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Soft actuators, pivotal for converting external energy into mechanical motion, have become increasingly vital in a wide range of applications, from the subtle engineering of soft robotics to the demanding environments of aerospace exploration. Among these, electrochemically-driven actuators (EC actuators), are particularly distinguished by their operation through ion diffusion or intercalation-induced volume changes. These actuators feature notable advantages, including precise deformation control under electrical stimuli, freedom from Carnot efficiency limitations, and the ability to maintain their actuated state with minimal energy use, akin to the latching state in skeletal muscles. This review extensively examines EC actuators, emphasizing their classification based on diverse material types, driving mechanisms, actuator configurations, and potential applications. It aims to illuminate the complicated driving mechanisms of different categories, uncover their underlying connections, and reveal the interdependencies among materials, mechanisms, and performances. We conduct an in-depth analysis of both conventional and emerging EC actuator materials, casting a forward-looking lens on their trajectories and pinpointing areas ready for innovation and performance enhancement strategies. We also navigate through the challenges and opportunities within the field, including optimizing current materials, exploring new materials, and scaling up production processes. Overall, this review aims to provide a scientifically robust narrative that captures the current state of EC actuators and sets a trajectory for future innovation in this rapidly advancing field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Due to the problems of greenhouse gas emissions, noise pollution, and vegetable waste pollution during the transportation of vegetables, it is not conducive to the sustainable development of the environment. To mitigate the pollution of the environment during transportation, vegetable green logistics plays a pivotal role in promoting both environmental sustainability and high-quality economic development. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate the development of vegetable green logistics. Methods: This research builds a DEMATEL-ANP-FCE model to scientifically assess the development of vegetable green logistics in Lanling County. In the first place, the model uses DEMATEL to verify the relationship and degree of influence between the primary indexes. In the second place, the ANP approach with Super Decisions software to determine the weights of the indexes at each level. Lastly, evaluating and scoring vegetable green logistics in Lanling County based on FCE. Results and discussion: The results of the study show that there is an interaction relationship between the primary evaluation indexes, and its evaluation score is low, the vegetable logistics in Lanling County has not reached the degree of greening. Accordingly, the evaluation results obtained by the DEMATEL-ANP- FCE model in this work are in line with the actual situation of vegetable green logistics in Lanling County, which verifies that the model has good applicability. Moreover, managerial contributions for promoting the development of vegetable green logistics in Lanling County are put forward in response to the evaluation situation. Expecting to enhance the greening level of vegetable logistical development and advance agricultural sustainability. Finally, all four questions raised in this paper are well addressed. This study also provides a new perspective and evaluation model for future related research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is highly desired yet challenging to strategically steer the CO2 electroreduction reaction (CO2ER) toward ethanol (EtOH) with high activity and selectivity. Although the grain boundary (GB) has been identified as an effective active site for C2 product formation, there is still no consensus on the mechanism governing its regulation. Moreover, the specific Cu species that plays a crucial catalytic role remains a source of debate. Herein, we report a type of Cu7Se4/CuSe nanosheets with rich GBs, which are conducive to the generation of abundant Cu+ species. Crucially, a clear correlation between Cu+ content and EtOH selectivity is obtained. The unique local charge distribution and electronic structure of Cu on GBs make it a real active site to promote EtOH production. This work elucidates the significant role of the chemical state of Cu in CO2ER toward EtOH, shedding light on the mechanistic insights of GBs serving as active sites for this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the outperforming power conversion efficiency of low-temperature and solution-processed perovskite solar cells (PSCs) realized over the past decades, the undesirable stability from precursor inks to resultant devices and harsh preparation requirements still restrain their industrial production and practical deployment. Herein, an anion stabilization strategy is developed to achieve the comprehensive durability of perovskite photovoltaics throughout