Search

Abstract Abdominal adhesions manifests following abdominal infections triggered by intestinal fistulas. The severity of such adhesions depends on the extent of fiber deposition and peritoneal fibrinolysis following peritoneal injury, which may be influenced by sustained inflammation within the abdominal cavity. In this regard, the visceral-to-subcutaneous fat area (VFA/SFA) ratio has been implicated as a potential marker of inflammation. This study aimed to explore the relationship between VFA/SFA and abdominal adhesions. This multicenter study was conducted across four tertiary institutions and involved patients who had undergone definitive surgery (DS) for intestinal fistula from January 2009 and October 2023. The presence of abdominal adhesions was determined intraoperatively. VFA/SFA was investigated as a potential risk factor for severe adhesions. The study comprised 414 patients with a median age of 50 [interquartile range (IQR) 35–66] years and a median body mass index of 20.0 (IQR 19.2–22.4) kg/m2, including 231 males with a median VFA/SFA of 1.0 (IQR 0.7–1.2) and 183 females a median VFA/SFA of 0.8 (0.6–1.1). VFA/SFA was associated with severe abdominal adhesions in males [odds ratio (OR) = 3.34, 95% CI 1.14–9.80, p = 0.03] and females (OR = 2.99, 95% CI 1.05–8.53, p = 0.04). J-shaped association between VFA/SFA ratio and severe adhesions was revealed in both sex. The increasing trend can be revealed when OR more than 0.8, and 0.6 in males and females respectively. Preoperative VFA/SFA demonstrates predictive value for statues of severe abdominal adhesions in DS for anastomotic fistula after small intestine resection.

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the value of low-dose dual-input computed tomography perfusion (CTP) imaging in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant pulmonary ground-glass opacity nodules (GGO). A retrospective study was conducted in patients with GGO who underwent CTP in our hospital from January 2021 to October 2023. All nodules were confirmed via pathological analysis or disappeared during follow-up. Postprocessing analysis was conducted using the dual-input perfusion mode (pulmonary artery and bronchial artery) of the body perfusion software to measure the perfusion parameters of the pulmonary GGOs. A total of 101 patients with pulmonary GGOs were enrolled in this study, including 43 benign and 58 malignant nodules. The dose length product of the CTP (348 mGy.cm) was

Abstract This study aimed to investigate body physical parameters as substitutes for water equivalent diameter (Dw) while calculating size-specific dose estimates (SSDEs) during adult chest computed tomography (CT). A retrospective analysis was conducted on 776 patients. Patients were divided into training set (542 patients) and validation set (234 patients) according to a ratio of 7:3. The correlations between physical parameters and Dw were analyzed. The differences between SSDEsubstitutes and the reference SSDE (SSDEreference) were compared. Strong positive correlations were observed between body mass index (BMI) and Dw as well as between weight and Dw in overall, male, and female patients (all p 0.05). The RMSEs of overall patients between SSDEweight and SSDEreference as well as between SSDEBMI and SSDEreference were 0.237 and 0.2, respectively. The use of sex-specific regression equations for BMI caused a slightly reduction in RMSE. Weight and BMI can be used as surrogate parameters for Dw when calculating SSDE in adult chest CT exams, with BMI being the preferred substitute parameter.

Abstract Previous research on the association between Family Doctor Contract Services (FDCS) and health has only considered a single indicator of health and has not considered the endogeneity of independent variables. This study aimed to evaluate the association from a multidimensional perspective of the health of middle-aged and older people using the instrumental variables method and determine the underlying mechanisms. Using data from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study surveys, a total of 19,438 sample was obtained. Health was measured by health related-quality of life (HR-QoL), subjective well-being, and cognitive function. The instrumental variables method was used to estimate the association. Mediation analysis was employed to analyze the underlying mechanisms. The results of the instrumental variables method showed a correlation between FDCS and health, such as HR-QoL (η = 33.714, p

Abstract Disulfidptosis is a recently identified mode of regulated cell death. Regulating disulfidptosis in carcinoma is a promising therapeutic approach. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be related to the occurrence and development of many cancers. Disulfidptosis-related lncRNAs (DRLs) in HPV-negative oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) have not been studied. Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, least absolute shrinkage selection operator (LASSO) analysis and Cox regression analysis were used to identify overall survival related DRLs and construct the signature. Kaplan–Meier, time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and principal component analyses (PCA) were explored to demonstrate the prediction potential of the signature. Subgroup analysis stratified by different clinicopathological characteristics were conducted. Nomogram was established by DRLs signature and independent clinicopathological characteristics. The calibration plots were performed to reveal the accuracy of nomogram. Immune cell subset infiltration, immunotherapy response, drug sensitivity analysis, and tumor mutation burden (TMB) were conducted. Underlying functions and pathways were explored by Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) analysis. Previous lncRNA signatures of OSCC were retrieved from PubMed for further validation. Gene expression omnibus (GEO) datasets (GSE41613 and GSE85446) were merged as an external validation for DRLs signature. Consensus clustering analysis of DRLs signature and experimental validation of DRLs were also explored. This research sheds light on the robust performance of DRLs signature in survival prediction, immune cell infiltration, immune escape, and immunotherapy of HPV-negative OSCC.

Abstract Previous reports have established that rESWT fosters angiogenesis, yet the mechanism by which rESWT promotes cerebral angiogenesis remains elusive. rESWT stimulated HUVECs proliferation as evidenced by the CCK-8 test, with an optimal dosage of 2.0 Bar, 200 impulses, and 2 Hz. The tube formation assay of HUVECs revealed that tube formation peaked at 36 h post-rESWT treatment, concurrent with the lowest expression level of Bach1, as detected by both Western blot and immunofluorescence. The expression level of Wnt3a, β-catenin, and VEGF also peaked at 36 h. A Bach1 overexpression plasmid was transfected into HUVECs, resulting in a decreased expression level of Wnt3a, β-catenin, and VEGF. Upon treatment with rESWT, the down-regulation of Wnt3a, β-catenin, and VEGF expression in the transfected cells was reversed. The Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor DKK-1 was utilized to suppress Wnt3a and β-catenin expression, which led to a concurrent decrease in VEGF expression. However, rESWT treatment could restore the expression of these three proteins, even in the presence of DKK-1. Moreover, in the established OGD model, it was observed that rESWT could inhibit the overexpression of Bach1 and enhance VEGF and VEGFR-2 expression under the OGD environment.

