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Oxidation of thiol proteins and redox signaling occur in cells exposed to H 2 O 2 but mechanisms are unclear. We used redox proteomics to seek evidence of oxidation of specific proteins either by a mechanism involving reaction of H 2 O 2 with CO 2 /bicarbonate to give the more reactive peroxymonocarbonate, or via a relay involving peroxiredoxins (Prdxs). Changes in oxidation state of specific Cys-SH residues on treating Jurkat T lymphoma cells with H 2 O 2 were measured by isotopically labeling reduced thiols and analysis by mass spectrometry. The effects of bicarbonate and of knocking out either Prdx1 or Prdx2 were examined. Approximately 14,000 Cys-peptides were detected, of which ∼1 % underwent 2–10 fold loss in thiol content with H 2 O 2. Those showing the most oxidation were not affected by the presence of bicarbonate or knockout of either Prdx. Consistent with previous evidence that bicarbonate potentiates inactivation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, the GAPDH active site Cys residues were significantly more sensitive to H 2 O 2 when bicarbonate was present. Several other proteins were identified as promising candidates for further investigation. Although we identified some potential protein candidates for Prdx-dependent oxidation, most of the significant differences between KO and WT cells were seen in proteins for which H 2 O 2 unexpectedly increased their CysSH content over untreated cells. We conclude that facilitation of protein oxidation by bicarbonate or Prdx-mediated relays is restricted to a small number of proteins and is insufficient to explain the majority of the oxidation of the cell thiols that occured in response to H 2 O 2. [Display omitted] • The effect of 100 μM H 2 O 2 (20 nM/106 cells) on the reduced thiol proteome of Jurkat cells was determined. • More than 2-fold loss in -SH was seen for ∼1 % of 14,000 Cys-peptides. • Most changes were independent of bicarbonate. • Oxidation of GAPDH and several other proteins was enhanced by bicarbonate. • Proteins showing the most oxidation were not affected by knockout of Prdx1 or Prdx2. • No compelling evidence for new Prdx-mediated redox relays was revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Introduction The mechanism underlying the relationship between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and minerals (serum calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc), vitamins (25-OH vitamin D, vitamin A1 [retinol], B9 [folic acid], B12, C) is unclear. Methods In a two-step Mendelian randomization analysis, the association between positive nutritional elements and 3935 magnetic resonance images (MRI) phenotypes was examined, and the mediation proportion was calculated. Horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity of MR were assessed using MR-Egger, Cochran's Q test, MR-PRESSO. RESULTS: 25-OH vitamin D (P  = 0.0019, OR = 0.6179, 95% CI = 0.4562–0.8368, inverse weighted variance [IVW]) is negatively associated with AD among 10 nutrients. The mediation proportion of the effect of vitamin D on AD mediated by IDP_dMRI_TBSS_L3_Superior_fronto-occipital_fasciculus_L was ∼7.08%. Discussion Our results support 25-OH vitamin D as a causal protective factor for Alzheimer disease. It was found that the Superior_fronto-occipital_fasciculus_L may play a minimal mediating role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Multiple scattering poses a fundamental limitation in deep imaging, especially for high-resolution optical imaging methods. The amalgamation of reflection matrix measurements and optical coherence tomography (OCT) has afforded significant advantages for deep imaging through highly scattering media. To empirically exhibit the superior performance of reflection matrix OCT (RMOCT), this study proposes a unique method to ascertain the actual resolutions at each imaging point. In contrast to conventional theoretical lateral resolutions, these resolutions are derived by applying time-reversal decomposition to the time-gated reflection matrix. Moreover, the concept of contribution rate, which quantifies the imaging contributions for each point, is introduced by considering the local imaging point itself and its neighboring points. The contribution rate provides a quantitative evaluation of the imaging quality afforded by a system. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the comprehensive assessment of the practical performance of RMOCT in terms of actual resolving power and imaging quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Peroxiredoxins are important regulators of cellular peroxide metabolism. As antioxidants, they restrict oxidation of other cell proteins, but as signaling molecules they can act as sensors and promote thiol protein oxidation via a redox relay mechanism. The presence of peroxiredoxins could therefore influence other thiol proteins, even in cells experiencing endogenous redox activity. To investigate this for the two cytoplasmic peroxiredoxins, Prdx1 and Prdx2, we have compared the thiol proteome of wildtype Jurkat cells with cells in which either one was knocked out. Using mass spectrometry and isotope tagging, approximately 10,000 common CysSH-containing peptides were detected for each WT/KO comparison. Knockout of Prdx1 or Prdx2 resulted in a change in redox state of a small selection of Cys residues, with less than 100 giving more than a 2-fold difference. Strikingly, a large proportion of these, including those that showed the greatest change, were common to both KOs. Some Cys residues showed more oxidation in the knockouts, whereas others showed less. The candidate proteins have diverse functions and have not been known to be oxidant sensitive. No differences were seen in redox state of Cys residues of other Prdxs and oxidant sensitive proteins. A change in expression in Prdx2 knockout cells was indicated for seven cytoskeletal or regulatory thiol proteins, three of which were tested and validated by western blotting. Little firm evidence was found for thiol redox changes dependent on either Prdx that could be attributed to oxidation via a relay mechanism. [Display omitted] • Redox proteomics was used to compare levels of reduced Cys residues in wildtype and Prdx1 or Prdx knockout Jurkat cells. • Less than 1 % of the 10,000 Cys-containing peptides detected showed changes. • A large proportion of changes were common to both knockouts. • No strong evidence for knockout of one of the Prdxs affecting the redox state of other Cys proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most prevalent malignancy worldwide, with high incidence and poor survival rates. RBP1 is highly expressed in several kinds of cancer and plays a potential prognostic factor. However, the relationship between RBP1 and HNSCC were analyzed based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Materials and methods: RBP1 expression and clinical information were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Tumor tissue and adjacent normal tissue of 6 HNSCC patients were collected to analyze the RBP1 mRNA expression level by quantitative PCR. Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the prognostic values of RBP1 and clinical data in HNSCC. A nomogram was also established to predict the impact of RBP1 on prognosis based on Cox multivariate results. The methylation level of RBP1 in HNSC and its prognosis were analyzed in UALACN and MethSurv. Finally, the potential biological functions of RBP1 were investigated using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and single sample GSEA (ssGSEA). Results: The mRNA expression levels of RBP1 were highly expressed in HNSCC tissue. The Cox analyses demonstrate that highly-expressed RBP1 is an independent prognosis marker(P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that performances of RBP1 (area under the ROC curve: 0.887, sensitivity: 84.1%, specificity: 79.9%). The methylation was increased in HNSCC patients compared with normal subjects(P < 0.05) and was associated with better prognosis at sites cg06208339, cg12298268, cg12497564, cg15288618, cg20532370, cg23448348. Additionally, RBP1 expression is mildly associated with immune cell infiltration and immunological checkpoints. Conclusion: RBP1 is overexpressed and associated with poor patient prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Purpose: This study aims to help scholars comprehend the major research themes on sustainable development goals (SDGs) in higher education which researchers from various fields have explored and to propose several potential future research directions of the least researched SDG in higher education to support scholars in making up the gap in the field. Design/methodology/approach: The authors adopted a bibliometric analysis method to review the extant literature from the Web of Science on SDGs in higher education from 2015 to 2023 and took a closer examination of the most researched SDGs discussed by scholars. This study specifically concentrated on studies that explicitly mentioned the