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This study aimed to analyse the existing evidence on the association between particulate matter 2.5 (PMThis was a systematic review and meta-analysis.The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane and Web of Science databases were comprehensively searched for articles published between January 1900 and June 2022. All cohort studies that reported the influence of long-term exposure to PMIn total, 20 articles were selected for review; 18 included results on the long-term effects of PMLong-term exposure to PM

Measuring and modulating charge-transfer processes at quantum dot interfaces are crucial steps in developing quantum dots as photocatalysts. In this work, cyclic voltammetry under illumination is demonstrated to measure the rate of photoinduced charge transfer from CdS quantum dots by directly probing the changing oxidation states of a library of molecular charge acceptors, including both hole and electron acceptors. The voltammetry data demonstrate the presence of long-lived charge donor states generated by native photodoping of the quantum dots as well as a positive correlation between driving force and rate of charge transfer. Changes to the voltammograms under illumination follow mechanistic predictions from the

Predictions of chemical reaction outcomes using machine learning (ML) has emerged as a powerful tool for advancing materials synthesis. However, this approach requires large and diverse datasets, which are extremely limited in the field of nanomaterials synthesis due to inconsistent and non-standardized reporting in the literature and a lack of understanding of synthetic mechanisms. In this study, we extracted parameters of InP quantum dot (QD) syntheses as our inputs, and resultant properties (absorption, emission, diameter) as our outputs from 72 publications. We “filled in” missing outputs using a data imputation method to prepare a complete dataset containing 216 entries for training and testing predictive ML models. We defined the descriptor space in two ways (condensed and extended) based on either chemical identity or the role of reagents to explore the best approach for categorizing input features. We achieved mean absolute errors (MAEs) as low as 20.29, 11.46, and 0.33 nm for absorption, emission, and diameter respectively with our best ML model across diverse synthetic methods. We used these models to deploy an accessible and interactive webapp for designing syntheses of InP (https://share.streamlit.io/cossairt-lab/indium-phosphide/Hot_injection/hot_injection_prediction.py). Using this webapp, we investigated the power of ML to uncover chemical trends in InP syntheses, such as the effects of common additives, like zinc salts and trioctylphosphine. We also designed and conducted new experiments based on extensions of literature procedures and compared our experimentally measured properties to predictions, thus evaluating the “real-life” accuracy of our models. Conversely, we used inverse-design to obtain InP QDs with specific properties. Finally, we applied the same approach to train, test, and launch predictive models for CdSe QDs by expanding a previously published dataset. Altogether, our data pre-processing method and ML implementations demonstrate the ability to design materials with targeted properties and explore underlying reaction mechanisms even when faced with limited data resources.

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are efficient organic photoredox catalysts due to their high extinction coefficients and easily tunable band edge potentials. Despite the majority of the surface being covered by ligands, our understanding of the effect of the ligand shell on organic photocatalysis is limited to steric effects. We hypothesize that we can increase the activity of QD photocatalysts by designing a ligand shell with targeted electronic properties, namely, redox-mediating ligands. Herein, we functionalize our QDs with hole-mediating ferrocene (Fc) derivative ligands and perform a reaction where the slow step is hole transfer from QD to substrate. Surprisingly, we find that a hole-shuttling Fc inhibits catalysis, but confers much greater stability to the catalyst by preventing a build-up of destructive holes. We also find that dynamically bound Fc ligands can promote catalysis by surface exchange and creation of a more permeable ligand shell. Finally, we find that trapping the electron on a ligand dramatically increases the rate of reaction. These results have major implications for understanding the rate-limiting processes for charge transfer from QDs and the role of the ligand shell in modulating it.

