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AbstractThe flavonoid compound chinonin is one of the main active components of Rhizoma anemarrhena with multiple activities, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, protection of mitochondrial function and regulation of immunity. In this paper, we reviewed recent research progress on the protective effect of chinonin on brain injury in neurological diseases. “Chinonin” OR “Mangiferin” AND “Nervous system diseases” OR “Neuroprotection” was used as the terms for search in PumMed. After discarding duplicated and irrelevant articles, a total of 23 articles relevant to chinonin published between 2012 and 2023 were identified in our study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen, the simplest element in the universe. Hydrogen gas is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. As a reducing agent composed of two atoms. It exhibits strong reducing power and possesses numerous pharmacological effects, including anti-oxidation, antifatigue, anti-radiation, anti-inflammation, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic effects. Various methods exist for supplying hydrogen, but inhaling the gas is dangerous, drinking hydrogen-rich water is ineffective, and injecting hydrogen-rich saline is inconvenient. The most viable approach for clinical use is oral medicine, which produces hydrogen in vivo. Hydrogen gas holds promising potential as a clinical medicine in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The implementation of antibiotic intravenous-to-oral switch (IVOS) therapy in hospitals can slow down the development of drug resistance, reduce the occurrence of adverse reactions, and bring significant economic benefits. The aim of this study is to investigate the understanding of physicians at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in Suzhou, China towards the antibiotic IVOS therapy. Methods 15 physicians working in 9 different departments of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University participated in this study. A semi-structured face-to-face interview was conducted to collect interview information about the antibiotic IVOS therapy. NVivo12 software was used to organize the entire interview content, and the interview data was analyzed and summarized using the Colaizzi seven step method. Results 60% of participants were not familiar with antibiotic IVOS therapy. Barriers of antibiotic IVOS therapy were included by three key issues: (i) Physicians’ potential cognition: ‘Iv is always better than oral’; (ii) Subjective infusion intention of patients; and (iii) Limitations of drug selection. 60% of participants expressed welcome for pharmacists to help them perform antibiotic IVOS treatment. And electronic recognition technology may be a feasible method for prompting IVOS conversion that recognized by all participants in the interview. Participants also provided some suggestions for pharmacists and IVOS computer reminders. Conclusion Physicians’ in China still have insufficient understanding of antibiotic IVOS therapy. The promotion of antibiotic IVOS therapy in China faces many challenges and obstacles. Strategies such as IVOS therapy computer reminders and clinical pharmacists’ medication guidance were worth studying to help physicians develop antibiotic IVOS treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactylation has been recently identified as a new type of posttranslational modification occurring widely on lysine residues of both histone and nonhistone proteins. The acetyltransferase p300 is thought to mediate protein lactylation, yet the cellular concentration of the proposed lactyl-donor, lactyl-coenzyme A, is about 1,000 times lower than that of acetyl-CoA, raising the question of whether p300 is a genuine lactyltransferase. Here, we report that alanyl-tRNA synthetase 1 (AARS1) moonlights as a bona fide lactyltransferase that directly uses lactate and ATP to catalyze protein lactylation. Among the candidate substrates, we focused on the Hippo pathway, which has a well-established role in tumorigenesis. Specifically, AARS1 was found to sense intracellular lactate and translocate into the nucleus to lactylate and activate the YAP-TEAD complex; and AARS1 itself was identified as a Hippo target gene that forms a positivefeedback loop with YAP-TEAD to promote gastric cancer (GC) cell proliferation. Consistently, the expression of AARS1 was found to be upregulated in GC, and elevated AARS1 expression was found to be associated with poor prognosis for patients with GC. Collectively, this work found AARS1 with lactyltransferase activity in vitro and in vivo and revealed how the metabolite lactate is translated into a signal of cell proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneous asymmetric catalysis is an important strategy for the industrial production of chiral compounds. Herein, we reported a polymer-bound Xu-Phos-derived palladium catalyst that shows good performance in heterogeneous asymmetric reductive Heck reaction of allyl aryl ethers. This heterogeneous catalyst was easily prepared by efficient immobilization of the sulfonamide phosphine ligand (Xu-Phos) in the cross-linked polystyrene via copolymerization, and exhibits similar catalytic activity and enantioselectivity to that of the homogeneous catalyst. Moreover, the heterogeneous catalyst system is proved to be easily recovered and reused several times without losing catalytic activity obviously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primates rely on two eyes to perceive depth, while maintaining stable vision when either one eye or both eyes are open. Although psychophysical and modeling studies have investigated how monocular signals are combined to form binocular vision, the underlying neuronal mechanisms, particularly in V1 where most neurons exhibit binocularity with varying eye preferences, remain poorly understood. Here, we used two-photon calcium imaging to compare the monocular and binocular responses of thousands of simultaneously recorded V1 superficial-layer neurons in three awake macaques. During monocular stimulation, neurons preferring the stimulated eye exhibited significantly stronger responses compared to those preferring both eyes. However, during binocular stimulation, the responses of neurons preferring either eye were suppressed on the average, while those preferring both eyes were enhanced, resulting in similar neuronal responses irrespective of their eye preferences, and an overall response level similar to that with monocular viewing. A neuronally realistic model of binocular combination, which incorporates ocular dominance-dependent divisive interocular inhibition and binocular summation, is proposed to account for these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin D (VD) is a fat-soluble sterol that possesses a wide range of physiological functions. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of VD on folate metabolism in zebrafish and further investigated the underlying mechanism. Wild-type (WT) zebrafish were fed with a diet containing 0 IU/kg VD3 or 800 IU/kg VD3 for 3 wk. Meanwhile, cyp2r1 mutant zebrafish with impaired VD metabolism was used as another model of VD deficiency. Our results showed that VD deficiency in zebrafish suppressed the gene expression of folate transporters, including reduced folate carrier (RFC) and proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) in the intestine. Moreover, VD influenced the gene expression of several enzymes related to cellular folate metabolism in the intestine and liver of zebrafish. Importantly, VD-deficient zebrafish contained a remarkably lower level of folate content in the liver. Notably, VD was incapable of altering folate metabolism in zebrafish when gut microbiota was depleted by antibiotic treatment. Further studies proved that gut commensals from VD-deficient fish displayed a lower capacity to produce folate than those from WT fish. Our study revealed the potential correlation between VD and folate metabolism in zebrafish, and gut microbiota played a key role in VD-regulated folate metabolism in zebrafish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The backreaming operation plays a significant role in safe drilling for horizontal wellbores, while it may cause severe stuck pipe accidents. To lower the risk of the stuck pipe in backreaming operations, the mechanism of cuttings transport needs to be carefully investigated. In this research, a transient cuttings transport with multiple flow patterns model is developed to predict the evolution of cuttings transported in the annulus while backreaming. The established model can provide predictions of the distribution of cuttings bed along the wellbore considering the bulldozer effect caused by large-size drilling tools (LSDTs). The sensitivity analyses of the size of LSDTs, and backreaming operating parameters are conducted in Section 4. And a new theory is proposed to explain the mechanism of cuttings transport in the backreaming operation, in which both the bit and LSDTs have the "cleaning effect" and "plugging effect". The results demonstrate that the cuttings bed in annuli is in a state of dynamic equilibrium, but the overall trend and the distribution pattern are obvious. First, larger diameters and longer drilling tools could lead to a higher risk of the stuck pipe. Second, we find that it is not the case that the higher flow rate is always better for hole cleaning, so three flow-rate intervals are discussed separately under the given conditions. When the "dangerous flow rate" (<33 L/s in Case 4) is employed, the cuttings bed completely blocks the borehole near the step surface and causes a stuck pipe directly. If the flow rate increases to the "low flow rate" interval (33e35 L/s in Case 4), a smaller flow rate instead facilitates borehole cleaning. If the flow rate is large enough to be in the "high flow rate" interval (>35 L/s in Case 4), the higher the flow rate, the better the cleaning effect of cuttings beds. Third, an interval of tripping velocity called "dangerous velocity" is proposed, in which the cuttings bed accumulation near the LSDTs is more serious than those of other tripping velocities. As long as the applied tripping velocity is not within the "dangerous velocity" (0.4e0.5 m/s in Case 5) interval in the backreaming operation, the risk of the stuck pipe can be controlled validly. Finally, through the factors analyses of the annular geometry, particle properties, and fluid properties in Section 5, it can be found that the "low flow rate", "high flow rate" and "dangers flow rate" tend to decrease and the "dangerous velocity" tends to increase with the conditions more favorable for hole cleaning. This study has some guiding significance for risk prediction and parameter setting of the backreaming operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electron waves of a host system exhibit an oscillating response to an external impurity, namely Friedel oscillations (FOs), extensively studied in two-dimensional materials. Recently, wavefront dislocations, a new feature of FOs, have been revealed in graphene. However, previous analytical works have been limited to the linear dispersion of graphene. Herein, the fate of wavefront dislocations is investigated numerically in FOs beyond the linear regime. The wavefront dislocations are robust against the trigonal warping effect, crucial for high doping graphene, due to the invariant winding number of the tight-binding energy band. Furthermore, the opening of the gap, increasing the electronic Fermi wavelength, can highlight the wavefront dislocations blurred by intravalley scattering-induced short-range oscillations. These results should be observable using current experimental technology. Therefore, this study not only demonstrates the robust existence of wavefront dislocations in FOs over a wide range of energies but also deepens the understanding of intervalley scattering in graphene and other twodimensional valleytronic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy and safety of the combined use of paclitaxel, cisplatin, and bevacizumab for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: 98 NSCLC patients who received therapy at Hainan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China from January 2018 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The 45 patients who received paclitaxel and cisplatin injections were enrolled in a control group while 53 patients who received additional chemotherapy with bevacizumab injection were enrolled in a study group. Levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were compared before and after treatment. Furthermore, the efficacy and incidence of adverse reactions were evaluated and compared between the two groups. Results: There was no significant inter-group difference in VEGF and bFGF levels (p > 0.05) before treatment. There was a significant reduction in VEGF and bFGF levels in the study group compared to control group (p < 0.05). The study group showed a significantly higher total remission rate compared to control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (p > 0.05). Also, age, tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) stage, metastasis, and smoking history are risk factors that influence patient prognosis. Conclusion: Combination of paclitaxel, cisplatin and bevacizumab demonstrates significant efficacy in the treatment of NSCLC. The combination lowers VEGF and bFGF levels without worsening adverse reactions. Future large population studies would be