We previously identified protonstatin-1 (PS-1) as a selective inhibitor of plasma membrane H
+
-ATPase (PM H
+
-ATPase) activity and used it as a tool to validate the chemiosmotic model for polar ...auxin transport. Here, to obtain compounds with higher affinity than PS-1 for PM H
+
-ATPase, we synthesized 34 PS-1 analogs and examined their ability to inhibit PM H
+
-ATPase activity. The 34 analogs showed varying inhibitory effects on the activity of this enzyme. The strongest effect was observed for the small molecule PS-2, which was approximately five times stronger than PS-1. Compared to PS-1, PS-2 was also a stronger inhibitor of auxin uptake as well as acropetal and basipetal polar auxin transport in
Arabidopsis thaliana
seedlings. Because PS-2 is a more potent inhibitor of PM H
+
-ATPase than PS-1, we believe that this compound could be used as a tool to study the functions of this key plant enzyme.
The past decades have witnessed the advancement of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) promoting many potential applications in the fields of smart healthcare. Through WSNs, target areas can be monitored ...and activities of the elderly can be recognized with a large number of deployed sensor nodes. However, previous works suffer from their coarse portability and high susceptibility to environments. In addition, the limited energy supply for sensor nodes emerges as the biggest stumbling block and such a situation is getting worse especially considering the increasing network scale. In this paper, we provide an innovative and energy-efficient system based on energy-free RFID tags to monitor the daily activities and thus determine the physical conditions of the elderly. We achieve the activity recognition by tracking the passive RFID tags attached on the elderly based on the received backscatter signals. In general, we simplify the model of seniors daily life and only consider normal move, slow move, sitting-down and fall as the basic components. DTW and SVM are utilized to discriminate them and then a healthcare assessment system can be achieved. To verify our system, extensive experiments are conducted and experiment results demonstrate that our system achieves a high recognition accuracy of various seniors daily activities and a reliable health assessment can be reached as well.
Background and purpose
Several previous studies have shown that skin sebum analysis can be used to diagnose Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this study was to develop a portable artificial ...intelligence olfactory‐like (AIO) system based on gas chromatographic analysis of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in patient sebum and explore its application value in the diagnosis of PD.
Methods
The skin VOCs from 121 PD patients and 129 healthy controls were analyzed using the AIO system and three classic machine learning models were established, including the gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), random forest and extreme gradient boosting, to assist the diagnosis of PD and predict its severity.
Results
A 20‐s time series of AIO system data were collected from each participant. The VOC peaks at a large number of time points roughly concentrated around 5–12 s were significantly higher in PD subjects. The gradient boosting decision tree model showed the best ability to differentiate PD from healthy controls, yielding a sensitivity of 83.33% and a specificity of 84.00%. However, the system failed to predict PD progression scored by Hoehn−Yahr stage.
Conclusions
This study provides a fast, low‐cost and non‐invasive method to distinguish PD patients from healthy controls. Furthermore, our study also indicates abnormal sebaceous gland secretion in PD patients, providing new evidence for exploring the pathogenesis of PD.
A new fast and non‐invasive artificial intelligence olfactory system was created based on gas chromatographic analysis of the volatile organic compounds in patients’ and healthy controls' sebum and its application value in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease was explored.
Display omitted
•A novel Ca-based desulfurizing agent was developed to reduce SO2 emission.•The desulfurizing agent was prepared from waste hardened cement mortar.•SO2 was removed through a ...dissolution and precipitation process.•The SO2 removal product could be used as raw material for cement production.
