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AbstractBased on the analysis of survey data of left-behind children in rural areas of Guizhou Province, this paper studies the happiness of left-behind children and explores its interaction and impact with Internet usage behavior and social support. This study uses a sample size of 336 to study the relationship between Internet use, social support and subjective well-being of left-behind children through descriptive statistical analysis. The findings show that economic status has a statistically significant impact on financial well-being, and that the impact of life satisfaction on well-being increases as satisfaction levels increase. However, the frequency and duration of Internet use did not have a significant impact on subjective well-being. On the contrary, research found that content preferences have a positive impact on social support and subjective well-being of left-behind children. Information-based network use can bring more social support, thus improving the life satisfaction of left-behind children. Finally, family support had a significant predictive effect on left-behind children’s subjective well-being. Future research can further explore the complex relationship between left-behind children’s Internet use, social support and subjective well-being, especially comparative studies in different regions and different cultural backgrounds, to comprehensively understand the formation mechanism of left-behind children’s well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of the homestay industry is shadowed by ethical concerns and perceived risks. In this context, the emotional relationship between hosts and tourists in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic needs to be re-examined. Focusing on the togetherness of "we" rather than the demarcation of "you versus me," we integrate homestay hosts and guests into a conceptual model to examine and compare their emotional solidarity with each other, as well as the relevance of emotional solidarity to perceived risk, MES (Multidimensional Ethics Scale), and support for homestays. Our results show that despite the assumption of perceived risk, tourists feel welcomed by hosts during the pandemic, while hosts feel emotionally close to tourists. In addition to the findings that emotional solidarity mediates perceived risk, MES, and support for homestays in both samples, we find that hosts' perceived risk is more likely to influence their emotional solidarity and support for homestays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: Our purpose is to clearly diagnose the tongue and back tuberculosis ulcer through detailed medical history collection combined with examination, so as to provide certain experience for the diagnosis and treatment of oral tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by arterial plaque formation, is one of the most prominent causes of cardiovascular diseases. However, the current treatments often do not adequately compromise the chronic inflammation-mediated plaque accumulation and the disease progression. Therefore, a new and effective strategy that blocks atherosclerosis-associated inflammation is urgently needed to further reduce the risk. Colchicine, a potent anti-inflammatory medication, has shown great potential in the treatment of atherosclerosis, but its adverse effects have hampered its clinical application. Herein, we developed a novel delivery nanosystem encapsulated with colchicine (VHPK-PLGA@COL), which exhibited improved biosafety and sustained drug release along with the gradual degradation of PLGA and PEG as confirmed both in vitro and in vivo. Surface modification of the nanoparticles with the VHPK peptide ensured its capability to specifically target inflammatory endothelial cells and alleviate atherosclerotic plaque accumulation. In the ApoE − / − atherosclerotic mouse model, both colchicine and VHPK-PLGA@COL treatment significantly decreased the plaque area and enhanced plaque stability by blocking the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathways, while VHPK-PLGA@COL exhibited enhanced therapeutic effects due to its unique ability to target inflammatory endothelial cells without obvious long-term safety concerns. In summary, VHPK-PLGA@COL has the potential to overcome the key translational barriers of colchicine and open new avenues to repurpose this drug for anti-atherosclerotic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The wrist is the second most commonly involved location for GCTB, while distal ulna is a relatively rare location and limited evidence exists on which surgical approaches and reconstruction techniques are optimal. We carried out a multicenter retrospective study to evaluate the recurrence rate of distal ulna GCTB and the long-term functional outcomes of different surgery options. Methods: All 28 patients received surgical treatment for distal ulna GCTB in one of three tertiary bone tumor centers between May 2007 and January 2021 with a minimum two-year follow-up. Surgical options included intralesional curettage or en bloc resection (one of 3 types). Functional outcomes were assessed by the MSTS score, the QuickDASH instrument, MWS, and MHQ according to the latest treatment. Results: Overall recurrence rate was 14.2%. The curettage group (N = 7) had a significantly higher recurrence rate compared to en bloc resection (N = 21) (42.9% vs 4.8%) (mean follow-up: 88.8 mo). Seven patients received the Darrach procedure, 5 received the original Sauvé–Kapandji procedure, and 9 received the modified Sauvé–Kapandji procedure with extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tenodesis. Of the 4 patients having a recurrence, 1 received the Darrach EBR, 2 received the modified Sauvé–Kapandji procedure, and 1 received resection for soft tissue recurrence. Only MWS and esthetics in the MHQ scores were different (curettage, Darrach, Sauvé–Kapandji, and Sauvé–Kapandji with ECU tenodesis [MWS: 96.5 ± 1.3 vs 91.5 ± 4.7 vs 90.8 ± 2.8 vs 91.5 ± 3.6; esthetics in MHQ: 98.5 ± 3.1 vs 89.9 ± 4.7 vs 93.8 ± 4.4 vs 92.6 ± 3.8], respectively). Conclusions: En bloc resection for distal ulna GCTB had a significantly lower recurrence rate compared with curettage and achieved favorable functional outcome scores. Given the higher recurrence rate after curettage, patients should be well informed of the potential benefits and risks of selecting the distal radioulnar joint-preserving procedure. Moreover, reconstructions after tumor resection of the ulna head do not appear to be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The wrist is the second most commonly involved location for GCTB, while distal ulna is a relatively rare location and limited evidence exists on which surgical approaches and reconstruction techniques are optimal. We carried out a multicenter retrospective study to evaluate the recurrence rate of distal ulna GCTB and the long-term functional outcomes of different surgery options. Methods: All 28 patients received surgical treatment for distal ulna GCTB in one of three tertiary bone tumor centers between May 2007 and January 2021 with a minimum two-year follow-up. Surgical options included intralesional curettage or en bloc resection (one of 3 types). Functional outcomes were assessed by the MSTS score, the QuickDASH instrument, MWS, and MHQ according to the latest treatment. Results: Overall recurrence rate was 14.2%. The curettage group (N = 7) had a significantly higher recurrence rate compared to en bloc resection (N = 21) (42.9% vs 4.8%) (mean follow-up: 88.8 mo). Seven patients received the Darrach procedure, 5 received the original Sauvé–Kapandji procedure, and 9 received the modified Sauvé–Kapandji procedure with extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tenodesis. Of the 4 patients having a recurrence, 1 received the Darrach EBR, 2 received the modified Sauvé–Kapandji procedure, and 1 received resection for soft tissue recurrence. Only MWS and esthetics in the MHQ scores were different (curettage, Darrach, Sauvé–Kapandji, and Sauvé–Kapandji with ECU tenodesis [MWS: 96.5 ± 1.3 vs 91.5 ± 4.7 vs 90.8 ± 2.8 vs 91.5 ± 3.6; esthetics in MHQ: 98.5 ± 3.1 vs 89.9 ± 4.7 vs 93.8 ± 4.4 vs 92.6 ± 3.8], respectively). Conclusions: En bloc resection for distal ulna GCTB had a significantly lower recurrence rate compared with curettage and achieved favorable functional outcome scores. Given the higher recurrence rate after curettage, patients should be well informed of the potential benefits and risks of selecting the distal radioulnar joint-preserving procedure. Moreover, reconstructions after tumor resection of the ulna head do not appear