modes of interpreting (i.e., consecutive and simultaneous)? (2) How does the use of hedges in interpreted English differ from non-interpreted English? The results of our study show that interpreters, regardless of the consecutive and simultaneous mode, tend to employ significantly fewer hedges than spontaneous speakers of English. In addition, a vast majority of hedges in interpreted English stem from a relatively narrow range of core hedging devices. We posit that the underuse of hedges in interpreted English may be linked to constraints such as high cognitive pressure, rigid interactive structure, and source-language-related speech rhetoric conventions. Preliminary findings also suggest that the interpreting mode appears to exert little influence on the hedging patterns in the interpreters' renditions. Potential factors underlying such a trend are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper proposes a deep learning model based on Chebyshev Network Gated Recurrent Units, which is called Spectral Graph Convolution Recurrent Neural Network, for multichannel electroencephalogram emotion recognition. First, in this paper, an adjacency matrix capturing the local relationships among electroencephalogram channels is established based on the cosine similarity of the spatial locations of electroencephalogram electrodes. The training efficiency is improved by utilizing the computational speed of the cosine distance. This advantage enables our method to have the potential for real-time emotion recognition, allowing for fast and accurate emotion classification in real-time application scenarios. Secondly, the spatial and temporal dependence of the Spectral Graph Convolution Recurrent Neural Network for capturing electroencephalogram sequences is established based on the characteristics of the Chebyshev network and Gated Recurrent Units to extract the spatial and temporal features of electroencephalogram sequences. The proposed model was tested on the publicly accessible dataset DEAP. Its average recognition accuracy is 88%, 89.5%, and 89.7% for valence, arousal, and dominance, respectively. The experiment results demonstrated that the Spectral Graph Convolution Recurrent Neural Network method performed better than current models for electroencephalogram emotion identification. This model has broad applicability and holds potential for use in real-time emotion recognition scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand how microbiota influence plant populations in nature, it is important to examine the biogeographic distribution of plant-associated microbiomes and the underlying mechanisms. However, we currently lack a fundamental understanding of the biogeography of plant microbiomes across populations and the environmental and host genetic factors that shape their distribution. Leveraging the broad distribution and extensive genetic variation in duckweeds (the Lemna species complex), we identified key factors that governed plant microbiome diversity and compositional variation geographically. In line with the microbial biogeography of free-living microbiomes, we observed higher bacterial richness in temperate regions relative to lower latitudes in duckweed microbiomes (with 10% higher in temperate populations). Our analyses revealed that higher temperature and sodium concentration in aquatic environments showed a negative impact on duckweed bacterial richness, whereas temperature, precipitation, pH, and concentrations of phosphorus and calcium, along with duckweed genetic variation, influenced the biogeographic variation of duckweed bacterial community composition. Analyses of plant microbiome assembly processes further revealed that niche-based selection played an important role (26%) in driving the biogeographic variation of duckweed bacterial communities, alongside the contributions of dispersal limitation (33%) and drift (39%). These findings add significantly to our understanding of host-associated microbial biogeography and provide important insights for predicting plant microbiome vulnerability and resilience under changing climates and intensifying anthropogenic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to compare the in-vivo kinematics and articular contact status between medial-pivot total knee arthroplasty (MP-TKA) and posterior stabilized (PS) TKA during weight-bearing single-leg lunge. 16 MP-TKA and 12 PS-TKA patients performed bilateral single-leg lunges under dual fluoroscopy surveillance to determine the in-vivo six degrees-of-freedom knee kinematics. The closest point between the surface models of the femoral condyle and the polyethylene insert was used to determine the contact position and area. The nonparametric statistics analysis was performed to test the symmetry of the kinematics between MP-TKA and PS-TKA. PS-TKA demonstrated a significantly greater range of AP translation than MP-TKA during high flexion (p = 0.0002). Both groups showed a significantly greater range of lateral compartment posterior translation with medial pivot rotation. The contact points of PS-TKA were located significantly more posterior than MP-TKA in both medial (10°–100°) and lateral (5°–40°, 55°–100°) compartments (p < 0.0500). MP-TKA had a significantly larger contact area in the medial compartment than in the lateral compartment. In contrast, no significant differences were observed in PS-TKA. The present study revealed no significant differences in clinical outcomes between the MP and PS groups. The PS-TKA demonstrated significantly more posterior translations than MP-TKA at high flexion. The contact points are located more posteriorly in PS-TKA compared with MP-TKA. A larger contact area and medial pivot pattern during high flexion in MP-TKA indicated that MP-TKA provides enhanced medial pivot rotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malus hupehensis (MH), as a natural resource, contains various active ingredients such as polyphenols, polysaccharides, proteins, amino acids, volatile substances, and other components. Increasingly, studies have indicated that MH showed a variety of biological activities, including antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory activities, and other activities. Hence, MH has attracted wide interest because of its high medical and nutritional value. It is necessary to review the active components and biological activities of MH. This paper systematically reviewed the chemical substances, biological activities, and potential problems of MH to further promote the related research of MH and provide an important reference for its application and development in medicine and food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compensate for the slow dynamic response of fuel cell system (FCS) in fuel cell hybrid electric vehicles (FCHEVs), battery and supercapacitor are widely used as auxiliary supply energy sources in FCHEVs. How to reasonably allocate the required power among the three energy sources, reduce the fuel consumption and the SOC fluctuations of auxiliary energy sources becomes a tough problem to be solved. In this paper, we propose an energy management strategy (EMS) based on fuzzy control, considering the multiple constraints of hydrogen consumption and auxiliary energy SOC fluctuations of FCHEV. In this paper, the ant colony algorithm (ACA) is used for the first time to optimize the membership functions parameters of the dual fuzzy controller. The results obtained are verified in Matlab/Simulink. The proposed ACA optimized EMS can effectively reduce the equivalent hydrogen consumption and the SOC fluctuation of battery and supercapacitor by proving in four typical driving conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese herbal medicine, as a huge and diverse population, is rich in flavonoids, volatile oils, organic acids, terpenoids, alkaloids, and polysaccharides. Polysaccharides are the most important active ingredient in Chinese herbal medicine. Many studies have confirmed that Chinese herbal medicine polysaccharides (CHMPs) have antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, anti‐aging, anti‐tumor, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, regulating intestinal flora, improving immunity, and other biological activities. Obviously, CHMPs have good development potential and application prospects in the fields of