Integrative Analysis of Chromatin Accessibility and Transcriptional Landscape Identifies Key Genes During Muscle Development in Pigs.

Many efforts have been made to reveal the mechanisms underlying skeletal muscle development because of its importance in animals. However, knowledge on chromatin accessibility, a prerequisite for gene expression, remains limited. Here, dynamic changes in chromatin accessibility were analyzed in the skeletal muscles of Min pigs at the ages of 30, 90, and 210 d using an assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq).

Enhanced Thermal Safety of Hydrophobic SiO Aerogels Through Introduction of Layered Double Oxides.

This research enhances the thermal safety of hydrophobic silica aerogel (HSA) by integrating layered double oxides (LDOs). XRD and FTIR confirm that the introduction of LDOs does not affect the formation of SA. The LDO/SA composites demonstrate a low density (0.

MiR-26a Inhibits Porcine Adipogenesis by Regulating ACADM and ACSL1 Genes and Cell Cycle Progression.

MicroRNAs play essential roles in biological processes by regulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Our previous studies suggested the role of miR-26a in porcine fat accumulation. Here, through gain- and loss-of-function analyses, we first showed that miR-26a increased the proliferation of porcine preadipocytes by promoting cell division and that miR-26a inhibited the preadipocyte differentiation.

Experimental Investigation of the Combustion Characteristics and Thermal Hazards of Methylsilyl-Modified Silica Aerogels.

The thermal safety of hydrophobic silica aerogels (SAs) is essential to thermal insulation applications. Herein, trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS), dimethyldichlorosilane (DMDCS), and methyltrichlorosilane (MTCS) were employed as surface modifiers to prepare three different methylsilyl-modified SAs (i.e.

Cumulative damage characteristics of rock samples under cyclic low energy inclined plane impact.

The ore pass wall in underground mines is often damaged by the impact and wear caused by unloaded ores. Studying the mechanisms of rock damage and failure under different impact angles can provide technical insights for the design and maintenance of the ore passes. This study employed an inclined impact experimental device along with a drop hammer loading test machine to perform cyclic low-energy impact tests on sandstone samples at five different inclined plane angles.

Associations between rest-activity/light-exposure rhythm characteristics and depression in United States adults: A population-based study.

This cross-sectional study investigated the association between 24-hour rest-activity rhythm (RAR), light exposure rhythm (LER), and depression symptoms in American adults, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011-2014, N = 6852). RAR and LER characteristics were derived from a 24-hour activity recorder and analyzed using the extended cosine model, focusing on intradaily variability (IV), interdaily stability (IS), and relative amplitude (RA). Depression was assessed via the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).

Subchronic oral toxic effects of 2,4-dinitroaniline in wistar rats: A comprehensive toxicity evaluation.

2,4-dinitroaniline (2,4-D), a widely used dye intermediate, is one of the typical pollutants, and its potential health risks and toxicity are still largely unknown. To explore its subchronic oral toxicity, Wistar rats (equal numbers of males and females) were used as test animals, and a 90-day oral dosing experiment was conducted, divided into control group, low-dose group (0.055 mg/kg), medium-dose group (0.

Molecular Regulation of Thermogenic Mechanisms in Beige Adipocytes.

Adipose tissue is conventionally recognized as a metabolic organ responsible for storing energy. However, a proportion of adipose tissue also functions as a thermogenic organ, contributing to the inhibition of weight gain and prevention of metabolic diseases. In recent years, there has been significant progress in the study of thermogenic fats, particularly brown adipose tissue (BAT).

Monolithic 24 cm flexible triple-junction solar cell encapsulated module based on the ipsilateral electrode welding technology: erratum.

This erratum corrects an error in Fig. 1 of the original paper, Appl. Opt.

Monolithic 24 cm flexible triple-junction solar cell encapsulated module based on the ipsilateral electrode welding technology.

The inverted metamorphic multi-junction solar cell is anticipated to be widely applied in stratospheric flight because of its exceptional properties of flexibility and light weight. We propose an ipsilateral welding technology based on Ti/Au electrodes to simplify the fabrication process of GaInP/GaAs/InGaAs solar cells and encapsulate large-sized flexible solar cells. After annealing at 200°C for 2 h, the Ti/Au electrode achieved a low specific contact resistivity of 2.

Enhancing Water Resistance in Foam Cement through MTES-Based Aerogel Impregnation.

The propensity of foamed concrete to absorb water results in a consequential degradation of its performance attributes. Addressing this issue, the integration of aerogels presents a viable solution; however, their direct incorporation has been observed to compromise mechanical properties, attributable to the effects of the interface transition zone. This study explores the incorporation of MTES-based aerogels into foamed cement via an impregnation technique, examining variations in water-cement ratios.

Assessing the role and driving mechanisms of the green financial reform on urban energy consumption and pollution emissions: a policy evaluation from the generalized synthetic control method.

