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BEL1-like homeodomain (BLH) family genes as homeodomain transcription factors are found ubiquitously in plants to play important regulatory roles in reproductive development, morphological development, and stress response. Although BLH proteins have been reported in some species, there is little information about BLH genes in peach. In this study, we identified 11 peach PpBLH genes based on the conserved domain. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the PpBLH proteins could be divided into five groups, which might be involved in different aspects of morphogenesis. Genomics structure analysis revealed that there were four exons in the PpBLH gene, and the length of the third exon was 61 bp. Chromosomal location analysis showed that the PpBLH genes were not distributed uniformly on six chromosomes. Promoter analysis showed that the promoter sequences of six PpBLH genes contained multiple cis-acting elements for hormones and stress. Six PpBLH genes were cloned by RT-PCR, and PpBLH1, PpBLH4, and PpBLH7 showed different expression patterns in the tested fruits under common temperature and high temperature. Y2H results indicated that PpBLH7 andPpBLH10 interacted with the PpOFP6 protein, and PpBLH1 interacted with the PpOFP1, PpOFP2, PpOFP4, and PpOFP13 proteins. These results provide new insight for further study of PpBLH genes, and construction of regulatory networks of PpBLH proteins in the growth, development, and stress response of peach.

Contamination and carry-over of trace zearalenone (ZON) and its metabolite α-zearalanol (α-ZOL) from different feedstuffs to foods in different seasons were monitored by molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) and high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD) for the first time. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) bond ZON and α-ZOL selectively were prepared using cyclododecanyl-2,4-dihydroxybenzoate (CDHB) as the pseudo template. By using MIPs as sorbents of MISPE, selective enrichment of ZON and α-ZOL by MISPE increased the accuracy of HPLC-FLD. Seasonal differences on ZON contamination were observed in different feedstuffs and raw milk. But only the carry-over of ZON from cow feedstuffs to raw milk was observed. No α-ZOL contamination was detected. The humid and warm weather in April and July in Wuhan increased ZON contamination levels and the risk of ZON transmission from cow feedstuffs to milk. Seasonal differences on ZON contamination and carry-over indicate the necessity of seasonal-dependent mycotoxin monitoring and safety evaluation.

Post-stroke patients usually suffer from a higher fall risk. Identifying potential fallers and giving them proper attention could reduce their chance of a fall that results in severe injuries and decreased quality of life. In this study, we introduced a novel approach for fall risk prediction that evaluates Short-form Berg Balance Scale scores via inertial measurement unit data measured from a 3-meter timed-up-and-go test. This approach used sensor technology and was thus easy to implement, and allowed a quantitative analysis of both gait and balance. The results showed that elastic net logistic regression achieved the best performance with 85% accuracy and 88% area under the curve compared with support vector machine, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and stepwise logistic regression. This paper provides a framework for using sensor-based features together with a feature-selection strategy for screening and predicting the fall risk of post-stroke patients in a convenient setup with high accuracy. The findings of this study will not only enable the assessment of fall risk among post-stroke patients in a cost-effective manner but also provide decision-making support for community care providers and medical professionals in the form of sensor-based data on gait performance.

In this work, we prepared a type of multiplexing upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP). There are three fluorescence emission peaks when our UCNPs are excited with 980 and 808 nm lasers. These fluorescence peaks of UCNPs can be quenched ("turn off") to varying degrees via fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) when the UCNPs are coated with a polydopamine (PDA) layer, which is a universal quencher self-polymerized from dopamine (DA). Here, we create a novel single-component nanoprobe that can be used for the pattern recognition of antioxidants in a "turn on" manner by integrating with the prevention of PDA formation with an antioxidant. Our sensing strategy is based on the recovery of the fluorescence intensity of three emission peaks to different degrees due to different antioxidants with differential inhibition of PDA formation. Then, these three fluorescence emission peaks of UCNPs are innovatively selected as the sensor array, which enables us to discriminate multiple antioxidants and their mixtures. Simultaneously, the sensor array shows excellent performance in the chiral discrimination of cysteine enantiomers. This is a novel, innovative sensor array that requires only a single component to achieve the upconversion fluorescence pattern and recognize chiral molecules, and it elucidates a more innovative concept towards widespread applications.