the whole two-step air-processed procedure. The effect of interionic bonding strengths on the ink properties, film crystallization, and photovoltaic performances is in-depth explored and revealed. The pseudohalide bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ions (TFSI-) not only improve the dispersion and stabilities of lead polyhalides and organic salt inks via strong electron-withdrawing/donating chemical sites, but also realize high composition uniformity and preferential crystal growth of subsequent deposited perovskite layers by tuning the precursor reactivity and surface absorption. Ultimately, the optimizing PSCs deliver a superior efficiency of 24.16%, accompanied by notably improved long-term stability toward extreme environmental and mechanical stimuli with lead leakage suppression. This work opens up a promising avenue toward reproducible air preparation of highly efficient, stable, and environmentally friendly perovskite optoelectronic devices via precise modulation of precursor properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing fiber electronics presents a practical approach for establishing multi-node distributed networks within the human body, particularly concerning triboelectric fibers. However, realizing fiber electronics for monitoring micro-physiological activities remains challenging due to the intrinsic variability and subtle amplitude of physiological signals, which differ among individuals and scenarios. Here, we propose a technical approach based on a dynamic stability model of sheath-core fibers, integrating a micro-flexuresensitive fiber enabled by nanofiber buckling and an ion conduction mechanism. This scheme enhances the accuracy of the signal transmission process, resulting in improved sensitivity (detectable signal at ultra-low curvature of 0.1 mm−1 ; flexure factor >21.8% within a bending range of 10°.) and robustness of fiber under micro flexure. In addition, we also developed a scalable manufacturing process and ensured compatibility with modern weaving techniques. By combining precise micro-curvature detection, microflexure-sensitive fibers unlock their full potential for various subtle physiological diagnoses, particularly in monitoring fiber upper limb muscle strength for rehabilitation and training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this article was to establish the clinical prognostic models and identify the predictive radiation dosimetric parameters for thrombocytopenia during concurrent chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, patients with rectal adenocarcinoma undergoing concurrent long-term chemoradiotherapy were included. The primary outcome of interest was grade 2 or higher (2+) thrombocytopenia (platelet(PLT) count <75,000/µL). Secondary outcomes included: grade 1 or higher thrombocytopenia (PLT count<100,000/µL) and the PLT count during chemoradiotherapy and its nadir. The risk prediction model was developed by logistic regression to identify clinical predictors of 2+ thrombocytopenia. Univariate linear regression models were used to test correlations between radiation dosimetric parameters and the absolute PLT count at nadirs. Results: This retrospective cohort comprised 238 patients. Fifty-four (22.6%) patients developed thrombocytopenia during concurrent chemoradiotherapy, while 15 (6.3%) patients developed 2+ thrombocytopenia. Four independently associated risk factors, including age, Alb level, PLT count, and chemotherapy regimen, were included in the final model and used to form a 2+ thrombocytopenia probability estimation nomogram. The C-index was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.78-0.96). The calibration plot showed a moderate agreement, and the Brier score was 0.047 (95% CI: 0.025-0.070). The total absolute volume of bone marrow irradiated by 5 Gy, 10 Gy and 15 Gy of radiation (BM-V5ab, BM-V10ab, BM-V15ab), calculated by the volume of bone marrow multiplied by the corresponding Vx, were identified as new predictors. The nadir of PLT was found to be negatively correlated with BM-V5ab (β = -0.062, P =0.030), BMV10ab (b = -0.065, P =0.030) and BM-V15ab (β = -0.064, P =0.042). Conclusion: The occurrence of 2+ thrombocytopenia during concurrent chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer can be predicted by the patient's baseline status and chemoradiotherapy regimen, and low dose irradiation of bone marrow can affect the level of platelets during the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the cloud-edge-device collaboration architecture, data types are diverse, and there are differences in storage resources and computing resources at all levels, which brings new challenges to data management. The existing data models or simple superposition of data models are difficult to meet the requirements of multimodal data management and collaborative management in the cloud-edge-device. Therefore, research on multimodal data modeling technology for cloud-edge-device collaboration has become an important issue. The core is how to efficiently obtain the query results that meet the needs of the application from the cloud-edge-device architecture. Starting from