term "Sustainable Development Goal" (or "SDG") and applied VOSviewer to cluster common keywords of the most researched SDGs and explored related themes. Also, this study provided several potential future research directions of least researched SDG in higher education. Findings: SDGs 3 and 4 were the most researched, and SDG 15 was the least researched. The three major themes of SDG 3 were Adult Issues of Sustainability, South Africa Issues of Sustainability, and Relationship between SDG 3 and SDG 4. The three major themes of SDG 4 were the Role of Universities in Sustainability, Sustainability during Covid-19, and Challenges of Implementation. Originality/value: This study provided several potential future research directions of the least researched SDG in higher education to support scholars to make up the gap in the field. Also, this study pointed out some pedagogical strategies and competencies needed to aid higher education institutions in achieving the 17 SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Indium is considered a candidate low-temperature solder because of its low melting temperature and excellent mechanical properties. However, the solid-state microstructure evolution of In with different substrates has rarely been studied due to the softness of In. To overcome this difficulty, cryogenic broad Ar+ beam ion polishing was used to produce an artifact-free Cu/In interface for observation. In this study, we accomplished phase identification and microstructure investigation at the Cu/In interface after long-term thermal aging. CuIn2 was observed to grow at the Cu/In interface and proved to be a stable phase in the Cu–In binary system. The peritectoid temperature of the Cu11In9 + In → CuIn2 reaction was confirmed to be between 100 and 120 °C. In addition, the growth rate of CuIn2 was discovered to be dominated by the curvature of the reactant Cu11In9/In phase and the temperature difference with the peritectoid temperature. Finally, a comprehensive microstructural evolution mechanism of the Cu/In solid-state interfacial reaction was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The tectonic evolution of the Altyn Tagh Fault (ATF) remains controversial during the Tertiary. Qaidam Basin is the largest and highest plateau inland basin inside the Tibet Plateau. Sediments in the basin provide sedimentary records of the evolution history of its surrounding orogens, such as the ATF, located on the northwest margin of the Qaidam Basin. Comprehensive analyses of sandstone petrography, heavy mineral assemblages, and mineral geochemistry were adopted to effectively indicate the tectonic evolution history of ATF. The result indicates that the sediments in a wide range of the northwestern Qaidam Basin (e.g., the Xichagou section, the Yueyashan section) were derived from the Altyn Mountains. The increasing immaturity of sediments, increased denudation, and sedimentation processes from the early-middle Miocene to the Pliocene can be explained by the active tectonic setting of the ATF. During the early Miocene (ca. 22 Ma), there was an abrupt change in the heavy mineral composition of sediments in the northwestern Qaidam Basin. This change may be attributed to the large-scale slip motion along the ATF. Therefore, ~22 Ma is the key transforming period of the ATF system. On the foundation of the above, we suggest a two-stage evolution model of the ATF during the Tertiary: (1) From the late Eocene to the Oligocene, the tectonic setting of the ATF was relatively calm; (2) During the early Miocene period, the ATF underwent large-scale tectonic activation. It is likely to be a strike-slip tectonic activity, accompanied by an uplift of the Altyn Mountains. The active tectonic setting of the ATF was sustained after the Miocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Metal parts with highly dynamic areas often appear in industrial production measurements. However, if the traditional fringe projection technique is used to project fringe onto the surface of these metal parts, the light energy will be excessively concentrated and the image will be saturated, resulting thus in the loss of fringe information. To effectively address the high reflectivity problem of the object under test in fringe projection, background normalized Fourier transform contouring was combined with adaptive fringe projection in this work and a new method for performing highly dynamic 3D measurements was proposed. To reduce the number of the acquired images by the camera, a monochromatic fringe of different frequencies was put into the RGB channel to make color composite fringe, and then a color camera was used to acquire the deformed color composite fringe map. The images acquired by the color camera were then separated into three channels to obtain three deformed stripe maps. The crosstalk was also removed from these three images, and the 3D shape of the object was reconstructed by carrying out Fourier transform contouring with background normalization. From our experiments, it was demonstrated that the root mean square error of the proposed method can reach 0.191 mm, whereas, unlike the traditional methods, the developed method requires four images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Eutectic In-48Sn was considered a promising candidate for low-temperature solder due to its low melting point and excellent mechanical properties. Both Cu2(In,Sn) and Cu(In,Sn)2 formation were observed at the In-48Sn/Cu interface after 160 °C soldering. However, traditional mechanical polishing produces many defects at the In-48Sn/Cu interface, which may affect the accuracy of interfacial reaction investigations. In this study, cryogenic broad Ar+ beam ion milling was used to investigate the interfacial reaction between In-48Sn and Cu during soldering. The phase Cu6(Sn,In)5 was confirmed as the only intermetallic compound formed during 150 °C soldering, while Cu(In,Sn)2 formation was proven to be caused by room-temperature aging after soldering. Both the Cu6(Sn,In)5 and Cu(In,Sn)2 phases were confirmed by EPMA quantitative analysis and TEM selected area electron diffraction. The microstructure evolution and growth mechanism of Cu6(Sn,In)5 during soldering were proposed. In addition, the Young's modulus and hardness of Cu6(Sn,In)5 were determined to be 119.04 ± 3.94 GPa and 6.28 ± 0.13 GPa, respectively, suggesting that the doping of In in Cu6(Sn,In)5 has almost no effect on Young's modulus and hardness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

In this work, we use density functional theory (DFT) method to study the catalytic role of Bn (n = 3–5) and Cu-doped B clusters in CO2 hydrogenation reduction reaction. The results show that CuBn-1 reduces the adsorption capacity of reactants and intermediates compared with Bn clusters, indicating that the catalytic performance of electron-deficient clusters is better. The energy barrier of CO2 reduction to CO on Bn and CuBn-1 clusters is 0.65 eV and 0.58 eV, respectively. Cu doping reduces the CO2 catalytic reduction ability of Bn clusters. In addition, our results show that the rate of CO2 catalytic reduction reaction is directly proportional to temperature, and the reaction is rapid under high temperature conditions. In summary, the theoretical results support the mechanism of CO2 reduction reaction, that is, the key role of promoting CO2 hydrogenation through formic acid intermediates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

In order to improve the oxygen barrier performance of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), a simple and economical melt blending method was chosen and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) with excellent oxygen barrier was used as the reinforcing phase to meet high oxygen needs. To improve compatibility, PLA was grafted onto PVOH through L -LA ring opening polymerization to get poly(vinyl alcohol)- graft -poly(lactic acid) (PVOH -g- PLA). The films with high oxygen barrier performance were prepared by blending PLA with PVOH -g- PLA. The structure of PVOH -g- PLA were characterized by FTIR and 1H NMR, where 58 % -OH of PVOH grafted PLA and the average polymerization degree of the grafts was 8. The compatibility, crystallization, mechanical properties, and oxygen barrier performance of the blend films were studied. The results indicate that, compared with PVOH, PVOH -g- PLA has better compatibility with PLA. The PVOH -g- PLA separation phase size is <3 μm, whereas the of PVOH separation phase size is 15–40 μm. The oxygen permeability coefficient (P O2) of PLA/PVOH -g- PLA decreases with PVOH -g- PLA. When the amount of PVOH -g- PLA reaches 15 %, P O2 decreases to 1.10 × 10−14 cm3·cm/(cm2·s·Pa), 38 % improvement in oxygen barrier compared to 1.77 × 10−14 cm3·cm/(cm2·s·Pa) of neat PLA. These blends exhibited potential as a novel barrier material for food packages. • PVOH initiates L -LA ring opening polymerization to obtain PVOH- g -PLA, then blended with PLA. • Comparing with the PLA/PVOH, the PLA/PVOH- g -PLA exhibit improved compatibility. • The PLA/PVOH- g -PLA film has excellent oxygen barrier performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

