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• The first annular variable focus Fresnel lens driven by electrowetting. • Each annular region can be independently controlled, and achieve multiple functions. • Suitable for applications as an optical collection device and for achieving uniform beam illumination. Traditional Fresnel lenses can achieve volume diminution by reducing lens material cost, thereby achieving further integration in optical systems. However, the solid Fresnel lenses in being are fixed once they are fabricated due to the limitation of materials, so their optical parameters, like focal length, cannot change. In this paper, we propose a ring-shaped tunable optofluidic Fresnel lens (OFL) based on the electrowetting effect for the first time. Each annular region of the OFL can be independently controlled. By changing the tilt angle of the liquid-liquid interface of each annular region to control the deflection of the beam, the OFL can achieve axial zoom and multi-focus, as well as off-axis zoom. We analyze and establish a theoretical model, provide calculation formulas for the focusing position, and explain the design principle of an annular Fresnel lens driven by electrowetting. A three-annular-regions OFL is fabricated, and we test the focal length of each ring band through experiments to prove the correctness and feasibility of our proposed theory. The OFL can achieve a maximum zoom range of -254 mm to 223 mm. At the same time, we also demonstrate the different working modes of the OFL for applications such as light collection and uniformity. The OFL has a variety of functions, with a lightweight and thin thickness, which meets the expectations of a more and more compact liquid photonic device in the future. We expect this innovative OFL will have extensive applications in various fields, such as optical imaging, lighting engineering, motion tracking, infrared tracking, solar energy collection, and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consider that the constrained convex optimization problems have emerged in a variety of scientific and engineering applications that often require efficient and fast solutions. Inspired by the Nesterov's accelerated method for solving unconstrained convex and strongly convex optimization problems, in this paper we propose two novel accelerated projection neurodynamic approaches for constrained smooth convex and strongly convex optimization based on the variational approach. First, for smooth, and convex optimization problems, a non-autonomous accelerated projection neurodynamic approach (NAAPNA) is presented and the existence, uniqueness and feasibility of the solution to it are analyzed rigorously. We provide that the NAAPNA has a convergence rate which is inversely proportional to the square of the running time. In addition, we present a novel autonomous accelerated projection neurodynamic approach (AAPNA) for addressing the constrained, smooth, strongly convex optimization problems and prove the existence, uniqueness to the strong global solution of AAPNA based on the Cauchy–Lipschitz–Picard theorem. Furthermore, we also prove the global convergence of AAPNA with different exponential convergence rates for different parameters. Compared with existing projection neurodynamic approaches based on the Brouwer's fixed point theorem, both NAAPNA and AAPNA use the projection operators of the auxiliary variable to map the primal variables to the constrained feasible region, thus our proposed neurodynamic approaches are easier to realize algorithm's acceleration. Finally, the effectiveness of NAAPNA and AAPNA is illustrated with several numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method of two-step laser etching for bulk micromachining of 4H–SiC membranes through a femtosecond (fs) laser with a wavelength of 532 nm, a pulse width of 290 fs and a repetition rate of 100 kHz is present in this paper. Using a control variable method, the first step of fs-laser etching for rapid material removal and the second step of fs-laser etching mainly for improving surface morphology are studied by changing the laser fluence, scanning spacing, number of scans and scanning speed. The average surface roughness of the membrane bottom after the first step of laser etching is 691 nm, which is reduced to 237 nm after the second step. Compared with one-step laser etching, two-step laser etching obtains a better surface morphology, and it only takes 38% of the processing time of one-step laser etching. The finite element analysis shows that the sensitivity of the SiC pressure sensor drops with the decrease of the membrane roughness. The sensor sensitivity of the membrane fabricated by two-step laser etching is only 3.0% lower than that of the ideal smooth model. Furthermore, a 4H–SiC laser-prepared membrane with a diameter of 1.2 mm and a thickness of 75 μm applied in pressure sensor is tested, showing good linearity and repeatability at a load of up to 10 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We propose an electrowetting liquid lens integrating adaptive liquid iris (ELL-LI) with adjustable radial aperture and axial position. • The liquid iris part is ring shape and does not need the flat support of a traditional liquid iris. • The aperture can change from 1.16 to 5.11 mm. • The iris can move up and down in the axial direction, according to different working electrodes on the side wall. • Experiments show that our proposed ELL-LI has the functions of depth of field expansion and field adjustment, which has a great application prospect in imaging systems, such as camera imaging systems, etc. Multifunctional