required to obtain a more detailed and comprehensive outcome on this combination in NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-capacity advantage of lithium metal anode was compromised by common use of copper as the collector. Furthermore, lithium pulverization associated with "dead" Li accumulation and electrode cracking deteriorates the long-term cyclability of lithium metal batteries, especially under realistic test conditions. Here, we report an ultralight, integrated anode of polyimide-Ag/Li with dual anti-pulverization functionality. The silver layer was initially chemically bonded to the polyimide surface and then spontaneously diffused in Li solid solution and self-evolved into a fully lithiophilic Li-Ag phase, mitigating dendrites growth or dead Li. Further, the strong van der Waals interaction between the bottommost Li-Ag and polyimide affords electrode structural integrity and electrical continuity, thus circumventing electrode pulverization. Compared to the cutting-edge anode-free cells, the batteries pairing LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 with polyimide-Ag/Li afford a nearly 10% increase in specific energy, with safer characteristics and better cycling stability under realistic conditions of 1× excess Li and high areal-loading cathode (4 milliampere hour per square centimeter). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuro-symbolic artificial intelligence has garnered considerable attention amid increasing industry demands for high-performance neural networks that are interpretable and adaptable to previously unknown problem domains with minimal reconfiguration. However, implementing neuro-symbolic hardware is challenging due to the complexity in symbolic knowledge representation and calculation. We experimentally demonstrated a memristor-based neuro-fuzzy hardware based on TiN/TaOx/HfOx/TiN chips that is superior to its silicon-based counterpart in terms of throughput and energy efficiency by using array topological structure for knowledge representation and physical laws for computing. Intrinsic memristor variability is fully exploited to increase robustness in knowledge representation. A hybrid in situ training strategy is proposed for error minimizing in training. The hardware adapts easier to a previously unknown environment, achieving ~6.6 times faster convergence and ~6 times lower error than deep learning. The hardware energy efficiency is over two orders of magnitude greater than field-programmable gate arrays. This research greatly extends the capability of memristor-based neuromorphic computing systems in artificial intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and capability of UT in detecting musculoskeletal system lesions in the limbs and to explore its image quality. Materials and Methods: The Institutional Review Board has approved this prospective single-center study. This study included participants with various musculoskeletal and neurologic disorders in the limbs who provided written consent from October 2022 to April 2023. In addition to other radiological examinations (X-rays, CT, or MRI) and conventional handheld ultrasound scans requested by clinicians based on the conditions, each participant also underwent UT scanning using our developed limb ultrasound imaging system during the same period. Four radiologists and ultrasound physicians with more than five years of experience in musculoskeletal diagnostics analyzed the two-dimensional and three-dimensional images of the examination area. Results: Overall, 50 participants were evaluated (mean age, 36 years ± 18 [SD]; 26 males). The conditions included musculoskeletal tumors (n = 10), postoperative follow-up of musculoskeletal tumors (n = 20), peripheral nerve disorders in the limbs (n = 10) and postoperative pain in orthopedic surgery (n = 10). In all UT images, the region of interest was completely displayed, and internal structures such as muscles and nerves were clearly visible. Compared to conventional ultrasound images, the reconstructed three-dimensional images intuitively displayed the relationship between the lesions and surrounding tissues. Furthermore, UT did not exhibit metal artifacts when observing soft tissues around metallic implants, providing more comprehensive soft tissue information and more intuitive stereoscopic images. Conclusion: Clinical results of the UT system have demonstrated its feasibility as an automated and standardized imaging technique for musculoskeletal imaging, providing a new imaging modality for the diagnosis of musculoskeletal diseases in the human body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve sugar yields from wheat straw (WS), response surface methodology (RSM) was adopted to optimize potassium hydroxide combined urea pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of WS. Glucose and xylose yields from the pretreated WS were used as responses during the whole optimization. Potassium hydroxide concentration, time and temperature during pretreatment were found to have significant effects on sugar yields. Sugar yields could be enhanced while WS was pretreated using 45 g/L potassium hydroxide solution containing 15 g/L urea with solid to liquid ratio of 1:5 (g/mL) at 74.0 °C for 50 min. Cellulose recovery, hemicellulose recovery, and lignin removal after optimization were 98.1%, 72.6%, and 75.8%, respectively. In addition, enzyme loading, biomass loading, and reaction time during enzymatic hydrolysis also had significant effects on sugar yields. Maximal yields of glucose (610.25 mg/gds, miligram per gram dry substrate) and xylose (221.26 mg/gds) could be achieved while hydrolysis was carried out at 50 °C for 32.8 h with 141 g/L of biomass loading, 8.1 FPU/gds (filter paper activity unit per gram dry substrate) of enzyme loading and 0.4% (w/v) of polysorbate 80. The corresponding cellulose conversion and hemicellulose conversion were 97.2% and 90.4%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reaction order plays a crucial role in evaluating the response rate of acid-rock. However, the conventional two-scale model typically assumes that the reaction order is constant as one, which can lead to significant deviations from reality. To address this issue, this study proposes a novel multi-order dynamic model for acid-rock reaction by combining rotating disk experimental data with theoretical derivation. Through numerical simulations, this model allows for the investigation of the impact of acidification conditions on different orders of reaction, thereby providing valuable insights for on-site construction. The analysis reveals that higher response orders require higher optimal acid liquid flow rates, and lower optimal Hþ diffusion coefficients, and demonstrate no significant correlation with acid concentration. Consequently, it