The Green Financial Reform and Innovation Pilot Areas (GFRIPA) policy is a key institutional arrangement that enables China's green finance to advance from theory to practice. Few studies have quantitatively evaluated the policy's environmental performance. This study uses a generalized synthetic control method (GSCM) alongside panel data from Chinese prefecture-level cities since 2007 to assess the effects of the GFRIPA policy on energy consumption and pollution emissions and to pinpoint the underlying mechanisms.

Heat-Treated Aramid Pulp/Silica Aerogel Composites with Improved Thermal Stability and Thermal Insulation.

In this work, we prepared heat-treated aramid pulp/silica aerogel composites (AP/aerogels) and investigated in detail the feasibility of improving thermal stability and thermal insulation via tailored heat treatment. The microstructure and FTIR spectra reveal that AP/aerogels are formed by a physical combination of the silica aerogel matrix and aramid pulps. When the heat treatment temperature increases, the density slightly decreases and then increases to the maximum due to the significant volume shrinkage.

The Impact of Environmental and Host Factors on Human Cystic Echinococcosis: A County-Level Modeling Study in Western China.

Human cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a parasitic disease caused by tapeworms from the genus, potentially affected by the environment and host animals. West China is one of the most endemic areas of human CE nation and worldwide. The current study identifies the crucial environmental and host factors of human CE prevalence in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and non-Qinghai-Tibet Plateau regions.

USP18 regulates the malignant phenotypes of glioblastoma stem cells.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant primary brain tumor. The 5-year survival rate of the patients is poor, and they are prone to relapse and the treatment is limited. Therefore, the search for biological targets is one of the key measures for the treatment and prognosis of GBM.

Accelerated aging of unencapsulated flexible GaInP/GaAs/InGaAs solar cells by means of damp heat and thermal cycling tests.

The extended damp heat and thermal cycling tests were performed on unencapsulated flexible thin-film GaInP/GaAs/InGaAs solar cells to assess the long-term stability. The solar cells were subjected to 85 °C/85% damp heat test for more than 1000 h and 420 cycles of thermal cycling test between -60 °C and 75 °C, respectively. The performance attenuations of flexible solar cells were less than 2% in both cases, which were due to the slow decline of the open-circuit voltage with aging time.

Encapsulation of Paraffin Phase-Change Materials within Monolithic MTMS-Based Silica Aerogels.

To address the leakage issue of paraffin phase-change materials in thermal management, a monolithic MTMS-based silica aerogel (MSA) is employed to encapsulate paraffin through a facile impregnation process. We find that the paraffin and MSA form a physical combination, with little interaction occurring between them. The prepared no-leakage paraffin/MSA composites have a density of 0.

Environment and COVID-19 incidence: A critical review.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an unprecedented worldwide health crisis. Many previous research studies have found and investigated its links with one or some natural or human environmental factors. However, a review on the relationship between COVID-19 incidence and both the natural and human environment is still lacking.

The impact of natural environment on human alveolar echinococcosis: A township-level modeling study in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Human alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a lethal helminthic infection caused by the tapeworms Echinococcus multilocularis. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has the greatest endemicity of human AE globally, but the natural risk factors and its impact mechanism are still unclear. Generalized linear models and generalized additive models are used to select key linear and non-linear environmental factors associated with cases of AE.

The impact of geo-environmental factors on global COVID-19 transmission: A review of evidence and methodology.

Studies on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission indicate that geo-environmental factors have played a significant role in the global pandemic. However, there has not been a systematic review on the impact of geo-environmental factors on global COVID-19 transmission in the context of geography. As such, we reviewed 49 well-chosen studies to reveal the impact of geo-environmental factors (including the natural environment and human activity) on global COVID-19 transmission, and to inform critical intervention strategies that could mitigate the worldwide effects of the pandemic.

The impact of environmental factors on human echinococcosis epidemics: spatial modelling and risk prediction.

Background: Human echinococcosis is affected by natural environmental factors, and its prevalence shows a distinct geographical distribution. Western China has the highest endemicity of human echinococcosis worldwide, but the spatial pattern and environmental determinants of echinococcosis are still unclear.

Methods: Hot/cold spot analysis was used to investigate the spatial distribution of human echinococcosis prevalence.

Estimating Economic Losses Caused by COVID-19 under Multiple Control Measure Scenarios with a Coupled Infectious Disease-Economic Model: A Case Study in Wuhan, China.

Background: The outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic has caused an unprecedented public health crisis and drastically impacted the economy. The relationship between different control measures and economic losses becomes a research hotspot.

Methods: In this study, the SEIR infectious disease model was revised and coupled with an economic model to quantify this nonlinear relationship in Wuhan.

Interaction of climate and socio-ecological environment drives the dengue outbreak in epidemic region of China.

Transmission of dengue virus is a complex process with interactions between virus, mosquitoes and humans, influenced by multiple factors simultaneously. Studies have examined the impact of climate or socio-ecological factors on dengue, or only analyzed the individual effects of each single factor on dengue transmission. However, little research has addressed the interactive effects by multiple factors on dengue incidence.