Identification of Cognitive Dysfunction in Patients with T2DM Using Whole Brain Functional Connectivity.

Majority of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients are highly susceptible to several forms of cognitive impairments, particularly dementia. However, the underlying neural mechanism of these cognitive impairments remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the correlation between whole brain resting state functional connections (RSFCs) and the cognitive status in 95 patients with T2DM.

The Role of Electric Current-Associated Free Energy and Forced Convection on Grain Refinement in Pure Aluminum under Electropulsing.

An experimental study with respect to the effect of an alternating electropulsing on grain refinement in pure aluminum was reported. The macrostructural observation with the mold preheated to different temperature and embedded the metal mesh indicated that the change of electric current-associated free energy related with the position of crystal nuclei (Δ) and forced convection dominated the generation of fine equiaxed grains (FEG). Under electropulsing with 480 A, Δ induced the dissociation of crystal nuclei from the upper interface of the electrode and the melt, leading to the generation of FEG.

In Situ Formation of Ti47Cu38Zr7.5Fe2.5Sn2Si1Nb2 Amorphous Coating by Laser Surface Remelting.

In previous studies, Ti-based bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) free from Ni and Be were developed as promising biomaterials. Corresponding amorphous coatings might have low elastic modulus, remarkable wear resistance, good corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. However, the amorphous coatings obtained by the common methods (high velocity oxygen fuel, laser cladding, etc.

Transferrin Identification in Sterlet () Reproductive System.

Transferrins are a superfamily of iron-binding proteins and are recognized as multifunctional proteins. In the present study, transcriptomic and proteomic methods were used to identify transferrins in the reproductive organs and sperm of out-of-spawning and spermiating sterlet () males. The results showed that seven transferrin transcripts were identified in the transcriptome of sterlet, and these transcripts were qualified as two different transferrin genes, serotransferrin and melanotransferrin, with several isoforms present for serotransferrin.

Molecular characterization and complement activating functional analysis of a new collectin(TfCol-11) from Trachidermus fasciatus.

The complement system is a crucial component of the innate immune system that links innate and adaptive immunity. CL-11, a protein similar to Mannose-binding lectin (MBL), plays significant role in the innate immune system in mammals and fish, serving as an initiator of the lectin pathway of complement activation. In this study, a CL-11 homolog (TfCol-11) was identified in roughskin sculpin (Trachidermus fasciatus), and its expression and role in immune responses were characterized.

A revision of the geographical distributions of the shrews and based on genetic species identification in the mainland of China.

The Taiwanese gray shrew () and Asian gray shrew () are so similar in size and morphology that the taxonomic status of the former has changed several times since its description; has also been regarded as an endemic species of Taiwan Island. In recent years, molecular identification has led to several reports of being distributed in the mainland of China. In this study, we determine the geographical distribution of and based on more than one hundred specimens collected during 2000 to 2018 over a wide area covering the traditional ranges of the two species in the mainland of China, and show a substantial revision of their distributions.

Evolutionary dynamics of the H7N9 avian influenza virus based on large-scale sequence analysis.

Since 2013, epidemics caused by novel H7N9 avian influenza A viruses (AIVs) have become a considerable public health issue. This study investigated the evolution of these viruses at the population level. Compared to H7 and N9 before 2013, there were 18 and 24 substitutions in the majority of novel H7N9 AIVs, respectively.

Variability in phytoplankton biomass and effects of sea surface temperature based on satellite data from the Yellow Sea, China.

A time series of satellite data on Chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a) that used ocean color was studied to determine mechanisms of phytoplankton variation in recent decade in the Yellow Sea, China during 2003-2015. The variability patterns on seasonal and inter-annual oscillation periods were confirmed using the Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF), and Morlet wavelet transform analyses, respectively. The first EOF mode for Chl-a was dominated by obvious spring and fall blooms in a spatial pattern that was related to the strong mixing of the water masses from the Yellow Sea Cold Warm Mass (YSCWM) and the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) in winter.

