Contrafreeloading (CFL) refers to animals’ tendency to prefer obtaining food through effort rather than accessing food that is freely available. Researchers have proposed various hypotheses to explain this intriguing phenomenon, but few studies have provided a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing this behaviour. In this study, we observed the choice of alternative food containers in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) to investigate their CFL tendencies and the effects of pre-training, food deprivation, and effort required on the CFL tasks. The results showed that budgerigars did not exhibit significant difference in their first choices or the time interacting with less challenging versus more challenging food containers. Moreover, when evaluating each budgerigar’s CFL level, only half of them were identified as strong contrafreeloaders. Thus, we suggest that budgerigars exhibit an intermediate CFL level that lies somewhere between a strong tendency and the absence of such behaviour. Furthermore, we also found that food-deprived budgerigars tended to select less challenging food containers, and pre-trained budgerigars were more likely to choose highly challenging food containers than moderately challenging food containers, which means that the requirement of only a reasonable effort (access to food from moderately challenging food containers in this study) and the experience of pre-training act to enhance their CFL levels, whereas the requirement of greater effort and the experience of food deprivation act to decrease their CFL levels. Studying animal CFL can help understand why animals choose to expend effort to obtain food rather than accessing it for free, and it also has implications for setting feeding environments to enhance the animal welfare of captive and domesticated animals.

An advanced deformable Kirkpatrick–Baez (K-B) mirror system was developed, equipped with high-speed piezoelectric actuators, and designed to induce beam decoherence and significantly enhance the quality of X-ray imaging by minimizing undesirable speckles in synchrotron radiation or free-electron laser facilities. Each individual mirror is engineered with 36 independent piezoelectric actuators that operate in a randomized manner, orchestrating the mirror surface to oscillate at a high frequency up to 100 kHz. Through in situ imaging single-slit diffraction measurement, it has been demonstrated that this high-frequency-vibration mirror system is pivotal in disrupting the coherent nature, thereby diminishing speckle formation. The impact of the K-B mirror system is profound, with the capability to reduce the image contrast to as low as 0.04, signifying a substantial reduction in speckle visibility. Moreover, the coherence of the X-ray beam is significantly lowered from an initial value exceeding 80% to 13%.

Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease caused by Eimeria spp., and the emergence of drug resistance has seriously affected the control of the disease. Using RNA-seq, we previously found that phosphoglycerate kinase of Eimeria tenella (EtPGK) was differentially downregulated in diclazuril-resistant (DZR) and maduramicin-resistant (MRR) strains compared with drug-sensitive (DS) strain. In this study, we further analysed the characteristics and functions of EtPGK to find the possible mechanism of drug resistance of E. tenella. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot found that EtPGK was highly expressed in sporulated oocysts, followed by sporozoites and second-generation merozoites of E. tenella. Indirect immunofluorescence localization showed that EtPGK was located mainly in the cytoplasm and on the surface of the parasites. Invasion inhibition assays showed that anti-rEtPGK antibody significantly inhibited the invasion of parasites. Further studies using qRT-PCR and western blot found that the transcription and translation levels of EtPGK were downregulated in both resistant (DZR and MRR) strains compared with the DS strain, and the transcription level correlated negatively with the drug concentration. The enzyme activity assay revealed that EtPGK enzyme activity was decreased in the DZR strain compared with the DS strain. qRT-PCR revealed that the mRNA transcription level of EtPGK was significantly downregulated in the field DZR strain and salinomycin-resistant strain compared with the DS strain. These results suggested that EtPGK has other important roles that are separate and distinct from its function in glycolysis, and it might be involved in the development of drug resistance of E. tenella.

Previous animal studies found beneficial effects of choline and betaine on maternal glucose metabolism during pregnancy, but few human studies explored the association between choline or betaine intake and incident gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We aimed to explore the correlation of dietary choline or betaine intake with GDM risk among Chinese pregnant women. A total of 168 pregnant women with GDM cases and 375 healthy controls were enrolled at the Seventh People’s Hospital in Shanghai during their GDM screening at 24–28 gestational weeks. A validated semi-quantitative FFQ was used to estimate choline and betaine consumption through face-to-face interviews. An unconditional logistic regression model was adopted to examine OR and 95 % CI. Compared with the controls, those women with GDM incidence were likely to have higher pre-pregnancy BMI, be older, have more parities and have higher plasma TAG and lower plasma HDL-cholesterol. No significant correlation was observed between the consumption of choline or betaine and incident GDM (adjusted OR (95 % CI), 0·77 (0·41, 1·43) for choline; 0·80 (0·42, 1·52) for betaine). However, there was a significant interaction between betaine intake and parity on the risk of GDM (Pfor interaction = 0·01). Among those women with no parity history, there was a significantly inverse correlation between betaine intake and GDM risk (adjusted OR (95 % CI), 0·25 (0·06, 0·81)). These findings indicated that higher dietary betaine intake during pregnancy might be considered a protective factor for GDM among Chinese women with no parity history.