the data types of the three-layer data of cloud-edge-device, in this paper we propose a multimodal data modeling technology for cloudedge-device collaboration, give the definition of multimodal data model based on tuples, and design six base classes to achieve a unified representation of multimodal data. The basic data operation architecture of cloud-edge-device collaborative query is also proposed to meet the query requirements of cloud-edge-device business scenarios. The integrity constraints of the multimodal data model are given, which lays a theoretical foundation for query optimization. Finally, a demonstration application of the multimodal data model for cloud-edge-device collaboration is given, and the proposed data model storage method is verified from the three aspects of data storage time, storage space, and query time. The experimental results show that the proposed scheme can effectively represent the multimodal data in the cloud-edge-device collaboration architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, many spatial-temporal graph convolutional network (STGCN) models are proposed to deal with the spatial-temporal network data forecasting problem. These STGCN models have their own advantages, i.e., each of them puts forward many effective operations and achieves good prediction results in the real applications. If users can effectively utilize and combine these excellent operations integrating the advantages of existing models, then they may obtain more effective STGCN models thus create greater value using existing work. However, they fail to do so due to the lack of domain knowledge, and there is lack of automated system to help users to achieve this goal. In this article, we fill this gap and propose Auto-STGCN algorithm, which makes use of existing models to automatically explore high-performance STGCN model for specific scenarios. Specifically, we design Unified-STGCN framework, which summarizes the operations of existing architectures, and use parameters to control the usage and characteristic attributes of each operation, so as to realize the parameterized representation of the STGCN architecture and the reorganization and fusion of advantages. Then, we present Auto-STGCN, an optimization method based on reinforcement learning, to quickly search the parameter search space provided by Unified-STGCN, and generate optimal STGCNmodels automatically. Extensive experiments on real-world benchmark datasets show that our Auto-STGCN can find STGCN models superior to existing STGCN models used for search space construction, which demonstrates the effectiveness of our proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic targeting is one of the most promising approaches for improving the targeting efficiency by which magnetic drug carriers are directed using external magnetic fields to reach their targets. As a natural magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) of biological origin, the magnetosome is a special “organelle” formed by biomineralization in magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) and is essential for MTB magnetic navigation to respond to geomagnetic fields. The magnetic targeting of magnetosomes, however, can be hindered by the aggregation and precipitation of magnetosomes in water and biological fluid environments due to the strong magnetic attraction between particles. In this study, we constructed a magnetosome-like nanoreactor by introducing MTB Mms6 protein into a reverse micelle system. MNPs synthesized by thermal decomposition exhibit the same crystal morphology and magnetism (high saturation magnetization and low coercivity) as natural magnetosomes but have a smaller particle size. The DSPE-mPEG–coated magnetosome-like MNPs exhibit good monodispersion, penetrating the lesion area of a tumor mouse model to achieve magnetic enrichment by an order of magnitude more than in the control groups, demonstrating great prospects for biomedical magnetic targeting applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Hundreds of consistently altered metabolic genes have been identified in breast cancer (BC), but their prognostic value remains to be explored. Therefore, we aimed to build a prediction model based on metabolism-related genes (MRGs) to guide BC prognosis. Methods: Current work focuses on constructing a novel MRGs signature to predict the prognosis of BC patients using MRGs derived from the Virtual Metabolic Human (VMH) database, and expression profiles and clinicopathological data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Results: The 3-MRGs-signature constructed by SERPINA1, QPRT and PXDNL was found to be an independent prognostic factor for the survival of patients, and based on the model, the overall survival (OS) of the high-risk group was significantly lower. Furthermore, a nomogram was developed based on risk score and independent prognostic clinical indicators, and its validity of survival prediction was confirmed by the calibration curve, the concordance index, decision curve analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve. The ssGSEA analysis showed a negative correlation between immune cell infiltration and risk score, which is consistent with the GSEA result showing that low-risk score group was associated with activated immune processes. Half-maximal inhibitory concentration of chemotherapeutic drugs was estimated by pRRophetic algorithm to guide clinical medication. Conclusion: We constructed and validated an effective 3-MRGs (SERPINA1, QPRT and PXDNL)-based prognostic model, and demonstrated that lower-risk patients were associated with higher immune infiltrations, underscoring the importance of immune ecosystems in determining the prognosis of BC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer patients are at high risk of infections and infection-related mortality; thereby, prompt diagnosis and precise anti-infectives treatment are critical. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of nanopore amplicon sequencing in identifying microbial agents among immunocompromised cancer patients with suspected infections. This prospective study enlisted 56 immunocompromised cancer patients with suspected infections. Their body fluid samples such as sputum and blood were collected, and potential microbial agents were detected in parallel by nanopore amplicon sequencing and the conventional culture method. Among the 56 body fluid samples, 47 (83.9%) samples were identified to have at least one pathogen by nanopore amplicon sequencing, but only 25 (44.6%) samples exhibited a positive finding by culture. Among 31 culture-negative samples, nanopore amplicon sequencing successfully detected pathogens in 22 samples (71.0%). Nanopore amplicon sequencing showed a higher sensitivity in pathogen detection than that of the conventional culture method (83.9% vs. 44.6%, P<0.001), and this advantage both existed in blood samples (38.5% vs. 0%, P=0.039) and non-blood samples (97.7% vs. 58.1%, P<0.001). Compared with the culture method, nanopore amplicon sequencing illustrated more samples with bacterial infections (P<0.001), infections from fastidious pathogens (P=0.006), and co-infections (P<0.001). The mean turnaround time for nanopore amplicon sequencing was about 17.5 hours, which was shorter than that of the conventional culture assay. This study suggested nanopore amplicon sequencing as a rapid and precise method for detecting pathogens among immunocompromised cancer patients with suspected infections. The novel and high-sensitive method will improve the outcomes of immunocompromised cancer patients by facilitating the prompt diagnosis of infections and precise anti-infectives treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: SLE is a chronic autoimmune disease, which can affect the level of bone metabolism and increase the risk of osteoporosis and fracture. The purpose of this research is to study the effect of SLE on bone turnover markers without the influence of glucocorticoids. Methods: A total of 865 female subjects were recruited from Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital and the First Hospital of Jiaxing, including 391 SLE patients without the influence of glucocorticoids and 474 non-SLE people. We detected Bone turnover markers including amino-terminal propeptide of type 1 procollagen (P1NP), C-terminal turnover of β - I collagen (β-CTX), N-terminal midfragment of osteocalcin (NMID) and 25(OH)D, and analyzed the difference in Bone turnover markers between the SLE group and the control group, as well as the influence of age and season on bone metabolism in female SLE patients. Results: In the SLE group, the average age was 43.93±13.95 years old. In the control group, the average age was 44.84±11.42 years old. There was no difference between the two groups (t = 1.03, P = 0.30). P1NP, NMID and 25(OH)D in the SLE group were significantly lower than those in the control group (Z = 8.44, p < 0.001; Z = 14.41, p < 0.001; Z = 2.19, p = 0.029), and β-CTX in the SLE group was significantly higher than that in the control group (Z = 2.61, p = 0.009). In addition, the levers of β-CTX, NMID, P1NP and 25(OH)D in older SLE female patients were statistically significantly higher than those in younger (ρ = 0.104, p = 0.041; ρ = 0.223, p < 0.001; ρ = 0.105, p = 0.038; ρ = 0.289, p < 0.001). Moreover, β-CTX reached a high value in summer and PINP reached a low value in winter. Conclusion: The bone formation markers of female SLE patients without glucocorticoid were lower than those of normal people and the bone resorption marker was higher than that of normal people. The 25 (OH) D of female SLE patients without glucocorticoid was lower than that of normal people. The risk of osteoporosis and fracture may be higher in elderly women with SLE. The bone resorption level of female SLE patients is high in summer and the bone formation level is low in winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The karyotype is highly important for diagnosis and prognosis in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The objective of the present study was to investigate the cytogenetic characteristics of patients with MDS in China. The karyotypes of 665 Chinese patients with MDS were analyzed, and it was identified that 298 cases (298/665, 44.8%) had abnormal karyotypes. Among the 