[Display omitted] • Fe-Cu/Ni foam was developed as a new 3D external anode for coal-assisted water electrolysis. • Fe-Cu/Ni foam with expanded reaction sites has high catalytic activity and carbon resistance. • Excellent performance of 0.17 V at −400 mA cm−2 and 850 °C is achieved. • Co-generation of H 2 and power is proved. • We propose a concept to stabilize the grid by switching operating conditions. Green hydrogen production from water electrolysis is hindered by the high energy cost for electrochemical oxygen evolution half reaction. Supplying low-cost fuel to the electrolysis can effectively lower the electrical power required, or even achieve optional power generation during hydrogen production. Herein, we develop coal-assisted solid oxide electrolysis cells to demonstrate this concept, achieving an excellent performance of −400 mA cm−2 at only 0.17 V @850 °C using pyrolysis lignite as the coal source. The co-generation of power and H 2 was also achieved at a current density of 25 mA cm−2 at an average voltage of −0.025 V. We employed a new 3D external anode (Fe-Cu/Ni foam) with expanded reaction sites and high carbon resistance to solve the issue of limited contact between coal and anode and to mitigate the carbon deposits/ash accumulation to further improve the performance. Economic analysis shows excellent competitiveness with a cost of 1.33–2.07 USD/kg H 2 with waste heat resources. This work has demonstrated an economical, efficient, and low-energy technology for hydrogen production and even optional power generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Unravelling early Cenozoic basin development in northern Tibetan Plateau remains crucial to understanding continental deformation mechanisms and to assessing models of plateau growth. We target coarse‐grained red beds from the Cenozoic basal Lulehe Formation in the Qaidam basin by combining conglomerate clast compositions, paleocurrent determinations, sandstone petrography, heavy mineral analysis and detrital zircon U–Pb geochronology to characterize sediment provenance and the relationship between deformation and deposition. The red beds are dominated by matrix‐supported, poorly sorted clastic rocks, implying low compositional and textural maturity and short transport distances. Although most sandstones have high (meta)sedimentary lithic fragment contents and abundant heavy minerals of metamorphic origin (e.g., garnet, epidote and chlorite), spatiotemporal differences in detrital compositions are evident. Detrital zircon grains mainly have Phanerozoic ages (210–280 Ma and 390–480 Ma), but Proterozoic ages (750–1000 Ma, 1700–2000 Ma and 2300–2500 Ma) are also prominent in some samples. Analysed strata display dissimilar (including south‐, north‐ and west‐directed) paleocurrent orientations. These results demonstrate that the Cenozoic basal deposits were derived from localized, spatially diverse sources with small drainage networks. We advocate that initial sedimentary filling in the northern Qaidam basin was fed by parent‐rocks from the North Qaidam‐South Qilian belts and the pre‐Cenozoic basement within the Qaidam terrane interior, rather than southern distant Eastern Kunlun regions. Seismic and drilling well stratigraphic data indicate the presence of paleohighs and syn‐sedimentary reverse faults and noteworthy diversity in sediment thickness of the Lulehe Formation, revealing that the Qaidam terrane exhibited as several isolated depocenters, rather than a coherent basin, in the early stage of the Cenozoic deposition. We suggest the Cenozoic Qaidam basin to have developed in a contractional deformation regime, which supports models with synchronous deformation throughout most of Tibet shortly after the India‐Eurasia collision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Herein, CuIn 2 is not identified as a stable phase in the Cu In binary phase diagram. However, several studies have reported the existence of CuIn 2 at low temperatures. In this study, an electroplating process was used to examine the solid-state interfacial reactions between indium and copper. An indium layer with a thickness of 50 μm was electroplated onto a 1 mm thick Cu substrate at 25 °C, and the resultant Cu/In diffusion couples were subjected to aging processes at 60 °C, 80 °C, 100 °C, and 120 °C for up to 1000 h. These findings indicate that both CuIn 2 and Cu 11 In 9 phases were formed at 60 °C, 80 °C, and 100 °C, whereas only the Cu 11 In 9 phase was detected at 120 °C. The growth kinetics of the Cu/In intermetallic compounds adhered to a parabolic law, implying that the reactions were governed by diffusion-controlled mechanisms. The utilization of a Ta diffusion marker in the experiments revealed that indium acts as the predominant diffusing species within the CuIn 2 intermetallic compound. • Solid-state Cu/In interfacial reaction was achieved by electroplating process and ion milling machine. • The growth of CuIn 2 and Cu 11 In 9 were diffusion-controlled. • Indium was the primary diffusing species within CuIn 2 compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Crane operators often have difficulties perceiving the position of the boom end due to limited visibility from the crane cab. This research designed a hierarchical framework for accurate 3D visual localization of the crane boom end. Firstly, the point cloud of the scene is reconstructed using the Structure-from-Motion; Secondly, a 2D 3D geometry optimization method based on feature matching results of adjacent frames is proposed to improve the 2D 3D matching between the query image and the point cloud. Lastly, the 3D position of the boom end is calculated based on the results of the 2D 3D matching. The test results on three different types of datasets show that the overall performance and robustness of the proposed method and the error are 0.31 cm on a tower crane. It can provide accurate boom positions in the point cloud to avoid collision accidents, favoring the development of visual localization technology in the crane industry. • A framework is designed for accurate 3D visual localization of the crane boom end in a 3D map. • A 2D 3D geometry optimization method is proposed to achieve better visual localization. • The results on three types of datasets demonstrate the excellent performance and robustness of the proposed method. • This paper shows the prospects for the application of visual localization technology for safety warning in large cranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The formation of the Qaidam Basin plays an important role in unraveling the growth history of the Tibetan plateau. An extraordinary thick Cenozoic sedimentary succession of the Qaidam Basin is a great contributor to the study of the basin's evolution history. To date, there has been disagreement on the southwestern boundary of the Paleogene Qaidam Basin. In this study, the method of heavy mineral analysis was adopted to reconstruct the southwestern boundary of the Qaidam Basin. The stable heavy minerals which represent the maturity of detrital sediments can roughly reflect the distance between the source and the deposit area. Therefore, the isogram of the stable heavy mineral index (ZTR = 20) was compiled to infer the location of the source area of the southwestern Qaidam Basin. The isogram shows that the boundary of the southwestern Qaidam Basin stretched southwesterly to the present-day Qiman Tagh Eastern Kunlun Mountains during the Paleogene. Additionally, the isolines present a remarkable northward migration since the late Eocene, which indicates the boundary of the Cenozoic Qaidam Basin that withdrew northward since the late Eocene. The specific location of the southern source area of the Qaidam Basin can be deduced at the Adatan fault, the middle of the present-day Eastern Kunlun Mountains. This result also supports the idea that the Qaidam Basin was an independent basin during the early Cenozoic era, and the Eastern Kunlun Mountains have already been exhumed during that time, serving as a prominent source of clastic sediments in the southwestern Qaidam Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