Dairy calves are highly susceptible to the negative effects of heat stress, which can cause organ hypoxia after blood redistribution, damage the intestinal barrier, and trigger intestinal oxidative stress. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant effects of monoammonium glycyrrhizinate (MAG) on calf small intestinal epithelial cells under heat stress in vitro. Small intestinal epithelial cells were isolated from a 1-day-old healthy calf and purified by differential enzymatic detachment. The purified cells were divided into seven groups. The control group was cultured with DMEM/F-12 at 37℃ for 6 h, and the treatment groups were cultured with 0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1, or 5 μg/mL MAG at 42℃ for 6 h. Heat stress causes oxidative damage to cells. Adding MAG in the medium can significantly improve cell activity and reduce cellular oxidative stress. Monoammonium glycyrrhizinate significantly increased the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity caused by heat stress, and significantly decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels. The MAG treatment also reduced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, increased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and decreased apoptosis under heat stress. MAG also upregulated the expression of the antioxidant-related genes, Nrf2 and GSTT1, in heat-stressed intestinal epithelial cells and significantly downregulated the expression of the heat shock response-related proteins, MAPK, HSP70, HSP90, and HSP27. From the above results, we conclude that 0.25 μg/mL MAG improves the capability of the antioxidant system in small intestinal epithelial cells to eliminate reactive oxygen species by activating antioxidant pathways, improving the oxidant/antioxidant balance, lowering excessive heat shock responses, and reducing intestinal oxidative stress.

This tutorial review presents our perspective on designing organic molecules for the functionalization of inorganic nanomaterial surfaces, through the model of an "anchor-functionality" paradigm. This "anchor-functionality" paradigm is a streamlined design strategy developed from a comprehensive range of materials (e.g., lead halide perovskites, II-VI semiconductors, III-V semiconductors, metal oxides, diamonds, carbon dots, silicon, etc.) and applications (e.g., light-emitting diodes, photovoltaics, lasers, photonic cavities, photocatalysis, fluorescence imaging, photo dynamic therapy, drug delivery, etc.). The structure of this organic interface modifier comprises two key components: anchor groups binding to inorganic surfaces and functional groups that optimize their performance in specific applications. To help readers better understand and utilize this approach, the roles of different anchor groups and different functional groups are discussed and explained through their interactions with inorganic materials and external environments.

Nanoscale tetrapods were synthesized with independently tunable core and arm sizes and aspect ratios from a spectrum of quantum dot seeds, including ZnTe, CuInS2, InP, InP/ZnS, and Cd3P2. The range...

Measuring and modulating charge transfer processes at quantum dot interfaces are crucial steps in the development of quantum dot photocatalysis. In this work, cyclic voltammetry under illumination is demonstrated to measure the rate of photoinduced charge transfer from CdS quantum dots by directly probing the changing oxidation states of a library of model charge acceptors. The voltammetry data demonstrates the presence of long-lived electron donor states generated by native photodoping of the QDs as well as the relationship between driving force and rate of charge transfer. Changes to the voltammograms under illumination follow mechanistic predictions from classic zone diagrams and electrochemical modeling allows for measurement of the rate of productive electron transfer, giving rate constants (104 M-1s-1) that are distinct from the ps dynamics measured by conventional optical spectroscopy methods and that are more closely connected to the quantum yield of photoinduced chemical transformations.

With the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease, there is still an unmet need to better treat hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. Here, we identify isthmin-1 (Ism1) as an adipokine and one that has a dual role in increasing adipose glucose uptake while suppressing hepatic lipid synthesis. Ism1 ablation results in impaired glucose tolerance, reduced adipose glucose uptake, and reduced insulin sensitivity, demonstrating an endogenous function for Ism1 in glucose regulation. Mechanistically, Ism1 activates a PI3K-AKT signaling pathway independently of the insulin and insulin-like growth factor receptors. Notably, while the glucoregulatory function is shared with insulin, Ism1 counteracts lipid accumulation in the liver by switching hepatocytes from a lipogenic to a protein synthesis state. Furthermore, therapeutic dosing of recombinant Ism1 improves diabetes in diet-induced obese mice and ameliorates hepatic steatosis in a diet-induced fatty liver mouse model. These findings uncover an unexpected, bioactive protein hormone that might have simultaneous therapeutic potential for diabetes and fatty liver disease.