298 patients with abnormal karyotypes, the 75 patients with trisomy 8 (+8) constituted the most common subset (75/298, 25.2%). The incidence of abnormal karyotypes was significantly higher in patients who were ≥51 years old compared with those <51 years old, (54.8 vs. 34.7%, respectively; P<0.05). Based on World Health Organization (WHO) classification-based Prognostic Scoring System (WPSS) criteria, the incidence of poor-prognosis karyotypes was significantly higher (17.4 vs. 5.4%; P<0.05) in the older patient group, and based on the Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) criteria, the incidence of poor-/very poor-prognosis karyotypes was also significantly higher (17.4 vs. 6.6%; P<0.05) in patients ≥51 years old compared with younger ones. Based on the WHO classification of MDS subtypes, the incidence of abnormal karyotypes in patients with high percentages of bone marrow (BM) blasts [excess blasts (EB)-I + EB-II, ≥5% blasts] was significantly higher than that in patients with low percentages of BM blasts (those with single lineage dysplasia + multilineage dysplasia, <5% blasts) (62.5 vs. 36.0%; P<0.05). The incidence of poor-prognosis karyotypes based on WPSS criteria was significantly higher in patients with high percentages of BM blasts than those with low percentages (22.0 vs. 6.9%, respectively; P<0.05), and the incidence of poor-/very poor-prognosis karyotypes based on IPSS-R criteria was also significantly higher (23.0 vs. 7.4%, respectively; P<0.05). These results demonstrate that +8 is the most common abnormal karyotype in Chinese patients with MDS. Age and the percentage of BM blasts are associated with the incidence of both abnormal karyotypes and karyotypes with poor prognosis. The results of cytogenetic abnormalities in this study will supplement the data on patients of MDS in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the trends towards miniaturization and automation of electronics, increasing attention should be given to self-actuating microenergy technologies. In particular, it is important for these systems to simultaneously possess simple structure, self-powered energy supply, and high power density. Using a facile and ultrafast fabrication approach, a highly efficient walking perovskite solar cell is constructed as a prototype actuator with a straightforward design but advanced functions. The device demonstrates a high walking speed of 10 mm min-1, excellent mechanical strength (the ability to lift an object 15 times its own weight), and high photoelectric efficiency, achieving a power conversion efficiency of 17.75% as a low-temperature flexible solar cell. The dynamic output of the device during passive heliotropic walking is also evaluated. The maximum output power of the device reaches 215 W m-2. This device shows promise for use as a mobile energy source in various technological applications including microsensors, micropumps, and microrobots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Discovering new chemistry and materials to enable rechargeable batteries with higher capacity and energy density is of paramount importance. While Li metal is the ultimate choice of a battery anode, its low efficiency is still yet to be overcome. Many strategies have been developed to improve the reversibility and cycle life of Li metal electrodes. However, almost all of the results are limited to shallow cycling conditions (e.g., 1 mAh cm−2) and thus inefficient utilization (<1%). Here we achieve Li metal electrodes that can be deeply cycled at high capacities of 10 and 20 mAh cm−2 with average Coulombic efficiency >98% in a commercial LiPF6/carbonate electrolyte. The high performance is enabled by slow release of LiNO3 into the electrolyte and its subsequent decomposition to form a Li3N and lithium oxynitrides (LiNxOy)-containing protective layer which renders reversible, dendrite-free, and highly dense Li metal deposition. Using the developed Li metal electrodes, we construct a Li-MoS3 full cell with the anode and cathode materials in a close-to-stoichiometric amount ratio. In terms of both capacity and energy, normalized to either the electrode area or the total mass of the electrode materials, our cell significantly outperforms other laboratory-scale battery cells as well as the state-of-the-art Li ion batteries on the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to achieve simultaneous intrinsic deformation with fast response in commercially available materials that can safely contact skin continues to be an unresolved challenge for artificial actuating materials. Rather than using a microporous structure, here we show an ambient-driven actuator that takes advantage of inherent nanoscale molecular channels within a commercial perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer (PFSA) film, fabricated by simple solution processing to realize a rapid response, self-adaptive, and exceptionally stable actuation. Selective patterning of PFSA films on an inert soft substrate (polyethylene terephthalate film) facilitates the formation of a range of different geometries, including a 2D (two-dimensional) roll or 3D (three-dimensional) helical structure in