Abstract In rural China, the aging population faces unique challenges that affect their life satisfaction. These challenges are compounded by disparities in access to resources compared to urban areas, making it crucial to address these issues to ensure a dignified and fulfilling later life. Understanding and improving life satisfaction for this demographic is essential, not only for the well-being of the elderly but also for the overall social stability and economic sustainability of these communities. Using a rural sample from the Chinese Social Survey (CSS), this study investigates the interplay between social quality factors and life satisfaction among older adults in rural China. It focuses on the roles of socioeconomic security, social cohesion, social inclusion, and social empowerment in shaping the well-being of this demographic. It was found that the four conditional factors of social quality—socioeconomic security, social cohesion, social inclusion, and social empowerment—have different influences on life satisfaction among older adults in rural areas. The statistical model shows that the influence of absolute family income on social and economic security does not have statistical significance. In contrast, housing, pension insurance participation, and public safety perception positively affect life satisfaction among older adults in rural areas. Among the social cohesion factors, higher social morality, legal system evaluation, social identity, grassroots government, and interpersonal trust contribute to the life satisfaction of older adults in rural areas. Regarding social inclusion factors, good social tolerance, social equity, and perception of government public services can significantly improve life satisfaction among older adults in rural areas. For social empowerment factors, social participation helps expand the social support network of older adults in rural areas, enhancing their life satisfaction. Paths to improving the quality of rural society should be explored to improve relative poverty in rural areas. They should continue to be pursued to strengthen the old-age security system for older adults in rural areas. Further, the National Medium- and Long-Term Plan for Actively Responding to Population Aging should be the base for forming an elderly-friendly society. A good atmosphere promotes the participation of people, families, and society; supports social cohesion; enhances inclusion; and promotes social participation, improving life satisfaction.

Abstract Inflammation and fibrosis often occur in the kidney after acute injury, resulting in chronic kidney disease and consequent renal failure. Recent studies have indicated that lymphangiogenesis can drive renal inflammation and fibrosis in injured kidneys. However, whether and how this pathogenesis affects the contralateral kidney remain largely unknown. In our study, we uncovered a mechanism by which the contralateral kidney responded to injury. We found that the activation of mineralocorticoid receptors and the increase in vascular endothelial growth factor C in the contralateral kidney after unilateral ureteral obstruction could promote lymphangiogenesis. Furthermore, mineralocorticoid receptor activation in lymphatic endothelial cells resulted in the secretion of myofibroblast markers, thereby contributing to renal fibrosis. We observed that this process could be attenuated by administering the mineralocorticoid receptor blocker eplerenone, which, prevented the development of fibrotic injury in the contralateral kidneys of rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction. These findings offer valuable insights into the intricate mechanisms underlying kidney injury and may have implications for the development of therapeutic strategies to mitigate renal fibrosis in the context of kidney disease.

Abstract Based on dynamic monitoring data on China’s population, by using complex networks, spatial analysis and mathematical measurement, this study reveals the spatial characteristics and influencing factors of the network of flows of highly educated talents in the Yangtze River Delta region from the national and local perspectives. In the two perspectives, the network has strong isomorphism and certain differences. The in-flow of highly educated talents from cities with high administrative levels and more developed economies to Shanghai constitutes the core of the entire network. From a national perspective, highly educated talents tend to converge to the Yangtze River Delta region. From a local perspective, it was found that these talents cluster towards a limited number of cities in the region. From both perspectives, the flow network has developed into a “core-periphery” progressive hierarchical structure, with Shanghai becoming the sole core city. There is little difference in the influencing factors of talent mobility from both macro and meso perspectives. Highly educated talents would frequently flow between cities with strong economic development levels, and cities with high education level, scientific and technological level, complete infrastructure, and good aesthetics. However, geographical distance still plays a hindering role in the flow of highly educated talents, and factors such as cultural identity, institutional, and social modality differences among regions also have a certain effect on the flow of these talents.

Abstract Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a persistent autoimmune condition characterized by synovitis and joint damage. Recent findings suggest a potential link to abnormal lactate metabolism. This study aims to identify lactate metabolism-related genes (LMRGs) in RA and investigate their correlation with the molecular mechanisms of RA immunity. Data on the gene expression profiles of RA synovial tissue samples were acquired from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. The RA database was acquired by obtaining the common LMRDEGs, and selecting the gene collection through an SVM model. Conducting the functional enrichment analysis, followed by immuno-infiltration analysis and protein–protein interaction networks. The results revealed that as possible markers associated with lactate metabolism in RA, KCNN4 and SLC25A4 may be involved in regulating macrophage function in the immune response to RA, whereas GATA2 is involved in the immune mechanism of DC cells. In conclusion, this study utilized bioinformatics analysis and machine learning to identify biomarkers associated with lactate metabolism in RA and examined their relationship with immune cell infiltration. These findings offer novel perspectives on potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets for RA.

Abstract This study aims to develop and validate nomogram models utilizing clinical and thoracic aorta imaging factors to assess the risk of hypertension for lung cancer screening cohorts. We included 804 patients and collected baseline clinical data, biochemical indicators, coexisting conditions, and thoracic aorta factors. Patients were randomly divided into a training set (70%) and a validation set (30%). In the training set, variance, t-test/Mann–Whitney U-test and standard least absolute shrinkage and selection operator were used to select thoracic aorta imaging features for constructing the AIScore. Multivariate logistic backward stepwise regression was utilized to analyze the influencing factors of hypertension. Five prediction models (named AIMeasure model, BasicClinical model, TotalClinical model, AIBasicClinical model, AITotalClinical model) were constructed for practical clinical use, tailored to different data scenarios. Additionally, the performance of the models was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves and decision curve analyses (DCA). The areas under the ROC curve for the five models were 0.73, 0.77, 0.83, 0.78, 0.84 in the training set, and 0.77, 0.78, 0.81, 0.78, 0.82 in the validation set, respectively. Furthermore, the calibration curves and DCAs of both sets performed well on accuracy and clinical practicality. The nomogram models for hypertension risk prediction demonstrate good predictive capability and clinical utility. These models can serve as effective tools for assessing hypertension risk, enabling timely non-pharmacological interventions to preempt or delay the future onset of hypertension.