biomedicine, food, and health products. However, different extraction and purification methods have a certain impact on the structure of CHMPs, and structure is closely related to its functional characteristics. Hence, a systematic review of the research progress and future prospects of CHMPs is necessary to promote their better understanding. In this paper, current knowledge on extraction, separation, and purification methods, chemical characterizations, and biological activities of CHMPs are summarized. This review provides an important theoretical reference for the further development and utilization of natural polysaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PEMFC system is a complex new clean power system. Based on MATLAB/Simulink, this paper develops a system-level dynamic model of PEMFC, including the gas supply system, hydrogen supply system, hydrothermal management system, and electric stack. The neural network fits the electric stack model to the simulation data. The effects of different operating conditions on the PEMFC stack power and system efficiency are analyzed. Combining the power of the reactor and the system efficiency to define the integrated performance index, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is introduced to optimize the power density and system efficiency of the PEMFC with multiple objectives. The final optimal operating point increases the power density and system efficiency by 1.33% and 12.8%, respectively, which maximizes the output performance and reduces the parasitic power. [Display omitted] • Build PEMFC system level model in MATLAB/Simulink. • Analyze sensitivity analysis of operating conditions. • Combine stack power and system efficiency to define integrated performance index. • Introduce neural networks and PSO algorithms to optimize system performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current nonoperative treatments for partial-thickness rotator cuff tears (PTRCTs) have limited effectiveness in preventing tear progression or promoting tendon healing. This study aimed to establish a rabbit model using in situ-forming fibrin gel containing adipose stem cell-derived exosomes (ASC-Exos/fibrin) to treat PTRCTs.Methods: Fifty-six rabbits (112 shoulders) were included in this study and assigned to 4 groups: the control group (32 shoulders; PTRCTs without treatment), the fibrin group (32 shoulders; PTRCTs treated with fibrin gel), the ASC-Exo/fibrin group (32 shoulders; PTRCTs treated with ASC-Exos/fibrin), and the sham group (16 shoulders; sham surgery). Bilateral, 50%-thickness, bursal-side PTRCTs of 1 mm (depth) × 3 mm (width) × 5 mm (length) on the supraspinatus tendon were established by a number-11 scalpel blade, with accuracy of the measurement ensured by a digital vernier caliper. At 6 and 12 weeks postoperatively, gross observation, measurement of the thickness of residual supraspinatus tendons, and histological and biomechanical analyses were performed to analyze tendon repair.Results: At 12 weeks postoperatively, the tendon thickness in the ASC-Exos/fibrin group (mean and standard deviation, 1.63 ± 0.19 mm) was significantly greater than in the control group (0.85 ± 0.09 mm) (p < 0.0001) and fibrin group (1.16 ± 0.17 mm) (p < 0.0001). The histological score in the ASC-Exos/fibrin group (6.25 ± 0.53) was significantly better than in the control group (11.38 ± 0.72) (p < 0.0001) and fibrin group (9.00 ± 0.54) (p < 0.0001). Overall, immunohistochemical staining of types-I and III collagen and biomechanical testing also showed ASC-Exos/fibrin to be more effective in repairing PTRCTs than fibrin alone and no treatment.Conclusions: Local administration of in situ-forming ASC-Exos/fibrin effectively facilitated the healing of bursal-side PTRCTs in rabbits. This approach may be a candidate for the nonoperative management of PTRCTs.Clinical Relevance: Ultrasound-guided injection of ASC-Exos/fibrin may be a novel nonoperative strategy to treat PTRCTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to The Paris Agreement, countries need to strictly control carbon emissions before global warming causes great damage to the environment. Therefore, how to reduce carbon emissions to restore carbon neutrality has become an inevitable life-and-death matter for all countries from a long-term perspective. In view of the ever-increasing LNG-fired power plants and the wasted LNG cold energy in vaporization process, a new environment-friendly cold energy utilization method is proposed to meet energy conservation and pollution reduction targets in this paper, integrating the organic Rankine cycle and the carbon dioxide capture cycle. Moreover, a full and deliberate comparison of pure and binary fluids is made to determine the optimal fluids of organic Rankine cycle (R600a) and carbon dioxide capture cycle (NH 3 +R125), respectively. After being optimized by genetic algorithm, the thermal efficiency is 33.7% and exergy efficiency reaches 47.2%. Meanwhile, the net specific work and total carbon dioxide capture generated by the system are 110.1 kWh/t LNG and 0.78 t/t LNG. In terms of economic benefit, this cold energy utilization system can recover the total investment cost in 1.85 years. Thus, the practical application of this proposed method is completely feasible and economical, and it can recover capital in a short time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As important parts of microbe–mineral associations, microalgae–montmorillonite composites are common in nature environment, which have been overlooked for a long time. In this study, the binding of Cd(II) in the montmorillonite, microalgae and their 1:5, 1:10 mass ratio composites interface were investigated. The results showed that maximum adsorption capacity of 1:5 and 1:10 mass ratio binary composites were 65.25 mg g−1 and 55.49 mg g−1, respectively, which both higher the theoretically calculated capacity from single montmorillonite and microalgae at pH 5.5. Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses indicated that phosphoryl and carboxyl functional groups on the algal cellular surface played major roles in both microalgae–montmorillonite composite formation and Cd(II) adsorption. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) further probed that higher sorption on composites were attributed to Cd(II) bridging between microalgae and montmorillonite, in which monodentate phosphoryl-Cd and carboxyl-Cd complexes on microalgae side, leading Cd(II) to a more stabilized state. In addition, the montmorillonite promoted dispersion of microalgae, releasing more carboxyl and phosphoryl functional groups as Cd(II) binding sites on the microalgae surface. These findings highlight the function of microalgae in the microalgae–clay mineral associations for Cd(II) fixation and provide further insight into the sequestration and migration of toxic metals in natural environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

D101 macroporous resin combined with high speed counter-current chromatography (D101 MR–HSCCC) was used to separate gallic acid (GA) from Cornus officinalis , and GA was added to starch-based products to improve food quality. The interaction and action mechanism of corn starch (CS) with GA were investigated for prediction and thereby controlling the structure and functions of starch-based foods. Results show that GA with 98.72% purity was successfully obtained using the D101 MR–HSCCC technique. HSCCC solvent system was composed of n-hexane–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (1:5:1:5, v/v/v/v). GA inhibited CS dissolution and improved CS swelling. Based on the particle size distribution, GA could enlarge the size of CS-GA complexes. FT–IR spectra exhibit that the interactions between CS and GA may comprise the intermolecular hydrogen bond and non-covalent bond. The results of XRD, LF–NMR and AFM show that the presence of GA could increase the relative crystallinity of CS, decrease the spin relaxation time (T 2) , and change the surface morphology of CS via the modification of hydrogen bonds distribution. Finally, SEM analysis indicates that GA could change the microstructure of CS-GA complexes. These findings facilitate the development of CS-based products and utilization of CS. • D101–HSCCC method prepared GA with 97.13% purity from Cornus officinalis. • Interactions of CS-GA are likely to be