integration is the development direction of electrowetting liquid lenses. We propose an electrowetting liquid lens integrating adaptive liquid iris (ELL-LI) with adjustable radial aperture and axial position. The liquid iris and the liquid lens are both driven by electrowetting on dielectric and integrated in the same chamber together, and share the same conductive liquid part. The liquid iris does not need the flat support of a traditional liquid iris. The aperture can change from 1.16 to 5.11 mm. The iris can move up and down in the axial direction, according to different working electrodes on the side wall. Experiments show that our proposed ELL-LI has the functions of depth of field expansion and field adjustment, which has a great application prospect in imaging systems, such as camera imaging systems, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of our study was to determine the risk factors for reduction loss in patients with proximal humeral fractures after locking plate fixation and establish a nomogram prediction model.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of proximal humeral fractures patients who had been surgically treated for locking plate in our institution from January 2016 to December 2018. Perioperative information was obtained through the electronic medial record system, univariate and multivariate analyzes were performed to determine the risk factors of reduction loss, and a nomogram model was constructed to predict the risk of reduction loss. The predictive performance and consistency of the model were evaluated by the consistency coefficient (C-index) and the calibration curve, respectively.Results: 115 patients were finally enrolled in our study. Multivariate analysis results showed that age, fracture classification, medial comminution, and calcar screw status were independent risk factors for reduction loss. The accuracy of the contour map for predicting transfusion risk was 0.944.Conclusion: We found a correlation between reduction loss and age, fracture classification, medial comminution, and calcar screw status after locking plate fixation for proximal humeral fractures patients. Our nomogram is helpful for clinicians to identify high-risk patients, early intervention and reduce the incidence of reduction loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a smoothing inertial neurodynamic approach (SINA) which is used to deal with L p -norm minimization problem to reconstruct sparse signals. Note that the considered optimization problem is nonsmooth, nonconvex and non-Lipschitz. First, the problem is transformed into a smooth optimization problem based on smoothing approximation method, and the Lipschitz property of gradient of the smooth objective function is discussed. Then, SINA based on Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) condition, smoothing approximation and inertial dynamical approach, is designed to handle smooth optimization problem. The existence, uniqueness, global convergence and optimality of the solution of the SINA are discussed by the Cauchy–Lipschitz–Picard theorem, energy function and KKT condition. In addition, for p = 1 , the SINA has a mean sublinear convergence rate O 1 ∕ t under some mild conditions. Finally, some numerical examples on sparse signal reconstruction and image restoration are given to illustrate the theoretical results and the efficiency of SINA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

4H–SiC is one of the most promising materials for pressure sensing in harsh environments. A Yb:KGW femtosecond laser was employed to fabricate 4H–SiC sensor membranes with size of Φ1200 × 80 μm. The optimal parameter combination under 15 μJ single pulse energy was obtained with the laps of 16, the scanning speed of 130 mm/s, the scanning line interval of 2 μm and the repetition rate of 100 kHz. High size accuracy (±1%) and steep sidewall (87.4°) were achieved. Wet cleaning and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching can obviously improve the membrane bottom surface morphology. The surface roughness Ra in X direction was reduced from 0.82 μm to 0.15 μm, and that in Y direction was reduced from 1.32 μm to 0.16 μm. Pinhole defect was related to the nonuniform distribution of laser fluence. This defect can be avoided by reducing the laser spot overlap ratio. Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and Raman spectrum were adopted to analyse the changes of material properties after laser processing. The analysis indicated that the crystal properties of the membrane bottom and the thin epitaxial layers on the front side of membrane are not damaged by the integrating micromachining. The results indicate the potential of utilizing the femtosecond laser combined with ICP etching to fabricate 4H–SiC sensor membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to mitigate carbon emissions and address environmental concerns, an increasing number of industries have started investing in green technologies to produce environmentally friendly products. This research develops a game theoretical model to examine the phenomenon of manufacturer encroachment in the context of carbon emission reduction and asymmetric information. Our analysis reveals that when the manufacturer does not encroach, a reduction in carbon emissions benefits all members of the supply chain. However, under encroachment, only the manufacturer stands to benefit from the reduction in carbon emissions. Moreover, with a low direct selling cost, we recommend that the manufacturer should aim to achieve a lower level of carbon emissions under encroachment compared to non-encroachment scenarios. Another key