Functions of a Glucan Synthase Gene in Mycelial Growth and Polysaccharide Production of .

Glucan synthase (GLS) gene is known to be involved in the fungal biosynthesis of cell wall, differentiation, and growth. In the present study, a glucan synthase gene () in the edible mushroom with a full sequence of 5927 bp encoding a total of 1781 amino acids was cloned and characterized for the first time. GFGLSp is a membrane protein containing two large transmembrane domains connected with a hydrophilic cytoplasmic domain.

A facile method to fabricate thermo- and pH-sensitive hydrogels with good mechanical performance based on poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate and acrylic acid as a potential drug carriers.

A thermo- and pH-sensitive hydrogel was prepared by a facile free aqueous radical copolymerization of PEGMA and AAc without any crosslinkers for controlled drug delivery. The successful fabrication of hydrogels was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements. The morphological, mechanical and swelling properties of the obtained hydrogels were studied systematically.

Global exploration of potential energy surfaces for radical generation in the initial stage of benzene oxidation.

The potential energy surfaces (PESs) of benzene oxidation by molecular oxygen were explored using the anharmonic downward distortion following (ADDF) and artificial force induced reaction (AFIR) methods of the global reaction route mapping (GRRM) strategy. The reaction mechanism of benzene activation by initial molecular oxygen depends on the combustion temperature. At high temperature, the benzene molecule could be oxidized by abstracting hydrogen atoms and form the radical fragments, CH and OOH.

Development of double network gels based on soy protein isolate and sugar beet pectin induced by thermal treatment and laccase catalysis.

Soy protein isolate (SPI) and sugar beet pectin (SBP) were adopted to fabricate double network (DN) gels via thermal treatment and laccase-catalysis. The concentrations of SBP (0.5%-2.

Rapid detection of insulin by immune-enrichment with silicon-nanoparticle-assisted MALDI-TOF MS.

Background: Insulin is central to regulating fat and carbohydrate metabolism in the body. However, it is difficult to detect insulin using mass spectrometry (MS). The integration of nanotechnology with mass spectrometry for selective and sensitive detection is an important research area.

Alternative treatments of genetic distances for species delimitation in Callosciurinae and Sciurinae (Rodentia: Sciuridae).

There are many DNA taxonomy methods available, but single-locus data coupled with distance-based analyses still dominate species identification in practice. Genetic distance thresholds are often used for assigning genetic diversity into entities corresponding to species but are criticized for non-universality or arbitrary. This study investigated an alternative approach for determining genetic thresholds that used iteratively sister-clade clustering for sister species boundary detection within a phylogenetic framework.

Polymorphic Transformation and Magnetic Properties of Rapidly Solidified FeCoNiSiB High-Entropy Alloys.

In this work, the microstructural evolution and magnetic performance of the melt-spun amorphous and amorphous-crystalline FeCoNiSiB high-entropy alloys (HEAs) during crystallization were investigated, respectively. Upon heating fully amorphous ribbons, a metastable BCC supersaturated solid solution together with a little NiSi crystals first precipitated and then the (Fe,Co)₂B crystals formed until the full crystallization was achieved. With further increasing temperature after full crystallization, a polymorphic transformation from a metastable BCC phase to two types of FCC solid solutions occurred.

Variational Inference for Coupled Hidden Markov Models Applied to the Joint Detection of Copy Number Variations.

Hidden Markov models provide a natural statistical framework for the detection of the copy number variations (CNV) in genomics. In this context, we define a hidden Markov process that underlies all individuals jointly in order to detect and to classify genomics regions in different states (typically, deletion, normal or amplification). Structural variations from different individuals may be dependent.

Optimizing mechanical properties of FeCoNiSiB high entropy alloy by inducing hypoeutectic to quasi-duplex microstructural transition.