• Gas molecules (H 2 O, N 2 , H 2 , CO 2 , and O 2) are weakly adsorbed on the 2D-FeS 2 cathode material surface for lithium-sulfur batteries. • 2D-FeS 2 still maintains good conductivity and achieves efficient transfer between electron, lithium, and sulfur intermediates after gas molecule adsorption. • AIMD simulations showed that Li+ exhibits excellent diffusion performance and low activation energy on the 2D-FeS 2 surface at different temperatures. • 2D-FeS 2 still has a stable electrochemical working window after gas molecule adsorption. Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are especially competitive in the energy sector due to their excellent performances, like preferable energy density and economic benefits. Studying the adsorption of gas molecules on electrode materials has potential engineering significance for Li-S batteries since they have a highly osmotic potential, which causes unavoidable damage to batteries. In this work, the adsorption phenomenon of common gas molecules (H 2 O, N 2 , H 2 , CO 2 , and O 2) on the two-dimensional pyrite (2D-FeS 2) cathode material surface, as well as the effects on the electronic and electrochemical properties, were investigated by the first-principles calculations. The adsorption capabilities were estimated by adsorption energy and Mulliken population analysis. Simulation results demonstrated that whole adsorption energies were less than -1.0 eV and larger than -0.6 eV, which shows a physisorption nature. Among them, the O-S bond of O 2 /2D-FeS 2 has the strongest strength. Electronic structure calculations suggested that 2D-FeS 2 maintained good conductivity after gas molecules were adsorbed, achieving efficient transfer between electron, lithium, and sulfur intermediates. Additionally, ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations showed that Li+ exhibits excellent diffusion performance and low activation energy at different temperatures. 2D-FeS 2 still has a stable electrochemical working window (1.87 ∼ 2.47 V), while the theoretical open current voltage is damaged by gas molecule adsorption. Consequently, this work theoretically reveals the effect of gas molecules on the cathode materials for Li-S batteries, which has guide meaning for engineering. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

• TTT experimental platform with induction heating as the additional heat source is built. • The computed temperature field and welding buckling distortion are in good agreement with experimental measurements. • The sensitivity of process parameters for TTT is comprehensively investigated with the validated FE simulation. • A method for determining the process parameters of TTT towards engineering applications is proposed. The effect of transient thermal tensioning (TTT) on mitigating buckling distortion is significantly influenced by the process parameters. TTT and conventional welding (CW) experiments were both performed on butt welded joints using induction heating as an additional heat source. The thermal elastic plastic (TEP) FE simulation was then carried out with consideration of material nonlinearity and geometrical nonlinearity to investigate the temperature, buckling distortion fields of the butt welded joints. A good agreement between computational results and the measurement was represented, and the buckling distortion of the butt welded joints with TTT was much smaller than that with CW. Based on the validated FE simulation, the sensitivity of process parameters (amount, sizes, tensioning temperature T tmax , locations of induction heating) for TTT was examined in detail. The results show that amount and sizes exerted an evident impact on buckling distortion mitigation, which were determined by equipment. Tensioning temperature T tmax and the offset from weld centerline d 1 are more important parameters on effectively mitigating welding buckling distortion of thin plate structures than the offset from welding arc d 2. Through optimizing T tmax and d 1 , buckling distortion of examined butt welded joint can be reduced by more than 80 %. Moreover, a method for determining the process parameters of TTT towards engineering applications was proposed. Firstly, the amount and sizes of additional heat sources are maximized per the available equipment. Secondly, T tmax is recommended as yield temperature to implement TTT and d 1 is optimized through an experiment or TEP FE simulation. Eventually, the offset from welding arc d 2 is further optimized when the manufacturing precisions are not reached. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The effect of non-local momentum transport on a silo discharge process is numerically investigated using a continuum simulation with the μ (I) rheology model in which the gradient expansion model is adopted to account for the non-local effects due to the non-uniform field of inertial number I [Bouzid et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 238301 (2013)]. The singularity for I = 0 is handled with a regularization scheme [Lin and Yang, J. Comput. Phys. 420, 109708 (2020)]. Compared to the discharge dynamics predicted with the local μ (I) rheology model, the non-local effect enhances the velocity field to increase the volume discharge flow rate Q, especially when the silo orifice L is narrower. Both the local and non-local flow simulations conform to the Beverloo relation Q = C ρ g (L − k d) 3 / 2 , where d is the intrinsic grain diameter but the non-local effects appear to lessen the orifice reduction effect coefficient k. The difference between the local and the non-local flow rates Δ Q ¯ , made dimensionless by ρ g d 3 / 2 , grew monotonically with decreasing L/d with a slight enhancement if the silo height-to-width aspect ratio deviates from unity. Finally, we evaluated the ratio of the shear strain rate to the instantaneous maximum value to define a high-shear zone when the ratio is above a threshold and studied its evolution from the onset to the end of the discharge process. Interestingly, non-local momentum transport helped to reduce the size of the high-shear zone to give a more uniformly fluidized central zone above the orifice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: Bone disease causes short-term or long-term physical pain and disability. It is necessary to explore new drug for bone-related disease. This study aimed to explore the role and mechanism of Salidroside in promoting osteogenic differentiation of adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs). Methods: ADSCs were isolated and treated with different dose of Salidroside. Cell count kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was performed to assess the cell viability of ADSCs. Then, ALP and ARS staining were conducted to assess the early and late osteogenic capacity of ADSCs, respectively. Then, differentially expressed genes were obtained by R software. Then, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of the differentially expressed genes were further analyzed. The expression of OCN, COL1A1, RUNX2, WNT3A, and β-catenin were measured by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. Last, β-catenin was silenced by small interfering RNA. Results: Salidroside significantly increased the ADSCs viability at a dose-response manner. Moreover, Salidroside enhanced osteogenic capacity of ADSCs, which are identified by enhanced ALP activity and calcium deposition. A total of 543 differentially expressed genes were identified between normal and Salidroside-treated ADSCs. Among these differentially expressed genes, 345 genes were upregulated and 198 genes were downregulated. Differentially expressed genes enriched in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Western blot assay indicated that Salidroside enhanced the WNT3A and β-catenin expression. Silencing β-catenin partially reversed the promotion effects of Salidroside. PCR and Western blot results further confirmed these results. Conclusion: Salidroside promoted osteogenic differentiation of ADSCs through Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is a very promising method for ammonia (NH3) synthesis under ambient conditions, which can provide alternative routes to the traditional Haber–Bosch process and realize green NH3 synthesis. In this study, the electrocatalytic performance of chromium (Cr) atom anchored to graphyne (Cr@GY) is systematically investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results show that Cr@GY is an efficient NRR electrocatalyst which can activate the inert N≡N bond sufficiently. In particular, the enzymatic mechanism is considered as the most positive catalytic pathway with the limiting potential of −0.52 V. More importantly, Cr@GY can restrict a competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The electronic properties including Bader charge, the charge difference density (CDD), the partial density of states (PDOS) and the crystal orbital Hamilton population (COHP) have been analyzed in detail. In addition, the co‐doping of B and N atoms in GY is beneficial to reduce the energy barrier of the potential‐determining step (PDS) and promote the smooth progress of the NRR. This work can provide theoretical guidance for the experimental synthesis of the single‐atom catalysts (SACs) with high activity and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

