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Background: Wooden breast (WB) myopathy is a common myopathy found in commercial broiler chickens worldwide. Histological examination has revealed that WB myopathy is accompanied by damage to the pectoralis major (PM) muscle. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the formation of WB in broilers have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the potential role of hypoxia-mediated programmed cell death (PCD) in the formation of WB myopathy. Results: Histological examination and biochemical analysis were performed on the PM muscle of the control (CON) and WB groups. A significantly increased thickness of the breast muscle in the top, middle, and bottom portions (P<0.01) was found along with pathological structure damage of myofibers in the WB group. The number of capillaries per fiber in PM muscle, and the levels of pO2 and sO2 in the blood, were significantly decreased (P < 0.01), while the levels of pCO2 and TCO2 in the blood were significantly increased (P < 0.05), suggesting hypoxic conditions in the PM muscle of the WB group. We further evaluated the PCD-related pathways including autophagy, apoptosis, and necroptosis to understand the consequence response to enhanced hypoxic conditions in the PM muscle of birds with WB. The ratio of LC3 II to LC3 I, and the autophagy-related factors HIF-1α, BNIP3, Beclin1, AMPKα, and ULK1 at the mRNA and protein levels, were all significantly upregulated (P < 0.05), showing that autophagy occurred in the PM muscle of the WB group. The apoptotic index, as well as the expressions of Bax, Cytc, caspase 9, and caspase 3, were significantly increased (P < 0.05), whereas Bcl-2 was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the WB-affected PM muscle, indicating the occurrence of apoptosis mediated by the mitochondrial pathway. Additionally, the expressions of necroptosis-related factors RIP1, RIP3, and MLKL, as well as NF-κB and the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, were all significantly enhanced (P < 0.05) in the WB-affected PM muscle. Conclusions: The WB myopathy reduces blood supply and induces hypoxia in the PM muscle, which is closely related to the occurrence of PCD including apoptosis, autophagy, and necroptosis within myofibers, and finally leads to abnormal muscle damage and the development of WB in broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile solid‐state approach is employed to synthesize a novel magnetoplumbite‐type oxide of NdMgAl11O19, which integrates spinel‐stacking layers (MgAl2O4) with Nd‐O6 mirror plane structures. The resulting NdMgAl11O19 exhibits remarkable catalytic activity and conversion efficiency during the sulfur reduction reaction (SRR) in lithium‐sulfur batteries. By employing the 2D projection mapping technique of in situ confocal Raman spectroscopy and electrochemical technique, it is discovered that the exposed mirror plane structure of Nd‐O6 can effectively suppress the undesiring disproportionation reaction (S82−→S62−+1/4 S8) of long‐chain lithium polysulfides at the initial stages of sulfur reduction, thereby promoting the positive process of sulfur to lithium sulfide. This not only mitigates the issue of sulfur shuttle loss but also significantly improve the kinetics of the conversion process. Leveraging these advantages, the NdMgAl11O19/S cathode delivered an impressive initial capacity of up to 1398 mAh g−1 at an electrolyte/sulfur (E/S) ratio of 5.1 µL mg−1 and a sulfur loading of 2.3 mg cm−2. Even when the sulfur loading is increased to 10.02 mg cm−2, the cathode retained a reversible areal capacity of 10.01 mAh cm−2 after 200 cycles. This mirror engineering strategy provides valuable and universal insights into enhancing the efficiency of cathodes in Li‐S battery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methane dehydroaromatization (MDA) is one of the most promising technologies for directly transforming methane into aromatics. Unlike the extensively investigated Mo/ZSM‐5 catalysts, the structure and, consequently, the catalytic activity of Fe/ZSM‐5 are markedly influenced by the method of preparation, as shown here. In this study, we prepared 2 % and 4 % Fe/ZSM‐5 catalysts via wet impregnation (WI) and incipient wetness impregnation (IWI). Characterizations (XRD, STEM, UV‐Vis, NH3‐TPD and H2‐TPR) reveal that 2 %Fe‐WI mainly possesses isolated or low‐polymerized Fe species within zeolite channels, leading to a rapid activation and a higher benzene yield due to the faster reduction to iron suboxides under MDA conditions. In contrast, 2 %Fe‐IWI contains bulk iron oxide aggregates, resulting in a slower activation as these aggregates transform into iron carbide through successive reduction and carbonization. A deactivation kinetic study applied to the 2 % catalysts further demonstrates the quantitative relation between Fe site isolation and catalytic activity. Although both 4 % catalysts inevitably form sizable iron oxide clusters and particles due to the high Fe/Al ratio, similar trends are noted, with the WI catalysts exhibiting a shorter induction/activation period and a higher yield of benzene, paralleling observations made with 2 % catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety of the military and civilian industries is threatened by the combustion–explosion of energetic materials during production, transport, and storage. Black powder, a commonly used energetic material, has been widely utilized in special ammunition, detonating cord, explosive welding, and fireworks, and it has caused several accidents. To address this issue, a new type of seawater microcapsule suppressant has been developed using natural seawater, which is both clean and environmentally friendly. This study examines the effectiveness of different dosages and types of suppressants in reducing the combustion–explosion pressure of black powder, an energetic material. The dosage of suppressants required for complete suppression is estimated, and changes in flame and wall temperature are monitored to analyze the combustion–explosion suppression efficiency and mechanism of black powder. The experimental results demonstrate that the newly developed seawater microcapsule has a positive impact on suppressing the combustion–explosion in black powder. When using 0.15 g of seawater microcapsules, there was a 32.51% reduction in the maximum explosion pressure of 1 g of black powder and a 60.32% decrease in the maximum explosion rise rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic hydrogen production coupled with high value-added organic conversion is a mild and effective way to obtain green energy and fine chemicals simultaneously. In this work, a CdS-based S-scheme photocatalyst is designed for efficient hydrogen production and highly selective conversion of benzyl alcohol in aqueous solution. With further assistant of Ni co-catalyst, the hydrogen production rate of WO x /CdS S-scheme photocatalyst can reach ∼131 μmol h−1, and benzyl alcohol has ∼91% conversion with selectivity of the target product benzaldehyde ∼100 %. The quality photocatalytic activity is inclined towards the construction of S-scheme heterojunction composing of WO x and CdS can ensure the redox ability while reducing the recombination of photogenerated carries. Meanwhile, reactive species involved in benzyl alcohol oxidation were confirmed by radical capture experiments, the excellent conversion and selectivity could not be achieved without the significant contribution of photogenerated holes. • WO x /CdS S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts were briefly constructed. • S-scheme band alignment guaranteed efficient charge transfer. • WO x /CdS exhibited excellent H 2 production with ∼100 % selectivity of benzaldehyde. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of Klebsiella pneumoniae invasive liver abscess syndrome (KPILAS) with endophthalmitis-caused blindness as the first symptom after enema. The patient had diabetes, and his blood glucose was poorly controlled. She developed hematuria after four enemas for cosmetic purposes and later became blind. The eye discharge was cultured, which revealed a Klebsiella pneumoniae infection. B ultrasound did not show liver lesions, but computed tomography exhibited abscesses in the right lobe of the liver. