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The electrochemical reduction of CO2 to value-added fuels or chemicals is considered one of the most appealing routes to establish an artificial carbon cycle. In this regard, the design of catalysts with high activity and selectivity in a wide potential window is pursued. Herein, the Cu-Ni alloy/nitrogen-doped nanocarbon (Cu-Ni/NC) with hydrophobicity is synthesized for the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) through the thermal decomposition of metal-organic frameworks. In the H-cell, the Cu-Ni/NC displays superior selectivity toward CO with a Faradaic efficiency (FE) over 90% in a wide potential window from -0.7 to -1.2 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). Further, a high FECO of 98.8% and an impressive CO partial current density (jCO) of 27.6 mA cm-2 were achieved at -1.1 V, superior to those of their single metal counterparts. The enhanced CO selectivity may be related to the hydrophobicity, which can suppress the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction. Moreover, in situ ATR-SEIRAS and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the synergistic effects via intermetal interaction on Cu-Ni(111) surface can facilitate the proton-coupled electron transfer process, and then well balance the formation of COOH* and the CO* desorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional repairing methods for asphalt pavement have some inconveniences, such as insufficient strength, and are typically time-consuming. To address these issues, this study proposes a new technological method to design and prepare a high-performance assembled asphalt concrete block for fast repair of the potholes. A series of composite modified asphalt binders with 10% crumb rubber (CR) and different dosages (0%, 1%, 3%, 5%) of polyurethane (PU) are examined to determine the optimized binder. Subsequently, the corresponding asphalt mixtures are prepared for further comparison and assessment of engineering properties, such as moistureinduced damage, high-temperature deformation, and low-temperature cracking characteristics. The test results show that PU can significantly improve the high-temperature performance and hardness of (crumb rubber modified asphalt) CRMA binder; 3% PU contributes allowing the resistance of CRMA mixture to moisture-induced damage at higher levels, particularly under water whole immersion; as 3% PU is added, the high-temperature rutting deformation resistance of the CRMA mixture increases significantly, and the low-temperature anti-cracking properties are also improved slightly. Therefore, the innovatively designed high-quality assembled fast-repairing asphalt concrete block is recommended as an appropriate option for highway maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry is rich in nutrition, which is the only fresh fruit in winter in southern Xinjiang, with good prospect of stereoscopic cultivation. In this paper, the key techniques such as stereoscopic cultivation pattern, the combination of different modes, the substrate of strawberry cultivation, the drip irrigation system, the formula of nutrient solution, the selection of varieties, the propagation of seed and seedling, the induction of flower buds, the planting and management of plants, and the green control of diseases and insect pests are introduced, and greenhouse space and solar energy are fully used to maximize the economic and social benefits of strawberry farming combined with tourism. The results will further promote the quality and efficiency of strawberry industry in southern Xinjiang, and provide a reference for strawberry growers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim: To investigate the correlation between the Glasgow-Blatchford score, shock index, and Forrest classification in patients with peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB). Materials and methods: A total of 955 patients with PUB were assessed using the Glasgow-Blatchford score and shock index, as well as the Forrest classification based on their gastroscopy results. The correlation between the Glasgow-Blatchford score and shock index was determined using scatter plot analysis, and the correlation between the Glasgow-Blatchford score or shock index and Forrest classification was determined using Spearman's analysis. Results: Both the Glasgow-Blatchford score and shock index showed the highest values in patients with Forrest class IIa. The Glasgow- Blatchford score was significantly higher than patients with Forrest class Ib/IIc/III (P < 0.05), and the shock index was significantly higher than patients with Forrest class Ib/IIb/III (P < 0.05). A positive correlation was observed between the Glasgow-Blatchford score and shock index, at r = 0.427 (P < 0.001). A negative correlation was observed between the Glasgow-Blatchford score and Forrest classification, at r = -0.111 (P < 0.01), and between the shock index and Forrest classification, at r = -0.138 (P < 0.01). Conclusion: A moderate correlation was observed between the Glasgow-Blatchford score and shock index in patients with PUB, and the correlation between the Forrest classification and Glasgow-Blatchford score or shock index was relatively low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) on the simultaneous decolorization and desulfurization of azo dye wastewater. It showed that the conversion of sulfur at the anode had a significant effect on electricity generation and decolorization. After adding 800 mg/L sulfate, the active brilliant red X-3B (ABRX3) concentration in the effluent decreased from 208 to 67 mg/L and the maximum power density output increased by 20%. To quantify the reaction processes, a kinetics model based on a one-dimensional biofilm was developed. It showed that sulfur ions had a direct decolorization effect on ABRX3. The reaction of sulfide and ABRX3 at the anode was a first-order reaction. The decolorization and desulfurization mechanisms were validated by analyzing the microbial community at the anode. Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) on the anode fermented the lactate to acetate. Then, electrogenic Geobacter used the acetate produced as a carbon source for electricity generation. The sulfide produced by SRB acted as additional fuel and a reductant and promoted the current generation and the reduction of azo bonds in the azo dye. Hence, the MFC showed potential for treating industrial textile wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The promyelocytic leukemia (PML) gene is a tumor suppressor gene. It was first identified in acute promyelocytic leukemia, in which it is fused to retinoic acid receptor a by the (15;17) chromosomal translocation. The function of the PML protein is frequently lost or aberrant in human solid tumors. In human ovarian carcinoma tissue, PML detected by immunohistochemistry was highly expressed. A PML-silencing vector, pSRG-shPml, was constructed and used to transfect human ovarian cancer cells. Cells were cultured and selected with puromycin for 10-15 days, and then the PML mRNA expression levels were detected by RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence. Proliferation and clone number of PML-depleted cells were detected using MTT assay and colony-forming assay. The protein expression associated with DNA damage and apoptosis was assessed in PML-depleted cells using western blot analysis and immunofluorescence. The results showed that PML was highly expressed in human ovarian tissue. The proliferation and colony formation of ovarian cancer cells were significantly inhibited after PML was depleted. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence revealed that p-H2AX and cleaved caspase-3 expression significantly increased after PML silencing. PML was located in the nucleus, and it formed foci after X-ray irradiation. PML foci increased significantly with increasing irradiation doses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional biofilm electrode reactors (3D-BERs) were constructed to degrade the azo dye Reactive Brilliant Red (RBR) X-3B. The 3D-BERs with different influent concentrations and external voltages were individually studied to investigate their influence on the removal of X-3B. Experimental results showed that 3D-BERs have good X-3B removal efficiency; even when the influent concentration was 800 mg/L, removal efficiency of 73.4% was still achieved. In addition, the X-3B removal efficiency stabilized shortly after the influent concentration increased. In 3D-BERs, the average X-3B removal efficiency increased from 52.8% to 85.4% when the external voltage rose from 0 to 2 V. We further identified the intermediate products via UV-Vis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses, and discussed the potential mechanism of degradation. After the conjugate structure of X-3B was destroyed, all of the substances generated mainly consisted of lower-molecular-weight organics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: S100A13 and high mobility group A (HMGA1) are known to play essential roles in the carcinogenesis and progression of cancer. However, the correlation between S100A13 and HMGA1 during cancer progression is not yet well understood. In this study, we determined the effects of S100A13 on HMGA1 expression in thyroid cancer cells and examined the role of HMGA1 in thyroid cancer progression. Methods: Stable ectopic S100A13 expression TT cellular proliferation was evaluated by nude mice xenografts assays. The effect of lentivirus-mediated S100A13 knockdown on thyroid cancer cellular oncogenic properties were evaluated by MTT, colony formation assays and transwell assays in TPC1 and SW579 cells. The effect of siRNA-mediated HMGA1 knockdown on thyroid cancer cellular proliferation and invasion were evaluated by MTT, colony formation assays and transwell assays. The tissue microarray was performed to investigate the correlation between S100A13 and HMGA1 expression in tumor tissues. Results: The ectopic expression of S100A13 could increase tumor growth in a TT cell xenograft mouse model. Moreover, lentivirus-mediated S100A13 knockdown led to the inhibition of cellular oncogenic properties in thyroid cancer cells, and HMGA1 was found to be involved in the effect of S100A13 on thyroid cancer growth and invasion. Furthermore, siRNA-mediated HMGA1 knockdown was proved to inhibit the growth of TPC1 cells and invasive abilities of SW579 cells. Clinically, it was revealed that both S100A13 and HMGA1 showed a higher expression levels in thyroid cancer cases compared with those in matched normal thyroid cases (P = 0.007 and P = 0.000); S100A13 and HMGA1 expressions were identified to be positively correlated (P = 0.004, R = 