A core-satellite self-assembled SERS aptasensor containing a“biological-silent region”Raman tag for the accurate and ultrasensitive detection of histamine

Herein,a novel interference-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy(SERS)strategy based on magnetic nanoparticles(MNPs)and aptamer-driven assemblies was proposed for the ultrasensitive detection of histamine.A core-satellite SERS aptasensor was constructed by combining aptamer-decorated Fe_(3)O_(4)@Au MNPs(as the recognize probe for histamine)and complementary DNA-modified silver nanoparticles carrying 4-mercaptobenzonitrile(4-MBN)(Ag@4-MBN@Ag-c-DNA)as the SERS signal probe for the indirect detection of histamine.Under an applied magnetic field in the absence of histamine,the assembly gave an intense Raman signal at“Raman biological-silent”region due to 4-MBN.In the presence of histamine,the Ag@4-MBN@Ag-c-DNA SERS-tag was released from the Fe_(3)O_(4)@Au MNPs,thus decreasing the SERS signal.Under optimal conditions,an ultra-low limit of detection of 0.65×10^(-3)ng/mL and a linear range 10^(-2)-10^5 ng/mL on the SERS aptasensor were obtained.The histamine content in four food samples were analyzed using the SERS aptasensor,with the results consistent with those determined by high performance liquid chromatography.The present work highlights the merits of indirect strategies for the ultrasensitive and highly selective SERS detection of small biological molecules in complex matrices.

A mite parasitoid,Pyemotes zhonghuajia,negatively impacts the fitness traits and immune response of the fall armyworm,Spodoptera frugiperda

Parasitoids are key regulators in ecological communities and widely used as agents in biocontrol programmes.The fall armyworm,Spodoptera frugiperda,recently invaded multiple continents and caused substantial economic losses in agriculture.Pyemotes zhonghuajia,a newly identified mite parasitoid,has shown potential for controlling various agricultural insect pests.Therefore,this study tested the performance of P.zhonghuajia in parasitising S.frugiperda.We also investigated the sublethal effects of parasitism by P.zhonghuajia on host fitness traits,transgenerational impacts,and cellular and humoral immunity.Our result showed that the fifth-instar larvae of S.frugiperda parasitised by 40 P.zhonghuajia were all dead(i.e.,a lethal effect),while parasitism by 5 or 10 P.zhonghuajia was considered sublethal since many S.frugiperda survived to adulthood and produced offspring after mating.The sublethal influences from parasitism by P.zhonghuajia resulted in reduced pupal weight,adult emergence rate and fecundity,but increased developmental time and longevity.Parasitism at both lethal(40 mites)and sublethal(10 mites)levels impaired the cellular and humoral immunity of S.frugiperda.This study presents the first empirical evidence that mite parasitoids can negatively influence host immunity.Moreover,it provides insights into the biocontrol potential of mite parasitoids and their interactions with hosts.

The in vitro digestion fates of diacylglycerol under different intestinal conditions:a potential lipid source for lipid indigestion patients

The in vitro digestion models mimicking the gastrointestinal(GI)tract of general population and lipid indigestion patients(with lower levels of bile salts or pancreatic lipase)were selected to investigate whether diacylglycerols(DAGs)are potential good lipid sources for these patients.Linseed oil-based DAG(LD)and linseed oil(LT)were selected.LD-based emulsion((83.74±1.23)%)had higher lipolysis degree than LT-based emulsion((74.47±1.16)%)when monitoring the GI tract of normal population as previously reported.Indigestion conditions seriously decreased the digestive degree of LT-based emulsion((40.23±2.48)%-(66.50±3.70)%)while showed less influence on LD-based emulsion((64.18±2.41)%-(81.85±3.45)%).As opposed to LT-based emulsion,LD-based emulsion exhibited preference for releasing unsaturated fatty acids(especially oleic acid andα-linolenic acid)due to their different glycerolipid compositions.LD-based emulsion showed potential for providing lipids and nutrients(including essential fatty acids)for lipid indigestion patients.