The assessment of seed quality and physiological potential is essential in seed production and crop breeding. In the process of rapid detection of seed viability using tetrazolium (TZ) staining, it is necessary to spend a lot of labour and material resources to explore the pretreatment and staining methods of hard and solid seeds with physical barriers. This study explores the TZ staining methods of six hard seeds (Tilia miqueliana, Tilia henryana, Sassafras tzumu, Prunus subhirtella, Prunus sibirica, and Juglans mandshurica) and summarizes the TZ staining conditions required for hard seeds by combining the difference in fat content between seeds and the kinship between species, thus providing a rapid viability test method for the protection of germplasm resources of endangered plants and the optimization of seed bank construction. The TZ staining of six species of hard seeds requires a staining temperature above 35 °C and a TZ solution concentration higher than 1%. Endospermic seeds require shorter staining times than exalbuminous seeds. The higher the fat content of the seeds, the lower the required incubation temperature and TZ concentration for staining, and the longer the staining time. And the closer the relationship between the two species, the more similar their staining conditions become. The TZ staining method of similar species can be predicted according to the genetic distance between the phylogenetic trees, and the viability of new species can be detected quickly.

Spermatogenesis is a developmental process driven by interactions between germ cells and Sertoli cells. This process depends on appropriate gene expression, which might be regulated by transcription factors. This study focused on Rreb1, a zinc finger transcription factor, and explored its function and molecular mechanisms in spermatogenesis in a mouse model. Our results showed that RREB1 was predominantly expressed in the Sertoli cells of the testis. The decreased expression of RREB1 following injection of siRNA caused impaired Sertoli cell development, which was characterized using a defective blood–testis barrier structure and decreased expression of Sertoli cell functional maturity markers; its essential trigger might be SMAD3 destabilization. The decreased expression of RREB1 in mature Sertoli cells influenced the cell structure and function, which resulted in abnormal spermatogenesis, manifested as oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, and we believe RREB1 plays this role by regulating the transcription of Fshr and Wt1. RREB1 has been reported to activate Fshr transcription, and we demonstrated that the knockdown of Rreb1 caused a reduction in follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) in the testis, which could be the cause of the increased sperm malformation. Furthermore, we confirmed that RREB1 directly activates Wt1 promoter activity, and RREB1 downregulation induced the decreased expression of Wt1 and its downstream polarity-associated genes Par6b and E-cadherin, which caused increased germ-cell death and reduced sperm number and motility. In conclusion, RREB1 is a key transcription factor essential for Sertoli cell development and function and is required for normal spermatogenesis.

Essential oils (including carvacrol, CAR) have been used in the medicinal and health field because of their broad-spectrum antibacterial activities. However, the volatility and pungent odor are still the greatest obstacles to wider application. The purpose of the present study was to address those problems by encapsulating the antibacterial CAR in palygorskite (Plg) by integrating it into Pickering emulsions with complex coacervation. The CAR in Pickering emulsion was formed firstly by stabilization with the CAR-modified Plg; then, the emulsion droplets were embedded and fixed in the microcapsule through the subsequent complex coacervation process, which occurred between the quaternary ammonium salt of chitooligosaccharides (HACC) and sodium alginate (SA) via calcium ions. The microcapsules obtained were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results demonstrated that the microcapsules presented a nearly sphere-like shape with a mean diameter of 3.5 mm but had a porous interior structure. The Plg plays multiple roles in the preparation process, including increasing the emulsion stability, improving the encapsulation efficiency of CAR, and the thermostability of microcapsules. The microcapsules showed remarkable antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and inhibition rates toward E. coli and S. aureus reached 100% when the microcapsules were encapsulated with 15 or 20% of CAR, respectively. The microcapsules obtained could be used as antibacterial agents in food preservatives, animal feed, and other health-related consumer products.

