Transcriptomic analysis of Andrias davidianus meat and experimental validation for exploring its bioactive components as functional foods

Andrias davidianus(Chinese giant salamander,CGS)is the largest and oldest extant amphibian species in the world and is a source of prospective functional food in China.However,the progress of functional peptides mining was slow due to lack of reference genome and protein sequence data.In this study,we illustrated full-length transcriptome sequencing to interpret the proteome of CGS meat and obtain 10703 coding DNA sequences.By functional annotation and amino acid composition analysis,we have discovered various genes related to signal transduction,and 16 genes related to longevity.We have also found vast variety of functional peptides through protein coding sequence(CDS)analysis by comparing the data obtained with the functional peptide database.Val-Pro-Ile predicted by the CDS analysis was released from the CGS meat through enzymatic hydrolysis,suggesting that our approach is reliable.This study suggested that transcriptomic analysis can be used as a reference to guide polypeptide mining in CGS meat,thereby providing a powerful mining strategy for the bioresources with unknown genomic and proteomic sequences.

A combination of tides and nontidal variations in ocean bottom pressure may generate interannual slip fluctuations in the transition zone along a subduction plate interface

The tidal triggering of earthquakes has been studied for many years.The discovery of slow earthquakes in the early 2000s,including slow slip,has urged scientists to investigate the tidal responses of these earthquakes due to their sensitivity to weak stress perturbations.Previous studies have shown that slow earthquakes correlate with diurnal and semidiurnal tides and seasonal variations in surface loads more clearly than ordinary earthquakes.However,little is known about long-term responses to external stresses.In this paper,based on a widely accepted frictional law for faults,a mechanism is proposed by which nontidal variations in ocean bottom pressure,when combined with tides,pro mote the occurrence of slow earthquakes.Because slow earthquakes accompany a slip on the plate interface,this mechanism allows one to estimate slip modulations.A one-degree-of-freedom slip model is constructed and applied to Ise Bay in the Tonankai region of southwestern Japan,where large-scale ocean mass redistributions have occurred.The model calculated with parameters determined from the observation of tectonic tremors is quantitatively consistent with the slip during 1997-2013 inferred from GNSS data,suggesting that the decrease in the sea-level change in approximately 2006 could cause the accele ration of a slip observed after that.This result implies that the decreases in sea level in approximately 1996 and 2014 could also cause subsequent slip accelerations.These three slip acceleration periods temporally coincide with the increases in background seismicity in a shallower portion of the plate interface.These changes in seismicity are common to shallow earthquakes in the Tokai area,and a similar model can reproduce them.Further studies are expected to reveal causality between shallow earthquakes and long-term slip fluctuations based on modeling that considers changes in the frictional property along the plate interface.

Progress in Physics and Technology Developments for the Modification of JT-60

Recent progress in the physics and engineering design study for themodification programme of JT-60 is presented. In order to achieve a steady state high-βplasmaoperation, which is the dominant issue of this programme, physics design for the MHD control and thestability analysis is investigated. Engineering design and the R & D for the superconducting coils,irradiation shield are performed well towards the mission of programme.

Microstructure formation and grain refinement of Mg-based alloys by electromagnetic vibration technique

The microstructure formation and grains refinement of two Mg-based alloys,i.e.AZ31 and AZ91D,were reported using an electromagnetic vibration(EMV) technique.These two alloys were solidified at various vibration frequencies and the microstructures were observed.The average size of grains was quantitatively measured as a function of vibration frequencies. Moreover,the grain size distribution was outlined versus number fraction.A novel model was proposed to account for the microstructure formation and grain refinement when considering the significant difference of the electrical resistivity properties of the solid and the liquid during EMV processing in the semisolid state.The remarkable difference originates uncoupled movement between the mobile solid and the sluggish liquid,which can activate melt flow.The microstructure evolution can be well explained when the fluid flow intensity versus vibration frequency is taken into account.Moreover,the influence of the static magnetic field on texture formation is also considered,which plays an important role at higher vibration frequencies.