A comparative analysis of phosphate occurrence and its genesis during different dispatching periods of representative level I tributaries of the Three Gorges Reservoir was conducted. For this, water quality, hydrodynamic force, and environmental data were examined for backwater areas of the Xiangxi River and Shennong River during the low-water-level period (June), storage period (September) and high-water-level period (December) in 2018. The results suggest that the mass concentration of total phosphorus (TP) in the water body of the coves of Xiangxi River and Shennong River range from 0.049 mg·L

Nowadays, the physicians usually predict functional outcomes of stroke based on clinical experiences and big data, so we wish to develop a model to accurately identify imaging features for predicting functional outcomes of stroke patients. Using magnetic resonance imaging of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients, we developed and trained a VGG-16 convolutional neural network (CNN) to predict functional outcomes after 28-day hospitalization. A total of 44 individuals (24 men and 20 women) were recruited from Taoyuan General Hospital and China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital to enroll in the study. Based on "modified Rankin Scale (mRS)" and "National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS)" assessments, men, women, and mixed men and women were trained separately to evaluate the differences of the results, and we have shown that VGG-16 demonstrated high accuracy in predicting the functional outcomes of stroke patients. The new deep-learning approach has provided an automated decision support system for personalized recommendations and treatments, assisting the physicians to predict functional outcomes of stroke patients in clinical practice.

Background/purpose Superspreading events (SSEs) are pivotal in the spread of SARS-CoV-2. This study aimed to investigate an SSE of COVID-19 in a hospital and explore the transmission dynamics and heterogeneity of SSE. Methods We performed contact tracing for all close contacts in a cluster. We did nasopharyngeal or throat swabbing for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time RT-PCR. Environmental survey was performed. The epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the SSE were studied. Results Patient 1 with congestive heart failure and cellulitis, who had onset of COVID-19 two weeks after hospitalization, was the index case. Patient 1 led to 8 confirmed cases, including four health care workers (HCW). Persons tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were HCW (n = 4), patient 1's family (n = 2), an accompanying person of an un-infected in-patient (n = 1), and an in-patient admitted before the SSE (n = 1). The attack rate among the HCW was 3.2 % (4/127). Environmental survey confirmed contamination at the bed rails, mattresses, and sink in the room patient 1 stayed, suggesting fomite transmission. The index case's sputum remained positive on illness day 35. Except one asymptomatic patient, at least three patients acquired the infection from the index case at the pre-symptomatic period. The effective reproduction number (Rt) was 0.9 (8/9). Conclusion The host factor (heart failure, longer viral shedding), transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 (Rt, pre-symptomatic transmission), and possible multiple modes of transmission altogether contributed to the SSE. Rapid response and advance deployment of multi-level protection in hospitals could mitigate COVID-19 transmission to one generation, thereby reducing its impact on the healthcare system.

