Search

BACKGROUND: Tomato quality visual grading is greatly affected by the problems of smooth skin, uneven illumination and invisible defects that are difficult to identify. The realization of intelligent detection of postharvest epidermal defects is conducive to further improving the economic value of postharvest tomatoes. RESULTS: An image acquisition device that utilizes fluorescence technology has been designed to capture a dataset of tomato skin defects, encompassing categories such as rot defects, crack defects and imperceptible defects. The YOLOv5m model was improved by introducing Convolutional Block Attention Module and replacing part of the convolution kernels in the backbone network with Switchable Atrous Convolution. The results of comparison experiments and ablation experiments show that the Precision, Recall and mean Average Precision of the improved YOLOv5m model were 89.93%, 82.33% and 87.57%, which are higher than YOLOv5m, Faster R‐CNN and YOLOv7, and the average detection time was reduced by 47.04 ms picture−1. CONCLUSION: The present study utilizes fluorescence imaging and an improved YOLOv5m model to detect tomato epidermal defects, resulting in better identification of imperceptible defects and detection of multiple categories of defects. This provides strong technical support for intelligent detection and quality grading of tomatoes. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Dynamic chest radiographs offer a distinct advantage over traditional chest radiographs by integrating motion and functional data, elevating their significance in clinical diagnostics. This study introduces a pioneering technique employing deep neural networks to simulate respiratory lung motion and extract local functional details from single-phase chest X-rays, thereby enhancing lung cancer clinical diagnostic capabilities. Our research establishes the viability of generating patient-specific respiratory motion profiles from single-phase chest radiographs. The evaluation of results from the network developed here underscores its substantial accuracy and fidelity, affirming its robustness in providing valuable supplementary insights into pulmonary function. In this study, we present an innovative approach that harnesses deep neural networks to simulate respiratory lung motion and extract local functional information from single-phase chest X-rays, thus providing valuable auxiliary data for early diagnosis of lung cancer. A novel radiograph motion simulation (RMS) network was developed by combining a U-Net and a long short-term memory (LSTM) network for image generation and sequential prediction. By utilizing a spatial transformer network to deform input images, our proposed network ensures accurate image generation. We conducted both qualitative and quantitative assessments to evaluate the effectiveness and accuracy of our proposed network. The simulated respiratory motion closely aligns with pulmonary biomechanics and reveals enhanced details of pulmonary diseases. The proposed network demonstrates precise prediction of respiratory motion in the test cases, achieving remarkable average Dice scores exceeding 0.96 across all phases. The maximum variation in lung length prediction was observed during the end-exhale phase, with average deviation of 4.76 mm (±6.64) for the left lung and 4.77 mm (±7.00) for the right lung. This research validates the feasibility of generating patient-specific respiratory motion profiles from single-phase chest radiographs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new La(III) ion-imprinted polymer La(III)-IIP was prepared by imprinting polymerization method, using methacrylic acid as the functional monomer and alkylated mesoporous silica as the carrier. La(III)-IIP was characterized by FTIR and SEM techniques. The material was also used to capture La3+ in low concentration wastewater, and the structural morphology as well as the elemental composition of the material were characterized and analyzed. In addition, based on the characterization and experimental data, the adsorption type of La(III) and the possible adsorption mechanism of the material were further analyzed, and finally, the selective adsorption of lanthanum and the regeneration performance of the material were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly ordered ZIF-8-derived carbon material NPC@ZnO was obtained by high-temperature pyrolysis under N2 atmosphere using ZIF-8 as a sacrificial template. The P-NPC@ZnO was successfully produced by surface modification with phosphoric acid treatment and the introduction of P elements. The adsorption performance of P-NPC@ZnO and control NPC@ZnO on Lu3+ was investigated using lutetium(III) as the adsorbent. The successful preparation of the materials was confirmed by FT-IR, XRD, SEM, TGA, BET, Raman and XPS characterization methods, and the adsorption type and mechanism of the adsorbent materials were analyzed, and finally the regenerative use performance as well as the selective performance of the adsorbents were investigated. The results showed that the adsorption performance of P-NPC@ZnO material for Lu3+ was remarkable under the optimal conditions, and the maximum adsorption amount could reach 230.21 mg g−1, which was twice as much as that of NPC@ZnO material. The experimental data were fitted to show that the rate-limiting step is controlled by surface adsorption, and lutetium(III) forms a single molecular layer adsorption with the adsorption sites on the surface of the adsorbent material. The P-NPC@ZnO material has good stability and regeneration performance and is selective for lutetium ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the effects of verbascoside on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cellular behaviors and underlying molecular mechanisms. For this purpose, SCC9 and UM1 cell lines were treated with verbascoside, and their biological behaviors, including proliferation, migration, and invasion, were evaluated using cell counting kit-8, 5-Ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine, and Transwell assays. The expression of methyltransferase-3 (METTL3), microRNA (miR)− 31–5p, and homeodomain interacting protein kinase-2 (HIPK2) were examined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The interaction between METTL3 and miR-31–5p was evaluated by RNA immunoprecipitation and methylated RNA immunoprecipitation, while the interaction between miR-31–5p and HIPK2 was evaluated by dual-luciferase reporter analysis. The results indicated inhibition of OSCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion post verbascoside treatment. Similarly, METTL3 was upregulated in OSCC cells and was inhibited post-verbascoside treatment. Overexpressing METTL3 promoted the cellular processes. Moreover, miR-31–5p was upregulated in OSCC cells, where METTL3 facilitated the processing of miR-31–5p in an N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-dependent manner. The HIPK2 served as miR-31–5p target, where overexpressing miR-31–5p or HIPK2 knockdown reversed the suppression of verbascoside-induced biological behaviors. Verbascoside inhibited the progression of OSCC by inhibiting the METTL3-regulated miR-31–5p/HIPK2 axis. These findings suggested that verbascoside might be an effective drug for OSCC therapy. [Display omitted] • Verbascoside inhibits oral squamous cell carcinoma cell migration and invasion. • Verbascoside downregulates METTL3 expression to regulate cellular functions. • METTL3 promotes pri-miR-31-5p processing in an m6A-dependent manner. • miR-31-5p targets HIPK2 to regulate cellular migration and invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is the most severe disease in male infertility, but the genetic causes for majority of NOA remain unknown. Methods: Two Chinese NOA-affected patients were recruited to identify the genetic causal factor of infertility. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was conducted in the two patients with NOA. Sanger sequencing and CNV array were used to ascertain the WES results. