Esterase has been reported to be involved in malathion resistance in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). However, the underlying molecular mechanism of the esterase‐mediated ...resistance remains largely unknown in this species. Here, with the use of a strain selected for malathion resistance in the laboratory (MR), we found that two overexpressed α‐esterase genes, namely BdCarE4 and BdCarE6, predominant in the adult midgut and fat body, function in conferring malathion resistance in B. dorsalis. Notably, these two genes were found to be mostly close to the esterase E3, which are usually implicated in detoxifying organophosphate insecticides. The transcript levels of BdCarE4 and BdCarE6 were investigated and compared between the MR and a susceptible (MS) strain of B. dorsalis. Both genes were significantly up‐regulated in the MR strain, which was consistent with the enhanced esterase activity in the MR strain. However, no changes in either the coding sequence or gene copy number were observed between the two strains. Subsequently, heterologous expression combined with cytotoxicity assay in Sf9 cells demonstrated that BdCarE4 and BdCarE6 can probably detoxify malathion. Furthermore, RNA interference‐mediated knockdown of each of these two genes significantly increased malathion susceptibility in the MR strain adults. In conclusion, these results expand our molecular understanding of the important role of α‐esterases during the development of resistance to organophosphorous insecticides in B. dorsalis.
High-entropy alloys are unique alloys in which five or more elements are presented all in high concentrations. To determine its potential as a structural alloy, a model face-centered-cubic CrMnFeCoNi ...alloy was selected to investigate its weldability. Welds produced by electron beam welding show no cracking. The grain structures within the fusion zone (FZ) are controlled by the solidification behavior of the weld pool. The weldment possesses mechanical properties comparable to those of the base metal (BM) at both room and cryogenic temperatures. Compared with the BM, deformation twinning was more pronounced in the FZ of the tested alloy.
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Nowadays, the popularity of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance measurement has dramatically increased, particularly to listed companies, for supporting various investment ...decisions. Companies with high ESG scores imply that their ongoing business development is recognised to be economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable. From the current ESG measurement practice, the measurement frameworks are built on rating schemes, such as KLD and ASSET4, so as to derive the ESG scores for listed companies. However, such existing measurement frameworks are difficult to be implemented in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with unstructured and non-standardised business data, especially in logistics and supply chain management (LSCM) practice. In addition, it is inevitable for listed companies to work with SMEs, for example logistics service providers, but they need a systematic framework to source the responsible SMEs to maintain the ESG performance. To address the above industrial pain-points, this study proposes an ESG development prioritisation and performance measurement framework (ESG-DPPMF) by means of the Bayesian best-worst method enabling the group decision-making capability to prioritise the ESG development areas and formulate the performance measurement scheme. Through consolidating the opinions from logistics practitioners, it is found that fair labour practice, reverse logistics and human right in supply chains are the most essential areas to further enhance ESG capabilities in the logistics industry. In addition, the viability of the ESG performance measurement has been validated, and thus the sustainable and human-centric logistics practice can be developed to achieve business sustainability.
•Emphasis on operationalising ESG concepts in small and medium logistics companies.•A framework to prioritise ESG development areas and performance measurement.•Highlights of fair labour, reverse logistics, and human rights as key ESG areas.
In December 2019, novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic occurred in Wuhan, Hubei Province, and spread rapidly across the country. In the early stages of the epidemic, China adopted the containment ...strategy and implemented a series of core measures around this strategic point, including social mobilization, strengthening case isolation and close contacts tracking management, blocking epidemic areas and traffic control to reduce personnel movements and increase social distance, environmental measures and personal protection, with a view to controlling the epidemic as soon as possible in limited areas such as Wuhan. This article summarizes the background, key points and core measures in the country and provinces. It sent prospects for future prevention and control strategies.
The acceleration of population aging has brought an unprecedented impact on China's health system. This study is designed to examine the association between depressive symptoms and activity of daily ...living disability among the elderly in China.
This is a cross-sectional study.
Data were drawn from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression (CES-D) scale was used to access depressive symptoms, and physical function was assessed by the Activity of Daily Living (ADL) scale. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association between depressive symptoms and ADL among the elderly.
Based on a sample of 5863 elderly people over 60 years old, our results showed that 1999 elderly people are with depressive symptoms, accounting for 34.1%. The mean score of ADL among the elderly with depressive symptoms (20.65 ± 7.14) was much higher than that in those without depressive symptoms (17.40 ± 4.87). After controlling potential confounders, multivariate logistic regression showed that ADL and its specific domains including personal care, transfer, medical care, household, and managing money were associated with depressive symptoms.
This cross-sectional study provides evidence of the association between depressive symptoms and ADL disability among the Chinese elderly. As a result, prevention or reduction of ADL disability may have a positive effect on the medical care of the elderly with depressive symptoms.