Does MgSO_(4) protect the preterm brain?Dissecting its role in the pathophysiology of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy

Mitigating preterm encephalopathy continues to be one of the greatest challenges in perinatal medicine.Preterm encephalopathy is associated with high mortality,serious morbidity,and significant socio-economic impacts on the individuals,their families,and public health sectors and welfare systems that last a lifetime.The cost of disability associated with preterm brain injury continues to rise.Prevention of this injury,and disability,would significantly reduce this socioeconomic burden.

Three anti-inflammatory polysaccharides from Lonicera japonica Thunb.:insights into the structure-function relationships

This study demonstrates the feasibility of producing three polysaccharides(neutral LJP-1,acidic LJP-2 and acidic LJP-3)with significant in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory activities from the flowers of Lonicera japonica.The three polysaccharides differed in chemical composition,molecular weight(Mw)distribution,glycosidic linkage pattern,functional groups and morphology.They exhibited excellent protective effects(in a dose-dependent manner)in lipopolysaccharide-injured RAW264.7 macrophages and Cu SO4-damaged zebrafish via reducing NO production and inhibiting the overexpressions of inflammation-related transcription factors,inflammatory proteins and cytokines in the NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathways.Their antiinflammatory effects varied owing to their different molecular characteristics and chemical compositions.Overall,LJP-2 at 400μg/m L was the most effective.LJP-2 consisted mainly of→5)-α-L-Araf(1→,→4)-α-LGalp A(1→and→2)-α-L-Rhap(1→residues with terminal T-β-D-Glcp.Thus,honeysuckle flowers are good sources of anti-inflammatory polysaccharides,and precise fractionation enables the production of potent antiinflammatory agents for the development of functional foods and healthcare products.

Outcomes of renal transplant recipients with BK virus infection and BK virus surveillance in the Auckland region from 2006 to 2012

AIM To evaluate incidence, risk factors and treatment outcome of BK polyomavirus nephropathy(BKVN) in a cohort of renal transplant recipients in the Auckland region without a formal BK polyomavirus(BKV) surveillance programme.METHODS A cohort of 226 patients who received their renal transplants from 2006 to 2012 was retrospectively reviewed.RESULTS Seventy-six recipients(33.6%) had a BK viral load(BKVL) test and 9 patients(3.9%) developed BKVN. Cold ischaemia time(HR = 1.18, 95%CI: 1.04-1.35) was found to be a risk factor for BKVN. Four recipients with BKVN had complete resolution of their BKV infection; 1 recipient had BKVL less than 625 copies/mL; 3 recipients had BKVL more than 1000 copies/mL and 1 had graft failure from BKVN. BKVN has a negative impact on graft function [median estimated glomerular filtration rate(eG FR) 22.5(IQR 18.5-53.0) mL /min per 1.73 m^2, P = 0.015), but no statistically significant difference(P = 0.374) in renal allograft function was found among negative BK viraemia group [median e GFR 60.0(IQR 48.5-74.2) mL /min per 1.73 m^2), positive BK viraemia without BKVN group [median eG FR 55.0(IQR 47.0-76.0) mL /min per 1.73 m^2] and unknown BKV status group [median eG FR 54.0(IQR 43.8-71.0) mL /min per 1.73 m^2]. The incidence and treatment outcomes of BKVN were similar to some centres with BKV surveillance programmes.CONCLUSION Recipients with BVKN have poorer graft function. Although active surveillance for BKV has been shown to be effective in reducing incidence of BKVN, it should be tailored specifically to that transplant centre based on its epidemiology and outcomes of BKVN, particularly in centres with limited resources.