the hydrogen bond and non-covalent bond. • GA enlarges particle size and improves microstructure of CS-GA complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cranberry contains abundant anthocyanins. In this study, the extraction process for the ultrasound‐assisted extraction (UAE) of anthocyanins from cranberry was optimized using response surface methodology coupled with genetic algorithm. The optimum extraction parameters to achieve the highest yield of anthocyanins (7.25 ± 0.02) mg/g from cranberry via UAE were obtained at an extraction temperature of 53°C, ultrasound power of 310 W, ultrasound time of 33 min, and ethanol concentration of 52%. High‐speed countercurrent chromatography was used to separate and enrich main anthocyanins from cranberry. The purified anthocyanin components were analyzed by HPLC‐MS2. Seven major kinds of anthocyanins were detected and identified for the first time peonidin‐3‐(6‐malon)‐glucoside with a purity of 82.13% and pelargonidin‐3‐(6‐malon)‐glucoside with a purity of 85.37% in cranberry. Hence, ultrasound‐assisted extraction of anthocyanins was an effective and rapid method. This method has a broad application prospect in the extraction of bioactive substances from natural plant resources. Practical applications: Cranberries (Oxycoccos), as a good source of bioactive compounds, include anthocyanins, flavanols, various vitamins, superoxide dismutase, and phenolic acids, and the extraction process for the ultrasound‐assisted extraction of anthocyanins from cranberry was optimized using response surface methodology coupled with genetic algorithm in this study. High‐speed countercurrent chromatography was used to separate and enrich main anthocyanins from cranberry. This finding provides a new method for the extraction of anthocyanins from cranberry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Methods Results Conclusion Level of Evidence Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) stands as a primary intervention for severe knee ailments, yet concerns remain regarding postoperative patient satisfaction and flexion instability. This study aims to evaluate the in‐vivo kinematics of medial‐pivot (MP) and posterior‐stabilised (PS) designs during step‐up activity, in comparison to the kinematics of the nonoperated contralateral knee.Sixteen patients with PS‐TKA and 14 with MP‐TKA were retrospectively examined. Clinical outcomes were assessed using patient‐completed questionnaires. Motion during step‐up was captured using a dual fluoroscopic system. Statistical analysis was applied to evaluate the in‐vivo tibiofemoral six‐degree‐of‐freedom kinematics and articular contact positions between the two groups.Despite being older, patients in the MP group reported higher postoperative subjective scores for weight‐bearing functional activities. The axial rotation centres of MP‐TKA located on the medial tibial plateau exhibited less variance compared to PS‐TKA and contralateral knees. Compared to the contralateral knee (contralateral to medial‐pivot [C‐MP] or contralateral to posterior‐stabilised [C‐PS]), the MP group exhibited limited range of motion in terms of anteroposterior translation (MP: 3.6 ± 1.3 mm vs. C‐MP: 7.4 ± 2.5 mm, p < 0.01) and axial rotation (MP: 6.6 ± 1.9° vs. C‐MP: 10.3 ± 4.9°, p = 0.02), as well as in the PS group for anteroposterior translation (PS: 3.9 ± 1.7 mm vs. C‐PS: 7.2 ± 3.7 mm, p < 0.01).The MP group with better postoperative ratings demonstrated a more stable MP axial rotation pattern during step‐up activity compared to the PS group, underscoring the pivotal role of prosthetic design in optimising postoperative rehabilitation and functional recovery.Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysaccharides are another important class of bioactive macromolecules in organisms, in addition to proteins and nucleic acids. Numerous studies have confirmed that polysaccharides have various biological activities, including anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anticancer, and other activities, which have attracted the attention of researchers in the biomedical field. In the past decade, increasing researches have found that sulfation modification can improve many physicochemical properties of polysaccharides, significantly enhance their original biological activities, and even generate new activity. Hence, sulfated polysaccharides have attracted more and more attention. A systematic review of the latest research progress and future development prospects of sulfated polysaccharides is very essential to better understand them. Hence, the study has systematically summarized current knowledge about synthesis, structural characteristics, biological activities, and potential molecular mechanisms of sulfated polysaccharides. This review provides some valuable insights and important guidance for the further study of sulfated polysaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A bubble dynamics model was established in the dual-frequency acoustic field. • The effect of coupling parameters (f , φ , β) on acoustic cavitation were discussed. • Enhancement and attenuation effects were analyzed by varying two ultrasonic frequencies. • The best cavitation effect was found when φ = 0, β = 1 and f = 5 kHz. • The attenuation effect is more likely to occur with an increase in f and/or φ. To understand the effect of coupling parameters between two ultrasonic waves on acoustic cavitation, in this work, Keller-Miksis equation was introduced to built a bubble dynamics model that was used to describe the dynamic evolution of bubble and to discuss the effect of dual-frequency coupling parameters, such as frequency difference f (5 ∼ 280 kHz), phase difference φ (0 ∼ 7π/4 rad), and power allocation ratio β (0 ∼ 9), on acoustic cavitation in the presence of two ultrasonic waves irradiation. The enhancement and attenuation effect of cavitation have also been analyzed in detail by comparing the different dual-frequency combinations with single-frequency mode. It was found that all coupling parameters have a significant impact on acoustic cavitation, where the smaller values of f and φ were employed when β = 1, the stronger cavitation intensity was observed. Nevertheless, as the power allocation ratio is increased from 1 to 9 at φ = 0 for different frequency differences, the acoustic cavitation exhibits an attenuation trend. When the total acoustic power is evenly distributed, namely β = 1, the largest maximum expansion ratio (i.e. 12.96) was obtained at φ = 0 and f = 5 kHz, which represents a strongest cavitation effect. In addition, for different frequency combinations, the enhancement effect is found under the mixture of low and low frequency, whereas attenuation effect is generated easily by the combination of high and low frequency. Moreover, the effect become more pronounced as the proportion of high frequency component increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-023-02288-6.Correction to: Microbial Ecologyhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-023-02288-6Due to typesetting mistake, Jiaqi Tan was not captured as the 2nd corresponding author of this paper.The original version has been corrected.By Na Wei and Jiaqi TanReported by Author; Author [Extracted from the article]

