Co-occurring extreme heat, drought, and moisture events are increasing under global warming and pose serious threats to ecosystem and food security. However, how to effectively link compound ...agrometeorological disasters (CADs) with climate change has not been well assessed. In this study, we focus on the comprehensive influence of large-scale climate factors on CADs rather than extreme meteorological elements. The results indicate that there are two main CADs of spring maize in Shenyang, Northeast China (NEC), including concurrent drought and cold damage (DC) and drought in multiple growth periods (MD). The related circulation anomalies at mid–high latitudes are identified as four patterns, namely, the Northeast Asia Low (NEAL) and Ural High (UH) patterns affecting DC, the Baikal High and Okhotsk Low (BHOL), and the Northeast Asia High (NEAH) patterns leading to MD. The vertical profile and water vapor transport anomalies further demonstrate the influence mechanism of large-scale circulation on compound heat–moisture stresses. This study highlights the role of atmospheric circulation, which can provide effective predictors for these synergistic agrometeorological disasters.
In this paper, the internal flow characteristics of shear thinning xanthan gum (0.02–0.08 wt %) non-Newtonian droplets moving in rectangular microchannels were studied by means of micro-PIV. When the ...capillary number
Ca
is less than 4.05 × 10
–3
, there are four eddies inside droplets running in the low depth-to-width ratio channel. Once the aspect ratio gets higher, more oil film resistance would result in a pair of eddies inside droplets near the channel wall at the plane of half the channel height, which means six eddies exist inside droplets in total. As
Ca
gradually increased to 5.06 × 10
–2
, due to the shear stress of continuous phase and the shear thinning of dispersed phase, the flow topologies inside droplets would change to symmetric butterfly wing double vortex and
M
˙
structure. The uneven distribution of interfacial tension caused by the inertial aggregation of surfactants at the back end of the droplet transforms long droplets into a teardrop-like under continuous phase extrusion. Because of the continuous phase reflux in the middle of the droplet horizontal axis, an obvious pressure fluctuation is observed. At high xanthan gum concentration, the increase of viscosity leads to four eddies inside teardrop-like droplet. The essence of the flow fields inside non-Newtonian droplets is the redistribution of dispersed phase velocity with different degrees of shear thinning. The results are beneficial to the development of microfluidic flow cytometry, the control of biochemical reaction process inside droplets and the understanding of the complex logic behavior of non-Newtonian droplets in microchannels.
Graphic abstract
The prevalence of antiviral drugs (ATVs) has seen a substantial increase in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to heightened concentrations of these pharmaceuticals in wastewater systems. The ...hydrophilic nature of ATVs has been identified as a significant factor contributing to the low degradation efficiency observed in wastewater treatment plants. This characteristic often necessitates the implementation of additional treatment steps to achieve the complete degradation of ATVs. Semiconductor-based photocatalysis has garnered considerable attention due to its promising potential in achieving efficient degradation rates and subsequent mineralization of pollutants, leveraging the inexhaustible energy of sunlight. However, in recent years, there have been few comprehensive reports that have thoroughly summarized and analyzed the application of photocatalysis for the removal of ATVs. This review commences by summarizing the types and occurrence of ATVs. Furthermore, it places a significant emphasis on delivering a comprehensive summary and analysis of the characteristics pertaining to the photocatalytic elimination of ATVs, utilizing semiconductor photocatalysts such as metal oxides, doped metal oxides, and heterojunctions. Ultimately, the review sheds light on the identified research gaps and key concerns, offering invaluable insights to steer future investigations in this field.
A scheme for parametric optical frequency comb (OFC) generation using an electroabsorption modulated laser (EML) based optoelectronic oscillator is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. A phase ...modulator is cascaded with EML in the oscillating loop. In addition, the phase modulated laser is used as pump seeds for the parametric frequency mixer. In the mixer, a 100-m single-mode fiber is employed to compress the pump pulses, and the parametric process is stimulated in a 200-m-high nonlinear fiber (HNLF) with flat normal dispersion. In our experiments, a 10-GHz radio frequency signal with a side-mode suppression radio of 47 dB and a single-sideband phase noise of −109.89 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset is obtained. When the pump power injected into HNLF is 28 dBm, a 10-tone parametric OFC with a 5-dB power variation and spacing equal to the oscillation frequency is generated.