0.316) when analyzed regardless of thyroid cancer types. Conclusions: This is the first report for the association between HMGA1 and S100A13 expression in the modulation of thyroid cancer growth and invasion. Those results would provide an essential insight into the effect of S100A13 on carcinogenesis of thyroid tumor, rending S100A13 to be potential biological marker for the diagnosis of thyroid cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an investigation of triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC) based on polymeric emitters with tunable inter-chromophore distances. Poly[(9-anthrylmethyl methacrylate)-co-(methyl methacrylate)] (poly(AnMMA-co-MMA)) with different percentages of AnMMA was synthesized using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, and used as an emitter in association with platinum octaethylporphyrin as a sensitizer to form TTA-UC systems. It is observed that the TTA-UC intensity first increases with increasing AnMMA percentage in the polymers then decreases, and ultimately disappears, upon further increasing the AnMMA percentage. The results shed light on the key factors affecting TTA-UC in polymers, and have implications for the design of polymer-based TTA-UC systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Singlet oxygen plays a critical role in a great number of applications including photodynamic therapy of cancers, photodynamic inactivation of microorganisms, photooxidation, and photodegradation of polymers. Herein we demonstrate a general platform to improve singlet oxygen production via resonance coupling between surface plasmon and photosensitizers. By loading photosensitizers into mesoporous silica containing silver nanoparticles, strong resonance coupling between the photosensitizers and the silver core markedly increases the singlet oxygen production, by up to three orders of magnitude in some cases. It is observed that the more spectral overlap between the surface plasmon resonance spectrum of the silver core and the photosensitizers' absorption spectra, the greater the singlet oxygen production. The as-synthesized hybrids have shown exceptionally high photoinactivation efficiency against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. This work establishes a general platform to improve singlet oxygen production and to develop more effective and efficient hybrid photosensitizers for broad-spectrum photodynamic inactivation of bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid, efficient, and ecofriendly protocol has been developed for the Knoevenagel condensation of active methylene compounds such as malononitrile or ethyl cyanoacetate with aldehydes in the presence of melamine with good to excellent yields at room temperature without solvent. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Knoevenagel condensation of aromatic aldehydes with active methylene is an efficient reaction for carbon-carbon double bond formation. A rapid, efficient, and ecofriendly protocol for the Knoevenagel condensation of active methylene compounds with aldehydes has been developed with diethylamine functionalized polyethylene glycol-600 (PEG-600) as catalyst with good to excellent yields at room temperature without solvent. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertension alters cerebrovascular regulation and increases the brain's susceptibility to stroke and dementia. We investigated the temporal relationships between the arterial pressure (AP) elevation induced by "slow pressor" angiotensin II (ANG II) infusion, which recapitulates key features of human hypertension, and the resulting cerebrovascular dysfunction. Minipumps delivering saline or ANG II for 14 days were implanted subcutaneously in C57BL/6 mice (n = 5/group). Cerebral blood flow was assessed by laser-Doppler flowmetry in anesthetized mice equipped with a cranial window. With ANG II (600 ng∙kg-1∙min-1), AP started to rise after 9 days (P < 0.05 vs. saline), remained elevated at 11-17 days, and returned to baseline at 21 days (P > 0.05). ANG II attenuated the cerebral blood flow increase induced by neural activity (whisker stimulation) or endothelium-dependent vasodilators, an effect observed before the AP elevation (7 days), as well as after the hypertension subsided (21 days). Nonpressor doses of ANG II (200 ng∙kg-1∙min-1) induced cerebrovascular dysfunction and oxidative stress without elevating AP (P > 0.05 vs. saline), whereas phenylephrine elevated AP without inducing cerebrovascular effects. ANG II (600 ng∙kg-1∙min-1) augmented neocortical reactive oxygen species (ROS) with a time course similar to that of the cerebrovascular dysfunction. Neocortical application of the ROS scavenger manganic(I-II)meso-tetrakis(4-benzoic acid)porphyrin or the NADPH oxidase peptide inhibitor gp91ds-tat attenuated ROS and cerebrovascular dysfunction. We conclude that the alterations in neurovascular regulation induced by slow pressor ANG II develop before hypertension and persist beyond AP normalization but are not permanent. The findings unveil a striking susceptibility of cerebrovascular function to the deleterious effects of ANG II and raise the possibility that cerebrovascular dysregulation precedes the elevation in AP also in patients with ANG II-dependent hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Phosphatase of regenerating liver-3 (PRL-3) is a