A laboratory acoustic emission experiment and numerical simulation of rock fracture driven by a high-pressure fluid source

In order to improve our understanding of rock fracture and fault instability driven by high-pressure fluid sources, the authors carried out rock fracture tests using granite under a confining pressure of 80 MPa with fluid injection in the laboratory. Furthermore, we tested a number of numerical models using the FLAC;modeling software to find the best model to represent the experimental results. The high-speed multichannel acoustic emission（AE） waveform recording system used in this study made it possible to examine the total fracture process through detailed monitoring of AE hypocenters and seismic velocity.The experimental results show that injecting high-pressure oil into the rock sample can induce AE activity at very low stress levels and can dramatically reduce the strength of the rock. The results of the numerical simulations show that major experimental results, including the strength, the temporal and spatial patterns of the AE events, and the role of the fluid can be represented fairly well by a model involving（1） randomly distributed defect elements to model pre-existing cracks,（2） random modification of rock properties to represent inhomogeneity introduced by different mineral grains, and（3）macroscopic inhomogeneity. Our study, which incorporates laboratory experiments and numerical simulations, indicates that such an approach is helpful in finding a better model not only for simulating experimental results but also for upscaling purposes.

Comparison of the activities of binder-added and binder-free Mo/HZSM-5 catalysts in methane dehydroaromatization at 1073 K in periodic CH_4-H_2 switch operation mode

Three industry-supplied, well-shaped Mo/HZSM-5 catalysts, two binder-added and one binder-free, were tested for the first time in methane dehydroaromatization to benzene at 1073 K and 10000 mL/（g·h） in periodic CH4-H2 switch operation mode, and their catalytic performances were compared with those of three self-prepared, binder-free powder Mo/HZSM-5 catalysts. XRD, 27Al NMR, SEM, BET and NH3-TPD characterizations of all the catalysts show that the zeolites in the two binder-added catalysts are comparable to those in the three binder-free powder catalysts in crystallinity, crystal size, micropore volume and Br{／o}nsted acidity. The test results, on the other hand, show that the catalytic performances of the two binder-added catalysts are worse than those of the four binder-free catalysts on both catalyst mass and zeolite mass bases. Then, TPO and BET measurements of all spent samples were conducted to get a deep insight into the negative effects of binder addition, and the results suggest that the binder additives functioned mainly to enhance the polyaromatization of formed aromatics to coke on their external surfaces and consequently lower the catalysts＇ benzene formation activity and selectivity.

Upregulation of macrophage migration inhibitory factor and calgizzarin by androgen in TM4 mouse Sertoli cells

Aim： To identify proteins induced by androgen in Sertoli cells during spermatogenesis. Methods： We analyzed protein profiles in TM4 Sertoli cells treated with dihydrotestosterone （DHT） using surface enhanced laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry （SELDI-TOF-MS）. Results： We found increases in the expression of a 5.0-kDa protein at 15 min, an 11.3-kDa protein at 24 h and 4.3 kDa, 5.7 kDa, 5.8 kDa, 9.95 kDa and 9.98 kDa proteins at 48 h after the treatment. In contrast, the expression of 6.3 kDa and 8.6 kDa proteins decreased at 30 min, and 4.9 kDa, 5.0 kDa, 12.4 kDa and 19.8 kDa proteins at 48 h after the treatment. The ll.3-kDa protein was identified as macrophage migration inhibitory factor （MIF） known to having various functions. The 9.98-kDa protein was identified as calgizzarin related to calcium channels. The timing of their expression suggests that MIF and calgizzarin are involved in late regulation of spermatogenesis in Sertoli cells by androgen. Conclusion： MIF and calgizzarin are two important androgen-responsive proteins produced by Sertoli cells and they might play a role in regulating spermatogenesis.

Tuning Interface Bridging Between MoSe2 and Three‑Dimensional Carbon Framework by Incorporation of MoC Intermediate to Boost Lithium Storage Capability

Interface engineering has been widely explored to improve the electrochemical performances of composite electrodes,which governs the interface charge transfer,electron transportation,and structural stability.Herein,MoC is incorporated into MoSe2/C composite as an intermediate phase to alter the bridging between MoSe2-and nitrogen-doped three-dimensional(3D)carbon framework as MoSe2/MoC/N–C connection,which greatly improve the structural stability,electronic conductivity,and interfacial charge transfer.Moreover,the incorporation of MoC into the composites inhibits the overgrowth of MoSe2 nanosheets on the 3D carbon framework,producing much smaller MoSe2 nanodots.The obtained MoSe2 nanodots with fewer layers,rich edge sites,and heteroatom doping ensure the good kinetics to promote pseudo-capacitance contributions.Employing as anode material for lithium-ion batteries,it shows ultralong cycle life(with 90%capacity retention after 5000 cycles at 2 A g−1)and excellent rate capability.Moreover,the constructed LiFePO4//MoSe2/MoC/N–C full cell exhibits over 86%capacity retention at 2 A g−1 after 300 cycles.The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the interface engineering by incorporation of MoC as interface bridging intermediate to boost the lithium storage capability,which can be extended as a potential general strategy for the interface engineering of composite materials.

