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The tissue stiffness of donor kidneys in transplantation may increase due to pathological changes such as glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis, and those changes associate worse outcomes in kidney transplantation recipients. Ultrasound elastography is a noninvasive imaging examination with the ability to quantitatively reflect tissue stiffness. Aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of ultrasound elastography for adverse kidney outcome in kidney transplantation recipients. Shear wave elastography (SWE) examinations were performed by two independent operators in kidney transplantation recipients. The primary outcome was a composite of kidney graft deterioration, all-cause re-hospitalization, and all-cause mortality. Survival analysis was calculated by Kaplan-Meier curves with the log-rank test and Cox regression analysis. A total of 161 patients (mean age 46 years, 63.4% men) were followed for a median of 20.1 months. 27 patients (16.77%) reached the primary endpoint. The mean and median tissue stiffness at the medulla (hazard ratio: 1.265 and 1.229, respectively), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and serum albumin level were associated with the primary outcome in univariate Cox regression. Adding mean or median medulla SWE to a baseline model containing eGFR and albumin significantly improved its discrimination (C-statistics: 0.736 for the baseline, 0.766 and 0.772 for the model added mean and median medulla SWE, respectively). The medullary tissue stiffness of kidney allograft measured by shear wave elastography may provide incremental prognostic value to adverse outcomes in kidney transplantation recipients. Including SWE parameters in kidney transplantation recipients management could be considered to improve risk stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the diagnostic potential of texture analysis applied to native T1 maps obtained from cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) images for the assessment of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Methods: This study, conducted from June 2018 to November 2020, included 119 patients (35 on hemodialysis, 55 on peritoneal dialysis, and 29 with kidney transplants) in Renji Hospital. Native T1 maps were assessed with texture analysis, using a freely available software package, in participants who underwent cardiac MRI at 3.0 T. Four texture features, selected by dimension reduction specific to the diagnosis of HFpEF, were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to examine the independent association between the selected features and HFpEF in ESRD patients. Results: Seventy-six of 119 patients were diagnosed with HFpEF. Demographic, laboratory, cardiac MRI, and echocardiogram characteristics were compared between HFpEF and non-HFpEF groups. The four texture features that were analyzed showed statistically significant differences between groups. In multivariate analysis, age, left atrial volume index (LAVI), and sum average 4 (SA4) turned out to be independent predictors for HFpEF in ESRD patients. Combining the texture feature, SA4, with typical predictive factors resulted in higher C-index (0.923 vs. 0.898, p = 0.045) and a sensitivity and specificity of 79.2% and 95.2%, respectively. Conclusions: Texture analysis of T1 maps adds diagnostic value to typical clinical parameters for the assessment of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in patients with end-stage renal disease. Key Points: • Non-invasive assessment of HFpEF can help predict prognosis in ESRD patients and help them take timely preventative measures. • Texture analysis of native T1 maps adds diagnostic value to the typical clinical parameters for the assessment of HFpEF in patients with ESRD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two poorly performing HCIC ligands were utilized to construct a dual-ligand system. • The dual-ligand system exhibited superior static and dynamic adsorption capabilities. • Molecular docking is used as an auxiliary tool to explain differences in selectivity. • The dual-ligand system separated antibodies from human serum with better performance. In conventional chromatographic ligand screening, underperforming ligands are often dismissed. However, this practice may inadvertently overlook potential opportunities. This study aims to investigate whether these underperforming ligands can be repurposed as valuable assets. Hydrophobic charge-induction chromatography (HCIC) is chosen as the validation target for its potential as an innovative chromatographic mode. A novel dual-ligand approach is employed, combining two suboptimal ligands (5-Aminobenzimidazole and Tryptamine) to explore enhanced performance and optimization prospects. Various dual-ligand HCIC resins with different ligand densities were synthesized by adjusting the ligand ratio and concentration. The resins were characterized to assess appearance, functional groups, and pore features using SEM, FTIR, and ISEC techniques. Performance assessments were conducted using single-ligand mode resins as controls, evaluating the selectivity against human immunoglobulin G and human serum albumin. Static adsorption experiments were performed to understand pH and salt influence on adsorption. Breakthrough experiments were conducted to assess dynamic adsorption capacity of the novel resin. Finally, chromatographic separation using human serum was performed to evaluate the purity and yield of the resin. Results indicated that the dual-ligand HCIC resin designed for human antibodies demonstrates exceptional selectivity, surpassing not only single ligand states but also outperforming certain high-performing ligand types, particularly under specific salt and pH conditions. Ultimately, a high yield of 83.9 % and purity of 96.7 % were achieved in the separation of hIgG from human serum with the dual-ligand HCIC, significantly superior to the single-ligand resins. In conclusion, through rational