finding is that the benefits of encroachment for the manufacturer depend on the relative costs of direct selling and carbon emission reduction. Encroachment is advantageous to the manufacturer when either the direct selling cost or the carbon emission reduction cost is low. On the other hand, encroachment benefits the retailer only when both the direct selling cost and the carbon emission reduction cost are high. Furthermore, we demonstrate that it is in the retailer's best interest to voluntarily share demand information with the manufacturer, particularly when the direct selling cost is either low or high. By sharing demand information, the retailer can enhance the overall performance of the supply chain. Overall, this study provides valuable insights for managers regarding encroachment and carbon emission decisions in the context of low carbon manufacturing, carbon cap-and-trade policies, and asymmetric information. These findings can guide decision-making processes and help optimize the performance of supply chains in environmentally conscious settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates a smoothing neural network (SNN) to solve a robust sparse signal reconstruction in compressed sensing (CS), where the objective function is nonsmooth l 1 -norm and the feasible set satisfies an inequality of l p -norm 2 ≥ p ≥ 1 which is used for measuring residual errors. With a smoothing approximate technique, the non-smooth and non-Lipschitz continuous issues of the l 1 -norm and the gradient of l p -norm can be solved efficiently. We propose a SNN which is modeled by a differential equation and give its circuit implementation. In this case, we prove the proposed SNN converges to the optimal of considered problem. Simulation results are discussed to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thrombus formation is increased under conditions of hypoxia in animal models of thrombosis and in human populations, but current therapies for thrombosis do not directly target hypoxia-responsive signaling pathways. The vascular response to hypoxia is controlled primarily by the hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs), whose target genes include several factors that regulate thrombus formation. In this article, we review the HIF-dependent and HIF-independent signaling pathways that regulate thrombus formation under hypoxic conditions. A better understanding of hypoxia-induced thrombus formation could lead to the development of novel prophylactic therapies for thrombosis. • Hypoxia is a stimulus for thrombus formation. • Hypoxia-inducible factors control the vascular response to hypoxia. • Thrombus formation can be regulated via HIF-dependent or -independent pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine circovirus 4 (PCV4) is a recently discovered circovirus that was first reported in 2019 in several pigs with severe clinical disease in Hunan province of China, and also identified in pigs infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). To further investigate the epidemic profile and genetic characteristics of the two viruses, 150 clinical samples were collected from 9 swine farms in Shaanxi and Henan provinces of China, and a SYBR Green I-based duplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was developed for detecting PCV4 and PRRSV simultaneously. The results showed the limits of detection were 41.1 copies/μL and 81.5 copies/μL for PCV4 and PRRSV, respectively. The detection rates of PCV4 and PRRSV were 8.00% (12/150) and 12.00% (18/150) respectively, and a case of co-infection with PCV4 and PRRSV was found in the lung tissue of a suckling pig with respiratory symptom. Subsequently, the complete genomic sequences of five PCV4 strains were obtained, of which one PCV4 strain (SX-ZX) was from Shaanxi province, and these strains were 1770 nucleotides in length and had 97.7%−99.4% genomic identity with 59 PCV4 reference strains. The genome characteristic of the SX-ZX strain was evaluated from three aspects, a "stem-loop" structure, ORF1 and ORF2. As essential elements for the replication, the 17-bp iterative sequence was predicted as the stem structure, in which three non-tandem hexamers were found at downstream with H1/H2 (12-CGGCACACTTCGGCAC-27) as the minimal binding site. Three of the five PCV4 strains were clustered into PCV4b, which was composed of Suidae, fox, dairy cow, dog and raccoon dog. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that seven PRRSV strains from the present study were clustered into the PRRSV-2 genotype. Collectively, these data extend our understanding of the genome characteristic of PCV4 as well as the molecular epidemiology and the genetic profile of PCV4 and PRRSV. • A duplex qPCR assay was developed for the simultaneous detection of PCV4 and PRRSV. • Limits of detection were 41.1 copies/μL and 81.5 copies/μL for PCV4 and PRRSV, respectively. • A case of co-infection with PCV4 and PRRSV was found in lung tissue of a suckling pig with respiratory symptom. • The 17-bp iterative sequence was predicted as the stem structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present the analog circuits to solve a class of variational inequality problems (VIPs) based on the projection neural network (PNN) and inertial projection neural network (IPNN) algorithms. The proposed circuits are normative and only require basic circuit elements. The optimal solutions of VIPs are equivalent to the stable output voltages of the associated circuits. This paper also shows how to design analog circuits with projection operators (box constrains set and sphere constrains set) on the basis of PNN and IPNN algorithms. As