Depleting creatine levels in thermogenic adipocytes by inhibiting creatine biosynthesis reduces thermogenesis and causes obesity. However, whether creatine import from the circulation affects adipocyte thermogenesis is unknown. Here we show that deletion of the cell-surface creatine transporter (CrT) selectively in fat (AdCrTKO) substantially reduces adipocyte creatine and phosphocreatine levels, and reduces whole-body energy expenditure in mice. AdCrTKO mice are cold intolerant and become more obese than wild-type animals when fed a high-fat diet. Loss of adipocyte creatine transport blunts diet- and β3-adrenergic-induced thermogenesis, whereas creatine supplementation during high-fat feeding increases whole-body energy expenditure in response to β3-adrenergic agonism. In humans, CRT expression in purified subcutaneous adipocytes correlates with lower body mass index and increased insulin sensitivity. Our data indicate that adipocyte creatine abundance depends on creatine sequestration from the circulation. Given that it affects whole-body energy expenditure, enhancing creatine uptake into adipocytes may offer an opportunity to combat obesity and obesity-associated metabolic dysfunction. Creatine can be used for thermogenesis in adipocytes. Here Kazak et al. show that creatine uptake is required to sustain this thermogenic pathway. Knockdown of the creatine transporter, CrT, in adipocytes decreases thermogenesis and energy expenditure, whereas creatine supplementation increases energy expenditure in mice fed a high-fat diet.

Efficient in vitro callus generation is fundamental to tissue culture propagation, a process required for plant regeneration and transgenic breeding for desired phenotypes. Identifying genes and regulatory elements that prevent callus retardation and browning is essential to facilitate the development of vitro callus systems. Here we show thatBREVIPEDICELLUS(BP) andERECTA(ER) pathways inArabidopsiscallus are converged to prevent callus browning and positively regulate an isoperoxidase gene AtPRX17expression in the rapid growth callus. Loss of functions in bothBPandERresulted in markedly increasing callus browning. Transgenic lines withpro35S::AtPRX17in thebp-5 er105double mutant background fully rescued this phenotypic abnormality. Using plantin vitroDNA-binding assays, we observed that BP protein bound directly to the upstream sequence ofAtPRX17to promote its transcription during callus growth. ER is a universally presenting factor required for cell proliferation and growth, we show thatERpositively regulates expression of a transcription factorWRKY6, which also directly binds to an additional site of the AtPRX17promoter for its high expression. Our data reveals an important molecular mechanism in regulating expression of peroxidase isozyme to reduce Arabidopsis callus browning.HighlightBREVIPEDICELLUSandERECTAare involved in regulating Arabidopsis callus browning by controlling expression ofAtPRX17.

Lineage 1 (L1) and 3 (L3) are two lineages of theMycobacterium tuberculosiscomplex (MTBC), causing tuberculosis (TB) in humans. L1 and L3 are endemic to the Rim of the Indian Ocean, the region that accounts for most of the world’s new TB cases. Despite their relevance for this region, L1 and L3 remain understudied. Here we analyzed 2,938 L1 and 2,030 L3 whole genome sequences originating from 69 countries. We show that South Asia played a central role in the dispersion of these two lineages to neighboring regions. Moreover, we found that L1 exhibits signatures of local adaptation at theesxHlocus, a gene coding for a secreted effector that targets the human endosomal sorting complex, and is included in several vaccine candidates. Our study highlights the importance of genetic diversity in the MTBC, and sheds new light on two of the most important MTBC lineages affecting humans.

To investigate the expression of Long non-coding RNA ADIPOQ and its facilitating effects on proliferation and invasion of colorectal cancer by modulating the expression of TP53 via sponging with miR-219c-3p.qRT-PCR was performed to detect the expressions of ADIPOQ and TP53 in human colorectal cancer tissues and cells. CCK-8 assay was performed to evaluate the Caco-2 cells proliferation and transwell assay was performed to evaluate the Caco-2 cells migration. The relationship between ADIPOQ and miR-219c-3p was detected by statistical analysis. Target prediction and Luciferase activity assay were conducted to investigate the binding site and interaction between ADIPOQ and miR-219c-3p. Further, we cloned the mice TP53 3'-UTR into the Luciferase reporter vector and constructed miR-219c-3p binding mutants to verify the inhibited regulation of miR-219c-3p to the TP53 expression.The results suggested that the expression of ADIPOQ and TP53 was downregulated in human colorectal cancer tissues and Caco-2 cells. qRT-PCR and CCK-8 assay showed that ADIPOQ expression is correlated with the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells. Transwell assay showed that ADIPOQ regulated the migration ability of colorectal cancer cells. The bioinformatics prediction and Luciferase assay demonstrated that ADIPOQ serves as ceRNA for miR-219c-3p to further regulate the expression of TP53.For the first time, we found that lncRNA-ADIPOQ was downregulated in human colorectal cancer cells, which could facilitate tumor proliferation, migration and invasion as a ceRNA by sponging with miR-219c-3p.