Developing efficient low-cost absorbents has been recognized as a prerequisite for industrial application of wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD). Herein, hardened cement mortar (HCM) particles developed from waste concrete blocks were used as an innovative absorbent for SO2. The results show that the SO2 in flue gas can be completely absorbed by the highly alkaline HCM slurry. Under optimum operating conditions, 0.8 g of SO2 was retained by per gram of HCM. Under acid conditions produced upon dissolving SO2 in water, the Ca-rich compounds in HCM particles can continuously release Ca2+ and OH− into the HCM slurry. The Ca2+ ions released can effectively combine with SO32−, resulting in the absorption of SO2 dissolved in water. The dissolution process of HCM particles is well described by the pseudo-second-order model. The desulphurization byproduct was characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). The results show that the desulphurization product mainly consists of gypsum. The technology developed provides a type of new material for removing SO2 in waste flue gas. It also offers an innovative solution for the disposal of waste concrete which is also a global environmental concern.
The extemporaneous combustion of coal remains a major threat to safety in coal mines because such fire accidents result in casualties and significant property loss, as well as serious environmental ...pollution. This work proposed the fabrication of flame-retardant rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) containing expandable graphite as char expander/sealant with melamine phosphosphate and 2-carboxyethyl (phenyl)phosphinic acid as char inducer and radical trapping agents. The as-prepared RPUF successfully inhibited coal combustion by forming thermally stable high graphitic content expandable intumescent char sealing over the coal. The RPUF achieved UL-94 V-0 rating in addition to significant reductions in peak heat release, total heat release, and CO and CO
yields. The external and the internal residual char structure was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectra, Raman spectroscopy, and real-time Fourier transform infrared spectra techniques, and a flame-retardant mode of action has been proposed. This work provides important insight into a facile fabrication of highly efficient and economical flame-retardant RPUF to inhibit the spontaneous combustion of coal.
Atmospheric black carbon (BC) has a large yet highly uncertain contribution to global warming. When mixed with non-BC/coating material during atmospheric aging, the BC light absorption can be ...enhanced through the lensing effect. Laboratory and modeling studies have consistently found strong BC absorption enhancement, while the results in ambient measurements are conflicting, with some reporting weak absorption enhancement even for particles with large bulk coating amounts. Here, from our direct field observations, we report both large and minor absorption enhancement factors for different BC-containing particle populations with large bulk non-BC-to-BC mass ratios. By gaining insights into the measured coating material distribution across each particle population, we find that the level of absorption enhancement is strongly dependent on the particle-resolved mixing state. Our study shows that the greater mixing-state heterogeneity results in the larger difference between observed and predicted absorption enhancement. We demonstrate that by considering the variability in coating material thickness in the optical model, the previously observed model measurement discrepancy of absorption enhancement can be reconciled. The observations and improved optical models reported here highlight the importance of mixing-state heterogeneity on BC’s radiative forcing, which should be better resolved in large-scale models to increase confidence when estimating the aerosol radiation effect.
Display omitted
••An untargeted metabolomics for vintage discrimination of CXB stored in Mujiuhai.••A total of 100 volatile metabolites were extracted by the proposed method.••The 5Y-, 10Y- and ...20Y-aged samples were classified as the high-aged DG25.••33 differential metabolites were screened as characteristic aging-markers.••Furfural and 2-(ethoxymethyl)furan decreased significantly during aging of DG25.
The “outstanding and unique aged aroma” of Chinese Chenxiang-type baijiu (CXB)–Daoguang 25 (DG25) mainly originates from a “extraordinary storage technology” of Mujiuhai (a wooden container), so it is mysterious and interesting. In this study, an untargeted GC/MS-based metabolomics was used to reveals the volatile differential metabolites for discriminating six different vintages of DG25 combing with chemometrics. A total of 100 volatile metabolites (including unknowns) were extracted and identified, including esters (41%), alcohols (10%) and acids (7%) so on. Finally, 33 differential metabolites were identified as aging-markers. Among them, 25 aging-markers showed a downtrend, including 17 esters such as ethyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate and ethyl palmitate so on. Moreover, it was interesting and to further study that furans showed a significant downtrend. Statistically speaking, ethyl benzoate played an important role in discriminating vintage of 1Y and 3Y, and the other 24 differential metabolites with downtrend discriminating the unstored (0Y-aged) DG25. Eight differential metabolites, such as ethyl octanoate, benzaldehyde, 3-methylbutanol and 1,1-diethoxyaccetal so on increased during aging of DG25, and they played a statistical role in discriminating the 5Y-, 10Y- and 20Y-aged DG25. This study provides a theoretical basis way for the formation mechanism of aging aroma for CXB.