a result, a class of variational inequality problems can be solved by proposed circuit frameworks. The effectiveness and superiority (with less computing time) of the proposed analog circuits are expound by simulating on three examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate a more general sparse signal recovery minimization model and a smoothing neural network optimal method for compress sensing problem, where the objective function is a L p − q minimization model which includes nonsmooth, nonconvex, and non-Lipschitz quasi-norm L p norms 1 ≥ p > 0 and nonsmooth L q norms 2 ≥ p > 1 , and its feasible set is a closed convex subset of R n . Firstly, under the restricted isometry property (RIP) condition, the uniqueness of solution for the minimization model with a given sparsity s is obtained through the theoretical analysis. With a mild condition, we get that the larger of the q , the more effective of the sparse recovery model under sensing matrix satisfies RIP conditions at fixed p . Secondly, using a smoothing approximate method, we propose the smoothing inertial projection neural network (SIPNN) algorithm for solving the proposed general model. Under certain conditions, the proposed algorithm can converge to a stationary point. Finally, convergence behavior and successful recover performance experiments and a comparison experiment confirm the effectiveness of the proposed SIPNN algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Novel supermicroporous silica with bimodal micromesopores was synthesized. • A pluronic triblock copolymer of small molecular weight was used as template. • Desulfurization performance was remarkably enhanced due to super micropore. • Super microporous silica exhibited excellent regeneration performance. As an efficient fuel purification technique, adsorption desulphurization has attracted wide attention. Silicon oxide has been verified as a promising candidate for adsorption desulfurization reagent due to the advantages of stable structure, inexpensiveness and accessibility. However, its adsorption desulfurization performance is always weakened by the limited pore channel size leading to pore diffusion resistance over the traditional microporous silicon oxide, and it suffers from the poor shape selectivity of mesoporous silicon oxide as well. In this work, we successfully prepared a novel super microporous silica material (SMS) with a unique bimodal micro-mesoporous pore size distribution mainly around 1.2 nm, 1.6 nm and 1.8 ∼ 3.5 nm, using a pluronic triblock copolymer with approximately an average molecular weight of 3858 as template by hydrothermal synthesis. The SMS possessed the characteristics of Ia3d cubic phase and super microporous as well as mesoporous silica structure, according to the X-ray diffraction characterization as well as nitrogen adsorption isotherms. The SMS could effectively reduce the diffusion resistance and exhibit improved shape selectivity compared to microporous or mesoporous silicon oxide, respectively, by virtue of its bimodal micro-mesoporous pore size distribution. Under an optimized crystallization temperature of 100 °C for 24 h, the as-synthesized SMS displayed a notable desulfurization performance with a breakthrough capacity of 0.122 mmol S/g benzothiophene, which was significantly superior to that of traditional mesoporous silica KIT-6 (0.04 mmol S/g). Furthermore, the desulfurization performance of SMS adsorbent was not significantly reduced after three cycles of regeneration. The SMS exhibited high desulfurization capacity, easy regeneration and satisfactory regeneration performance, and it could be applied in adsorptive desulfurization technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erythroid apoptosis increases significantly in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients with iron overload, but the underlying mechanism is not fully clear. In this study, we aim to explore the effect of HIF-1a/ROS on erythroid apoptosis in MDS patients with iron overload. We found that iron overload injured cellular functions through up-regulating ROS levels in MDS/AML cells, including inhibited cell viability, increased cell apoptosis and blocked cell cycle at G0/G1 phase. Interestingly, overexpression of hypoxia inducible factor-1a (HIF-1a), which was under-expressed in iron overload models, reduced ROS levels and attenuated cell damage caused by iron overload in MDS/AML cells. And gene knockdown of HIF-1a got the similar results as iron overload in MDS/AML cells. Furthermore, iron overload caused high erythroid apoptosis was closely related with ROS in MDS patients. Importantly, the HIF-1a protein levels of erythrocytes elevated obviously after incubation with desferrioxamine (DFO) from MDS patients with iron overload, accompanied by ROS levels inhibited and erythroid apoptosis reduced. Taken together, our findings determine that the HIF-1a/ROS signaling pathway plays a key role in promoting erythroid apoptosis in MDS patients with iron overload. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In this paper, we propose a triple-layer spherical electrowetting liquid lens (TL-SELL) with large-aperture and high zoom ratio. The chamber of the proposed lens is spherical which can enlarge the apparent contact angle range compared with the conventional chamber, and brings an excellent 4.12 zoom ratio. • We define the thickness of conductive liquid layer under spherical chamber, and establish a model. • We analyzed the geometric principle of the TL-SELLand proposed a model. • The focal length of the TL-SELL can be changed from ~–35.2mm to ~51.1mm under 0–80V applied voltages. • 8mm clear aperture and 6mm total liquid thickness mean that the TL-SELL can be pretty compact. We propose a triple-layer spherical electrowetting liquid lens with large-aperture and high zoom ratio. The chamber of the proposed lens is spherical, which can enlarge the apparent contact angle range. The triple-layer liquid consists of a conductive liquid, an insulating liquid and a conductive liquid in turn, which forms two independent liquid-liquid (L-L) interfaces. We simulated and analyzed the geometric location of the L -L interfaces to ensure that the two liquid-liquid interfaces do not fuse under the requirement of compact design. The two L -L interfaces are symmetrically distributed on the upper and lower hemispheres of the spherical chamber and can be changed the surface shapes at the same time. The experimental results show that the zoom ratio of our proposed lens is 4.12. And the focal length can be changed from −35.2 mm to 51.1 mm under 0–80 V applied voltage, and has two focal segments according to different working electrodes. 8 mm clear aperture and 6 mm total liquid thickness mean that the triple-layer spherical electrowetting liquid lens can be pretty compact and has a great application prospect in imaging systems, such as microscopic imaging system, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A kind of cutting force sensor based on semi-conductive strain gauge is proposed in this paper in order to optimize the contradiction between sensitivity and natural frequency of strain-gauge type sensors. A new sensing element of two mutual-perpendicular octagonal rings 1 1 TMPOR: two mutual-perpendicular octagonal rings. (TMPOR) is developed to improve natural frequency; and semi-conductive strain gauge that fabricated by MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) technique is used to enhance sensitivity of the sensor due to its higher gauge factor (GF). Static calibration experiment results show that semi-conductive strain gauge has improved the sensitivity by 16 times than traditional metal foil strain gauge, which proves the feasibility of settling the contradiction aforementioned by using MEMS technique. Modal impact test indicates that the natural frequency of the fabricated sensor is 771 Hz in primary direction, which fulfills its most application in high speed machining process. During dynamic cutting force measurement test, the developed sensor exhibits satisfying ability in dynamic cutting force signal detection. Generally, the MEMS technique based sensor shows great potential in solving technical defect between sensitivity and natural frequency in current cutting force sensor research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) located in the Disse’s space play a crucial role in liver fibrosis. HAb18G/CD147, a tumor-related glycoprotein, is highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma cells and fibroblasts. Whether HAb18G/CD147 plays an important role in the hepatic fibrogenesis is unknown. Methods: Immunohistochemistry for HAb18G/CD147 and α-smooth muscle actin expression in diseased liver tissues was used for correlation analysis. The function of HAb18G/CD147 in fibrogenesis was evaluated with the human HSCs LX-2 cell line and carbon tetrachloride-induced mouse liver fibrosis model. The specific antibody HAb18 targeting HAb18G/CD147 was injected intravenously into the mouse to investigate whether HAb18G/CD147 could be a potential target for liver fibrosis treatment. Results: HAb18G/CD147 is highly expressed on activated HSCs in the sinusoid. The positive rates of HAb18G/CD147 expression in human HBV-related liver cirrhosis, liver biopsy with HBV and liver adjacent to hemangioma were 95.6% (65/68), 14.8% (8/54) and 6.4% (8/125), respectively. HAb18G/CD147 expression was significantly correlated with the Child–Pugh grade (r=0.2848, p =0.0186) and with the expression of α-smooth muscle actin in HSCs (r=0.4434, p =0.0002) in liver cirrhosis. Transforming growth factor-β1 upregulated HAb18G/CD147 expression in LX-2 cells. Transfection of HAb18G/CD147 promoted the profibrogenic genes expression. In mouse liver fibrosis model, HAb18G/CD147 expression increased with the development of fibrogenesis and decreased during the liver fibrosis spontaneous recovery. The HAb18 targeting HAb18G/CD147 could attenuate liver fibrosis. Conclusions: These data suggest that HAb18G/CD147 plays a role in HSC activation and is a potential therapeutic target in fibrosis/cirrhosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Natural products inhibiting fatty acid synthase (FAS) are appearing as potential therapeutic agents to treat cancer and obesity. The bioassay-guided chemical investigation of the hulls of Nephelium lappaceum L. resulted in the isolation of ten compounds (1–10) mainly including flavonoids and oleane-type triterpene oligoglycosides, in which all of the compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. Additionally, compounds 8 and 9 were new hederagenin derivatives and were elucidated as hederagenin 3-O-(2,3-di-O-acetyl-α-l-arabinofuranosyl)-(1→3)-[α-l-rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)]-β-l-arabinopyranoside and hederagenin 3-O-(3-O-acetyl-α-l-arabinofuranosyl)-(1→3)-[α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)]-β-l-arabinopyranoside, respectively. All these isolates were evaluated for inhibitory activities of FAS, which showed these isolates had inhibitory activity against FAS with IC50 values ranging from 6.69 to 204.40μM, comparable to the known FAS inhibitor EGCG (IC50 =51.97μM). The study indicates that the hulls of Nephelium lappaceum L. could be considered as potential sources of promising