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common fatal cancers. Recent studies have identified the vital roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the development and progression of BC. This research aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of lncRNA TTN-AS1 in the metastasis of BC.TTN-AS1 expression of tissues was detected by Real Time-quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) in 50 BC patients. Wound healing assay and transwell assay were used to observe the phenotypic alteration of BC cells after knockdown or overexpression of TTN-AS1. Moreover, RT-qPCR and Western blot assay were performed to discover the potential targets of TTN-AS1 in BC.TTN-AS1 expression in BC samples was significantly higher than that of the adjacent tissues. Besides, the migration and invasion of BC cells were markedly inhibited after TTN-AS1 was silenced, while promoted after TTN-AS1 overexpression. In addition, a remarkable decrease of DGCR8 was observed after TTN-AS1 was inhibited in BC cells, while DGCR8 was upregulated after overexpression of TTN-AS1. Furthermore, DGCR8 expression showed significant enhancement in BC tissues and was positively associated with TTN-AS1 level.Our study uncovered a new oncogene in BC and suggested that TTN-AS1 could enhance BC cell migration and invasion via sponging DGCR8, which provided a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of breast cancer.

Urbanization modifies atmospheric energy and moisture balances, forming distinct features [e.g., urban heat islands (UHIs) and enhanced or decreased precipitation]. These produce significant challenges to science and society, including rapid and intense flooding, heat waves strengthened by UHIs, and air pollutant haze. The Study of Urban Impacts on Rainfall and Fog/Haze (SURF) has brought together international expertise on observations and modeling, meteorology and atmospheric chemistry, and research and operational forecasting. The SURF overall science objective is a better understanding of urban, terrain, convection, and aerosol interactions for improved forecast accuracy. Specific objectives include a) promoting cooperative international research to improve understanding of urban summer convective precipitation and winter particulate episodes via extensive field studies, b) improving high-resolution urban weather and air quality forecast models, and c) enhancing urban weather forecasts for societal applications (e.g., health, energy, hydrologic, climate change, air quality, planning, and emergency response management). Preliminary SURF observational and modeling results are shown (i.e., turbulent PBL structure, bifurcating thunderstorms, haze events, urban canopy model development, and model forecast evaluation).

Refractory high entropy alloys have gained increasing research attention on their irradiation response for the potential applications in nuclear engineering. Considering the metastable nature of their single-phase solid solution structures, the phase stability under irradiation, especially at elevated temperatures, should be a critical concern during the long-term service. In the present study, a typical refractory high entropy alloy with a single-phase body-centered cubic (BCC) structure, HfNbZrTi, is irradiated with 1.5 MeV He ions under 700 °C to various fluences from 5 × 1015 to 1 × 1017 cm−2. Significant irradiation-enhanced precipitation with Hf and Zr enrichment is observed. Although most extended precipitates with tens of nanometers in size are with a hexagonal close-packed (HCP) structure, different structures, including HCP, face-centered cubic (FCC), and the close-packed structures containing highly mixed stacking sequences, are observed in the small precipitates with a few nanometers in size formed at the early-stage precipitation process, suggesting various precipitation paths. By carefully examining the interfaces between the matrix and precipitates, the precipitation mechanism is discussed with similar but slightly different orientation relationships from the Burgers path. Such irradiation-enhanced precipitation process has a strong impact on the cavity formation in this alloy. The cavities are dominantly formed through the heterogeneous nucleation and growth mechanisms, accompanied by the precipitation process. The cavities with low densities but large sizes are observed to be highly clustered with the precipitates. These findings not only unveil the detailed precipitation behavior in a model refractory high entropy alloy under irradiation, but also highlight the critical role that the phase stability plays on the irradiation damage of this novel alloy system.