to be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactor-induced disease accompanied by increased osmolarity of the tear film and inflammation of the ocular surface. Traditional anti-inflammation agent corticosteroids applied in DED treatment could result in high intraocular pressure, especially in long-term treatment. Therefore, we explored a nano drug that aimed to block the formation pathway of DED which had anti-inflammatory, sustained release, and good biocompatibility characteristics in this study. Methods: We prepared a novel nanomedicine (Tet-ATS@PLGA) by the thin film dispersion-hydration ultrasonic method and detected its nanostructure, particle size, and zeta potential. Flow cytometry was used to detect the cell survival rate of each group after 24 h of drug treatment on inflammed Statens Seruminstitut Rabbit Corneal (SIRC) cells. Observed and recorded corneal epithelial staining, tear film rupture time, and Schirmer test to detect tear secretion on the ocular surface of rabbits. The corneal epithelial thickness, morphology, and number of bulbar conjunctival goblet cells were recorded by H&E staining. Finally, we detected the expression of VEGF, IL-1β, PGE2, and TNF-α by cellular immunofluorescence staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The encapsulation efficiency and drug loading of Tet-ATS@PLGA were 79.85% and 32.47%, respectively. At eye surface temperature, Tet can easily release from Tet-ATS@PLGA while that it was difficult to release at storage temperature and room temperature. After 2 weeks medication, Tet-ATS@PLGA can effectively improve the tear film rupture time and tear secretion time in a DED model (p <0.05). Compared with the normal group (62.34 ± 4.86 mm), the thickness of corneal epithelium in ATS (29.47 ± 3.21 mm), Tet-ATS (46.23 ± 2.87 mm), and Tet-ATS@PLGA (55.76 ± 3.95 mm) gradually increased. Furthermore, the flow cytometry indicated that Tet-ATS@PLGA can effectively promote the apoptosis of inflammatory SIRC cells, and the cellular immunofluorescence and ELISA experiments showed that the expression intensity of inflammatory factors such as VEGF, IL-1β, PGE2, and TNF-α decreased in this process. Interestingly, Tet also had the effect of reducing intraocular pressure. Conclusion: Tet-ATS@PLGA can effectively promote the apoptosis of inflammatory corneal epithelial cells, thus inhibiting the expression of inflammatory factors to block the formation of DED and improve the secretion of tear on the ocular surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A finite element model of damage accumulation in the joint's tensile process was developed in ABAQUS software to address the complex load transfer mechanism of the hybrid adhesive-riveted joint of the carbon fiber sandwich structure. The change in adhesive-riveted energy was used creatively to characterize the joint's load-sharing law after verifying the accuracy of the simulation results. In addition, the effects of load sharing and eccentricity on the joint's tensile performance were investigated. The results show that the adhesive load came before the rivet load, but increasing the number of rivets improved the proportion of rivet load and prevented the adhesive layer from failing. A greater number of rivets also reduced the fluctuation of eccentricity, which affected the tensile load and crack propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new dihydro-β-agarofuran sesquiterpenes chiapen T (1) and chiapen U (2), along with chiapen A (3), 1β-hydroxy-2β,6α,12-triacetoxy-8β-(β-nicotinoyloxy)-9β-(benzoyloxy)-β-dihydroagarofuran (4), wilforlide B (5), 3-hydroxy-2-oxo-3-friedelen-29-oic acid (6), epikatonic acid (7), 22-epi-maytenfolic acid (8), maytenoic acid (9), wilforic acid F (10), wilforic acid B (11), were reported for the first time from the Celastrus angulatus. The structures of all the compounds were elucidated by HR-ESI-MS, 1 D and 2 D NMR spectra, as well as single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. Compounds 1 and 2 were examined for anti-inflammatory activity, respectively. None of them showed potent activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A paper‐based naked‐eye recognition assay with enzyme‐encapsulated protein engineered metal–organic framework‐derived biominerals is developed for direct quantification of sarcosine in urine samples for screening of prostate cancer individuals. The detection strategy stems from the successful construction of a cascade response model, which involves the introduction of a cascade enzymatic catalytic reaction on Pt nanoparticles (NPs)‐loaded porous CeO2 by integrating a sarcosine oxidase as a special recognition unit and a chromogenic substrate as a signal molecule reporter. Pt NPs‐loaded CeO2 is subjected to a one‐step thermal treatment based on multilayered mesoporous Ce‐based metal–organic framework, and the calcined CeO2 exhibits the same distinct porous graded structure. Importantly, introduction of Pt NPs sharply enhances the peroxidase‐like activity of CeO2, which is considered to be caused by the difference in the adsorption behavior of hydrogen peroxide on the CeO2 surface and Pt/CeO2 obtained by density functional theory calculations. On the basis of this, the probe is used on a mass‐producible paper‐based working platform and 3D‐printed device to specifically screen for minor differences in sarcosine between urine samples from cancer patients and normal individuals. Enzyme‐assisted cascade catalytic reaction can be extended by replacing different recognition units for multiple analytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hessenberg differential algebraic equations (Hessenberg-DAEs) with a high index play a critical role in the modeling of mechanical systems and multibody dynamics. Motivated by the widely used Lie-group differential algebraic equation (LGDAE) method, which handles index-2 systems, we first propose a modified extended Lie-group differential algebraic equation (MELGDAE) method for solving index-3 Hessenberg-DAEs and then provide a theoretical analysis to deepen the foundation of the MELGDAE method. Moreover, the performance of the MELGDAE method is compared with the standard methods RADAU and MEBDF on index-2 and -3 DAE systems, and it is demonstrated that the MELGDAE integrator exhibits a competitive performance in terms of high accuracy and the preservation of algebraic constraints. In particular, all differential variables in index-3 Hessenberg-DAEs achieve second-order convergence using the MELGDAE method, which suggests the potential for extension to Hessenberg-DAEs with an index of 4 or higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A flexible photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor is proposed for the sensitive detection of ochratoxin A (OTA) based on glucose oxidase (GOx)-encapsulated target-responsive hydrogel, using Fenton reaction-mediated in situ formation of polyaniline (PANI) as signal amplified strategy. The target-responsive DNA hydrogels with high loading capacity can carry a large amount of GOx, which not only avoids laborious labeling process but also enhances the analytical performance. Upon introduction of target molecules, the hydrogel can be opened, and multiple GOx was released, thus producing lots of H2O2 via catalytic reduction of glucose. As a component of the Fenton reagent, H2O2 can react with the Fe2+ on the graphene oxidase-PAMAM-Fe2+ (GO-PAMAM-Fe2+) to generate Fe3+ and ·OH. This in turn can oxidize aniline and generate polyaniline (PANI), resulting in the enhancement of the photocurrent signal of GO-MoS2-CdS photoelectrode. The GO-PAMAM-Fe2+ as the neighborhood component of GO-MoS2-CdS-based photoactive material not only can increase the loading amount of Fe2+, but also can inhibit the decrease of photocurrent of GO-MoS2-CdS by direct modification of Fe2+ on the photoactive material. Moreover, the high loading capacity of DNA hydrogel can efficiently promote the performance of the PEC biosensor. The PEC biosensor exhibited satisfactory analytical performance for OTA with a linear range of 0.0001–0.1 ng/mL and a low detection limit of 0.05 pg/mL. It presents recommendable specificity, stability, and practical applications. Importantly, the PEC biosensor provides a new concept for construction of PEC biosensing platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenolic compounds have been widely used in metallurgy, petroleum, chemicals, textiles, dye printing and pharmaceuticals. These compounds are persistent, non-biodegradable and harmful for human healthy, whose emission should be restricted before their efficient treatment. Electrochemical regeneration of granular