member of the novel phosphatases of regenerating liver family, characterized by one protein tyrosine phosphatase active domain and a C-terminal prenylation (CCVM) motif. Though widely proposed to facilitate metastasis in many cancer types, PRL-3's cellular localization and the function of its CCVM motif in metastatic process remain unknown. Methodology/Principal Findings: In the present study, a series of Myc tagged PRL-3 wild type or mutant plasmids were expressed in B16F1 melanoma cells to investigate the relationship between PRL-3′s cellular localization and metastasis. With immuno-fluorescence microcopy and cell adhesion/migration assay in vitro, and an experimental passive metastasis model in vivo, we found that CCVM motif is critical for the localization of PRL-3 on cell plasma membrane and the lung metastasis of melanoma. In particular, Cystine170 is the key site for prenylation in this process. Conclusions/Significance: These results suggest that cellular localization of PRL-3 is highly correlated with its function in tumor metastasis, and inhibition of PRL-3 prenylation might be a new approach to cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To explore whether the stretch of ischaemic myocardium could modulate the electrophysiological characteristics, especially repolarization via mechanoelectric feedback (MEF), as well as the effect of streptomycin (SM) on these changes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Superoxide anion (O-2·) production is elevated in sympathetic ganglion neurons and in the vasculature of hypertensive animals; however, it is not known what enzymatic pathway(s) are responsible for O-2· production. To determine the pathway(s) of O-2· production in sympathetic neurons, we examined the presence of mRNA of NADPH oxidase subunits in sympathetic ganglionic neurons and differentiated PC-12 cells. The mRNAs for NADPH oxidase subunits p47phox, p22phox, gp91phox, and NOX1 were present in sympathetic neurons and PC-12 cells, whereas the NOX4 homologue was present in sympathetic neurons but not PC-12 cells. Freshly dissociated celiac ganglion neurons from normal rats and PC-12 cells produced O-2· when treated with the PKC activator PMA; O-2· production increased by 317% and 254%, respectively. The PMA-evoked increases were reduced by pretreatment with the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin. These findings indicate that NADPH oxidase is the primary source of O-2· in sympathetic ganglion neurons. When celiac ganglia from hypertensive rats were incubated with apocynin, O-2· levels were reduced to the same levels as normotensive animals, indicating that NADPH oxidase activity accounted for the elevated O-2· levels in hypertensive animals. To test this latter finding, we compared NADPH oxidase activity in extracts of prevertebral sympathetic ganglia of DOCA-salt hypertensive rats and shamoperated rats. NADPH oxidase activities were 49.9% and 78.6% higher in sympathetic ganglia of DOCA rats compared with normotensive controls when using β-NADH and β-NADPH as substrates, respectively. Thus elevated O-2· levels in hypertension may be a result of the increased activity of NADPH oxidase in postganglionic sympathetic neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate boron and nitrogen substitutional doping single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) by first-principles calculations. The optimized geometres of boron and nitrogen substituted SWCNTs exhibit bamboo-like structures. Boron and nitrogen impurities form acceptor and donor states in semiconductor SWCNTs. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) indicates the trend of forming inter-tube bonds in doping SWCNTs. It may start a new way to form inter-tube bonds by doping in SWCNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the effect of Tripterygium polyglycoside (TP) associated with nicotinamide on the islet cell function, immune parameters and lipoperoxide (LPO) in adult patients with late-onset autoimmune diabetes mellitus (LADA). Methods: Thirty-six cases of LADA were randomly divided into three groups: TP group ( n = 12), treated with TP plus orally taken metformin; combined treatment group ( n = 12), treated with TP combined with nicotinamide and metformin, and control group ( n = 12) treated with metformin alone. They were followed-up for 18 months. Results: (1) Compared with the control group after 9 months of treatment, postprandial plasma glucose and LPO in combined treatment group were decreased ( P <0.05), and the postprandial C-peptide was higher ( P<0.05). At the 18th month, the value of postprandial C-peptide in the TP and combined treatment group was higher than that in the control group. The slL-2R level of both TP and combined treatment groups were lowered ( P<0.01); (2) Islet cell antibody (ICA) positive of 5 cases in the TP group and 6 cases in the combined treatment group got converted to the negative respectively, while only one in the control group at the time ( P<0.05); (3) The level of LPO in the combined treatment group was significantly lower than that in the TP group at the 18th month of treatment ( P<0.05). Conclusion: TP combined with nicotinamide played a role in immunity regulation, decreasing the titer of islet cell antibody and slL-2R, which also reduced the production of LPO and had a tendency to improve islet cell function