[Hmim]_3PW_(12)O_(40):A high-efficient and green catalyst for the acetalization of carbonyl compounds

[Hmim]_3PW_(12)O_(40) was developed and used in the acetalization of carbonyl compounds in excellent yields.The ionic liquidheteropoly acid hybrid compound and reaction medium formed temperature-dependent phase-separation system with the ease of product as well as catalyst separation.The catalyst was recycled more than 10 times without any apparent loss of catalytic activity.

Effect of bending and tension deformation on the texture evolution and stretch formability of Mg-Zn-RE-Zr alloy

Bending and tension deformations were performed on Mg-1.3 wt%Zn-0.2 wt%RE-0.3 wt%Zr(ZEK100)alloy sheets that initially had a transverse direction(TD)-split texture.The effects of bending and tension deformations on the texture formation and room-temperature formability of specimens were investigated.The specimen subjected to 3-pass bending and tension deformations exhibited an excellent Erichsen value of 9.6 mm.However,the Erichsen value deterioration was observed in the specimen subjected to 7-pass deformations.The rolling direction-split texture developed on the surface with an increasing pass number of deformations.Conversely,the clear TD-split texture remained at the central part.As a result,a quadrupole texture was macroscopically developed with an increasing pass number of deformations.The reduction in anisotropy by the formation of the quadrupole texture is suggested to be the main reason for the improvement in stretch formability.By contrast,the generation of coarse grains near the surface is suggested to be the direct cause for the deterioration of the stretch formability of the specimen subjected to 7-pass deformations.

Internal structures and high-velocity frictional properties of Longmenshan fault zone at Shenxigou activated during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

This paper reports internal structures of a wide fault zone at Shenxigou,Dujiangyan,Sichuan province,China,and high-velocity frictional properties of the fault gouge collected near the coseismic slip zone during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake.Vertical offset and horizontal displacement at the trench site were 2.8 m（NW side up）and 4.8 m（right-lateral）,respectively.The fault zone formed in Triassic sandstone,siltstone,and shale about 500 m away from the Yingxiu-Beichuan fault,a major fault in the Longmenshan fault system.A trench survey across the coseismic fault,and observations of outcrops and drill cores down to a depth of 57 m revealed that the fault zone consists of fault gouge and fault breccia of about0.5 and 250-300 m in widths,respectively,and that the fault strikes N62°E and dips 68° to NW.Quaternary conglomerates were recovered beneath the fault in the drilling,so that the fault moved at least 55 m along the coseismic slip zone,experiencing about 18 events of similar sizes.The fault core is composed of grayish gouge（GG） and blackish gouge（BG） with very complex slip-zone structures.BG contains low-crystalline graphite of about 30 %.High-velocity friction experiments were conducted at normal stresses of 0.6-2.1 MPa and slip rates of 0.1-2.1 m/s.Both GG and BG exhibit dramatic slip weakening at constant high slip rates that can be described as an exponential decay from peak friction coefficient lpto steadystate friction coefficient lssover a slip-weakening distance Dc.Deformation of GG and BG is characterized by overlapped slip-zone structures and development of sharp slickenside surfaces,respectively.Comparison of our data with those reported for other outcrops indicates that the high-velocity frictional properties of the Longmenshan fault zones are quite uniform and the high-velocity weakening must have promoted dynamic rupture propagation during the Wenchuan earthquake.