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head indicated abscesses. These confirmed the diagnosis of invasive liver abscess syndrome. The patient was given ophthalmic and systemic anti-infection treatments, and her condition was effectively controlled. Unfortunately, the diseased eye still needed to be removed. This case underlines the necessity of avoiding unnecessary risky procedures (such as enemas) in vulnerable populations, the importance of early detection of invasive liver abscess syndrome, and the advantage of computed tomography in detecting liver abscesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymerizable deep eutectic solvent (PDES) as a newly emerging type of liquid‐free ionic conductive elastomer is considered to be the most attractive candidate for the next generation of ionotronic devices. However, it remains a huge challenge to integrate high ionic conductivity, excellent mechanical properties, good self‐healing capacity, and robust adhesion into a single material that satisfies the stringent demand of the ionotronic devices in various scenarios. Herein, a liquid‐free ionic elastomer is constructed by incorporating tannic acid‐encapsulated cellulose nanocrystals (TA@CNC) as multifunctional hydrogen bond donors (HBDs) along with poly(acrylic acid) (HBDs) and choline chloride (hydrogen bond acceptors, HBAs) to form a dynamic cross‐linking network through multiple dynamic hydrogen bonds. The presence of the rigid crystalline regions and the sufficient dynamic interaction sites on the TA@CNC endow the resultant elastomers (ACTC) with superior mechanical properties (≈496 kPa, 2400%), robust adhesion (≈68.6 kPa), and good self‐healing property. Benefiting from the above integrated features, the wearable sensors by harnessing the ACTC as a resistance sensing module is constructed that provide unaltered sensing performance under off‐axial deformation (twisting and prick). Additionally, the capacitance pressure sensor with good stability for force distribution is developed, opening up a new avenue for the development of ionotronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Channel equalization plays a crucial role in single-carrier underwater acoustic (UWA) communications. Recently, a frequency-domain turbo equalization (FDTE) scheme enabled by the vector approximate message passing (VAMP) algorithm, was proposed, and it outperformed classic linear minimum mean square error FDTE at acceptable complexity cost. The operation of the VAMP-FDTE requires knowledge of noise power, which is predetermined before the equalization starts. In practice, however, it is difficult to obtain prior knowledge of noise power due to factors of unknown channel estimation errors and dynamic underwater environments. Motivated by this fact, we propose an enhanced VAMP-FDTE scheme, which learns the noise power knowledge during the equalization process via the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. The EM-based noise power estimation makes use of intermediate results of the VAMP-FDTE and, thus, only incurs a small extra computational overhead. The improved VAMP-FDTE, named EM-VAMP-FDTE, was tested by experimental data collected in shallow-sea horizontal UWA communication trials with MIMO configuration. It showed better performance than the existing VAMP-FDTE scheme, attributed to the online noise power learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Corn gluten meal (CGM) is the main by‐product of corn starch with rich protein and dietary fiber. The extrusion of CGM with a twin‐screw extruder aimed to expand the novel utilization of this plant‐protein resource. The impacts of screw speed, extrusion temperature, and material moisture on physicochemical properties of the extrudates were assessed. Results: The microstructure depicted a favorable fiber‐like structure formed under screw speed 120–150 rpm, extrusion temperature 140–150 °C, and material moisture 40–45%. Expansion ratio, rehydration ratio, water solubility index, hardness, and chewiness increased until screw speed reached 120 rpm. With accelerating extrusion temperature, these indicators showed an overall increasing trend. As for material moisture, expansion ratio, hardness, and chewiness showed a decreasing trend. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE) showed that disulfide bonds were necessary for protein crosslinking during extrusion. Conclusion: It can be concluded that CGM is extrudable, whose textural and physicochemical properties vary as functions of the extruding parameters, providing diversity for its potential applications. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is reported that pulmonary fibrosis has become one of the major long-term complications of COVID-19, even in asymptomatic individuals. Currently, despite the best efforts of the global medical community, there are no treatments for COVID-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Recently, inhalable nanocarriers have received more attention due to their ability to improve the solubility of insoluble drugs, penetrate biological barriers of the lungs and target fibrotic tissues in the lungs. The inhalation route has many advantages as a non-invasive method of administration and the local delivery of anti-fibrosis agents to fibrotic tissues like direct to the lesion from the respiratory system, high delivery efficiency, low systemic toxicity, low therapeutic dose and more stable dosage forms. In addition, the lung has low biometabolic enzyme activity and no hepatic first-pass effect, so the drug is rapidly absorbed after pulmonary administration, which can significantly improve the bioavailability of the drug. This paper summary the pathogenesis and current treatment of pulmonary fibrosis and reviews various inhalable systems for drug delivery in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis, including lipid-based nanocarriers, nanovesicles, polymeric nanocarriers, protein nanocarriers, nanosuspensions, nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles and hydrogel, which provides a theoretical basis for finding new strategies for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis and clinical rational drug use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synergistic regulation of the water–energy–food nexus in irrigation districts is important for promoting the sustainable management of agricultural resources in irrigation districts. In this paper, a new integrated optimization–evaluation modelling framework for the water–energy–food nexus in agricultural irrigation areas is developed. It can measure the synergistic effects of economic, social and environmental multidimensional objectives on the sustainable management of agricultural resources in irrigation areas. The model couples an optimisation module and an evaluation module, combines a multiobjective nonlinear planning model with an opportunity-constrained planning model and uses an entropy-weighted TOPSIS assessment approach to sustainably assess the multidimensional indicators of the water–energy–food nexus in irrigation districts, with full consideration given to the effects of uncertainty in agricultural water and soil resources and social systems. The feasibility of the constructed model is verified through a study of the Jinxi irrigation district. The results show that compared to the actual area, the optimised surface water and groundwater availability increased by 23.5% and 22.7%; the optimised total area increased by 4%, whereas corn decreased by 40%, rice increased by 34.6% and soybean decreased by 33.8%; the energy consumption decreased by 17.6% and the total recycled resources amounted to 8.97 × 109 kg, with a combined net economic benefit of CNY 1.25 × 109 more than the actual current amount. The synergistic development of the water–energy–food nexus (WEFN) in the district is relatively harmonious, suggesting that the district should focus on developing agricultural mechanisation and balancing economic benefits with environmental and ecological protection; furthermore, the model constructed should provide decision-making support for the efficient use of agricultural resources in the irrigation district. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an excellent fire extinguishing agent, FK-5-1-12 has been widely used in industry. This article studies the fire extinguishing performance of FK-5-1-12 on a full-size battery box experimentally, triggered into thermal runaway by heating a lithium iron phosphate battery. By analyzing the extinguishment, reignition, as well as temperature changes on the battery surface and in the vicinity of the safety valve, the efficacy of the extinguishing agent under real circumstances of a lithium iron phosphate battery fire was investigated, using different loading of FK-5-1-12. The performance of FK-5-1-12 is analyzed and evaluated in combination with the flame extinguishing effect and the cooling effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we are concerned with the existence of positive solutions for a class of fractional Schrödinger–Poisson system with critical nonlinearity and multiple competing potentials, which may decay and vanish at infinity. Under some local conditions, we show the existence and concentration of positive solutions by using the modified penalization method and concentration–compactness principle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food contamination caused by microorganisms is a significant issue in the food field that not only affects the shelf life of food, but also threatens human health, causing huge economic losses. Considering that the materials in direct or indirect contact with food are important carriers and vectors of microorganisms, the development of antibacterial food contact materials is an important coping strategy. However, different antibacterial agents, manufacturing methods, and material characteristics have brought great challenges to the antibacterial effectiveness, durability, and component migration associated with the use security of materials. Therefore, this review focused on the most widely used metal-type food contact materials and comprehensively presents the research progress regarding antibacterial food contact materials, hoping to provide references for exploring novel antibacterial food contact materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treadmill training is useful for racewalking training; however, it may affect gait characteristics and lead to non-legal techniques. The aim of this study was to determine the kinematic differences between treadmill and overground conditions during racewalking at different speeds. Twenty-two elite racewalkers participated in this study. They racewalked under treadmill and overground conditions at high and medium speeds. A 12-camera motion analysis system was used to record the racewalking trials. Significant condition by speed interactions were detected in step frequency and pelvis rotation angle; step frequency decreased while pelvis rotation angle