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Radiological heart damage (RIHD) is damage caused by unavoidable irradiation of the heart during chest radiotherapy, with a long latency period and a progressively increasing proportion of delayed cardiac damage due to conventional doses of chest radiotherapy. There is a risk of inducing diseases such as acute/chronic pericarditis, myocarditis, delayed myocardial fibrosis and damage to the cardiac conduction system in humans, which can lead to myocardial infarction or even death in severe cases. This paper details the pathogenesis of RIHD and gives potential targets for treatment at the molecular and cellular level, avoiding the drawbacks of high invasiveness and immune rejection due to drug therapy, medical device implantation and heart transplantation. Injectable hydrogel therapy has emerged as a minimally invasive tissue engineering therapy to provide necessary mechanical support to the infarcted myocardium and to act as a carrier for various bioactive factors and cells to improve the cellular microenvironment in the infarcted area and induce myocardial tissue regeneration. Therefore, this paper combines bioactive factors and cellular therapeutic mechanisms with injectable hydrogels, presents recent advances in the treatment of cardiac injury after RIHD with different injectable gels, and summarizes the therapeutic potential of various types of injectable hydrogels as a potential solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Celiac disease (CD), triggered by exposure to gluten in genetically susceptible individuals, is an immune-mediated small bowel disease affecting about 1% of the population worldwide. But the prevalence of CD varies with age, sex, and location. A strict gluten-free diet remains the primary treatment for CD, currently. Most of patients with CD respond well to gluten-free diet with good prognosis, while some patients fail to get symptomatic relief or histological remission (e.g., nonresponsive or refractory CD). Because of heterogeneous clinical appearance, the diagnosis of CD is difficult. Moreover, malignant complications and poor outcomes accompanied with refractory CD present great challenges in disease management. Over the past three decades, cross-sectional imaging techniques (computed tomography [CT] and magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) play an important role in small bowel inflammatory and neoplastic diseases. Compared with endoscopic techniques, cross-sectional imaging permits clearly presentation of both intraluminal and extraluminal abnormalities. It provides vascular and functional information, thus improving the possibility as diagnostic and follow-up tool. The value of cross-sectional imaging for patients with suspected or confirmed CD has been gradually demonstrated. Studies revealed that certain features suggested by cross-sectional imaging could help to establish the early diagnosis of CD. Besides, the potential contributions of cross-sectional imaging may lie in the evaluation of disease activity and severity, which helps guiding management strategies. The purpose of this review is to provide current overviews and future directions of cross-sectional imaging in adult CD, thus facilitating the understanding and application in clinical practice. Clinical relevance statement: In this review, we systematically summarized the existing knowledge of cross-sectional imaging in adult CD and analyzed their possible roles in clinical practice, including disease diagnosis, complication identification, treatment evaluation, and prognostic prediction. Key Points: • Regarding a condition described as "celiac iceberg", celiac disease remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. • Cross-sectional imaging is helpful in clinical management of celiac disease, including disease diagnosis, complication identification, treatment evaluation, and prognostic prediction. • Cross-sectional imaging should be considered as the valuable examination in patients suspected from celiac disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone conduction devices (BCDs) are widely used in the treatment of conductive hearing loss (CHL), but their applications on unilateral CHL (UCHL) patients remain controversial. To evaluate the effects of BCDs in UCHL, a systematic search was undertaken until May 2023 following the PRISMA guidelines. Among the 391 references, 21 studies met the inclusion criteria and were ultimately selected for review. Data on hearing thresholds, speech recognition, sound localization, and subjective questionnaire outcomes were collected and summarized. Moderate hearing threshold improvements were found in UCHL patients aided with BCDs. Their speech recognition abilities improved significantly. However, sound localization results showed wide individual variations. According to subjective questionnaires, BCDs had an overall positive influence on the daily life of UCHL patients, although several unfavorable experiences were reported by some of them. We concluded that the positive audiological benefits and subjective questionnaire results have made BCDs a credible intervention for UCHL patients. Before final implantations, UCHL patients should first go through a period of time when they were fitted with non-implantable BCDs as a trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the stability of the ecosystem under external attack, we regard the ecosystem as a complex network and the species disturbance after the attack as an infectious disease. We establish an ecological network disturbance propagation model based on the infectious disease model, and analyze its dynamics with the above ideas. In this paper, the species are regarded as nodes in the network, and the predator–prey relationship is regarded as the edge of the network. When the ecosystem is attacked by external forces, the disturbance can be transmitted from a species to its predator or prey through the food chain, and the disturbed species can recover themselves and then return to a stable state. At the same time, we consider adding human quarantine and protection of disturbed species. In this way, all species in the ecosystem are divided into four states: undisturbed, disturbed, quarantine and recovered. By analyzing the dynamics of disturbance propagation, the critical threshold and equilibrium point of disturbance diffusion are determined, and the local and global stability of disease-free equilibrium and endemic equilibrium are analyzed. The results show that the existence of endemic equilibrium depends on the critical threshold of disturbance propagation, which is related to the structure of food web, the propagation proportion of disturbance and the recovery proportion of species after being attacked. The larger the propagation proportion is, the weaker the resistance stability is, and the easier the disturbance propagates in the system. The higher the recovery proportion of the disturbed species, the stronger the stability of the recovery rate, and the more difficult it is for the disturbance to propagate in the system. Then we regard human protection of species as species immunity, and choose the most effective species protection measures by comparing and analyzing the threshold changes under the three protection strategies. The results show that the moderately large neighbor nodes of the disturbed species should be protected. This kind of protection measure is the most effective and it is easier to restrain the propagation of disturbance. Finally, the food webs of 85 species in a pine forest in Otago, New Zealand is selected to analyze the propagation process of disturbance by numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radiation damage to salivary gland is inevitable in head and neck cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. Safe and effective treatments for protecting salivary glands from radiation are still unavailable. Mitochondrial damage is a critical mechanism in irradiated salivary gland; however, treatment targeting mitochondria has not received much attention. Nicotinamide is a key component of the mitochondrial metabolism. Here, we investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of nicotinamide on protecting irradiated submandibular gland.Methods: Submandibular gland cells and tissues were randomly divided into four groups: control, nicotinamide alone, radiation alone, and radiation with nicotinamide pretreatment. Cell viability was detected by PrestoBlue cell viability reagent. Histopathological alterations were observed with HE staining. Pilocarpine-stimulated saliva was measured from Wharton's duct. Cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling assay. