Seven heavy metals including Hg, Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr, and As were examined in seventeen marine nekton species from the outer Pearl River Estuary (PRE), South China Sea. On the wet weight basis, the ...metal concentration ranges were 0.016–0.157 μg/g for Hg, 0.18–14.3 μg/g for Cu, 0.26–1.48 μg/g for Pb, 0.021–0.873 μg/g for Cd, 1.35–57.15 μg/g for Zn, 0.15–0.53 μg/g for Cr, and 0.42–7.83 μg/g for As, respectively. The levels of tested metals except for Pb in crustaceans were found to be higher than those in fish and cephalopods, suggesting that the diet and habitat played important roles on heavy metal accumulation ability of marine organism. Except for Cd in
Champsodon capensis
,
Calappa lophos
, and
Portunus argentatus
, all the left metal concentrations of investigated nekton species were below their permissible upper limits, indicating that consumption of examined marine nekton should be considered as safe for human health. The values of single target hazard quotient (THQ) and total THQ were all less than 1 and also suggested that there was no health risk for consumption. Even so, the local people should control their daily intake of crustacean foods from the outer PRE, since there might be potential As and Cd cumulative risks.
The development of high energy electrode materials for lithium ion batteries is challenged by their inherent instabilities, which become more aggravated as the energy densities continue to climb, ...accordingly causing increasing concerns on battery safety and reliability. Here, taking the high voltage cathode of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 as an example, we demonstrate a protocol to stabilize this cathode through a systematic phase modulating on its particle surface. We are able to transfer the spinel surface into a 30 nm shell composed of two functional phases including a rock-salt one and a layered one. The former is electrochemically inert for surface stabilization while the latter is designated to provide necessary electrochemical activity. The precise synthesis control enables us to tune the ratio of these two phases, and achieve an optimized balance between improved stability against structural degradation without sacrificing its capacity. This study highlights the critical importance of well-tailored surface phase property for the cathode stabilization of high energy lithium ion batteries.
The curved left-lateral strike-slip Xianshuihe–Xiaojiang Fault System (XXFS) in southwestern China extends at least 1400 km in the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. Fieldworks confirm that the ...XXFS is one of the longest and most seismically active faults in China. The strain released by the slip motion on the XXFS is related to the convergence between the Indian and Eurasian plates. The entire fault system has experienced at least 35 earthquakes of M>6 in the recent 300 years and almost all segments of the system have been the locus of major historical earthquakes. Since the XXFS region is heavily populated (over 50 million people), understanding the migration of the large earthquakes in space and time is of crucial importance for the seismic hazard assessment in this region. We analyze a sequence of 25 earthquakes (M⩾6.5) that occurred along the XXFS since 1713, and investigate their influence on the 2008 Mw7.9 Wenchuan earthquake occurred on the adjacent Longmenshan fault. In our analysis, the relevant parameters for the earth crust are constrained by seismic studies. The locations and geometries of the earthquake faults as well as the rupture distributions are taken from field observations and seismological studies. Results from the Coulomb failure stress modeling indicate significant interactions among the earthquakes. After the 1713 earthquake, 19 out of 24 earthquakes occurred in the positive stress zone of the preceding earthquakes. The other 5 earthquakes located in the area without significant stress changes induced by the preceding events. In particular, we can identify 4 visible earthquake gaps with increasing seismic hazard along the XXFS, consistent with the findings from the paleo-seismological studies. The seismic activity and tectonic motion on the XXFS reduced the Coulomb stress accumulation at the hypocenter of 2008 Mw7.9 Wenchuan earthquake, implying that the Wenchuan earthquake might not be triggered directly by the seismic activities on the XXFS. On the other hand, the Coulomb failure stress induced by the Wenchuan earthquake has increased in a region of 125-km-long segment of the XXFS, northwest of Kangding City.
•We confirm the process of stress interaction among the historical earthquakes on the Xianshuihe–Xiaojiang Fault System.•We outline the regions with high stress accumulation and seismic hazard on XXFS at present.•We discuss the relationship between the historical seismicity of XXFS and the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake.