In order to investigate the compositional effects on helium bubble formation in the refractory concentrated solid-solution alloys with single-phase body-centered cubic structures, TiVNbTa and TiVTa alloys, as well as a conventional V-alloy are irradiated with 1.5 MeV He ions to the fluences of 2 × 1016 and 1 × 1017 ion/cm2 at 700 °C. Under the same irradiation fluence, the average sizes of helium bubbles in TiVNbTa and V-alloy are similar, but the bubbles in TiVTa are much larger. Moreover, while the bubbles in TiVNbTa and V-alloy are uniformly distributed at both fluences, bubble clusters are observed in the TiVTa sample irradiated to the higher fluence. Both faceted and spherical bubbles are observed in all the three alloys, but the edges of the faceted bubbles have different preferential orientations: mostly in TiVTa, mostly in V-alloy, and co-appearance in TiVNbTa. Radiation induced segregation becomes more significant with increasing irradiation fluence; V-enrichment as well as Ti-, Nb-, and Ta-depletion around He bubbles is observed in TiVNbTa under the high fluence irradiation, while the segregation in the other two alloys is much less considerable.

In order to investigate the impact of coherent nanoprecipitates on the irradiation-induced microstructural change in high-entropy alloys and the stability of nanoprecipitates under irradiation, the single-phase CoCrFeNi and the coherent nanoprecipitate-containing (CoCrFeNi)94Ti2Al4 alloys were irradiated with 2.7 MeV Fe ions at 823 K. With the introduction of L12 coherent nanoprecipitates, the size of irradiation-induced dislocation loops is significantly reduced and the unfaulting of faulted loops is delayed. Unlike that both Ni and Co are segregated towards the loops in CoCrFeNi, the enrichment of Ni at loops is suppressed in (CoCrFeNi)94Ti2Al4 with the co-existence of nanoprecipitates. Furthermore, although minor coarsening and dissolution of nanoprecipitates are observed after irradiation, the stability is enhanced compared with some conventional Ni-based alloys.

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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Previous DTI cross-sectional studies have showed the cerebral damage feature was different in the three clinical stages after carbon monoxide poisoning. Diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) is an advanced diffusion imaging model and considered to better provide microstructural contrast in comparison with DTI parameters. The primary aim of this study was to assess microstructural changes in gray and white matter with diffusional kurtosis imaging in the acute, delayed neuropsychiatric, and chronic phases after acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. The secondary aim was to relate diffusional kurtosis imaging measures to neuropsychiatric outcomes of acute carbon monoxide poisoning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In all, 17 patients with acute carbon monoxide poisoning and 30 sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Patients were scanned within 1 week, 3–8 weeks, and 6 months after acute carbon monoxide poisoning. Diffusional kurtosis imaging metrics including mean kurtosis, mean diffusivity, fractional anisotropy, and kurtosis fractional anisotropy were measured in 11 ROIs and then further correlated with neuropsychiatric scores. RESULTS: In WM, mean kurtosis tended to increase from the acute-to-delayed neuropsychiatric phases and then decrease in the chronic phase, while in GM mean kurtosis showed a constant decline. Contrary to mean kurtosis, mean diffusivity first decreased then tended to increase in WM, while in GM, from the acute to chronic phases, mean diffusivity showed a constant increase. In both WM and GM, the fractional anisotropy and kurtosis fractional anisotropy values progressively declined with time. Kurtosis fractional anisotropy showed the best diagnostic efficiency with an area under the curve of 0.812 (P = .000). Along with neuropsychiatric scores, kurtosis fractional anisotropy of the centrum semiovale and Digit Span Backward were most relevant (r = 0.476, P = .000). CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinally, microstructural changes were inconsistent in WM and GM with time after acute carbon monoxide poisoning. Diffusional kurtosis imaging metrics provided important complementary information to quantify the damage to cognitive impairment.