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) have inspired considerable interest due to their attractive physical and mechanical properties. In this work, the microstructural evolution induced by different heat treatments on rapidly solidified hypoeutectic precursors of a FeCoNiSiB HEA is investigated and correlated with the corresponding mechanical properties. The microstructures of the rapidly solidified precursors are composed of primary fcc solid solution dendrites embedded in a eutectic matrix.

Protein profile of Dabry's sturgeon (Acipenser dabryanus) spermatozoa and relationship to sperm quality.

Knowledge of conditions affecting sperm quality is essential for efficient culture of fish for commercial purposes and conservation of species. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry were used to characterize the proteomic profile of Acipenser dabryanus spermatozoa relative to motility and fertilization capacity. There were differential amounts of protein in 313 spots in spermatozoa of males classified to have relatively greater or lesser spermatozoa quality.

Understanding the effects of vicinal carbon substituents and configuration on organofluorine hydrogen-bonding interaction.

An investigation of C-F⋯H-O hydrogen bonds in the complexes CH XCH F⋯HO ( = 0, 1, 2; X = H, F, Cl, Br) was performed at the MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ level. We found that the electron-withdrawing halogen substituents on the vicinal carbon cause the fluorine atom, participating in the hydrogen bond formation, to be less negatively charged. Thus, the halogen groups weaken the strength of organofluorine hydrogen bond by inductive effect.

Efficiently activated ε-poly-L-lysine production by multiple antibiotic-resistance mutations and acidic pH shock optimization in Streptomyces albulus.

ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) is a food additive produced by Streptomyces and is widely used in many countries. Working with Streptomyces albulus FEEL-1, we established a method to activate ε-PL synthesis by successive introduction of multiple antibiotic-resistance mutations. Sextuple mutant R6 was finally developed by screening for resistance to six antibiotics and produced 4.

Protective Effect and Mechanism of Alprostadil in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Induced by Oleic Acid in Rats.

BACKGROUND This study investigated the role and mechanism of alprostadil in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) induced by oleic acid (OA) in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, OA model, and OA + Alprostadil (2.5, 5, and 10 μg/kg, respectively) groups.

Exploring Confluence-Related Signalling to Modulate the Expression of Oct4 - A Role in Facilitating Mouse Somatic Cell Reprogramming?

Oct4 is uniformly expressed by all types of pluripotent cells and is essential for pluripotency. Oct4 is also the central reprogramming factor that is constant in most transcription factor cocktails used to generate iPS cells. This article discusses the mechanisms of regulating Oct4 expression by confluence-based Hgf and hypoxia signalling in mouse somatic cells.

Karyotypes of field mice of the genus (Mammalia: Rodentia) from China.

Karyotypes of four Chinese species of field mice of the genus Apodemus were examined, including (diploid chromosome number, 2=48, fundamental number of autosomal arms, FNa=56), (2=48, FNa=48), (2=48, FNa=48), and (2=48, FNa=48). Karyotypes of , , and are reported here for the first time, providing useful information for their species taxonomy. Determining the karyotypes of all species of Apodemus in Asia, both in this and previous studies, provides a solid overview of the chromosome evolution and species differentiation of the genus in East Asia.

Regulating the emission of tetraphenylethenes by changing the alkoxyl linkage length between two neighboring phenyl moieties.

Alkoxyl linkages with different carbon lengths are employed to link the two neighboring ortho carbons of the two phenyl moieties at the same ethylene carbon of the tetraphenylethene framework, resulting in successful regulation of the molecular conformation and in turn the emission properties.

Serum Metabolic Profiling of Oocyst-Induced Acute and Chronic Infections in Mice Using Mass-Spectrometry.

is an obligate intracellular parasite causing severe diseases in immunocompromised individuals and congenitally infected neonates, such as encephalitis and chorioretinitis. This study aimed to determine whether serum metabolic profiling can (i) identify metabolites associated with oocyst-induced infection and (ii) detect systemic metabolic differences between -infected mice and controls. We performed the first global metabolomics analysis of mice serum challenged with 100 sporulated Pru oocysts (Genotype II).