Background
AML is a common hematological malignancy with poor prognosis, the pathogenesis is still unclear. lncRNA takes part in occurrence and development of AML. This research aims to explore new ...differentially expressed lncRNAs and their effects on AML.
Methods
Database‐based bioinformatics analysis was performed to screen differentially expressed lncRNA in AML, real‐time PCR was used to analyze gene expression. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was performed to determine prognostic effect of AC026150.8 in AML. The cell drug resistance experiment was performed to test effect of AC026150.8 on chemo‐resistance of AML cells. Catrapid online software and RNA pull‐down, mass spectrometry, western‐blot were used to predict and verify the combination of AC026150.8 and RNA splicing factors.
Results
AC026150.8 was upregulated in AML patients and related to poor prognosis. High leukocyte counts, FAB classification, MLL‐AF9 expression and NPM1 mutations were associated with high AC026150.8 expression. Upregulated of AC026150.8 increased the drug resistance of AML cells. AC026150.8 could be combined with splicing factor PCBP1.
Conclusions
For the first time, our study found that the upregulated AC026150.8 in AML is related to poor prognosis, overexpression of AC026150.8 could increase drug resistance of AML cells, and confirmed its scaffolding effect in combination with splicing factors. It is necessary to further study AC026150.8 and its downstream target genes to clarify the mechanism of AC026150.8 in AML.
We found a new upregulated LncRNA‐AC026150.8 in AML patients, which was related to poor prognosis. The upregulated AC026150.8 increased the drug resistance of AML cells. AC026150.8 can interact with the splicing factor PCBP1 through scaffolding, and it is speculated that AC026150.8 can regulate the drug resistance of AML cells through this effect.
Feather performs important physiological functions in birds, and it is also one of the economic productions in goose farming. Understanding and modulating feather follicle development during ...embryogenesis are essential for bird biology and the poultry industry. CHIR-99021 is a potent Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activator associated with feather follicle development. In this study, goose embryos (
) received an in ovo injection of CHIR-9902, which was conducted at the beginning of feather follicle development (E9). The results showed that feather growth and feather follicle development were promoted. The Wnt signaling pathway was activated by the inhibition of GSK-3β. Transcriptomic analyses showed that the transcription changes were related to translation, metabolism, energy transport, and stress in dorsal tissue of embryos that received CHIR-99021, which might be to adapt and coordinate the promoting effects of CHIR-99021 on feather follicle development. This study suggests that
injection of CHIR-99021 is a potential strategy to improve feather follicle development and feather-related traits for goose farming and provides profiling of the Wnt signaling pathway and transcriptome in dorsal tissue of goose embryos for further understanding of feather follicle development.
ABSTRACT To solve the problems of a large number of clods remaining in potatoes after mechanized harvesting in northern heavy clay soil planting areas in China and requiring much labor to separate ...clods from potatoes, which leads to a heavy workload, inefficiency and a low cleaning rate, an RGB-D-based Mask R-CNN dynamic potato identification model is established by using acquired RBG-D image data of untreated potatoes after mechanized harvesting, and a potato cleaning method is presented in this paper. This makes it possible to automatically separate clod impurities from potatoes. The experimental results showed that the prediction accuracy of the identification model is more than 97%. With the increase in cleaning conveyance speed, the prediction accuracy of the model and the actual cleaning precision show a downward trend. Comprehensively considering the potato cleaning efficiency and accuracy, when the speed is set to 0.4 m·s−1, the cleaning precision reaches as high as 96.35%. This research provides a method and theoretical reference for the further study of intelligent potato cleaning systems.
PDF