In this paper, the preparation, microstructures and mechanical properties of in-situ (TiB 2 + ZrB 2 )/AlSi9Cu3 composites are investigated by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscope (OM), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and tensile testing. The composites are fabricated from Al–K 2 TiF 6 –K 2 ZrF 6 –KBF 4 system via melt in-situ reaction technology. The results reveal that the morphology of TiB 2 and ZrB 2 particles is presented in rectangular and nearly hexagonal, and the size of 20–100 nm in the synthesized composites. In addition, the particles are agglomerated as many of “Reinforced Group”, which are distributed along the crystal boundary of the matrix. The silicon phase and secondary dendrite arm spacing of AlSi9Cu3 alloy are obviously changed by the introduction of in-situ particles. The morphology of the silicon phase is presented in rod-shape or needle-shape with the size of about 3–10 μm. The particles affect the formation of dendrites and the size of the secondary dendrite arm spacing is 9.8–20 μm, while it seems to not affect the morphology of the CuAl 2 phase. Tensile testing results show that the tensile strength and elongation clearly increase with the introduction of in-situ particles. Moreover, the tensile strength and elongation reach 265 MPa and 14.8% respectively, with the best reaction time (30 min) and mass fraction of reactants (20wt.%). The mechanical stirring also significantly affected the particles dispersion in the composites.

Kinesin family member 5b (Kif5b), a conventional kinesin, mainly participates in lysosome and mitochondria transportation. Some studies have indicated that Kif5b may be associated with the development of a variety of tumors. However, the role Kif5b plays in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has yet to be determined. Our study aimed at investigating the expression level of Kif5b in primary OSCC and discussing its clinical significance in patients' outcomes.We measured Kif5b expression in 82 OSCC tissue samples with immunohistochemistry. The associations between the expression level of Kif5b and clinicopathological characteristics as well as patients' survival were statistically assessed.Kif5b level was significantly associated with tumor size (p=0.034), histological differentiation (p=0.028), disease recurrence (p=0.018), surrounding tissue invasion (p=0.045), recurrence time (p=0.036) and survival status (p=0.030). Kaplan-Meier cumulative survival analyses indicated that high expression of Kif5b was linked to worse overall survival (p=0.0112) and disease-free survival (p=0.0085). The univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis further identified the expression status of Kif5b as an independent variable that correlated with patients' survival and recurrence. Furthermore, in 54 early-stage, clinically node negative OSCC patients, Kif5b expression were correlated with histological differentiation (p=0.034), disease recurrence (p=0.038) and surrounding tissue invasion (p=0.029). Univariate and multivariable logistic regression results showed that only Kif5b expression level could influence the probability of recurrence.Our results reveal that Kif5b expression is associated with poor clinical outcome in OSCC and even in early-stage, clinically node negative OSCC and may be a potential target for OSCC treatment.

Significance Bioactive lipids control a wide variety of physiologic processes. We have recently identified a branch of bioactive lipid signaling mediated by N-acyl amino acids (NAAs) and the circulating enzyme peptidase M20 domain-containing 1 (PM20D1). Here we generate and characterize mice globally deficient in PM20D1. These PM20D1-KO mice have bidirectional changes in NAA levels in blood and tissues and exhibit a variety of metabolic and nociceptive phenotypes. Our findings elucidate the endogenous physiologic functions for NAA signaling in vivo and suggest PM20D1 inhibitors might be useful for the treatment of pain., N-acyl amino acids (NAAs) are a structurally diverse class of bioactive signaling lipids whose endogenous functions have largely remained uncharacterized. To clarify the physiologic roles of NAAs, we generated mice deficient in the circulating enzyme peptidase M20 domain-containing 1 (PM20D1). Global PM20D1-KO mice have dramatically reduced NAA hydrolase/synthase activities in tissues and blood with concomitant bidirectional dysregulation of endogenous NAAs. Compared with control animals, PM20D1-KO mice exhibit a variety of metabolic and pain phenotypes, including insulin resistance, altered body temperature in cold, and antinociceptive behaviors. Guided by these phenotypes, we identify N-oleoyl-glutamine (C18:1-Gln) as a key PM20D1-regulated NAA. In addition to its mitochondrial uncoupling bioactivity, C18:1-Gln also antagonizes certain members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) calcium channels including TRPV1. Direct administration of C18:1-Gln to mice is sufficient to recapitulate a subset of phenotypes observed in PM20D1-KO animals. These data demonstrate that PM20D1 is a dominant enzymatic regulator of NAA levels in vivo and elucidate physiologic functions for NAA signaling in metabolism and nociception.