activated carbon (GAC) saturated with p -nitrophenol (p -NO 2) has been investigated in Boron-doped Diamond (BDD) anode system. The dominated regeneration mechanism was mainly due to the electrostatic repulsion between negative polarized GAC located at cathode and deprotonated p -NO 2 ions. Operating parameters including current density, regeneration time, pH value, electrolyte concentration and flow rate have been investigated systematically. Under the optimized experimental conditions, regeneration efficiency of GAC was as high as 81.6%, without significant declination after five-times adsorption-regeneration cycles. During the regeneration process, organic compounds of p -NO 2 , which was desorbed from GAC and released into electrolyte, was oxidized at BDD anode surface. Therefore, GAC regeneration and p -NO 2 degradation were realized simultaneously. Effects of different anode materials on regeneration process was analyzed and BDD showed superior performance compared with PbO 2 , SnO 2 and Pt anodes, which was attributed to different intermediates formed at anode surface. In summary, GAC saturated with p -NO 2 can be regenerated efficiently in BDD anode system with p -NO 2 removed simultaneously. All these results demonstrated that electrochemical regeneration in BDD anode system has great potential for practical application. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains a relatively major public health problem. Simultaneously, an unhealthy lifestyle causes a series of metabolic abnormalities, the most critical of which are metabolic syndrome (MS) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Therefore, it is increasingly common for MS and NAFLD to coexist with CHB. MS is a cluster of metabolic disorders, while NAFLD is always considered as the manifestation of MS in the liver. The aim of this article is to review recent advances to explain the complex relationship among MS, NAFLD, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. MS and NAFLD both have obesity and insulin resistance as central factors and both can lead to adverse hepatic and extrahepatic outcomes. However, there is insufficient evidence to associate NAFLD with all components of MS, and genetically related NAFLD has little association with MS. Incidences of MS and NAFLD are inversely associated with HBV infection. However, the effect of HBV infection on the risk of insulin resistance and dyslipidemia is not well understood. Evidence from both clinical studies and animal experiments suggested that hepatic steatosis inhibits HBV replication. MS and NAFLD may have adverse effects on CHB disease progression and prognosis. Furthermore, in related studies of CHB with normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT), the roles of MS and NAFLD should also be emphasized. In conclusion, there are complicated interactions that are not yet fully defined among MS, NAFLD, and CHB. To control chronic liver disease effectively, the relationship among the three must be clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bemisia tabaci is a formidable insect pest worldwide, and it exhibits significant resistance to various insecticides. Dimpropyridaz is a novel pyridazine pyrazolecarboxamide insecticide used against sucking insect pests, but there is little information regarding its metabolic detoxification in arthropods or cross-resistance with other insecticides. In this study, we found that dimpropyridaz shows no cross-resistance with three other popular insecticides, namely abamectin, cyantraniliprole, and flupyradifurone. After treatment of B. tabaci adults with a high dose of dimpropyridaz, higher cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (P450) activity was detected in the survivors, and the expression of the P450 gene CYP6DW4 was highly induced. Cloning and characterization of the full-length amino acid sequence of CYP6DW4 indicated that it contains conserved domains typical of P450 genes, phylogenetic analysis revealed that it was closely related to a B. tabaci protein, CYP6DW3 , known to be involved in detoxification of imidacloprid. Silencing of CYP6DW4 by feeding insects with dsRNA significantly increased the susceptibility of B. tabaci to dimpropyridaz. In addition, homology modeling and molecular docking analyses showed the stable binding of dimpropyridaz to CYP6DW4 , with binding free energy of −6.65 kcal/mol. Our findings indicate that CYP6DW4 plays an important role in detoxification of dimpropyridaz and possibly promotes development of resistance in B. tabaci. [Display omitted] • Dimpropyridaz showed no cross-resistance to abamectin, cyantraniliprole, flupyradifurone. • High-dose selection of dimpropyridaz highly induced activity of P450 monooxygenase. • Knockdown of CYP6DW4 greatly increased mortality of B. tabaci to dimpropyridaz. • Dimpropyridaz could stably bind to CYP6DW4 in molecular docking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bemisia tabaci is a formidable insect pest worldwide, and exhibits significant resistance to various insecticides. Flupyradifurone is one novel butenolide insecticide and has emerged as a new weapon against B. tabaci , but field-evolved resistance to this insecticide has become a widespread concern. To unravel the mechanisms of field-evolved flupyradifurone resistance, we conducted a comprehensive investigation into susceptibility of twenty-one field populations within the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region of China. Alarmingly, thirteen of these populations displayed varying degrees of resistance, ranging from low to medium levels, and building upon our prior findings, we meticulously cloned and characterized the CYP6CX4 gene in B. tabaci. Our investigations unequivocally confirmed the association between CYP6CX4 overexpression and flupyradifurone resistance in three of the thirteen resistant strains via RNA interference. To further validate our findings, we introduced CYP6CX4 overexpression into a transgenic Drosophila melanogaster line, resulting in a significant development of resistance to flupyradifurone in D. melanogaster. Additionally, homology modeling and molecular docking analyses showed the stable binding of flupyradifurone to CYP6CX4 , with binding free energy of −6.72 kcal mol−1. Collectively, our findings indicate that the induction of CYP6CX4 exerts one important role in detoxification of flupyradifurone, thereby promoting development of resistance in B. tabaci. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the conducted research on an innovative pultrusion beam made of NCF carbon fabric for an enhanced flexural behavior. This includes laminate design and optimization. By changing the ply thickness of each 0°-, ±45°- and 90°- orientations (while fixing the others), their influence on the strength and stiffness of the pultrusion beam was studied by the finite element method. 7 different combinations of layups were designed to analyze mechanical performance. The simulation results show the layup of 4/5/1 ply ratio is the best one for strength and stiffness; therefore, the carbon fabric pultrusion beam samples were manufactured according to this layup. Bending experimental testing was conducted for both CFRP pultrusion beam and aluminum beam under the design case of equal thickness to compare their strength and stiffness. The testing results show the strength of fabric pultrusion beam is 82.5% of that of aluminum beam, weight is 60% of the aluminum one, and the stiffness is 75% of it. From the results obtained from FEA and physical testing, it is shown the pultrusion beam with complex multi-cavities shapes possess high mechanical performance. This research concludes the CFRP NCF pultrusion beam entails great advantages for railway structure parts and other industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We characterize decisions under different charging stations construction modes. • We discuss the condition of introducing (battery) swapping mode EV s. • We explore the optimal choice of charging stations construction modes. • The optimal government subsidy level is analysed. Using electric vehicles (EV s) is considered as an effective way to reduce carbon emissions. In practice, (self) charging-mode EV s (CEV s) require a long charging time, which has led to the emergence of (battery) swapping-mode EV s (SEV s). This study first discusses whether the manufacturer should introduce SEV s and identifies the introduction conditions. Further, it investigates the impact of two construction modes (manufacturer-construction mode and commission-construction mode) of energy replenishment stations on pricing decisions, EV s demand, and profits. Finally, we