A kind of Ru-based catalyst was prepared by using a natural polyphenolic polymer (bayberry tannin, BT) immobilized on collagen fiber (CF) as the stabilizer and carrier of Ru nanoparticles (NPs) and characterized to detect its main physicochemical properties. The CF-BT-Ru catalyst was found to be in an orderly fiber morphology with Ru NPs with about diameter of 2.6 nm highly distributed on the surface. The research on catalytic activity of CF-BT-Ru focused on the hydrolysis of ammonia borane (AB) to produce hydrogen. The influences of Ru loading, Ru dosage, AB concentration and temperature on the catalytic AB hydrolysis were investigated in detail, and the related thermodynamic parameters (activation energy (E a), activation entropy (△S), activation enthalpy (△H) and Gibbs free energy (△G)) were calculated. The experimental results indicated that CF-BT-Ru exhibited high catalytic activity. Its turnover frequency (TOF) was as high as 322 mol H 2 ⋅ mol Ru − 1 ⋅ min − 1 and E a was as low as 32.41 kJ mol−1 for AB hydrolysis. Moreover, CF-BT-Ru exhibited satisfied reusability and stability. Its activity lost only one-fifth and no obvious agglomeration and leakage of Ru NPs were found after repeated use for 5 times. • Tannin immobilized collagen fiber is used as carrier to load and stabilize Ru NPs. • CF-BT-Ru presents superior activity for the catalytic AB hydrolysis. • The catalyst has good reusability and stability. • The high turnover frequency and low activation energy are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Aims: Cysteine persulfidation (also called sulfhydration or sulfuration) has emerged as a potential redox mechanism to regulate protein functions and diverse biological processes in hydrogen sulfide (H2S) signaling. Due to its intrinsically unstable nature, working with this modification has proven to be challenging. Although methodological progress has expanded the inventory of persulfidated proteins, there is a continued need to develop methods that can directly and unequivocally identify persulfidated cysteine residues in complex proteomes. Results: A quantitative chemoproteomic method termed as low-pH quantitative thiol reactivity profiling (QTRP) was developed to enable direct site-specific mapping and reactivity profiling of proteomic persulfides and thiols in parallel. The method was first applied to cell lysates treated with NaHS, resulting in the identification of overall 1547 persulfidated sites on 994 proteins. Structural analysis uncovered unique consensus motifs that might define this distinct type of modification. Moreover, the method was extended to profile endogenous protein persulfides in cells expressing H2S-generating enzyme, mouse tissues, and human serum, which led to additional insights into mechanistic, structural, and functional features of persulfidation events, particularly on human serum albumin. Innovation and Conclusion: Low-pH QTRP represents the first method that enables direct and unbiased proteomic mapping of cysteine persulfidation. Our method allows to generate the most comprehensive inventory of persulfidated targets of NaHS so far and to perform the first analysis of in vivo persulfidation events, providing a valuable tool to dissect the biological functions of this important modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Undaria pinnatifida (U. pinnatifida) polysaccharides (UPPS) are considered to be the major bioactive components of U. pinnatifida. The aim of the present study was to investigate the separation, sulfated modification, characterization and monosaccharide composition of UPPS. The optimal processing conditions were as follows: Distilled water-to-solid ratio, 50 ml/g; extraction time, 300 min; and extraction temperature, 90˚C. The major polysaccharide fraction of U. pinnatifida (UPPS-B1) was purified via DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-200 column chromatography. The chlorosulfonic acid-pyridine method was applied for sulfation modification. UPPS-B1 and sulfated (S)-UPPS-B1 were characterized via chemical analysis, ultraviolet-visible and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. The total sugar content of UPPS-B1 and S-UPPS-B1 was 79.78 and 77.28%, respectively. The sulfate radical content of UPPS-B1 and S-UPPS-B1 was 8.53 and 29.12%, whilst the content of uronic acid was 9.29 and 7.98%, respectively. The average molecular weight of UPPS-B1 and S-UPPS-B1 was determined to be 37 and 110 kD, respectively. UPPS-B1 was considered to be a heteropolysaccharide composed of xylose, mannose, glucose and galactose at a ratio of 7.9:8.7:12.0:9.8. In addition, S-UPPS-B1 was a heteropolysaccharide composed of xylose, mannose, glucose and galactose at a ratio of 1.0:9.7:6.4:1.6. The results of the tumor growth inhibition experiment demonstrated that UPPS-B1 exhibited anti-tumor activity in vivo, which was improved following sulfation to yield S-UPPS-B1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Objective: Ready‐to‐eat (RTE) meat is a kind of popular instant food easily contaminated by microbes, which is one of the causes of foodborne diseases. This study analyzes the possible sources of RTE food bacterial contamination during processing and subsequent selling. Method: Samples of eight kinds of RTE meat were collected from four supermarkets in Nanjing, China. The knives, chopping boards, trays(containers of food), clamps, air, water, and hands of the sales staff were sampled, and the enumeration of aerobic plate count and total coliforms and pathogenic bacteria was performed. Results: The survey revealed that poor hygienic levels was the causes that RTE meat products were contaminated by bacteria at different levels. With regard to pathogen, the incidences of Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus were 4.2% and 2.1%, respectively. These results also revealed that the bacterial contamination of RTE food was caused by the air, as well as clamps, chopping boards, knives, trays, and hands of the operators. The total number of aerobic colonies were positively correlated with the amount of RTE food in one pot (r =.87728, p =.0217), and negatively correlated with the maximum temperature in the center of the meat (r = −.81633, p =.0475). Conclusion: The high number of bacteria in RTE foods indicates potential food safety risks and the need to improve the health of supermarket sales staff. The most important thing is to determine how to raise hygiene awareness of employees through food safety education. Meanwhile, a comprehensive set of regulations on hand cleaning and disinfection should be developed to facilitate public health and reduce foodborne illness caused by the consumption of RTE food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Owing to the low melting temperature and excellent mechanical properties, In is considered a potential low-temperature solder. However, the interfacial reaction between In and Cu substrates is still unclear, specifically regarding the stability of CuIn 2. Although CuIn 2 was often observed at the Cu–In thin film after long-term aging below 100 °C, it is considered as a metastable phase and has not been added into the Cu–In phase diagram yet. In this study, the stability of CuIn 2 and the peritectoid reaction Cu 11 In 9 + In → CuIn 2 were established using the Cu/In diffusion couple, Cu–In alloy phase equilibria, and decomposition investigation of CuIn 2. The peritectoid temperature was determined to be in the range of 110–105 °C. Finally, thermodynamic assessment was conducted based on the experimental data and the revised Cu–In phase diagram. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Virtual prototyping of illumination optical systems based on ray tracing needs accurate and detailed models of utilized light sources. We present a physical model based on Planck’s radiation law and Kirchhoff’s law of thermal radiation and apply it to filament lamps. The advantage of our approach is that it generally needs a few parameters and, in addition, is capable of correctly modeling light recycling. The model based on thermodynamics, geometry, material, and electrical properties is widely applicable for any kind of filament lamp. In particular, emission, absorption, and light recycling properties are taken into consideration. The model starts by calculating the one-dimensional temperature distribution in the filament by solving the time dependent heat transfer equation. From this it creates the five-dimensional radiance distribution based on Planck’s law and the emissivity of the filament. Light recycling due to the coiled filament is a significant effect in this type of lamp. The model is validated with high resolution absolute radiance measurements. The model can easily be integrated into a ray-tracing software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This document is an introduction to a special issue of the Journal of Innovative Optical Health Sciences focused on neurophotonics. The introduction explains that optoelectronics, genomics, and proteomics have revolutionized neuroscience research, particularly in the field of optical neuroimaging. The special issue includes seven research articles that highlight recent advances in neurophotonic techniques and their applications in biological discovery, disease diagnosis, and treatment. The articles cover a range of topics, including retrograde tracing methods, Alzheimer's disease, sleep-disordered breathing, online video game playing, stroke rehabilitation, multiphoton microscopy, and semantic segmentation of neuron skeletons. The authors express gratitude to the contributing authors for their work. [Extracted from the article] more...