N-acyl amino acids (NAAs) are a structurally diverse class of bioactive signaling lipids whose endogenous functions have largely remained uncharacterized. To clarify the physiologic roles of NAAs, we generated mice deficient in the circulating enzyme peptidase M20 domain-containing 1 (PM20D1). Global PM20D1-KO mice have dramatically reduced NAA hydrolase/synthase activities in tissues and blood with concomitant bidirectional dysregulation of endogenous NAAs. Compared with control animals, PM20D1-KO mice exhibit a variety of metabolic and pain phenotypes, including insulin resistance, altered body temperature in cold, and antinociceptive behaviors. Guided by these phenotypes, we identify N-oleoyl-glutamine (C18:1-Gln) as a key PM20D1-regulated NAA. In addition to its mitochondrial uncoupling bioactivity, C18:1-Gln also antagonizes certain members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) calcium channels including TRPV1. Direct administration of C18:1-Gln to mice is sufficient to recapitulate a subset of phenotypes observed in PM20D1-KO animals. These data demonstrate that PM20D1 is a dominant enzymatic regulator of NAA levels in vivo and elucidate physiologic functions for NAA signaling in metabolism and nociception.

In the development of noble gas MRI in humans, the traditional single-tuned transmit coil does not suitable for imaging acquisitions. This paper presents a novel radio frequency(RF) coil design method for applications of 1H/3He MRI system at the ultra-low field of 0.06mT.For the complex model of the dual- tuned 1H/3He coil, the traditional Electromagnetic(EM) simulation is not applicable due to its long computing time, the EM field and radio frequency (RF) circuit co-simulation method thus is implemented to accelerate the analysis, which results in an effective evaluation. The simulation results show that the proposed model has the potential for imaging of lung with 1H/3He MRI system at the ultra-low field.

N-Acyl amino acids directly bind mitochondria and function as endogenous uncouplers of UCP1-independent respiration. We found that administration of N-acyl amino acids to mice improves glucose homeostasis and increases energy expenditure, indicating that this pathway might be useful for treating obesity and associated disorders. We report the full account of the synthesis and mitochondrial uncoupling bioactivity of lipidated N-acyl amino acids and their unnatural analogues. Unsaturated fatty acid chains of medium length and neutral amino acid head groups are required for optimal uncoupling activity on mammalian cells. A class of unnatural N-acyl amino acid analogues, characterized by isoindoline-1-carboxylate head groups (37), were resistant to enzymatic degradation by PM20D1 and maintained uncoupling bioactivity in cells and in mice.

Two screw-thread pre-stressed high strength steel bars used in a wind turbine foundation fractured suddenly and unexpectedly after being loaded by a pre-stress for a number of hours. In this paper, on the one hand, a series of tests were conducted to determine the failure cause of the bars. The results suggest that the failure was caused by hydrogen-assisted cracking (HAC). An amount of hydrogen had invaded into the bars, and a number of inclusions were found in the bars. The large-size inclusions caused very high stress concentration around them, consequently resulting in excessive accumulation of hydrogen as the stress can enhance hydrogen diffusion and accumulation. The coexistence of high stress concentration and hydrogen accumulation around inclusions induced HAC, finally causing the failure. On the other hand, based on hydrogen-influenced cohesive zone modeling (CZM), finite element calculations were performed to simulate the crack initiation in the bars. The results indicate that the CZM has a potential to predict such kind of crack initiation assisted by hydrogen, and can offer a numerical technique to determine whether HAC may occur in an actual inclusion- and hydrogen-containing pre-stressed high strength steel structure.

This study examines whether cultural dimensions such as individualism and uncertainty avoidance can explain the variation in the profitability of the earnings momentum strategies in international markets. Using the time-varying cultural indices of Tang and Koveos (2008) for 30,383 firms from 41 countries over the period 1995–2008, we show that the level of individualism in a country is positively associated and the level of uncertainty avoidance is negatively associated with earnings momentum profits. Our findings are robust to the inclusion of a comprehensive set of control variables and alternative cultural metrics. The central message is that we emphasize the necessity to go beyond the assumption of perfect rationality and to account for innate differences among international investors to explain how accounting information is incorporated into stock prices. We recommend that cultural dimensions be included in cross-country research to account for innate differences among international investors.