optimize the government subsidy level to minimize the total capital expenditure for a specific EV s adoption target. The results reveal that introducing SEV s can bring more stations, higher retail price and charging service fee for CEV s, as well as greater demand for EV s when the unit production cost of CEV s is high. If the consumers' preference for SEV s is low, introducing SEV s can increase profits in most cases; if the consumers' preference for SEV s is high, introducing SEV s is detrimental to the EV s manufacturer only when the government subsidy is not too high. Comparing to the commission-construction mode, the manufacturer-construction mode can bring more stations, higher total demand for EV s, and higher total profits; meanwhile, it can lower the optimal subsidy level of the government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative type of carbon fiber‐reinforced composite corrugated rib sandwich panel floor structure was designed and produced for a high‐speed train equipment compartment, complying with the applicable railway car body structural requirements and railway fire protection standards. Using the finite element analysis (FEA) method there was conducted a four‐step laminate design optimization for adjusting the mechanical properties of both the skin and corrugated ribs parts. A prototype was manufactured by an autoclave process and successfully submitted to static and fatigue mechanical testing for evaluation of the strength and stiffness of this structure as well as for correlation with the FEA model. It was finally concluded that requirements were met for this lightweight design and the weight reduction was approximately of 35.7% in comparison to the conventional metal structure. The research shown in this article does not only provide an effective carbon fiber composite equipment design scheme for the floor panel for high‐speed trains, but also entails a methodical design process for other applications of carbon fiber composite structural parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a novel signal-on photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor with nearly zero background noise (ZBN) was first fabricated to determine the presence of organophosphorus pesticide based on in situ formation of DNA-templated Ag2S photoactive materials, accompanied by hybridization chain reaction (HCR) signal amplification. The capture probe (S1) on the gold nanoparticle-modified electrode can hybridize with the aptamer molecule to generate a simple PEC biosensor. In the presence of a target molecule, the aptamer molecule is released on the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA)-modified PEC biosensor. Meanwhile, the capture probe remains on the electrode and can open the DNA hairpins (H1, H2) which are rich in cytosine, to trigger the HCR reaction. The rich "C" strands are uncovered after formation of a long dsDNA polymer strand, which can assemble multiple silver ions (Ag+) by means of by C–Ag+–C chelation. Then, a large number of Ag2S can be generated by challenging with S2− solution, producing a satisfactory photocurrent signal. The photoactive material is formed in situ, which eliminates the laborious operation. Moreover, the signal can be highly amplified with nearly zero background noise and HCR signal amplification. Under optimal conditions, the ZBN aptasensor exhibited high sensitivity and selectivity, with a low detection limit of 2 pg mL−1 for malathion. Importantly, the sensing platform can also be applied to determine the presence of malathion in real samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the influence of diagnostic informing on negative emotions, illness perception (IP), self-perceived burden (SPB), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in patients with gastrointestinal tumors. Methods. A total of 261 patients with gastrointestinal tumors admitted to our hospital from January 2018 to December 2020 were selected. According to whether the patients were informed of the disease diagnosis, they were divided into the informing group (n = 125) and the concealment group (n = 136). The self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), the self-rating depression scale (SDS), the brief illness perception questionnaire (BIPQ), the self-perceived burden scale (SPBS), and the PTSD checklist-civilian version (PCL-C) were used to investigate the two groups. Results. The SAS and SDS scores of the informing group were lower than those of the concealment group (t = 7.853 and 6.444, P < 0.05). The total BIPQ score of the informing group was higher than that of the concealment group (t = −4.089, P < 0.05). The total SPBS score of the informing group was lower than that in the concealment group (t = 2.443, P < 0.05). The total PCL-C score of the informing group was lower than that of the concealment group (t = 2.173, P < 0.05). Conclusion. Diagnosis informing can reduce the negative emotions, increase positive IP, and reduce the risk of SPB and PTSD in patients with gastrointestinal tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple thermal aptasensing platform was devised for the sensitive detection of organophosphate pesticides (using malathion as a model target) based on the efficient self-heating reaction of a warming pad with a switchable target responsive enzyme-encapsulated three-dimensional (3D) DNA hydrogel using a portable thermometer as a signal readout in this work. The existence of the target malathion would open the catalase-3D network and lots of catalase was released from the hydrogel, which could efficiently convert H2O2 to an O2 molecule. The product O2 is the critical condition for the self-heating of the warming pad. Thereafter, the temperature was enhanced with the increasing amount of O2. The strategy displays outstanding specificity, reproducibility and stability. Moreover, this method can be easily extended to monitor other molecules using different aptamer sequences in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blending of poly(L-lactic acid)/poly(D-lactic acid) (PLLA/PDLA) leads to the formation of poly(lactide) stereocomplexation (PLA SC), which exhibits higher melting temperature and faster crystallization rate. The crystallization behavior of PLA homochiral crystallization (HC) under the existence of PLA SC was also widely investigated. During the variable processing, the SC with different morphologies would produce, and these SC could exert different influences on the subsequent formation of HC. However, the effects of SC developed in various conditions on the formation of HC are not compared yet and are also not clear until now, and which is important for the application of PLLA/PDLA blends. In this paper, the PDLAs with different molecular weights were blended with PLLA at a weight ratio of PLLA/PDLA 90/10, and the crystallization behaviors of PLLA HC from different conditions were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Results indicated that, incorporating a small amount of PDLA accelerated the formation of PLLA HC significantly regardless of the SC developed from the solution evaporation or the melt. The higher crystallization rate of HC was received in the PLLA/PDLA specimens with lower molecular weight of PDLA. For the specimens crystallized from the partially melting (most of SC developed during solution evaporation), the crystallization rate was higher than that corresponding specimens crystallized from the completely melting state (the SC were produced from the melt). This discrepancy would be due to variable SC morphologies produced during diverse processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient and effective new energy vehicles (NEVs) power batteries recycling (PBR) plays a critical role in reusing scared metal resources, decarbonizing the transport sector and climate warming mitigation. The policy consistency from up to down in a big country lays a solid foundation for sustainable recycling. However, quantitative comparison or evaluation of power batteries recycling policies (PBRPs) from various levels of government is insufficient in the existing literature. In this paper, text mining technology and the Policy Modelling Consistency Index (PMC-Index) model are used to evaluate the longitudinal and horizontal consistency level of China's 13 central PBRPs as well as 25 local PBRPs from 2016 to 2022. The findings demonstrated that: (1) Longitudinally, the local governments present a high consistency level with the central government in the objective and content of PBRPs via comparison analysis of high-frequency words, which embodies the local governments firmly advocating the national strategy