Phytoremediation, which is commonly carried out through hydroponics and substrate-based strategies, is essential for the effectiveness of nature-based engineered solutions aimed at addressing excess ...nitrogen in aquatic ecosystems. However, the performance and mechanisms of plants involving nitrogen removal between different strategies need to be deeply understood. Here, this study employed in-situ cultivation coupled with static nitrogen tracing experiments to elucidate the influence of both strategies on plant traits associated with nitrogen removal. The results indicated that removal efficiencies in plants with substrate-based strategies for ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen were 30.51-71.11 % and 16.82-99.95 %, respectively, which were significantly higher than those with hydroponics strategies (25.98-58.18 % and 7.29-79.19 %, respectively). Similarly, the plant nitrogen uptake rates in the substrate-based strategy also generally showed higher levels compared to hydroponics strategies (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the microorganisms-mediated nitrous oxide emission rates in the substrate-based strategy during summer (unamended: 0.00-0.58 μg/g/d; potential: 3.35-7.65 μg/g/d) were obviously lower than those in the hydroponics strategy (unamended: 2.23-11.70 μg/g/d; potential: 9.72-43.09 μg/g/d) (P < 0.05). Notably, analysis of similarity tests indicated that the influences of strategy on the above parameters generally surpass the effects attributable to interspecies plant differences, particularly during summer (R > 0, P < 0.05). Based on statistical and metagenomic analyses, this study revealed that these differences were driven by the stabilizing influence of substrate-based strategy on plant roots and enhancing synergistic interplay among biochemical factors within plant-root systems. Even so, phytoremediation strategies did not significantly alter the characteristics of plants with regards to their tendency towards ammonium nitrogen uptake (up to 87.68 %) and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium as primary biological pathway for nitrogen transformation which accounted for 53.66-96.47 % nitrate removal. In summary, this study suggested that the substrate-based strategy should be a more effective strategy for enhancing the nitrogen removal ability of plants in subtropical river restoration practices.
To improve the reliability of strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS)/Doppler radar/odometer integrated navigation system, the federated Kalman filter with two-stage fault detection structure is ...designed, and a fault-tolerant SINS/Doppler radar/odometer integrated navigation method is proposed. Firstly, the pre-fault detection module sets before the local filter, and the residual chi-square test in the carrier coordinate system is selected to detect the abrupt faults of Doppler radar and odometer. Then, the secondary-fault detection module emplaces between the local filter and the main filter, and the sequential probability ratio test (SPRT) is selected to further detect the ramp faults that are difficult to detect by the residual chi-square test. To address the limitation of the SPRT in accurately determining the end time of faults, an improved SPRT is proposed. The improved SPRT reduces the influence of historical fault on the fault statistics by introducing forgetting factors to improve its sensitivity to the fault end. The simulation experiment indicates that the proposed method can quickly detect and isolate abrupt and ramp faults, and promptly restore normal operation of the integrated navigation system after the fault ends, effectively improving the fault tolerance and reliability of the integrated navigation system.
microRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that modulate a variety of cellular processes by regulating multiple targets, which can promote or inhibit the development of malignant behaviors. Accumulating ...evidence suggests that miR-675-5p plays important roles in human carcinogenesis. However, its precise biological role remains largely elusive. This study examined the role of miR-675-5p in non- small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The expression of miR-675-5p was analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). The effect of miR-675-5p on proliferation was evaluated through MTT and colony formation assays, and cell migration and invasion were evaluated through transwell assays. The expression of target proteins and downstream molecules was analyzed by western blotting and immunohistochemical staining. The luciferase reporter assay was used to assess the target genes of miR-675-5p in non-small cell lung cancer cells.
The expression levels of miR-675-5p in NSCLC tissues were significantly reduced compared to those in adjacent non-cancerous tissues (P < 0.001). The expression of miR-675-5p in patients with non-small cell lung cancer had a negative correlation with lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01) and TNM stage (P < 0.05). Down-regulation of miR-675-5p promoted cell growth, proliferation, colony formation, invasion and migration, and promoted the tumorigenicity graft growth of nude mice in vivo (P < 0.01); whereas up-regulation of miR-675-5p had the contrary effects. The luciferase reporter assay showed that GPR55 was a direct target gene of miR-675-5p. Overexpression of miR-675-5p can lead to the down-regulation of GPR55 and its signaling pathway, whereas the effect can be reversed by down-regulation of miR-675-5p expression.
miR-675-5p functions as a novel tumor suppressor in NSCLC and the anti-oncogenic activity may involve its inhibition of the target gene GPR55. These findings suggest the possibility for miR-675-5p as a therapeutic target in NSCLC.
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•Pt layers were selectively deposited onto the (001) facet of Ru.•This facet-selective ALD method enables precise control of exposed facets.•The bifunctionally faceted Ru/Pt catalyst ...shows greatly enhanced catalytic activity and selectivity for the PROX reaction.•The atomic fabrication method provides an unprecedented capability of tuning the catalytic structure–property relationship.
