Unreliable inputs to production, particularly those that are difficult to store, can significantly limit firms' productivity, leading them to react in a number of ways. This paper uses a panel of ...23,000 energy-intensive, Chinese firms from 1999 to 2004 to examine how firms responded to severe power shortages in the early 2000s. Our results suggest that, in response to electricity scarcity, Chinese firms re-optimize among inputs to production by substituting materials for energy (both electric and non-electric sources)—a shift from “make” to “buy” of intermediate inputs to production. While outsourcing can be costly, Chinese firms were able to avoid substantial productivity losses by doing so. As a result of the increase in electricity scarcity from 1999 onward, we find that unit production costs increased by eight percent.
•Unreliable inputs to production significantly limit productivity.•This paper uses an unbalanced panel of 23,000 Chinese firms from 1999 to 2004.•In response to electricity scarcity, Chinese firms re-optimize among inputs.•Firms substitute materials for energy (both electric and non-electric sources).•The increase in electricity scarcity increased production costs by eight percent.
White adipose tissue displays high plasticity. We developed a system for the inducible, permanent labeling of mature adipocytes that we called the AdipoChaser mouse. We monitored adipogenesis during ...development, high-fat diet (HFD) feeding and cold exposure. During cold-induced 'browning' of subcutaneous fat, most 'beige' adipocytes stem from de novo-differentiated adipocytes. During HFD feeding, epididymal fat initiates adipogenesis after 4 weeks, whereas subcutaneous fat undergoes hypertrophy for a period of up to 12 weeks. Gonadal fat develops postnatally, whereas subcutaneous fat develops between embryonic days 14 and 18. Our results highlight the extensive differences in adipogenic potential in various fat depots.
Since its emergence in the 1980s, task-based language teaching (TBLT) has been regarded as a language pedagogy that fosters genuine communication and has the capacity to cultivate learners ...communicative competence. Consequently, TBLT research has become a vibrant and evolving field with numerous researchers exploring its theoretical foundations and gathering empirical evidence to support or challenge its effectiveness as a language teaching approach (e.g., Ellis, 2017; Erlam, 2016). In his recent publication, Foundational Principles of Task-based Language Teaching, Martin East adeptly navigates through the theoretical bases, implementation and assessment of TBLT. By delving into the book, readers will embark on a journey of deepening their understanding of TBLT while gaining valuable insights that inform pedagogical decisions and advance research within this domain.
Chronic inflammation constitutes an important link between obesity and its pathophysiological sequelae. In contrast to the belief that inflammatory signals exert a fundamentally negative impact on ...metabolism, we show that proinflammatory signaling in the adipocyte is in fact required for proper adipose tissue remodeling and expansion. Three mouse models with an adipose tissue-specific reduction in proinflammatory potential were generated that display a reduced capacity for adipogenesis in vivo, while the differentiation potential is unaltered in vitro. Upon high-fat-diet exposure, the expansion of visceral adipose tissue is prominently affected. This is associated with decreased intestinal barrier function, increased hepatic steatosis, and metabolic dysfunction. An impaired local proinflammatory response in the adipocyte leads to increased ectopic lipid accumulation, glucose intolerance, and systemic inflammation. Adipose tissue inflammation is therefore an adaptive response that enables safe storage of excess nutrients and contributes to a visceral depot barrier that effectively filters gut-derived endotoxin.
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•Adipocyte inflammation facilitates adipose tissue expansion and remodeling•Suppressed adipocyte inflammation leads to adipose tissue dysfunction•Suppressed adipocyte inflammation leads to systemic metabolic disturbances•Mesenteric adipose tissue is important for proper intestinal barrier function
Contrary to the idea that inflammation plays a negative role in metabolism, Wernstedt Asterholm and colleagues show that proinflammatory signals in the adipocyte are required for proper adipose tissue remodeling and expansion. Adipose tissue inflammation plays an adaptive response for adipocyte expansion and proper intestinal barrier function.