The initial signals governing sex determination vary widely among insects. Here we show that Armigeres subalbatus M factor (AsuMf), a male-specific duplication of an autosomal gene of the Drosophila ...behaviour/human splicing (DBHS) gene family, is the potential primary signal for sex determination in the human filariasis vector mosquito, Ar. subalbatus. Our results show that AsuMf satisfies two fundamental requirements of an M factor: male-specific expression and early embryonic expression. Ablations of AsuMf result in a shift from male- to female-specific splicing of doublesex and fruitless, leading to feminization of males both in morphology and general transcription profile. These data support the conclusion that AsuMf is essential for male development in Ar. subalbatus and reveal a male-determining factor that is derived from duplication and subsequent neofunctionalization of a member of the conserved DBHS family.
Objective
To demonstrate that a 3D-bioprinted integrated osteochondral scaffold can provide improved repair of articular cartilage defects in the rabbit knee compared to that reported for traditional ...tissue-engineering methods.
Results
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were differentiated into osteoblasts and chondrocytes as seed cells and mixed with the corresponding bone and cartilage scaffold materials. An integrated osteochondral biphasic scaffold was fabricated via 3D-bioprinting technology through successive natural overlays of the printed material and used to repair full-thickness articular cartilage defects in the rabbit knee. Histological and biomechanical assessment of repaired tissue at 6 months post-transplantation showed almost complete repair of injured articular surfaces and presence of hyaline cartilage. A boundary existed between the transition and repair zones. The Wakitani histological score was 5.50 ± 2.07 points; maximum load was 183.11 ± 35.20 N. Repaired cartilage was integrated firmly with the subchondral bone and almost assimilated with surrounding cartilage and bone tissues.
Conclusion
The 3D bioprinted integrated osteochondral scaffold achieved double bionic effects on the scaffold composition and structure, and it is expected to offer a new strategy for articular cartilage repair and regeneration.
IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) has complex clinical manifestations ranging from fibrosis and inflammation to deregulated metabolism. The molecular mechanisms underpinning these phenotypes are ...unclear. In this study, by using IgG4-RD patient peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), IgG4-RD cell lines and Usp25 knockout mice, we show that ubiquitin-specific protease 25 (USP25) engages in multiple pathways to regulate fibrotic and inflammatory pathways that are characteristic to IgG4-RD. Reduced USP25 expression in IgG4-RD leads to increased SMAD3 activation, which contributes to fibrosis and induces inflammation through the IL-1β inflammatory axis. Mechanistically, USP25 prevents ubiquitination of RAC1, thus, downregulation of USP25 leads to ubiquitination and degradation of RAC1. Decreased RAC1 levels result in reduced aldolase A release from the actin cytoskeleton, which then lowers glycolysis. The expression of LYN, a component of the B cell receptor signalosome is also reduced in USP25-deficient B cells, which might result in B cell activation deficiency. Altogether, our results indicate a potential anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic role for USP25 and make USP25 a promising diagnostic marker and potential therapeutic target in IgG4-RD.
Ginsenoside metabolite compound K (CK) is an active metabolite produced by ginsenosides
that has an anti-arthritic effect related to the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). However, the potential ...mechanisms of CK remain unclear.
This study explores the role and potential mechanisms of CK
and
.
Adjuvant arthritis (AA) model was induced in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats; the rats were randomly divided into four groups (
= 10): normal, AA, CK (80 mg/kg), and dexamethasone (Dex) group (1 mg/kg). From day 15, rats were treated with CK (once a day, i.g.) and Dex (once every 3 days, i.p.) for 18 days. To further verify the mechanism of CK, fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) were stimulated by tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) to establish an inflammatory model
.
CK (80 mg/kg) reduced paw swelling (52%) and arthritis global assessment (31%) compared to that in AA rats. In addition, CK (80 mg/kg) suppressed GLUT1 (38%), HK2 (50%), and PKM2 (56%) levels compared with those in AA FLS. However, the effects of CK (30 μM) on these events were weakened or enhanced after GR knockdown or overexpression in FLS stimulated by TNF-α (30 ng/mL). CK (80 mg/kg) also downregulated the expression of P65 (61%), p-IκB (92%), and HIF-1α (59%).