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and immunofluorescence (IF) were carried out to evaluate the stage of spermatogenesis arrested in the affected cases. Results: Novel heterozygous deletion (LOH) within SYCE1 (seq[GRCh37] del(10)(10q26.3)chr10:g.135111754_135427143del) and heterozygous loss of function (LoF) variant in SYCE1 (NM_001143763: c.689_690 del:p.F230fs) were identified in one NOA-affected patient. While homozygous deletion within SYCE1 (seq[GRCh37] del(10)(10q26.3)chr10:g.135340247_135379115del) was detected in the other patient with meiotic arrest. H&E and IF staining demonstrated that the spermatogenesis was arrested at pachytene stage in the two patients with NOA, suggesting these two novel CNVs within SYCE1 could lead to meiotic defect and NOA. Conclusions: We identified that two novel CNVs within SYCE1 are associated with meiotic arrest and male infertility. Thus, our study expands the knowledge of variants in SYCE1 and provides a new insight to understand the genetic etiologies of NOA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive or repeated intestinal resections for Crohn's disease (CD) could lead to disabling consequences. The present study aimed to assess the effect of preoperative anti-TNF therapy on the length of resected bowel and identify risk factors for postoperative morbidity following ileocolic resection for CD. Patients undergoing elective ileocolic resection for CD were included prospectively. Medical variables including demographics, Montréal classification, preoperative treatment, surgical details and 30-day postoperative morbidity were collected. Potential impact of preoperative anti-TNF treatment on length of ileocolic specimen and risk factors for postoperative morbidity were investigated. One hundred and eight-four patients were included in this study, and 66 (35.9%) of them received anti-TNF agents within 8 weeks prior to surgery. Primary anastomosis was performed in 145 patients (78.8%). The mean length of resected intestine was 10 cm shorter in subjects receiving preoperative anti-TNF treatment than those without preoperative anti-TNF therapy (P < 0.001). The rates of postoperative overall, infectious and intra-abdominal septic morbidity were 29.9%, 19.0% and 7.6%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, anti-TNF therapy < 8 weeks before surgery was independently associated with a shorter length of resected bowel but didn't increase overall and septic complications, while systemic steroids use within 8 weeks prior to surgery independently increased overall complications and intra-abdominal sepsis. Preoperative anti-TNF therapy was associated with a shorter length of resected bowel but not the overall and septic postoperative complications in ileocolic resection for CD. Weaning off systemic steroids before surgery may improve postoperative outcomes in patients with CD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) can cause different types of cancer in human beings when the virus infects different cell types with various latent patterns. EBV shapes a distinct and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) to its benefit by influencing and interacting with different components in the TME. Different EBV-associated malignancies adopt similar but slightly specific immunosuppressive mechanisms by encoding different EBV products to escape both innate and adaptive immune responses. Strategies reversing the immunosuppressive TME of EBV-associated malignancies have been under evaluation in clinical practice. As the interactions among EBV, tumor cells, and TME are intricate, in this review, we mainly discuss the epidemiology of EBV, the life cycle of EBV, the cellular and molecular composition of TME, and a landscape of different EBV-associated malignancies and immunotherapy by targeting the TME. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loss of electrodes in micro-electrical discharge machining (micro-EDM) is inevitable so that the electrode shape is deformed during processing, which seriously affects the final machining accuracy. Therefore, electrode loss prediction and compensation measures must be taken. In this paper, combined with the characteristics of the micro-electrical discharge machining computer numerical control (CNC) machine independently developed by the research group, a method to directly obtain the tool loss length and machined hole depth is put forward by integrating the electric contact method and coordinate transformation. Under the different processing conditions, the trends of electrode loss length with machining hole depth, the trends of electrode loss length with discharge time, and the trends of machining hole depth with discharge time were obtained. Meanwhile, the change rule was discussed and analyzed. Under fixed processing conditions, the hole depth is linearly related to the electrode loss length. The relationship between electrode loss length and hole depth and discharge time is approximately linear. Finally, the validity of the electrode loss prediction model is verified by the micro-EDM through-hole experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The chemical mechanism of diamond polishing SiC in different environments is studied. • H 2 O and H 2 O 2 molecules can be dissociated into the chemisorption of -H, –OH and -O-. • Mechanical removal, adhesive removal, and oxidative removal are summarized. • The chemisorption reduces the adhesive bonds at the interface and structural damage. • The reduction of adhesive bonds decreases the average friction coefficient. The material removal mechanism in the chemical–mechanical polishing (CMP) process is closely related to the tribochemical reactions. In order to understand the tribochemical behaviors of diamond polishing SiC in different environments, the polishing processes in dry, pure water, and H 2 O 2 solution are studied by the reactive force field molecular dynamics (ReaxFF-MD) simulation. Three types of chemisorption, -H, –OH, and -O-, are found on the surface of SiC in both pure water and H 2 O 2 solution. Besides, three different material removal methods are summarized in the CMP process of SiC with diamond abrasives, namely mechanical removal, adhesive removal, and oxidative removal. Although there is oxidative removal in water and H 2 O 2 solution, the total atoms removed will actually decrease, because the chemisorption reduces the atoms removed by adhesive removal. It is found that H 2 O 2 solution can more effectively reduce adhesive bonds and is more conducive to oxidative removal. The reduction of adhesive bonds and changes in material removal methods result in a smaller average friction coefficient and less structural damage during polishing in H 2 O 2 solution. This study reveals the relationship between material removal and tribochemical reactions, which can provide some guidance for the improvement of CMP process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel approach is proposed, combining pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes, to enhance the recovery of Fe and Al while effectively breaking down the mineral composition of red mud. The study delves into the roasting reduction behavior and conversion mechanism of red mud, utilizing thermodynamic analysis and conducting roasting experiments. Extensive investigations were conducted to analyze the impact of roasting temperature and time on the carbothermal reduction of red mud. The results indicate that the most favorable leaching effect of iron and aluminum from red mud was achieved after roasting at 1000 °C for 45 min. The behavior of roasted red mud during acid leaching was meticulously explored. During the roasting process, the majority of hematite in the red mud underwent reduction to wustite (FeO) and zero-valent iron, while the aluminum-bearing minerals melted and decomposed to form NaAlSiO 4 and Ca 2 Al 2 SiO 7 , along with other substances. The formation of low-valent and independently present iron products played a role in achieving high Fe leaching efficiency. The presence of Ca and Al-containing compounds such as Ca 2 Al 2 SiO 7 in the product of roasting proved difficult to leach, leading to poor Al leaching efficiency. The acid leaching process exhibited promising results, with maximum leaching efficiency of iron and aluminum reaching 95.7% and 72.5%, respectively. This success can be attributed to the control over experimental conditions, which allowed for the generation of desired iron oxides with various valence states. • A controlled reduction process for red mud roasting is proposed. • The recovery of iron from red mud exceeded 95%. • The directions of physical phase changes and valence transformations of iron and aluminum during roasting were traced. • A definite direction was given for the subsequent improvement of the process of aluminum recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effects of etching temperature and concentrations of hydrochloric acid (HCl) on the exfoliating process and the electrochemical performance of LIBs were