Intelligent Manufacturing in the Context of Industry 4.0： A Review

Our next generation of industry-lndustry 4.0-holds the promise of increased flexibility in manufacturing, along with mass customization, better quality, and improved productivity. It thus enables companies to cope with the challenges of producing increasingly individualized products with a short lead-time to market and higher quality. Intelligent manufacturing plays an important role in Industry 4.0. Typical resources are converted into intelligent objects so that they are able to sense, act, and behave within a smart environment. In order to fully understand intelligent manufacturing in the context of Industry 4.0, this paper provides a comprehensive review of associated topics such as intelligent manufacturing, Internet of Things （IoT）- enabled manufacturing, and cloud manufacturing. Similarities and differences in these topics are highlighted based on our analysis. We also review key technologies such as the loT, cyber-physical systems （CPSs）, cloud computing, big data analytics （BDA）, and information and communications technology （ICT） that are used to enable intelligent manufacturing. Next, we describe worldwide movements in intelligent manufacturing, including governmental strategic plans from different countries and strategic plans from major international companies in the European Union, United States, Japan, and China. Finally, we present current challenges and future research directions. The concepts discussed in this paper will spark new ideas in the effort to realize the much-anticipated Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Applications of advanced signal processing and machine learning in the neonatal hypoxic-ischemic electroencephalography

Perinatal hypoxic-ischemic-encephalopathy significantly contributes to neonatal death and life-long disability such as cerebral palsy. Advances in signal processing and machine learning have provided the research community with an opportunity to develop automated real-time identification techniques to detect the signs of hypoxic-ischemic-encephalopathy in larger electroencephalography/amplitude-integrated electroencephalography data sets more easily. This review details the recent achievements, performed by a number of prominent research groups across the world, in the automatic identification and classification of hypoxic-ischemic epileptiform neonatal seizures using advanced signal processing and machine learning techniques. This review also addresses the clinical challenges that current automated techniques face in order to be fully utilized by clinicians, and highlights the importance of upgrading the current clinical bedside sampling frequencies to higher sampling rates in order to provide better hypoxic-ischemic biomarker detection frameworks. Additionally, the article highlights that current clinical automated epileptiform detection strategies for human neonates have been only concerned with seizure detection after the therapeutic latent phase of injury. Whereas recent animal studies have demonstrated that the latent phase of opportunity is critically important for early diagnosis of hypoxic-ischemic-encephalopathy electroencephalography biomarkers and although difficult, detection strategies could utilize biomarkers in the latent phase to also predict the onset of future seizures.

Effect of duplex aging on microstructure and mechanical properties of near-βtitanium alloy processed by isothermal multidirectional forging

The effects of sub-transus(α+β)annealing treatment(ST),followed by single aging(SA)or duplex aging(DA)on the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of near-βTi-4Al-1Sn-2Zr-5Mo-8V-2.5Cr(mass fraction,%)alloy were investigated using optical microscopy,scanning electron microscopy,and transmission electron microscopy.The results show that the finer secondaryαphase precipitates in the alloy after DA than SA(e.g.,149 nm for SA and 69 nm for DA,both after ST at 720℃).The main reason is that the pre-aging step(300℃)in the DA process leads to the formation of intermediateωphase nanoparticles,which assist in the nucleation of the acicular secondaryαphase precipitates.In addition,the strength of the alloy after DA is higher than that of SA at the specific ST temperature.A good combination is achieved in the alloy subjected to ST at 750℃,followed by DA(UTS:1450 MPa,EL:3.87%),which is due to the precipitation of nanoscale secondaryαphase by DA.In conclusion,DA is a feasible process for this new near-βtitanium alloy.

Analysis of Longitudinal Profiles along the Eastern Margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Resulting from the collision of the Eurasian and Indian plates, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is commonly known as the ＇roof of the world＇. Collectively the Yarlung Tsangpo, Nu, Laneang, Yangtze, Yalong, and Yellow River basins drain the eastern margin of the plateau. In this paper, we utilize Shuttle Radar Topography Mission elevation data to examine morphometric and relief attributes of these basins to reveal insights rates of incision. A robust into tectonic activity and technique using Maflab is proposed to alleviate errors associated with SRTM data in the derivation of river longitudinal profiles. Convex longitudinal profiles are interpreted to be a product of uplift rates that exceed rates of channel incision along the entire margin of the Qinghai- Tibetan Plateau. Highest relief towards the south reflects extensive fluvial incision. High relief is also prominent along major active faults. Erosion patterns are related to distance from knickpoints. Highest rates of erosion and incision are evident towards the south, with decreasing values towards the north, suggesting a link between tectonic activity and erosion.