increased from overground to treadmill conditions at high speed. Compared to overground conditions, racewalkers decreased the ankle dorsiflexion angle at heel strike and increased hip flexion, shoulder hyperextension, and elbow flexion angles at heel strike and hip and shoulder extension angles at toe-off under treadmill conditions. Compared to medium speed, racewalkers decreased the contact time, hip flexion, and shoulder hyperextension at heel strike, and ankle plantarflexion and shoulder extension angles at toe-off, and increased flight time, step length, and elbow flexion angle at heel strike at high speed. Several kinematic differences during racewalking were detected between treadmill and overground conditions, with more differences detected at high speed, indicating that treadmill racewalking, especially at high speed, has different gait characteristics. However, no differences were detected in flight time and knee angle under treadmill conditions compared to overground conditions, indicating that racewalking on a treadmill does not increase the risk of disqualification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focused ultrasound (FUS) can be used to physiologically change or destroy tissue in a non-invasive way. A few commercial systems have clinical approval for the thermal ablation of solid tumors for the treatment of neurological diseases and palliative pain management of bone metastases. However, the thermal effects of FUS are known to lead to various biological effects, such as inhibition of repair of DNA damage, reduction in tumor hypoxia, and induction of apoptosis. Here, we studied radiosensitization as a combination therapy of FUS and RT in a xenograft mouse model using newly developed MRI-compatible FUS equipment. Xenograft tumor-bearing mice were produced by subcutaneous injection of the human prostate cancer cell line PC-3. Animals were treated with FUS in 7 T MRI at 4.8 W/cm2 to reach ~45 °C and held for 30 min. The temperature was controlled via fiber optics and proton resonance frequency shift (PRF) MR thermometry in parallel. In the combination group, animals were treated with FUS followed by X-ray at a single dose of 10 Gy. The effects of FUS and RT were assessed via hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. Tumor proliferation was detected by the immunohistochemistry of Ki67 and apoptosis was measured by a TUNEL assay. At 40 days follow-up, the impact of RT on cancer cells was significantly improved by FUS as demonstrated by a reduction in cell nucleoli from 189 to 237 compared to RT alone. Inhibition of tumor growth by 4.6 times was observed in vivo in the FUS + RT group (85.3%) in contrast to the tumor volume of 393% in the untreated control. Our results demonstrated the feasibility of combined MRI-guided FUS and RT for the treatment of prostate cancer in a xenograft mouse model and may provide a chance for less invasive cancer therapy through radiosensitization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chaotic systems, especially hyper-chaotic systems are suitable for digital image encryption because of their complex properties such as pseudo randomness and extreme sensitivity. This paper proposes a new color image encryption algorithm based on a hyper-chaotic system constructed by a tri-valued memristor. The encryption process is based on the structure of permutation-diffusion, and the transmission of key information is realized through hyper-chaotic synchronization technology. In this design, the hash value of the plaintext image is used to generate the initial key the permutation sequence with the Hash table structure based on the hyper-chaotic sequence is used to implement pixel-level and bit-level permutation operations. Hilbert curves combining with the ciphertext feedback mechanism are applied to complete the diffusion operation. A series of experimental analyses have been applied to measure the novel algorithm, and the results show that the scheme has excellent encryption performance and can resist a variety of attacks. This method can be applied in secure image communication fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bupleurum chinense(B. chinense) is a plant that is widely distributed globally and has strong pharmacological effects. Though the chloroplast(cp) genome of B. chinense has been studied, no reports regarding the mitochondrial(mt) genome of B. chinense have been published yet. Results: The mt genome of B.chinense was assembled and functionally annotated. The circular mt genome of B. chinense was 435,023 bp in length, and 78 genes, including 39 protein-coding genes, 35 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes, were annotated. Repeat sequences were analyzed and sites at which RNA editing would occur were predicted. Gene migration was observed to occur between the mt and cp genomes of B. chinense via the detection of homologous gene fragments. In addition, the sizes of plant mt genomes and their GC content were analyzed and compared. The sizes of mt genomes of plants varied greatly, but their GC content was conserved to a greater extent during evolution. Ka/Ks analysis was based on code substitutions, and the results showed that most of the coding genes were negatively selected. This indicates that mt genes were conserved during evolution. Conclusion: In this study, we assembled and annotated the mt genome of the medicinal plant B. chinense. Our findings provide extensive information regarding the mt genome of B. chinense, and help lay the foundation for future studies on the genetic variations, phylogeny, and breeding of B. chinense via an analysis of the mt genome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bupleurum chinense(B. chinense) is a plant that is widely distributed globally and has strong pharmacological effects. Though the chloroplast(cp) genome of B. chinense has been studied, no reports regarding the mitochondrial(mt) genome of B. chinense have been published yet. Results: The mt genome of B.chinense was assembled and functionally annotated. The circular mt genome of B. chinense was 435,023 bp in length, and 78 genes, including 39 protein-coding genes, 35 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes, were annotated. Repeat sequences were analyzed and sites at which RNA editing would occur were predicted. Gene migration was observed to occur between the mt and cp genomes of B. chinense via the detection of homologous gene fragments. In addition, the sizes of plant mt genomes and their GC content were analyzed and compared. The sizes of mt genomes of plants varied greatly, but their GC content was conserved to a greater extent during evolution. Ka/Ks analysis was based on code substitutions, and the results showed that most of the coding genes were negatively selected. This indicates that mt genes were conserved during evolution. Conclusion: In this study, we assembled and annotated the mt genome of the medicinal plant B. chinense. Our findings provide extensive information regarding the mt genome of B. chinense, and help lay the foundation for future studies on the genetic variations, phylogeny, and breeding of B. chinense via an analysis of the mt genome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge background and preference of decision-makers and interaction among criteria play an important role in actual multiple attribute group decision-making(MAGDM) problem. Consequently, the attribute set and evaluation information chosen by decision-makers are different according to their preference. In this situation, this paper proposes a multigranulation rough fuzzy set model under heterogeneous preference information. We firstly present heterogeneous preference information system and the definition is given. What's more, the weight information can be depicted at different levels from the perspective of granular computing. Considering the decision-makers or experts have different weights for they chosen the set of criterion, we recalculate the weight of attribute by using Choquet integral and the generalized Shapley index. Then we construct the arbitrary binary relation classes based on the inclusion measurement of the heterogeneous preference information system between any alternatives. We then give the lower and upper approximations of any fuzzy decision-making object over the heterogeneous preference information system. At the same time, several interesting properties for the defined model are given and optimistic and pessimistic multigranulation rough fuzzy set models are deduced, respectively. Moreover, the interrelationship among the established multigranulation rough fuzzy set over the heterogeneous preference information system as well as the existing multigranulation rough set models are discussed in detail. After that, we present a new approach to multiple attribute group decision making problem by using the multigranulation rough fuzzy set method with the heterogeneous preference information. The basic principle and the methodology as well as the algorithm of the decision making given in this paper are given. Finally, the optimal renewable energy technologies alternative determination problem is used as a case study to illustrate the application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro−/nanocarriers due to their significant advantages are widely investigated in pulmonary drug delivery. However, different size carriers have varied drug release rate, concealing the effect of particle size on the fate of drugs in vivo. Therefore, by keeping drug release rate comparable, the objective of this study is to elucidate the influence of particle size itself on drug in vivo fate after intratracheal instillation