Tumors remain a health concern worldwide, and gene therapy is a useful approach for treating tumors. The Clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) system, an efficient and robust gene‐editing system originating from bacteria, serves as an important tool in gene therapy. In this review, we briefly summarize the usage of CRISPR (including in gene knockout and gene knock‐in applications) and the CRISPRa system in tumor therapy, including its delivery approaches and the general fields in which it has been applied. We summarize the application of the CRISPR system in tumor therapy in two aspects: its application in tumor cell modification and its application in drug engineering. This review also summarizes the advantages and challenges of using the CRISPR system in tumor therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grape skins produced during the grape juice production and processing contain abundant anthocyanins and other active compounds. Consequently, this study optimized the extraction conditions for ultrasound‐assisted enzymatic extraction (UAEE) of anthocyanins from grape skins via response surface methodology coupled with genetic algorithm. The optimum extraction parameters to achieve the highest anthocyanins yield (3.01 ± 0.04) mg/g from grape skins by UAEE were obtained under an extraction temperature of 50 °C, ultrasonic power of 400 W, pectinase dosage of 0.16%, and extraction time of 28 min. The AB‐8 macroporous resin combined Sephadex LH‐20 techniques were further employed to purify the anthocyanins extracts obtained under optimum extraction conditions (AEOEC), and the main anthocyanins were identified using high‐performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The purified anthocyanins contained two anthocyanins in terms of delphinidin‐3,5‐O‐diglucoside and cyanidin‐3‐O‐rutinoside with purity of 91.35% and 92.64%, respectively. Ultimately, we further evaluated the antitumor activity of AEOEC and two purified anthocyanins on breast cancer. The results indicated that the antitumor effect of AEOEC on breast cancer MCF‐7 cells was better than that of two purified anthocyanins. In addition, AEOEC could memorably increase intracellular reactive oxygen species levels and apoptosis of MCF‐7 cells, and arrest MCF‐7 cells in the G2/M phases. The findings provide an effective and feasible method for anthocyanins extraction and reduce the environmental burden of this waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As local communities within a metacommunity may differ considerably in their contributions to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, it has been suggested that conservation priority should be given to disproportionately important local communities (i.e., keystone communities). However, we know little about what characterizes a keystone community. Using laboratory protist microcosms as the model system, we examined how the environmental uniqueness and location of a local community affect its contributions to the metacommunities. We found that the removal of local communities with unique environmental conditions, which supported endemic species, reduced regional-scale diversity, qualifying them as regional-scale keystone communities. In addition, the local communities possessing unique environmental conditions had greater impacts on ecosystem functions, including biovolume production and particulate organic matter decomposition. We also found that keystone communities for biovolume production were not keystone for organic matter decomposition, and vice versa. Our study, therefore, demonstrates the important role of keystone communities in maintaining biodiversity and functioning of metacommunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of dasatinib among 48 Chinese patients with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukaemia. The proportions of patients achieving the optimal molecular responses at 3, 6, and 12 months, a major molecular response (MMR) rate and a complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) rate were 87.0, 87.0, 72.2, 45.8, and 72.7% for patients with dasatinib as second-line therapy, and 34.8, 34.8, 33.3, 20.8, and 46.2% as third-line therapy, respectively. A BCR-ABL1 transcript level on the International Scale (BCR-ABL1IS) of ≤10% at the initiation of -dasatinib treatment was found to be associated with a higher probability of achieving MMR. Among patients with a -BCR-ABL1IS higher than 10% at initiation of dasatinib treatment, dasatinib showed better performance as a second-line therapy than as a third-line therapy. The patients who achieved an optimal molecular response at 3 months had a superior cumulative incidence of MMR and CCyR compared with patients who failed to achieve such a response. Dasatinib induced considerable responses as a second-line treatment, especially in patients with a BCR-ABL1IS ≤10% at initiation of treatment, whereas the efficacy was limited in patients receiving third-line therapy with a BCR-ABL1IS >10% at the initiation of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineered nanomaterials are rapidly becoming an essential component of modern technology. Thousands of tons of nanomaterials are manufactured, used, and subsequently released into the environment annually. While the presence of these engineered nanomaterials in the environment has profound effects on various biological systems in the short term, little work has been done to understand their consequences over long, evolutionary timescales. The evolution of multicellularity is a critical step in the origin of complex life on Earth and a unique strategy for microorganisms to alleviate adverse environmental impacts, yet the selective pressures that favor the evolution of multicellular groups remain poorly understood. Here, we show that engineered nanomaterials, specifically copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs), promote the evolution of undifferentiated multicellularity in Baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain Y55). Transcriptomic analysis suggests that multicellularity mitigates the negative effects of CuO NPs in yeast cells and shifts their metabolism from alcoholic fermentation towards aerobic respiration, potentially increasing resource efficiency and providing a fitness benefit during CuO NP exposure. Competition assays also confirm that the multicellular yeast possesses a fitness advantage when exposed to CuO NPs. Our results, therefore, demonstrate that nanoparticles can have profound and unexpected evolutionary consequences, underscoring the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the long-term biological impacts of nanomaterial pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element that modulate innate and acquired immune responses, and its deficiency triggers lymphopenia. However, the precise mechanisms underlying zinc-mediated lymphocyte maintenance have not been well clarified. Here, we have successfully generated a zip6 -null mutant zebrafish line using TALENs. The Zip6 -null mutant zebrafish developed normally during gastrulation. Loss of zip6 in zebrafish resulted in significant T lymphocyte reduction and a decrease in intracellular Zn levels. And the zip6 deficiency increases caspase-related cell apoptosis in both zebrafish cells and human T cells. Our results suggest that ZIP6 plays a critical part in T cell development, and enhance our understanding of Zn homeostasis and immune system maintenance. Highlights • Generate a zip6 -null mutant zebrafish line using TALENs. • Loss of zip6 in zebrafish results in significant T lymphocyte reduction. • Zip6 deficiency increases caspase-related cell apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 11q23 of the mixed lineage leukemia 1 (MLL1) gene plays a crucial role in early embryonic development and hematopoiesis. The MLL-AF9 fusion gene, resulting from chromosomal translocation, often leads to acute myeloid leukemia with poor prognosis. Here, we generated a zebrafish model expressing the human MLL-AF9 fusion gene. Microinjection of human MLL-AF9 mRNA into zebrafish embryos resulted in enhanced hematopoiesis and the activation of downstream genes such as meis1 and hox cluster genes. Embryonic MLL-AF9 expression upregulated HSPC and myeloid lineage markers. Doxorubicin and MI-2 (a menin inhibitor) treatments significantly restored normal hematopoiesis in MLL-AF9-expressing animals. This study provides insight into the role of MLL-AF9 in zebrafish hematopoiesis and establishes a robust and efficient in vivo model for high-throughput drug screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, high-phosphorus beared microalgae was prepared by cultivating modification in high-phosphorus culture, and used for the enhanced Cd(II) biomineralization in soil. Batch experiment results showed that Chlorella sorokiniana FK was modified successfully in highly phosphate culture. Both intracellular P (Poly-P, 29.7 mg/kg) and surface P (phosphoryl based functional groups, 3.7 mol/kg) were greatly enhanced, and the Cd(II) removal capacity surged to 45.98 mg/g at equilibrium in the Langmuir simulation. The EXAFS analysis indicated that Cd tended to form a more stable bidentate complex (RPO 4) 2 Cd when bounding with phosphate groups on the surface of the high-phosphorus microalgae. Moreover, high-phosphorus beared microalgae not only had higher immobilization amount of Cd(II), but also promoted immobilized Cd