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase was examined with immunofluorescence. The levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, mitochondrial membrane potential, and adenosine triphosphate were measured with the relevant kits. The mitochondrial ultrastructure was observed under transmission electron microscopy.Results: Nicotinamide significantly mitigated radiation damage both in vitro and in vivo. Also, nicotinamide improved saliva secretion and reduced radiation-induced apoptosis in irradiated submandibular glands. Moreover, nicotinamide improved nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase and the levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide/adenosine triphosphate and mitochondrial membrane potential, all of which were decreased by radiation in submandibular gland cells. Importantly, nicotinamide protected the mitochondrial ultrastructure from radiation.Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that nicotinamide alleviates radiation damage in submandibular gland by replenishing nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and maintaining mitochondrial function and ultrastructure, suggesting that nicotinamide could be used as a prospective radioprotectant for preventing radiation sialadenitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The robust DNL-9(Fe) was constructed with an exclusive fluorine bridge Fe-cluster structure; • DNL-9(Fe) shows a high IAST selectivity for CO 2 /N 2 separation; • DNL-9(Fe) reveal proficient separation properties of CO 2 capture from N 2 under ca. 90% RH moisture conditions. The inevitable combustion of fossil fuels in human industrial activities results in significant greenhouse gas emissions, leading to the pressing challenge of CO 2 /N 2 separation in humid flue gas. Iron-based Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have proven to be cheap, robust against water vapor attack due to the enhanced coordination bonds. In this study, we present two distinct MOFs i.e., DNL-9(Fe) and PCN-233(FeMII), constructed by Fe clusters and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid ligands. Static adsorption experiments revealed that DNL-9(Fe), featuring an exclusive Fe-F-Fe spiral packing structure, exhibited higher surface areas and enhanced CO 2 adsorption performance that outcompeted PCN-233 candidates. DNL-9(Fe) demonstrated a high IAST selectivity of CO 2 /N 2 at 247 (15/85, v/v, P/P 0 = 0.01), superior to the most of state-of-the-art Fe-MOFs reported up to date. The further theoretical calculations elucidated the binding sites of the framework with CO 2 molecules. Importantly, DNL-9(Fe) showed sufficient water stability and cyclic separation, as confirmed by dynamic breakthrough tests, indicating it as a promising candidate for practical CO 2 capture from humid flue gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing new reactive disperse dyes and applying them to dye natural fiber substrates in the supercritical fluid of carbon dioxide (SCF–CO 2) is of great importance for ecological protection and the sustainable development of the textile industry. In this work, a reactive disperse dye with an anthraquinonoid chromogen in blue hue and a dichlorotriazine reactive group was successfully designed and synthesized. The precursor of the anthraquinonoid derivative reactive disperse dye was synthesized with a one-pot amination reaction method by employing the reactions between 1, 4-dihydroxyanthraquinone or its cryptochrome 1, 4-diaminoanthraquinone and aniline, ethylenediamine. Then, the precursor was subjected to continuously react with a reactive group of cyanuric chloride to obtain a dichlorotriazine type reactive disperse dye. Moreover, the chemical structures and color characteristics of the final dye, as well as the precursor, were characterized and confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), and ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy (UV–Vis). Additionally, the anthraquinonoid derivative reactive disperse dye was preliminarily applied to the coloration of cotton and wool substrates in SCF-CO 2. The coloration results show that the staining fastness and the dry, wet rubbing fastness of the reactive disperse dye on both cotton and wool substrates were satisfactory. [Display omitted] • A blue Anthraquinonoid dye precursor was synthesized via a one-pot amination reaction. • Cyanuric chloride was utilized as a reactive group for the blue anthraquinonoid dye. • The structure and color characteristics were confirmed by FT-IR, 1H NMR and UV–Vis. • Good coloration results on natural fibers were achieved in SCF-CO 2 with the blue dye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pain is a common symptom of an illness. For decades, pain treatments such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids, and surgical nerve blocking have been widely used, but each method has its limitations. Photobiomodulation is a recently developed method for pain management, with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) being a more recent development used in pain management because of their low cost, low side effects, and high safety. Here, we reviewed the phototherapeutic effects of LEDs on different pain conditions. We also discussed possible physicochemical and neurobiological mechanisms underlying LED therapy, especially its effects on inflammatory pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aims to develop an original product design using elements of intangible cultural heritage (ICH). It attempts to evaluate the attractiveness of design with elements of ICH in individual countries and on the world stage. A Master of Art History from Korea National University of Arts participated in the analysis and research of ICH objects. Based on the Gmarket online store, the authors conducted fake door testing to determine the attractiveness of this design for consumers. The method of paired comparisons allowed the authors to assess the attractiveness of a design with the ICH elements on the world stage. Following the project's objectives, the study demonstrated 211 thousand views of the product page with the developed design and 767 thousand views of pages with similar products during one calendar month. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

