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Pelodiscus sinensis meat is a nutritional food and tonic with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities. To identify the bioactive substances responsible, several bioinformatics methods were integrated to enable a virtual screening for bioactive peptides in proteins identified within a water-soluble protein fraction of Pelodiscus sinensis meat by Shotgun proteomics. The peptides were generated from the identified proteins by in silico proteolysis using six proteases. A comparison of the numbers of proteins suitable for digestion with each enzyme and the iBAQ (intensity-based absolute quantification) values for these proteins revealed that bromelain and papain were the most suitable proteases for this sample. Next, the water solubility, toxicity, and ADMET (absorption/distribution/metabolism/excretion/toxicity) properties of these peptides were evaluated in silico. Finally, a novel ACE inhibitory peptide IEWEF with an IC50 value of 41.33 µM was identified. The activity of the synthesized peptide was verified in vitro, and it was shown to be a non-competitive ACE inhibitor. Molecular docking revealed that IEWEF could tightly bind to C-ACE, and N-ACE with energies less than 0 kJ mol−1, and the peptide IEWEF can form hydrogen bonds with C-ACE and N-ACE respectively. These results provide evidence that bioactive peptides in the water-soluble protein fraction account for (at least) some of the ACE inhibitory activities observed in Pelodiscus sinensis meat. Furthermore, our research provides a workflow for the efficient identification of novel ACE inhibitory peptides from complex protein mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety of the military and civilian industries is threatened by the combustion–explosion of energetic materials during production, transport, and storage. Black powder, a commonly used energetic material, has been widely utilized in special ammunition, detonating cord, explosive welding, and fireworks, and it has caused several accidents. To address this issue, a new type of seawater microcapsule suppressant has been developed using natural seawater, which is both clean and environmentally friendly. This study examines the effectiveness of different dosages and types of suppressants in reducing the combustion–explosion pressure of black powder, an energetic material. The dosage of suppressants required for complete suppression is estimated, and changes in flame and wall temperature are monitored to analyze the combustion–explosion suppression efficiency and mechanism of black powder. The experimental results demonstrate that the newly developed seawater microcapsule has a positive impact on suppressing the combustion–explosion in black powder. When using 0.15 g of seawater microcapsules, there was a 32.51% reduction in the maximum explosion pressure of 1 g of black powder and a 60.32% decrease in the maximum explosion rise rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy has emerged as a potential treatment option for resectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In this single-arm phase II trial (NCT04826679), patients with resectable locally advanced HNSCC (T2‒T4, N0‒N3b, M0) received neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy with camrelizumab (200 mg), nab-paclitaxel (260 mg/m2), and cisplatin (60 mg/m2) intravenously on day one of each three-week cycle for three cycles. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints included pathologic complete response (pCR), major pathologic response (MPR), two-year progression-free survival rate, two-year overall survival rate, and toxicities. Here, we report the perioperative outcomes; survival outcomes were not mature at the time of data analysis. Between April 19, 2021 and March 17, 2022, 48 patients were enrolled and received neoadjuvant therapy, 27 of whom proceeded to surgical resection and remaining 21 received non-surgical therapy. The ORR was 89.6% (95% CI: 80.9, 98.2) among 48 patients who completed neoadjuvant therapy. Of the 27 patients who underwent surgery, 17 (63.0%, 95% CI: 44.7, 81.2) achieved a MPR or pCR, with a pCR rate of 55.6% (95% CI: 36.8, 74.3). Treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or 4 occurred in two patients. This study meets the primary endpoint showing potential efficacy of neoadjuvant camrelizumab plus nab-paclitaxel and cisplatin, with an acceptable safety profile, in patients with resectable locally advanced HNSCC.Neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy represents a therapeutic option for resectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Here the authors report the results of a phase II trial of neoadjuvant camrelizumab plus nab-paclitaxel and cisplatin in resectable locally advanced HNSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recyclability of thermosetting polymers and their composites is a challenge for alleviating environmental pollution and resource waste. In this study, solvent-recyclable thermosetting polyimide (PI) and its composite were successfully synthesized. The tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young's modulus of PI are 108.70 ± 7.29 MPa, 19.35% ± 3.89%, and 2336.42 ± 128.00 MPa, respectively. The addition of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) not only enhances the mechanical properties of PI but also endows it with excellent tribological