systematically explored. The transformation from Ti3AlC2 to Ti3C2 was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectra. The suitable conditions of preparing Ti3C2 MXene though HCl and lithium fluoride (LiF) were obtained. Besides, the in-situ oxidation conditions of Ti3C2 during the etching process were studied. The TiO2/Ti3C2 was beneficial to improve the specific capacity from 125 mAh g − 1 to 150 mAh g − 1 at 1 C. The in-situ oxidation conditions of Ti3C2 and the morphological changes under different reaction conditions are explored. The concentration of hydrochloric acid and the etching temperature play a key role in the etching process. The electrochemical performance of Ti3C2 after in-situ oxidation is greatly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The starburst effect generally refers to the phenomenon where radial bright lines emerge from a light source in photographs. In this work, the light intensity distribution of the diffraction pattern is calculated and carefully measured, which shows a power-law decay with the distance to the image center. The exponent of the power-law decay depends on the shape of the aperture. A specific method is proposed to calculate the analytical solution of the diffraction pattern caused by a polygonal hole, which is based on the superposition principle of light amplitudes. The dominant factors on this effect are also investigated experimentally, such as the aperture size and light parallelism. This paper provides a systematic study for the starburst effect, which can be used in teaching students majoring in physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin D deficiency and refractory osteoporosis are common complications in patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS). The symptom of bone loss is not effectively alleviated, even after the oral administration of vitamin D in SBS patients who had been weaned off parenteral nutrition. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of propionate on the expression of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in the small intestine of rats with SBS. Firstly, IEC-6 (intestinal epithelioid cell line No. 6) cells were incubated in vitro with 1 mM sodium propionate for 24 h. This resulted in a significant increase in the expression of VDR and yes-associated protein (YAP) compared with that in the control group. Transfection of IEC-6 cells with YAP siRNA significantly down-regulated the expression of VDR. By contrast, after incubating IEC-6 cells with lysophosphatidic acid, an agonist of YAP, upregulation of VDR and YAP was observed. Next, we investigated whether this effect occurs in vivo. Five-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent 80% small bowel resection to establish an SBS model. Rats treated with 1% w/v sodium propionate had high levels of VDR and YAP expression in the intestine and intestinal adaptation was clearly observed compared to the control group. However, these effects were blocked by intraperitoneal injection of verteporfin. Thus, this study showed that propionate promoted VDR expression in the intestine via the activity of YAP, both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, propionate was shown to play an active role in postoperative intestinal adaptation in SBS rats. • Activation of YAP promoted the expression of the vitamin D receptor (VDR). • Propionate promoted VDR expression via the activation of YAP, both in vitro and in vivo. • YAP and VDR are involved in propionate-induced intestinal adaption in rats with short bowel syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Short bowel syndrome (SBS) resulting from extensive intestinal resection is thought to significantly affect gut microbiota. Data are limited on the signatures of the intestinal microbiome in SBS with different anatomical types.Aims: The aim of our investigation was to characterize the composition and function of gut microbiota in SBS with or without ileocecal resection (ICR).Methods: Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent 75% small bowel resection (SBR) with the ileocecal junction intact (SBR group, jejunoileal anastomosis, n = 10) or removed (ICR group, jejunocolic anastomosis, n = 10), or sham surgery (sham group, n = 10). Colonic contents of the rats were collected 28 days after operation, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed on the MiSeq Illumina platform to analyze bacterial composition.Results: Overall structures of the gut microbiome differed significantly among the three groups. The bacterial α-diversity of the ICR group was remarkably lower than that of the sham group. ICR rats were enriched with Lactobacillus and opportunistic pathogens from Proteobacteria but depleted of commensal genera belonging to the Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae and Erysipelotrichaceae families. Genera from the Bacteroidales S24-7 group, Porphyromonadaceae, Prevotellaceae, Rikenellaceae and Christensenellaceae were prevalent in SBR rats. Functional pathways of branched-chain and aromatic amino acid biosynthesis, lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis and infectious diseases were abundant in the ICR group, while SBR rats featured pathways of C5 branched dibasic acid metabolism, biotin metabolism and one carbon pool folate.Conclusions: ICR causes dramatically more severe intestinal dysbiosis than SBR only in SBS rat models, resulting in altered functional profiles of the gut microbiome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotating electrodes can effectively improve the processing performance of micro-electrical discharge machining (micro-EDM), but there is still a lack of systematic research on the specific effects of electrode rotation and rotational speed changes. In this paper, the effects of electrode rotation and rotational speed on the discharge channel, debris stress, and debris motion in micro-EDM were analyzed theoretically. An AISI304 sheet was used as the workpiece and helical tungsten carbide alloy as the electrode. The through-hole drilling experiments of micro-EDM were carried out at low and high discharge energy and different electrode rotational speeds. In terms of processing efficiency, the effects of electrode rotation and rotational speed on material removal rate (MRR), relative tool wear ratio (RTWR), and short circuit number were analyzed. The results show that MRR increases first and then decreases, RTWR and short circuit number decrease first and then increase. In the aspect of processing precision, the impacts of electrode rotation and rotational speed on taper angle and overcut were analyzed. The results show that the electrode rotational speed has little effect on the change of the taper angle. In addition, when the electrode rotational speed is small, there is no obvious change in overcut. When the speed is too high, the overcut increases obviously and shows a trend of continuous increase. Finally, by comparing the experimental results, the optimal electrode rotational speeds of micro-EDM with two kinds of discharge energy were determined. The final experimental results also verify the correctness of the previous theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Wettability is the main factor that affects the self-cleaning and corrosion resistance of metal surfaces. The main factor that affects wettability is the change of surface microstructure and surface energy of metal material. When modifying metals, it is necessary to master their wetting behavior to obtain the required performance surface. In this paper, the wetting behavior of liquid droplets on smooth, square, papillary and nail-shaped surfaces with different surface energies was studied systematically by molecular dynamics simulation. The results show that the solid–liquid interaction factor is negatively correlated with the surface contact angle of aluminum plate. When the solid–liquid interaction factor is greater than the droplet potential energy parameter, the nail-shaped surface has the largest solid–liquid contact area and droplet centroid displacement rate due to its large roughness, and the surface hydrophilicity is the best; When the solid–liquid interaction factor is close to the droplet potential energy parameter, the nail-shaped surface has the smallest solid–liquid contact area and droplet centroid displacement rate due to its large roughness, and realizes the transition from neutral to hydrophobic; When the solid–liquid interaction factor is less than the droplet potential energy parameter, the papillary surface has