is a species-rich ectomycorrhizal genus containing taxa that exhibit agaricoid or sequestrate basidiome morphologies. In New Zealand, one of the most recognizable and common Cortinarius species is the purple sequestrate fungus, C. porphyroideus. We used genome skimming of the almost 100-y-old type specimen from C. porphyroideus to obtain the nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS barcode) and partial nuc rDNA 28S (28S) sequences. The phylogenetic position of C. porphyroideus was established, and we found that it represents a rarely collected species. Purple sequestrate Cortinarius comprise multiple cryptic species in several lineages. We describe four new species of Cortinarius with strong morphological similarity to C. porphyroideus: Cortinarius diaphorus, C. minorisporus, C. purpureocapitatus, and C. violaceocystidiatus. Based on molecular evidence, Thaxterogaster viola is recognized as Cortinarius violaceovolvatus var. viola. These species are associated with Nothofagus (southern beech) and have very similar morphology to C. porphyroideus but are all phylogenetically distinct based on molecular data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The impairment of the salivary glands is a permanent side effect of 131I ablation therapy for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Effective and safe treatments for protecting the salivary glands against 131I are currently not available. Mitochondria are susceptible to ionizing radiation, but alterations after 131I exposure are unknown. Here, we investigated the mechanisms of 131I damage in submandibular glands (SMGs) and evaluated the cytoprotective effect of phenylephrine (PE) against mitochondrial radiation damage.Methods and Materials: Rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control, PE alone, 131I alone, and 131I with PE pretreatment. The mitochondrial structure of SMGs was observed under transmission electron microscopy. Apoptosis was detected using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling. Cytochrome c, cleaved-caspase 3, SIRT1, NAMPT, and PGC-1α protein levels were determined with Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Levels of mitochondrial membrane potential, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) were measured with relevant kits.Results: After exposing rat SMGs to 131I, the mitochondrial membrane structures were destroyed, the mitochondrial membrane potential decreased, the release of cytochrome c increased, and cleaved-caspase 3 and cell apoptosis were activated. Moreover, the expression of SIRT1, NAMPT, and PGC-1α was downregulated, and the levels of NAD and ATP decreased. In contrast, PE alleviated the 131I-induced mitochondrial damages and upregulated the expression of SIRT1/NAMPT/PGC-1α and the levels of NAD and ATP.Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that 131I impairs the salivary glands via the downregulation of SIRT1/NAMPT/PGC-1α signal pathways, which disturbs mitochondrial homeostasis. PE alleviated the 131I damage in SMGs at the mitochondrial level, suggesting that PE could be used as a potential radioprotector for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer with radiation sialadenitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, effect of PEDOT:PSS content on structure and properties of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composite conducting fiber was systematically investigated for the first time. PEDOT:PSS/PVA composite conducting fibers with various PEDOT:PSS loadings were successfully fabricated via wet-spinning technique. Correlation between PEDOT:PSS loading and performance of composite fibers was investigated by analyzing changes in chemical constitution, morphology, thermal property, conductivity, and tensile property of composite fibers. Formation of hydrogen bonding interactions was observed between PVA matrix and PEDOT:PSS conducting filler, and the interaction was enhanced with increasing PEDOT:PSS loading. As PEDOT:PSS loading increased in composite fiber, fiber conductivity increased monotonically, and surface morphology of composite fibers became regularly circular. Young's modulus and tensile strength of composite fibers also increased with increasing PEDOT:PSS loading, while elongation at break decreased. In addition, thermal stability of composite fibers improved with increasing PEDOT:PSS loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anesthetics are documented to affect tumors; therefore, we studied the antiglioma effect of propofol on proliferation and invasiveness of glioma cells and explored the underlying mechanism. C6 glioma cells were cultured and treated with propofol, and cell viability, invasiveness, and migration were measured. Glutamate release was measured using an enzyme-catalyzed kinetic reaction. xCT protein and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptor GluR2 subunit protein expression was assessed with Western blot analysis and immunofluorescent staining. We observed that propofol significantly inhibited C6 glioma cell viability, invasiveness, and migration and decreased glutamate release. An agonist of the cystine/glutamate antiporter system (system x c − ), N -acetylcysteine (NAC), reversed propofol's effects, and propofol could inhibit C6 glioma cell proliferation by adding excess exogenous glutamate (100 μM). Finally, propofol increased the surface expression of GluR2, but decreased surface expression of xCT. The effects of propofol on surface expression of GluR2 and xCT could be rescued by (R, S)-AMPA, an agonist of Ca 2+ permeable AMPA receptor (CPAR). Thus, propofol can inhibit cell viability, invasiveness, and migration of C6 glioma cells, and the CPAR-system x c − pathway contributes to these events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Itch is a complex aversive sensory and emotional experience. As a most upsetting symptom in many dermatological and systemic diseases, it lacks efficient treatments. The lateral habenula nucleus (LHb) encodes negative emotions in the epithalamus and has been implicated in pain and analgesia. Nevertheless, the role of the lateral habenula nucleus in the pruritic sensation and emotion remains elusive. Here we defined the crucial role of glutamatergic neurons within the lateral habenula nucleus (GluLHb) in itch modulation in mice. We established histamine-dependent and histamine-independent models of acute pruritus, as well as the acetone-ether-water (AEW) model of chronic pruritus. We first assessed the effects of pruritogen injection on neural activation in both medial and lateral divisions of LHb in vitro. We then demonstrated that the population activity of GluLHb neurons was increased during the acute itch and chronic itch-induced scratching behaviors in vivo. In addition, electrophysiological data showed that the excitability of GluLHb neurons was enhanced by chronic itch. Chemogenetic suppression of GluLHb neurons disrupted both acute and chronic itch-evoked scratching behaviors. Furthermore, itch-induced conditioned place aversion (CPA) was abolished by GluLHb neuronal inhibition. Finally, we dissected the LHb upstream brain regions. Together, these findings reveal the involvement of LHb in processing both the sensational and emotional components of pruritus and may shed new insights into itch therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic Fe 3 O 4 /ZrO 2 /Ag composite microsphere SERS substrates were developed to efficiently and sensitively detect Cr (VI) in aqueous solution with a detection limit of low down to 10−7 M by a portable Raman spectrometer with the assistance of easy magnetic separation. It is greatly significant to sense hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)) in water because Cr (VI) is one of the most toxic heavy metals and is extremely harmful for human health and environment. In this study, we explored sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates for rapid detection of Cr (VI) using magnetic Fe 3 O 4 /ZrO 2 /Ag composite microspheres. We firstly coated uniform zirconium dioxide layer around Fe 3 O 4 cores to achieve Fe 3 O 4 /ZrO 2 microspheres and then deposited silver nanoparticles onto their surface via controlled reduction of AgNO 3 by n-butylamine. The SERS sensitivity of Fe 3 O 4 /ZrO 2 /Ag composite microspheres were easily tailored via facilely changing the concentration of AgNO 3 to tune the coverage of silver nanoparticles on the Fe 3 O 4 /ZrO 2 /Ag. We used 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) as a Raman molecule to evaluate the SERS activity of Fe 3 O 4 /ZrO 2 /Ag. They illustrated excellent