Abstract Collapse is a major engineering hazard in open-cut foundation pit construction, and risk assessment is crucial for considerably reducing engineering hazards. This study aims to address the ambiguity problem of qualitative index quantification and the failure of high-conflict evidence fusion in risk assessment. Thus, a fast-converging and high-reliability multi-source data fusion method based on the cloud model (CM) and improved Dempster–Shafer evidence theory is proposed. The method can achieve an accurate assessment of subway pit collapse risks. First, the CM is introduced to quantify the qualitative metrics. Then, a new correction parameter is defined for improving the conflicts among evidence bodies based on conflict degree, discrepancy degree and uncertainty, while a fine-tuning term is added to reduce the subjective effect of global focal element assignment. Finally, the risk assessment result is obtained according to the maximum affiliation principle. The method is successfully applied to Luochongwei Station, where the difference between the maximum value and the second largest value of the basic probability assignment is 0.624, and the global uncertainty degree is 0.087. Both values satisfy the decision evaluation condition; however, values of other methods only satisfy one or neither condition. In addition, the proposed method requires only four cycles to reach the steady state by fusing data of the same index, which has faster convergence compared with that of other methods. The proposed method has good universality and effectiveness in subway pit collapse risk assessment.

Abstract The existing biomarkers are insufficient for predicting the prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is a precursor to PDAC; therefore, identifying biomarkers from differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of PDAC and IPMN is a new and reliable strategy for predicting the prognosis of PDAC. In this study, four datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and standardized using the R package ‘limma.’ A total of 51 IPMN and 81 PDAC samples were analyzed, and 341 DEGs in PDAC and IPMN were identified; DEGs were involved in the extracellular matrix and tumor microenvironment. An acceptable survival prognosis was demonstrated by SDC1 and ITGA2, which were highly expressed during in vitro PDAC cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. SDC1 high was enriched in interferon alpha (IFN-α) response and ITGA2 high was primarily detected in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which was verified using western blotting. We concluded that SDC1 and ITGA2 are potential prognostic biomarkers for PDAC associated with IPMN. Downregulation of SDC1 and ITGA2 expression in PDAC occurs via a mechanism involving possible regulation of IFN-α response, EMT, and immunity, which may act as new targets for PDAC therapy.

Abstract Ménière’s disease (MD) is associated with functional reorganization not only in the auditory or sensory cortex but also in other control and cognitive areas. In this study, we examined intranetwork and internetwork connectivity differences between 55 MD patients and 70 healthy controls (HC) in 9 well-defined resting-state networks. Functional connectivity degree was lower in MD compared to HC in 19 brain areas involved in the somatomotor, auditory, ventral attention, default mode, limbic, and deep gray matter networks. In addition, we observed lower intranetwork connectivity in the auditory, ventral attention, and limbic networks, as well as lower internetwork connectivity between the somatomotor and limbic networks, and between the auditory and somatomotor, deep gray matter, and ventral attention networks, and between the deep gray matter and default mode network. Furthermore, we identified 81 pairs of brain areas with significant differences in functional connectivity between MD patients and HC at the edge level. Notably, the left amygdala’s functional connectivity degree was positively correlated with MD’s disease stage, and the ventral attention network’s intranetwork connectivity was positively correlated with the healthy side vestibular ratio. Our findings suggest that these functional network reorganization alterations may serve as potential biomarkers for predicting clinical progression, evaluating disease severity, and gaining a better understanding of MD’s pathophysiology. Large-scale network studies using neuroimaging techniques can provide additional insights into the underlying mechanisms of MD.

Abstract To establish a pre-test probability model of coronary heart disease (CHD) combined with cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) indexes and to compare the clinical effectiveness with Duke clinical score (DCS) and updated Diamond-Forrester model (UDFM), thus further explore the predictive value. 342 cases were used to establish the prediction model equation and another 80 cases were used to verify the effectiveness. The patients were divided into CHD group (n = 157) and non-CHD group (n = 185) according to coronary artery stenosis degree >50% or not. Combining DCS and UDFM as reference models with CPET indexes, a multivariate logistic regression model was established. The area under the ROC curve of the three models were calculated to compare the predictive effectiveness. There were significant differences in gender, chest pain type, myocardial infarction history, hypertension history, smoking, pathological Q wave and ST-T change between two groups (P

Abstract Joshimath has received much attention for its massive ground subsidence at the beginning of the year. Rapid urbanization and its unique geographical location may have been one of the factors contributing to the occurrence of this geological disaster. In high mountain valley areas, the complex occurrence mechanism and diverse disaster patterns of geological hazards highlight the inadequacy of manual monitoring. To address this problem, the inversion of deformation of the Joshimath surface in multiple directions can be achieved by multidimensional InSAR techniques. Therefore, in this paper, the multidimensional SBAS-InSAR technique was used to process the lift-track Sentinel-1 data from 2020 to 2023 to obtain the two-dimensional vertical and horizontal deformation rates and time series characteristics of the Joshimath ground surface. To discover the causes of deformation and its correlation with anthropogenic activities and natural disasters by analyzing the spatial and temporal evolution of surface deformation. The results show that the area with the largest cumulative deformation is located in the northeastern part of the town, with a maximum cumulative subsidence of 271.2 mm and a cumulative horizontal movement of 336.5 mm. The spatial distribution of surface deformation is based on the lower part of the hill and develops towards the upper part of the hill, showing a trend of expansion from the bottom to the top. The temporal evolution is divided into two phases: gentle to rapid, and it is tentatively concluded that the decisive factor that caused the significant change in the rate of surface deformation and the early onset of the geological subsidence hazard was triggered by the 4.7 magnitude earthquake that struck near the town on 11 September 2021.