FAS inhibitors and the oleane-type triterpene oligoglycosides could be considered as another type of natural FAS inhibitors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Severe pulmonary hypertension (PH) is characterized by a progressive increase in pulmonary vascular resistance and vascular remodeling leading to right heart failure and early death. Our recent studies with the use of the novel mouse model with genetic deletions of caveolin-1 (Cav1) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) (NOS3) have demonstrated that persistent eNOS activation in Cav1−/− lungs results in tyrosine nitration of protein kinase G (PKG) and impairment of its activity, which thereby induces PH. The finding of eNOS activation and PKG nitration concomitant with Cav1 deficiency was recapitulated in lungs from patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. These data suggest targeting PKG nitration has potential value for the treatment of PH. Here, we will review the current knowledge about Cav1-regulated eNOS activity and its fundamental role in the pathogenesis of PH. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Human hemokinin-1 (h HK-1) and its truncated form h HK-1(4–11) are mammalian tachykinin peptides encoded by the TAC4 gene identified in human, and the biological functions of these peptides have not been well investigated. The tachykinins have shown immuno-regulatory activities in humans. In the present study, we investigated the effects of h HK-1 and h HK-1(4–11) on the proliferation and differentiation of a human promyelocyte leukemia cell line, HL-60. It is noteworthy that h HK-1 (1–300μM) displayed inhibitory effects on the proliferation of HL-60 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The effect of suppressing proliferation induced by these peptides was accompanied by an accumulation of cell cycle in the S phase. Moreover, this peptide induced differentiation of HL-60 cells by significantly increasing the NBT-reduction activity. The effects induced by h HK-1(4–11) on HL-60 cells were similar to that of h HK-1, indicating that it is the active fragment of h HK-1. However these effects induced by h HK-1 or h HK-1(4–11) were not antagonized by the NK1 receptor antagonist SR140333 or the NK2 receptor antagonist SR48968. All the results indicated that h HK-1 and h HK-1(4–11) were able to significantly inhibit proliferation and induce differentiation and S phase arrest of a human promyelocyte leukemia cell line HL-60, which may not be mediated through the activation of classical tachykinin NK1 receptors and tachykinin NK2 receptors. Our observations also implied that h HK-1 and h HK-1(4–11) could act as immunomodulatory factors in cancer chemotherapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A two-stage fermentation process combining hydrogen and methane production for the treatment of food waste was investigated in this paper. In hydrogen fermentation reactor, the indigenous mixed microbial cultures contained in food waste were used for hydrogen production. No foreign inoculum was used in the hydrogen fermentation stage, the traditional heat treatment of inoculum was not applied either in this bench scale experiment. The effects of the stepwise increased organic loading rate (OLR) and solid retention time (SRT) on integrated two-stage process were investigated. At steady state, the optimal OLR and SRT for the integrated two-stage process were found to be 22.65kgVS/m3 d (160h) for hydrogen fermentation reactor and 4.61 (26.67d) for methane fermentation reactor, respectively. Under the optimum conditions, the maximum yields of hydrogen (0.065m3 H2/kgVS) and methane (0.546m3 CH4/kgVS) were achieved with the hydrogen and methane contents ranging from 29.42 to 30.86%, 64.33 to 71.48%, respectively. Biodegradability analysis showed that 5.78% of the influent COD was converted to the hydrogen in H2-SCRD and 82.18% of the influent COD was converted to the methane in CH4-SCSTR under the optimum conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: To evaluate the role of radiotherapy (RT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with abdominal lymph node (LN) metastasis at our institution in the past 7 years. Methods and Materials: We identified 125 patients with HCC metastasis to regional LNs treated with or without external beam RT (EBRT) between 1998 and 2004. Clinical characteristics collected included α-fetoprotein status, γ-glutamyltransferase, status of intrahepatic tumors (size and number), previous therapy for intrahepatic tumors, metastatic LN status (location, number, and size), tumor thrombi, and Child-Pugh classification. Of the 125 patients, 62 received local limited EBRT and were classified as the EBRT group. They received locoregional LN irradiation. The tumor dose ranged from 40 to 60 Gy in daily 2.0-Gy fractions, 5 times weekly. Another 63 patients, who did not receive EBRT, were selected from hospitalized patients in the same period and were classified as the non-EBRT group. The parameters studied included survival rates and tumor response to EBRT both as demonstrated by clinical symptoms and as seen on CT. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate the survival rates, and the Cox regression model was used to identify predictors of outcome. Results: After EBRT, partial responses and complete responses were observed in 37.1% and 59.7% of patients, respectively. The median survival was 9.4 months (95% confidence interval 5.8–13.0) for the EBRT group and 3.3 months (95% confidence interval, 2.7–3.9) for the non-EBRT group (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that multiple intrahepatic primary tumors, occurrence of tumor thrombi, no therapy for intrahepatic tumors, and greater Child-Pugh classification were related to a poorer prognosis in all patients. In the EBRT group, the survival periods decreased as the distance of LN involvement from the liver increased (following the natural flow of lymph) and was also associated with the intrahepatic primary tumor size. The incidence of death resulting from LN-related complications was lower in the EBRT group. Conclusion: Lymph node metastasis from HCC is sensitive to EBRT. EBRT with 25 fractions of 2 Gy is an effective palliative treatment for patients with LN metastases from HCC presenting with good performance status and may prolong overall survival. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The starburst PAMAM–OH dendrimer (generation 3) as macroinitiator for the synthesis of star-shaped polylactides in the presence of stannous octoate was investigated. Effects of molar ratios of monomer to initiator, monomer to catalyst, monomer conversion, and reaction temperature on polymerization were studied. It is found that 16–21 polylactide arms can be attached to the surface of dendrimer initiator, and the molecular weight of polylactides can be controlled by variation of molar ratios of monomer to initiator and polymerization time. Thermal analysis indicates that the star-shaped polylactides possess lower glass transition temperature, melting point, crystallinity, and maximum decomposition temperature than those of linear polylactide. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Silicon carbide (SiC) high temperature pressure sensor is widely needed. • Common methods face great difficulty in SiC deep etching for sensitive diaphragm. • Femtosecond laser micromachining is promising for SiC deep etching. • High machining accuracy (size error 0.38 %) and low surface roughness (320 nm). • Small sidewall inclination (1.7°), shape deviation and over etching need improve. Pressure sensors that can work over 500 ℃ are widely needed in aerospace and petrochemical fields, while silicon based high temperature pressure sensors are difficult to survive such high temperature. Silicon carbide (SiC) shows better mechanical and electrical properties than silicon, which is a feasible candidate to replace silicon for manufacturing high temperature pressure sensor that can work over 500 ℃. However, because of the ultra-high hardness and excellent chemical inertness of SiC, it is difficult to pattern structures on SiC wafer by common etching methods, especially deep etching. Femtosecond laser (fs-laser) is a practicable tool for SiC micromachining as reported in many literatures, but few of them concerns on SiC deep etching in fabricating high temperature pressure sensor's sensitive diaphragm. In this paper, blind holes with diameter of 1200 μm and depth of 270 μm were fabricated on a 350 μm-thick 4H-SiC wafer by fs-laser, which forms an 80 μm-thick membrane as sensitive diaphragm for pressure sensor. Experiments were conducted to study shape deviation, machining accuracy, edge morphology, sidewall steepness as well as surface roughness of the machined structure. Testing results show that the size errors of machined blind holes are 2.02 % in diameter and 0.38 % in depth, the sidewall steepness is good with an inclination angle of 1.7°, and surface of the sensitive diaphragm is smooth with an average roughness of 320 nm. However, elliptical shape and over etching happens to the fabricated sensitive diaphragm because of inappropriate laser scanning mode, uneven energy distribution and laser irradiation delay. Generally, research shows that fs-laser micromachining is a feasible method for SiC deep etching in fabricating sensitive diaphragm of high temperature pressure sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trace heavy metal ions (Ag+, Cu2+ or Hg2+) can be efficiently removed using UCNPs@ZnS core-shell nanoparticles via an ion exchange reaction and their removal amount and concentration can be determined using fluorescence quenching method. • UCNPs@ZnS nanoparticles was used to monitor and removal of some heavy metal ions. • The upconversion fluorescence was greatly quenched with the addition of Ag+. • 3.98 µmol Ag+ can be removed completely in presence of 1 mg UCNPs@ZnS nanoparticles. The heavy metal ions pollution has attracted tremendous attention owing to their cumulative effect in organs. In this work, ZnS coated upconversion nanoparticles (denoted as UCNPs@ZnS) has been fabricated and firstly used as dual-functional fluorescence probe for simultaneously removal of heavy metals such as Ag+, Cu2+ or Hg2+ and detection of these ions residual in aqueous solution.. The upconversion fluorescence intensity of the UCNPs@ZnS suspension solution was quenched gradually with the addition of the Ag+, Cu2+ or Hg2+ aqueous solution, which is attributed to the formation of highly insoluble metal sulfides with narrower band-gap with enhanced fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiency. 