SERS property as well as magnetic responsibility. The optimized Fe 3 O 4 /ZrO 2 /Ag were employed to quantitatively detect Cr (VI) in aqueous solution. The results showed good linear relationship between SERS intensities and logarithm concentrations of Cr (VI) (R2 = 0.98) with a detection limit of low down to 10−7 M, which is much lower than the safety value (1 μM) in drinking water of United States Environmental Protection Agency. Moreover, the highly uniform and robust Fe 3 O 4 /ZrO 2 /Ag composite microspheres display outstanding signal reproducibility (RSD = 8.34 %) and good storage stability. These results indicate that the prepared Fe 3 O 4 /ZrO 2 /Ag composite microspheres have promising application prospect for SERS analysis of environmental pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy. 131I ablation therapy is an effective treatment for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) but frequently causes radiation damage in salivary glands (SGs). Stem cell-based regenerative therapy has been found to reduce radiation sialadenitis. We hypothesize that microtubule motor-regulating protein lissencephaly-1 (LIS1) may be a key stem cell regulator responsible for its efficacy and that upregulating LIS1 would decrease131I-induced radiation sialadenitis. Here, we report that LIS1 was reduced by 131I in submandibular glands (SMGs) of rats, using both proteomic analysis and Western blot approach. Moreover, the levels of LIS1-Sca-1 and LIS1-SOX2 were downregulated by 131I together with the decrease of LIS1. In contrast, phenylephrine pretreatment enhanced LIS1 and improved the co-expressions and co-localizations of LIS1-Sca-1 and LIS1-SOX2 in 131I-irradiated SMGs. Since Sca-1 and SOX2 are the established stem cell biomarkers in salivary gland, our findings demonstrate that LIS1 may be a potential target for regulating stem cell maintenance in irradiated SGs. Importantly, phenylephrine may have the ability to promote endogenous stem cell regeneration in SMGs via upregulating the LIS1/Sca-1 and LIS1/SOX2 signaling pathways, suggesting that phenylephrine application before 131I ablation therapy may provide a practical and effective way to prevent radiation sialadenitis for DTC patients. Unlabelled Image • LIS1 was reduced by 131I in submandibular glands of rats. • LIS1-Sca-1 and LIS1-SOX2 were declined by 131I together with the decrease of LIS1. • Phenylephrine improved cell proliferation via LIS1-Sca-1 and LIS1-SOX2 upregulation. • Phenylephrine relieved 131I damage by promoting endogenous stem cell regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polysaccharides extracted from Aspidopterys obcordata are thought to have anti-urolithiasis activity in Drosophila kidney stones. This study aimed to assess the effects of different extraction solvents on the yield, chemical composition, and bioactivity of polysaccharides from A. obcordata. A. obcordata polysaccharides were extracted by using four solutions: hot water, HCl solution, NaOH solution, and 0.1 M NaCl. The results revealed that the extraction solvents significantly influenced the extraction yields, molecular weight distribution, monosaccharide compositions, preliminary structural characteristics, and microstructures of polysaccharides. The NaOH solution's extraction yield was significantly higher than the other extraction methods. Vitro antioxidant activity assays revealed that the NaOH solution extracted exhibited superior scavenging abilities towards DPPH and ABTS radicals and higher FRAP values than other polysaccharides. The vitro assays conducted for calcium oxalate crystallization demonstrated that four polysaccharides exhibited inhibitory effects on the nucleation and aggregation of calcium oxalate crystals, impeded calcium oxalate monohydrate growth, and induced calcium oxalate dihydrate formation. The NaOH solution extracted exhibited the most pronounced inhibition of calcium oxalate crystal nucleation, while the hot water extracted demonstrated the most significant suppression of calcium oxalate crystal aggregation. Therefore, it can be inferred that polysaccharides extracted with NaOH solution exhibited significant potential as a viable approach for extracting polysaccharides from stems due to their superior yield and the remarkable bioactivity of the resulting products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been extensively explored as advanced chemical sensors in recent years. However, there are few studies on MOFs as acidic gas sensors, especially proton conductive MOFs. In this work, two new proton‐conducting 3D MOFs, {[Co3(p‐CPhHIDC)2(4,4′‐bipy)(H2O)]⋅2 H2O}n (1) (p‐CPhH4IDC=2‐(4‐carboxylphenyl)‐1 H‐imidazole‐4,5‐dicarboxylic acid; 4,4′‐bipy=4,4′‐bipyridine) and {[Co3(p‐CPhHIDC)2(bpe)(H2O)]⋅3 H2O}n (2) (bpe=trans‐1,2‐bis(4‐pyridyl)ethylene) have been solvothermally prepared and investigated their formic acid sensing properties. Both MOFs 1 and 2 show temperature‐ and humidity‐dependent proton conductive properties and exhibit optimized proton conductivities of 1.04×10−3 and 7.02×10−4 S cm at 98 % relative humidity (RH) and 100 °C, respectively. The large number of uncoordinated carboxylic acid sites, free and coordination water molecules, and hydrogen‐bonding networks inside the frameworks are favorable to the proton transfer. By measuring the impedance values after exposure to formic acid vapor at 98 % or 68 % RH and 25 °C, both MOFs indicate reproducibly high sensitivity to the analyte. The detection limit of formic acid vapor is as low as 35 ppm for 1 and 70 ppm for 2. Meanwhile, both MOFs also show commendable selectivity towards formic acid among interfering solutions. The proton conducting and formic acid sensing mechanisms have been suggested according to the structural analysis, Ea calculations, N2 and water vapor absorptions, PXRD and SEM measurements. This work will open a new avenue for proton‐conductive MOF‐based impedance sensors and promote the potential application of these MOFs for indirectly monitoring the concentrations of formic acid vapors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a classic "environmental sensor", has been found to play an important role in cognitive and emotional function. Recent studies showed AhR deletion led to an attenuated fear memory, providing a potential target against fear memory, whether it is the consequence of attenuated sense of fear or memory ability deficit or both is unclear. Here this study aims to work this out. The freezing time in contextual fear conditioning (CFC) reduced significantly in AhR knockout mice, indicating an attenuated fear memory. Hot plate test and acoustic startle reflex showed that AhR knockout did not change the pain threshold and hearing, excluded the possibility of sensory impairments. Results from NORT, MWM and SBT showed that deletion of AhR had little effects on other types of memory. But the anxiety-like behaviors reduced both in naïve or suffered (tested after CFC) AhR knockout mice, showing that AhR-deficient mice have a reduced basal and stressful emotional response. The basal low-frequency to high-frequency (LF/HF) ratio of the AhR knockout mice was significantly lower than that of the control group, indicating lower sympathetic excitability in the basal state, suggesting a low level of basal stress in the knockout mice. Before and after CFC, the LF/HF ratio of AhR-KO mice tended to be significantly lower than that of WT mice, and their heart rate was significantly lower; and the AhR-KO mice also has a decreased serum corticosterone level after CFC, suggesting a reduced stress response in AhR knockout mice. Altogether, the basal stress level and stress response were significant reduced in AhR knockout mice, which might contribute to the attenuated fear memory with little impairment on other types of memory, suggesting AhR as a "psychologic sensor" additional to "environmental