The relative stability and kinetics of CH4 ... O2 ... MO and the reaction potential energy surface under the transition metal oxide catalysts (RuO/RhO/PdO) during methane oxidation reaction were studied with density functional calculations. The results show that the reaction can be easily carried out under the catalysis of transition metal oxides. The transition barriers and the reaction rate constant all show oscillation modes that are consistent with the increase of atomic number at 298 K. while the calculated reaction energies (Er/kcal mol−1) are gradually increased. The oxidised dioxide can be treated to form metal and oxygen that can still be used as a catalyst for methane oxidation; the resulting oxygen can continue to be used as an oxidant. We also calculated the rate constant of methane oxidation reaction to give the resulting methanol pathway. The calculated dynamic characterisation shows that the rate constant has a positive temperature dependence. Our calculation show that this reaction is exothermic reaction via the RuO/RhO/PdO catalyst, and the reaction is thermodynamically feasible. This study also provides theoretical reference data for us to identify new catalysts for the catalytic oxidation of methane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharide (APS) components are main ingredients of TCM and have proven efficacy to activate T cells and B cells, enhancing immunity in humans. In this study, elevated cytokine and anti-PD-1 antibody titers were found in mice after immunization with APS. Therefore, phage-display technology was utilized to isolate specific anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibodies from mice stimulated by APS and to confirm whether the isolated anti-PD-1 antibody could inhibit the interaction of PD-1 with the programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), resulting in tumor growth inhibition. The isolated single-chain fragment variable (scFv) S12 exhibited the highest binding affinity of 20 nM to PD-1, completed the interaction between PD-1 and PD-L1, and blocked the effect of PD-L1-induced T cell exhaustion in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro. In the animal model, the tumor growth inhibition effect after scFv S12 treatment was approximately 48%. However, meaningful synergistic effects were not observed when scFv S12 was used as a cotreatment with ixabepilone. Moreover, this treatment caused a reduction in the number of tumor-associated macrophages in the tumor tissue. These experimental results indirectly indicate the ability of APS to induce specific antibodies associated with the immune checkpoint system and the potential benefits for improving immunity in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

With the increasing market demand of cesium, the development of rapid, accurate, and on-site detection methods for cesium ions in saline lake brine has important significance on the development and comprehensive utilization of resources in saline lakes. In addition, radioactive cesium has great and long-term harm to human beings, and it is of great significance for the prompt detection of radioactive Cs+ ions. In this work, a new strategy for the colorimetric detection of Cs+ using Au NPs and Prussian blue (PB) based on a nonmorphological transition mechanism was proposed. When a PB precursor solution was added into a Au NP solution, Fe3+ was reduced to Fe2+ by the citric acid in the Au NP solution, while the PB coated the surface of the Au NPs, which will cause the change in color and surface plasmon resonance absorption of the Au NPs. On the other hand, when the PB precursor solution was added into a Au NPs solution with Cs+ ions, there was a competition between K+ and Cs+, and more stable complexes were formed due to the strong affinity between Cs+ and PB. At this time, the Au NP solution remained wine red. The good linear relationship (R2 = 0.9933) indicates that Au NPs and Prussian blue-based colorimetric probes can be used for the qualitative and quantitative determination of Cs+. The naked eye detection limit was 30 μM, and the UV-vis detection limit was 19 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The phase coding plus sinusoidal fringe method involves embedding the codeword into the phase domain, and is suitable for different contrast variation surfaces. However, as the number of phase coding fringe cycles increase, the fringe order becomes difficult to judge, ultimately leading to phase unwrapping errors. To resolve this issue, an unequal-period combination approach of phase coding and sinusoidal fringe was proposed. The main idea of this method was to project N cycles phase coding fringe, 2N (3N, 4N ...) cycles sinusoidal fringe, and the phase coding fringe was ahead of the sinusoidal fringe. This method alleviated the difficulty in judging the fringe order and, consequently, improved measurement accuracy. Experiment results validated the efficiency and accuracy of this novel method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Purpose: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most malignant head and neck carcinomas with unique epidemiological features. In this study, we aimed to identify the novel NPC-related genes and biological pathways, shedding light on the potential molecular mechanisms of NPC. Methods: Based on Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, an integrated analysis of microarrays studies was performed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially methylated genes (DMGs) in NPC compared to normal control. The genes which were both differentially expressed and differentially methylated were identified. Functional annotation and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network construction were used to uncover biological functions of DEGs. Results: Two DNA methylation and five gene expression datasets were incorporated. A total of 1074 genes were up-regulated and 939 genes were down-regulated in NPC were identified. A total of 719 differential methylation CpG sites (DMCs) including 1 hypermethylated sites and 718 hypomethylated sites were identified. Among which, 11 genes were both DEGs and DMGs in NPC. Pathways in cancer, p53 signaling pathway and Epstein–Barr virus infection were three pathways significantly enriched pathways in DEmRNAs of NPC. The PPI network of top 50 DEGs were consisted of 191 nodes and 191 edges. Conclusions: Our study was helpful to elucidate the underlying mechanism of NPC and provide clues for therapeutic methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

To evaluate effects of tail docking and/or teeth clipping on sows and their piglets, a total of 24 sows and their 302 piglets at 3 days of age were randomly allocated to one of four treatments: teeth clipping and tail docking (TCTD), teeth clipping (TC), tail docking (TD), or intact teeth and tail (Intact). Behavior of piglets and sows, lesions on the body and tail of piglets and sows' teats were inspected. Heart rates of processed piglets were increased (p < .01) during the procedures. Teeth clipping decreased body surface temperature (p < .01) of piglets during and after the procedures but tail docking did not (p > .01). Processed piglets spent more (p < .05) time lying alone and playing/fighting than sham‐processed piglets. Tail docked piglets spent less (p < .01) time standing than tail sham‐docked piglets. Intact teeth increased (p < .05) the avoidance behaviors of sows. Teeth clipping decreased (p < .05) the lesion scores on the anterior, middle, and posterior teats. Taken together, piglet teeth clipping had more impact on sows and their piglets than tail docking did in the lactation period based on our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Accurate mass calibration is beneficial to the identification of the unknown compounds quickly and accurately. The ESI mass spectrum of tannic acid (TA) tends to a normal distribution of the cluster ion peaks in m/z range from 371.0368 to 1739.1169. Based on the interesting result, we reported the use of TA, a natural plant polyphenol, as a novel calibrator for electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS), which has the following three advantages, including (1) easy preparation, (2) the calibration range of m/z 200~2000, and (3) the calibration error is around 3.00 ppm in positive ion mode, which is less than the use of sodium formate (SF) and Prod #88323 calibrators. This TA calibrator has great potential for the wide applications in biological, chemical, and pharmacal analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background  One of the most common causes of acute cerebral infarction (ACI) is intracranial artery stenosis (ICAS). The goal of our study was to evaluate the accuracy of transcranial Doppler (TCD) compared with magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) for diagnosing ICAS in patients with ACI. Materials and Methods  Consecutive patients presenting with ACI to the neurology department underwent both MRA and TCD examination within 6 hours of difference. To calculate the agreement between the results of MRA and TCD, kappa coefficient test was used. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative TCD predictive values have been calculated in comparison with MRA. Results  A total of 115 patients was included. There were 77 males (66.95%) and 38 females (33.04%). The mean age of patients was 68.32 ± 10.66 years (range 29–80). The agreement between TCD and MRA in detecting stenosis was 0.56 for anterior circulation artery (ACA), and 0.40 for posterior circulation artery. For the detection of ICAS, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive values were 85.9, 90.0, 98.2, and 50.0% for anterior cerebral artery and 73.5, 86.7, 96.2, and 40.0% for posterior cerebral artery, respectively. Conclusions  Moderate agreement of anterior circulation stenosis and fair agreement for posterior circulation stenosis was found between TCD and MRA in the evaluation of ICAS. In anterior circulation, the diagnostic accuracy of TCD is higher compared with the posterior circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Objective: To compare proposed new cutoff points for four obesity indicators-waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI)-with their current cutoff points to determine which are better standards predicting 5-year incidence of hypertension (HT) and diabetes mellitus (DM) among premenopausal women.Design: Data were obtained from the 2002 and 2007 Survey on the Prevalence of HT, Hyperglycemia and Hyperlipidemia in Taiwan conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan. Premenopausal women were grouped based on the proposed cutoff points versus reference cutoff points for obesity indicators.Participant: A total of 1466 premenopausal women aged between 20 and 57 years old were recruited.Main Outcome Measure: Five-year incidence of HT and DM.Results: Our new obesity indicator cutoff points-WHtR 0.49, WC 74.7 cm, WHR 0.79 and BMI 22.3 kg/m2-were better predictors for 5-year HT incidence in premenopausal women compared with those of current standards, but were not significantly different for DM. Among the four obesity indicators, WHtR and WC were optimal for their 5-year predictive ability for HT and DM in premenopausal women.Conclusions: To avoid too many cutoff points for practitioners to adopt and memorize, the proposed new cutoff points were recommended preferentially to prevent the incidence of HT and DM in premenopausal women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Abstract Okadaic acid (OA), a potent polyether marine toxin, accumulates in the digestive glands of marine mollusks and therefore can severely threaten the health of humans after ingestion of contaminated shellfish. In vivo and in vitro studies have revealed that exposure of various cells, including human embryonic amniotic cells, hepatocytes, neuroblastoma cells, to OA induces morphological and functional modifications as well as the death of cells. As the number of reports on OA poisoning has increased, this toxin has gradually attracted the public's attention, and researchers are trying to study it. This review summarizes the current literature on the toxicity effects of OA, in addition to its detection and detoxification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Highlights • A strategy enables both targeted and untargeted metabolites characterization. • HILIC × RP-based 2D-LC can better resolve the multicomponents of Erzhi Pill. • Precursor ions list/data-dependent MS2 enhances detection of targeted components. • Compounds-specific mass defect filter benefits generation of precursor ions list. • 270 components were separated from Erzhi Pill and 146 thereof were characterized. Abstract Large-scale targeted and untargeted metabolites characterization can be achieved by feat of different liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC–MS) platforms by multiple MS experiments or using data-independent acquisition followed by precursor-product ions matching based on certain algorithms. The resulting insufficiency in efficiency and availability greatly restricts the applicability of these strategies in large-scale profiling and identification of various metabolites. A strategy simultaneously enabling both the targeted and untargeted metabolites characterization is established on a Q Exactive hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer, by integrating precursor ions list-triggered data-dependent MS2 acquisition (PIL/dd-MS2) of the targeted components and using the " If idle-pick others " (IIPO) function to induce untargeted metabolites fragmentation. A compounds-specific mass defect filter (MDF) algorithm is proposed as a method to generate the PIL. As a proof of concept, this strategy coupled with offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) was applied to identify the multicomponents of a traditional Chinese medicine formula Erzhi Pill (EZP). A rigid MDF vehicle was elaborated by orthogonal screening of the integer mass and integer mass-dependent dynamic mass defects considering a variation of 20 ppm. The Full MS/dd-MS2 method enabling PIL and IIPO exhibited better performance than Full MS/dd-MS2 and Targeted SIM/dd-MS2 (selected ion monitoring) in respect of the sensitivity in identifying the targeted components and the ability to characterize more untargeted ones. As a consequence, 270 components were separated from EZP, and 146 thereof were selectively characterized. In conclusion, it is a practical, multifaced strategy facilitating the in-depth metabolites profiling and characterization of complex herbal and biological samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

To understand the mechanism for inhibition of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is important. In this study, single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies were generated and directed to the pre-S2 epitope of HBV surface antigen (HBsAg). These human scFvs were isolated from a person with history of HBV infection by phage display technology. An evaluation of panning efficiency revealed that the eluted phage titer was increased, indicating that specific clones were enriched after panning. Selected scFvs were characterized with the recombinant HBsAg through Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to confirm the binding ability. Flow cytometry analysis and immunocytochemical staining revealed that one scFv, S17, could recognize endogenous HBsAg expressed on the HepG2215 cell membrane. Moreover, the binding affinity of scFv S17 to the pre-S2 epitope was determined to be 4.2 × 10−8 M. Two ion interactions were observed as the major driving forces for scFv S17 interacting with pre-S2 by performing a rational molecular docking analysis. This study provides insights into the structural basis to understand the interactions between an antibody and the pre-S2 epitope. The functional scFv format can potentially be used in future immunotherapeutic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Deployable solid surface reflector is still one of the most important ways to fulfill the ultra-high-accuracy and ultra-large-aperture reflector antennas. However the drawback of integrate stiffness is still a main problem for solid surface reflectors in the former research. To figure out this problem, a New Petal-type Deployable Solid Surface Antenna (NPDSSA) is developed in this study. A kind of drag springs are applied as linkages with adjacent petals to improve the integrate rigidity. The structural design is introduced and the geometric parameters are analyzed to find their effects on the rotation and package capacities. The software simulations and laboratory model tests are conducted to verify the deploying process of NPDSSA. Two models are employed to study the property of linkage butts and drag springs. It is indicated that model NPDSSA with the application of linkage butts and drag springs has better integrality and stability during the deploying. Finally it is concluded that NPDSSA is feasible for space applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