Mechanism of Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering and Its Application to Highly Sensitive Protein Detection

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering(SERRS)has recently attracted great interest in analytical science due toenormous enhancement factors that have decreased the detec-tionli mits of a wide variety of molecules to the single moleculelevel.The SERRS-electromagnetic(EM)model describessingle-molecule SERRS

Influence of bedding structure on stress-induced elastic wave anisotropy in tight sandstones

To understand the evolution of stress-induced elastic wave anisotropy,three triaxial experiments were performed on sandstone specimens with bedding orientations parallel,perpendicular,and oblique to the maximum principal stress.P-wave velocities along 64 different directions on each specimen were monitored frequently to understand the anisotropy change at various stress levels by fitting Thomsen’s anisotropy equation.The results show that the elastic wave anisotropy is very sensitive to mechanical loading.Under hydrostatic loading,the magnitude of anisotropy is reduced in all three specimens.However,under deviatoric stress loading,the evolution of anisotropic characteristics(magnitude and orientation of the symmetry axis)is bedding orientation dependent.Anisotropy reversal occurs in specimens with bedding normal/oblique to the maximum principal stress.P-wave anisotropyε0 is linearly related to volumetric strain Sv and dilatancy,indicating that stress-induced redistribution of microcracks has a significant effect on P-wave velocity anisotropy.The closure of initial cracks and pores aligned in the bedding direction contributes to the decrease of the anisotropy.However,opening of new cracks,aligned in the maximum principal direction,accounts for the increase of the anisotropy.The experimental results provide some insights into the microstructural behavior under loading and provide an experimental basis for seismic data interpretation and parameter selection in engineering applications.

In situ X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis of LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 synthesized via co-precipitation method

LiNi0.9Co0.15Al0.05O2 （NCA） material is successfully synthesized with a modified co-precipitation method,in which NH3,H2O and EDTA are used as two chelating agents. The obtained LiNi0.9Co0.15Al0.05O2 materialhas well-defined layered structure and uniform element distribution, which reveals an enhanced electro-chemical performance with a capacity retention of 97.9% after 100 cycles at 0.2 C, and reduced thermalrunaway from the isothermal calorimetry test. In situ X-ray diffraction （XRD） was employed to capturethe structural changes during the charge-discharge process. The reversible evolutions of lattice parame-ters （a, b, c, and V） further verify the structural stability.

Highly-efficient and autocatalytic reduction of NaHCO_3 into formate by in situ hydrogen from water splitting with metal/metal oxide redox cycle

The Earth’s sustainable development is threatened by the increasing atmospheric COlevel which can be attributed to the imbalance of COdue to the rapid consumption of fossil fuels caused by human activities and the slow absorption and conversion of COby nature. One of the efficient methods for reconstructing the balance of COshould involve the rapid conversion of COinto fuels and chemicals.The hydrogenation of COwith gaseous hydrogen is currently considered to be the most commercially feasible synthetic route, however, the supply of safe and economical hydrogen sources poses a significant challenge to up-scaling application. Direct utilization of hydrogen from dissociation of water, the most abundant, cheap and clean hydrogen resource, for the reduction of COwould be one of the most promising approaches for COutilization. This paper provides an overview of the current advances in research on highly efficient reduction of COor NaHCO, a representative compound of CO, into formic acid/formate by in situ hydrogen from water dissociation with a metal/metal oxide redox cycle under mild hydrothermal conditions.

Amelioration of acidic soil using fy Ash for Mine Revegetation in PostMining Land

This paper described the use of fy ash for soil amelioration of acidic soils to promote plant growth.In mining sites,acid sulfate soils/rocks,which contain sulfde minerals(e.g.pyrite FeS_(2)),have appeared as a result of overburden excavation.The excessively acidic condition inhibits plant growth due to the dissolution of harmful elements,such as Al,Fe,and Mn.Fly ash,an alkaline byproduct of coal combustion generated in thermal power plants is expected to be adopted to ameliorate acidic soils.However,the mixing ratio of fy ash must be considered because excessive addition of fy ash can have a negative impact on plant growth due to its physical/chemical properties.The pot trials using Acacia mangium demonstrate the evolution of plant growth with a 5%–10%addition of fy ash into acidic soil.When the acidic soil has a high potential for metal dissolution,the metal ions leached from the acidic soil are large,making it difcult to improve plant growth due to osmotic and ionic stress.This work suggests that the efects of fy ash on metal ions leached from the soil have to be considered for the amelioration of acidic soil.