design and proper operational conditions, the dual-ligand mode can revitalize underutilized ligands, potentially introducing novel and promising chromatographic modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia (NH3), an air pollutant in the living environment, has many toxic effects on various tissues and organs. However, the underlying mechanisms of NH3‐induced tracheal cell autophagy remains poorly understood. In present study, chickens and LMH cells were used as NH3 exposure models to investigate toxic effects. The change of tracheal tissues ultrastructure showed that NH3 exposure induced autolysosomes. The differential expression of 12 circularRNAs (circRNAs) was induced by NH3 exposure using circRNAs transcriptome analysis in broiler tracheas. We further found that circ‐IFNLR1 was down‐regulated, and miR‐2188‐5p was up‐regulated in tracheal tissues under NH3 exposure. Bioinformatics analysis and dual luciferase reporter system showed that circ‐IFNLR1 bound directly to miR‐2188‐5p and regulated each other, and miR‐2188‐5p regulated RNF182. Overexpression of miR‐2188‐5p caused autophagy and its inhibition partially reversed autophagy in LMH cells which were caused by ammonia stimulation or knockdown of circ‐IFNLR1. The expressions of three autophagy‐related genes (LC3, Beclin 1, and BNIP3) were observably up‐regulated. Our results indicated that NH3 exposure caused autophagy through circ‐IFNLR1/miR‐2188‐5p/RNF182. These results provided new insights for the study of ammonia on environmental toxicology on ceRNA and circRNAs in vivo and vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronic transport properties of a 2D normal metal superconductor are studied by a nonequilibrium Green's function method. The normal metal is the non‐inverted HgTe/CdTe quantum well doped by electrons. It is found that Andreev reflection (AR) is enhanced in the weak disorder regime while weakened in the strong disorder regime. However, the AR coefficient can be perfect (TA=1) with vanished fluctuations in the moderate disorder regime, whereas other scattering processes are forbidden. The mechanism goes that Anderson disorder leads to a topological Anderson insulator with bulk states localized while edge states still extensive. Multiple ARs and spin‐momentum locking cooperate to vanish the normal reflection and leave AR only. A detailed numerical study shows that fixing the Fermi surface in conduction band, a large enough junction width, and a strong coupling between the normal and superconducting leads are necessary for perfect AR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a new method to construct low-dimensional quantum devices consisting of the magnetic topological insulators. Unlike previous systems based on locally depleting two-dimensional electron gas in semiconductor heterojunctions, magnetization provides a simpler and rewriteable fabrication way. The motion of electrons can be manipulated through the domain wall formed by the boundary between different magnetic domains. Here, three devices designed by local magnetization are presented. For the quantum point contact, conductance exhibits quantized plateaus with the increasing silt width between two magnetic domains. For the quantum dot, conductance shows pronounced peaks as the change of gate voltage. Finally, for the Aharonov–Bohm ring, conductance oscillates periodically with the external magnetic field. Numerical results show that the transport of these local magnetization systems is identical to that of the previous systems based on depleting two-dimensional electron gas, and the only difference is the approach of construction. These findings may pave the way for realization of low-power-consumption devices based on magnetic domain walls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces an innovative structure for a self-restrained grid shear wall with diagonal CFRP-steel composite strips. Steel and CFRP strips are interwoven to enhance the structural integrity of the shear wall. Quasi-static tests are initially conducted on two shear wall specimens with and without diagonal CFRP-steel composite strips. Subsequently, a finite element model is established to represent the self-restrained grid shear wall with diagonal CFRP-steel composite strips. This model is helpful for exploring the influence of composite strips arrangement on the performance of shear walls. Furthermore, a prediction formula is developed to estimate the load-bearing capacity of the CFRP-steel composite strips grid shear wall. The test results show that the yield bearing capacity, ultimate bearing capacity, stiffness and energy dissipation capacity of the specimens increase by 46.6%, 58.2%, 43.6%, and 16.3% respectively after the replacement of composite strips. In addition, the results of finite element simulation indicate that the diagonal arrangement exhibits the highest efficiency in the use of CFRP materials among three reinforced structural forms-diagonal, spaced, and fully arranged composite strips. This arrangement is also the most economical and has the least adverse influence on the internal forces of the frame columns. • Completely discrete steel slit shear wall into steel plate strips. • The steel and CFRP strips are interwoven to enhance the seismic performance of the shear wall. • The effects of different composite strip arrangements are investigated. • The prediction formula of the ultimate bearing capacity of the grid shear wall with CFRP-steel composite strips has been derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solenopsis invicta is a main issue in southern China and is causing significant damage to the local ecological environment. The extensive use of insecticides has resulted in the development of tolerance in S. invicta. In our study, ten S. invicta colonies from Sichuan Province exhibited varying degrees of tolerance against flonicamid, with LC 50 values from 0.49 mg/L to 8.54 mg/L. The sensitivity of S. invicta to flonicamid significantly increased after treatment with the P450 enzyme