Adequate pain management remains an unmet medical need. We previously revealed an opioid-independent analgesic mechanism mediated by orexin 1 receptor (OX1R)-initiated 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) signaling in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG). Here, we found that low-frequency median nerve stimulation (MNS) through acupuncture needles at the PC6 (Neiguan) acupoint (MNS-PC6) induced an antinociceptive effect that engaged this mechanism. In mice, MNS-PC6 reduced acute thermal nociceptive responses and neuropathy-induced mechanical allodynia, increased the number of c-Fos–immunoreactive hypothalamic orexin neurons, and led to higher orexin A and lower GABA levels in the vlPAG. Such responses were not seen in mice with PC6 needle insertion only or electrical stimulation of the lateral deltoid, a nonmedian nerve-innervated location. Directly stimulating the surgically exposed median nerve also increased vlPAG orexin A levels. MNS-PC6–induced antinociception (MNS-PC6-IA) was prevented by proximal block of the median nerve with lidocaine as well as by systemic or intravlPAG injection of an antagonist of OX1Rs or cannabinoid 1 receptors (CB1Rs) but not by opioid receptor antagonists. Systemic blockade of OX1Rs or CB1Rs also restored vlPAG GABA levels after MNS-PC6. A cannabinoid (2-AG)-dependent mechanism was also implicated by the observations that MNS-PC6-IA was prevented by intravlPAG inhibition of 2-AG synthesis and was attenuated in Cnr1(−/−) mice. These findings suggest that PC6-targeting low-frequency MNS activates hypothalamic orexin neurons, releasing orexins to induce analgesia through a CB1R-dependent cascade mediated by OX1R-initiated 2-AG retrograde disinhibition in the vlPAG. The opioid-independent characteristic of MNS-PC6–induced analgesia may provide a strategy for pain management in opioid-tolerant patients.

Colorless polyimide liquid crystal display (CPI-LCD) was successfully fabricated by PI-LCD handling process which contained substrate coating, LCD manufacture and dualsubstrate laser lift-off (LLO) process. Plastic substrate was made by high transmittance CPI material (T > 91%). Total cell thickness without polarizer is less than 25 µm.

The aim of the study is to identify associations between dental anxiety and postoperative pain in patients undergoing extraction of horizontally impacted wisdom teeth. A total of 119 volunteers provided demographic data, and completed questionnaires, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Chinese Index of Dental Anxiety and Fear (C-IDAF)-4C, and the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for pain. Mean SAI, TAI, and C-IDAF-4C scores were 42.5 ± 8.7, 46.4 ± 10.9, and 16.9 ± 7.2, respectively. Mean postoperative pain level score was 3.0 ± 1.8 (range: 0.3–8.4). SAI scores increased as preoperative pain levels increased (β = 1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.62–1.98, P

Thin copper-doped aluminum oxide (Cu-doped-AlOx) and AlOx films of about 5 nm thick were generated by oxidizing the surfaces of Al and Al-5 wt.% Cu (Al-Cu) films in an oxygen plasma. According to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses, these two oxide films were found to be deficient in oxygen and had gradient concentrations of Al and O. The oxide films were employed as resistor layers sandwiched between an Al top electrode and an Al or Al-Cu bottom electrode to form resistive memory devices. The devices demonstrated unipolar resistance switching between high resistance state and low resistance state (LRS), and their resistance ratios measured at + 0.2 V were around 105. Furthermore, their current–voltage characteristics showed ohmic conduction with the resistance increasing with temperature, in LRS. Conductive filaments were thought to form inside the AlOx film and the Cu-doped AlOx film, causing resistive switching. The resistive memory device using the AlOx film had unstable switching behaviors during cyclic testing, whereas the device using the Cu-doped AlOx film demonstrated stable resistance switching during 100 cycles of testing. The presence of the Cu ingredient in the AlOx film is likely to facilitate the formation and rupture of conductive filaments and induced stable resistance switching.

The study aimed to explore the effects of microRNA-129-5p (miR-129-5p) on the development of autoimmune encephalomyelitis (AE)-related epilepsy by targeting HMGB1 through the TLR4/NF-kB signaling pathway in a rat model. AE-related epilepsy models were established. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control, model, miR-129-5p mimics, miR-129-5p inhibitor, HMGB1 shRNA, TLR4/NF-kB (TLR4/NF-kB signaling pathway was inhibited) and miR-129-5p mimics+HMGB1 shRNA groups respectively. Latency to a first epilepsy seizure attack was recorded. Neuronal injuries in the hippocampus regions were detected using HE, Nissl and FJB staining methods 24h following model establishment. Microglial cells were detected by OX-42 immunohistochemistry. Expressions of miR-129-5p, HMGB1 and TLR4/NF-kB signaling pathway-related proteins were detected by qRT-PCR. Protein expressions of HMGB1 and TLR4/NF-kB signaling pathway-related proteins were detected by Western blotting. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay showed that miR-129-5p was negatively targeting HMGB1. Neurons of hippocampal tissues in rats were heavily injured by an injection of lithium chloride. Compared with the model and control groups, neuronal injury of the hippocampus and AE-related epilepsy decreased and microglial cells increased in the miR-129-5p mimics, HMGB1 shRNA and TLR4/NF-kB groups; however, in the miR-129-5p inhibitor group, miR-129-5p expression decreased, HMGB1 expression increased, TLR4/NF-kB signaling pathway was activated, latency to a first epilepsy seizure attack was shortened, and neuronal injury increased. This study provides evidence that miR-129-5p inhibits the development of AE-related epilepsy by suppressing HMGB1 expression and inhibiting TLR4/NF-kB signaling pathway.