response to vapor stimuli. Chemical modification of the surface allowed the development of a kirigami-inspired single-layer actuator for personal humidity and heat management through macroscale geometric design features, to afford a bilayer stimuli-responsive actuator with multicolor switching capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying electrical stimulation over the prefrontal cortex can help nicotine dependents reduce cigarette craving. However, the underlying mechanism remains ambiguous. This study investigates this issue with functional magnetic resonance imaging. Thirty-two male chronic smokers received real and sham stimulation over dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) separated by 1 week. The neuroimaging data of the resting state, the smoking cue-reactivity task and the emotion task after stimulation were collected. The craving across the cue-reactivity task was diminished during real stimulation as compared with sham stimulation. The whole-brain analysis on the cue-reactivity task revealed a significant interaction between the stimulation condition (real vs sham) and the cue type (smoking vs neutral) in the left superior frontal gyrus and the left middle frontal gyrus. The functional connectivity between the left DLPFC and the right parahippocampal gyrus, as revealed by both psychophysical interaction analysis and the resting state functional connectivity, is altered by electrical stimulation. Moreover, the craving change across the real and sham condition is predicted by alteration of functional connectivity revealed by psychophysical interaction analysis. The local and long-distance coupling, altered by the electrical stimulation,might be the underlying neural mechanism of craving regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anomaly detection plays a significant role in helping gas turbines run reliably and economically. Considering the collective anomalous data and both sensitivity and robustness of the anomaly detection model, a sequential symbolic anomaly detection method is proposed and applied to the gas turbine fuel system. A structural Finite State Machine is used to evaluate posterior probabilities of observing symbolic sequences and the most probable state sequences they may locate. Hence an estimation-based model and a decoding-based model are used to identify anomalies in two different ways. Experimental results indicate that both models have both ideal performance overall, but the estimation-based model has a strong robustness ability, whereas the decoding-based model has a strong accuracy ability, particularly in a certain range of sequence lengths. Therefore, the proposed method can facilitate well existing symbolic dynamic analysis- based anomaly detection methods, especially in the gas turbine domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The borehole television approach is an effective way of detecting mining-induced fractures in overburden strata as it can visualize fractures to facilitate a quantitative analysis of size, quantity, length, and other features. In this article, the borehole television approach is applied on panel 20105 of the Wangjialing Coal Mine in China to investigate the overburden movement and spatiotemporal evolution law of mining-induced fractures from the coal seam to ground surface. The results revealed that the overburden strata experienced the phases of roof caving, generation of fracture, bed separation, dislocations, fracture propagation, surface subsidence, and closing of fractures. The process can be divided into the initiation stage, the active stage, and the degradation stage along the mining direction. For exploited working faces, the caved zone height is 2.9-4.11 times the mining height, and the height of the fractured zone is 19.35-22.19 times the mining height. The height range of the three parts in the fractured zone is 24-26, 40-45, and 30-35 m. Significant fractures were observed in the bending zone. Step subsidence and cracks, which indicate severe damages, were observed on the ground surface above the goaf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrophages and osteoclasts release proinflammatory factors and promote osteoclastogenesis following the phagocytosis of wear particles. During this pathological process, receptor of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α are critical factors contributing to resorption and the inflammatory response. The present study aimed to construct recombination lentivirus vectors carrying TNF-α small interfering (si)RNA and osteoprotegerin (OPG) cDNA, and to examine the effects of Lenti-siTNFα-OPG on the wear particle-induced inflammatory response and osteoclastogenesis in a titanium (Ti) particle-induced-inflammatory response cell model. Lenti-siTNFα-OPG vectors were constructed and transnfected into RAW264.7 and MC3T3-E1 cells, respectively, prior to particle stimulation. The protein levels of TNF-α, OPG and RANKL were evaluated using western blot analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and the mRNA expression levels of the inflammatory factors, TNF-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6, as