from adsorbed state to mineralized state. After high-phosphate cultured, increased density of P-related groups provided more adsorption sites, while the decomposition of intracellular Poly-P released phosphate ions into cell surface microenvironment, which combined and promoted the formation of Cd 3 (PO 4) 2 /Cd(H 2 PO 4) 2 on cell surface. Cd-contaminated soil remediation experiments applying high-surface-phosphate beared microalgae further showed that more Cd stabilized as a residue fraction within 49 days. This study proposes that the high-phosphate culture strategy is a good way to improve the immobilization of heavy metals in soil induced by microorganisms. [Display omitted] ● Enhanced MIPP by Chlorella via phosphorus-cultivated modification was found. ● More adsorbed Cd transformed into biomineralized Cd due to increased P releasing. ● Combined P removal and Cd(II) immobilization using Chlorella was proposed. ● Cd in real soil was immobilized as residue fractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Three new evaluation indicators for PEMFC performance are proposed. • Physical model is replaced with neural network model. • Multi-objective optimization is NSGA -II is carried out with reactant flow uniformity as major factor. Key issues such as performance, durability, and cost limit the large-scale commercial application of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The distribution of reactants in the PEMFC is not uniform, which will make the distribution of current density uneven, and then affect its durability. Different from the output power of the PEMFC as the performance evaluation index, the flow uniformity of the reactants, diffusion flux, and ohmic resistance are proposed as the comprehensive performance evaluation index. Firstly, the physical model of three-dimensional two-phase non– isothermal PEMFC was established. Secondly, six parameters were selected and the first-order finite-difference sensitivity of each parameter of the flow uniformity of the reactants and the diffusion flux was calculated. Five parameters were selected as optimization objects through sensitivity analysis. Then, the five parameters were scanned and parameterized, and the obtained data were used to train the neural network as a surrogate model. Finally, based on the fast non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm with elite strategy (NSGA-II), three PEMFC performance indexes including the flow uniformity of the reactants, the diffusion flux, and the ohmic resistance were optimized simultaneously. In this study, from Pareto solutions obtained by multi-objective optimization, the point with the largest diffusion flux is selected as the optimal solution, that is, the flow uniformity of reactants is 0.458411026, the diffusion flux is 0.049903274, and the ohmic resistance is 0.047476574. The optimized model has a higher polarization curve, which means better fuel cell performance. The flow uniformity of the reactants determines that the current density of the optimized model is more uniform than that of the basic model, which makes the fuel cell have better durability. Therefore, the fuel cell performance optimization method proposed in this paper is feasible. The three new performance evaluation indexes can provide a reference for the study of fuel cell performance and durability in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objectives of the present study were to investigate the length change in different bundles of the superficial medial collateral ligament (sMCL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) during lunge, and to evaluate their association with Knee Society Score (KSS) following medial-pivot total knee arthroplasty (MP-TKA). Methods: Patients with unilateral MP-TKA knees performed a bilateral single-leg lunge under dual fluoroscopy surveillance to determine the in-vivo six degrees-of-freedom knee kinematics. The contralateral non-operated knees were used as the control group. The attachment sites of the sMCL and LCL were marked to calculate the 3D wrapping length. The sMCL and LCL were divided into anterior, intermediate, and posterior portions (aMCL, iMCL, pMCL, aLCL, iLCL, pLCL). Correlations between lengths/elongation rate of ligament bundles from full extension to 100° flexion and the KSS were examined. Results: The sMCL and LCL demonstrated relative stability in length at low flexion, but sMCL length decreased whereas LCL increased with further flexion on operated knees. The sMCL length increased at low flexion and remained stable with further flexion, while the LCL length decreased with flexion on the contralateral non-operated knees. The lengths of aMCL, iMCL, and pMCL showed moderate (0.5 < r < 0.7, p < 0.05) negative correlations with the KSS, and the lengths of aLCL, iLCL, and pLCL were positively correlated with the KSS at mid flexion on operated knees (p < 0.05). The elongation rates of aLCL, iLCL, and pLCL were negatively correlated with the KSS at high flexion on operated knees (p < 0.05). However, no significant correlations between the length of different bundles of sMCL or LCL with KSS were found on contralateral non-operated knees. Conclusions: The elongation pattern of sMCL/LCL on MP-TKA knees showed differences with contralateral non-operated knees. The sMCL is tense at low to middle flexion and relaxed at high flexion, while LCL is relaxed at low to middle flexion and tense at high flexion following MP-TKA. Medial stability and proper lateral flexibility during mid flexion were associated with favorable postoperative outcomes in MP-TKA patients. In contrast, lateral relaxation at deep flexion should be avoided when applying soft-tissue balancing in MP-TKA. Level of evidence: Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive radiation is an important evolutionary process, through which a single ancestral lineage rapidly gives rise to multiple newly formed lineages that specialize in different niches. In the first-arrival hypothesis, David Lack emphasized the importance of species colonization history for adaptive radiation, suggesting that the earlier arrival of a diversifying species would allow it to radiate to a greater extent. Here, we report on the first rigorous experimental test of this hypothesis, using the rapidly evolving bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 and six different bacterial competitors. We show that the earlier arrival of P. fluorescens facilitated its diversification. Nevertheless, significant effects of colonization history, which led to alternative diversification trajectories, were observed only when the competitors shared similar niche and competitive fitness with P. fluorescens. These results highlight the important role of species colonization history, modified by their ecological differences, for adaptive radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A central goal of invasion biology is to elucidate mechanisms regulating community invasibility. Darwin's naturalization hypothesis, one of the oldest hypotheses in invasion biology, emphasizes the importance of phylogenetic relatedness (PR) between resident and invader species for predicting invasibility. Alternatively, a recent extension of the diversity-invasibility hypothesis predicts that phylogenetic diversity (PD) of resident communities influences invasibility. Neither of these hypotheses has undergone rigorous experimental testing, and the relative contributions of PR and PD to community invasibility are unknown, in part because their effects tend to be confounded with each other. Here we consider both perspectives together by independently manipulating PR and PD in laboratory bacterial assemblages. We found that, although invader abundance decreased significantly as PR increased, it was unaffected by PD. Likewise, we found that resident-invader functional similarity, not functional diversity of resident communities, was a significant predictor of invader abundance. Nevertheless, invader abundance was better predicted by PR than by functional similarity. These results highlight the importance of considering species evolutionary relationships, especially the PR between resident and invader species, for the prediction, prevention, and management of biological invasions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is one of the most promising power energy