for retired battery recycling. (2) Horizontally, the number of central PBRPs with excellent and good consistency is five and seven, respectively, while the number of local PBRPs with excellent and good consistency is six and seven, respectively. One central and twelve local PBRPs are of acceptable consistency, indicating significant disparity in local governments' policymaking ability. (3)The drawbacks of those acceptable policies attribute to the policy tendency of traceability management, policy timeliness, policy content in terms of incentives and business recycling model. Finally, management implications were summarized to optimize China's PBRPs system and PBR performance based on the empirical result, an overview of PBRPs and recycling practices in developed countries. [Display omitted] • We evaluate the China's central and local power batteries recycling policies. • The PMC-Index model is used to quantitative analysis of policy consistency. • The longitudinal and horizontal consistency of battery recycling policies is good. • We outline the power battery recycling policies and practice in the EU and the U.S. • Carbon footprint requirements should be added in China's battery recycling polices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Bimetallic sulfide of FeS 2 @MoS 2 was prepared by one-step solvent method for PMS activation. • SVs increased the exposure of Mo(IV) active sites and accelerated Fe(III)/Fe(II) circulation. • Transition of MoS 2 from 2H phase to 1T phase speed up electron transfer rate. • High universality, reusability and stability were observed for FeS 2 @MoS 2. Antibiotics have been widely used to treat bacterial diseases. Their wide spread in ecological environment will induce generation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria Therefore, it is critical to create an eco-friendly and effective approach for their removal. Herein, a bimetallic sulfide FeS 2 @MoS 2 with rich sulfur vacancies (SVs) and high percentage of metallic 1T phase MoS 2 was prepared by one-step solvothermal method to degrade ofloxacin (OFX) by activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS). FeS 2 @MoS 2 -1 (the mass ratio of Fe/Mo is 1) exhibited excellent performance for PMS activation, with 99.26% OFX removed in 20 min (0.2 g/L FeS 2 @MoS 2 -1, 0.2 mM PMS, initial pH). The degradation rate constant of k obs was 0.21 min−1 with FeS 2 @MoS 2 -1 system, which was about 4.88 and 22.91 times of FeS 2 /PMS and MoS 2 /PMS systems under the same experimental conditions respectively. In FeS 2 @MoS 2 -1, besides S2−, SVs would also accelerate Fe(III)/Fe(II) circulation through increasing the exposure of Mo(IV) active sites. Additionally, MoS 2 transferred from the semi-conductive 2H phase to the metallic 1T phase, which could speed up electron transfer rate significantly. Quenching experiment and EPR test showed that SO 4 − and O 2 − were the main active oxygen species. Degradation pathway was proposed through the active sites identification by DFT calculations and intermediates detection by HPLC-MS analyzation. The results showed that OFX were vulnerable to be attacked and broke to form small molecular compounds through hydrogen loss, oxidative cracking, decarboxylation and demethylation four ways. In addition, their bio-toxicity was investigated and results showed that the toxic was diminished. This work indicated that the satisfactory universality, recyclability and stability enabled FeS 2 @MoS 2 -1 could be used as an efficient catalyst to activate PMS to degrade refractory organic pollutants in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the improvement of people's safety awareness, the requirement of pesticide detection is gradually increasing, and many new detection methods toward Organophosphorus pesticide (OPs) has been further developed and applied. Nanomaterials-based biosensors have played an important role in the trace detection of OPs. This article mainly introduces the detection principle of enzymes and aptamers as the identification element of biosensors. Various nanomaterials (i.e., metals and metal oxides, carbon nanotubes, graphene and graphene oxide, quantum dots, metal organic frameworks, molecular imprinted polymers, etc.) possess their unique properties and play different roles in the enzyme and aptamer-based biosensors toward OPs: (a) to produce the optical or electrochemical signal; (b) as a carrier to load the enzyme or aptamer; (c) to enhance the signal response. Besides, the intelligent portable devices provide the possibility to realize the onsite and real-time detection. The limitations of some nanomaterials and the future development are discussed. Finally, the future of enzyme and aptamer-based biosensors has prospected. Different types of biosensors for the detection of OPs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ni-ZSM-5 catalyst, under four different factors of Swida wilsoniana pyrolysis products of catalytic hydrogenation, GC-MS, FI-IR, and elemental analyzers, was used to identify the elements, carbon chain distribution, and composition of the products. The effects of reaction temperature, reaction pressure, and catalyst hydrogenation level on the conversion rate were investigated. The reaction pressure and the amount of catalyst are the main factors that affect the conversion of the pyrolysis products into biofuels. Using 1.05 wt.% Ni-ZSM-5 catalyst, the highest conversion rate was 98.10% at 173°C and 2.00 MPa. The results show that Swida wilsoniana-decomposed products can be converted to high-quality biofuels by catalytic hydrogenation of Ni-ZSM-5 and can be used as an alternative energy source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central goal of maize (Zea mays L.) breeding is to increase the frequencies of favorable alleles in germplasm. Two broad-based composites Cpop.15 and Cpop.16 were subjected to five cycles of modified mass selection (MMS) to increase grain yield, lodging resistance, early maturing and short plant height. We evaluated the direct responses of Cpop.15 and Cpop.16 by analyzing per se performance of the two original populations and that of each resulting population after five cycles of MMS (a total of 12 entries) for days to silking (DS), plant height (PH), ear height (EH), stalk lodging (SL), and grain yield (GY) in four environments. Also, we evaluated trends in general and specific combining ability (GCA and SCA) for these traits in the testcrosses of the above 12 entries with three tester lines (for a total of 36 entries) that represent Chinese heterotic groups. Cpop.15 and Cpop.16 responded significantly to selection for DS, PH, and EH, while SL and GY showed no significant changes. GCA estimates in both populations were improved significantly for DS, PH, EH and GY, but not for DS and GY in Cpop.15, suggesting an increase in the frequency of favorable additive alleles with each cycle of selection for these traits. Promising hybrids could be easily generated by crossing inbred lines developed from later cycles of selection in Cpop.15 and Cpop.16 to Sipingtou germplasm. Our results indicate that MMS effectively improved the performance of both populations per se and testcrosses, taking the best advantage of both GCA and SCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Can environmental regulation be used to promote directed technical change and economic growth simultaneously? We construct an endogenous economic growth model that includes environmental regulation, the extent of environmental pollution, and economic performance in a general equilibrium framework. We show that in the absence of government intervention, environmental pollution will not automatically disappear as economic growth increases. Furthermore, "threshold constraints" result from "path dependence" in the type of innovation; only when the rate of carbon tax and carbon reduction subsidy reaches a certain extent will individuals (or producers) redirect technical change toward "clean" energy production technologies innovation and away from "dirty" energy production technologies. Our article also discloses the intrinsic principle and micromechanism of environmental regulation to promote economic growth and finds that strict environmental regulation will both significantly promote the evolving labor division in clean energy production technologies innovation and achieve the benefits of improved average labor productivity in the production sector and the market size of goods, so that the benefit exceeds the switching cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the low-concentration oily micro-polluted water formed by the leakage of refined oil products, an unexpensive