properties. The PI illustrates a high recycling efficiency of 94.15%, but the recycled composite exhibits inferior mechanical properties. The recycling and utilization of PI and its composite are realized through imine bonds (–C=N), which provides new guidance for solving the problem of environmental pollution and resource waste and is potential application in the field of sustainable tribology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-healing and recyclable polymer materials are being developed through extensive investigations on noncovalent bond interactions. However, they typically exhibit inferior mechanical properties. Therefore, the present study is aimed at synthesizing a polyurethane–urea elastomer with excellent mechanical properties and shape-memory-assisted self-healing behavior. In particular, the introduction of coordination and hydrogen bonds into elastomer leads to the optimal elastomer exhibiting good mechanical properties (strength, 76.37 MPa; elongation at break, 839.10%; toughness, 308.63 MJ m−3) owing to the phased energy dissipation mechanism involving various supramolecular interactions. The elastomer also demonstrates shape-memory properties, whereby the shape recovery force that brings damaged surfaces closer and facilitates self-healing. Surprisingly, all specimens exhibite clustering-triggered emission, with cyan fluorescence is observed under ultraviolet light. The strategy reported herein for developing multifunctional materials with good mechanical properties can be leveraged to yield stimulus-responsive polymers and smart seals. Polymers formed with non-covalent bonds are increasingly being developed, but often show inferior mechanical properties. Here, the authors report the development of high performances polyurethane-urea elastomer with shape-memory assisted self-healing behaviour [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Anxiety, depression, sleep disorder, fatigue, and pain develop as common psychoneurological symptoms in patients with glioma, and their occurrence and development are potentially related to inflammatory factors. However, this theory has not been proven within the context of glioma. This study aimed to estimate interconnections among psychoneurological symptoms and inflammatory biomarkers by a network analysis. Patients and methods: We selected 203 patients with stage I–IV glioma from a tertiary hospital in China using convenient sampling method. Patients completed the self-made questionnaires, Hamilton Anxiety Scale-14 (HAMA-14), Hamilton Depression Scale-24 (HAMD-24), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20 (MFI-20), and pain Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). The plasma inflammatory cytokines were examined. Partial correlation network analysis was performed to illustrate interactions of symptoms and inflammatory biomarkers. Results: Among the 203 included patients, all psychoneurological symptoms, except for depression and pain, exhibited significant connections with each other. Depression, anxiety, fatigue, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) with higher strength centrality indices were identified as the most central node within the symptom-biomarker network. Conclusions: Depression, anxiety, fatigue, IL-6, and TNF-α play a significant role in the symptom-biomarker network in patients with glioma. Medical staff should strengthen the dynamic evaluation of the involved symptoms and inflammatory cytokines and take effective measures to alleviate the burden of symptoms and improve the quality of life of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an excellent fire extinguishing agent, FK-5-1-12 has been widely used in industry. This article studies the fire extinguishing performance of FK-5-1-12 on a full-size battery box experimentally, triggered into thermal runaway by heating a lithium iron phosphate battery. By analyzing the extinguishment, reignition, as well as temperature changes on the battery surface and in the vicinity of the safety valve, the efficacy of the extinguishing agent under real circumstances of a lithium iron phosphate battery fire was investigated, using different loading of FK-5-1-12. The performance of FK-5-1-12 is analyzed and evaluated in combination with the flame extinguishing effect and the cooling effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this note, we are concerned with the following critical Choquard equation with lower linear perturbation - Δ u + a (x) u = (I α ∗ | u | 2 α ∗ ) | u | 2 α ∗ - 2 u , u ∈ D 1 , 2 (R N). where N ≥ 3 , max { N - 4 , 0 } < α < N , 2 α ∗ = N + α N - 2 , a (x) is the weighted function, and I α is the Riesz potential. Using the Krasnoselskii genus theory and the global compactness principle, we prove the existence of N distinct pairs of nontrivial solutions when the norm | a - | N / 2 is suitably small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge background and preference of decision-makers and interaction among criteria play an important role in actual multiple attribute group decision-making(MAGDM) problem. Consequently, the attribute set and evaluation information chosen by decision-makers are different according to their preference. In this situation, this paper proposes a multigranulation rough fuzzy set model under heterogeneous preference information. We firstly present heterogeneous preference information system and the definition is