Global hydrogen production from catalytic reforming of hydrocarbons exceeds 50 million tons annually and accounts for 2–5% of global energy consumption. The hydrogen product generally contains 0.5–1 vol% of CO, which must be removed for certain industrial applications. Preferential oxidation (PROX) of CO is regarded as a promising and cost-effective method for hydrogen purification and potentially applicable to new generation fuel cell vehicles. In this work, bifunctionally faceted Pt/Ru nanoparticle catalysts are designed and fabricated via selective atomic layer deposition, which provides an unprecedented capability of tuning nanoparticles’ structure–property relationship for PROX in H2. Pt atomic layers are selectively deposited onto (001) facets of Ru, while leaving neighboring Ru surfaces exposed. By modulating the extent of electron donation with varied Pt coating configurations, it is demonstrated that the bifunctional catalyst with a single monolayer of Pt on Ru shows optimal activity and selectivity. The enhancement of PROX performance originates from the elimination of competitive CO adsorption on Pt, where a neighboring exposed Ru surface could readily provide highly active sites for O2 dissociation.
To address the growing and urgent need for quick and accurate food spoilage detection systems as well as to reduce food resource wastage, recent research has focused on intelligent bio-labels using ...pH indicators. Accordingly, we developed a dual-channel intelligent label with colorimetric and fluorescent capabilities using black lycium anthocyanin (BLA) and 9,10-bis(2,2-dipyridylvinyl) anthracene (DSA4P) as colorimetric and fluorescent indicators within a composite film consisting of chitosan (Cs), whey protein (Wp), and sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP). The addition of STPP as a cross-linking agent significantly improved the hydrophobicity, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of the Cs/Wp composite films under low pH conditions. After the incorporation of BLA and DSA4P, the resulting dual-channel intelligent label (Cs/Wp/STPP/BLA/DSA4P) exhibited superior hydrophobicity, as indicated by a water contact angle of 78.03°. Additionally, it displayed enhanced mechanical properties, with a tensile strength (TS) of 3.04 MPa and an elongation at break (EAB) of 81.07 %, while maintaining a low transmittance of 28.48 % at 600 nm. After 25 days of burial in soil, the label was significantly degraded, which showcases its eco-friendly nature. Moreover, the label could visually detect color changes indicating volatile ammonia concentrations (25–25,000 ppm). The color of the label in daylight gradually shifted from brick-red to light-red, brownish-yellow, and finally light-green as the ammonia concentration increased. Correspondingly, its fluorescence transitioned from no fluorescence to green fluorescence with increasing ammonia concentration, gradually intensifying under 365-nm UV light. Furthermore, the label effectively monitored the freshness of shrimp stored at temperatures of 4 °C, 25 °C, and − 18 °C. Thus, the label developed in this study exhibits significant potential for enhancing food safety monitoring.
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•A colorimetric and fluorescent dual-channel label was developed.•DSA4P is a new pH-sensitive fluorescent molecule for solid film systems.•Black lycium anthocyanins exhibit robust color responsiveness.•The label containing sodium tripolyphosphate had excellent mechanical properties.•The dual-channel intelligent label was exhibited high sensitivity to biogenic amine.
Vitamin D (VD) has been suggested to have antitumor effects, however, research on the role of its transporter vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP, gene name as
) in tumors is limited. In this study, we ...demonstrated the mechanism underlying the inhibition of vasculogenic mimicry (VM) by VDBP in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and proposed an anti-tumor strategy of combining anti-PD-1 therapy with VD.
Three-dimensional cell culture models and mice with hepatocyte-specific
deletion were utilized to study the correlation between VDBP expression and VM. A patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) model was further applied to validate the therapeutic efficacy of VD in combination with an anti-PD-1 drug.
The study revealed that VDBP expression is negatively correlated with VM in HCC patients and elevated VDBP expression is associated with a favorable prognosis. The mechanism studies suggested VDBP hindered the binding of Twist1 on the promoter of VE-cadherin by interacting with its helix-loop-helix DNA binding domain, ultimately leading to the inhibition of VM. Furthermore, VD facilitated the translocation of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) into the nucleus where VDR interacts with Yin Yang 1 (YY1), leading to the transcriptional activation of VDBP. We further demonstrated that the combination of VD and anti-PD-1 led to an improvement in the anti-tumor efficacy of an anti-PD-1 drug.
Collectively, we identified VDBP as an important prognostic biomarker in HCC patients and uncovered it as a therapeutic target for enhancing the efficacy of immune therapy.
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