is recommended to increase the displacement and use high-viscosity acid for reservoirs with high calcite content, while reducing the displacement and using low-viscosity acid for reservoirs with high dolomite content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining spatial network patterns and factors influencing the development of the green economy in typical urban agglomerations in China is crucial for optimizing resource allocation and achieving sustainable economic development. In this study, we utilized the SBM-GML model and a modified gravity model to analyze the roles and status of different regions in the spatial correlation of green economic development in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration. We also employed social network analysis to visualize the spatial correlation structure and influencing factors. The research results indicate that the development of green economy is showing a fluctuating upward trend, accompanied by complex network structure characteristics. Cities such as Chizhou, Nanjing, and Shanghai exert significant control over other cities. The analysis of the block model indicates close intercity communication across various sectors, with heightened activity observed in the southeastern coastal areas. Moreover, the central region effectively enhances connectivity within the urban cluster, leading to notable spillover effects in certain cities. Government macroeconomic regulation, environmental regulation, industrial structure, external development, green innovation, and the level of new urbanization emerge as significant factors influencing the formation of the spatial correlation network of green economic development in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous symmetry breaking occurs when the underlying laws of a physical system are symmetric, but the vacuum state chosen by the system is not. The (3+1)d ϕ 4 theory is relatively simple compared to other more complex theories, making it a good starting point for investigating the origin of non-trivial vacua. The adaptive perturbation method is a technique used to handle strongly coupled systems. The study of strongly correlated systems is useful in testing holography. It has been successful in strongly coupled QM and is being generalized to scalar field theory to analyze the system in the strong-coupling regime. The unperturbed Hamiltonian does not commute with the usual number operator. However, the quantized scalar field admits a plane-wave expansion when acting on the vacuum. While quantizing the scalar field theory, the field can be expanded into plane-wave modes, making the calculations more tractable. However, the Lorentz symmetry, which describes how physical laws remain the same under certain spacetime transformations, might not be manifest in this approach. The proposed elegant resummation of Feynman diagrams aims to restore the Lorentz symmetry in the calculations. The results obtained using this method are compared with numerical solutions for specific values of the coupling constant λ = 1, 2, 4, 8, 16. Finally, we find evidence for quantum triviality, where selfconsistency of the theory in the UV requires λ = 0. This result implies that the ϕ 4 theory alone does not experience SSB, and the ⟨ϕ⟩ = 0 phase is protected under the RG-flow by a boundary of Gaussian fixed-points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shale gas is an important component of unconventional oil and gas resources. Studying the imbibition behavior is helpful to optimize flowback parameters and enhance gas recovery. Recent imbibition studies have focused on shale matrix, and the pressure conditions discussed were mostly atmospheric. The initial imbibition behavior begins from propped fractures to matrix, but there are few studies working on explaining the imbibition behavior in propped fractures or the phenomenon of many shale wells exhibit higher productivity after a "soaking" period. Therefore, propped fracture samples were designed for imbibition and migration experiments. In order to accurately study the mechanism and main influencing factors of fracturing fluid imbibition and migration in propped and unpropped shale fractures under high temperature and high pressure, a series of experiments based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were carried out. Results showed that NMR T2 spectra of all samples exhibited a bimodal distribution. The final imbibition volume of fracturing fluid was positively related to pressure and fracture width. The imbibition effect of fracturing fluid was more evident in matrix pores under high pressure. In the migration during soaking stage, the fracturing fluid gradually migrated from large pores to small pores and gradually displaced the shale gas from the matrix, thus allowing the water blocking in propped fractures to self-unlock to some extent. Gas permeability decreased in the imbibition stage, while it recovered in the migration stage to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A miniaturized double stop-band FSS for WLAN was proposed based on the structure of a ring patch with internal branches and a cross zigzag loaded line. This construction is obtained by using the multilayer connection method to paint the two layers of the patch that we designed on the top and bottom of the dielectric substrate to simulate the designed construction by using HFSS simulation. Analyzing the frequency response characteristics of the FSS indicates that the construction can generate two transmission band gaps at 1.92-2.17 GHz and 4.94-5.99 GHz in the WLAN wave. This construction has stronger polarization stability and angle stability when the incident electromagnetic wave is 0-60². It also has a simple construction, small size, and significant engineering application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A miniaturized double stop-band FSS for WLAN was proposed based on the structure of a ring patch with internal branches and a cross zigzag loaded line. This construction is obtained by using the multilayer connection method to paint the two layers of the patch that we designed on the top and bottom of the dielectric substrate to simulate the designed construction by using HFSS simulation. Analyzing the frequency response characteristics of the FSS indicates that the construction can generate two transmission band gaps at 1.92-2.17 GHz and 4.94-5.99 GHz in the WLAN wave. This construction has stronger polarization stability and angle stability when the incident electromagnetic wave is 0-60°. It also has a simple construction, small size, and significant engineering application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with lowlander migrants, native Tibetans have a higher reproductive success at high altitude though