in early LADA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated chromatin structure in the β-globin gene region of the K562 human erythroleukemic cell tine by using S1 and DNase I nuclease sensitivity assays. Despite the lack of β-globin gene expression in these cells, we find nuclease-hypersensitive sites to these enzymes in its 5' and 3' flanking regions in K562 chromatin, This result is in contrast to previous reports in which no hypersensitive sites were found in the immediate vicinity of this gene. In the 3' region, one major hypersensitive site at 0.9 kpb 3' and three minor hypersensitive sites at 0.7 kbp, 0.5 kbp 3' and 0.2 kbp 5' of the polyadenylation site were observed; these sites are very similar to those found in fetal liver and adult bone marrow cells in which the β-globin gene is expressed. We find hypersensitive sites to both enzymes in the 5' region of the β-globin gene: a major site 0.8 kbp 5' to the cap site, and two minor sites 1.2 and 1.5 kbp 5' to the cap site. The -0.8 kbp site is also present in plasmids containing the β-globin gene. Our results suggest that the lack of β-globin gene expression may be related to the lack of hypersensitivity sites in the immediate (150 bp) 5' flanking region of the β-globin gene, as occurs in other active globin genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raman measurements at room temperature reveal a characteristic concentration for a series of aqueous solutions of electrolytes, through which O–H stretching vibration of H2O or dilute HDO obviously changes their concentration dependence. This characteristic concentration is very consistent with another, through which the solutions undergo an abrupt change in their glass-forming ability. Interestingly, the molar ratio of water to solute at these two consistent concentration points is almost solute-type independent and about twice the hydration number of solutes. We suggest that just when the concentration increases above this characteristic concentration, bulk-like free water disappears in aqueous solutions and all water molecules among closely-packed hydrated solutes exhibit the characteristics of confined water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the concept of topological insulators has been generalized to topological semimetals, including three-dimensional (3D) Weyl semimetals, 3D Dirac semimetals, and 3D node-line semimetals (NLSs). In particular, several compounds (e.g., certain 3D graphene networks, CuPdN, CaP) were discovered to be 3D NLSs, in which the conduction and valence bands cross at closed lines in the Brillouin zone. Except for the two-dimensional (2D) Dirac semimetal (e.g., graphene), 2D topological semimetals are much less investigated. Here we propose a new concept of a 2D NLS and suggest that this state could be realized in a new mixed lattice (named as HK lattice) composed by Kagome and honeycomb lattices. It is found that AB(A is a group-IIB cation and B is a group-VA anion) compounds (such as HgAs) with the HK lattice are 2D NLSs due to the band inversion between the cation Hg-s orbital and the anion As-orbital with respect to the mirror symmetry. Since the band inversion occurs between two bands with the same parity, this peculiar 2D NLS could be used as transparent conductors. In the presence of buckling or spin-orbit coupling, the 2D NLS state may turn into a 2D Dirac semimetal state or a 2D topological crystalline insulating state. Since the band gap opening due to buckling or spin-orbit coupling is small, HgAswith the HK lattice can still be regarded as a 2D NLS at room temperature. Our work suggests a new route to design topological materials without involving states with opposite parities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce an asymmetric payoff distribution mechanism into the evolutionary prisoner's dilemma game (PDG) on Newman-Watts social networks, and study its effects on the evolution of cooperation. The asymmetric payoff distribution mechanism can be adjusted by the parameter a: if a > 0, the rich will exploit the poor to get richer; if a < 0, the rich are forced to offer part of their income to the poor. Numerical results show that the cooperator frequency monotonously increases with a and is remarkably promoted when a > 0. The effects of updating order and self-interaction are also investigated. The co-action of random updating and self-interaction can induce the highest cooperation level. Moreover, we employ the Gini coefficient to investigate the effect of asymmetric payoff distribution on the the system's wealth distribution. This work may be helpful for understanding cooperative behaviour and wealth inequality in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We perform a density functional study on the adsorption and diffusion of Li atoms on silicene sheet and zigzag nanoribbons. Our results show that the diffusion energy barrier of Li adatoms on silicene sheet is 0.25 eV, which is much lower than on graphene and Si bulk. The diffusion barriers along the axis of zigzag silicene nanoribbon range from 0.1 to 0.25 eV due to an edge effect, while the diffusion energy barrier is about 0.5 eV for a Li adatom to enter into a silicene nanoribbon. Our calculations indicate that using silicene nanoribbons as anodes is favorable for a Li-ion battery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]