sensor". • AhR is involved in the process of fear memory. • AhR-deficient mice have a reduced emotional response. • Deletion of AhR attenuates fear memory by reducing stress response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) are two of the most notable driver genes in lung cancer, whilst vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling serves a critical function in tumor angiogenesis. However, few studies have focused on the potential connection between EGFR/KRAS mutational status, and VEGFA, VEGF receptor (VEGFR)1 and VEGFR2 expression in lung adenocarcinoma. EGFR (exon 19, 20 and 21) and KRAS (exon 2) mutations were detected using an amplification refractory mutation system technique, and the expression of VEGFA, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 was analyzed using immunohistochemistry in 204 patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Associations between EGFR/KRAS mutational status and VEGFA, VEGFR1, and VEGFR2 expression was analyzed using Pearson Χ² tests. It was revealed that EGFR 21 exon (P=0.033) and EGFR 20 exon (P=0.002) mutated tumors exhibited a significantly higher level of expression of VEGFA. EGFR 21 exon mutant tumors additionally demonstrated a significantly higher level of co-expression of VEGFA and VEGFR1 (P<0.001). EGFR 19 exon mutation was significantly associated with low levels of VEGFR1 (P=0.008). KRAS mutation was significantly associated with a high level of co-expression of VEGFA, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 (P=0.035), but no such association with the individual expression of VEGFA, VEGFR1 or VEGFR2 was identified. However, neither KRAS or EGFR mutations exhibited an association with the expression of VEGFR2. The present study may help in the treatment of various patients with KRAS or subtype of EGFR mutation with anti-angiogenesis therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular mechanism of tumor metastasis, especially how metastatic tumor cells colonize in a distant site, remains poorly understood. Here we reported that ARHGAP15, a Rho GTPase activating protein, enhanced gastric cancer (GC) metastatic colonization, which was quite different from its reported role as a tumor suppressor gene in other cancers. It was upregulated in metastatic lymph nodes and significantly associated with a poor prognosis. Ectopic expression of ARHGAP15 promoted metastatic colonization of gastric cancer cells in murine lungs and lymph nodes in vivo or protected cells from oxidative-related death in vitro. However, genetic downregulation of ARHGAP15 had the opposite effect. Mechanistically, ARHGAP15 inactivated RAC1 and then decreased intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus enhancing the antioxidant capacity of colonizing tumor cells under oxidative stress. This phenotype could be phenocopied by inhibition of RAC1 or rescued by the introduction of constitutively active RAC1 into cells. Taken together, these findings suggested a novel role of ARHGAP15 in promoting gastric cancer metastasis by quenching ROS through inhibiting RAC1 and its potential value for prognosis estimation and targeted therapy. Author summary: Although metastasis is an extremely insufficient process, it constitutes the major cause of gastric cancer related death. Up to present, little is known about the metastatic colonization, especially how the quite limited tumor cells survive in distant sites to develop metastatic lesions. Here, we reported a Rho GTPase activating protein ARHGAP15, which was identified as a leading upregulated gene in metastatic lymph nodes but previously reported as a tumor suppressor in other malignancies, promoted metastatic colonization of gastric cancer in vivo and protected cell from oxidative-related death in vitro. Further studies indicated that ARHGAP15 suppressed RAC1 and then decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species produced by NOX2, a downstream gene of RAC1, thus protecting colonizing tumor cells from oxidative stress. Our research contributed to a more comprehensive and detailed understanding of the dynamics of metastatic colonization and more importantly, demonstrated the pro-metastatic role of ARHGAP15 for the first time, providing novel insights into the role of this Rho GTPase activating protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In general cases, carotenoid aggregates are prepared in organic-water mixing solvent depending on its hydrophobic character. It is well-known that one of carotenoids, lycopene, is more likely to form typical H-aggregates. In this study, new type lycopene J-aggregates were prepared in DMSO-water mixing solvent with small amount of toluene, which was observed for the first time. We proposed a potential structure model combining with exciton model to interpret the mechanism of spectra changes. Our finding has provided new methods and novel ideas for controlling carotenoid aggregates formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Berberine (BBR) is a traditional Chinese medicine in various applications due to its antibacterial effect. Here we investigated the increased bacterial resistance of E. coli toward BBR. The median effective concentration (EC50) of BBR against E. coli was increased when TetA efflux protein (TEP) was introduced. Sixty-five percent of the intracellular BBR was expelled and molecular docking demonstrated the intensive interaction of TEP to BBR. Finally, the combined antibacterial experiment identified that BBR acted as an inhibitor of TEP in detoxification of tetracycline. TEP is the first discovered protein that was related to the bacterial susceptibility to BBR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Berberine (BBR) is a traditional Chinese medicine which recently was applied as a biological pesticide. Here, we studied the antimicrobial mode of BBR and its impact on soil bacterial diversity. BBR was more effective against fungi than bacteria due to the specific interaction between BBR and glucan. Also, BBR was degraded rapidly in soil, leading to the limited effect on soil bacterial diversity. Collectively, BBR is an environment-friendly pesticide and it is promising in dealing with fungal plant diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Alcohol abuse can lead to alcoholic hepatitis (AH), a worldwide public health issue with high morbidity and mortality. Here, we identified apolipoprotein A-IV (APOA4) as a biomarker and potential therapeutic target for AH. APOA4 expression was detected by Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases, Immunohistochemistry, and qRT-PCR in AH. Bioinformatics Methods (protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were used to show down-stream gene and pathways of APOA4 in AH. AML-12 cells were used to evaluate the biological function of APOA4 using an ELISA kit (AST, ALT, and IL-1β) and flow cytometry (ROS activity). Both in vivo and in vitro, APOA4 expression was significantly elevated in the AH model induced by alcohol (ETOH). AML-12 cell damage was specifically repaired by APOA4 deficiency, while AST, ALT, and IL-1β activity that was increased by ETOH (200 µmol, 12 h) were suppressed. APOA4 inhibition increased intracellular ROS induced by ETOH, which was detected by flow cytometry. Functional and PPI network analyses showed Fcgamma receptor (FCGR) and platelet activation signaling were potential downstream pathways. We identified CIDEC as a downstream gene of APOA4. The CIDEC AUC values for the ROC curves were 0.861. At the same time, APOA4 silencing downregulated the expression of CIDEC, whereas the knockdown of CIDEC did not influence the expression of APOA4 in AML-12 cells. Collectively, APOA4 regulates CIDEC expression and immune cell infiltration and may hold great potential as a biomarker and therapeutic target for AH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: Acute lung injury (ALI)/ acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was increasingly recognized as one of the most severe acute hyperimmune response of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Clofazimine (CFZ) has attracted attention due to its anti-inflammatory property in immune diseases as well as infectious diseases. However, the role and potential molecular mechanism of CFZ in anti-inflammatory responses remain unclear. Methods: We analyze the protein expression profiles of CFZ and LPS from Raw264.7 macrophages using quantitative proteomics. Next, the protective effect of CFZ on LPS-induced inflammatory model is assessed, and its underlying mechanism is validated by molecular biology analysis. Results: LC–MS/MS-based shotgun proteomics analysis identified 4746 (LPS) and 4766 (CFZ) proteins with quantitative information. The key proteins and their critical signal transduction pathways including TLR4/NF-κB/HIF-1α signaling was highlighted, which was involved in multiple inflammatory processes. A further analysis of molecular biology revealed that CFZ could significantly inhibit the proliferation of Raw264.7 macrophages, decrease the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β, alleviate lung histological changes and pulmonary edema, improve the survival rate, and down-regulate TLR4/NF-κB/HIF-1α signaling in LPS model. Conclusion: This study can provide significant insight into the proteomics-guided pharmacological mechanism study of CFZ and suggest potential therapeutic strategies for infectious disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of two-dimensional (2D) monolayer GaN Schottky barrier field effect transistors (SBFETs) with four different metals (Ag, Au, Al, and Pt) as electrodes were studied by using ab initio simulations. The N-type Schottky contact is formed on Ag-GaN, Au-GaN, and Pt-GaN, characterized by electron Schottky barrier heights (SBH) of 0.6, 0.5, and 0.38 eV, respectively. Whereas, Al-GaN contact formed P-type Schottky contact with hole SBH of 1.42 eV. The 5.1 nm GaN SBFETs with four metal electrodes all could overcome the short-channel effect. Additionally, GaN SBFETs with Ag and Au electrodes have excellent performance, whose ON-currents are 1151.1 μA/μm and 1258.9 μA/μm, respectively. They could satisfy the demands of International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors for high-performance transistor. Furthermore, research indicates that the device's current increases with increasing temperature. Notably, under the constant bias and gate voltage, the current is unaffected by temperature variations between the left and right electrodes. • 2D GaN SBFETs with four different metals (Ag, Au, Al, and Pt) as electrodes. • All SBFETs could meet the OFF-state requirement of ITRS. • GaN SBFETs with Ag and Au as electrodes have excellent performance (ON-state current, C g , DPI, τ, and SS). • The current value and the temperature difference of electrodes are not correlated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this corrigendum to the original article, we have included a revised Fig 2 (I) with the right staining image as shown in this corrigendum (Figure 2), to address the error in the original article. Keywords: CRSwNP; epithelial remodeling; HIPPO; IL-13; YAP EN CRSwNP epithelial remodeling HIPPO IL-13 YAP 713 716 4 02/01/22 20220201 NES 220201 To Editor: In Feb 2021, we published a letter titled "Role of yes-associated protein in interleukin-13 induced nasal remodeling of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps" in Allergy (PMID: 33301614; 10.1111/all.14699). We would like to emphasize, however, that this error did not affect the results and conclusion of the article as the error stemmed from misplacing of the IF image at the wrong grouping column during the preparation of the manuscript revision. [Extracted from the article]

Cortinarius is a speciose genus of mycorrhizal fungi that contains many cryptic and difficult to delineate taxa. Correct identification can be confounded for species where no genetic information is available from their respective type specimens. Cortinarius section Subcastanelli is known to contain several species for which there is ambiguity around their true identity, i.e. C. epiphaeus, C. subcastanellus and C. taylorianus. For example, it has been long hypothesised that C. napivelatus is conspecific with C. epiphaeus. In this study, the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was sequenced from the holotypes of the afore mentioned species. The ITS sequences and morphological characteristics indicated that C. epiphaeus and C. napivelatus were conspecific. Consequently, C. napivelatus was synonymised with C. epiphaeus. Based on morphological and molecular evidence it is shown that the protologue of C. subcastanellus is a mixture of two species. Consequently, the morphologically similar C. wallacei is synonymised with C. subcastanellus, the protologue of C. subcastanellus is emended and the new species C. cesarioanus is erected. Similarly, C. taylorianus was found to be polyphyletic. The holotype of C. taylorianus was nested in section Archeriani while a paratype fell in section Subcastanelli. As the protologue is consistent with the clade containing the type, no emendations are required. In addition to the species in Subcastanelli, a new species in Delibuti is described: C. viridipileatus. This species is distinctive in section Delibuti in having a green pileus with mauve lamellae. Finally, a key to New Zealand rozitoid species is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: CRSwNP; epithelial remodeling; HIPPO; IL-13; YAP EN CRSwNP epithelial remodeling HIPPO IL-13 YAP 600 604 5 02/20/21 20210201 NES 210201 Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common otolaryngologic disease. IF results on day 2 (A-D) and day 24 (E-H), showed that IL-13+VP treatment resulted in a decreased basal cell percentage (D, H), decreased YAP activity in basal cells (B, F), and a decreased basal cell proliferation level (C, G). Generally, YAP inhibits epithelial differentiation.8 However, our results demonstrated that YAP can also promote goblet cell differentiation and YAP inhibitor reversed IL-13-induced goblet cell hyperplasia. [Extracted from the article]

The synthesis strategy, structural characteristics and stability, proton conducting features and mechanism of COFs in the past five years were fully reviewed. Future design ideas, research priorities and application prospects for such promising COFs are highlighted. • Proton conductive covalent organic frameworks were reviewed. • COFs are classified and described according to the type of linkages. • Proton conductivity and conducting mechanism were discussed. • The future development trend of such COFs is prospected. As a new class of promising crystalline solid materials, the preparation and application of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have aroused great interest in recent years. In this review, we will focus on the recent research achievements of COFs in the field of proton conductivity from the aspects of design strategies, structural characteristics, proton conducting features and mechanism, application research, etc. Finally, we will present a forward-looking view on the future development and challenges of such functional materials as well as preparation techniques and strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Treatment with albiflorin protected the mitochondrial dynamics in APP/PS1 mice. • Treatment with albiflorin reduced β-Amyloid accumulation in APP/PS1 mice. • Treatment with albiflorin ameliorated memory deficits in APP/PS1 mice. Albiflorin, the main component of Radix Paeoniae Alba, has been shown to ameliorate injury in cell models of Alzheimer's disease induced by amyloid-β (Aβ), but the mechanism is unclear. We used 7-month-old APP/PS1 mice to