•Intentionally designed LED panels with adjustable alternating modes of red and blue light were applied in the study.•Effects of concurrent RB light and alternating R/B light on the growth and ...properties of lettuce were tested and compared.•Four different alternating intervals of red and blue light have been involved and compared in the study.
In this study, effects of alternating red light (R) and blue light (B) provided by LEDs on the growth and nutritional properties of ‘Green Oak leaf’ lettuce were examined. Four alternating light treatments (R/B) had the same 8.64μmolm−2 daily light integral (DLI) and similar R:B ratio (2:1), but different R/B alternating intervals that were respectively 8h, 4h, 2h, and 1h during a 16h photoperiod. Two simultaneous light treatments, one of which (RB) had the same DLI and energy consumption with the alternating light treatments, while the other (RB’) had the same photoperiod with the alternating light treatments were set up to compare the concurrently and alternately provided R and B. Results showed that different types of radiation led to obvious morphological changes, plants with simultaneous RB appeared the most sparse while those with RB’ looked the most compact. Plant height/width and leaf length/width were all the highest under R/B (8h) followed by R/B (1h). Lettuce biomass under RB’ was significantly higher than others, more than twice that under RB, R/B (4h) and R/B (2h), but less than twice that under R/B (8h) and R/B (1h). RB’ significantly decreased the soluble sugar content by 9%–32% while increased crude fiber content by 14%–39% compared with others. Significantly higher ascorbic acid content as well as lower nitrate content were detected in lettuce under R/B (4h) and R/B (2h), while significantly lower ascorbic acid content as well as higher nitrate content were detected in lettuce under R/B (8h) and R/B (1h). In all, based on the same energy consumption, R/B (8h) and R/B (1h) resulted in higher yield, while R/B (4h) and R/B (2h) brought about higher nutritive value compared with the cocurrent light RB. Therefore, we conclude that lettuce growth and qualities can be purposely adjusted by adopting different alternating intervals of red and blue light. Meanwhile, the alternating modes will provide methods for deeply studying the relationship of red and blue light when acting on plants.
This study identifies a novel mechanism linking IL-17A with colon tissue repair and tumor development. Abrogation of IL-17A signaling in mice attenuated tissue repair of dextran sulfate sodium ...(DSS)-induced damage in colon epithelium and markedly reduced tumor development in an azoxymethane/DSS model of colitis-associated cancer. A novel IL-17A target gene, PLET1 (a progenitor cell marker involved in wound healing), was highly induced in DSS-treated colon tissues and tumors in an IL-17RC-dependent manner. PLET1 expression was induced in LGR5
colon epithelial cells after DSS treatment. LGR5
PLET1
marks a highly proliferative cell population with enhanced expression of IL-17A target genes. PLET1 deficiency impaired tissue repair of DSS-induced damage in colon epithelium and reduced tumor formation in an azoxymethane/DSS model of colitis-associated cancer. Our results suggest that IL-17A-induced PLET1 expression contributes to tissue repair and colon tumorigenesis.
Single-cell sequencing provides promising information in tumor evolution and heterogeneity. Even with the recent advances in circulating tumor cell (CTC) technologies, it remains a big challenge to ...precisely and effectively isolate CTCs for downstream analysis. The Cell Reveal
system integrates an automatic CTC enrichment and staining machine, an AI-assisted automatic CTC scanning and identification system, and an automatic cell picking machine for CTC isolation. H1975 cell line was used for the spiking test. The identification of CTCs and the isolation of target CTCs for genetic sequencing were performed from the peripheral blood of three cancer patients, including two with lung cancer and one with both lung cancer and thyroid cancer. The spiking test revealed a mean recovery rate of 81.81% even with extremely low spiking cell counts with a linear relationship between the spiked cell counts and the recovered cell counts (Y = 0.7241 × X + 19.76, R
= 0.9984). The three cancer patients had significantly higher TTF-1
CTCs than healthy volunteers. All target CTCs were successfully isolated by the Cell Picker machine for a subsequent genetic analysis. Six tumor-associated mutations in four genes were detected. The present study reveals the Cell Reveal
platform can precisely identify and isolate target CTCs and then successfully perform single-cell sequencing by using commercially available genetic devices.