Mushrooms are widely distributed around the world and are heavily consumed because of their nutritional value and medicinal properties. Polysaccharides (PSs) are an important component of mushrooms, ...a major factor in their bioactive properties, and have been intensively studied during the past two decades. Monosaccharide composition/combinations are important determinants of PS bioactivities. This review summarizes: (i) monosaccharide composition/combinations in various mushroom PSs, and their relationships with PS bioactivities; (ii) possible biosynthetic pathways of mushroom PSs and effects of key enzymes on monosaccharide composition; (iii) regulation strategies in PS biosynthesis, and prospects for controllable biosynthesis of PSs with enhanced bioactivities.
Simple, inexpensive, and rapid diagnostic tests in low-resource settings with limited laboratory equipment and technical expertise are instrumental in reducing morbidity and mortality from epidemic ...infectious diseases. We developed a smartphone-based fluorescent lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) platform for the highly sensitive point-of-care detection of Zika virus nonstructural protein 1 (ZIKV NS1). An attachment was designed and 3D-printed to integrate the smartphone with external optical and electrical components, enabling the miniaturization of the instrument and reduction in cost and complexity. Quantum dot microspheres were utilized as probes in fluorescent LFIA because of their extremely bright fluorescence signal. This approach can achieve quantitative point-of-care detection of ZIKV NS1 within 20 min. Limits of detection (LODs) in buffer and serum were 0.045 and 0.15 ng mL−1, respectively. Despite the high structural similarity, a high-level Dengue virus NS1 as interferent showed limited cross-reactivity. Furthermore, this assay was successfully applied to detecte ZIKV NS1 and virions spiked in complex biological samples, indicating its practical application capability. Given its low cost, compact size, and excellent analytical performance, the proposed smartphone-based fluorescent LFIA platform holds considerable potential in rapid and accurate point-of-care detection of ZIKV NS1 and provides new insight into the design and application of molecular diagnostic methods in low-resource settings.
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•Portable and low-cost smartphone-based fluorescent lateral flow immunoassay platform.•Quantitative detection of ZIKV NS1 within 20 min with a low limit of detection of 0.045 ng mL−1 in buffer or 0.15 ng mL−1 in serum sample.•Low cross-reactivity with high-level DENV NS1 as interferent.•Point-of-care detection of ZIKV NS1 and virions in complex biological samples.
Rhodium (Rh)‐based catalysts may solve the long‐standing inefficient oxidation of ethanol for direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs); however, the performance of ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) on ...existing Rh‐based catalysts are far limited. Herein, the Rh–Pb catalysts are synthesized by building Pb and Pb oxide around Rh nanodomain, which shows highly efficient splitting CC bond and facile further oxidation of as‐generated C1 intermediates (COad and CHx fragments). It exhibits an ever‐highest EOR peak mass activity of ≈2636 mA mg−1Rh among Rh‐based catalysts in alkaline media. Meanwhile, its anodic current remains ≈50% even after a 4 h durability test at 0.53 V versus RHE. As for the C1‐pathway selectivity, in situ infrared adsorption spectral (IRAS) results demonstrate that it could significantly improve the production of CO2. More directly, the apparent faraday efficiency of EOR C1 pathway is estimated to be as high as 20% (at 0.53 V versus RHE). This Rh–Pb catalyst could hold great promise for developing the commercial DEFCs.
The Rh–Pb bifunctional catalysts efficiently break ethanol CC bond at Rh domains and further quickly oxidize COad and CHx intermediates by OHad species provided by Pb and/or Pb oxide, thus exhibiting a superior ethanol electrooxidation activity of ≈2636 mA mg−1Rh in alkaline media and an apparent C1 pathway faraday efficiency up to 20%.