given. What's more, the weight information can be depicted at different levels from the perspective of granular computing. Considering the decision-makers or experts have different weights for they chosen the set of criterion, we recalculate the weight of attribute by using Choquet integral and the generalized Shapley index. Then we construct the arbitrary binary relation classes based on the inclusion measurement of the heterogeneous preference information system between any alternatives. We then give the lower and upper approximations of any fuzzy decision-making object over the heterogeneous preference information system. At the same time, several interesting properties for the defined model are given and optimistic and pessimistic multigranulation rough fuzzy set models are deduced, respectively. Moreover, the interrelationship among the established multigranulation rough fuzzy set over the heterogeneous preference information system as well as the existing multigranulation rough set models are discussed in detail. After that, we present a new approach to multiple attribute group decision making problem by using the multigranulation rough fuzzy set method with the heterogeneous preference information. The basic principle and the methodology as well as the algorithm of the decision making given in this paper are given. Finally, the optimal renewable energy technologies alternative determination problem is used as a case study to illustrate the application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional "top-down" methods for graphene preparation, like micromechanical cleavage and ultrasound methods, usually cannot preserve both efficiency and quality simultaneously. Herein, we provide an environmental-friendly graphene exfoliating method with high efficiency and high quality that combines the microfluidization process (liquid phase) and supercritical carbon dioxide process (gas phase), namely the dual-phase exfoliating (DPE) method. The combination of effective tangential force (shearing force) and normal force (push and pull), which are originally from microfluidization and supercritical carbon dioxide process, respectively, maximizes the exfoliating efficiency. The DPE method offers a high yield of up to 70.25% for graphene preparation (941.04 g per day theoretically), while the graphene sheets could remain single or a few layers (> 80%) and around micron size. By molecular dynamic simulations, it is theoretically proved that carbon dioxide can intercalate between graphite layers and expand the interlayer spacing under supercritical conditions. This DPE method, by combining the advantages of different phase processes, provides an ideal process design perspective for large-scale preparation of other 2D materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal conductivity of soil is a fundamental physical property related to heat conduction and also one of the widely applied parameters in geotechnical engineering. Thermal needle tests were performed to measure the thermal conductivity of transparent sand. The thermal conductivity of three particle sizes of transparent sand was measured at different porosities and temperatures. The result shows that the thermal conductivity of transparent sand decreases with the increase of porosity and temperature. A modified model is proposed to calculate the thermal conductivity of the tested sand. Compared with the literature models, which are only suitable for room temperature, the modified model in this paper is applicable to a wider temperature range, ranging from 5∘C to 45∘C. It will also be beneficial to future studies on thermal reponses of granular materials, i.e., energy pile model test using transparent sand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU/FUS) has expanded as a noninvasive quantifiable option for hyperthermia (HT). HT in a temperature range of 40–47 °C (thermal dose CEM43 ≥ 25) could work as a sensitizer to radiation therapy (RT). Here, we attempted to understand the tumor radiosensitization effect at the cellular level after a combination treatment of FUS+RT. Methods: An in vitro FUS system was developed to induce HT at frequencies of 1.147 and 1.467 MHz. Human head and neck cancer (FaDU), glioblastoma (T98G), and prostate cancer (PC-3) cells were exposed to FUS in ultrasound-penetrable 96-well plates followed by single-dose X‑ray irradiation (10 Gy). Radiosensitizing effects of FUS were investigated by cell metabolic activity (WST‑1 assay), apoptosis (annexin V assay, sub-G1 assay), cell cycle phases (propidium iodide staining), and DNA double-strand breaks (γH2A.X assay). Results: The FUS intensities of 213 (1.147 MHz) and 225 W/cm2 (1.467 MHz) induced HT for 30 min at mean temperatures of 45.20 ± 2.29 °C (CEM43 = 436 ± 88) and 45.59 ± 1.65 °C (CEM43 = 447 ± 79), respectively. FUS improves the effect of RT significantly by reducing metabolic activity in T98G cells 48 h (RT: 96.47 ± 8.29%; FUS+RT: 79.38 ± 14.93%; p = 0.012) and in PC-3 cells 72 h (54.20 ± 10.85%; 41.01 ± 11.17%; p = 0.016) after therapy, but not in FaDu cells. Mechanistically, FUS+RT leads to increased apoptosis and enhancement of DNA double-strand breaks compared to RT alone in T98G and PC-3 cells. Conclusion: Our in vitro findings demonstrate that FUS has good potential to sensitize glioblastoma and prostate cancer cells to RT by mainly enhancing DNA damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]