the smallest solid–liquid contact area and droplet centroid displacement rate due to its small solid–liquid area fraction, thus realizing the transition from hydrophobicity to superhydrophobicity. The simulation results of this study are consistent with the classical theoretical calculation and experimental results, which reveals the interaction between metal surface wettability and surface energy and surface morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical performances of a liquid crystal (LC) Fabry-Perot (FP) etalon in various configurations were simulated by a faster 4×4 matrix method. Results show that the FP with a 90° twisted nematic LC is polarization insensitive if the applied voltage exceeds ∼3X of the Freedericksz transition threshold. This method can well depict the transmission spectra of the FP cavity and, therefore, is useful for optimizing the FP tunable filters for telecommunications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the effect of kallikrein-related peptidase KLK1 on azoospermic mice induced by busulfan and mouse spermatogonial stem cell.Methods: Mice were treated with a single intraperitoneal injection of busulfan, and 4 weeks later, they received a daily intraperitoneal injection of KLK1 at different doses for another 4 weeks. Eight weeks after the busulfan treatment, all mice were sacrificed and their testes were collected for histological evaluation, immunostaining and protein extraction. In vitro, immortalized mouse spermatogonial stem cells, namely C18-4 cells, were treated with KLK1 for proliferation assays.Results: Histological evaluation of testes, epididymis and epididymal fluid showed that KLK1-treated mice had better spermatogenesis than the control group. Immunostaining showed that tissue samples from testes of KLK1-treated mice had more PLZF- and SCP3-positive cells per seminiferous tubule as well as more PNA-positive cells in the seminiferous tubules. Western blots revealed higher expression levels of PCNA in KLK1-treated mice than in control mice. C18-4 cells treated with KLK1 had a higher proliferation rate and higher expression levels of PCNA, Cyclin A and Cyclin E, and the level of phosphorylated ERK2 were increased after KLK1 treatment.Conclusion: Collectively, KLK1 can improve spermatogenesis in azoospermic mice, and KLK1 can promote the proliferation of mouse spermatogonial stem cells via activating ERK1/2 and cell cycle proteins Cyclin A and Cyclin E. This study could offer novel approach and provide new targets for the treatment of azoospermia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Additive manufacturing is a fabrication technology with flexibility and economy. 18Ni300 is one of maraging steels with ultra-high strength, superior toughness, so it is an excellent candidate of structural material. This paper aims to explore the feasibility of using direct laser metal deposition method to fabricate18Ni300, and the evolution of its microstructure and defects is studied.Design/methodology/approach The experiments were conceived from single-trace-single-layer (STSL) test to multi-trace-multi-layers (MTML) test via single-trace-multi-layers (STML) test. The microstructure, defects and mechanical properties were analyzed.Findings The STML results showed that the columnar/equiaxed transformation occurred at the top part and the grain size increased with the layer number increasing, and it was explained by an innovative attempt combining columnar/equiaxed transformation model and the change of grain size. The MTML test with the interlayer orthogonal parallel reciprocating scanning pattern resulted in the grain growing along orthogonal directions; with the increase of overlap rate, the length and the area of the columnar grain decreased. What is more, the later deposition layer had lower micro-hardness value because of heat history.Originality/value Direct laser metal deposition method was a novel additive manufacturing method to manufacture 18Ni300 components, as 18Ni300 maraging steel was mainly manufactured by selective laser melting (SLM) method nowadays. It was useful to manufacture maraging steel parts using direct laser deposition method because it could manufacture larger parts than SLM method. Influence of processing parameters on forming quality and microstructure evolution was studied. The findings will be helpful to understand the forming mechanism of laser additive manufacturing of 18Ni300 components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the machinability of silicon carbide (SiC) during machining, promoting surface plasticity is a classical strategy. In this study, it aimed to promote the surface plasticity of SiC by combining surface metallurgical reactions with femtosecond laser (fs laser) surface modification. Firstly, an Al/Ti coating was deposited on the fs laser modified surface. After heat treatment, experimental characterization revealed metallurgical reactions that produced an intermetallic compound containing Al and Ti. Nanoindentation tests showed the surface treated by fs laser and metallurgical reactions has over a 2x increase in deformation energy compared to different surface conditions. Furthermore, a scratch test demonstrated better lateral plastic flow and uniform scratch width in the treated surface, indicating improved plasticity promotion and machinability. To reveal the effect of Ti and Al during heat treatment, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations were conducted. This investigation provides a novel strategy to promote surface plasticity and improve the machinability of SiC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface modification layers play a crucial role in enhancing machinability during reaction-assisted machining due to the interrelated behavior of the surface and interface resulting from their structure-properties relationship. However, determining the impact of surface mechanical properties on a coherent interface through experiments is challenging. To overcome this limitation, atomistic simulations were performed, which involved constructing coherent interfaces with varying mechanical properties by adjusting the Tersoff-style potential function. The 4H–SiC machining example involved introducing soft, pristine, and modification layers. The findings indicated that the soft layer acted as a buffer, reducing substrate stress, while the modification layer enhanced efficiency at greater penetration depths, and near-interface dynamic behaviors were altered. Additionally, it was indirectly suggested that the effect of a harder modification layer on the interface may be more significant than the difference in mechanical properties between the modification layer and substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon carbide (SiC) has become increasingly important for use in the optoelectronics industry due to its unique properties. Achieving higher precision in SiC machining presents a challenge, and understanding the microscopic and dynamic mechanisms conditioning this process is crucial. In this study, we used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate these mechanisms by analyzing different removal intervals of SiC wear particles during simulations of grinding. Our MD model featured multi-grits in four different shapes (cubic, octahedral, cubo-octahedral, and spherical), and final ground surfaces were achieved by simulating grinding. The results showed that wear particle removal could improve machinability and alter microstructure evolution, producing a surface with more connective small planes. This wear particle removal also led to a decrease in the magnitude and frequency of variation of the local temperature by up to ~24 %, and the tangential and axial forces. The fluctuations in forces corresponded directly to the frequency of the wear particle removal. Although the wear particles could slightly speed up grinding in the middle stage, they were found to be detrimental to the final surface quality. Consequently, this study provides a valuable perspective on understanding abrasive machining of SiC. [Display omitted] • MD model for multi-grit grinding was constructed. • Local entropy was applied to identify the wear particles during grinding. • Dynamic and microscopic mechanisms of wear particles were revealed. • Complete generation process of the finished surface was simulated and analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser based direct energy deposition is an additive manufacturing method that can produce or repair fully dense components. Maraging steels