the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we compared the transcriptome and histology of full-term placentas between native Tibetans and Han migrants. We found that the placental trophoblast shows the largest expression divergence between Tibetans and Han, and Tibetans show decreased immune response and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Remarkably, we detected a sex-biased expression divergence, where the male-infant placentas show a greater between-population difference than the female-infant placentas. The umbilical cord plays a key role in the sex-biased expression divergence, which is associated with the higher birth weight of the male newborns of Tibetans. We also identified adaptive histological changes in the male-infant placentas of Tibetans, including larger umbilical artery wall and umbilical artery intima and media, and fewer syncytial knots. These findings provide valuable insights into the sex-biased adaptation of human populations, with significant implications for medical and genetic studies of human reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single crystal composed of one-dimensional coordinated polymers, [CdCl2(1-methyl-2-pyridone)]n, has been synthesized and characterized. This compound exhibits outstanding elastic bending due to the molecular spring nature of the CdCl2 coordination framework and weak intermolecular interactions between the coordination chains. Owing to the helical arrangement of organic ligands surrounding the coordination structure, the compound crystallizes in a chiral space group. As a result, it displays compelling circular dichroism spectra and second harmonic generation properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorination has become a commonly used strategy in various chemical industries. Environmentally friendly chlorination of C–H bonds to directly generate C–Cl bonds is also in high demand in organic synthesis. Herein, we report a new and green highly selective method of chlorination of C(sp³ )–H moieties with the inorganic salt MgCl2, cocatalyzed by visible light/FeCl3 under strong oxidant-free and ambient conditions. The reaction was applied to the chlorination of different methylarene α-hydrogen and cyclic hydrocarbon C–H moieties with high conversion and kinetic selectivity. The chlorination of toluene α-Hs proceeded in 91% yield, with 98% selectivity and 95% conversion. Electron–spin resonance studies of the DMPO-Cl (5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide) radical revealed that the reaction mechanism involved a free radical process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a chiral core-shell microspheres composite, L-his-MIL-53-NH2@SiO2, was prepared through in situ growth and chiral post-modification strategies. The core-shell microspheres were applied as a novel chiral stationary phase for HPLC enantiomeric separation. Various racemates were separated on the L-his-MIL-53-NH2@SiO2 packed column using n-hexane/isopropanol as the mobile phase. The chiral column showed excellent separation efficiency for fourteen chiral compounds, including alcohols, alkanes, esters, phenols, ketones, and organic acids. The influence of injection mass and temperature on the separation performance of the chiral column were investigated. The relative standard deviations (n = 5) of the retention time and peak area by repeated separation of benzoin are 0.28% and 0.63%, respectively. The results show that the L-his-MIL-53-NH2@SiO2 packed column exhibited good reproducibility and stability. In addition, the chiral resolution ability of the L-his-MIL-53-NH2@SiO2 packed column was compared with that of a commercial chiral column (Chiralpak AD-H). The L-his-MIL-53-NH2@SiO2 packed column exhibits unique advantages in chiral separations that can be complementary to the commercial chiral column. It was demonstrated that the chiral core-shell microspheres composite L-his-MIL-53-NH2@SiO2 prepared based on in situ growth and chiral postmodification strategies has great potential for enantiomeric separation by HPLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the dissimilarity among different producing layers, the influences of inter-layer interference on the production performance of a multi-layer gas reservoir are possible. However, systematic studies of inter-layer interference for tight gas reservoirs are really limited, especially for those reservoirs in the presence of water. In this work, five types of possible inter-layer interferences, including both absence and presence of water, are identified for commingled production of tight gas reservoirs. Subsequently, a series of reservoir-scale and pore-scale numerical simulations are conducted to quantify the degree of influence of each type of interference. Consistent field evidence from the Yan'an tight gas reservoir (Ordos Basin, China) is found to support the simulation results. Additionally, suggestions are proposed to mitigate the potential inter-layer interferences. The results indicate that, in the absence of water, commingled production is favorable in two situations: when there is a difference in physical properties and when there is a difference in the pressure system of each layer. For reservoirs with a multi-pressure system, the backflow phenomenon, which significantly influences the production performance, only occurs under extreme conditions (such as very low production rates or well shut-in periods). When water is introduced into the multi-layer system, inter-layer interference becomes nearly inevitable. Perforating both the gas-rich layer and water-rich layer for commingled production is not desirable, as it can trigger water invasion from the water-rich layer into the gas-rich layer. The gas-rich layer might also be interfered with by water from the neighboring unperforated water-rich layer, where the water might break the barrier (eg weak joint surface, cement in fractures) between the two layers and migrate into the gas-rich layer. Additionally, the gas-rich layer could possibly be interfered with by water that accumulates at the bottom of the wellbore due to gravitational differentiation during shut-in operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hippo signaling pathway plays an essential role in organ size control and tumorigenesis. Loss of Hippo signal and hyper-activation of the downstream oncogenic YAP signaling are commonly observed in various types of cancers. We previously identified STRN3-containing PP2A phosphatase as a negative regulator of MST1/2 kinases (i.e., Hippo) in gastric cancer (GC), opening the possibility of selectively targeting the PP2Aa–STRN3–MST1/2 axis to recover Hippo signaling against cancer. Here, we further discovered 1) disulfiram (DSF), an FDA-approved drug, which can similarly block