to mice. Here, using paclitaxel (PTX) as a drug model, 100 nm, 300 nm, 800 nm, and 2500 nm poly(lactide- co -glycolide) (PLGA) particles with the same release rate were prepared. It was demonstrated that the in vivo fate of particles after lung delivery was size-dependent. Consistent with most reports of model particles with neglected release kinetics, the mucus penetration capacity in airtifical mucus decreased with increasing particle size and there is no significant difference between 800 nm and 2500 nm particles. The in vivo airway distribution experiments confirmed the results of the in vitro mucus penetration study, that is, the smaller the particles, the more distributed in the airway. Both in vitro and in vivo macrophage uptake results confirmed that the larger particles were more readily taken up by macrophages. In contrast, the uptake of smaller particles in A549 cells was higher than that of larger particles. Some new findings were disclosed in lung retention, lung absorption and lung targeting. Different from previous reports, this study demonstrated that particles with smaller size had longer lung retention, AUC (0-t) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of 100 nm particles was 1.6, 1.9, 2.5 times higher than that of 300 nm, 800 nm, and 2500 nm particles and 11.7 times of the PTX solution group. The same trend was observed in lung tissue absorption, the AUC (0-t) in the lavaged lung of 100 nm particles was 1.8, 2.2, 2.8, 8.6 times higher than that of 300 nm, 800 nm, 2500 nm particles and PTX solution groups, respectively. The lung targeting efficiency was particles size independent. In conclusion, the in vivo fate of particles with the same release kinetics after intratracheal instillation is size-dependent, smaller size particles are conducive for lung retention and lung absorption. Overall, our study provided scientific guidance for the rational design of particle based pulmonary drug delivery system. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-attribute group decision method based on the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set is proposed. • A sustainability evaluation of an agricultural water-land-energy-carbon nexus is provided. • Multidimensional indicators are combined through stability, coordinativity and connectivity. • The water, land, energy and carbon subsystems of the agricultural system are quantified based on dual uncertainty. • The model is shown to solve real-world relationship management problems. The interactions between agricultural subsystems, resource scarcity and ecological degradation increase the need for agricultural sustainability assessments in relation to water, land, energy and carbon emissions. In addition, uncertainties caused by natural factors and human activities complicate sustainability assessments. Therefore, this study proposes a regional agricultural sustainability assessment method based on the water-land-energy-carbon (WLEC) nexus system under high uncertainty. This method couples the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set (IVIFS) and multi-attribute group decision making (MAGDM) methods to quantitatively characterise and assess element management and corresponding relationships within the agricultural WLEC nexus system in a multidimensional manner. The paper is able to (1) clarify the role of the coupled agricultural "water-land-energy-carbon" nexus and (2) address the double ambiguity and uncertainty in the indicators and more objectively reflect the interval fluctuations of natural resources and social activities in both positive and negative scenarios. (3) Sustainability management of agricultural resources is carried out according to different regional conditions. The method was applied to Heilongjiang Province in northeast China, and the coupling of agricultural WLEC nexus system in 13 administrative regions of the study area was quantitatively analysed. The degree of agroecological sustainability from a multidimensional perspective is higher in Daxinganling and lower in the provincial capital, Harbin. The recommended range of groundwater use in the study area is [16%,28%] to ensure ecological sustainability when total agricultural output fluctuates between 285,395.18 and 404,495.33 billion yuan. This methodology helps policy makers understand the overall dynamics of agricultural sustainability in an environment of multiple uncertainties and gives suggestions for better assessing management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Simultaneous detection of youkenafil and M1 in different human matrixes by LC-MS/MS. • First report of concentrations of youkenafil and M1 in seminal plasma. • Youkenafil has no significant acute effect on semen quality. • No dose-proportional relationship for both youkenafil and M1 within 100–400 mg. Youkenafil is a novel Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor used for treating erectile dysfunction. N-desethyl compound of youkenafil (M1) is its main active metabolite. In this study, two methods were developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of youkenafil and M1 by HPLC-MS/MS in human matrices including seminal plasma and plasma, in which the multiple reaction monitoring and electrospray ionization in positive mode were adopted, and the deuterated youkenafil (youkenafil-d5) was selected as the internal standard. The collected semen sample was kept at room temperature for approximately 30 min until fully liquefied. The volume of the liquefied semen was measured and then divided into two parts. One part was centrifuged to obtain the seminal plasma for the content detection of youkenafil and M1, while the other part was used for routine semen analysis. The chromatographic separation was accomplished with the column of Poroshell 120 EC-C18 (5 × 2.1 mm, 2.7 μm, Agilent). Protein precipitation with methanol was used for the pretreatment of seminal plasma and plasma. The intra-run and inter-run precisions were less than 6.4 % (relative standard deviation) and accuracies were all within −4.7 %–6.8 % (relative error) in both matrices. All other validated bioanalytical parameters were within the acceptance criteria set by the FDA. The methods were successfully applied to different clinical studies of youkenafil. In the clinical study of the acute effect of youkenafil on semen quality in healthy males, the content of youkenafil in seminal plasma was extremely low. Concentrations of youkenafil and M1 in seminal plasma were lower than those in plasma, at 20.7 % and 4.49 % of the plasma concentration, respectively. There was no significant acute effect of youkenafil on semen quality. In the pharmacokinetic study of youkenafil after single dose-escalation administration, the exposure to youkenafil and M1 was non-linear with the dose in the range of 100–400 mg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil degradation has become a major global problem owing to the rapid development of agriculture. The problems of soil drought and decreased soil fertility caused by soil degradation severely affect the development of the agricultural and forestry industries. In this study, we designed sodium alginate (SA)/sodium lignosulfonate (SLS) hydrogel based on the activation and crosslinking of inert Ca2+. CaCO 3 and SA were mixed, and then, inert Ca2+ was activated to prepare a gel with a stable structure and a uniform interior and exterior. The crosslinking activated by inert Ca2+ enhanced the stability of the hydrogel, and the optimal swelling rate of the hydrogel reached 28.91 g/g, thereby effectively improving the water-holding capacity of the soil (77.6–108.83 g/kg). SLS was degraded into humic acid (HA) and gradually released, demonstrating a positive growth-promoting effect in plant growth experiments. The SA/SLS hydrogel can be used for soil water retention and mitigation to significantly decrease the water loss rate of soil. This study will assist in addressing soil drought and fertility loss. [Display omitted] • Sodium alginate/sodium lignosulfonate hydrogel (SA/SLS) prepared based on inert Ca2+ initiator technology. • SA/SLS has excellent stability and pH sensitivity. • SA/SLS has better soil water retention performance than commercially available soil amendments. • SA/SLS has a continuous effect on crop growth and can be applied to practical production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assembly of transcriptomes encoding unique neuronal identities requires selective accessibility of transcription factors to cis-regulatory sequences in nucleosome-embedded postmitotic chromatin. Yet, the mechanisms controlling postmitotic neuronal chromatin accessibility are poorly understood. Here, we show that unique distal enhancers define the Pet1 neuron lineage that generates serotonin (5-HT) neurons in mice. Heterogeneous single-cell chromatin landscapes are established early in postmitotic Pet1 neurons and reveal the putative regulatory programs driving Pet1 neuron subtype identities. Distal enhancer accessibility is highly dynamic as Pet1 neurons mature, suggesting the existence of regulatory factors that reorganize postmitotic neuronal chromatin. We find that Pet1 and Lmx1b control chromatin accessibility to select Pet1-lineage-specific enhancers for 5-HT neurotransmission. Additionally, these factors are required to maintain chromatin accessibility during early maturation suggesting that postmitotic neuronal open chromatin is unstable and requires continuous regulatory input. Together, our findings reveal postmitotic transcription factors that reorganize accessible chromatin for neuron specialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flexible X-ray protective materials