are well known for its superior strength and toughness with low carbon content. Here, 18Ni300 maraging components were fabricated by laser based directed energy deposition under argon atmosphere. The influence of processing parameters on the forming quality was studied based on orthogonal experiment and the results showed that the macroscopic forming generally performed well and the density of forming parts was positively correlated with laser energy density. The effects of different heat treatments on microstructure evolution and mechanical properties were explored after an hour of solid solution treatment in 830 °C and aging treatments for 1 h, 4 h, 7 h, 10 h respectively. It was found that with the extension of aging time, the directional dendritic columnar crystals transformed into lath martensites and the number of stomas decreased considerably. Meanwhile, the microhardness and tensile properties of the forming parts were promoted greatly after the heat treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NMR studies of the catalyst, deuteration experiments, mass spectrometry, and isolation and characterization of intermediates, allow us to propose an outer-sphere mechanism for the Iridium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of N -alkyl-2-arylpyridinium salts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a common cause of intestinal failure and can be divided into three types depending on intestinal anatomy. Gut dysbiosis has been observed in pediatric SBS patients and is associated with impaired outcome. Little is known about the changes in gut microbiota of adult SBS patients. Therefore, we aim to characterize the fecal microbiota of adult patients with different types of SBS. Methods Fifteen fecal samples from healthy controls and adult patients with type II or type III SBS were collected (five in each group). Fecal microbial compositions were determined by high-throughput sequencing, and functional potential was predicted by Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States. Results Bacterial α-diversity significantly decreased in SBS patients and positively correlated to the remaining small bowel length. SBS II patients were enriched with Proteobacteria but deficient in Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Whereas Lactobacillus and Prevotella dominated the microbiomes of SBS III patients, commensal bacteria from Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Bacteroidaceae declined in SBS patients. The parenteral nutrition duration of SBS patients was positively related to the proportion of Enterobacteriaceae but negatively related to Lactobacillus. Functional pathways of citrate cycle and branched-chain and aromatic amino acid biosynthesis were abundant in SBS II patients, while functional profiles of pyrimidine and purine metabolism were dominant in SBS III patients. Conclusions Short bowel syndrome patients have a marked intestinal dysbiosis with type II SBS characterized by Proteobacteria and type III SBS featured by Lactobacillus, resulting in altered functional profiles of fecal microbiomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of a superhydrophobic surface on metal can improve the self-cleaning, anti-fouling, and anti-bacterial properties of the surface. At present, the superhydrophobicity of the sample surface is mostly obtained by modifying the rough surface with fluorine-containing modifiers, which is unfavorable to the environment. Therefore, developing superhydrophobic surfaces without environmental pollution has become a research hotspot. Based on laser etching technology, the rough surface with a micro-nano dual-scale structure was prepared on aluminum alloy, and then a green and natural saturated fatty acid — myristic acid was used to modify the rough surface. Contact angle measuring instrument, depth of field microscope, scanning electron microscope and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer were used to characterize the wettability, surface morphology, and chemical composition of the modified rough surface (S1). Self-cleaning, anti-contamination, antibacterial, mechanical durability, and thermal stability of the S1 surface were tested experimentally. The wetting of droplets on hydrophobic surface was simulated by using COMSOL Multiphysics software, and a computational model was established to compare different functional structures, so as to understand the influence of parameters on the enhancement of hydrophobic properties of material surface. The results showed that the static contact angle (WCA) of the surface modified by myristic acid reached 152.3°, and the hydrophobic index was -0.808, and the WCA value first increased and then decreased with the change of modification time and concentration. With the increase of myristic acid concentration, the peak value of the contact angle WCA of S1 was negatively correlated with modification time. The self-cleaning rate, anti-stain rate, and antibacterial rate of S1 were 91.4%, 83.6% and 88.4%, respectively, showing excellent self-cleaning, anti-stain, and antibacterial ability. In the mechanical durability test, the S1 surface can resist at least 50 times tape peeling, 30 times steel wool friction and wear, the and 180 g sand falling impact test still keeps superhydrophobic. In the thermal stability test, the S1 surface remains superhydrophobic after heat treatment at 100–200°C for 30 h. In this study, the multifunctional superhydrophobic surface was obtained on aluminum alloy by laser etching technology combined with a green fluorine-free modifier, which provided some meaningful ideas and references for the green preparation of superhydrophobic surfaces and the application and development of superhydrophobic surfaces in biomedical metals. A multifunctional superhydrophobic surface with contact angle of 152.3∘ was prepared on aluminum alloy surface by laser etching combined with green fluorine-free modifier. The surface has excellent self-cleaning, stain resistance, antibacterial property, mechanical durability and thermal stability. This study provides some meaningful ideas and references for the green preparation of superhydrophobic surfaces, and the application and development of superhydrophobic surfaces in biomedical metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma (ENKTCL) is consistently associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, the manifestation and prognostic value of serum EBV antibodies still remain unknown. One hundred and forty-one patients with ENKTCL were evaluated for serum EBV EA-IgA and VCA-IgA antibodies levels in the past 24 years in our institution. Their correlation with clinicopathological features, plasma EBV DNA load, and patients' outcomes was analyzed. EBV EA-IgA ≥1:10 and VCA-IgA ≥1:160 were found in 18.4 and 16.3% of patients, respectively. They correlated with adverse ENKTCL profile and inferior overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). EA-IgA ≥1:10 was an independent prognostic factor on OS (RR = 2.276, p = 0.008) and associated with lower complete response (CR) rate (34.8 vs 70.6%, p = 0.001) and higher relapse rate in CR patients (62.5 vs 34.7%, p = 0.016). In subgroup analysis, both EA-IgA ≥1:10 and VCA-IgA ≥1:160 significantly correlated with inferior OS and PFS in patients with stage I/II, IPI score 0-1, plasma EBV DNA (+), and CR. Patients with plasma EBV DNA (+) and EA-IgA ≥1:10 (or VCA-IgA ≥1:160) had significantly shorter periods of OS and PFS in comparison with other corresponding groups. Elevated serum EBV EA-IgA and VCA-IgA levels were related to adverse ENKTCL profile and correlated with poor treatment response, early relapse, and poor prognosis in patients with ENKTCL. These findings provide convincing evidence for the use of serum EBV EA-IgA and VCA-IgA antibodies for risk group stratification and prognostic prediction in ENKTCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Machinability improvement of 4H-SiC by fs laser modification was evaluated. • Heat effect for SiC during fs laser was observed and stimulated. • Heat- and flow-related phenomena were explained by multi-physics FEM. • Subsurface void formation and atomic behaviors were revealed by TTM-MD. • Machinability improvement mechanism was summarized from multi scale. The high brittleness and hardness are harmful to the machinability of silicon carbide (SiC). To improve machinability, femtosecond laser (fs laser) surface modification was conducted. The results of scratching test for modification surface showed the fluctuation of tangential