Bismuth telluride‐based thermoelectric (TE) materials are historically recognized as the best p‐type (ZT = 1.8) TE materials at room temperature. However, the poor performance of n‐type (ZT≈1.0) ...counterparts seriously reduces the efficiency of the device. Such performance imbalance severely impedes its TE applications either in electrical generation or refrigeration. Here, a strategy to boost n‐type Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 crystals up to ZT = 1.42 near room temperature by a two‐stage process is reported, that is, step 1: stabilizing Seebeck coefficient by CuI doping; step 2: boosting power factor (PF) by synergistically optimizing phonon and carrier transport via thermal‐driven Cu intercalation in the van der Waals (vdW) gaps. Theoretical ab initio calculations disclose that these intercalated Cu atoms act as modulation doping and contribute conduction electrons of wavefunction spatially separated from the Cu atoms themselves, which simultaneously lead to large carrier concentration and high mobility. As a result, an ultra‐high PF ≈63.5 µW cm−1 K−2 at 300 K and a highest average ZT = 1.36 at 300–450 K are realized, which outperform all n‐type bismuth telluride materials ever reported. The work offers a new approach to improving n‐type layered TE materials.
The intercalated Cu atoms in the Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 structure act as modulation doping and effectively improve carrier mobility while maintaining the carrier concentration similar to that in the uniformly doped sample. A record‐high ZT of 1.42 at 375 K is successfully realized in (CuI)0.002Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 + 0.2 % Cu.
Gout is an inflammatory disease manifested by the deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in joints, cartilage, synovial bursa, tendons or soft tissues. Gout is not a new disease, which was ...first documented nearly 5,000 years ago. The prevalence of gout has increased globally in recent years, imposing great disease burden worldwide. Moreover, gout or hyperuricemia is clearly associated with a variety of comorbidities, including cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, urolithiasis, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction, and psoriasis. To prevent acute arthritis attacks and complications, earlier use of pharmacotherapeutic treatment should be considered, and patients with hyperuricemia and previous episodes of acute gouty arthritis should receive long‐term urate‐lowering treatment. Urate‐lowering drugs should be used during the inter‐critical and chronic stages to prevent recurrent gout attacks, which may elicit gradual resolution of tophi. The goal of urate‐lowering therapy should aim to maintain serum uric acid (sUA) level <6.0 mg/dL. For patients with tophi, the initial goal can be set at lowering sUA to <5.0 mg/dL to promote tophi dissolution. The goal of this consensus paper was to improve gout and hyperuricemia management at a more comprehensive level. The content of this consensus paper was developed based on local epidemiology and current clinical practice, as well as consensuses from two multidisciplinary meetings and recommendations from Taiwan Guideline for the Management of Gout and Hyperuricemia.
Insulin resistance (IR) is a complex trait with multiple genetic and environmental components. Confounded by large differences between the sexes, environment, and disease pathology, the genetic basis ...of IR has been difficult to dissect. Here we examine IR and related traits in a diverse population of more than 100 unique male and female inbred mouse strains after feeding a diet rich in fat and refined carbohydrates. Our results show dramatic variation in IR among strains of mice and widespread differences between sexes that are dependent on genotype. We uncover more than 15 genome-wide significant loci and validate a gene, Agpat5, associated with IR. We also integrate plasma metabolite levels and global gene expression from liver and adipose tissue to identify metabolite quantitative trait loci (mQTL) and expression QTL (eQTL), respectively. Our results provide a resource for analysis of interactions between diet, sex, and genetic background in IR.