the binding of STRN3 to PP2A core enzyme and 2) CX-6258 (CX), a chemical inhibitor, that can disrupt the interaction between STRN3 and MST1/2, both allowing reactivation of Hippo activity to inhibit GC. More importantly, we found these two compounds, via an MST1/2 kinase-dependent manner, inhibit DNA repair to sensitize GC towards chemotherapy. In addition, we identified thiram, a structural analog of DSF, can function similarly to inhibit cancer cell proliferation or enhance chemotherapy sensitivity. Interestingly, inclusion of copper ion enhanced such effects of DSF and thiram on GC treatment. Overall, this work demonstrated that pharmacological targeting of the PP2Aa–STRN3–MST1/2 axis by drug compounds can potently recover Hippo signal for tumor treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sparse total focusing method (TFM) has been shown to enhance the computational efficacy of ultrasound imaging but the image quality of ultrasound regrettably deteriorates with an increase in the sparsity rate of array elements. Deep learning has made remarkable advancements in image processing and cycle-consistent generative adversarial networks (CycleGANs) have been extensively employed to reconstruct diverse image categories. However, due to the incomplete extraction of image feature information by the generator and discriminator in a CycleGAN, high-quality sparse TFM images cannot be directly reconstructed using CycleGANs. There is also a risk of losing crucial feature information related to minor defects. As a result, this paper modifies the generator and discriminator in the CycleGAN to construct a new relativistic discriminator and coordinate attention CycleGAN (RCACycleGAN) model, which enables high-precision reconstruction of sparse TFM images. The addition of the coordinate attention module to the CycleGAN enhances the defective feature representation by fully considering the channel and spatial correlation between regions and using the fusion of spatially perceived feature maps in different directions. It solves the problem of easy loss of defective key feature information. The relativistic discriminator replaces the PatchGAN discriminator in the CycleGAN and evaluates the quality of both real and sparse TFM reconstructed images to ensure a relative image quality evaluation. This process solves the problem of unstable image quality of the sparse TFM reconstructed image. Experimental results demonstrate that RCACycleGAN can stably reconstruct sparse TFM images even in small sample dataset scenarios. The proposed network model reconstructs images with better accuracy, including in terms of structural similarity, defect roundness and area, and has a shorter training time than several existing network models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of cyclic carbonates through cycloaddition reactions between epoxides and carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important industrial process. Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have functional and ordered pore structures, making them attractive catalysts for converting gas molecules into valuable products. One approach to enhance the catalytic activity of MOFs in CO2 cycloaddition reactions is to create open metal sites within MOFs. In this study, the amino-functionalized rare earth Gd-MOF (Gd-TPTC-NH2) and its ionic liquid composite catalysts (Gd-TPTC-NH-[BMIM]Br) were synthesized using 2'-amino-[1,1':4',1"-terphenyl]-3,3",5,5"-tetracarboxylic acid (H4TPTC-NH2) as the ligand. The catalytic performance of these two catalysts was observed in the cycloaddition reaction of CO2 and epoxides. Under the optimized reaction conditions, Gd-TPTC-NH-[BMIM]Br can effectively catalyze the cycloaddition reaction of a variety of epoxide substrates with good to excellent yields of cyclic carbonate products. Comparatively, epichlorohydrin and epibromohydrin, which possess halogen substituents, promote higher yields of cyclic carbonates due to the electron-withdrawing nature of Cl and Br substituents. Additionally, the Gd-TPTC-NH- [BMIM]Br catalyst demonstrated good recyclability and reproducibility, maintaining its catalytic activity without any changes in its structure or properties after five reuse cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appendage regeneration relies on the formation of blastema, a heterogeneous cellular structure formed at the injury site. However, little is known about the early injury-activated signaling pathways that trigger blastema formation during appendage regeneration. Here, we provide compelling evidence that the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-activated casein kinase 2 (CK-2), which has not been previously implicated in appendage regeneration, triggers blastema formation during leg regeneration in the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana. After amputation, CK-2 undergoes rapid activation through ERK-induced phosphorylation within blastema cells. RNAi knockdown of CK-2 severely impairs blastema formation by repressing cell proliferation through down-regulating mitosis-related genes. Evolutionarily, the regenerative role of CK-2 is conserved in zebrafish caudal fin regeneration via promoting blastema cell proliferation. Together, we find and demonstrate that the ERK-activated CK-2 triggers blastema formation in both cockroach and zebrafish, helping explore initiation factors during appendage regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gut microbes are closely related with human health, but remain much to learn. Clostridium symbiosum is a conditionally pathogenic human gut bacterium and regarded as a potential biomarker for early diagnosis of intestinal tumors. However, the absence of an efficient toolbox that allows diverse genetic manipulations of this bacterium limits its in-depth studies. Here, we obtained the complete genome sequence of C. symbiosum ATCC 14940, a representative strain of C. symbiosum. On this basis, we further developed a series of genetic manipulation methods for this bacterium. Firstly, following the identification of a functional replicon pBP1 in C. symbiosum ATCC 14940, a highly efficient conjugative DNA transfer method was established, enabling the rapid introduction of exogenous plasmids into cells. Next, we constructed a dual-plasmid CRISPR/Cas12a system for genome editing in this bacterium, reaching over 60 % repression for most of the chosen genes as well as efficient deletion (>90 %) of three target genes. Finally, this toolbox was used for the identification of crucial functional genes, involving growth, synthesis of important metabolites, and virulence of C. symbiosum ATCC 14940. Our work has effectively established and optimized genome editing methods in intestinal C. symbiosum, thereby providing strong