force and coefficient of friction (COF) and the decrease of energy of acoustic emission peak. COF under various axial loads tends to be 0.2. The scratching profile has a conformal shape and deeper depth. Experiments elucidate that machinability is improved by fs laser surface modification due to surface decomposition and laser-induced periodic surface structures. Although fs laser processing was treated as cold processing to some extent, the heat-related phenomena were non-negligible in SiC processing. To reveal the dynamic multi-scale mechanism during fs laser modification, the multi-physics finite element model and the molecular dynamics simulations coupled with a two-temperature model were applied. Multi-scale simulation results revealed that the recoil flow has a high speed of >1.2 m/s and the peak temperature exceeds 8000 K, causing the spatter and heat affect zone. The high electronic temperature gradient is generated during irradiating, causing the subsurface void generation. Consequently, fs laser surface modification can improve machinability, but the heat effect and subsurface void should be cautioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering that the polishing process cannot be performed without water, a polishing model for 4H-SiC in a water environment is established. The influence of pressure on the 4H-SiC polishing process in a water environment is investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. The simulations indicate that the 4H-SiC substrate is completely compressed without phase transformation owing to the pressure imposed by the water film. Making contact with abrasives is the main reason for phase transformation, and an increase in polishing pressure leads to a significant increase in temperature and the number of phase transformations. An increase in pressure can increase the friction force; however, it does not increase the friction coefficient because the water film bears partial pressure. In addition, an increase in polishing pressure promotes basal slip in the 4H-SiC substrate, resulting in dislocations and structural damage. However, the number of chip atoms does not always increase with increasing pressure. After the polishing pressure reaches a certain value, an increase in pressure degrades the machining quality and does not improve the material removal rate. The atoms with a defect structure are partially recovered after unloading, but the dislocations are not significantly reduced. These findings can provide theoretical guidance for the selection of polishing pressure. [Display omitted] • The polishing model of 4H-SiC in a water environment is established. • Water film is proved to bear and transmit pressure during polishing. • The friction coefficient decreases because water film receives pressure. • Material removal rate is affected by the pressure acting on the water film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The GaN/AlN model with hexagonal misfit dislocation structure is established. • The defect form and stress state at the GaN/AlN heterointerface are analyzed. • The evolution of interface during the thinning process of GaN film is studied. • The influence of GaN/AlN heterointerface on the thinning process is studied. The structure of GaN/AlN heterointerface is commonly used in the high electron mobility transistors. To investigate the evolution and influence of GaN/AlN heterointerface during thinning, the grinding process of GaN films is simulated by molecular dynamics. The differences in the grinding process between GaN film with different thickness and pure GaN are compared. It is found that dislocation and phase transformation are the main defects at the GaN/AlN heterointerface, which will cause the stress concentration in the workpiece. The thinning process will lead to the evolution of the heterointerface and reduce the dislocation at the interface. Compared with the thinning of pure GaN, the heterointerface will promote the transformation from hexagonal wurtzite structure to cubic zinc-blende structure. In addition, there will be more chip atoms in the thinning process, because the heterointerface can hinder heat conduction and result in the higher temperature of GaN film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The coating forces move more Al atoms in the nanoindentation direction. • BNNS coating increases the pressure area by sunkening the substrate surface. • Phase transition in the Al substrate is mostly caused by high von mises stress. • Multiple nanoindentations convert elasticity into plasticity in coated substrates. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are performed to study the repeated nanoindentation on aluminum (Al) substrate with different boron nitride nanosheet (BNNS) coating thickness. To reveal the strengthening mechanism of coating, the hardness, surface morphology, atomic stress, atomic strain and phase transition are analyzed. The results show that the hardness of substrate increases with the coating thickness. It is also revealed that the pressure area of Al substrate increases with coating thickness. Because of the coating force, more atoms move along the loading direction, causing the substrate to slip more and more atoms to be severely strained. However, although severely deformed, some Al atoms still recover elastically after unloading. After multiple loadings, some elastic deformations are transformed into plastic deformations. The lattice structures are destroyed, possibly with amorphous atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multi modes of scratching test for 4H-SiC were observed by experimental method. • Morphology, residual stress distribution, force signals, and AE signals were analyzed. • Dynamic atoms' behaviors were simulated by MD simulations. • Proposed a multi layers model uniformly explained different material removal mechanisms. Multi modes features during machining of brittle materials determine the process window. To reveal these fundamental features of SiC, a series of scratching experiments and atomistic simulations were designed. Real-time signals of scratching force and acoustic emission were analyzed in the time-domain and time-frequency domains to distinguish features. The birefringence of 4H-SiC in polarized light was non-destructively deployed to analyze the localized stress distribution and morphology after scratching. The experiments found four scratching modes – Hertz mode, quasi-ductility mode, high stress mode, and stylus failure mode. To reveal the atom-level behaviors inducing mode transition, atomistic simulations were conducted and post-analyzed from macro-level parameters, phase transition, dislocations, and so forth. The dynamic cycle mechanism – elastic deformation, plastic deformation, cracking – was revealed and the shear modulus, poisson's ratio, scratching speed, penetration depth, and deformation energy was recommended to optimize analytical model. Finally, we attempted to propose a unified qualitative multi layers model to explain different material removal mechanisms. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of water film and scratching load on tribological properties are investigated by molecular dynamics simulation. Water film is found to reduce the average friction coefficient and enhance heat dissipation of scratching process. The long dislocations in 4H‐SiC are related to the formation of continuous and stable Si-Si bonds, and the water film can inhibit the formation of dislocations by affecting Si-Si bonds. Scratching in water-wetted environments has a positive effect on improving surface quality and reducing sub-surface damage, but has a negative impact on the material removal rate. The effect of increasing load is opposite to that of adding water. These results confirm the lubrication effect of water film in global planarization process from a theoretical perspective. [Display omitted] • The nano-scratching model of 4H‐SiC in water-wetted environment is established. • The lubrication of water can reduce the tangential force and friction coefficient. • The water film can enhance heat dissipation and reduce chip accumulation. • The water film can reduce phase transition and surface damage after scratching. • The water film can inhibit the formation of dislocations by affecting Si-Si bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few articles focused on endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) in the management of Crohn's strictures in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract.Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of EBD for Crohn's strictures in the upper GI tract and to determine early predictors of response and surgical intervention.Methods: All eligible patients who underwent EBD for Crohn's strictures in the upper GI tract were retrospectively reviewed. The long-term success was defined as the recovery of normal diets without surgical intervention over the follow-up period. In order to seek early predictors, patients who achieved long-term success were compared with those who didn't.Results: A total of 67 dilations of upper GI strictures were performed between June 2011 and March 2015 on 24 patients (mean age 25.6 ± 6.7, 20 male) with Crohn's disease. Technical success was achieved in 62 of 67 dilations (92.5 %) with a complication rate of 3 %. After the median follow-up period of 23.0 months (range 6.2-51.2 months), nine patients underwent surgical intervention, nine patients were still depending on tube feeding; in the meantime, only six (25 %) patients achieved long-term success. Additionally, patients who remained 1 month intervention-free (55.6 vs. 5.9 %, P = 0.015) were more likely to achieve long-term success.Conclusions: EBD was a safe procedure, but not a potent therapy for Crohn's upper GI strictures. Meanwhile, 1-month response could serve as an early predictor of the long-term response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Surgery is required in approximately one-third of patients with chronic radiation enteritis (CRE). The aim of this study was to explore the short- and long-term outcomes after surgery for CRE and risk factors of postoperative morbidity. Methods Clinical features and surgical outcomes of patients undergoing surgery for CRE were retrospectively reviewed. Risk factors of postoperative morbidity were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis. Survival and reoperation rates for CRE were evaluated. Results Among the 404 patients included, 351 patients (86.88%) received resectional surgery, whereas the remaining patients received conservative procedures. No differences were detected between patients with resection and those without resection with regard to major morbidity ( P = 0.486) and surgical complications ( P = 0.715). Laparoscopy resulted in a shorter postoperative hospital stay ( P = 0.035). After multivariate analysis, history of hypertension (odds ratio [OR] = 2.490; P = 0.046), previous acute radiation enteritis (OR = 1.832; P = 0.033), intraoperative blood loss of more than 200 mL (OR = 2.235; P = 0.006), and thrombocytopenia (OR = 2.544; P = 0.016) were determined as independent predictors of postoperative major morbidity. During follow-up, 22 patients required reoperation for CRE recurrence, and the reoperation rate was significantly lower in patients receiving resectional surgery ( P = 0.005). Conclusions Resection is feasible for CRE with acceptable postoperative morbidity and lower reoperation rate. Correction of preoperative thrombocytopenia, minimizing intraoperative blood loss, and close monitoring of hypertensive patients and those with history of acute radiation enteritis are critical to reduce postoperative complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the clinicopathologic features of extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) not preceded by another Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related disorder in children and adolescents.Methods: A series of 17 cases of ENKTL not preceded by another EBV-related disorder in children and adolescents in one institution from China was retrospectively analyzed.Results: The patients had a median age of 13 years (range, 2-17 years), and the male to female ratio was 3.25:1. All the patients were of Chinese origin and without a history of another EBV-related disorder. The upper aerodigestive tract was involved in 14 (82.4%) cases, of which the sinonasal region was involved in 10 (58.8%) cases. Twelve (70.6%) patients had stage I/II disease. Morphologically, coagulative necrosis and angiocentric/angiodestructive growth pattern were observed in 94.1% (16/17) and 88.2% (15/17) of all cases, respectively. Thirteen (76.5%) cases were mainly composed of medium-sized cells. All cases expressed cytoplasmic CD3 and at least one marker for cytotoxic granules. CD56 expression was seen in 16 (94.1%) of 17 cases. Each case harbored EBV.Conclusions: ENKTL not preceded by another EBV-related disorder in children and adolescents is occasionally observed in China. It tends to have a male predominance. The upper aerodigestive tract, especially the sinonasal region, is the most commonly involved site. The morphologic features and immunophenotype in children and adolescents are similar to that occurring in adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long-term outcome of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) who achieved a pathological complete response (pCR) was scarcely discussed, and never had the factors affecting the prognosis of pCR patients been investigated. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who achieved a pCR to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in Jinling Hospital. The 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated with the Kaplan–Meier method. Meanwhile, univariate and multivariate COX regression analysis was applied to identify prognostic factors affecting patients' survival. Results: A total of 37 consecutive LAGC patients with pCR were included. The 3- and 5-year OS rates were 88.8% and 78.6%, and the 3- and 5-year PFS rates were 86.5% and 75.8%. In the multivariate COX model, NAC duration of more than 3 cycles (HR 0.11 [0.02–0.62], P = 0.013) and poorly differentiated tumor at diagnosis (HR 0.17 [0.03–0.95], P = 0.043) were detected as protective factors for patients OS. Whereas for PFS, NAC duration (HR 0.12 [0.02–0.67], P = 0.015) was the only protective factor confirmed, with tumor differentiation at diagnosis exhibiting marginal significance (HR 0.21 [0.04–1.09], P = 0.063). Conclusions: Patients with LAGC who achieved a pCR displayed favorable long-term survival outcome, especially those with adequate cycles (≥ 3) of NAC. Besides, poor differentiation at diagnosis might also predict the better OS when pCR achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the effects of different contact types on polishing characteristics of SiC wafer, the different contact types during polishing are simplified as the self-rotation of diamond abrasives. Through molecular dynamics simulation, three different material removal modes are proposed and graphite structure after the wear of diamond was displayed. It is found that the material removal mode of 3C–SiC changes from cutting removal to adhesion removal via compression removal, and finally returns to cutting removal, with the increase of the abrasive linear velocity. The wear of diamond abrasive is the most serious when there is no self-rotation, and graphite will form after diamond is worn. When the abrasive only rolls forward, the wear of diamond abrasive is the least, and the material removal rate is also the least. The self-rotation of diamond abrasives can significantly reduce the structural damage of the workpiece and the increment of system temperature and potential energy. Also, the self-rotation of abrasives can reduce the tangential force, which leads to the decrease of friction coefficient. Based on the above results, it is proved that the self-rotation of abrasive particles in the polishing process cannot be ignored. • The concepts of cutting removal, compression removal and adhesion removal are proposed. • The contact types are found to change the material removal mode of 3C–SiC. • Graphite structure is clearly displayed after diamond abrasives were worn during polishing. • The self-rotation of diamond abrasives is beneficial to reduce subsurface damage of substrate and wear of abrasives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the anti-diabetic effect of Aster sphathulifolius (AS) extract in C57BL/KsJ- db/db mice. The db/db mice were orally administered with AS 50% ethanol extract at concentrations of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day ( db/ db-AS50, db/ db-AS100, and db/ db-AS200, respectively) for 10 weeks. Food and water intake, fasting blood glucose concentrations, blood glycosylated hemoglobin levels, and plasma insulin levels were significantly lower in the db/ db-AS200 group than in the vehicle-treated db/ db group; whereas glucose tolerance was significantly improved in the db/ db-AS200 group. Moreover, AS dose dependently increased both insulin receptor substrate 1 and glucose transporter type 4 expression in skeletal muscle, significantly increased glucokinase expression, and decreased glucose 6-phosphatase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase expressions in the liver. The expressions of transcription factors, such as sterol-regulatory element-binding protein, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, and adipocyte protein 2, were upregulated in adipose tissue. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis showed that AS upregulated insulin production by increasing pancreatic β-cell mass. In summary, AS extract normalized hyperglycemia by multiple mechanisms: inhibition of glyconeogenesis, acceleration of glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism, and increase of glucose uptake. Using in vivo assays, this study has shown the potential of AS as a medicinal food and suggests the efficacy of AS for the use of prevention of diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iridium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of N-alkyl-2-alkylpyridinium salts provided 2-aryl-substituted piperidines with high levels of enantioselectivity. Simple benzyl and other alkyl groups successfully activated the challenging pyridine substrates toward hydrogenation. The use of the unusual chiral-phosphole-based MP2-SEGPHOS was the key to the success of this approach which provides a versatile and practical procedure for the synthesis of chiral piperidines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iridium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of N-alkyl-2-alkylpyridinium salts provided 2-aryl-substituted piperidines with high levels of enantioselectivity. Simple benzyl and other alkyl groups successfully activated the challenging pyridine substrates toward hydrogenation. The use of the unusual chiral-phosphole-based MP2-SEGPHOS was the key to the success of this approach which provides a versatile and practical procedure for the synthesis of chiral piperidines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the search for a second generation HCV protease inhibitor, molecular modeling studies of the X-ray crystal structure of Boceprevir®1 bound to the NS3 protein suggest that expansion into the S4 pocket could provide additional hydrophobic Van der Waals interactions. Effective replacement of the P4 tert-butyl with a cyclohexylmethyl ligand led to inhibitor 2 with improved enzyme and replicon activities. Subsequent modeling and SAR studies led to the pyridine 38 and sulfone analogues 52 and 53 with vastly improved PK parameters in monkeys, forming a new foundation for further exploration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To the Editor: The report by Fivez et al. (March 24 issue)(1) suggested superiority of delayed versus early parenteral nutrition, although delay resulted in more frequent episodes of hypoglycemia, which were correctly included as a secondary outcome. "Brief" episodes of hypoglycemia were considered clinically irrelevant, but this is not supported by the references provided.(2),(3) In the study by McKinlay et al.,(2) patients were treated to maintain a blood glucose of at least 47 mg per deciliter (higher than the 40 mg per deciliter in the study by Fivez et al.), and only 47% of neonates had been admitted to . . . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Polarization effect of the pulsed pumping laser on the lasing characteristics of the dye-doped right-handed cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) is studied at different incident angles. At a small incident angle (<18°), the CLC laser performance is independent of the polarization state of the pumping laser. As the incident angle exceeds 18°, the CLC laser emission strongly depends on the polarization state of the pumping laser. As the incident angle increases, the lasing efficiency of the CLC laser is dramatically decreased for those excited by the right-handed circularly polarized or linearly polarized laser, but barely affected by the left-handed circularly polarized laser. As the incident angle exceeds ∼31°, lasing phenomenon diminishes under the excitation of the right-handed circularly polarized laser. The lasing threshold pumped by the linearly polarized laser is ∼2× higher than that pumped by the left-handed circularly polarized laser. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Due to its exceptional mechanical and chemical properties at high temperatures, Inconel 718 is extensively utilized in industries such as aerospace, aviation, and marine. Investigating the flow behavior of Inconel 718 under high strain rates and high temperatures is vital for comprehending the dynamic characteristics of the material in manufacturing processes. This paper introduces a physics-based constitutive model that accounts for dislocation motion and its density evolution, capable of simulating the plastic behavior of Inconel 718 during large strain deformations caused by machining processes. Utilizing a microstructure-based flow stress model, the machinability of Inconel 718 in terms of cutting forces and temperatures is quantitatively predicted and compared with results from orthogonal cutting experiments. The model's predictive precision, with a margin of error between 5 and 8%, ensures reliable consistency and enhances our comprehension of the high-speed machining dynamics of Inconel 718 components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primate‐specific DAZ (deleted in azoospermia) has evolved in the azoospermia factor c (AZFc) locus on the Y chromosome. Loss of DAZ is associated with azoospermia in patients with deletion of the AZFc region (AZFc_del). However, the molecular mechanisms of DAZ in spermatogenesis remain uncertain. In this study, the molecular mechanism of DAZ is identified, which is unknown since it is identified 40 years ago because of the lack of a suitable model. Using clinical samples and cell models, it is shown that DAZ plays an important role in spermatogenesis and that loss of DAZ is associated with defective proliferation of c‐KIT‐positive spermatogonia in patients with AZFc_del. Mechanistically, it is shown that knockdown of DAZ significantly downregulated global translation and subsequently decreased cell proliferation. Furthermore, DAZ interacted with PABPC1 via the DAZ repeat domain to regulate global translation. DAZ targeted mRNAs that are involved in cell proliferation and cell cycle phase transition. These findings indicate that DAZ is a master translational regulator and essential for the maintenance of spermatogonia. Loss of DAZ may result in defective proliferation of c‐KIT‐positive spermatogonia and spermatogenic failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Post-processing flow to obtain the macro observables was explored. • As-synthesized diamond shapes were considered for the nano-grinding MD simulation. • Macro observables was adopted to analyze the nano-grinding of silicon. • Optimal strategies of abrasive shapes were proposed from the atom-level insight. The interactions between silicon substrate and abrasive particles are the important mechanical process during nano-grinding. We conducted the molecular dynamics simulations to explore the influence of the different abrasive particle shapes —the common as-synthesized diamond shapes (cubic, cubo-octahedral, and octahedral) —on the macro real-time observables, including grinding force, temperature, roughness, subsurface damage, material removal rate, and XRD spectra, from the atom-level insight. The results show that the different shapes might produce a different effect during the nano-grinding. According to the required demand, the different particle shapes could tend to be considered. For example, the cubo-octahedral was suitable for the rough nano-grinding; the octahedral was suitable for the finish nano-grinding. The results of this study might provide an atom-level optimal strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Tertiary amino nucleoside via tethered aminohydroxylation. • Diastereospecificity. • Nucleosides bearing ethynyl/amino at the C2′ position. Syntheses of both 2′-amino-2′-ethynyl guanosine and uridine, using an intramolecular aminohydroxylation reaction as the key step, are described. The corresponding 5′- O -triphosphates of the aforementioned nucleosides were obtained and the inhibitory activity was subsequently evaluated against the hepatitis C virus NS5B polymerase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]