Abstract There are concerns about the risk of injuries caused by marathons in China. Since male and female runners have different injury risks, gender differences in running shoe functionality should be further complemented. A supervised questionnaire survey of 626 marathon runners was collected. The questionnaire was categorized into four sections: (1) participant profile, (2) importance of shoe properties, (3) functional evaluation of shoe properties and (4) importance ranking of shoe properties. The Mann–Whitney U test, Fisher’s exact test of cross tabulation and Chi-square test, and two-way ANOVA were used to analyze the results of this survey. The significance level was set at P

Abstract Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a heterogeneous tumor that is highly aggressive and ranks fifth among the most common cancers worldwide. Although, the researches that attempted to construct a diagnostic model were deficient in HNSCC. Currently, the gold standard for diagnosing head and neck tumors is pathology, but this requires a traumatic biopsy. There is still a lack of a noninvasive test for such a high—incidence tumor. In order to screen genetic markers and construct diagnostic model, the methods of random forest (RF) and artificial neural network (ANN) were utilized. The data of HNSCC gene expression was accessed from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database; we selected three datasets totally, and we combined 2 datasets (GSE6631 and GSE55547) for screening differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and chose another dataset (GSE13399) for validation. Firstly, the 6 DEGs (CRISP3, SPINK5, KRT4, MMP1, MAL, SPP1) were screened by RF. Subsequently, ANN was applied to calculate the weights of 6 genes. Besides, we created a diagnostic model and nominated it as neuralHNSCC, and the performance of neuralHNSCC by area under curve (AUC) was verified using another dataset. Our model achieved an AUC of 0.998 in the training cohort, and 0.734 in the validation cohort. Furthermore, we used the Cell-type Identification using Estimating Relative Subsets of RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT) algorithm to investigate the difference in immune cell infiltration between HNSCC and normal tissues initially. The selected 6 DEGs and the constructed novel diagnostic model of HNSCC would make contributions to the diagnosis.

Abstract To accelerate the deep application of deep learning in text data processing, an English statistical translation system is established and applied to the question answering of humanoid robot. Firstly, the model of machine translation based on recursive neural network is implemented. A crawler system is established to collect English movie subtitle data. On this basis, an English subtitle translation system is designed. Then, combined with sentence embedding technology, the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm of meta-heuristic algorithm is adopted to locate the defects of translation software. A translation robot automatic question and answer interactive module is constructed. Additionally, the hybrid recommendation mechanism based on personalized learning is built using blockchain technology. Finally, the performance of translation model and software defect location model is evaluated. The results show that the Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) embedding algorithm has certain effect of word clustering. RNN embedded model has a strong ability to process short sentences. The strongest translated sentences are between 11 and 39 words long, while the weakest translated sentences are between 71 and 79 words long. Therefore, the model must strengthen the processing of long sentences, especially character—level input. The average sentence length is much longer than word-level input. The model based on PSO algorithm shows good accuracy in different data sets. This model averages better performance on Tomcat, standard widget toolkits, and Java development tool datasets than other comparison methods. The average reciprocal rank and average accuracy of the weight combination of PSO algorithm are very high. Moreover, this method is greatly affected by the dimension of the word embedding model, and the 300-dimension word embedding model has the best effect. To sum up, this study proposes a good statistical translation model for humanoid robot English translation, which lays the foundation for intelligent interaction between humanoid robots.

Abstract The stability of surrounding rock with bolt support depends on the stability within the reinforcement range. To understand the reinforcing mechanism of a rectangular roadway bolt fully and accurately, a quantitative method for evaluating the stability of the surrounding rock of a rectangular roadway must be developed. First, a roof beam model of a rectangular tunnel is established according to the deformation law of surrounding rock. Based on the elastic–plastic theory, the deflection calculation formula can be derived, and the ultimate load of the roof beam can be obtained under the plastic state without support. Second, based on the reinforcement effect of bolts, a model of a surrounding rock reinforcement body is established, the physical and mechanical properties of this body are deduced, and a method for evaluating the stability of surrounding rock is derived. Finally, by considering actual engineering cases, the theoretical calculation results of surrounding rock deformation are compared with the numerical simulation and field monitoring results. Moreover, the influence of different parameters of the bolt support on the mechanical characteristics and stability of reinforcement is investigated. The results show that the theoretical calculations approximate the numerical simulation and field monitoring values, thus verifying the rationality of the theory. The physical and mechanical properties and stability of the surrounding rock reinforcement body are considerably affected by changes in bolt length and spacing. The anchor design must apply the following principle: the bolt must either be long and sparsely spaced or short and densely spaced. The theory presented in this paper provides a relatively simple and fast quantitative calculation method for the study of the surrounding rock stability of bolt-supported rectangular roadways.

Abstract The difficulty of feature extraction and the small sample size are two challenges in the field of mechanical fault diagnosis for a long time. Here we propose an intelligent mechanical fault diagnosis method for scenario with small sample datasets. This method can not only diagnose bearing faults but also gear faults, and has strong generalization performance. We use convolutional neural network to realize automatic feature extraction. Through sliding window scanning, one sample set is expanded to three sub-sample sets with different scales to meet the needs of deep learning training. Three convolutional networks are used to extract the features of the subsets respectively to ensure that their useful features are fully extracted. After feature extraction, the feature is reconstructed through feature splicing. Because of the unique advantages of SVM in dealing with small sample sets, we use SVM to classify the reconstructed features. We use the bearing data set collected by Case Western Reserve University in the United States, the bearing fault data set collected by Xi'an Jiaotong University in China, and the gearbox fault data collected by the University of Connecticut in the United States to conduct experiments. The experimental results show that the accuracy of training, validation and testing of the proposed method on the three data sets all reach 100%. This proves that our method can not only tackle the two challenges, but also has high fault diagnosis accuracy and strong generalization performance. It is hoped that our proposed method can contribute to the development of mechanical fault diagnosis.

Abstract The outdoor images captured in sand dust weather often suffer from poor contrast and color distortion, which seriously interfere with the performance of intelligent information processing systems. To solve the issues, a novel enhancement algorithm based on fusion strategy is proposed in this paper. It includes two components in sequence: sand removal via the improved Gaussian model-based color correction algorithm and dust elimination using the residual-based convolutional neural network (CNN). Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that compared with the prior sand dust image enhancement methods, the proposed fusion strategy can effectively correct the overall yellowing hue and remove the dust haze disturbance, which provides a constructive idea for the future development of sand dust image enhancement.