The impacts of bisphenol A− imprinted polymeric microspheres (MIPMs) on the biodegradation of bisphenlol A by acclimated activated sludge were studied. Due to the selective adsorption of MIPMs to bisphenol A (BPA) and its analogues, addition of MIPMs to activated sludge increased levels of BPA and its metabolites, which were also the substrates of biodegradation. Higher substrates (BPA and its metabolites) level promoted biodegradation efficiencies of activated sludge via accelerating removal speed of BPA and its metabolites, increasing degradation rate and decreasing half-lives of biodegradation. The enhancement of MIPMs in degradation efficiencies was more significant in environmental water containing low-level of pollutants, and water containing interferences such as heavy metals and humic acid. Furthermore, MIPMs were more suitable than non-selective sorbents such as active carbon to be used as enhancer for BPA biodegradation. MIPMs combined with activated sludge are simple, effective, environmental-friendly processes to biodegrade low-level pollutants in environmental water.

Cortex Moutan (Radicis Cortex Moutan), the dried root bark of Paeonia moutan and P. spp., contains a series of water-soluble tannins. With the eight components, 1 4,6-di-O-GG (4,6-di-O-galloyl-D-glucose), 2 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-GG, 3 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-GG, 4 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-GG, 5 3,4,6-tri-O-GG, 6 1,3,6-tri-O-GG, 7 3,6-di-O-GG, and 8 1,2,6-tri-O-GG, as marker substances, a rapid and efficient method of analysis based on HPLC and CE was developed. Using a phosphate eluent, a 5C18-MS separating column, and a detection wavelength of 280 nm, HPLC was successfully used to analyze the eight constituents within 60 min. The analysis can be completed within 50 min, using the MEKC mode with a buffer composed of borate, SDS, and isopropanol, and a detection wavelength of 210 nm. The detection limit for the marker substances varied from 0.04 to 0.93 μg/mL for the HPLC method and 0.02 to 0.36 μg/mL for the CE method.

Partnerships have become an important research topic. However, the amount of empirical attention devoted to determining how firms intensively co-produce with alliance partners to improve their innovation performance is lacking. In response to the growing importance of co-production in the partnerships, this study addresses how firms integrate their alliance partners as co-creators into the innovation process. Specifically, this study not only integrates the three dimensions of social capital and examines their separate effects on co-production but also incorporates the roles of absorptive capacity and self-efficacy and investigates their influences on innovation. That is, co-production may operate through absorptive capacity and self-efficacy to increase innovation because knowledge is exchanged and utilized and firms are willing to select challenging goals and remain firmly committed to fulfill them within the network. The proposed model is tested with a structural equation model(SEM). Findings indicate positive relationships between social capital and co-production. Moreover, co-production has positive effects on innovation, absorptive capacity, and self-efficacy. Absorptive capacity and self-efficacy enhance innovation. As such, we suggest that co-production should be considered explicitly in the management of a partnership and should be developed through mentioned above platform, encouraging and enabling both parties to work together for the implementation of innovation.