Hydrophobicity, swellability, and dispersion are important properties for organo-montmorillonites (OMnt) and have yet to be fully characterized for all OMnt configurations. The purpose of the present work was to examine the preparation of OMnt from the reaction of Ca2+-montmorillonite (Ca2+-Mnt) with a high concentration of surfactant and to reveal the relevant properties of hydrophobicity and dispersion of the resultant OMnt. A series of OMnt samples were prepared using a small amount of water and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) with a concentration more than the CTAB critical micelle concentration (CMC). The relationship between OMnt microstructure and the hydrophobicity and swellability properties was investigated in detail. The resulting OMnt samples were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric and differential thermogravimetry (TG-DTG), water contact angle tests, swelling indices, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The addition of CTAB and water in the OMnt preparation affected the OMnt microstructure and properties. An increase in CTAB concentration led to a more ordered arrangement of cetyltrimethylammonium (CTA+) cations in the interlayer space of the OMnt and a large amount of CTA+ cations on the outer surfaces of the OMnt. The swelling indices and the water contact angles of OMnt samples depended on the distribution of the CTAB surfactant on OMnt and the orientation of the surfactant hydrophilic groups on the inner and on the outer surfaces of OMnt. A maximum swelling index of 39 mL/g in xylene was achieved with an average water contact angle of 62.0° ± 2.0° when the amount of CTAB added was 2 times the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of Mnt and the lowest water to dry Mnt mass ratio was 3 during the preparation of OMnt samples. The platelets of OMnt aggregated together in xylene by electrostatic attraction and by hydrophobic interactions.

The efficient separation of hexane isomers from the light naphtha fraction is a significant challenge in the petrochemical industry. 5A zeolite adsorbent is used commercially to sieve alkane isomers. In this study, 5A zeolites were synthesized using a low-cost natural clay mineral precursor, i.e. palygorskite (PAL), with the addition of crystallization directing agent (CDA). By varying the mass ratio of CDA/deionized water, 5A zeolites were obtained as CDA-5%, CDA-7.5%, and CDA-10%. All products were submicron particles with an average particle size of 400–800 nm. A sieving test of CDA-induced 5A zeolites was carried out on hexane adsorbates including n-hexane (nHEX), 2-methylpentane (2MP), and 3-methylpentane (3MP). According to vapor-phase batch adsorption experiments, a significant equilibrium amount (0.149 g/g) of nHEX and only 0.0321 g/g 2MP and 0.0416 g/g 3MP were adsorbed on the 5A zeolite product with CDA-5%. The dynamic adsorption performance of 5A zeolite (CDA-5%) was evaluated by breakthrough curves of binary mixtures of nHEX/2MP and nHEX/3MP. Palygorskite 5A (PAL 5A) zeolite achieved maximum dynamic adsorption capacities of nHEX (0.16 g/g in both cases) at 200°C and 1.2 MPa total pressure. This work provided an economic alternative for the synthesis of 5A zeolites using natural clay minerals instead of chemical raw materials.

Acid-activated bentonites are utilized in many applications, including those that depend on their rheological properties and behavior, but little information is available regarding the rheological characteristics of this important industrial material. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of solids concentration, salt concentration, and pH value on the shear rate, shear stress, and other flow parameters of acid-activated bentonite suspensions. Activated Na-bentonite was prepared using sulfuric acid. Flow curves of the suspensions were modeled using the Herschel-Bulkley equation, which performed well for this system. The Herschel-Bulkley yield stress increased with the solids concentration and showed a maximum and minimum at the NaCl concentrations of 0.001 M and 0.01 M, respectively, and increased again slightly with further increases in NaCl concentration. The yield stress was at a maximum and a minimum at pH values of ≈5 and ≈7, respectively, followed by a slight increase with pH under alkaline conditions. The variations in dispersion rheological properties can be attributed to the change in the particle-association modes under different conditions.

In order to establish a compact all-optical Thomson scattering source, experimental studies were conducted on the 45 TW Ti: sapphire laser facility. By including a steel wafer, mixed gas, and plasma mirror into a double-exit jet, several mechanisms, such as shock-assisted ionization injection, ionization injection, and driving laser reflection, were integrated into one source. So, the source of complexity was remarkably reduced. Electron bunches with central energy fluctuating from 90 to 160 MeV can be produced. Plasma mirrors were used to reflect the driving laser. The scattering of the reflected laser on the electron bunches led to the generation of X-ray photons. Through comparing the X-ray spots under different experimental conditions, it is confirmed that the X-ray photons are generated by Thomson scattering. For further application, the energy spectra and source size of the Thomson scattering source were measured. The unfolded spectrum contains a large amount of low-energy photons besides a peak near 67 keV. Through importing the electron energy spectrum into the Monte Carlo simulation code, the different contributions of the photons with small and large emitting angles can be used to explain the origin of the unfolded spectrum. The maximum photon energy extended to about 500 keV. The total photon production was 107/pulse. The FWHM source size was about 12 μm.