are commonly made of lead rubber. They have heavy weight, high biological toxicity, poor flexibility and aging resistance. The "weak absorption zone" in the energy range of 40–88 keV threaten environmental safety and human health. Bi 2 O 3 -rubber based flexible X-ray protective materials were prepared by rubber production process. The micromorphology, shore hardness, specific gravity, mechanical properties and radiation protective properties were characterized and analyzed. The results showed that Bi 2 O 3 particles dispersed in natural rubber (R) matrix uniformly. The shore hardness of samples fluctuated between 41° and 46° with the increasing Bi 2 O 3 content, lower than the Level 1 index requirement of the hardness (≤80°) of lead-free composite protective materials. The specific gravity increased from 1.35 g/cm3 to 2.38 g/cm3, which reduced approximately 34% comparing with the commercial protective materials containing Pb. The breaking strength and breaking elongation meet the index requirements in National standard GB 16757-2016. When Bi 2 O 3 content reached 300 parts, the highest lead equivalent and maximum shielding ratio were 0.3012 mmPb and 52.95% respectively. It meets the index requirement of lead equivalent of 0.25 mmPb≤Pb≤0.35 mmPb for the front sheet of protective clothing. The effective shielding range of the protective material R/Bi 2 O 3 (100/300) was mainly in the range of incident energy of 65∼100 keV and 164–250 keV, which covered the "weak absorption zone" of lead. • Flexible lightweight Bi 2 O 3 -rubber based X-ray protective materials were prepared. • The hardness of Bi 2 O 3 -rubber based materials fluctuated between 41° and 46°. • The specific gravity of Bi 2 O 3 -rubber based materials ranged from 1.35 to 2.38 g/cm3. • The efficient shielding range of samples was 65∼100 keV and 164–250 keV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal conductivity of soil is a fundamental physical property related to heat conduction and also one of the widely applied parameters in geotechnical engineering. Thermal needle tests were performed to measure the thermal conductivity of transparent sand. The thermal conductivity of three particle sizes of transparent sand was measured at different porosities and temperatures. The result shows that the thermal conductivity of transparent sand decreases with the increase of porosity and temperature. A modified model is proposed to calculate the thermal conductivity of the tested sand. Compared with the literature models, which are only suitable for room temperature, the modified model in this paper is applicable to a wider temperature range, ranging from 5∘C to 45∘C. It will also be beneficial to future studies on thermal reponses of granular materials, i.e., energy pile model test using transparent sand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The V2X and cooperative vehicle infrastructure system (CVIS), which leverage the efficient information interactions through V2V, V2I, V2P, and V2N, are known as the advanced and effective technology in reducing traffic accidents and improving traffic efficiency. The complex technical characteristics of V2X and highly reliable service demand of typical V2X applications call for the test needs before the large-scale deployment of V2X. It indicates that the performance and function of V2X devices should be systematically tested and evaluated in extreme and boundary conditions of driving and communication environments before being broadly deployed and applied in infrastructures. Motivated by the previously mentioned needs, a performance and function testing scheme of V2X in a closed test field is studied. According to the analytical viewpoint from the physical layer and MAC layer, the proposed research systematically analyses the technical differences of DSRC and LTE-V, which are two typical V2X protocols, in terms of vehicle speed, communication distance, and channel adaptability. Based on the critical practical test needs from the analytical study, a function and performance test system of V2X specifically for the closed test field is proposed. The performance and typical application effectiveness in intersection environment of DSRC and LTE-V are evaluated. The limitation and proposed improvement strategies of these V2X protocols are analytically discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eight Taihang passages are important cultural routes in the northern region, and a large number of traditional settlements with northern residential characteristics are distributed along the passages. Traditional settlements along the Feihu passage are studied in the paper, and the temporal and spatial distribution of traditional settlements is sorted out via ArcGIS platform, to explore its historical evolution in time and distribution rule in space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EVT201 is a partial GABA A receptor agonist, which inhibits nervous system to treat insomnia. EVT201 can form a variety of metabolites in vivo including Ro46–1927, Ro18–5528, Ro40–9970, Ro66–9196 and Ro66–5448. This study developed a simple method to realize the simultaneous determination of EVT201 and its five metabolites by HPLC-MS/MS with an electrospray ion source (ESI). The deuterium substitute of EVT201 was chosen as the internal standard and the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) was used for the quantification. The separation of the six compounds was accomplished with an ACE Excel 3 AQ column (50 × 2.1 mm, 3 µm, ACE). The process of protein precipitating-transferring-nitrogen blowing-reconstituting was adopted for the sample pretreatment. This method was successfully validated according to the FDA guidance. Calibration curves were linear over the concentration range of 0.100–100 ng/mL for EVT201, 0.0300–30.0 ng/mL for Ro46–1927, 0.0600–6.00 ng/mL for Ro18–5528, 0.0200–4.00 ng/mL for Ro40–9970, 0.100–20.0 ng/mL for Ro66–9196 and 0.100–20.0 ng/mL for Ro66–5448. The intra-run and inter-run precisions and accuracies were all within 14.5%. This fully validated method was successfully applied to a clinical pharmacokinetic study of EVT201 and its five metabolites in Chinese healthy subjects after the single (2.5 mg and 5 mg, N = 12) and multiple dose (2.5 mg, N = 13) administration of EVT201 capsules. The test results of 2.5 mg dose group showed that for EVT201, Ro46–1927, Ro18–5528, Ro40–9970, Ro66–9196 and Ro66–5448, the C max values (ng/mL) were 39.2 ± 9.2, 10.3 ± 1.4, 0.218 ± 0.044, 0.128 ± 0.051, 7.01 ± 1.51, 8.73 ± 3.69, respectively; the AUC 0−t values (h·ng/mL) were 231 ± 79, 143 ± 72, 10.9 ± 2.1, 1.84 ± 0.78, 55.9 ± 18.7, 135 ± 40 respectively. For EVT201, Ro46–1927, Ro66–5528, Ro66–9196 and Ro40–5448, the results of C max and AUC 0−t proved that the five compounds showed linear pharmacokinetic profile over the dose ranges of 2.5 mg to 5 mg. Meanwhile, it is the first report to evaluate the pharmacokinetic characteristics of Ro40–9970, Ro66–9196 and Ro66–5448 in human plasma. It provided meaningful parameters for the safety and tolerability evaluation of EVT201 capsules in human. • A method for the simultaneous detection of EVT201 and its metabolites by HPLC-MS/MS. • MS response of zwitterion can be improved by adjusting electrode extension distance. • Pharmacokinetic characteristics of EVT201 and its five metabolites in human plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we propose a method for producing W C composite ceramic coatings on tungsten alloy surfaces using directed energy deposition (DED). Different microstructures of DED single tracks were obtained with different line energy densities. Two parts of DED tracks were discovered, which contained the W C fusion zone and the WC-Ni-Co melting injection zone. The W C fusion zone mainly comprised four typical phases, WC, W 2 C, W, and C(diamond, graphite (D, G)), which were present in the microstructures of the tracks in different combinations. The key factor for determining the microstructure evolution was C content. With higher line energy density, more tungsten alloy melted, which decreased C content in the melt pool. As C content decreased, the composition of the microstructure transformed to C(D, G) + WC + W 2 C → WC + W 2 C → W 2 C + W + a small amount of γ-(Ni, Co). C content gradually decreased from the top to the bottom of the melt pool, resulting in a gradient microstructure transition. The microstructure and property could be tuned by controlling the C content. The hardness was the highest, 2300 HV, at 40.7 at.% C with WC-W 2 C eutectoid. This study provides practical insights for producing coatings on tungsten alloy surfaces with optimized process parameters and for tailoring mechanical properties. • DED W-C composite ceramic material on the surface of W alloy was prepared. • W-C fusion zone and WC-Ni-Co melting injection zone of DED tracks were discovered. • The key factor for determining the microstructure evolution was C content. • The hardness of the microstructure was the highest, 2300 HV, with 40.7 at.