inhibitor piperonyl butoxide (PBO). Additionally, the activity of P450 in S. invicta was significantly enhanced after being treated with flonicamid. Flonicamid induced the expression levels of CYP4aa1 , CYP9e2 , CYP4C1 , and CYP6A14. The expression levels of these P450 genes were significantly higher in the tolerant colonies compared to the sensitive colonies, and the relative copy numbers of CYP6A14 in the tolerant colonies were 2.01–2.15 fold. RNAi feeding treatment effectively inhibited the expression of P450 genes, thereby reducing the tolerance of S. invicta against flonicamid. In addition, the overexpression of CYP6A14 in D. melanogaster resulted in reduced sensitivity to flonicamid. Our investigations revealed hydrophobic interactions between flonicamid and seven amino acid residues of CYP6A14, along with the formation of a hydrogen bond between Glu306 and flonicamid. Our findings suggest that flonicamid can effectively control S. invicta and P450 plays a pivotal role in the tolerance of S. invicta against flonicamid. The overexpression of CYP6A14 also increased tolerance to flonicamid. [Display omitted] • Differences in tolerance among S.invicta colonies to flonicamid was demonstrated. • Higher expression levels of P450 genes were shown in the flonicamid tolerant colony. • RNAi treatment of P450 genes reduces the tolerance of S. invicta to flonicamid. • Overexpression of CYP6A14 in D. melanogaster boosts its tolerance to flonicamid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To measure left ventricular (LV) trabecular complexity by fractal dimension (FD) in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and assess whether FD was an independent risk factor for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), or a significant predictor for adverse outcome in this population. The study retrospectively enrolled 104 participants with ESRD who underwent 3.0 T cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from June 2018 to November 2020. LV trabeculation was quantified with fractal analysis of short-axis cine slices to estimate the FD. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate FD and cardiac MRI parameters and to find independent risk predictors. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to investigate the association between FD and MACE. LV FD was higher in in the HFpEF group than those in the non-HFpEF group, with the greatest difference near the base of the ventricle. Age, minimum left atrial volume index, and LV mean basal FD were independent predictors for HFpEF in patients with ESRD. Combining the mean basal FD with typical predictive factors resulted in a C-index (0.902 vs 0.921), which was not significantly higher. Same improvements were found for net reclassification improvement [0.642; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.254–1.029] and integrated discrimination index (0.026; 95% CI, 0.008–0.061). Participants with a LV global FD above the cutoff value (1.278) had higher risks of MACE in ESRD patients. LV trabecular complexity measured by FD was an independent risk factor for HFpEF, and a significant predictor for MACE among patients with ESRD. • LV FD were significantly higher in patients with HFpEFcompared to those without HFpEF. • Mean basal FD was an independent predictor for HFpEF in ESRD patients. • Adding mean basal FD to the baseline model resulted in a better discriminatory ability. • ESRD patients with a global FD above cutoff value had higher risks for MACE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The lack of randomized evidence makes it difficult to establish reliable treatment recommendations for patients with M2 occlusion. This study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of endovascular treatment (EVT) with best medical management (BMM) in patients with M2 occlusion, and to investigate whether the optimal treatment varies according to stroke severity. Methods: Comprehensive literature retrieval was conducted to identify studies that directly compared the outcomes of EVT and BMM. According to stroke severity, the study population were classified into those with moderate-severe stroke and those with mild stroke. National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores ≥ 6 was defined as moderate-severe stroke, and NIHSS scores 0–5 as mild stroke. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed to measure the symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) within 72 h, and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores 0–2 and the mortality at 90 days. Results: Totally, 20 studies were identified, including 4358 patients. In the moderate-severe stroke population, the EVT had 82% higher odds for mRS scores 0–2 (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.34–2.49) and a 43% lower odds for mortality (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.39–0.82) compared with the BMM. However, no difference was found in the sICH rate (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.44–1.77). In the mild stroke population, no differences were observed in the mRS scores 0–2 (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.59–1.10) or mortality (OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.72–2.10) between EVT and BMM, whereas EVT was associated with higher sICH rate (OR 4.21, 95% CI 1.86–9.49). Conclusion: EVT may be only beneficial for patients with M2 occlusion and high stroke severity, but not for those with NIHSS scores 0–5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Series of dihydrotriazine derivatives bearing 5-aryloxypyrazole moieties were identified as novel anticancer agents. [Display omitted] • Compound 10e displayed better activity than commercial drugs (5-Fu), with an IC 50 value of 2.12 µM for HepG-2 cells. • Compound 10e could enhance the expression of Cl-PARP, Cl-caspase-3 and Cl-caspase-9. • 10e triggered the formation of autophagosomes by promoting the expression of LC3-II and Beclin-1. A series of dihydrotriazine derivatives bearing 5-aryloxypyrazole