and high-efficiency magnetic enhanced flocculation method was introduced in this study. First, the performance of magnetic flocculation(MF) to remove oily contaminants was discussed. The results indicated that it achieved more than 95% removal in only 1min with 50mg/L-Polyaluminum chloride(PAC), 50mg/L-Fe 3 O 4 and10mg/L- Polyacrylamide (PAM). The novel indexs R δ and S i were proposed to evaluate the oil removal with UV-Abs in-situ method. According to the adsorption kinetics of oil contaminants, the adsorption kinetics changed from pseudo-first-order to pseudo-second-order kinetics after the addition of Fe 3 O 4 on the basis of conventional coagulation (CF). It was transformed into intraparticle diffusion kinetics when the PAM continued to be added. Combined with the Fe–O–Al bond in the FTIR spectrum of flocs, the main mechanism of MF is enhanced charge neutralization and hydrogen bond adsorption. In addition, it was shown that satisfactory oil removal after recover, which indicated the great potential of a sustainable way by reusing low-cost magnetic seeds. Image 1 • Magnetic flocculation can dramatically shorten reaction time and improve oil removal. • In-situ UV-Abs method was used to monitor and evaluate the process of oil removal. • The magnetic flocculation mechanism was discussed from the flocs. • Magnetic seeds (Fe 3 O 4) were recycled for enhanced flocculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavonoids are ubiquitously distributed in plants, showing pleiotropic effects in defense against abiotic and biotic stresses. Although it has been shown that seed priming with flavonoids can enhance plant resistance to abiotic stress, little is known about its potential to enhance plant tolerance to biotic stresses, especially for herbivorous insects. Here, we investigated whether treatment of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seeds with rutin improves plant resistance against the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). Specifically, we measured the effect of rutin seed treatment on tomato seedling vigour, plant growth, feeding behavior and performance of B. tabaci on plants grown from control and rutin-treated seeds, and plant defense responses to B. tabaci attack. We found that seed treatment with different concentrations of rutin (viz 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 mM) had minimal impact on shoot growth. Furthermore, seed treatment of rutin reduced the developmental rate of nymphs, the fecundity and feeding efficiency of adult females on plants grown from these seeds. The enhanced resistance of tomato against B. tabaci is closely associated with increased flavonoids accumulation, callose deposition and the expression of jasmonic acid (JA)-dependent defense genes. Additionally, callose deposition and expression of JA-dependent genes in tomato plants grown from rutin-treated seeds significantly increased upon B. tabaci infestation. These results suggest that seed treatment with rutin primes tomato resistance against B. tabaci , and are not accompanied by reductions in shoot growth. Defense priming by seed treatments may therefore be suitable for commercial exploitation. [Display omitted] • Flavonoids contribute to plant resistance to herbivorous insects. • Seed treatment with rutin has minimal impact on tomato growth. • Seed treatment with rutin reduces whitefly performance on tomato plants. • Seed treatment with rutin primes tomato defense against whiteflies. • Defense priming by seed treatments may be suitable for commercial exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small towns and villages are key elements of rural revitalization, which has been a major engine for achieving the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. Previous studies focused on the built-up land development of cities but not on that of small towns and villages. Meanwhile, the relationship between small towns and villages in terms of built-up land development has not yet been fully investigated. In this study, we constructed a holistic mechanism framework for built-up land development in small towns and villages. A panel regression model was used to determine whether small towns impact the development intensity of villages (DIV) based on statistical data of 30 provincial regions in China from 2007 to 2016. The findings suggest a joint influence of internal and external factors on DIV. The scarcity of built-up land is a direct cause of changes in DIV; industrial structure, investment intensity, and village planning can facilitate built-up land development in villages, whereas residential expansion will hinder it. Notably, the relationship between multifunctional use of built-up land and DIV changes from negative to positive due to growing human needs with the country's rapid socioeconomic development. The foremost contribution of this study is to reveal both the convergence and divergence between small towns and villages regarding built-up land development. The built-up land development of small towns converges to that of villages, with the favorable factors accumulating in small towns first and then spreading to villages. Otherwise, a divergence in built-up land development intensity of small towns and villages appears when the favorable factors are excessively concentrated in small towns. Our study has important implications for built-up land development in small towns and villages. The future development of villages should consider both the impacts of small towns and the endogenous growth of villages. • A holistic mechanism framework for built-up land development in small towns and villages is presented. • The relationship between the multifunctional use of built-up land and the development intensity of villages is U–shaped. • Both the convergence and divergence exist between small towns and villages regarding built-up land development intensity. • The development of villages should take into account both the impacts of small towns and the endogenous growth of villages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poria cocos (P. cocos) polysaccharides (PCPs) are used to improve immunity and possess antitumor activities. We compared three cultivars of P. cocos (5.78, XJ 28 and JHYH) PCP contents. Then we determined that malZ, galA, SORD, gnl and bglX are key enzymes within the PCP biosynthetic pathway by using HiSeq2500 transcriptome and qRT-PCR validation. Our results provide more detailed information about the PCP biosynthesis pathway at the molecular level in P. cocos and establish the functions for the molecular breeding to produce polysaccharides in general for therapeutic use in Chinese medicinal plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A well-defined Ag@AgCl nanocubes loaded on the reduced graphene oxide plasmonic heterostructure (Ag@AgCl/RGO) was facilely prepared by sacrificial salt-crystal-template process and ethylene glycol-assisted reduction. The Ag@AgCl/RGO heterostructure shows superior photocurrent response and stability under the visible light irradiation. The enhanced performance mainly attributes to the plasmon resonance effect of AgNPs by improving the absorbance and transfer of photogenerated electrons. Significantly, we observed that the photocurrent could be dramatically decreased with the introduction of H 2 O 2 and experimental results demonstrated the etching effect of H 2 O 2 to AgNPs should be responsible for this phenomenon. Inspired by this phenomenon, employing H 2 O 2 that generated from glucose oxidase catalyzed glucose triggered AgNPs etching as a novel signal mode, an improved photoelectrochemical immunosensing platform was constructed by employing Ag@AgCl/RGO heterostructure as photoactive material. As a proof of concept application, the photoelectrochemical immunosensor employed for ochratoxin A (OTA) detection with competitive-type format and it exhibited excellent analytical performance. Under optimized conditions, the photocurrent increased with the concentration of target OTA in the dynamic range of 0.05 to 300 nM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.01 nM (4.0 pg mL−1). The immunosensor also showed high sensitivity, good reproducibility, and satisfactory accuracy. Although the methodology proposed here focused on OTA sensing, it could flexibly extend to monitor other targets by replacing the corresponding bio-recognition elements. Thus, this work provides a new paradigm for designing novel photoelectrochemical biosensing mode based on the plasmonic metal/semiconductor heterostructure. Highlights ● Ag@AgCl nanocubes loaded onto RGO plasmonic heterostructure exhibited enhanced photocurrent responses because of SPR. ● The photocurrent response of Ag@AgCl/RGO could be dramatically decreased after treated with the H 2 O 2. ● An improved PEC immunosensor was developed by employing etching effect of H 2 O 2 to Ag@AgCl/RGO as a novel signal mode. ● Provided a new paradigm for designing novel photoelectrochemical biosensing modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies and the leading cause of women's death, most of breast cancers are estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer which can develop into advanced stage from early stage with treatment resistance. The purpose of this study was to investigate anti-ER+ breast cancer effects of 1,2,3,4,6-penta- O -galloyl-β- d -glucose (PGG) and its possible mechanisms. Cell viability was analyzed by MTT assay. The cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were detected by Flow cytometry. The expressions of cell proliferation- and apoptosis-related proteins were determined by western blot and immunofluorescence staining. The results showed PGG induced cytotoxicity and decreased viability of ER+ breast cancer T-47D and BT-474 cells. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that cell cycle was blocked in S phase at lower dose (25 μM PGG), and G1 phase at higher dose (50 or 75 μM PGG). One of the underlying mechanisms of the anti-cancer effect exerted by PGG was owed to inhibition of the expression of HURP, an up-regulated protein in human hepatocellular carcinoma which is closely related to tumor proliferation, invasion and metastasis. PGG affected cell cycle- or apoptosis-related proteins such as cyclin D1, Bcl-2 and Bax. These data suggest that PGG exerts anti-ER+ breast cancer effects. In this sense, our study provides new alternative therapies to treat breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blending of poly(levorotatory-lactic acid) (PLLA) and poly(dextrorotatory-lactic acid) (PDLA) produces the stereocomplex crystallites (PLA SC), which present higher melting temperature and mechanical properties than that of neat PLLA or PDLA. However, in the PLLA/PDLA blends with higher molecular weights, the phase separation occurs and the SC exhibits weak memory after melting, which lead to a small amount of SC together with a large amount of homochiral crystallites (HC) develop during crystallization from the melt. In this study, a small content of graphite oxide was blended with PLLA and PDLA to form ternary blends, and it was exciting to find that the formation of SC was enhanced gradually with the content of graphite oxide. The SC exclusively developed when 2 wt% graphite oxide was incorporated into the PLLA/PDLA, and the crystallinity with ∼50% was received even during fast cooling from the melt (−50 °C/min). The acceleration formation of SC was speculated due to the interaction between PLA molecular chains and the hydroxyl groups on the surface of graphite oxide and the obstruction of proliferation of graphite oxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds: There is still a lack of consensus about how to assess the risk of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR). Aims: We investigated the risk factors for DR and their association with PAD and CVD in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: A total of 1,421 patients diagnosed with T2D participated in this study. DR stages were classified as non-DR, nonproliferative DR (NPDR), or proliferative DR (PDR). Logistic regression analysis was employed to analyze risk factors associated with DR. Results: NPDR and PDR patients had higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) and higher levels of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) than the non-DR group (p < 0.05). The prevalence of abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI) in the non-DR, NPDR, and PDR groups was 7.00, 10.80, and 13.96%, respectively (p < 0.05) and the prevalence of peripheral arterial plaques was 68.48, 81.38, and 80.56%, respectively (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that DR (vs. non-DR) was associated with peripheral arterial plaques (OR = 2.07), SBP ≥130 mm Hg (OR = 1.53) and levels of hemoglobin (Hb)A1c (OR = 2.11) and TC (OR = 1.42). Conclusion: PAD is commonly associated with NPDR and PDR. Hypercholesterolemia is an important risk factor for the development of PAD and CVD in patients with DR. Our results suggest that a routine ABI test, duplex ultrasonography, and obtaining a lipid profile for DR patients may help to reduce the occurrence of PAD and CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal complexes attract great attention in the context of biological applications because of their attractive structures and intriguing physicochemical properties. Combinations of the core structures of salen ligands and various metal ions provide many possibilities for incorporation of diverse biological functionalities unachievable with conventional small-molecule organic compounds. The past decade has witnessed remarkable progress in the field of metallosalens; here we present a microreview of recent advances in their biological applications. This microreview is divided into four categories: DNA binding, fluorescent imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, and potential drugs. Each approach is described with representative examples. The fundamental principles of the relationship between structures and biological behaviors of metallosalens are featured, from the perspective of current opportunities and challenges in applying metallosalens in biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is the second largest producer of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in the world. To manage WEEE, the Chinese government has enacted a series of laws and regulations, the most important one being the Chinese Fund Policy. In an industry regulated by disposal fees and subsidies included in the fund policy, companies facing higher manufacturing costs may consider engaging in WEEE collection and recovery. This study considers a manufacturer with a WEEE recycling qualification, which combines remanufacturing and recycling to treat WEEE and sells remanufactured products under its brand name. A stylized model is applied to characterize the optimal solutions for the manufacturer and analyze the effects of the fund policy on the manufacturer's collection and recovery decisions. Furthermore, this study investigates the environmental impact of the product using a life cycle analysis–based (LCA-based) approach and characterizes the conditions under which the recovery of WEEE increases the environmental impact of the fund policy. The results herein show that applying for recycling qualifications is always profitable for the manufacturer, and the profits increase as the subsidy increases and the disposal fee decreases. However, high disposal fees or subsidies may have adverse effects on the environment. Low remanufacturing costs and high remanufacturability are not always conducive to the environment, especially for the products with high environmental impact in usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing two-photon probes for precise labeling of lipid droplets (LDs) and monitoring LD dynamics in adipocytes is of great significance to understand LD homeostasis. We herein report that a luminescent metal complex LD-TPZn can specifically image LDs in adipose cells and tissue using one- or two-photon fluorescence microscopy. Importantly, LD-TPZn exhibited higher specificity to LDs than the commercial dyes Nile Red and Bodipy 493/503, probably due to different cellular uptake pathways, that is, clathrin-mediated endocytosis and non-selectively passive diffusion, respectively. More importantly, LD-TPZn can be applied as a two-photon LD probe to image adipose tissue, one of the most challengeable tissues for traditional one-photon fluorescence microscope imaging due to the strong light scattering. Most importantly, LD-TPZn can be used to monitor LD growth during adipogenesis of preadipocytes, which is highly desirable to unravel the relationship between LD homeostasis and metabolic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new signal amplified protocol for sensitive monitor of ochratoxin A was developed by coupling platinum enhancement technique to a redox cycling amplification strategy. Initially, platinum-enclosed gold cores (AuPtNP) were functionalized with monoconal antibody against ochratoxin A (OTA) to act as signal tags. Upon addition of analyte (OTA), competitive immunobinding occurs between OTA and an OTA-BSA conjugate immobilized on a ferrocene modified electrode for the anti-OTA on the signal tags. Next, the AuPtNPs on the immunosensor