The inhibition of CK on glycolysis and the NF-κB/HIF-1α pathway is potentially mediated through activating GR. These findings provide experimental evidence for elucidating the molecular mechanism of CK in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Worldwide invasion and expansion of Aedes albopictus, an important vector of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses, has become a serious concern in global public health. Chemical insecticides are the ...primary means currently available to control the mosquito populations. However, long-term and large-scale use of insecticides has selected for resistance in the mosquito that is accompanied by a genetic load that impacts fitness. A number of laboratory strains representing different resistance mechanisms were isolated and identified from laboratory-derived, deltamethrin-resistant Ae. albopictus recovered in previous work. Resistance levels and fitness costs of the strains were evaluated and compared to characterize the evolution of the resistance genotypes and phenotypes. The heterozygous F1534S mutation (1534.sup.F/S) in the voltage gated sodium channel (vgsc) gene product (VGSC), first detected in early stages of resistance evolution, not only confers high-level resistance, but also produces no significant fitness costs, leading to the rapid spread of resistance in the population. This is followed by the increase in frequency of homozygous F1534S (1534.sup.S/S) mosquitoes that have significant fitness disadvantages, prompting the emergence of an unlinked I1532T mutation with fewer side effects and a mating advantage better adapted to the selection and reproductive pressures imposed in the experiments. Metabolic resistance with no significant fitness cost and mediating a high-tolerance resistance phenotype may play a dominant role in the subsequent evolution of resistance. The different resistant strains had similar vector competence for dengue virus type-2 (DENV-2). Furthermore, a comparative analysis of vectorial capacity revealed that increased survival due to deltamethrin resistance balanced the negative fitness cost effects and contributed to the risk of dengue virus (DENV) transmission by resistant populations. The progressive evolution of resistance results in mosquitoes with both target-site insensitivity and metabolic resistance with lower fitness costs, which further leads to resistant populations with both high resistance levels and vectorial capacity. This study reveals a possible mechanism for the evolution of deltamethrin resistance in Aedes albopictus. These findings will help guide practical strategies for insecticide use, resistance management and the prevention and control of mosquito-borne disease.
Purpose:
This study reports the clinical and genetic features of Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndrome (BVVL) type 2 in a case of uniparental disomy of chromosome 8 in mainland China and analyzes the ...genotype-phenotype correlation through a review of the literature of BVVL type 2 cases.
Methods:
The clinical characteristics, treatment, and follow-up data of the patient were summarized, and the etiology was identified by whole-exome sequencing and gene chip analysis. Correlations between the genotype and phenotype were analyzed by collecting clinical and genetic data of published cases and our patient.
Results:
We identified a homozygous mutation in
SLC52A2
(NM_001253815.2 c.1255G>A) by trio-WES. Sanger sequencing confirmed that his father was heterozygous and his mother was wild type. Subsequently, paternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 8 UPD (8)pat was confirmed by chromosomal microarray analysis.The patient received long-term oral riboflavin treatment (7 mg/kg.d) and was followed up for 40 months by which time the child’s bulbar palsy, ataxia, and motor function had improved. A review of the literature and statistical analysis found that the symptoms of BVVL type 2 appear at the earliest shortly after birth and at the latest at 10 years of age. The median age of onset was 2.5 years, but the overall delay in diagnosis was a median of 5.6 years. The most common symptoms were hearing loss (83.9%), followed by muscle weakness (80.6%), visual impairment (64.5%), and ataxia (61.3%). To date, a total of 32 mutations in the
SLC52A2
gene have been reported, with the most common being a missense mutation. Mutations occur throughout the length of the gene apart from at the N-terminus. In patients with missense mutations, homozygous pattern was more likely to present with ataxia as the first symptom (
p
< 0.05), while compound heterozygous pattern was more likely to develop respiratory insufficiency during the course of disease (
p
< 0.001). Moreover, patients with one missense mutation located in inside the transmembrane domain were more likely to have respiratory insufficiency than those with mutations both inside and outside the domain (
p
< 0.05). Riboflavin supplementation was an important factor in determining prognosis (
p
< 0.001).
Conclusion:
We report the first UPD(8)pat with SLC52A2 homozygous pathogenic mutation case in BVVL type 2, which expand the mutation spectrum of gene.
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