Abstract Heavy metal pollution of agricultural and urban soils limits economic progress in the rapidly developing society. Terahertz technology is applied to detect heavy metal pollutants under existence of multiple pathways of their dissemination. In this study, terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) is employed as an advanced probing technique in combination with traditional detecting methods to measure the adsorption ability of trivalent chromium ions on bentonite. The concentration of chromium ions and the weight of bentonite are known to influence on the adsorption capacity of the latter. It is tested here by both qualitative and quantitative measurements of two mentioned parameters. The adsorption process of chromium ions by bentonite is monitored using THz-TDS. The adsorptions signal from samples at 0.5 THz gradually increases with the increase of bentonite weight or chromium ion concentration. It would appear to indicate that terahertz could be used for quantitative detection of metal ions. Secondly, the ratios of results obtained by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and the THz-TDS ones are stabilized at 0.105 ± 0.014 as the bentonite weight or chromium ion concentration increase. Such finding confirms that terahertz technology can be used for the quantitative detection of metal ions. Using the relationship between the ICP-MS test results and the THz-TDS ones, the amplitude value of bentonite is obtained to be 13.925 at the concentration of chromium ions of 0.05 mol/L, the mass of bentonite sample involved in adsorption of 1.5 g, and the detection frequency in THz-TDS measurements of 0.5 THz. The adsorption coefficient of bentonite is calculated to be 1.44%. Increase of the chromium ion concentration to 0.2 mol/L, and the mass of bentonite involved in adsorption to 3 g leads to the increase of the amplitude corresponding to adsorbed chromium ions to about 19.463, and the adsorption coefficient to about 2.1%. Obtained results demonstrate that terahertz technology is promising to meet the ever-increasing requirements in mineral analyses for rapid detection of chemical contaminants and measurement of the adsorption efficiencies of materials.

Abstract Recent studies have revealed the significant role of the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network in human diseases. However, systematic analysis of the ceRNA mechanism in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is limited. In this study, we constructed a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network and identified a potential regulatory axis in CRSwNP based on bioinformatics analysis and experimental verification. We obtained lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA expression profiles from the Gene Expression Omnibus. After analysis of CRSwNP patients and the control groups, we identified 565 DE-lncRNAs, 23 DE-miRNAs, and 1799 DE-mRNAs by the DESeq2 R package or limma R package. Enrichment analysis of 1799 DE-mRNAs showed that CRSwNP was associated with inflammation and immunity. Moreover, we identified 21 lncRNAs, 8 miRNAs and 8 mRNAs to construct the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network. A potential MIAT/miR-125a/IRF4 axis was determined according to the degree and positive correlation between a lncRNA and its competitive endogenous mRNAs. The GSEA results suggested that IRF4 may be involved in immune cell infiltration. The validation of another dataset confirmed that MIAT and IRF4 were differentially expressed between the CRSwNP and control groups. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of MIAT and IRF4 was 0.944. The CIBERSORT analysis revealed that eosinophils and M2 macrophages may be involved in the CRSwNP process. MIAT was correlated with dendritic cells and M2 macrophages, and IRF4 was correlated with dendritic cells. Finally, to validate the key genes, we performed in-silico validation using another dataset and experimental validation using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blot. In summary, the constructed novel MIAT/miR-125a/IRF4 axis may play a critical role in the development and progression of CRSwNP. We believe that the ceRNA network and immune cell infiltration could offer further insight into novel molecular therapeutic targets for CRSwNP.

Abstract Understanding and improving the perceived quality of reconstructed images is key to developing computer-generated holography algorithms for high-fidelity holographic displays. However, current algorithms are typically optimized using mean squared error, which is widely criticized for its poor correlation with perceptual quality. In our work, we present a comprehensive analysis of employing contemporary image quality metrics (IQM) as loss functions in the hologram optimization process. Extensive objective and subjective assessment of experimentally reconstructed images reveal the relative performance of IQM losses for hologram optimization. Our results reveal that the perceived image quality improves considerably when the appropriate IQM loss function is used, highlighting the value of developing perceptually-motivated loss functions for hologram optimization.

Abstract This study aimed to noninvasively assess the relationship between the labial gingival thickness (GT) and the underlying bone thickness (BT) of maxillary anterior teeth by two digital techniques. A total of 30 periodontally healthy participants with 172 maxillary anterior teeth were enrolled. GT and BT were measured at 2, 4 and 6 mm apical to the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) by two digital techniques: M1—cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and M2—digital intraoral scanning (DIS) combined with CBCT. The Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated to determine the correlation between GT and BT. A significant negative correlation was identified between GT and BT at 2 mm apical to the CEJ for central incisors (CI), lateral incisors (LI), and canines (CA) both by M1 and M2, while a weak negative correlation at 4 mm apical to the CEJ was observed by M1 for CA. No significant correlation was found at other sites by both M1 and M2. The labial BT was

Abstract Bupivacaine, a local anaesthetic, is widely applied in the epidural or subarachnoid space to clinically manage acute and chronic pain. However, the underlying mechanisms are complex and unclear. Glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) in the spinal cord plays a critical role in various pathologic pain conditions. Therefore, we sought to determine whether bupivacaine exerts its analgesic effect by regulating GlyT1 expression and to determine the underlying mechanisms of regulation. Primary astrocytes prepared from the spinal cord of rats were treated with bupivacaine. The protein levels of GlyT1, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylated adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase α (p-AMPKα) were measured by western blotting or immunofluorescence. In addition, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF, BDNF receptor agonist) and AMPK shRNA were applied to verify the relationship between the regulation of GlyT1 by bupivacaine and the p-AMPKα/BDNF signalling pathway. After treatment with bupivacaine, GlyT1 expression was diminished in a concentration-dependent manner, while the expression of BDNF and p-AMPK was increased. Moreover, 7,8-DHF decreased GlyT1 expression, and AMPK knockdown suppressed the upregulation of BDNF expression by bupivacaine. Finally, we concluded that bupivacaine reduced GlyT1 expression in spinal astrocytes by activating the p-AMPKα/BDNF signalling pathway. These results provide a new mechanism for the analgesic effect of intrathecal bupivacaine in the treatment of acute and chronic pain.