% C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies are attaching more and more importance to sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) as which makes the right strategy measures for companies. Due to the complexity of external environmental factors and internal structure, sustainable supply chain management is vulnerable to various risks. The purpose of this paper is to present a new two-stage approach for determining the best practitioner in Iran Pars Special Economic Energy Zone based on the sustainable supply chain risk management (SSCRM). The best and worst method (BWM) is used to determine the weight of risk factors. Then the method of linguistic value soft set is used to assess the impact of risk factors on each company's sustainable supply chain which is a multiple attribute decision making problem with language preference in the second stage. Consequently, the ranking results of sustainable supply chain of each enterprise are obtained. This study contributes to finding the key risk factors of SSCRM. Evaluating these companies SSCRM with preference information, the best practitioner can obtain. The combination of BWM and linguistic value soft set approach provides a new nonparametric theoretical method and tool for this kind of decision-making problems with this background. At the same time, the conclusions of this study have guiding significance for the implementation of industrial supply chain. Limitations of the study along with future research directions are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bicarbonate (HCO3−) is one of the dominant carbon forms in the aquatic ecosystem and carbon cycle in karst areas. Recent studies have focused on the HCO3− utilization by aquatic plants to assess karst carbon sink at a watershed scale. However, the predominated researches inadequately address the effects on growth of submerged plants in various HCO3− conditions and how the submerged plants affect the karst carbon cycle. Here, H. verticillata was selected as a research object in different HCO3− concentrations. Plant morphology and water chemistry were analyzed to comparatively study the growth strategy and carbon utilization of submerged plants under various HCO3− conditions. The results show that the HCO3− aquatic environment can remarkably promote the growth of H. verticillata in terms of biomass, apical shoots, lateral shoots, and root production. The optimum concentration on biomass accumulation and lateral shoots growth is 4 mmol L−1; while, it is 8 mmol L−1 for the apical growth. But overall, the biomass accumulation is one order of magnitude higher than that in the control group. Despite the abundant dissolved inorganic carbon can significantly stimulate the growth of submerged plants, the respiration of H. verticillata suffers a certain inhabitation when the HCO3− concentration exceeds 4 mmol L−1. In karst aquatic environment, the existing HCO3− not only promotes the growth of submerged plants by means of supplying abundant dissolved inorganic carbon but also creates an alkaline water environment to buffer CO2 from the atmosphere. As a consequence, the presence of submerged plants has greatly enhanced the stability of karst carbon sink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subcooled boiling of alcohol flowing through micro-cylinder-groups with different heights in aligned arrangement was investigated. Meanwhile, the outlet temperature and Nusselt number of the working fluid were obtained when the heating power was 80 W, 60 W and 40 W respectively. Subcooled boiling is divided into two parts: the partially developed stage and fully developed stage. The result showed that the outlet temperature of the fully developed stage in subcooled boiling changed rarely as the Reynolds number decreased. At the same heating power, the heights of the micro-cylinders had little effects on the outlet temperature of working fluid in the fully developed stage. However, for the same height of micro-cylinder, the fully developed stage of subcooled boiling came earlier as the heating power increased. And the Nusselt number in the fully developed stage was greater than that in the partially developed stage. Based on the regression analysis of experimental data, a correlation formula of Nusselt number for subcooled boiling in micro-cylinder-groups was established and made comparison with existing correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient grouped actinides extraction by Et-Tol-DAPhen ligand has been systematically investigated using both the experimental and theoretical approaches. The results indicate that the ligand not only exhibits remarkable extraction efficiency toward Am(III) and Pu(IV) but also shows prominent selectivity toward actinides over lanthanides. • A new solvent system was developed for selective Pu(IV) and Am(III) extraction. • Et-Tol-DAPhen exhibit a highly efficient extraction toward Pu(IV) and Am(III). • DFT calculations were employed to reveal the behaviors of coordination and extraction. • Results from the DFT calculation are consistent with our experimental observations. The group actinide extraction ligand, N,N ′-diethyl- N,N ′-ditolyl-2,9-diamide-1,10-phenanthroline (Et-Tol-DAPhen) has been successfully developed in our laboratory recently. In this work, the extraction behaviors of the tetradentate Et-Tol-DAPhen toward Am(III) and Pu(IV) by using 1-(trifluoromethyl)-3-nitrobenzene as the diluent were systematically explored. The effects of HNO 3 and ligand concentration as well as temperature were studied in detail. In addition, the selectivity of this ligand towards actinides and the stripping performance of the extraction system were also investigated to assess its potential application for group actinide separation over trivalent lanthanides (Ln(III)). According to our results, Et-Tol-DAPhen exhibits large distribution ratios for both Am(III) and Pu(IV) with high separation factors over Pm(III) in a wide range of acidity. Moreover, Am(III) and Pu(IV) can be efficiently stripped into the aqueous phase via three stages of batch back extraction. In addition, density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the ligand selectivity towards actinides over Ln(III) probably results from the higher covalency of An-N bonds. The consistency between calculated thermodynamic parameters and experimental observations demonstrates the reasonability of the proposed extraction mechanism. Our findings afford insightful extraction parameters of Et-Tol-DAPhen towards actinides with different oxidation states and justify its versatile coordination abilities with respect to group actinide separation over lanthanides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of wooden breast (WB) meat of commercial broiler chicken has been increasing in recent years. Histological examination found that the occurrence of WB myopathy was accompanied by the pectoralis major (PM) muscle damage. So far, the potential mechanisms are not fully understood. This study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of the damage of WB-affected PM muscle caused by changes in mitochondrial function, mitochondrial redox status and Ca2+ homeostasis. A total of 80 market-age Arbor Acres male broiler chickens were sampled and categorized into control (CON) and WB groups based on the evaluation of myopathic lesions. PM muscle samples were collected (n = 8 in each group) for histopathological evaluation and biochemical analyses. Ultrastructural examination and histopathological changes suggested the occurrence of PM muscle damage in broiler chickens with WB myopathy. The WB group showed an increased level of reactive oxygen species and enhanced antioxidant capacities in mitochondria of PM muscle. These changes were related to impaired mitochondria morphology and mitochondrial dysfunction. In addition, abnormal expressions of Ca2+ channels led to substantial Ca2+ loss in SR and cytoplasmic Ca2+ overload, as well as Ca2+ accumulation in mitochondria, resulting in Ca2+ dyshomeostasis in PM muscle of broiler chickens with WB myopathy. Combined, these findings indicate that WB myopathy is related to mitochondrial dysfunction, mitochondrial redox status imbalance and Ca2+ dyshomeostasis, leading to WB-affected PM muscle damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loop B3 of glycoside hydrolase family 7 (GH7) endoglucanases is confined into long and short types. Tt Cel7 is a thermophilic GH7 endoglucanase from Thermothelomyces thermophilus ATCC 42464 with a long loop B3. Tt Cel7 was distinct for the excellent thermostability (>30 % residual activity after 1-h incubation at 90 °C). The catalytic efficiency was reduced by removing the disulfide bond in loop B3 (C220A) and truncated the loop B3 (B3cut). However, B3cut exhibited improved thermostability, the remaining enzyme activity increased by 39 %–171 % compared to Tt Cel7 when treated at 70–90 °C for 1-h. Based on the analysis of molecular dynamics simulation, both loops B1 and A3 of B3cut swing toward the catalytic center, which contributed to the reduced cleft-space and increased structure-rigidity. Conversely, the deletion of disulfide bond resulted in a reduction of structural rigidity in C220A. Through structure-directed enzyme modulation, this study has identified two structural elements that are related to the catalysis and thermostability of Tt Cel7. The loop B3 of Tt Cel7 possibly stretches the catalytic pocket, thereby increases the openness of the catalytic tunnel and enhancing flexibility for efficient catalysis. Additionally, the disulfide bond within loop B3 serves to enhance structural stability and maintain a heightened level of activity. • A novel thermophilic GH7 endoglucanase (Tt Cel7) was identified and characterized. • Variants were designed to study the role of loop B3 in catalytic efficiency and thermostability. • Loop B3 in Tt Cel7 stretches the catalytic pocket more openly, enhancing protein flexibility for efficient catalysis. • Disulfide bond in loop B3 serves to enhance structural stability and maintain a heightened level of activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zein forms viscoelastic network with water to support the weak structure of gluten-free dough, but which requires temperature above 40 °C. A new method preparing zein network at room temperature using