The whole-cell patch clamp method was used to study the effects of (±)3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) in hippocampal CA1 neurons from neonatal rats and in lung epithelial H1355 cells expressing Kv2.1. Extracellular application of MDA (30 μM) induced bursts of action potentials in hippocampal CA1 neurons exhibiting single spike action potentials without a bursting firing pattern, and promoted action potential bursts in hippocampal CA1 neurons exhibiting bursting firing of action potentials. Whereas MDA (30 and 100 μM) markedly decreased the delayed outward current in hippocampal CA1 neurons, MDA (100 μM) only slightly decreased the fast-inactivating K(+) current (I(A)) current. Furthermore, MDA (100 μM) substantially decreased the delayed outward current in the presence of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP; 3 mM), but did not significantly decrease the delayed outward current in the presence of tetraethylammonium (TEA; 30 mM). MDA (100 μM) also inhibited the current in H1355 cells expressing Kv2.1. Our results have shown that MDA inhibits the TEA-sensitive K(+) current in the hippocampus and the Kv2.1 current expressed in H1355 cells. These effects may contribute to the pharmacological and toxicological effects of MDA.

Nanofibrous molecularly imprinted membranes (nano-MIMs) with multi-analyte selectivity were prepared by encapsulating two types of molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (MIP-NPs) into electrospun polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers. The obtained nano-MIMs maintained high molecular selectivity offered by each of the MIP-NPs. Nano-MIM embedding BPA-imprinted nanoparticles and TBZ-imprinted nanoparticles together showed the highest binding selectivity for acid bisphenol A (BPA) and basic tebuconazole (TBZ). This nano-MIM was used as affinity material of membrane-based molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (m-MISPE) to extract trace BPA and TBZ in vegetables and juices simultaneously. The recoveries of BPA and TBZ from different samples were higher than 70.33% with RSDs lower than 9.57%. m-MISPE gave better HPLC separation efficiencies and higher recoveries than conventional SPE based on C18/SCX. Multi-analyte selective m-MISPE combined with HPLC realized selective and simultaneous determination of several trace analytes with opposite charges/polarities in different food samples.

Many animals modify behavioural decisions based on information they have previously acquired. Contest behaviour is often affected by previous contest experiences: individuals behave more and less aggressively after a victory and defeat, respectively (winner/loser effect). Individuals in the field sometimes encounter multiple competitors in quick succession, but whether these experiences interact to influence each other’s importance is unclear. We tested five hypotheses for experience interaction (no interaction, retroactive interference, proactive interaction, reinforcement and diminishing returns) using Kryptolebias marmoratus. Focal individuals were paired up with opponents having the same 1-month contest outcome (1 month before the experiment), as this difference in actual or perceived fighting ability has been shown to affect the fish’s response to new experiences. We gave the focal individual of a pair a winning or losing experience on day 1. Then both fish of the pair received the same winning, losing or no-contest experience on day 2. Then we organised fights between the two. The effect of a day-1 losing experience did depend on the fish’s actual or perceived fighting ability: one-month losers readily showed loser effects from the day-1 losing experience, irrespective of the day-2 experience (i.e. no interaction between day-1 and day-2 experiences). One-month winners, however, only showed loser effects from a day-1 losing experience when the day-2 experience was also a loss (i.e. reinforcement). Day-1 winning experiences did not interact with day-2 experiences in 1-month losers or winners. Therefore, multiple experiences sometimes reinforce each other, but how they combine to influence behaviour depends on an individual’s actual or perceived fighting ability.