moieties were designed, and their anticancer activities against three human cancer cell lines (SGC-7901, HepG-2 and MCF-7) and one non-cancer cell line (LO2) were explored using the MTT assay in vitro. Most of the compounds exhibited potent antiproliferative activities against the three cancer cell lines, with compound 10e (IC 50 = 2.12 µM) exhibiting the most potent antiproliferative activity against HepG-2 cells. Interestingly, autophagy was observed in the 10e -treated HepG-2 cells. Compound 10e also increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and resulted in marked HepG-2 cells apoptosis. Further studies revealed that compound 10e could enhance the expression of Cl-PARP, Cl-caspase-3, and Cl-caspase-9. In addition, 10e triggered the formation of autophagosomes by promoting LC3-II and Beclin-1 expression. These results might be useful for exploring and developing dihydrotriazine derivatives as novel anticancer agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Build an experimental platform of intermediate cycle aeroengine thermal management system. • Explore the influences of working condition on the systematic heat transportation. • Apply heat current method and artificial neural network builds simulation model. With the increment of Mach number, the heat dissipation load of aeroengine increases significantly. Systematic thermal management has become an urgent problem to be solved. The intermediate cycle system is one of the widely used thermal management solutions. This paper builds an experiment platform of thermal management system of aeroengine including intermediate cycle to explore the influence of working condition on the systematic heat transportation. Water is selected as the working medium in the experiment. The experiment results show all the temperatures of working medium decrease with the flow rate increment of working medium in fuel oil circuit. The temperature of working medium flowing to the afterburner increases with the temperature increment of lube oil circuit1 and 2. But only the temperature of working medium flowing to the main combustor increases while the temperatures of lube oil circuit1 increase. At last, using heat current method and flow resistance model builds the systematic simulation model. The relative errors between the simulation and experimental values are all less than 5%. The simulation results show all the temperatures of working medium increase with the increment of fuel oil circuit temperature. The working medium temperature flowing to the afterburner and lube oil circuit2 increases with the flow rate increment of lube oil circuit3. It reveals the heat transfer principle of the intermediate circulation thermal system under different working states and provides a powerful guidance for the systematic analysis and design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel aluminum honeycomb sandwich panel buckling-restrained steel plate shear wall (HCSP-SPSW) that used honeycomb core sandwich panels (HCSP) as restraining members. Compared with the traditional concrete restraining panel, HCSP is lighter, more rigid, and offers additional functions such as energy and sound absorption, increasing functionality while effectively restraining out-of-plane buckling deformation of the wall panel. Quasi-static cyclic loading tests were initially conducted on two 1/3 scaled specimens to study their shear performance. Second, a finite element (FE) model is established and validated, and parameters such as chunking and honeycomb core dimensions are analyzed. Furthermore, an equation for calculating the bearing capacity of HCSP is derived and confirmed through the finite element analysis. The results reveal that, when the out-of-face equivalent modulus of HCSP is 5945.51 MPa, HCSP-SPSW improves the load carrying capacity by 16.42% and increases energy consumption by 80.54% compared to the thin steel plate shear wall (SPSW), and achieves the requirement of complete buckling restrained behavior. The effect of partitioning on shear bearing capacity and energy dissipation is minimal when the number of bolts and edge spacing remains constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the seasonal distribution in clinical onset of autoimmune encephalitis (AE) in a multi-center cohort in China. This retrospective study consecutively recruited patients with new-onset definite neuronal surface antibody-associated AE between January 2015 and December 2020 from 3 tertiary hospitals. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the participants were comprehensively collected. Statistical analyses were performed using R. Of the 184 patients of AE in our database, 149 (81.0%) were included in the final analysis. The median age of onset was 40.0 years, and 66 (44.3%) patients were female. AE predominantly started in autumn (47, 31.5%) and summer (43, 28.9%) months. Summer-autumn predominance of the clinical onsets was also present in the anti- N -methyl- d -aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis group (54, 60.0%) and anti-leucine-rich glioma inactivated 1 (LGI1) encephalitis group (20, 76.9%). No obvious seasonal variations were observed among gender, onset age, disease duration, prodromal symptoms, clinical type of initial symptoms, and disease severity by the time of admission. This study suggested summer-autumn predominance of the clinical onsets in patients with AE, especially anti-NMDAR and anti-LGI1 encephalitis. Therefore, clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for AE in encephalopathy patients in summer and autumn period. [Display omitted] • We aimed to clarify the seasonal distribution in clinical onset of AE in a multi-center cohort. • Seasonal predominance of the clinical onset in patients with AE was summer and autumn periods. • Summer and autumn predominance of clinical onset was present in anti-NMDAR and anti-LGI1 encephalitis. • No obvious seasonal variations were observed among demographic and clinical features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]