food-grade acetic acid was reported in our previous research. The current research explored the influence of zein network containing acetic acid on the rheology, texture, and tensile properties of rice gluten-free dough, as well as the interaction between zein network and rice flour. Results showed that zein network could act as a structural support material by binding rice flour particles to transmit its viscoelasticity and extensibility to rice dough, thus enhancing the ability of rice dough to resist external forces. The structural characteristics of zein-rice dough were both zein network-dependent and rice flour-dependent. α-Zein network could mix with rice flour particles more evenly than total-zein (T-zein, comprising α-, β- and γ-zein) network due to the thinner and denser fiber bundles, so the stretchability and thermal stability of α-zein-rice dough were greater than that of T-zein-rice dough, and the cooking loss of α-zein-rice noodle was less than that of T-zein-rice noodle. Compared with japonica rice dough and indica rice, waxy rice had less amylose, so the elasticity of zein-waxy dough was weaker than that of zein-japonica dough and zein-indica dough. And the gel network formed by amylose in rice during heating increased the elasticity of zein-rice dough. Additionally, the interaction between zein network and rice flour increased the ordered structure of starch in rice flour. [Display omitted] • Zein network increased the ordered structure of starch in rice flours. • Zein network could improve the structural defects of rice dough. • Zein network increased the viscosity and decreases the elasticity of rice dough. • Zein network could give the rice gluten-free dough with extensibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Phyhormone signaling is involved in the low-phosphate (LP) response and causes root system changes. • Maize Q319 was used to identify the changes in root morphology and the gene expression response to LP stress with or without exogenous auxin, GA or their inhibitors. • The LP-induced maize root morphological adaption was dependent on changes in the expression of related genes, like IPS1 , pht1;1 LPR1b , KRPs , and EXPB1-4. • The altered local auxin concentration and signaling were involved in promoting axial root elongation and reducing lateral root density and length under LP conditions, which were regulated by PID and PP2A activity and the auxin signaling pathway. • The upregulation of the GA synthesis genes AN1 , GA20ox1 , and GA20ox2 and the downregulation of the GA inactive genes GA2ox1 and GA2ox2 were observed in maize roots subjected to LP stress, and the increased GA biosynthesis and signaling were involved in root growth. • Both auxin and GA signaling played an essential role in LP-regulated root morphological changes and LP acclimation in maize. Phytohormone signaling is involved in the low-phosphate (LP) response and causes root system changes. To understand the roles of auxin and gibberellic acid (GA) in the maize response to LP stress, inbred line Q319 was used to identify the changes in root morphology and the gene expression response to LP stress with or without exogenous auxin, GA or their inhibitors. The root morphology, IAA and GAs concentration and genes related to the LP response, cell elongation and division, auxin transport and signaling, and GA synthesis and signaling were analyzed. The LP-induced maize root morphological adaption was dependent on changes in the expression of related genes, like IPS1 , pht1;1 LPR1b , KRPs , and EXPB1-4. The altered local auxin concentration and signaling were involved in promoting axial root elongation and reducing lateral root density and length under LP conditions, which were regulated by PID and PP2A activity and the auxin signaling pathway. The upregulation of the GA synthesis genes AN1 , GA20ox1 , and GA20ox2 and the downregulation of the GA inactive genes GA2ox1 and GA2ox2 were observed in maize roots subjected to LP stress, and the increased GA biosynthesis and signaling were involved in root growth. Both hormones participate in LP stress response and jointly regulated root modification and LP acclimation in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A facile method of assembling oxindole and phthalide units through a Lewis based catalyzed allylic alkylation reaction of Morita–Baylis–Hillman carbonates of isatins and 3-cyanophthalides was recently developed. The method efficiently delivers a hybrid of 3,3′-disubstituted oxindole with a valuable phthalide pharmacophore. In the present study, we proved the deleterious effects of 5h2c, a screened synthesis compound, against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in both in vitro and in vivo models. 5h2c strongly decreased cell viability, caused over-release of lactate dehydrogenase, inhibited cell migration, and enhanced the apoptosis rate in HepG2 and PLC/PRF/5 cells. 5h2c led to an increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species levels and a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. In HepG2-and PLC/PRF/5-xenograft tumor mouse models, treatment with 5h2c inhibited tumor growth without affecting the animals' bodyweight or organ functions. Proteome profiling of tumor tissues after 24-h exposure to 5h2c showed significantly enhanced expression levels of Bcl-2 associated X protein, cleaved caspase −3, −8, and −9, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), heme oxygenase-2, paraoxonase 2, catalase, and factor associated suicide ligand, and reduced the expression levels of B-cell lymphoma-2, B-cell lymphoma-extra large, heat shock protein 27, heat shock protein 60, and heat shock protein 70 in HepG2 and PLC/PRF/5 cells. All of our data confirmed that oxidative stress-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis (especially the Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway) is responsible for 5h2c-induced HCC damage. Highlights • 5h2c is a compound of 3,3′-disubstituted oxindole with a phthalide pharmacophore. • 5h2c induces apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. • 5h2c inhibited the growth of HepG2-and PLC/PRF/5-xenografted tumor in mice. • 5h2c-induced apoptosis via oxidative stress-mediated mitochondrial function. • 5h2c promotes apoptosis of HCC cells through Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background PTK6 is involved in cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Patients with lower PTK6 expression predicts poor prognosis of LSCC. However, the mechanism of PTK6 in LSCC progression remains unclear. We investigated the role of PTK6 in the pathogenesis of LSCC. Methods Human LSCC tissues and paired adjacent non-tumor tissues were obtained to evaluate PTK6 expression. The biological function of PTK6 in LSCC was determined by overexpression of PTK6 in Hep-2 cells in vitro and in nude mice. The potential PTK6 target factors and signaling pathways were identified by Western blotting assay and immunohistochemical staining. Results PTK6 was downregulated in tissues of human LSCC. Biological function investigation of PTK6 demonstrated that overexpression of PTK6 significantly decreased cell growth, clonogenicity, invasion and migration capacity in vitro and suppressed xenograft tumor growth as well as lung metastasis in vivo. PTK6 suppresses LSCC proliferation mainly by inhibiting c-myc and cyclinD1 expression. In addition, PTK6 promotes cell apoptosis in LSCC. Moreover, PTK6 mitigated LSCC invasion and migration through regulating EMT and MMP-9. Conclusion PTK6 plays a tumor suppressor role in LSCC by regulating c-myc and cyclinD1 expression, cell apoptosis, EMT and MMP-9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeated measures are common in clinical trials and epidemiological studies. Designing studies with repeated measures requires reasonably accurate specifications of the variances and correlations to select an appropriate sample size. Underspecifying the variances leads to a sample size that is inadequate to detect a meaningful scientific difference, while overspecifying the variances results in an unnecessarily large sample size. Both lead to wasting resources and placing study participants in unwarranted risk. An internal pilot design allows sample size recalculation based on estimates of the nuisance parameters in the covariance matrix. We provide the theoretical results that account for the stochastic nature of the final sample size in a common class of linear mixed models. The results are useful for designing studies with repeated measures and balanced design. Simulations examine the impact of misspecification of the covariance matrix and demonstrate the accuracy of the approximations in controlling the type I error rate and achieving the target power. The proposed methods are applied to a longitudinal study assessing early antiretroviral therapy for youth living with HIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Maize is a globally important food, feed crop and raw material for the food and energy industry. Plant architecture optimization plays important roles in maize yield improvement. PIN‐FORMED (PIN) proteins are important for regulating auxin spatiotemporal asymmetric distribution in multiple plant developmental processes. In this study, ZmPIN1a overexpression in maize increased the number of lateral roots and inhibited their elongation, forming a developed root system with longer seminal roots and denser lateral roots. ZmPIN1a overexpression reduced plant height, internode length and ear height. This modification of the maize phenotype increased the yield under high‐density cultivation conditions, and the developed root system improved plant resistance to