Abstract The discovery of new viruses is important for predicting their potential threats to the health of humans and other animals. A novel picornavirus was identified from oral, throat, and anal swab samples collected from belugas (Delphinapterus leucas), from Dalian Sun Asia Tourism Holding Co., China, between January and December 2018, using a metagenomics approach. The genome of this novel PicoV-HMU-1 strain was 8197 nucleotides (nt) in length, with a open reading frame (from 1091 to 8074 nt) that encoded a polyprotein precursor of 2328 amino acids. Moreover, the genomic length and GC content of PicoV-HMU-1 were within the ranges found in other picornaviruses, and the genome organization was also similar. Nevertheless, PicoV-HMU-1 had a lower amino acid identity and distinct host species compared with other members of the Picornaviridae family. Phylogenetic trees were constructed based on the P1 and 3D amino acid sequences of PicoV-HMU-1 along with representative members of the Picornaviridae family, which showed that PicoV-HMU-1 was related to unclassified bat picornaviruses groups. These findings suggest that the PicoV-HMU-1 strain represents a potentially novel genus of picornavirus. These data can enhance our understanding of the picornavirus genetic diversity and evolution.

Abstract ERA5 is the latest fifth-generation reanalysis global atmosphere dataset from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, replacing ERA-Interim as the next generation of representative satellite-observational data on the global scale. ERA5 data have been evaluated and applied in different regions, but the performances are inconsistent. Meanwhile, there are few precise evaluations of ERA5 precipitation data over long time series have been performed in Chinese mainland. This study evaluates the temporal-spatial performance of ERA5 precipitation data from 1979 to 2018 based on gridded-ground meteorological station observational data across China. The results showed that ERA5 data could capture the annual and seasonal patterns of observed precipitation in China well, with correlation coefficient values ranging from 0.796 to 0.945, but ERA5 slightly overestimated precipitation in the summer. Nonetheless, the results also showed that the accuracy of the precipitation products was strongly correlated with topographic distribution and climatic divisions. The performance of ERA5 shows spatial inherently across China that the highest correlation coefficient values locate in eastern, Northwestern and North China and the lowest biases locate in Southeast China. This study provides a reliable data assessment of the ERA5 data and precipitation trend analyses in China. The results provide accuracy references for the further use of precipitation satellite data for hydrological calculations and climate numerical simulations.

Abstract Total testosterone levels decline with age, while prostate volume and the prevalence of benign prostatic hyperplasia increase with age. We sought to investigate the correlation of serum testosterone levels with prostate volume in aging men. We analyzed clinical data obtained from 416 ostensibly healthy men who underwent routine health check-ups and recruited and collected data from these subjects 4 years later. We analyzed the correlation between prostate volume and relevant factors, as well as the correlation between changes in prostate volume and low testosterone over a 4-year period. Men with low testosterone had significantly larger prostate volume than those in the normal testosterone group (26.86 ± 8.75 vs. 24.06 ± 6.77 P = 0.02), and subjects with low testosterone had significantly higher levels of obesity-related factors, including waist circumference, body mass index, and insulin (all P

Abstract Overconsumption of saturated fats promotes obesity and type 2 diabetes. Excess weight gain in early life may be particularly detrimental by promoting earlier diabetes onset and potentially by adversely affecting normal development. In the present study we investigated the effects of dietary fat composition on early overnutrition-induced body weight and glucose regulation in Swiss Webster mice, which show susceptibility to high-fat diet-induced diabetes. We compared glucose homeostasis between a high-fat lard-based (HFL) diet, high in saturated fats, and a high-fat olive oil/fish oil-based (HFO) diet, high in monounsaturated and omega-3 fats. We hypothesized that the healthier fat profile of the latter diet would improve early overnutrition-induced glucose dysregulation. However, early overnutrition HFO pups gained more weight and adiposity and had higher diabetes incidence compared to HFL. In contrast, control pups had less weight gain, adiposity, and lower diabetes incidence. Plasma metabolomics revealed reductions in various phosphatidylcholine species in early overnutrition HFO mice as well as with diabetes. These findings suggest that early overnutrition may negate any beneficial effects of a high-fat diet that favours monounsaturated and omega-3 fats over saturated fats. Thus, quantity, quality, and timing of fat intake throughout life should be considered with respect to metabolic health outcomes.

Abstract Splicing factors (SFs) play critical roles in the pathogenesis of various cancers through regulating tumor-associated alternative splicing (AS) events. However, the clinical value and biological functions of SFs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain obscure. In this study, we identified 40 dysregulated SFs in HCC and established a prognostic model composed of four SFs (DNAJC6, ZC3H13, IGF2BP3, DDX19B). The predictive efficiency and independence of the prognostic model were confirmed to be satisfactory. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) illustrated the risk score calculated by our prognostic model was significantly associated with multiple cancer-related pathways and metabolic processes. Furthermore, we constructed the SFs-AS events regulatory network and extracted 108 protein-coding genes from the network for following functional explorations. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network delineated the potential interactions among these 108 protein-coding genes. GO and KEGG pathway analyses investigated ontology gene sets and canonical pathways enriched by these 108 protein-coding genes. Overlapping the results of GSEA and KEGG, seven pathways were identified to be potential pathways regulated by our prognostic model through triggering aberrant AS events in HCC. In conclusion, the present study established an effective prognostic model based on SFs for HCC patients. Functional explorations of SFs and SFs-associated AS events provided directions to explore biological functions and mechanisms of SFs in HCC tumorigenesis.

Abstract Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) possesses a poor prognosis even for stages I–III resected patients. Reliable prognostic biomarkers that can stratify and predict clinical outcomes for stage I–III resected LUSC patients are urgently needed. Based on gene expression of LUSC tissue samples from five public datasets, consisting of 687 cases, we developed an immune-related prognostic model (IPM) according to immune genes from ImmPort database. Then, we comprehensively analyzed the immune microenvironment and mutation burden that are significantly associated with this model. According to the IPM, patients were stratified into high- and low-risk groups with markedly distinct survival benefits. We found that patients with high immune risk possessed a higher proportion of immunosuppressive cells such as macrophages M0, and presented higher expression of CD47, CD73, SIRPA, and TIM-3. Moreover, When further stratified based on the tumor mutation burden (TMB) and risk score, patients with high TMB and low immune risk had a remarkable prolonged overall survival compared to patients with low TMB and high immune risk. Finally, a nomogram combing the IPM with clinical factors was established to provide a more precise evaluation of prognosis. The proposed immune relevant model is a promising biomarker for predicting overall survival in stage I–III LUSC. Thus, it may shed light on identifying patient subset at high risk of adverse prognosis from an immunological perspective.