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•Dramatic variation in insulin resistance among inbred strains of mice•Widespread sex differences in insulin resistance that is dependent on genotype•Identification of 15 genetic loci associated with HOMA-IR and related traits•Identification and validation of Agpat5, a gene associated with insulin resistance
Using a systems genetics analysis across more than 100 mouse strains to tackle the complex genetic basis of insulin resistance (IR), Parks et al. reveal interactions between diet, sex, and genetic background and identify multiple IR-associated genetic loci, further validating Agpat5 as a genetic factor contributing to IR.
In this paper, we base our research by dealing with a real-world problem in an enterprise. A RFM (recency, frequency, and monetary) model and K-means clustering algorithm are utilized to conduct ...customer segmentation and value analysis by using online sales data. Customers are classified into four groups based on their purchase behaviors. On this basis, different CRM (customer relationship management) strategies are brought forward to gain a high level of customer satisfaction. The effectiveness of our method proposed in this paper is supported by improvement results of some key performance indices such as the growth of active customers, total purchase volume, and the total consumption amount.
This paper presents a novel method to fabricate temperature sensor arrays by dispensing a graphite-polydimethylsiloxane composite on flexible polyimide films. The fabricated temperature sensor array ...has 64 sensing cells in a 4×4 cm2 area. The sensor array can be used as humanoid artificial skin for sensation system of robots. Interdigitated copper electrodes were patterned on the flexible polyimide substrate for determining the resistivity change of the composites subjected to ambient temperature variations. Polydimethylsiloxane was used as the matrix. Composites of different graphite volume fractions for large dynamic range from 30 °C to 110 °C have been investigated. Our experiments showed that graphite powder provided the composite high temperature sensitivity. The fabricated temperature sensor array has been tested. The detected temperature contours are in good agreement with the shapes and magnitudes of different heat sources.
The influence of composition-dependent thermal conductivity and heterogeneous internal heating of primordial dense material on the long-term evolution of primordial reservoirs in the lower mantle of ...the Earth is investigated utilizing thermochemical mantle convection simulations in a 2-D spherical annulus geometry. Our results show that a reduction in the thermal conductivity of primordial dense material due to iron enrichment does not substantially alter mantle dynamics nor the long-term stability of the reservoirs of this dense material. If the primordial dense material is also enriched in heat-producing elements, the average altitude of these reservoirs slightly increases as the thermal conductivity is reduced, therefore, covering smaller core–mantle boundary areas. Our study indicates that the composition-dependent thermal conductivity of primordial material plays a second order role in the long-term evolution of Earth's mantle.
Graphical Abstract
The serine/threonine kinase IL-1R-associated kinase (IRAK)4 is a critical regulator of innate immunity. We have identified BMS-986126, a potent, highly selective inhibitor of IRAK4 kinase activity ...that demonstrates equipotent activity against multiple MyD88-dependent responses both in vitro and in vivo. BMS-986126 failed to inhibit assays downstream of MyD88-independent receptors, including the TNF receptor and TLR3. Very little activity was seen downstream of TLR4, which can also activate an MyD88-independent pathway. In mice, the compound inhibited cytokine production induced by injection of several different TLR agonists, including those for TLR2, TLR7, and TLR9. The compound also significantly suppressed skin inflammation induced by topical administration of the TLR7 agonist imiquimod. BMS-986126 demonstrated robust activity in the MRL/lpr and NZB/NZW models of lupus, inhibiting multiple pathogenic responses. In the MRL/lpr model, robust activity was observed with the combination of suboptimal doses of BMS-986126 and prednisolone, suggesting the potential for steroid sparing activity. BMS-986126 also demonstrated synergy with prednisolone in assays of TLR7- and TLR9-induced IFN target gene expression using human PBMCs. Lastly, BMS-986126 inhibited TLR7- and TLR9-dependent responses using cells derived from lupus patients, suggesting that inhibition of IRAK4 has the potential for therapeutic benefit in treating lupus.
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