are incubated with a platinum enhancing solution to initiate the growth of additional catalysts in order to further promote the catalytic cycling between p-aminophenol and p-quinoneimine with the aid of the reductant NaBH and ferrocene. As a result, the analytical signal is strongly enhanced and can be measured by differential pulse voltammetry in the range from −300 mV to 600 mV (vs. SCE) at 50 mV s. Under optimized conditions, the immunosensor displays a dynamic working range that extends from 0.2 pg⋅mL to 5 ng⋅mL of OTA, with a lower detection limit of 75 fg⋅mL. The method is highly selective and was applied to the determination of OTA in (spiked) red wine samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a facile impedance biosensor was constructed for sensitive assaying of miRNA-10b based on the Cu2+ modified NH 2 -metal organic frameworks (NMOF@Cu2+) coupling with a three-dimensional (3D) DNA walker signal amplification strategy. Specifically, abundant Cu2+ can adhere to the MOF via the coordination reaction between NH 2 and Cu2+, which can be applied as a skeleton to produce CuFe Prussian blue analogue@NMOF (CuFe PBA@NMOF) just in time. Meanwhile, the carboxyl group, which is rich in the organic ligands of the NMOF, can be used to assemble DNA strands (complementary strand, CS) (CS-NMOF@Cu2+) for biorecognition reaction. With the introduction of the target, a 3D DNA walker was triggered to shear out large amounts of assistant strands (AS), which were then anchored on the surface of GCE. Afterward, CS-NMOF@Cu2+ can be assembled on the GCE by hybridization with AS. Eventually, abundant CuFe PBA@NMOF were generated in situ on the electrode with the help of K₃[Fe(CN) 6 ], which can catalyze the 4-chloro-1-naphthol (4-CN) precipitation without H 2 O 2 , thereby increasing the resistance of the platform. Under the optimal conditions, the EIS biosensor presents reliable analytical performance in a wide linear range from 0.8 pM to 250 pM with a low detection limit of 0.5 pM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The family of UDP-GalNAc polypeptide: N -Acetylgalactosaminlytransfersases (ppGalNAcTs) catalyzes the initial step of O-linked protein glycosylation. Mucin-type O-glycoproteins are abundant in the bone and may play an important role in osteogenesis. Herein, we examined the effects of ppGalNAc-T isoforms on osteogenesis of MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts. We found that ppGalNAc-T1 and -T4 isoforms were highly expressed during osteogenesis of MC3T3-E1 and their knockdown by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) decreased osteoblast formation and bone mineralization. Knockdown of ppGalNAc-T1 or -T4 decreased mRNA and protein levels of bone sialoprotein (BSP). Knockdown of ppGalNAc-T1decreased mRNA levels of osteocalcin (OC), osteoprotegerin (OPG). Knockdown ofppGalNAc-T4 isoform decreased mRNA levels of OC, OPG and vitamin D receptor (VDR). While knockdown of T1 or T4 isoforms did not change the expression of osteopontin (OPN), COLLI, receptor activator for nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). Our results demonstrated that the ppGalNAc-T4 was highly expressed in MC3T3-E1 cells during osteogenesis for the first time. We also found that ppGalNAc-T1 and -T4 affected the expression of different osteogenic factors, suggesting distinct roles ppGalNAc-T isoformsplay in regulating osteogenesis in vitro . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new homogeneous electrochemical immunosensing platform was designed for sensitive detection of aflatoxin B (AFB) in foodstuff. The system consisted of anti-AFB antibody labeled DNA (Ab-DNA), AFB-bovine serum albumin (BSA)-conjugated DNA (AFB-DNA), and methylene blue functionalized hairpin DNA. Owing to a specific antigen-antibody reaction between anti-AFB and AFB-BSA, the immunocomplex formed assisted the proximity hybridization of DNA with DNA, thus resulting in the formation of an omega-like DNA junction. Thereafter, the junction opened the hairpin DNA to construct a new double-stranded DNA, which could be readily cleaved by exonuclease III to release the omega-like DNA junction and methylene blue. The dissociated DNA junction could repeatedly hybridize with residual hairpin DNA molecules with exonuclease III-based isothermal cycling amplification, thereby releasing numerous free methylene blue molecules into the detection solution. The as-produced free methylene blue molecules could be captured by a negatively charged indium tin oxide electrode, each of which could produce an electronic signal within the applied potentials. On introduction of target AFB, the analyte competed with AFB-DNA for the conjugated anti-AFB on the Ab-DNA, subsequently decreasing the amount of omega-like DNA junctions formed, hence causing methylene blue labeled hairpin DNA to move far away from the electrode surface. Under optimal conditions the detectable electrochemical signal decreased with increasing amount of target AFB in a dynamic working range of 0.01-30 ng mL with a detection limit of 4.8 pg mL. In addition, the precision and reproducibility of this system were acceptable. Finally, the method was further evaluated for analysis of naturally contaminated or AFB-spiked peanut samples, giving results that matched well with those obtained with a commercial AFB ELISA kit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new impedimetric immunosensor for the fast determination of ochratoxin A (OTA) in food samples was developed based on the instant catalyst as enhancer. Initially, the signal tags were prepared via co-immobilization of anti -OTA antibody and amine-terminated dendrimer (PAMAM) on the graphene oxide nanosheets through the covalent interaction, which were utilized as a good platform for combining manganese ion ( anti -OTA-GO-PAMAM-Mn 2+ ). Upon target OTA introduction, a competitive-type immunoreaction was implemented between the analyte and the immobilized OTA-BSA on the electrode for the anti -OTA antibody on the graphene oxide nanosheets labels. After a competitive immunoassay format, the anti -OTA-GO-PAMAM-Mn 2+ were captured onto the electrode surface, which could induce the in situ formation of MnO 2 via classical redox reaction between Mn 2+ and KMnO 4 on the immunesensing platform. Moreover, the generated MnO 2 nanoparticles act as efficient catalyst could catalyze the 4-chloro-1-naphthol (4-CN) oxidation without H 2 O 2 to generate an insoluble precipitation on the platform. Under the optimal conditions, the instant catalyst based impedimetric immunosensor displayed a wide dynamic working range between 0.1 pg mL −1 and 30 ng mL −1 . The detection limit (LOD) of the assay was 0.055 pg mL −1 . The developed method exhibited high selectivity and can be used for the determination of OTA in real red wine samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We herein report the first example that uses a first-row transition metal complex, Znsalen J-S-Alk, as a photoactivatable probe for super-resolution imaging of mitochondria with a localization precision of ca. 12 nm in living cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that all mice protocols were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at the Institute for Nutritional Sciences and the Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology in a study. It notes that immunostaining for tdTomato and TNNI3 showed no labeling of cardiomyocytes. It adds that cell dissociation confirmed the absence of tdTomato-plus cardiomyocytes.

Triglyceride droplets can be stored within cardiac adipocytes (CAs) and cardiomyocytes in the heart. Cardiac adipocytes reside in three distinct regions: pericardial, epicardial, and intramyocardial adipose tissues. In healthy individuals, cardiac adipose tissues modulate cardiovascular functions and energy partitioning, which are, thus, protective. However, ectopic deposition of cardiac adipose tissues turns them into adverse lipotoxic, prothrombotic, and pro‐inflammatory tissues with local and systemic contribution to the development of cardiovascular disorders. Accumulation of triglyceride droplets in cardiomyocytes may lead to lipotoxic injury of cardiomyocytes and contribute to the development of cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction. Here, we summarize the roles of CAs and myocardial triglyceride droplets under physiological and pathological conditions and review the cellular sources of CAs in heart development and diseases. Understanding the functions and cellular origins of cardiac fat will provide clues for future studies on pathophysiological processes and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]