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most commonly cancers with poor prognosis and drug response. Identifying accurate therapeutic targets would facilitate precision treatment and prolong survival for HCC. In this study, we analyzed liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and identified PARD3 as one of the most significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Then, we investigated the relationship between PARD3 and outcomes of HCC, and assessed predictive capacity. Moreover, we performed functional enrichment and immune infiltration analysis to evaluate functional networks related to PARD3 in HCC and explore its role in tumor immunity. PARD3 expression levels in 371 HCC tissues were dramatically higher than those in 50 paired adjacent liver tissues (p

Abstract This study aimed to determine the characteristics of CT changes in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) based on prognosis. Serial CT scans in 47 patients with severe COVID-19 were reviewed. The patterns, distribution and CT score of lung abnormalities were assessed. Scans were classified according to duration in weeks after onset of symptoms. These CT abnormalities were compared between discharged and dead patients. Twenty-six patients were discharged, whereas 21 passed away. Discharged patients were characterized by a rapid rise in CT score in the first 2 weeks followed by a slow decline, presence of reticular and mixed patterns from the second week, and prevalence of subpleural distribution of opacities in all weeks. In contrast, dead patients were characterized by a progressive rise in CT score, persistence of ground-glass opacity and consolidation patterns in all weeks, and prevalence of diffuse distribution from the second week. CT scores of death group were significantly higher than those of discharge group (P

Abstract Pyroptosis is a kind of necrotic and inflammatory programmed cell death induced by inflammatory caspases. SENP7 is a SUMO-specific protease, which mainly acts on deconjugation of SUMOs from substrate proteins. We evaluated the effect of SENP7 knockdown on pyroptosis, NF-κB signaling pathway, and NLRP3 inflammasome in Raw 264.7 cells. The results showed that the GSDMD protein mainly expressed in the cytoplasm nearby nuclei of Raw 264.7 cells. It migrated to cytomembrane with the numbers of Raw 264.7 cell decreased when LPS + ATP were administrated. Which was inhibited by SENP7 knockdown. In addition, not only the pyroptosis of Raw 264.7 cells was inhibited, the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway and NLRP3 inflammasome were also attenuated by SENP7 knockdown. The mechanism may be associated with the over SUMOylation of proteins induced by SENP7 knockdown.

Abstract Aphid-parasitoid interactions have been widely used as a model system in research studies on the structure and functions of arthropod food web. Research on aphid-parasitoid food webs is hindered by their micromorphological characteristics and the high amount of labor associated with their development. Species-specific primers for cotton aphids and their parasitoids were designed and integrated into two multiplex PCRs and six singleplex PCRs, and all PCRs were optimized to achieve high specificity and sensitivity (100–10,000 DNA copies). One cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii) as well as three primary parasitoid and seven hyperparasitoid species or genera were detected using this molecular approach. This group comprises all the primary parasitoids and 97.2–99.6% of the hyperparasitoids reported in cotton fields in northern China. A tritrophic aphid-primary parasitoid-hyperparasitoid food web was then established. The described method constitutes an efficient tool for quantitatively describing the aphid-primary parasitoid-hyperparasitoid food webs and assessing the efficiency of the biological control of parasitoids in cotton fields in northern China.

Abstract The development of multifunctional biomaterials to repair bone defects after neoplasm removal and inhibit tumor recurrence remained huge clinical challenges. Here, we demonstrate a kind of innovative and multifunctional magnetic mesoporous calcium sillicate/chitosan (MCSC) porous scaffolds, made of M-type ferrite particles (SrFe12O19), mesoporous calcium silicate (CaSiO3) and chitosan (CS), which exert robust anti-tumor and bone regeneration properties. The mesopores in the CaSiO3 microspheres contributed to the drug delivery property, and the SrFe12O19 particles improved photothermal therapy (PTT) conversion efficacy. With the irradiation of NIR laser, doxorubicin (DOX) was rapidly released from the MCSC/DOX scaffolds. In vitro and in vivo tests demonstrated that the MCSC scaffolds possessed the excellent anti-tumor efficacy via the synergetic effect of DOX drug release and hyperthermia ablation. Moreover, BMP-2/Smad/Runx2 pathway was involved in the MCSC scaffolds promoted proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs). Taken together, the MCSC scaffolds have the ability to promote osteogenesis and enhance synergetic photothermal-chemotherapy against osteosarcoma, indicating MCSC scaffolds may have great application potential for bone tumor-related defects.

Abstract Four unusual meroterpenoids, dysivillosins A–D (1–4), were isolated from an organic extract of the marine sponge Dysidea villosa collected from the South China Sea. Their planar structures were determined by 1D and 2D NMR and HRESIMS techniques, while the relative and absolute configurations were elucidated by NOESY experiments and comparison between the calculated and experimental ECD spectra. To the best of our knowledge, dysivillosins A–D are the first examples of terpene-polyketide-pyridine hybrid metabolites from the nature. Anti-allergic activity evaluation showed that compounds 1–4 potently inhibited the release of β-hexosaminidase, a marker of degranulation, in a dose-dependent manner with IC50 values of 8.2–19.9 μM. Additionally, the four meroterpenoids could downregulate the production of lipid mediator leukotrienes B4 (LTB4) and pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-4 (IL-4) in the antigen-stimulated RBL-2H3 mast cells. Further biological investigations revealed that dysivillosin A (1) could suppress the phosphorylation of Syk and PLCγ1 in IgE/FcɛRI/Syk signaling pathway, which resulted in the inhibition of degranulation and the downregulation of LTB4 and IL-4 production in mast cells.