Privacy Protection Algorithm for the Internet of Vehicles Based on Local Differential Privacy and Game Model

In recent years,with the continuous advancement of the intelligent process of the Internet of Vehicles(IoV),the problem of privacy leakage in IoV has become increasingly prominent.The research on the privacy protection of the IoV has become the focus of the society.This paper analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of the existing location privacy protection system structure and algorithms,proposes a privacy protection system structure based on untrusted data collection server,and designs a vehicle location acquisition algorithm based on a local differential privacy and game model.The algorithm first meshes the road network space.Then,the dynamic game model is introduced into the game user location privacy protection model and the attacker location semantic inference model,thereby minimizing the possibility of exposing the regional semantic privacy of the k-location set while maximizing the availability of the service.On this basis,a statistical method is designed,which satisfies the local differential privacy of k-location sets and obtains unbiased estimation of traffic density in different regions.Finally,this paper verifies the algorithm based on the data set of mobile vehicles in Shanghai.The experimental results show that the algorithm can guarantee the user’s location privacy and location semantic privacy while satisfying the service quality requirements,and provide better privacy protection and service for the users of the IoV.

The Characteristic Relationship Between Oil Uptake and Moisture Content during the High Temperature Immersion Frying of Thin Potato Crisps

Thin potato crisps (2mm) were fried at 170℃, 180℃ and 190℃ for varioustimes from 10s to 180s inclusive. It was found that definite oil uptake, moisture loss trends existduring the frying process. No significant difference in the oil uptake or moisture loss ratesbetween flat-cut and ridge-cut crisps exists. Also found in this study was that an increased oiltemperature promoted higher moisture loss rates. In turn, the higher moisture loss rates contributedto a higher oil uptake rate. It was found, based on the volumetric plots of oil content υs. watercontent, that the oil uptake rate was proportional to the moisture loss rate. As a result, it hasbeen shown that there is a possibility of having a characteristic curve of oil uptake againstmoisture content.

Curriculum Innovation in Language Teacher Education:Reflections on the PGDELT Program’s Contributions to EFL Teachers’Continuing Professional Development

Initial teacher preparation and teachers’ continuing professional development are two significant pillars of the teacher education enterprise. The former encompasses a wide range of teachereducation initiatives at the levels of diploma, bachelor’s degree, postgraduate diploma, and even master’s degree for teacher licensure purposes. These are widely documented in the literature.What is important is how teacher professional development contributes to bolstering the teachereducator force, which is relatively insufficiently documented due to the very fact that different educational systems have somewhat different expectations of such programs in relation to the ideologies and theories underpinning the teacher professional development program design and curriculum offering. Taking stock of a postgraduate diploma program in English language teaching(PGDELT) for teachers’ continuing professional development with a 31-year history housed at a premier teacher education institution in Singapore, which has successfully graduated over 1, 000 English language teachers for colleges and universities in China, I intend to highlight some of its key features, as a former student and then a lecturer on the program, in order to draw implications for sustainable growth of language teacher education programs, especially those whose main purposes are to prepare teachers of English as a second or foreign language(ESL/EFL) and provide continuing professional development opportunities for such inservice teachers.

Modulating the microenvironment structure of single Zn atom:ZnN_(4)P/C active site for boosted oxygen reduction reaction

The electronic structure of catalytic active sites can be influenced by modulating the coordination bonding of the central single metal atom,but it is difficult to achieve.Herein,we reported the single Zn-atom incorporated dual doped P,N carbon framework(Zn-N_(4)P/C)for ORR via engineering the surrounding coordination environment of active centers.The Zn-N_(4)P/C catalyst exhibited comparable ORR activity(E_(1/2)=0.86 V)and significantly better ORR stability than that of Pt/C catalyst.It also shows respectable performance in terms of maximum peak power density(249.6 mW cm^(-2)),specific capacitance(779 mAh g^(-1)),and charge-discharge cycling stability for 150 hours in Zn-air battery.The high catalytic activity is attributed to the uniform active sites,tunable electronic/geometric configuration,optimized intrinsic activity,and faster mass transfer during ORR-pathway.Further,theoretical results exposed that the Zn-N_(4)P configuration is more electrochemically active as compared to Zn-N_(4) structure for the oxygen reduction reaction.