sources in the world, and its mechanism research has become the main starting point to improve the comprehensive performance of fuel cells. The gas diffusion layer (GDL) of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell has a significant impact on the overall performance of the cell as an important component in supporting the catalytic layer, collecting the current, conducting the gas and discharging the reaction product water. In this paper, a three-dimensional two-phase isothermal fuel cell model is established based on COMSOL, the gradient porosity of the GDL, thickness of the GDL, operating voltage and working pressure of proton exchange membrane fuel cell are analyzed, the consistency problem of fuel cell performance improvement and life extension that is easily overlooked in numerous studies is found. On this basis, a neural network proxy model is constructed through a large amount of data, and a multi-objective genetic optimization algorithm based on the compromise strategy of recombination optimization is proposed to optimize the uniformity of fuel cell power and oxygen molar concentration distribution, which improves the performance of the fuel cell by 1.45% compared with the power increase when it is not optimized. At the same time, the uniformity of oxygen distribution is improved 10.28%, which makes the oxygen distribution more uniform, prolongs the life of the fuel cell, and fills the gap in the optimization direction of the comprehensive performance of the fuel cell. • The three-dimensional two-phase isothermal geometric model of PEMFC is established based on COMSOL. • Establish the gradient porosity equation of cathode gas diffusion layer. • Establish a neural network proxy model to replace COMSOL fuel cell mechanism model. • A multi-objective genetic optimization algorithm based on recombination optimization compromise strategy is proposed. • This paper discusses the easily overlooked issue of consistency in fuel cell performance improvement and life extension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasound assisted aqueous two-phase extraction of polysaccharides from Cornus officinalis fruit was modeled by response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN), and optimized using genetic algorithm coupled with ANN (GA-ANN). Statistical analysis showed that the models obtained by RSM and ANN could accurately predict the Cornus officinalis polysaccharides (COPs) yield. However, ANN prediction was more accurate than RSM. The optimum extraction parameters to achieve the highest COPs yield (7.85 ± 0.09)% was obtained at the ultrasound power of 350 W, extraction temperature of 51 ℃, liquid-to-solid ratio of 17 mL/g, and extraction time of 38 min. Subsequently, the crude COPs were further purified via DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-100 chromatography to obtain a homogenous fraction (COPs-4-SG, 33.64 kDa) that contained galacturonic acid, arabinose, mannose, glucose, and galactose in a molar ratio of 34.82:14.19:6.75:13.48:12.26. The structure of COPs-4-SG was also characterized with UV–vis, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT–IR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Congo-red test, and circular dichroism (CD). The findings provide a feasible way for the extraction, purification, and optimization of polysaccharides from plant resources [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Chlorella sorokiniana FK, isolated from lead-zinc tailings, was employed for Pb(II) biomineralization with or without montmorillonite (MMT) addition in soil. Batch experiment results showed that montmorillonite facilitated Pb 3 (CO 3) 2 (OH) 2 formation on the surface of Chlorella -MMT composite, thus increasing algal cells' tolerance to Pb(II) poisoning. Surprisingly, Pb(II) adsorbed and biomineralized by Chlorella -MMT composite was 2.69 times and 3.76 times as much as that by Chlorella alone, respectively. The montmorillonite facilitated Chlorella- induced Pb biomineralization by promoting both photosynthesis and urea hydrolysis, mainly due to more hydroxyl functional groups generated during its binding with Chlorella and its high pH buffering capacity. Moreover, the SEM-EDS analysis indicated that the biomineral particles shifted from algal cell surface to montmorillonite surface in the composite during long-term Pb-detoxification. In-situ soil Pb(II) remediation experiments with Chlorella -MMT composites further showed that Pb was immobilized as carbonate form in the short term and as residue fraction in the long term. This study made the first attempt to explore the facilitating effects of montmorillonite on metal-carbonate precipitation mediated by microalgae and to develop a green, sustainable, and effective strategy for immobilization of heavy metal in soil by combining clay minerals and microalgae. [Display omitted] • Enhanced Pb(II) biomineralization by Chlorella -MMT composite was found. • MMT helped Chlorella Pb detoxification and solidification. • Both photosynthesis and urea hydrolysis pathways were involved and promoted by MMT. • Pb biomineral particles shifted from the surface of Chlorella to montmorillonite. • Pb in real soil was immobilized as residue fractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy shortage, greenhouse effect and environmental pollution are the three major crises faced by mankind. How to solve these three problems effectively has become the focus of all countries. Therefore, this paper proposes an innovative LNG cold energy utilization method that can simultaneously alleviate these three problems. This method includes an improved structure of the organic Rankine cycle, CO 2 capture cycle and supercritical CO 2 extraction of wastewater. In addition, automated machine learning based on data-driven approach is effectively used for modeling the wastewater extraction. Then, after verifying the accuracy of the proposed model, some parameters have great influence on the system performance. For instance, the temperature of supercritical CO 2 and working fluid water affect the local exergy efficiency and their regression coefficients are −0.29%/°C and 0.13%/°C, respectively. These parameters in wastewater extraction process are studied. Finally, under the optimization of genetic algorithm, the maximum wastewater treatment can reach 62.7 t/h increasing by 14.0%, and the LNG cold energy generation can reach 110.1 kWh/tLNG with an increase of 28.9%, while the exergy efficiency of the system is 50.4% increasing by 24.1%. Thus, organic Rankine cycle power generation, carbon capture and wastewater treatment play the roles of energy saving, emission reduction and environmental protection. At the same time, the results are compared with those of other scholars to verify the superiority of the proposed scheme. [Display omitted] • LNG cold energy reuse covering electricity, CO 2 capture and extraction is proposed. • Automated machine learning approach is used to build wastewater extraction model. • Reasonable arrangement of regenerative heat exchanger enhances system performance. • The maximum wastewater treatment reaches 62.7 ton/h utilizing genetic algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this paper, the impacts of three important parameters of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) porous layer: the porosity of the catalytic layer (CL), the electrolyte volume fraction of the CL, and the porosity of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) on the performance of the PEMFC were studied. The electrolyte is composed of platinum catalyst and ionomer. Considering the high cost of platinum catalyst, the goal of parameter optimization of the porous layer is to improve the PEMFC output power density while reducing the electrolyte volume fraction. To achieve this goal, a 3‐dimensional two‐phase isothermal PEMFC model was built. Under different operating voltages and porous layer parameters, run the PEMFC physical model to obtain a set of data, use the data to train the neural network to replace the physical model, and then use the multi‐objective optimization algorithm to optimize the porous layer parameters. The results show that when the operating voltage is 0.4951, the porosity of the CL is 0.2647, the electrolyte volume fraction is 0.4471, and the porosity of the GDL is 0.5043, and the overall performance is