Abstract 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME), an estrogen metabolite generated via catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT), is multifunctional methoxy-catechol. Here, we report that COMT deficiency leads to glucose intolerance and 2-ME rescues COMT-deficient-associated metabolic defects. Liver COMT protein was suppressed in high fat diet (HFD)-fed or in pregnant mice. COMT suppression, by Ro41-0960 or siRNA, in HFD fed mice or in pregnant mice exacerbated glucose intolerance; 2-ME intervention ameliorated these defects. 2-ME effects on glucose tolerance were associated with AMPK phosphorylation in the liver and in islet cells. Metformin restored liver COMT protein levels, and metformin-induced liver AMPK phosphorylation was abolished by COMT inhibition. The amelioration in glucose tolerance by 2-ME was associated with biphasic insulin secretion in an environment-dependent manner. 2-ME-induced insulin secretion was associated with the AMPK phosphorylation, PDX-1 phosphorylation, and MST-1 suppression in MIN-6 cells. Furthermore 2-ME displayed PPARγ agonist-like activity. These results suggest that COMT is an enzyme to maintain glucose homeostasis and 2-ME is a potential endogenous multi-target anti-diabetic candidate.

Abstract Understanding contributions of climate change and human activities to changes in streamflow is important for sustainable management of water resources in an arid area. This study presents quantitative analysis of climatic and anthropogenic factors to streamflow alteration in the Tarim River Basin (TRB) using the double mass curve method (DMC) and the Budyko methods. The time series (1960~2015) are divided into three periods: the prior impacted period (1960~1972) and the two post impacted periods, 1973~1986 and 1987~2015 with trend analysis. Our results suggest that human activities played a dominant role in deduction in the streamflow in TRB with contribution of 144.6% to 120.68% during the post impacted period I and 228.68% to 140.38% during the post impacted period II. Climatic variables accounted for 20.68%~44.6% of the decrease during the post impacted period I and 40.38% ~128.68% during the post impacted period II. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the streamflow alteration was most sensitive to changes in landscape parameters. The aridity index and all the elasticities showed an obvious increasing trend from the upstream to the downstream in the TRB. Our study suggests that it is important to take effective measures for sustainable development of eco-hydrological and socio-economic systems in the TRB.

Abstract Chrysopidae (green lacewings) is the second largest family in Neuroptera, and it includes medium-size lacewings largely recognized by the presence of golden-colored eyes, bright green bodies and delicate wings with dense venation patterns. The subfamily Chrysopinae includes 97% of the species diversity in the family and it is currently divided into four tribes: Ankylopterygini, Belonopterygini, Chrysopini and Leucochrysini. Here we sequenced and annotated the nearly complete mitochondrial genomes of four species of each these tribes: Abachrysa eureka, Italochrysa insignis, Leucochrysa pretiosa, Parankyloteryx sp. We then reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships with estimated divergence times among tribes of Chrysopinae based on the mt genomic data. Our results suggest that Chrysopinae sans Nothancyla verreauxi evolved as two reciprocally monophyletic lineages formed by stem members of the tribes Leucochrysini plus Belonopterygini on one hand, and the stem members of Ankylopterygini plus Chrysopini on the other. Our estimations of divergence times place the diversification of stem Chrysopinae into the extant tribes during the Middle Jurassic to Late Cretaceous. The relatively young ages previously estimated for the green lacewing divergences were probably underestimated due to false inferences of homology between non-sister taxa that are later correctly identified as homoplasy after more taxa are added.

Abstract This study reports an acupuncture needle modified with an iron-porphyrin functionalized graphene composite (FGPC) for real-time monitoring of nitric oxide (NO) release in acupoints of rats. A gold film was first deposited to the needle surface to enhance the conductivity. The FGPC was prepared via hydrothermal synthesis, and subsequently applied to the tip surface of acupuncture needle by electrochemical deposition method. The functionalized needle enabled a specific and sensitive detection of NO based on the favorably catalytic properties of iron-porphyrin and the excellent conductivity of graphene. Amperometric data showed that the needle achieved not only a low detection limit down to 3.2 nM in PBS solution, but also a satisfactory selectivity. Interestingly, the functionalized needle could be inserted into the acupoints of rats for real-time monitoring of NO in vivo. It was found that a remarkable response to NO was respectively obtained in different acupoints when stimulated by L-arginine (L-Arg), revealing that the release of NO was detectable in acupoints. We expect this work would showcase the applications of acupuncture needle in detecting some important signaling molecules in vivo, and exploring the mechanism of acupuncture treatment.

Abstract Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by excess insulin secretion, which results in hypoglycemia. Mutation of sulfonylurea receptor 1 (SUR1), encoded by the ABCC8 gene, is the main cause of CHI. Here, we captured the phenotype of excess insulin secretion through pancreatic differentiation of ABCC8-deficient stem cells generated by the CRISPR/Cas9 system. ABCC8-deficient insulin-producing cells secreted higher insulin than their wild-type counterparts, and the excess insulin secretion was rescued by nifedipine, octreotide and nicorandil. Further, we tested the role of SUR1 in response to different potassium levels and found that dysfunction of SUR1 decreased the insulin secretion rate in low and high potassium environments. Hence, pancreatic differentiation of ABCC8-deficient cells recapitulated the CHI disease phenotype in vitro, which represents an attractive model to further elucidate the function of SUR1 and to develop and screen for novel therapeutic drugs.

Abstract In this paper, a solvent/non-solvent synthetic approach has been utilized in preparing a new nanoenergetic material KClO4@Al/CuO by coating Al/CuO nanocomposites particles with a layer of nanoscale oxidizer KClO4. The coating process and mechanism are discussed. The composites of Al/CuO are uniformly mixed by mechanical ball milling process and CuO acts as a catalytic metallic oxide. The ternary mixtures KClO4@Al/CuO were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the results reveal that after ball-milling and chemical synthesis process, the phase compositions haven’t changed. Scan electron microscopy (SEM) images show that these energetic nanocomposites consist of small clusters of Al/CuO that are in intimate contact with a continuous and clear-cut KClO4 layer (100–400 nm). In a Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) elemental map, high K/Cl intensity on the perimeter of the nanoparticles and high Cu/Al content in the interior powerfully demonstrated the KClO4@Al/CuO core-shell nanostructure. Electrical ignition experiments and pressure cell test prove that these nanoenergetic composites are more sensitive to ignition with much higher burning rate than traditional formulations (conventional counterparts). To quantify the enhancement of thermal behavior, Thermogravimetry (TG) and Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were performed and the results show that the burning rate of these energetic nanocomposites nearly tripled.