Nanocrystalline Sb2S3 was synthesized using chemical bath deposition, and TiO2–Sb2S3 composite electrodes were fabricated by combining the nanocrystalline Sb2S3 with mesoporous TiO2 thin films. The composite electrodes were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX, and UV–Visible absorption. P3HT and CuSCN were used as hole-transporting materials, and thermally evaporated silver films were used as counter electrodes in the fabricated solar cells. The solar cells with P3HT or CuSCN as hole-transporting material exhibit the highest efficiencies of 0.34 and 0.47 %, respectively.

This paper examines whether cultural dimensions explain the variation in corporate cash holdings around the world as well as within the United States. We establish four major findings. First, in an international setting, corporate cash holdings are negatively associated with individualism and positively associated with uncertainty-avoidance. Second, individualism and uncertainty avoidance influence the precautionary motive for holding cash. Third, firms in individualistic states in the United States hold less cash than firms in collectivistic states. Fourth, we show that individualism is positively related to the firm’s capital expenditures, acquisitions, and repurchases while uncertainty avoidance is negatively related. Our findings remain unchanged after controlling for governance factors, firm attributes, and country characteristics.

Compared to the stable austenitic stainless steels (ASSs), the metastable ASSs, e. g. 304L, in which α’ martensite forms upon strain, can be severely embrittled by hydrogen. This is because the α′ martensite is inherently more sensitive to hydrogen embrittlement (HE) than γ austenite, and the diffusivity of hydrogen in it is much higher than in γ austenite. It has been frequently observed in metastable ASSs that the α′ martensite formed due to strain is the preferred crack path during HE. And it has been suggested that the α′ martensite can act as “hydrogen diffusion highways” in metastable ASSs, leading to an increased hydrogen concentration at a critical site (such as that ahead of a crack tip) exceeding a certain critical value for crack initiation or growth. However, although many authors have realized this enhance effect of strain-induced α’ martensite on diffusion of hydrogen, no document shows that how the hydrogen concentration around a crack tip in metastable ASSs is affected by the strain-induced α’ martensite. In this study we used finite element method to analyze the time evolution of hydrogen concentration around a crack tip in 304L ASS considering the combined effect of strain-induced α’ martensite and hydrostatic stress on hydrogen diffusion. The results are conducive to further understand the HE phenomenon and mechanism of metastable ASSs, and helpful to establish the method relating the crack initiation and growth acceleration to the time evolution of hydrogen concentration ahead of the crack tip.

The blades that play a key role to collect wind energy are the most critical components of a wind turbine system. Meanwhile, they are also the parts most susceptible to damage. Structural health monitoring (SHM) system has been proposed to continuously monitor the wind turbine. Nevertheless, no system has yet been developed to a stage compatible with the requirements of commercial wind turbines. Therefore, full-scale structural testing is the main means available so far for validating the comprehensive performance of wind turbine blades. It is now normally used as part of a blade certification process. It also allows an insight into the failure mechanisms of wind turbine blades, which are essential to the success of SHM. Furthermore, it provides a unique opportunity to exercise SHM and non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques. Recognizing these practical significances, this paper therefore aims to carry out an extensive review of full-scale structural testing of wind turbine blades, including static testing and fatigue testing. In particular, the current status in China is presented. One focus of this review is on the failure mechanisms of wind turbine blades, which are vital for optimizing the design of themselves as well as the design of their SHM system. Another focus is on the strengths and weaknesses of various SHM and NDT techniques, which are useful for evaluating their applicability on wind turbine blades. In addition, recent advances in photogrammetry and digital image correlation have allowed new opportunities for blade monitoring. These techniques are currently being explored on a few wind turbine blade applications and can provide a wealth of additional information that was previously unobtainable. These works are also summarized in this paper in order to discover the pros and cons of these techniques.

This paper aims to develop an abnormal discharge detection device based on optical fiber signal transmission, and realize the reliable detection of abnormal discharge between fittings of high voltage electrical equipment. The detector and visible light detector developed in the arc light detection part can realize the efficient detection of ultraviolet light and visible light in the arc light. By optical fiber far - range signal transmission structure, this design developed multifunctional optical signal collector, which can be converted into analog electric signal, state quantity signal, digital quantity signal and other forms while collecting arc light efficiently.