Montmorillonite (Mnt)-based solid acids have a wide range of applications in catalysis and adsorption of pollutants. For such solid acids, the acidic characteristic often plays a significant role in these applications. The objective of the current study was to examine the effects of H3PO4-activation and supporting WO3 on the textural structure and surface acidic properties of Mnt. The Mnt-based solid acid materials were prepared by H3PO4 treatment and an impregnation method with a solution of ammonium metatungstate (AMT) and were examined as catalysts in the dehydration of glycerol to acrolein. The catalysts were characterized by nitrogen adsorption-desorption, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), diffuse reflectance ultraviolet-visible (DR UV-Vis) spectroscopy, temperature programmed desorption of NH3 (NH3-TPD), diffuse reflectance Fourier-transform infrared (DR FTIR) spectroscopy of adsorbed pyridine, and thermogravimetric (TG) analyses. The phosphoric acid treatment of Mnt created Brönsted and Lewis acid sites and led to increases in specific surface areas, porosity, and acidity. WO3 species influenced total acidity, acid strength, the numbers of Brönsted and Lewis acid sites, and catalytic performances. A high turnover frequency (TOF) value (31.2 h−1) based on a maximal 60.7% yield of acrolein was reached. The correlation of acrolein yield with acidic properties indicated that the cooperative role of Brönsted and Lewis acid sites was beneficial to the formation of acrolein and a little coke deposition (<3.3 wt.%). This work provides a new idea for the design of solid acid catalysts with cooperative Brönsted and Lewis acidity for the dehydration of glycerol.

The objective of this study was to understand and measure epigenetic changes associated with the occurrence of CHDs by utilizing the discordant monozygotic twin model. A unique set of monozygotic twins discordant for double-outlet right ventricles (DORVs) was used for this multiomics study. The cardiac and muscle tissue samples from the twins were subjected to whole genome sequencing, whole genome bisulfite sequencing, RNA-sequencing and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Sporadic DORV cases and control fetuses were used for validation. Global hypomethylation status was observed in heart tissue samples from the affected twins. Among 36,228 differentially methylated regions (DMRs), 1097 DMRs involving 1039 genes were located in promoter regions. A total of 419 genes, and lncRNA–mRNA pairs involved 30 genes, and 62 proteins were significantly differentially expressed. Multiple omics integrative analysis revealed that five genes, including BGN, COL1A1, COL3A1, FBLN5, and FLAN, and three pathways, including ECM-receptor interaction, focal adhesion and TGF-β signaling pathway, exhibited differences at all three levels. This study demonstrates a multiomics profile of discordant twins and explores the possible mechanism of DORV development. Global hypomethylation might be associated with the risk of CHDs. Specific genes and specific pathways, particularly those involving ECM–receptor interaction, focal adhesion and TGF–β signaling, might be involved in the occurrence of CHDs.

We develop a high-fidelity multi-physics model and, by using it, study the energy conversion process of a piezohydroelastic flag. Instead of a regular flag with a clamped upstream leading edge, we use an inverted flag so as to make the best of fluid elastic instability for energy harvesting. Moreover, different from many previous studies where a resistor–capacitor (RC) circuit is usually used, we adopt a resistor–inductor–capacitor (RLC) circuit for electricity generation. The influences of several key parameters associated with fluid, structure and electric dynamics are studied. Significantly different response modes are identified, among which the symmetric- and asymmetric-flutter modes are most suitable for sustainable energy harvesting, both emerging with moderate bending stiffness. If only deploying the RC circuit, increasing the resistance makes the flag more stable. By adding an inductor to turn the RC circuit into an RLC one, we observe the occurrence of ‘lock-in’ between the flag frequency and the circuit frequency as first reported on a regular flag by Xia et al. (Phys. Rev. Appl., vol. 3, 2015, 014009). This phenomenon can significantly enhance the energy output, but it only happens when the circuit resistance is sufficiently large. From a derivation based on dynamic mode decomposition analysis, we further identify an optimal condition for maximizing the energy output, which can serve as a guideline to determine whether deploying an inductor can boost the performance, and, if yes, the required inductance. The findings from this study can better guide the design of flow-induced-vibration-based piezoelectric energy harvesters for microelectronic devices.