In this paper we evaluated the effects of the interaction of TiO(2) nanoparticles (nano-TiO(2)) with bisphenol A (BPA) on their physicochemical properties and in vitro toxicity in human embryo L-02 hepatocytes. Different concentrations of BPA (0, 0.1, 1, 10 μmol/L) and nano-TiO(2) (0, 0.1, 1, 10mg/L) were mixed to analyze the size distribution, zeta potential, adsorption capacity and uptake of nano-TiO(2), and the toxicity of nano-TiO(2) and BPA in L-02 cells. The addition of BPA to nano-TiO(2) dispersions increased the aggregation level and zeta potential of nano-TiO(2) in all media. Nano-TiO(2) had a similar adsorption capacity in different media, although a higher aggregation level was observed in cell culture medium. Nano-TiO(2), with or without BPA, could enter L-02 cells after 24h exposure. Nano-TiO(2) alone did not induce significant DNA and chromosome damage, but the mixture of nano-TiO(2) and BPA increased toxicity via increasing oxidative stress, DNA double strand breaks and micronuclei formation. The aggregated nano-TiO(2) can enrich BPA effectively. The BPA-bound nano-TiO(2) are proven to be uptaken into nuclei of exposed cells, which may increase intracellular BPA and nano-TiO(2) levels and thus lead to synergistic toxicity. However only small synergic effects were observed at the concentrations of BPA and nano-TiO(2) used in this study.

The developing neural cell must form a highly organized architecture to properly receive and transmit nerve signals. Neural formation from embryonic stem (ES) cells provides a novel system for studying axonogenesis, which are orchestrated by polarity-regulating molecules. Here the ES-derived motoneurons, identified by HB9 promoter-driven green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression, showed characteristics of motoneuron-specific gene expression. In the majority of motoneurons, one of the bilateral neurites developed into an axon that featured with axonal markers, including Tau 1, vesicle acetylcholine transporter, and synaptophysin. Interestingly, one third of the motoneurons developed bi-axonal processes but no multiple axonal GFP cell was found. The neuronal polarity-regulating proteins, including the phosphorylated AKT and ERK, were compartmentalized into both of the bilateral axonal tips. Importantly, this aberrant axon morphology was still present after the engraftment of GFP+ neurons into the spinal cord, suggesting that even a mature neural environment fails to provide a proper niche to guide normal axon formation. These findings underscore the necessity for evaluating the morphogenesis and functionality of neurons before the clinical trials using ES or somatic stem cells.

to investigate the effects of 2'-hydroxy-4'-methoxyacetophenone (paeonol) on the electrophysiological behavior of a central neuron (right parietal 4; RP4) of the giant African snail (Achatina fulica Ferussac).intracellular recordings and the two-electrode voltage clamp method were used to study the effects of paeonol on the RP4 neuron.the RP4 neuron generated spontaneous action potentials. Bath application of paeonol at a concentration of ≥ 500 micromol/L reversibly elicited action potential bursts in a concentration-dependent manner. Immersing the neurons in Co(2+)-substituted Ca(2+)-free solution did not block paeonol-elicited bursting. Pretreatment with the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor KT-5720 or the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor Ro 31-8220 did not affect the action potential bursts. Voltage-clamp studies revealed that paeonol at a concentration of 500 micromol/L had no remarkable effects on the total inward currents, whereas paeonol decreased the delayed rectifying K(+) current (I(KD)) and the fast-inactivating K(+) current (I(A)). Application of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP 5 mmol/L), an inhibitor of I(A), or charybdotoxin 250 nmol/L, an inhibitor of the Ca(2+)-activated K(+) current (I(K(Ca))), failed to elicit action potential bursts, whereas tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA 50 mmol/L), an I(KD) blocker, successfully elicited action potential bursts. At a lower concentration of 5 mmol/L, TEA facilitated the induction of action potential bursts elicited by paeonol.paeonol elicited a bursting firing pattern of action potentials in the RP4 neuron and this activity relates closely to the inhibitory effects of paeonol on the I(KD).

Oxide heterojunction solar cells composed of an n-type Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin film on the surfaces of p-type Cu2O films were fabricated. The Cu2O films of about 0.34 to 1.67 µm thickness were grown by partial oxidation of a Cu sheet using microwave plasma. The AZO film of 400 nm thickness was deposited by magnetron sputtering. Energy conversion efficiencies of 0.12 to 0.30% were obtained in AZO/Cu2O cells under AM1.5 solar illumination.