good. Compared with the original model, the optimized model improves the maximum output power density by 3.56% and reduces the electrolyte volume fraction by 10.58%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective method for the selection of active compounds from cranberry based on counter-current fractionation and bioassay-guided separation was established. Cranberry extract showed potential α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The active compounds were extracted by different solvents and enriched in water. The water extract was divided into eight fractions via high-speed counter-current chromatography to further track the active compounds. Results indicated that the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of F7 was remarkable higher than the other fractions. Four compounds, including delphinidin-3-glucoside (D3G), cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside, and pelargonidin-3-glucoside, were separated from F7 through column chromatography, and their structures were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and 13C NMR. D3G showed the strongest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity among the compounds. Moreover, the interaction mechanism between α-glucosidase and D3G was clearly characterized and described by spectroscopic analyses and molecular docking. D3G could spontaneously bind with α-glucosidase to form complexes through hydrophobic interaction. The secondary structure of α-glucosidase changed in varying degrees after complexation with D3G. The α-helix and β-turn contents of α-glucosidase markedly decreased, whereas the irregular coil increased. These findings provide a new insight into the interaction between α-glucosidase and D3G. • Counter-current fractionation assisted bioassay-guided separation. • Four compoundswere separated from cranberry. • Delphinidin-3-glucoside (D3G) showed the strongest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. • Interaction between α-glucosidase and D3G was studied. • Spectroscopy and molecular docking explored the interaction mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasound assisted hot water extraction (UAHWE) was applied to extraction of polysaccharides from Taraxacum mongolicum with hot water as extract solvent. Experimental factors in UAHWE process were optimized by response surface methodology. The optimal extraction parameters to achieve the highest Taraxacum mongolicum polysaccharides (TMPs) yield (12.08 ± 0.14)% by UAHWE were obtained under the ultrasound power of 200 W, extraction temperature of 62°C, solid‐to‐liquid ratio of 1:20 g/mL, and extraction time of 40 min, and then the crude TMPs were further purified by DEAE‐52 and Sephadex G‐100 chromatography to obtain a homogenous polysaccharide fraction (TMPs‐1‐SG). Subsequently, the structure of TMPs‐1‐SG was characterized by UV‐vis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT–IR), high performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Congo red test. The results display that TMPs‐1‐SG with an average molecular weight of 5.49 × 104 Da was comprised of mannose (Man), galactose (Gal), xylose (Xyl), and arabinose (Ara) with a molar ratio of 39.85:52.61:27.14:6.30. Moreover, TMPs‐1‐SG did not contain a triple helix structure. Furthermore, TMPs‐1‐SG and TEM presented a sheet‐like, rod‐shaped, and irregular structure. Finally, the antioxidant activity of TMPs‐1‐SG was evaluated by in vitro experiment. The IC50 values of scavenging DPPH and OH radicals for TMPs‐1‐SG achieved 0.71 mg/mL and 0.75 mg/mL, respectively. The findings can provide an effective method for extracting polysaccharides from natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Advanced scheme for cold energy recovery of marine natural gas engine is proposed. • The best working fluids for different modules are determined. • Comprehensive optimization of the whole system is realized by genetic algorithm. • Power and exergy efficiency of cold energy recovery are increased by 20.45% and 7.71%. With the implementation of International Maritime Organization's new emission regulations in 2020, it has a huge impact on shipping industry. To meet the strict emission regulations and policies, liquefied natural gas, as a promising fuel, can replace the traditional heavy oil, and effectively and practically act as the main power source of marine engine. When liquefied natural gas is vaporized from −162 °C to room temperature, a large amount of cold energy is released to the outside world. To reuse the cold energy efficiently and economically, a new scheme integrated with organic Rankine cycle, seawater desalination, subzero storage and air-conditioning is proposed through comparison of six solutions. With a series of analysis and comparison, R290, NH 3 , R32 and R152a are determined as the best working fluids for organic Rankine cycle, subzero storage, seawater desalination and air-conditioning modules, respectively. After optimizing the parameters of the scheme by genetic algorithm, the exergy efficiency, net work and payback period reach 55.91%, 210.3 kW and 4.27 years, respectively, showing excellent thermoeconomic performance. Therefore, the proposed method provides a new idea for cold energy recovery of natural gas engine on ships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ampelopsis grossedentata (AG) is an industrial crop in the grape family, which has been used as a dual‐purpose plant for medicine and tea with high medicinal values. However, little is reported on the separation technology of active components from AG and processing technology of AG products. High‐speed counter‐current chromatography (HSCCC) was applied to separate the principal component dihydromyricetin (DMY) from AG. DMY is added to starch‐based products to improve food quality. The interaction between corn starch (CS) and DMY was investigated to predict and control the structure and function of starch‐based foods. Results show that DMY with 97.13% purity was successfully obtained by HSCCC using a solvent system composed of light petroleum–ethyl acetate–methanol–water–trichloroacetic acid (1:3:1:3:0.01, v/v/v/v/v). Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FT–IR) exhibits that the interactions between CS and DMY included hydrogen bond and noncovalent bond. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) shows that DMY could increase the relative crystallinity of CS. Low‐field nuclear magnetic resonance results (LF–NMR) imply that DMY decreased the spin relaxation time (T2) and inhibited the mobility of free water. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) results suggest that DMY changed the surface morphology of CS through hydrogen bond interaction. Moreover, the results of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicate that DMY could enlarge the pores and change the microstructure of CS–DMY complexes. The findings promote the development of industrial CS‐based products and utilization of corn crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blueberry wine residues produced during the wine-brewing process contain abundant anthocyanins and other bioactive compounds. To extract anthocyanins from blueberry wine residues more efficiently, a novel procedure of ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvent extraction (UADESE) was proposed in this work. The extraction process was optimized by response surface methodology coupled with genetic algorithm. The optimum extraction parameters to achieve the highest yield of anthocyanins (9.32 ± 0.08 mg/g) from blueberry wine residues by UADESE were obtained at water content of 29%, ultrasonic power of 380 W, extraction temperature of 55 °C, and extraction time of 40 min. The AB-8 macroporous resin combined with Sephadex LH-20 techniques was used to purify the crude extract (CE) obtained under optimum extraction conditions and analyze the anthocyanins composition by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The cyanidin-3-rutinoside with purity of 92.81% was obtained. The HepG2 antitumor activity of CE was better than that of the purified anthocyanins component. Moreover, CE could increase the intracellular reactive oxygen species levels and the apoptosis, and arrest HepG2 cells in the S phases. These findings provided an effective and feasible method for anthocyanins extraction, and reduced the environmental burden of this waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AFM images of EPS-K (a) and EPS-B (b) and 3D-EEM images of of EPS-K (c) and EPS-B (d) • EPS-K and EPS-B were extracted from pure strains in activated sludge. • Both EPS showed superb performances for Hg(II) immobilization. • FTIR, 3D-EEM, XPS, EDS, PT were used to characterize the adsorption. • EPS-K and EPS-B showed different characteristics and sorption mechanisms. • S and P play important roles in the Hg(II) complexation. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), with abundant functional groups, play important roles in heavy metal elimination in sludge systems. In this paper, EPS-K and EPS-B were extracted from Klebsiella sp. NT8 and Bacillus sp. NT10 in activated sludge, and evaluated for their potential in Hg(II) sorption. AFM observation showed EPS possessed huge surface area. The adsorption tests indicated EPS-K and EPS-B were both superb adsorbents with the maximum sorption capacity of 2597.62 and 2617.23 mg/g, respectively and the adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm model. FT-IR and 3D-EEM analysis showed aromatic and tryptophan-like proteins in EPS-B, while tryptophan-like protein and humic substance in EPS-K contributed to Hg(II) binding, with higher site binding number in EPS-B. EDS and XPS further highlighted the S- and P-based functional groups in the complexation with Hg besides N. This work provides new insights into microbial products from sludge with biosorbent potential for metal treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the fluctuation of LNG supply, the profile of power generation has a mismatch with that of power demand, which causes power shortage at the demand peak time and power overcapacity at the valley time. To address this issue, a combined system containing standalone power generation subsystem and liquid air energy storage subsystem is proposed. The energy storage subsystem stores the surplus cold energy of LNG at the valley time, and it is released as power supplement at the peak time. As a stable heat source, geothermal energy is utilized to enhance the work output. Considering the uncertainties of power supply and power demand, Gaussian distribution model is introduced. Finally, the energy storage subsystem obtains 138 kW net work output of unit mass flow of LNG, achieving at least 29% improvement compared with previous works in the literature. The stored power can reach 148 MW/day and can meet the power shortage in the boundary condition of Gaussian distribution, which is a unique work in contrast to previous studies. The combined system achieves the net present value of 326.7 million dollars at the end of span life, and 3.6 dynamic payback years. A hybrid system including power generation, LAES and desalination is proposed. The mismatch and unbalance of power supply and demand has been solved. Gaussian distribution is used to solve the uncertainties of power supply and demand. Low-grade cold energy of LNG is further utilized by a desalination device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two models of microwave assisted aqueous two‐phase extraction (MATPE) of polysaccharides from Malus hupehensis are established by response surface methodology (RSM) and back propagation neural network (BP‐NN), compared their prediction ability, and comparatively optimized extraction process by using RSM and BP‐NN coupled genetic algorithm (GA), and the antioxidant activity of M. hupehensis polysaccharides (MHPs) is evaluated by the scavenging ability of free radicals. The results show that the predictive ability of BP‐NN is significantly better than that of RSM. The optimal extraction parameters to achieve the highest MHPs yield (4.71 ± 0.04)% by MATPE are obtained through BP‐NN coupled GA method under the microwave power of 337 W, mass fraction of ammonium sulfate of 23%, ethanol concentration of 29%, and liquid‐to‐solid ratio of 22 mL g−1. The IC50 values of 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radicals (OH) scavenging capacities for MHPs achieve 5.13 and 3.29 mg mL−1, respectively. The findings provide important references for the development and utilization of M. hupehensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractFruits and vegetables contain polysaccharides, polyphenols, antioxidant enzymes, and various vitamins, etc. Fruits and vegetables polysaccharides (FVPs), as an important functional factor in health food, have various biological activities such as lowering blood sugar, blood lipids, blood pressure, inhibiting tumors, and delaying aging, etc. In addition, FVPs exhibit good physicochemical properties including low toxicity, biodegradability, biocompatibility. Increasing research has confirmed that FVPs could enhance the stability and biological activities of anthocyanins, affecting their bioavailability to improve food quality. Simultaneously, the addition of FVPs in natural starch suspension could improve the physicochemical properties of natural starch such as viscosity, gelling property, water binding capacity, and lotion stability. Hence, FVPs are widely used in the modification of natural anthocyanins/starch. A systematic review of the latest research progress and future development prospects of FVPs is very necessary to better understand them. This paper systematically reviews the latest progress in the extraction, purification, structure, and analysis techniques of FVPs. Moreover, the review also introduces the potential mechanisms, evaluation methods, and applications of the interaction between polysaccharides and anthocyanins/starch. The findings can provide important references for the further in-depth development and utilization of FVPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus leaf blotch virus (CLBV) is a type member of the genus Citrivirus belonging to Betaflexiviridae. In this study, a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method was developed to detect CLBV; this technology has been widely used in the detection of various plant pathogenic microorganisms and exogenous genes. The sensitivity of the RT-LAMP method was increased 100-fold compared to that of the conventional RT-PCR. In addition, this method was fast, simple and specific; it could provide better technical support for field diagnosis, customs quarantine and the control measures of CLBV. To our knowledge, this is the first report detecting CLBV using RT-LAMP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Anthropogenic environmental changes, such as nitrogen (N) enrichment and alteration in precipitation regimes, significantly influence ecosystems world‐wide. However, we know little about whether and how these changes alter the phylogenetic properties of ecological communities. Based on a 7‐year field experiment in the temperate semi‐arid steppe of Inner Mongolia, China, we investigated the influence of increased N and precipitation on plant phylogenetic structure and phylogenetic patterns of species colonization and extinction. Our study demonstrated that N and water addition influenced different aspects of plant community structure. Water addition increased plant species richness by preventing species extinction and facilitating species colonization, without altering community phylogenetic structure. In contrast, N addition did not alter species richness, but promoted the colonization of species distantly related to the residents, changing community phylogenetic structure from being neutral to overdispersion. We also found evidence for abundance‐based extinction where rarer species were at greater risk of extinction, and functional trait‐based species extinction where shorter statured plants and shallower rooted plants were at greater risk of extinction. Synthesis. Our study provides the first experimental evidence that plant phylogenetic community structure responds differently to different aspects of global changes. Importantly, the colonization of non‐resident species, rather than the extinction of resident species, contributed predominantly to changes in plant community phylogenetic structure in response to N amendment. Our findings highlight the importance of considering species phylogenetic relationships for a more complete understanding of anthropogenic influences on ecological communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]