Polyoxometalate-Based Single-Atom Catalyst with Precise Structure and Extremely Exposed Active Site for Efficient H Evolution.

Single-atom catalysts with precise structure and extremely high catalytic efficiency remain a fervent focus in the fields of materials chemistry and catalytic science. Herein, a nickel-substituted polyoxometalate (POM) {NiSbO(HO)[β-Ni(hmta)SbWO]} (NiPOM) with one extremely exposed nickel site [NiO(HO)] was synthesized using the conventional aqueous method. The uniform dispersion of single nickel center with well-defined structure was facilely achieved by anchoring nanosized NiPOM on graphene oxide (GO).

Research progress in parameterizing irrigation and fertilization in land surface model.

Under the context of global climate change and growing population, irrigation and fertilization have become important ways to ensure food production, with consequences on water cycling, energy flow, and materials cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. In the land surface model (LSM), coupling irrigation and fertilization schemes are of great importance for clearly understanding the land-atmosphere interactions to ensure food security. We reviewed the expression methods of three key parameters, namely, the applied method, usage, and time in the parameterization process of irrigation and fertilization (nitrogen fertilizer) in LSM.

Interplay between Risk Factors and Coronary Artery Calcium in Middle-Aged and Elderly Symptomatic Patients.

Background: The prognostic value of coronary artery calcium (CAC) combined with risk factor burdens in middle-aged and elderly patients with symptoms is unclear.

Methods: A cohort study comprising 7432 middle-aged and elderly symptomatic patients (aged above 55 years) was conducted between December 2013 and September 2020. All patients had undergone coronary computed tomography angiography, and the Agatston score were used to measure CAC scores.

Prognostic value of fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio combined with coronary calcification score in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.

Objective: The aim of this work was to evaluate the predictive value of FAR combined with CACS for MACCEs.

Background: The fibrinogen-albumin-ratio (FAR), a novel biomarker of inflammation, is associated with the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary calcification score (CACS) is associated with the severity of coronary stenosis and is closely related to the prognosis of CAD patients.

Coronary artery calcium and cystatin C for risk stratification of MACCEs and all-cause death in symptomatic patients.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the independent and joint associations of baseline coronary artery calcium score (CACS) and cystatin C (Cys-C) with the risk of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) and all-cause death in symptomatic populations.

Methods: The study included 7140 patients with symptom of chest pain who underwent cardiac computerized tomography examinations to measure CACS. All of them had serum Cys-C results.

Prognostic value of the PDW/HDL-C ratio in patients with chest pain symptoms and coronary artery calcification.

Background: Platelet-related parameters and HDL-C have been regarded as reliable and alternative markers of coronary heart disease (CHD) and the independent predictors of cardiovascular outcomes. PDW is a simple platelet index, which increases during platelet activation. Whether the PDW/HDL-C ratio predicts major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) in patients who complained of chest pain and confirmed coronary artery calcification remains to be investigated.

Tuna Swarm Optimization: A Novel Swarm-Based Metaheuristic Algorithm for Global Optimization.

In this paper, a novel swarm-based metaheuristic algorithm is proposed, which is called tuna swarm optimization (TSO). The main inspiration for TSO is based on the cooperative foraging behavior of tuna swarm. The work mimics two foraging behaviors of tuna swarm, including spiral foraging and parabolic foraging, for developing an effective metaheuristic algorithm.

Functional Characterization of Olfactory Proteins Involved in Chemoreception of .

Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and chemosensory proteins (CSPs) play a fundamental role in insect olfaction. (Joannis) is a new pest with outbreak status in the Inner Mongolia grasslands, northern China. In this study, six olfactory protein genes (, , , , , and ) were cloned by RACE and expressed by constructing a prokaryotic expression system.

[Control Measure Effects on the Effluent Quality from Extensive Green Roofs Based on Stabilized Sludge Recycling].

Substrate type is an important factor affecting the quality of water deriving from rainfall onto extensively green roofed areas. Here, stabilized sludge was used as the main nutrient component of the substrate combined with biochar and a dual-substrate structure. Five green roof pilot facilities were constructed, and the effect of control measures on effluent quality was analyzed.

Comparative Analysis of Transcriptome Responses to Cold Stress in Galeruca daurica (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

Galeruca daurica (Joannis) has become a new insect pest in the Inner Mongolia grasslands since 2009, and its larvae and eggs have strong cold tolerance. To get a deeper insight into its molecular mechanisms of cold stress responses, we performed de novo transcriptome assembly for G. daurica by RNA-Seq and compared the transcriptomes of its larvae exposed to five different temperature treatments (-10, -5, 0, 5, and 25°C for 1 h and then recovered at 25°C for 1 h), respectively.

Interaction network analysis revealed biomarkers in myocardial infarction.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a serious heart disease. The cardiac cells of patients with MI will die due to lack of blood for a long time. In this study, we aimed to find new targets for MI diagnosis and therapy.

[Chemoinformatics study on antibacterial activity of traditional Chinese medicine compounds].

Objective: The structure-activity relationship between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) compounds and antibacterial activity was studied by chemoinformatics approach.

Method: Cytoscape and its plug-in ChemViz were applied to compute the 2D chemical structure similarity and topological parameter TPSA (topological molecular polar surface area), which measures cell permeability of chemicals, between TCM compounds and clinical antibacterials. The overall degree of structure similarity was then calculated and represented by E-value for the eight categories of TCM compounds and the known antibacterials.

Calcium-sensing receptors induce apoptosis in cultured neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes during simulated ischemia/reperfusion.

Calcium-sensing receptors (CaSRs) are G-protein coupled receptors which regulate systemic calcium homeostasis and also participate in cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. We have previously shown that CaSR can induce apoptosis in isolated rat adult hearts and in normal rat neonatal cardiomyocytes. However, no knowledge exists concerning the role of CaSR in apoptosis induced by ischemia and reperfusion in neonatal cardiac myocytes.

[Protective effect of quercetin against adriamycin-induced cardiotoxicity and its mechanism in mice].

This study is to investigate the protective effect of quercetin against adriamycin-induced cardiotoxicity and its mechanism. The cardiotoxicity was induced by intraperitoneal injection of adriamycin (ADR) at a single dose of 20 mg x kg(-1). Mice were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=20): normal control group, ADR 20 mg x kg(-1) group, quercetin (50, 100, and 200 mg x kg(-1) groups, intragastric administration, once a day, for 7 days before ADR administration).

[Sequence analysis of gag-pol gene of HIV-1 B/C recombinant viruses in China].

Objective: To characterize full length gag gene and partial pol gene of Chinese prevalent HIV-1 B/C recombinant strains, to explore the genetic difference between parent strains and B/C recombinant strains, and to investigate the mechanism of different biologic phenotype among them.

Methods: The peripheral blood samples were collected from 138 HIV-positive persons from 12 regions of China respectively. Samples of total DNA were extracted from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells to undergo nested PCR and sequencing.

[Construction of antisense telomerase hTERT and its effect on K562 cells].

Objectives: To investigate whether antisense human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) could inhibit the activity of telomerase and the proliferation of K562 cells.

Methods: The antisense plasmid was constructed by reverse insertion of hTERT PCR product into plasmid pLNCX-neo. Then the constructed plasmid was introduced into K562 cells by liposomes-mediated DNA transfection.