A detailed investigation of potential provenance is still lacking in the southwestern Tarim Basin, which restricts our complete understanding of Cenozoic source-to-sink relations between the basin interior and the Pamir salient - western Kunlun Mountain Range. Debate also exists concerning the potential sources of the Paleogene and Cretaceous igneous detritus present in the Cenozoic sedimentary sequences. Here, we present U-Pb (LA-ICP-MS) ages of detrital zircons from the continuous Eocene-Pliocene sediment series in the well-exposed Aertashi section to investigate changes in sediment provenance through time. The U-Pb detrital zircon ages range widely from 45 to 3204 Ma and can be divided into seven main groups: 45–65 Ma (sub-peak at 49 Ma), 67–103 Ma (sub-peak at 95 Ma), 196–251 Ma (sub-peak at 208 Ma), 252–416 Ma (sub-peak at 296 Ma), 417–540 Ma (sub-peak at 446 Ma), 550–1429 Ma (sub-peaks at 614 Ma, 828 Ma and 942 Ma) and 1345–3204 Ma (sub-peaks at 1773 Ma and 2480 Ma). These zircons were mainly derived from the western Kunlun Mountain Range and northern Pamir salient to the west and south. The evolution of the provenance and source-to-sink relationship patterns in the southwestern Tarim Basin can be divided into three stages: (1) The Middle Eocene to Lower Oligocene sediments display a wide variety of detrital zircon ages, suggesting that the source area was extensive. (2) A major change in provenance occurred during the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene and was characterized by an abrupt increase in the proportion of Triassic and Lower Paleozoic igneous components, implying a significant adjustment in topography induced by the initial uplift and exhumation of the western Kunlun Mountain Range and northern Pamir salient. (3) In the Late Miocene, the source-to-sink system transformed again, and contributions of Triassic to Lower Paleozoic material weakened substantially due to the sufficient indentation of the Pamir salient. Our integrated analyses of zircon geochronology indicate that the main source terranes of the Paleogene and Cretaceous igneous detritus are the central and southern Pamir salient, respectively, which are speculated to have been continuously connected to the study area during Eocene-Pliocene times, although such detritus is scarce in certain formations and has not yet been detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor that is frequently used to treat various types of malignant tumors. However, it has been demonstrated that Sorafenib only has a moderate antitumor efficacy and is associated with numerous side effects in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which greatly limits its clinical application. The present study aimed to examine the effects of a combination of Sorafenib and low-dose PF-2341066, a selective c-Met tyrosine kinase inhibitor, on the proliferation, apoptosis and migration of the NSCLC cell line NCI-H1993. The data indicated that treatment with a combination of Sorafenib and low-dose PF-2341066 was able to significantly inhibit the proliferation and migration as well as promote the apoptosis, of NCI-H1993 cells, compared with treatment with Sorafenib or low-dose PF-2341066 alone. Further experiments indicated that the levels of phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor and c-Met were significantly decreased following the combined treatment of Sorafenib and PF-2341066, compared with the treatment with Sorafenib or PF-2341066 alone. The findings of the present study indicated that using a low-dose c-Met inhibitor enhances the antitumor activity of Sorafenib in NSCLC and may provide a novel strategy for the treatment of NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma, a highly aggressive form of cancer with a poor prognosis, necessitates the development of innovative treatment strategies. Our prior research showcased the growth-inhibiting effects of the anti-EphA2 antibody drug hSD5 on pancreatic cancer tumors. This antibody targets and induces the degradation of the EphA2 receptor while also prompting the antibody's internalization. A deeper dive into the hSD5 Fab crystallographic structure and docking studies revealed that hSD5's CDRH3 drives the primary interaction between hSD5 and the EphA2 active site. In this study, we developed a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC)-the auristatin-based hSD5-vedotin specifically targeting EphA2 in pancreatic cancer cells. This ADC aims at the tumor-specific antigen EphA2, triggering endocytosis and releasing the conjugated payload molecule Monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), amplifying the tumor-killing effect. Upon cellular entry, hSD5-vedotin demonstrated an impressive tumor-killing response, inhibiting tumor cell growth and promoting apoptosis even at lower antibody concentrations. In a pancreatic cancer xenograft animal model, hSD5-vedotin showcased the potential to suppress tumor growth entirely. Notably, potential immune resistance responses were also observed in recurrent pancreatic cancer tumors. Our empirical results underscore the possibility of developing hSD5-vedotin further, which we anticipate will have a broader and more potent therapeutic impact on pancreatic cancer and other EphA2-related cancers. • EphA2 could be an effective target for the clinical treatment of PDAC. • The hSD5-vedotin targets EphA2, triggering endocytosis and releasing MMAE. • The hSD5-vedotin promotes apoptosis against PDAC tumor growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

In this research, a novel biosensing platform is described based on graphene nano-sheets decorated with Ag nano-particles (GNSs@Ag NPs). The designed electrochemical aptasensor was employed to determine carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), an important cancer biomarker. Inherently, aptasensing interfaces provide high sensitivity for CEA tumor marker because of the high specific surface area and excellent conductivity of the prepared GNSs@Ag NPs composite. The established assay demonstrated a wide linear range from 0.001 pg/mL to 10 pg/mL with a correlation coefficient of 0.9958 and low detection limit (DL) of 0.5 fg/mL based on S/N = 3 protocol. The derived biosensor illustrated acceptable selectivity towards common interfering species including HER2, VEGF, IgG, MUC1 and CFP10. In addition, the aptsensor showed good reproducibility and fast response time. The applicability of the suggested strategy in human serum samples was also examined and compared to the commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Based on the experimental data, it was found that the discussed sensing platform can be exerted in the monitoring of CEA in different cancers for early diagnosis. [Display omitted] • A novel label-free electrochemical biosensor for CEA screening is highlighted. • A low detection limit of 0.5 fg/mL is achieved in PBS solution. • The biosensor was successfully utilized to determine the CEA level in human serum samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The present work tried to solve the compatibility and dispersion problems of industrial grade graphene oxide (GO) mixing with polylactide (PLA) by melt processing for practical application. PLA was grafted on the GO using the silane coupling agent (KH560) as "bridge" by in-situ melting reaction to improve the compatibility. For better compatibility and dispersion, poly(ᴅ -lactide) (PDLA) was grafted on GO (D-G) to form stereocomplex crystallites with poly(ʟ-lactide) (PLLA) to enhance the interaction between GO and PLLA matrix. By biaxial stretching, the PLLA and GO composite films were prepared. Results show that GO was seriously aggregated in the film containing GO without PLA grafting (PLLA/L/G 0.05) and the average size of aggregated GO was about 19.5 μm. PLA grafting decreased the aggregated GO size, so that the films containing L-G or D-G presented better dispersion. The film containing 5 % D-G (PLLA/D-G 0.05) exhibited the smallest average size of aggregated GO, about 12.7 μm. Compared with neat PLLA film, PLLA/L/G 0.05 film presented worse tensile properties due to serious aggregation of GO. While, PLLA/D-G 0.05 film presented the best tensile performance that tensile strength and elongation at break reached 120 MPa and 107 %, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

A novel bent ligand-pillared three-dimensional Hofmann-type metal–organic framework, [FeII(Hbpt)Pt(CN)4]·1/2Hbpt·1/2CH3OH·5/2H2O [1, Hbpt = 4,4′-(1H-1,2,4-triazole-3,5-diyl) dipyridine], was synthesized and crystallographically and magnetically characterized, which showed incomplete three-step spin-crossover behavior with a reversible three equal-step sequence of HS1.00↑ HS0.75LS0.25↑ HS0.5LS0.5↑ HS0.25LS0.75. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Luminescent molecular thermometers have attracted great attention due to their potential application for temperature detection in special environments. By a very simple one-step method, we have synthesized one novel cuprous compound, [I@Cu8(HMTZ)(MTZ)7]·MeCN·2H2O (I@Cu8), which consists of an infrequent octatomic [I@Cu8S8] ring. Importantly, compound I@Cu8 features dual-emitting behavior and shows successive visual luminescent emissions varying from green, to yellow, to orange, and then to red in the temperature range of 80-300 K, suggesting potential application for a luminescent molecular thermometer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The reaction of ferrous salts and square-planar tetracyanometallates [MII(CN)4]2− (M=Pd, Pt) with ligand 4-(1H-pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine (Hppy) resulted in the formation of two two-dimensional (2D) Hofmann-like coordination polymers (CPs) with the general formula of {FeII(Hppy)2[MII(CN)4]}⋅H2O (M=Pd for 1Pd, Pt for 1Pt). The two CPs have been studied by variable-temperature single-crystal X-ray crystallography, differential scanning calorimetry, and magnetic measurements. Polymers 1Pd and 1Pt are isostructures, in which the FeII atoms are equatorially coordinated with [MII(CN)4]2− to form 2D undulating layers and axially coordinated with Hppy ligands. Both compounds undergo cooperative, complete spin crossover (SCO), with characteristic abrupt and remarkable two equal steps, featuring hysteresis widths of 14 K and 19 K (1Pd) and 17 and 23 K (1Pt) for the two steps. The SCO cooperativity may result from the hydrogen bonds and π⋅⋅⋅π interactions within and between such 2D layers, and the two-step SCO behavior is accompanied with phase transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...