Local wavelet-based filtering of electromyographic signals to eliminate the electrocardiographic-induced artifacts in patients with spinal cord injury

Surface Electromyography (EMG) is a standard method used in clinical practice and research to assess motor function in order to help with the diagnosis of neuromuscular pathology in human and animal models. EMG recorded from trunk muscles involved in the activity of breathing can be used as a direct measure of respiratory motor function in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) or other disorders associated with motor control deficits. However, EMG potentials recorded from these muscles are often contaminated with heart-induced electrocardiographic (ECG) signals. Elimination of these artifacts plays a critical role in the precise measure of the respiratory muscle electrical activity. This study was undertaken to find an optimal approach to eliminate the ECG artifacts from EMG recordings. Conventional global filtering can be used to decrease the ECG-induced artifact. However, this method can alter the EMG signal and changes physiologically relevant information. We hypothesize that, unlike global filtering, localized removal of ECG artifacts will not change the original EMG signals. We develop an approach to remove the ECG artifacts without altering the amplitude and frequency components of the EMG signal by using an externally recorded ECG signal as a mask to locate areas of the ECG spikes within EMG data. These segments containing ECG spikes were decomposed into 128 sub-wavelets by a custom-scaled Morlet Wavelet Transform. The ECG-related subwavelets at the ECG spike location were removed and a de-noised EMG signal was reconstructed. Validity of the proposed method was proven using mathematical simulated synthetic signals and EMG obtained from SCI patients. We compare the Rootmean Square Error and the Relative Change in Variance between this method, global, notch and adaptive filters. The results show that the localized wavelet-based filtering has the benefit of not introducing error in the native EMG signal and accurately removing ECG artifacts from EMG signals.

Degradation and recovery of alpine meadow catenas in the source zone of the Yellow River,Western China

Process interactions on catenas have supported grazing adapted ecosystems and sustained biodiversity values in the source zone of the Yellow River in western China for millennia.In recent decades,anthropogenic disturbance and climate change have threatened the integrity of these systems,impacting upon environmental values and their capacity to sustain local livelihoods.Collaborations between local experts and a team of international researchers during a workshop and field excursion to this area in July 2019 developed a cross-disciplinary,process-based model of alpine meadow catenas.This paper relates the contemporary health of these grassland-wetland systems to their‘best achievable state’under prevailing boundary conditions,differentiating stages of degradation and recovery in relation to climate and land use changes.Recovery is underway for alpine meadow catenas at Maqin.Reduced land use pressures(stocking rates)and longer growing seasons have enhanced grasslandwetland conditions.However,recovery prospects are limited for local areas of extremely degraded grasslands(heitutan),as breached abiotic thresholds have resulted in soil and nutrient loss and reduced capacity for water retention.While lagomorphs and rodents act as ecosystem engineers when alpine meadows are in a healthy state,irruptions locally increase the proportion of bare ground and inhibit recovery potential.Management options that support recovery of alpine meadows are presented for differing stages of degradation.

Model-Based Identification of Mechanical Characteristics of Sinosaurus(Theropoda) Crests

The paired cranial crests of Sinosaurus （Theropoda） have been hypothesized as too weak to resist mechanical loads during combat. Finite element analysis （FEA） is used to test this hypothesis, first with geometry obtained through direct laser scanning of a well-preserved fossil of the crest, and then with two conceptual FE models of both crests analyzing the structure-deformation effects of fenestration. In the original fossil model, under direct loading on the dorsal faces of the crest, we found that the areas surrounding cavities on the crest experience shear stress that implies a high chance of material failure - the fracture of bone. In the conceptual model, a series of computational studies were conducted with varying loading directions. One simulation found that the shear stress and strain in the material around the cavity presented more deformation compared with the conceptual model without the cavities, and under this morphologically realistic scenario the loading conditions would result in local bone fractures. These model-based computational results indicate that the crest could not resist high loads, because it could not effectively decentralize the loading stress. Future investigations need to focus on more comprehensive computational experiments with more conditions, e.g. dynamical loading conditions, and direct palaeontological evidence.