determine whether albiflorin is capable of protecting against Alzheimer's disease. We found that four weeks of intragastric administration of albiflorin (20 mg/kg/d and 40 mg/kg/d) ameliorated memory deficits in APP/PS1 mice. Albiflorin conferred synaptic protection by decreasing Aβ levels and increasing PSD-95, synaptophysin and synapsin 1 levels in the brains of APP/PS1 mice. Albiflorin played an antioxidative role by reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and elevating Mn-SOD activity in the brain. Albiflorin also reduced the level of Drp1, increased the levels of Mfn1, Mfn2 and Opa1 and improved mitochondrial morphology in APP/PS1 mice. Albiflorin inhibited the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis by increasing the levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl and decreasing the levels of Bax, caspase-3 and cytochrome c in both the hippocampus and the cortex and by reducing the number of apoptotic cells in the anterior parietal cortex of the APP/PS1 mice. In conclusion, treatment with albiflorin improved mitochondrial function, reduced Aβ deposition in the brain and ameliorated memory deficits in APP/PS1 mice. These findings indicate that albiflorin may serve as a potential antidementia drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly stability and reproducible core-satellite Ag/TiO 2 /Ag composite nanospheres were developed as SERS substrates, which exhibited multiple application potentials in solution, for instance, quantitative and trace detecting organic dye molecules and in situ monitoring chemical reaction. Herein, the robust core-satellite Ag/TiO 2 /Ag composite nanospheres were successfully developed. We firstly fabricated large silver nanoparticles with sufficient plasmonic activity as cores and then encapsulated uniform titanium dioxide interlayer shell around Ag cores, which serves as the highly functionalized substrates to achieve uniform and plentiful surface chemical properties. Next, the outer shell of small silver satellites was formed in-situ via controllable reduction of AgNO 3 by n -butylamine, which acts as the remarkable enhancer for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The Ag/TiO 2 /Ag composite nanospheres with exceptional SERS sensitivity were easily prepared via facilely tuning the coverage and grain sizes of silver satellites. Then the optimized Ag/TiO 2 /Ag composite nanospheres were employed to quantitatively detect methylene blue (MB) in solution. The results showed good linear relationship between SERS intensities and logarithm concentrations of MB and the limit of detection is low to 10−10 M. Moreover, the highly uniform and robust Ag/TiO 2 /Ag composite nanospheres display outstanding reproducibility (RSD = 4.02%) and highly storage stability. Owing to the intrinsic catalytic activity of small Ag satellites, Ag/TiO 2 /Ag nanospheres were further applied to effectively follow the degradation reaction process of crystal violet by SERS. Altogether, the core-satellite Ag/TiO 2 /Ag nanospheres present multiple SERS application potential in various fields, such as quantitative chemical analysis, trace detection of pollutants and in-situ reaction monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract During earthquake events, a mainshock may trigger a number of following aftershocks in a short time, which can cause additional damage to structures. This paper investigates the influence of aftershocks with different durations on the additional accumulative damage of containment structures considering the post-mainshock damage states. For this purpose, 15 as-recorded mainshock-aftershock records with a broad range of aftershock durations, which are scaled and adjusted to match the target spectrum using wavelet transformation, are considered in this study. The three-dimensional structural model which can capture the strength and stiffness degradation during seismic sequences is established. A normalized 'damage ratio' measuring tensile and compressive damage is proposed to quantify the accumulative damage from seismic sequences. The results indicate that aftershocks with longer durations can cause more severe accumulative damage and have a significant effect on the damage pattern. Therefore, to evaluate the safety margin of containment structures accurately, the aftershock and its characteristics of duration should be taken into account when selecting ground motion records for seismic safety assessment of a Nuclear Power Plant. Highlights • The concrete damage plasticity model is used to capture accumulative damage. • Aftershock records are scaled and adjusted to match target spectra using wavelet. • The normalized 'damage ratio' are proposed to quantify the accumulative damage. • The post-mainshock damage states of containment buildings are considered. • Aftershock durations amplify the accumulative damage and affect the damage pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

8-Hydroxyquinoline-2-carbaldehyde-(4'-hydroxyphenylacetyl) hydrazine (HL) and Its complexes ([Cd(L)2·CH3CH2OH·8H2O] (1), [Cd(HL)2][CdCl4]·3CH3CH2OH·2H2O] (2) were synthesized from 8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carbaldehyde and 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)acetohydrazide as starting materials. The structures of two complexes have been characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that both of complexes 1 and 2 crystallized in triclinic space group Pī. Also, the fluorescence properties of complex were studied by UV-Vis absorption by fluorescence spectroscopy, and the thermal stability was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical and major operations are often accompanied by brain ischemic complications. Previous studies found that propofol post-conditioning provided neuroprotective functions through upregulating the expression of potassium chloride cotransporter 2 (KCC2) in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) interneurons. Membrane expression and phosphorylation represents KCC2 activity, which were modulated by a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent mechanism. However, the role of propofol in increasing KCC2 phosphorylation and the involvement of protein kinase Mζ (PKMζ), a major subtype of PKC, in the KCC2 pathway remained unclear. In this study, we established middle cerebral artery occlusion model in rats to evaluate the long-term recovery of brain functions using behavioral experiments. KCC2 and PKMζ were assessed via western blot. We used the selective inhibitor, zeta inhibitory peptide (ZIP), to investigate the relationship between KCC2 and PKMζ. Intracellular chloride concentration in the hippocampal CA1 area was measured to determine KCC2 activity. We found that propofol, infused at a speed of 20 mg kg−1 h−1 for 2 h at the onset of reperfusion, improved neurological deficits and cognitive dysfunction following ischemia/reperfusion injury. PKMζ expression was significantly upregulated, which improved KCC2 membrane expression and phosphorylation in the ischemic hippocampal CA1 area, and these effects could last up to 28 days. But ZIP inhibited this process. Ultimately, we showed that propofol increased KCC2 phosphorylation and PKMζ was the upstream of KCC2. Propofol led to long-term recovery of brain functions by upregulating the activity of the PKMζ/KCC2 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adding method, which could calculate the infrared radiative transfer (IRT) in inhomogeneous atmosphere with multiple layers, has been applied to δ -four-stream discrete-ordinates method (DOM). This scheme is referred as δ -4DDA. However, there is a lack of application for adding method of δ -four-stream spherical harmonic expansion approximation (SHM) to solve infrared radiative transfer through multiple layers. In this paper, the adding method for δ -four-stream SHM ( δ -4SDA) will be