A reduced risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome has been observed in individuals with a low intake ratio of linoleic acid/α-linolenic acid (LA/ALA). However, the influence of a low ratio of LA/ALA ...intake on lipid metabolism and endogenous fatty acid distribution in obese patients remains elusive. In this investigation, 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to four groups: low-fat diet (LFD) as a control, high-fat diet (HFD), high-fat diet with a low LA/ALA ratio (HFD+H3L6), and high-fat diet with a high LA/ALA ratio (HFD+L3H6) for 16 weeks. Our results show that the HFD+H3L6 diet significantly decreased the liver index of HFD mice by 3.51%, as well as the levels of triacylglycerols (TGs) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) by 15.67% and 10.02%, respectively. Moreover, the HFD+H3L6 diet reduced the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) level and aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) ratio and elevated the level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the liver. The HFD+H3L6 diet also resulted in the downregulation of fatty acid synthetase (
) and sterol regulatory element binding proteins-1c (
) expression and the upregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (
) and acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (
) gene expression in the liver. The low LA/ALA ratio diet led to a notable increase in the levels of ALA and its downstream derivative docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the erythrocyte, liver, perienteric fat, epididymal fat, perirenal fat, spleen, brain, heart, and gastrocnemius, with a strong positive correlation. Conversely, the accumulation of LA in abdominal fat was more prominent, and a high LA/ALA ratio diet exacerbated the deposition effect of LA. In conclusion, the low LA/ALA ratio not only regulated endogenous fatty acid levels but also upregulated
and
and downregulated
and
gene expression levels, thus maintaining lipid homeostasis. Optimizing dietary fat intake is important in studying lipid nutrition. These research findings emphasize the significance of understanding and optimizing dietary fat intake.
The expansion of white adipose tissue (WAT) in obesity involves de novo differentiation of new adipocytes; however, the cellular origin of these cells remains unclear. Here, we utilize Zfp423GFP ...reporter mice to characterize adipose mural (Pdgfrβ+) cells with varying levels of the preadipocyte commitment factor Zfp423. We find that adipose tissue contains distinct mural populations, with levels of Zfp423 distinguishing adipogenic from inflammatory-like mural cells. Using our “MuralChaser” lineage tracking system, we uncover adipose perivascular cells as developmental precursors of adipocytes formed in obesity, with adipogenesis and precursor abundance regulated in a depot-dependent manner. Interestingly, Pdgfrβ+ cells do not significantly contribute to the initial cold-induced recruitment of beige adipocytes in WAT; it is only after prolonged cold exposure that these cells differentiate into beige adipocytes. These results provide genetic evidence for a mural cell origin of white adipocytes in obesity and suggest that beige adipogenesis may originate from multiple sources.
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•Zfp423 expression identifies Pdgfrβ+ perivascular (mural) preadipocytes in adult WAT•The abundance of Zfp423+ mural cells increases in hyperplastic WAT depots in obesity•Pdgfrβ+ mural cells contribute to white adipocyte hyperplasia in diet-induced obesity•Pdgfrβ+ cells contribute to beige adipogenesis only after prolonged cold exposure
White adipose tissue remodeling in obese or cold-exposed mice involves de novo differentiation of new adipocytes. Vishvanath et al. develop a mural cell lineage tracing system (“MuralChaser”) to reveal Pdgfrβ+ mural cells as developmental precursors for white adipocytes induced by high-fat diet and beige adipocytes arising after prolonged cold exposure.
This paper investigates the impact of e-waste regulation on new product introduction in a stylized model of the electronics industry. Manufacturers choose the development time and expenditure for ...each new version of a durable product, which together determine its quality. Consumers purchase the new product and dispose of the last-generation product, which becomes e-waste. The price of a new product strictly increases with its quality and consumers' rational expectation about the time until the next new product will be introduced. "Fee-upon-sale" types of e-waste regulation cause manufacturers to increase their equilibrium development time and expenditure, and thus the incremental quality for each new product. As new products are introduced (and disposed of) less frequently, the quantity of e-waste decreases and, even excluding the environmental benefits, social welfare may increase. Consumers pay a higher price for each new product because they anticipate using it for longer, which increases manufacturers' profits. Unfortunately, existing "fee-upon-sale" types of e-waste regulation fail to motivate manufacturers to design for recyclability. In contrast, "fee-upon-disposal" types of e-waste regulation such as individual extended producer responsibility motivate design for recyclability but, in competitive product categories, fail to reduce the frequency of new product introduction.
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