well as OPG and RANKL, were measured using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. The activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was examined using an ALP kit. In the presence of the Lenti-siTNFα-OPG vector, the mRNA expression levels of the inflammatory factors and RANKL were downregulated, as were the protein levels of TNF-α. The mRNA expression and protein levels of OPG were upregulated, and ALP activity was increased. These findings suggested that Lenti-siTNFα-OPG transfection inhibited the wear particle-induced inflammatory response and osteoclastogenesis, which warrants further investigation for the prevention and/or treatment of wear particle-induced osteolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective production of high-quality anthracite has attracted increasing global attention. Based on the coal occurrence in Yongxia Mining Area and mining conditions of a coalface in Xinqiao Coal Mine, we proposed a systematic study on the technical support for the production of high-quality anthracite. Six key steps were explored, including coal falling at the coalface, transport, underground bunker storage, main shaft hoisting, coal preparation on the ground, and railway wagon loading. The study resulted in optimized running parameters for the shearers, and the rotating patterns of the shearer drums was altered (one-way cutting was employed). Mining height and roof supporting intensity were reduced. Besides, loose presplitting millisecond blasting and mechanized mining were applied to upgrade the coal quantity and the lump coal production rate. Additionally, the coalface end transloading, coalface crush, transport systems, underground storage, and main shaft skip unloading processes were improved, and fragmentation-prevention techniques were used in the washing and railway wagon loading processes. As a result, the lump coal production rate was maintained at a high level and fragmentation was significantly reduced. Because of using the parameters and techniques determined in this research, high-quality coal production and increased profits were achieved. The research results could provide theoretical guidance and methodology for other anthracite production bases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IMP (inosine 5Œ-monophosphate) is a compound that enhances the flavor of poultry meat. IMP has become a new breeding trait to improve poultry meat quality. We tried to identify several potential regulatory genes, and construct their predicted regulatory relationships. Time series gene expression profiles of thigh muscle tissues of Rugao chicken, a famous indigenous breed in China, were performed for analysis of genes that are co-expressed or correlated with the concentration of IMP. We found 15 crucial co-expression genes, which are Hspa2, Pten, Gabpa, Bpi, Mkl1, Srf, Cd34, Hspa4, Etv6, Bmpr2, Gde1, Igfbp5, Cd28, Pecam1 and Gja1, that may directly or indirectly regulate IMP metabolism. Eventually, we computed the correlation coefficient between 19 IMP Genes and 15 CGs (15 co-expression genes), and we identified and constructed a predicted regulation network. In conclusion, variation of IMP concentration was primarily connected with the muscle development process. During this process, 15 CGs were identified that may have significant influence on IMP metabolism. In particular, Bmpr2, Pten and co-expression genes correlated with Entpd8 might play important roles in regulating IMP de novo synthesis, decomposition and salvage synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel electrochemical immunosensor assay (EIA) for highly sensitive and specific detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 has been developed. This immunosensor is constructed by the assembly of capture antibody on SG-PEDOT-AuNPs composites modified glass carbon electrode. In the presence of target E. coli O157:H7, horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled antibody is captured on the electrode surface to form a sandwich-type system via the specific identification. As a result, E. coli O157:H7 detection is realized by outputting a redox current from electro-reduction of hydrogen peroxide reaction catalyzed by HRP. In our assay, the combination of the unique properties of sulfonated graphene (SG) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) can not only accelerate electron transfer on electrode interface, but also provide an excellent scaffold for the conjugation of capture antibody that significantly improves the target capture efficiency and enhances the sensitivity of the biosensor. The results reveal the calibration plot obtained for E. coli O157:H7 is approximately linear from 7.8 x 10-7.8 x 106 colony-forming unit (cfu) mL-1 with the limit of detection of 3.4 x 10 cfu mL"1. In addition, the biosensor has been successfully applied to the quantitative assay of E. coli O157:H7 in synthetic samples (spring water and milk). Hence, the developed electrochemical-based immunosensor might provide a useful and practical tool for E. coli O157:H7 determination and related food safety analysis and clinical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]