support for further basic and application research in this bacterium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) methylates H3K27 to regulate development and cell fate by transcriptional silencing. Alteration of PRC2 is associated with various cancers. Here, we show that mouse Kdm1a deletion causes a dramatic reduction of PRC2 proteins, whereas mouse null mutation of L3mbtl3 or Dcaf5 results in PRC2 accumulation and increased H3K27 trimethylation. The catalytic subunit of PRC2, EZH2, is methylated at lysine 20 (K20), promoting EZH2 proteolysis by L3MBTL3 and the CLR4DCAF5 ubiquitin ligase. KDM1A (LSD1) demethylates the methylated K20 to stabilize EZH2. K20 methylation is inhibited by AKT-mediated phosphorylation of serine 21 in EZH2. Mouse Ezh2K20R/K20R mutants develop hepatosplenomegaly associated with high GFI1B expression, and Ezh2K20R/K20R mutant bone marrows expand hematopoietic stem cells and downstream hematopoietic populations. Our studies reveal that EZH2 is regulated by methylation-dependent proteolysis, which is negatively controlled by AKT-mediated S21 phosphorylation to establish a methylation-phosphorylation switch to regulate the PRC2 activity and hematopoiesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian cancer (OC) is often diagnosed in its advanced stages with many patients suffering from recurrence. Relapse is frequent after standard treatment leading to platinum resistance and poor prognosis in patients. Several studies have reported that immune status and inflammatory factors, such as Interleukin-17D (IL-17D), are major players in the prognosis of malignant tumors. IL-17 family is an important pro-inflammatory cytokine family, which mediates immunosuppression and promotes tumor progression. Our previous exploration revealed the promoting role of IL-17D expression in the occurrence and development of ovarian carcinoma, but the specific mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of rhIL-17D on the proliferation, migration and invasion of human ovarian carcinoma cell SKOV3 in vitro. In addition, we also detected the effect of rhIL-17D on programmed death ligand- 1 (PD-L1) expression of SKOV3 cells and possible mechanism.We found that rhIL- 17D accelerated SKOV3 cell proliferation rate, enhanced the migration and penetration ability, and promoted the expression of PD-L1. After knockdown P65 expression,the activated form of NF-κB, in SKOV3 cells, the proliferation activity, migration, and invasion of ovarian cancer cells were significantly reduced. And the expression of PDL1 decreased. In summary, we believe that IL-17D can accelerate cell proliferation and enhance cell migration and invasion abilities of ovarian cancer and induce PD-L1 expression by regulating the activation of NF-κB pathway. Down-regulation of IL-17D in tumor microenvironment may be a new approach to inhibit ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intercomparison of neutron personal dose equivalent measured by the Harshaw thermoluminescence neutron dosimeters (TLDs) between the National Institute of Metrology of China (NIM) and the Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology of Vietnam (INST) was performed. Three sets of TLDs (each set consisting of five TLDs) were prepared for each laboratory. Each set was then irradiated to the corresponding same nominal standard value of neutron personal dose equivalent, H p (10) n−std i , of 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 mSv, respectively at these two laboratories. The irradiated TLDs were then read-out at the INST using the Harshaw 4500-type TLD reader to obtain neutron personal dose equivalents at the NIM, H p (10) n−NIM i and at the INST, H p (10) n−INST i , which are corresponding to different values of H p (10) n−std i . The TLDs' responses to different scattered components of neutrons in these two fields are also discussed. Comparisons between the corresponding pair values of H p (10) n−NIM i and H p (10) n−INST i show good agreements within 10% with the standard uncertainty of 12.5% (k = 1). The measured values of H p (10) n−NIM i and H p (10) n−INST i are satisfied the Trumpet curve criteria. This implies that the TLDs can be used for safety assessment of occupational neutron personal dose equivalents. This intercomparison result also confirms the capabilities of these two laboratories (i.e., NIM, INST) on deliveries of neutron personal dose equivalent standard values for calibrations. • A comparison of H p □ (10) for neutrons was performed between INST and NIM. • The H p □ (10) discrepancy is within 10% with the standard uncertainty of 12.5%. • The discrepancy is ascribed to the algorithm for different scattering components. • The algorithm is advised to be more qualified in complicated radiation fields. • INST and NIM are capable to deliver standard values of H p □ (10) for neutrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioimpedance analysis (BIA)–body composition monitoring (BCM) has been used to evaluate the hydration and nutritional status of adults and children on dialysis. However, its clinical application still has challenges, so further exploration is valuable. We used BIA-BCM to evaluate the hydration and nutritional status of children undergoing chronic peritoneal dialysis from 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2022 in the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University to explore the clinical value of this method. A total of 84 children on chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) were included. In the PD group, 16 (19.05%) and 31 (36.90%) had mild and severe overhydration (OH), respectively; 41.27% (26/63) had a low lean tissue index (LTI). In the PD group, patients with relative OH (Re-OH) > 5.6% had significantly higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) and SBP z score (SBPz). Patients with LTI > 12% had significantly higher body mass index (BMI) and BMI z score (BMIz). Canonical correlation analysis indicated a linear relationship (ρ=0.708) between BIA-BCM hydration and the clinical hydration indicator and a linear relationship (ρ = 0.995) between the BIA-BCM nutritional indicator and the clinical nutritional indicator. A total of 56% of children on chronic peritoneal dialysis had OH, and 41% had a low LTI. In PD patients, SBP and SBPz were correlated with BIA-BCM Re-OH, and BMI and BMIz were correlated with BIA-BCM LTI. BIA-BCM indicators have good clinical value in evaluating hydration and nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epitranscriptomic RNA modifications can regulate the stability of mRNA and affect cellular and viral RNA functions. The N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) modification in the RNA viral genome was recently found to promote viral replication; however, the