Bovine sperm selection procedure prior to cryopreservation for improvement of post-thawed semen quality and fertility

Background:The application of cryopreservation and artificial insemination technology have contributed to the advancement of animal reproduction.However,a substantial proportion of spermatozoa undergoes alterations and loses their fertility during cryopreservation,rendering the frozen-thawed semen impractical for routine use.Cryopreservation is known to reduce sperm lifespan and fertility.Variation in cryosurvival of spermatozoa from different sires and even with the individual sire is common in artificial insemination(AI)centers.Our goal is to improve post-thawed semen quality by optimization of cryopreservation technique through sperm selection prior to cryopreservation process.Results:Our strategy of sperm selection based on rheotaxis and thermotaxis(SSRT)on macrosale in a rotating fluid flow demonstrated the ability to maintain the original pre-freezing structural integrity,viability and biological function related to fertilization competence.This strategy has a positive effect on the cryosurvival and fertilizing abilities of spermatozoa as supported by the improvement on pregnancy rate of Japanese Black heifers and Holstein repeat breeders.This technique protected further sublethal damage to bovine spermatozoa(higher%cryosurvival than the control)and resulted in the improvement of DNA integrity.Prefreeze selected spermatozoa demonstrated slower and controlled capacitation than unprocessed control which is thought to be related to sperm longevity and consequently to appropriate timing during in vivo fertilization.Conclusions:These results provide solid evidence that improvement of post-thawed semen quality by SSRT method is beneficial in terms of cryosurvival,longevity of post-thawed sperm,and optimization of in vivo fertilization,embryo development and calving as supported by the favorable results of field fertility study.

Engineering polymer nanoparticles using cell membrane coating technology and their application in cancer treatments:Opportunities and challenges

Nanotechnology has revolutionized cancer drug delivery,and recent research continues to focus on the development of“one-size-fits-all,”i.e.,“all-in-one”delivery nanovehicles.Although nanomedicines can address significant shortcomings of conventional therapy,biological barriers remain a challenge in their delivery and accumulation at diseased sites.To achieve long circulation time,immune evasion,and targeted accumulation,conventional nanocarriers need modifications,e.g.,PEGylation,peptide/aptamer attachment,etc.One such modification is a biomimetic coating using cell membrane(CM),which can offer long circulation or targeting,or both.This top-down CM coating process is facile and can provide some advantageous features over surface modification by synthetic polymers.Herein,an overview is provided on the engineering of CM camouflaged polymer nanoparticles.A short section on CM and the development of CM coating technology has been provided.Detailed description of the preparation and characterization of CM camouflaged polymer NPs and their applications in cancer treatment has been reported.A brief comparison between CM coating and PEGylation has been highlighted.Various targeting approaches to achieve tumor-specific delivery of CM coated NPs have been summarized here.Overall,this review will give the readers a nice picture of CM coated polymer NPs,along with their opportunities and challenges.

Formation and Growth of Silver Nanocubes upon Nanosecond Pulsed Laser Irradiation: Effects of Laser Intensity and Irradiation Time

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were fabricated by repetitive irradiation of near ultraviolet (UV) nanosecond laser pulses (355 nm, 5 ns) in an aqueous solution of silver nitrate in the absence of stabilizing agents. A broad absorption peak was observed in the visible region showing the formation of a variety of AgNPs in the solution. Among the variety of products, it was found that silver nanocubes (AgNCs) grew in size with longer laser irradiation time. The size of AgNCs also increased with higher laser intensity. The average size of AgNCs, investigated by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) was in the range of 75 - 200 nm. The number of reduced atoms in AgNCs as a function of laser intensity showed that the AgNCs are apparently produced by a four photon process, implying that the formation of dimer silver atoms is essential for the formation.

Direct comparison of hydraulic tortuosity and electric tortuosity based on finite element analysis

Tortuosity is one of the key parameters to characterize the transport properties of porous media. There are many models for tortuosity estimation based on some definitions： geometric, hydraulic, electric, and diffusive definitions, However, relationships among those tortuosities remain unclear due to the lack of di- rect comparison on the same porous media. Here we focus on hydraulic and electric tortuosities and have conducted a series of finite element simulations with the Navier-Stokes equation and the equation for electric current to directly compare tortuosities. The results revealed that： （1） on average, hydraulic tortu- osity is 15% greater than that of the electric one; （2） the proposed model based on the van Genuchten-type function successfully approximates both hydraulic and electric tortuosities; （3） tortuosities obtained from the nnrnus media hacked with circular narticles and square particles show quantitatively similar trends.