A Skyrmion crystal typically arises from helical spin structures induced by the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. Experimentally its physical exploration has been impeded because it is a rarity and ...is found only within a narrow temperature and magnetic field range. We present a method for the assembly of a two-dimensional Skyrmion crystal based upon a combination of a perpendicularly magnetized film and nanopatterned arrays of magnetic vortices that are geometrically confined within nanodisks. The practical feasibility of the method is validated by micromagnetic simulations and computed Skyrmion number per unit cell. We also quantify a wide range in temperature and field strength over which the Skyrmion crystal can be stabilized without the need for any intrinsic Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions, which otherwise is needed to underpin the arrangement as is the case in the very few known Skyrmion crystal cases. Thus, our suggested scheme involves a qualitative breakthrough that comes with a substantial quantitative advance.
Summary
Background Psoriasis is an immune disorder involving numerous cytokines. Recent studies have shown that interleukin (IL)‐21 plays an important role in a variety of inflammatory and ...autoimmune diseases. It is highly expressed in psoriatic plaques and promotes the proliferation of epidermis in mice. It seems that IL‐21 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. However, whether or not it is elevated in the peripheral blood of patients with psoriasis and is associated with disease severity is unclear. Therefore, our study focuses on serum IL‐21 levels and their correlation with disease severity.
Objectives To detect serum IL‐21 levels in patients with psoriasis and investigate the correlation between these and the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores.
Methods Blood samples were collected from patients with plaque psoriasis and from healthy control subjects. Serum IL‐21 levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay in 37 patients with psoriasis and 37 healthy controls. The PASI scores of patients with psoriasis and their correlation with serum IL‐21 levels were evaluated.
Results Serum IL‐21 levels were higher in patients with psoriasis than in healthy controls (P < 0·01). Serum IL‐21 levels were positively correlated with PASI scores in the patients with psoriasis (r = 0·471, P < 0·01).
Conclusions Serum IL‐21 levels in patients with psoriasis are elevated and positively correlate with PASI scores. These results indicate that IL‐21 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
Rasal1 is a Ras GTPase-activating protein which contains C2 domains necessary for dynamic membrane association following intracellular calcium elevation. Membrane-bound Rasal1 inactivates Ras ...signaling through its RasGAP activity, and through such mechanisms has been implicated in regulating various cellular functions in the context of tumors. Although highly expressed in the brain, the contribution of Rasal1 to neuronal development and function has yet to be explored.
We examined the contributions of Rasal1 to neuronal development in primary culture of hippocampal neurons through modulation of Rasal1 expression using molecular tools. Fixed and live cell imaging demonstrate diffuse expression of Rasal1 throughout the cell soma, dendrites and axon which localizes to the neuronal plasma membrane in response to intracellular calcium fluctuation. Pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation demonstrate direct interaction of Rasal1 with PKC, tubulin, and CaMKII. Consequently, Rasal1 is found to stabilize microtubules, through post-translational modification of tubulin, and accordingly inhibit dendritic outgrowth and branching. Through imaging, molecular, and electrophysiological techniques Rasal1 is shown to promote NMDA-mediated synaptic activity and CaMKII phosphorylation.
Rasal1 functions in two separate roles in neuronal development; calcium regulated neurite outgrowth and the promotion of NMDA receptor-mediated postsynaptic events which may be mediated both by interaction with direct binding partners or calcium-dependent regulation of down-stream pathways. Importantly, the outlined molecular mechanisms of Rasal1 may contribute notably to normal neuronal development and synapse formation.
The p53 pathway is composed of hundreds of genes and their products that respond to a wide variety of stress signals. These responses to stress include apoptosis, cellular senescence or cell cycle ...arrest. In addition the p53-regulated genes produce proteins that communicate these stress signals to adjacent cells, prevent and repair damaged DNA and create feedback loops that enhance or attenuate p53 activity and communicate with other signal transduction pathways. Many questions remain to be explored in our understanding of how this network of genes plays a role in protection from cancers, therapy and integrating the homeostatic mechanisms of stress management and fidelity in a cell and organism. The goal of this chapter is to elucidate some of those questions and suggest new directions for this area of research.
Extraction of essential oil from
Cuminum cyminum seeds using a combination of organic solvent with low boiling point and steam distillation was explored. The effect of different parameters, such as ...particle size (40, 60, 80
mesh), temperature (°C) 10, 15, 20 and extraction time (3, 5, 8
h), on the extraction yield was investigated using three-level orthogonal array design. The experimental results showed that the temperature had the largest effect on the yield of the extract (oleoresin), followed by extraction time and particle size. The optimum parameters, such as temperature, particle size, and extraction time were in turn 20
°C, 80
mesh, and 8
h. Essential oil of
C. cyminum seeds obtained by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), hydrodistillation (HD), combination technology of organic solvent with low boiling point and steam distillation (OS-SD) were further analysed by gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric detection to compare the extraction methods. Forty-five compounds in the
C. cyminum essential oil were identified, showing that the composition of the extraction by different methods was mostly similar, whereas relative concentration of the identified compounds was apparently different. General characteristics of the
C. cyminum essential oil obtained by different methods were further compared, and OS-SD was considered as the optimum process among the three processes to obtain
C. cyminum essential oil for high quality, simple technology and low cost.
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