mechanism by which RNA acetylation in the host mRNA regulates viral replication remains unclear. To help elucidate this mechanism, the roles of N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) and ac4C during the infection and replication processes of the alphavirus, Sindbis virus (SINV), were investigated. Cellular NAT10 was upregulated, and ac4C modifications were promoted after alphavirus infection, while the loss of NAT10 or inhibition of its N-acetyltransferase activity reduced alphavirus replication. The NAT10 enhanced alphavirus replication as it helped to maintain the stability of lymphocyte antigen six family member E mRNA, which is a multifunctional interferon-stimulated gene that promotes alphavirus replication. The ac4C modification was thus found to have a non-conventional role in the virus life cycle through regulating host mRNA stability instead of viral mRNA, and its inhibition could be a potential target in the development of new alphavirus antivirals. IMPORTANCE The role of N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) modification in host mRNA and virus replication is not yet fully understood. In this study, the role of ac4C in the regulation of Sindbis virus (SINV), a prototype alphavirus infection, was investigated. SINV infection results in increased levels of N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) and increases the ac4C modification level of cellular RNA. The NAT10 was found to positively regulate SINV infection in an N-acetyltransferase activity-dependent manner. Mechanistically, the NAT10 modifies lymphocyte antigen six family member E (LY6E) mRNA--the ac4C modification site within the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of LY6E mRNA, which is essential for its translation and stability. The findings of this study demonstrate that NAT10 regulated mRNA stability and translation efficiency not only through the 5'-UTR or coding sequence but also via the 3'-UTR region. The ac4C modification of host mRNA stability instead of viral mRNA impacting the viral life cycle was thus identified, indicating that the inhibition of ac4C could be a potential target when developing alphavirus antivirals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deformation behavior of duplex stainless steel 2205 is investigated by the method of high-temperature tensile and compressive tests using Gleeble 1500. The results of the tensile tests show that the tensile strength gradually decreases with increase in the deformation temperature; in the temperature range from 1020 to 1260°C the reduction of area is more than 60%. The incoordinate deformation of the two-phase tested steel in the range of 1020 – 1080°C leaves 1100 – 1200°C a suitable range for hot deformation. The results of compressive tests at the temperatures from 1100 to 1200°C show that the flow curve has typical features of dynamic recrystallization; with increase of the deformation temperature or decrease of the deformation rate, the peak stress and strain decrease separately; from this the Zener–Hollomon parameter is determined, which reflects the flow property of the tested steel, and an equation is proposed to describe the hot deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Intraplacental choriocarcinoma (IC) is a rare subtype of gestational choriocarcinoma, and the long-term follow-up and reproductive outcomes of IC patients remain unclear. Here, we report a series of 14 cases aimed at assessing fertility and recurrence results at long-term follow-up. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 14 patients with pathologically confirmed IC treated in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) from 2002 to 2022. The clinical characteristics, perinatal outcomes, treatment, recurrence rate and fertility results were analyzed. Results: In total, 2,150 patients were diagnosed with gestational choriocarcinoma at PUMCH during this period, and fourteen (0.7%) had IC and were included in this study. Half of them had metastatic IC and were treated by chemotherapy with or without surgery. Only 1 patient had chemotherapy-resistant disease, but she achieved complete remission after immunotherapy. The median follow-up time was 45.5 months (range, 4-192), and no recurrence occurred. One metastatic IC patient who achieved remission after chemotherapy had a full-term delivery. Among the 5 patients with fertility demands, 3 abandoned their pursuit of pregnancy because of "fear and worry about choriocarcinoma recurrence." Conclusion: IC is sensitive to chemotherapy and has good long-term remission and a low recurrence rate. Patients with metastatic IC can still have good pregnancy results after treatment. Doctors should pay more attention to the psychology of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct elimination of cccDNA remains a formidable obstacle due to the persistent and stable presence of cccDNA in hepatocyte nuclei. The silencing of cccDNA transcription enduringly is one of alternative strategies in the treatment of hepatitis B. Protein binding to cccDNA plays an important role in its transcriptional regulation; thus, the identification of key factors involved in this process is of great importance. In the present study, high mobility group nucleosome binding domain 1 (HMGN1) was screened out based on our biotin-avidin enrichment system. First, chromatin immunoprecipitation and fluorescent in situ hybridization assays confirmed the binding of HMGN1 with cccDNA in the nucleus. Second, functional experiments in HBV-infected cells showed that the promoting effect of HMGN1 on HBV transcription and replication depended on the functional region of the nucleosomal binding domain, while transfection of the HMGN1 mutant showed no influence on HBV compared with the vector. Third, further mechanistic exploration revealed that the silencing of HMGN1 increased the level of phosphorylase CLK2 and promoted H3 phosphorylation causing the reduced accessibility of cccDNA. Moreover, silenced HMGN1 was mimicked in HBV (r) cccDNA mouse model of HBV infection in vivo. The results showed that silencing HMGN1 inhibited HBV replication in vivo. In summary, our study identified that a host protein can bind to cccDNA and promote its transcription, providing a candidate strategy for anti-HBV targeting to interfere with the transcriptional activity of cccDNA microchromosomes. [Display omitted] • HMGN1 was confirmed a chromatin binding protein promoting cccDNA transcription in vitro and in vivo. • HMGN1 efficiently enhanced cccDNA accessibility by competitively combining with H1. • HMGN1 promoted cccDNA transcription by regulating histone 3 phosphorylation. • Histone phosphorylase CLK2 was responsible for HMGN1 mediated histone 3 phosphorylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]