drought, lodging and a low‐phosphate environment. IAA concentration, transport capacity determination and application of external IAA indicated that ZmPIN1a overexpression led to increased IAA transport from shoot to root. The increase in auxin in the root enabled the plant to allocate more carbohydrates to the roots, enhanced the growth of the root and improved plant resistance to environmental stress. These findings demonstrate that maize plant architecture can be improved by root breeding to create an ideal phenotype for further yield increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carnosic acid (CA), an important bioactive phenolic diterpene mainly found in labiate plants, exerts various biological functions, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and neuroprotective activities. In the present study, we proved the deleterious effects of CA against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in both in vitro and in vivo models. In vitro , CA significantly decreased cell viability, inhibited cell proliferation and migration, enhanced apoptosis, and increased caspase-3, -8, and -9 activities in HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells. Specifically, CA led to a decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and increases in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and apoptosis-related protein expression. Pre-incubation of HCC cells with N -Acetyl- l -cysteine (NAC), a ROS inhibitor, strongly suppressed CA-induced apoptotic phenomena, including reduced cell viability, excessive ROS levels, MMP decreases, and abnormal protein expression, suggesting an association of CA-induced apoptosis with oxidative stress-mediated mitochondrial pathways. In HepG2-and SMMC-7721-xenograft tumor mouse models, treatment with CA inhibited tumor growth and modulated apoptosis-related protein expression, confirming the anti-HCC effects of this chemical. Moreover, the CA-mediated anti-HCC effects associated with oxidative stress provide experimental evidence to support the potential use of CA as a drug therapy for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon fabric reinforced phenolic (CFRP) composites filled with nano-Al2O3were prepared by a dip-coating and heat molding process and the tribological properties of the resulting composites under different sliding conditions were investigated systematically on a block-on-ring test rig. The worn surfaces were observed in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to understand the mechanism. Nano-Al2O3particles, as the filler, were effective in reducing the friction coefficient and wear rate of the CFRP composites. The steady state friction coefficient of the CFRP composites filled with 4 wt.% nano-Al2O3particles was about 65.5% of that of unfilled CFRP composites, and the wear rate, in this case, was about 74.7% of that of unfilled CFRP composites. Tribological tests under different sliding conditions revealed that the filled CFRP composites seemed to be more suitable than unfilled CFRP composites for tribological applications under higher sliding speed and load. Moreover, the wear resistances of the unfilled and filled CFRP composites were found to be related to the stability of the transfer film on the counterface. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Cu-bearing stainless steel (SS) with excellent broad-spectrum antibacterial property while maintaining the original mechanical properties of SS may quite be a more advantageous substitute for ordinary SS. Compared with its performance of directly inactivating the attached bacteria, the ability of Cu-bearing SS to kill planktonic bacteria for the applications in liquid system is still challenging ambiguous. Therefore, in this study, a corrosive medium containing chloride ions was applied to investigate that the service of SS in a liquid environment, such as water treatment system. The ions release behavior, release-type bacteriostasis against planktonic bacteria and the evolution of corrosion resistance for Cu-bearing 304L SS were investigated. Electrochemical test combined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurement proved that the passive film on 304L-Cu SS exhibited a significant game behavior including dissolution and repair processes, which eventually tends to be stable, ensuring the corrosion resistance in service. Compared with the artificial configuration solution with the same concentration of Cu ions, the antibacterial test confirmed that a better antibacterial performance against planktonic bacteria of the leach liquors derived from 304L-Cu SS. In particular, reactive oxygen species overexpression induced by the synergistic effect of multiple metal ions acted a crucial part in clarifying the relevant mechanism of bacteriostasis. • Cu-bearing SS has excellent release-type bacteriostasis against planktonic bacteria. • The bacteriostasis attributes to the synergistic effect of multiple metal ions. • Cu-bearing SS could relieve the microbial accumulation burden in liquid systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The self-organizing map (SOM), an unsupervised artificial neural network model, has emerged as a tool for analyzing insect species assemblages associated with geographic regions. By comparing regions that share similar pest assemblages, SOM provides available information to rank potential invasive species. Scale insects, an important group of Hemiptera, attract a great deal of attention from researchers and quarantine authorities due to their significant threats to crops and ornamental plants. There are few studies on distribution pattern and predicting the invasion of scale insects at a global scale. In the present study, a global presence⁄absence dataset, including 2486 scale insect species in 157 countries, was extracted to assess the establishment risk of potential invasive species based on a self-organizing map (SOM). We provide preliminary establishment risk assessments of numerous scale insects at a global scale and confirm that SOM can be a reliable tool for analyzing a large number of species simultaneously. In the present study, a global presence/absence dataset including 2486 scale insect species in 157 countries was extracted to assess the establishment risk of potential invasive species based on a self-organizing map (SOM). According to the similarities in species assemblages, a risk list of scale insects for each country was generated. Meanwhile, all countries in the dataset were divided into five clusters, each of which has high similarities of species assemblages. For those countries in the same neuron of the SOM output, they may pose the greatest threats to each other as the sources of potential invasive scale insect species, and therefore, require more attention from quarantine departments. In addition, normalized ζi values were used to measure the uncertainty of the SOM output. In total, 9 out of 63 neurons obtained high uncertainty with very low species counts, indicating that more investigation of scale insects should be undertaken in some parts of Africa, Asia and Northern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of micro hollow glass beads (HGB) filled castor oil-based polyurethane/epoxy resin graft interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) composites were prepared. The tensile and impact strengths, impact fractured surfaces, damping properties and thermal stability of the IPN composites were studied systematically in terms of composition. Results revealed that the addition of HGB into polyurethane/epoxy IPN can significantly improve not only the tensile strength but also the impact strength. The tensile strength was increased by 61% and at the same time the impact strength was increased by 25% when the HGB content was 1.5%. The damping properties were better than the composition of 0.5% or 2% HGB content when the HGB content was 1% or 1.5%. The thermal decomposition temperature was also slightly improved by the incorporation of HGB. It is suggested that the HGB reinforced polyurethane/epoxy resin IPN composites could be used as structural damping materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize is a globally important crop, and a low phosphate (LP) supply frequently limits maize yields in many areas. microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in plant development and environmental adaptation. In this study, spatio-temporal miRNA transcript profiling and some of the target genes in the roots and leaves of the maize inbred line Q319 were analyzed in response to LP. Complex small RNA populations were detected after LP culture, and they displayed different patterns in the roots and leaves. Differentially expressed miRNAs can be grouped into ‘early’ miRNAs, which respond rapidly and are often non-specific to phosphate deficiency, and ‘late’ miRNAs, which alter the morphology, physiology or metabolism of plants upon prolonged phosphate deficiency. miR827 and miR399-mediated posttranscriptional pathway responses to phosphate availability were conserved and species-specific in maize. Abiotic stress-related miRNAs were engaged in interactions with different signaling and/or metabolic pathways. Auxin-related miRNAs and their targets’ expression may be involved in root architecture modification and upland growth retardation in maize when subjected to LP. The changes that were found in the expression of miRNAs and their target genes suggested that miRNA regulation/alterations are pivotal mechanisms in maize adaptations to LP environments. A complex regulatory mechanism involving miRNAs in response to the LP environment is present in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]