Applications and research trends of digital human models in the manufacturing industry

Virtual reality(VR)has been widely used in various manufacturing industries,and VR-based virtual manufacturing has received significant attention in the current intelligent manufacturing era.Digital human models(DHMs)are essential for virtual manufacturing applications.Additionally,researching new applications of DHMs has developed into an important academic research field.This paper aims to identify the applications and research trends of DHMs in the manufacturing industry and to provide a reference for the continued development of virtual manufacturing and DHMs.We selected a total of 49 related articles from a large number of articles published between 2014 and 2019.The applications of DHMs in the manufacturing industry are analyzed from different perspectives and various relevant technical limitations are discussed.The results indicate that the applications of DHMs differ significantly between different types of fields.The automotive industry is the main application field for DHMs,and assembly/maintenance simulations and evaluations are the main application types.Additionally,there are still some limitations in the establishment of virtual environments,motion control,and DHM evaluation that should be addressed.Finally,research trends in the application of DHMs are illustrated and discussed,including the planning and assessment of human-robot collaboration systems,the combination of DHMs and augmented reality,and improved motion planning for DHMs.In summary,the application of DHMs can improve the realism and effectiveness of virtual manufacturing,and DHMs will be more widely and deeply studied and applied in various manufacturing industries in the near future.

Processability of Biobased Thermoset Resins and Flax Fibres Reinforcements Using Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Moulding

Biocomposite panels consisting of biobased thermoset resins (EP, PU, UP, and tannin) and flax fibre reinforcements were produced using the vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding process. Panels based on a conventional chemical-based resin matrix were also produced, and investigated comparatively. Rheometric analyses were performed to evaluate the suitability of these resins for liquid composite moulding. Tensile, shear, and impactbending tests have been carried out to assess the quality and mechanical performance of manufactured laminates. The impregnation quality was assessed by means of ultrasonic-C-scanning and microscopy. It turned out that the properties of the biobased composite panels made of biobased epoxy resin and a biobased UP-resin from the company Nuplex in New Zealand were onlay slightly inferior to those produced with a conventional epoxy resin. A biobased PU-resin from the company USSC in the USA developed voids during curing. A tannin-based resin containing of formaldehyde was not processable.

Residue behaviors and dietary risk of cyazofamid in turnip,onion and romaine lettuce assessed by a QuEChERS-LC-MS/MS methods

In this study, the dissipation, terminal residues and dietary risk of the cyazofamid residue in three globally consumed minor crops, turnip(Brassica rapa L.), onion(Allium cepa L.)and romaine lettuce(Lactuca sativa L.)were assessed by supervised field trials at 6 locations of China in 2020. A reliable QuEChERS-LC-MS/MS method was developed for simultaneous analysis of cyazofamid and its primary metabolite, 4-chloro-5-p-tolylimidazole-2-carbonitrile(CCIM). The average recoveries of cyazofamid and CCIM in turnip, onion and romaine lettuce were 79%–97% and 77%–99%, respectively. The half-lives of cyazofamid in these crops were 5.7–6.5, 5.3–8.7 and 5.8–6.5 days in turnip, onion and romaine lettuce, respectively, with the final cyazofamid residues at harvest all lower than limit of quantitation(LOQ, 0.01 mg/kg). The turnip roots, onion bulbs and romaine lettuce leaves grown in China under Good Agricultural Practices conditions and harvested 10, 14 and 5 days, respectively, after the cyazofamid SC(100 g/L)application, would be reasonably safe for consumption by the general population. The maximum residue limit(MRL)values of cyazofamid could be tentatively set as 10 mg/kg for turnip leaves, 0.3 mg/kg for turnip roots, 0.05 mg/kg for onion bulbs, and 10 mg/kg for romaine lettuce leaves.