obtained and the accuracy of it will be evaluated as well. The result of δ -4SDA in an idealized medium with homogeneous optical property is significantly more accurate than that of the adding method for δ -two-stream DOM ( δ -2DDA). The relative errors of δ -2DDA can be over 15% in thin optical depths for downward emissivity, while errors of δ -4SDA are bounded by 2%. However, the result of δ -4SDA is slightly less accurate than that of δ -4DDA. In a radiation model with realistic atmospheric profile considering gaseous transmission, the accuracy for heating rate of δ -4SDA is significantly superior than that of δ -2DDA, especially for the cloudy sky. The accuracy for heating rate of δ -4SDA is slightly less accurate than that of δ -4DDA under water cloud conditions, while it is superior than that of δ -4DDA in ice cloud cases. Beside, the computational efficiency of δ -4SDA is higher than that of δ -4DDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The corrosion efficiency of 92.34 % is obtained with 300 mg/L HYP for 24 h. • HYP is a mixed-type of corrosion inhibitor with physical and chemical adsorption. • HYP shows great application prospect in oil well acidification at high temperature. • The theoretical calculation provides a reliable verification for the corrosion inhibition mechanism. Plant extracts have been widely reported as promising green metal corrosion inhibitors in recent years. Due to abundant sources, low cost and no pollution to the environment, plant extracts are good raw materials for preparing corrosion inhibitors. However, they have not been successfully applied in the corrosion industry owing to their unknown composition and large dosage. To further explore the effective corrosion inhibitors in plant extracts, Hyperoside (HYP) is firstly isolated from Uncaria laevigata in this work. Here, we assume that HYP shows good corrosion inhibition performance for Q235 steel in acidic medium. Then, the corrosion inhibition performance of HYP on Q235 steel in 1 M HCl solution at different temperature and corrosion time was explored by experiments and theoretical calculations. Electrochemical experiments showed that the corrosion inhibition efficiency of 300 mg/L HYP on Q235 steel in 1 M HCl was 92.34 % at 25 °C for 24 h. Excitedly, HYP (300 mg/L) still revealed a high corrosion inhibition efficiency of 80.49 % at 85 °C. Surface analysis showed that HYP formed a protective film on the steel surface. Additionally, quantum chemical calculation and molecular dynamics simulation evaluated the corrosion inhibition mechanism of HYP at the molecular level. The outstanding advantages of HYP over some plant extracts include low dosage, clear structure and sustained protection. Therefore, it can be used as a green corrosion inhibitor and shows great application prospect in oil well acidification with high temperature. Meanwhile, this work will provide some ideas for exploring the monomer or compound components that really exert inhibition effect in plant extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Aggregating consortium X9 was isolated from aerobic granules. [•] Proteins contents and cell surface hydrophobicity accelerate granulation. [•] Polysaccharide contents have little effects on granulation. [•] Cyclic-di-GMP reduced cell swarming motility for enhancing formation of mature granules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Metabolomics analysis of Semen Cuscutae protection of kidney deficient model rats. • Development an UPLC-QTOF/MS method to identify potential biomarkers. • Semen Cuscutae had a good therapeutic effect on kidney Yang deficiency syndrome. The traditional Chinese medicine syndrome "Kidney yang deficiency" is a kind of chronic kidney disease. With the development of society, the incidence of chronic kidney disease is increasing year by year, which also brings great economic pressure to people. Semen Cuscutae is an important traditional Chinese medicine to tonify liver and kidney, mainly used to tonify deficiency of liver and kidney, spleen and kidney deficiency and diarrhea. Although there are a lot of research at the molecular and cellular level to study the Semen Cuscutae on the treatment of Kidney yang deficiency syndrome, but there's no comprehensive research complete with metabolomics method from plasma, feces and urine metabolites aspects. The purpose of this study is to find the potential differential biomarkers of the Kidney yang deficiency model and blank group rats in plasma, urine and feces, and to investigate the mechanism of Semen Cuscutae in the treatment of Kidney yang deficiency syndrome. In this study, ultra high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS) was used to identify potential biomarkers. Through the analysis of metabolic profiles of plasma, urine, and feces, as well as multivariate statistical analysis and pathway analysis, the therapeutic mechanism of Semen Cuscutae for Kidney yang deficiency syndrome was described. The results showed that there were 69 differential metabolites in plasma, 93 differential metabolites in feces and 62 differential metabolites in urine, and the changes of the levels of these biomarkers showed that Semen Cuscutae had a good therapeutic effect on Kidney yang deficiency syndrome. Through the analysis of the channel, the metabolite changes mainly affected the steroid hormone biosynthesis, arachidonic acid metabolism, primary bile acid biosynthesis, sheath lipid metabolism and biosynthesis of tyrosine, phenylalanine metabolism, retinol metabolism,taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, lysine degradation and vitamin B6 metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, terpenoid backbone biosynthesis and starch and sucrose metabolism. Therefore, the results suggested that Semen Cuscutae could exert a good therapeutic effect by reversing the levels of some biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manufacturing industry reflects a country's productivity level and occupies an important share in the national economy of developed countries in the world. Jobshop scheduling (JSS) model originates from modern manufacturing, in which a number of tasks are executed individually on a series of processors following their preset processing routes. This study addresses a JSS problem with the criterion of minimizing total quadratic completion time (TQCT), where each task is available at its own release date. Constructive heuristic and meta-heuristic algorithms are introduced to handle different scale instances as the problem is NP-hard. Given that the shortest-processing-time (SPT)-based heuristic and dense scheduling rule are effective for the TQCT criterion and the JSS problem, respectively, an innovative heuristic combining SPT and dense scheduling rule is put forward to provide feasible solutions for large-scale instances. A preemptive single-machine-based lower bound is designed to estimate the optimal schedule and reveal the performance of the heuristic. Differential evolution algorithm is a global search algorithm on the basis of population, which has the advantages of simple structure, strong robustness, fast convergence, and easy implementation. Therefore, a hybrid discrete differential evolution (HDDE) algorithm is presented to obtain near-optimal solutions for medium-scale instances, where multi-point insertion and a local search scheme enhance the quality of final solutions. The superiority of the HDDE algorithm is highlighted by contrast experiments with population-based meta-heuristics, i.e., ant colony optimization (ACO), particle swarm optimization (PSO) and genetic algorithm (GA). Average gaps 45.62, 63.38 and 188.46 between HDDE with ACO, PSO and GA, respectively, are demonstrated by the numerical results with benchmark data, which reveals the domination of the proposed HDDE algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]