3.98 µmol Ag+ can be removed completely in presence of 1 mg UCNPs@ZnS core-shell nanoparticles. In addition, removal amount of Ag+ is proportional to the changes of the upconversion fluorescence intensity of the UCNPs@ZnS core-shell nanoparticles suspension solution. Therefore, this work could be extended to monitor and remove these heavy metal ions whose sulfides are less soluble than ZnS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ant-like bethylid ectoparasitoid Scleroderma guani (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) envenomates host to suppress immune response. Yet, the roles of its venom in inhibiting melanization of the host hemolymph have not been fully characterized. Here, we demonstrated that S. guani envenomation induced strong inhibition of melanization of the hemolymph from Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), permitting the successful development of parasitoid offspring. To reveal venom component associated with such function, a serine proteinase homolog (SguaSPH) rich in the venom of S. guani was characterized. It was found that one of the catalytic triad residues for serine proteinase is absent in the amino acid sequence of SguaSPH. This venom component was abundantly expressed in venom apparatus and adult stages. By enzymatic assays, SguaSPH displayed low trypsin and no chymotrypsin activity, and was able to inhibit phenoloxidase activity in the hemolymph of Ostrinia furnacalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). The findings suggest that SguaSPH is essential for interfering with hemolymph melanization of S. guani envenomated host via phenoloxidase cascade disruption. Image 1 • Scleroderma guani envenomation suppressed melanization of the host hemolymph. • Serine proteinase homolog gene was abundantly expressed in venom apparatus. • Venom serine proteinase homolog has low trypsin and no chymotrypsin activity. • Melanization of the host hemolymph was inhibited by venom serine proteinase homolog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of kidney stones continues to increase worldwide, however, there are still short of effective drugs against urinary stones. In our study, we developed and utilized porous Se@SiO 2 nanospheres as the novel antioxidant agent to detect its potential effects on crystallization inhibition. Porous Se@SiO 2 nanospheres enable to deliver Se sustainably with lower cytotoxicity and preferred biocompatibility. In vivo, we found that porous Se@SiO 2 nanospheres markedly decreased CaOX crystal deposition in renal parenchyma and alleviated kidney oxidative damage. In vitro, we found that the antioxidant effects of porous Se@SiO 2 nanospheres were mediated by upregulation of HO-1 and activation of Keap1/Nrf2 pathway. These results suggests that porous Se@SiO 2 nanospheres may be a new promising therapeutic option for stone formers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design, fabrication and test of a novel MEMS fuze are presented in this paper. It is a multilayer stacked device: the bottom layer is the MEMS detonator, which can generate a high speed slapper (4088 m/s) when initiated by 2500 V surge voltage. The middle layer is the SA (safety and arming) device. With proper driven voltages, the SA device can generate 508.98 μm output displacement and realize changing safety mode to arming mode in 16 ms. The top layer is the MEMS encapsulation, which is integrated with the position limiting structure and energetic grain. 3D printing process and laser process are introduced during the whole fabrication process, and the total size of the device can be minimized into 15 mm × 17 mm ×5 mm successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The impact of cell-specific and hypoxia-responsive signaling pathways on sepsis-induced thrombus formation is unclear • Evidence for a role of cell-specific HIFs in sepsis-induced thrombosis could lead to the identification of a novel therapeutic target • Nanoparticle-based drug delivery strategies could be used in the treatment of sepsis-induced thrombosis [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four new ansamycin derivatives, named 1,19-epithio-geldanamycin A (1), 17-demethoxylherbimycin H (2), herbimycin M (3), and seco-geldanamycin B (4), together with eight known ansamycin analogues (5 – 12) were isolated from the solid fermentation of marine-derived actinomycete Streptomyces sp. ZYX-F-97. The structures of new compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis as well as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. All the compounds were assayed for their antibacterial activity. Among them, compounds 4 , 8 , and 12 exhibited remarkable inhibition against Listeria monocytogenes with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) values ranging from 8 μg·mL−1 to 64 μg·mL−1, and displayed moderate inhibition against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with MIC value of 64 μg·mL−1. Compounds 4 , 8 , 9 , and 12 showed moderate inhibition activities against both Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis with MIC values ranging from 32 μg·mL−1 to 128 μg·mL−1. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lanostane-type triterpenoids are the main characteristic constituents in Ganoderma mushrooms. Phytochemical analysis on the ethanol extract of the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma amboinense led to isolation and identification of twelve previously undescribed lanostane triterpenoids (1 − 12). Their chemical structures were determined by HR-ESI-MS, IR, and NMR spectroscopic analysis, NMR calculation, as well as X-ray crystallography. All isolates were evaluated for the α-glucosidase inhibitory and anti-inflammatory activities. Compounds 1 , 5 , 6 , and 11 showed significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC 50 values ranging from 33.5 μM to 96.0 μM. Moreover, compound 12 showed anti-inflammatory activity with IC 50 value of 21.7 ± 2.1 μM. [Display omitted] • Twelve undescribed triterpenoids were isolated from Ganoderma amboinense. • Compounds 1, 5, 6, and 11 showed α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. • Compound 12 exhibited anti-inflammatory activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A cache of shoots, leaves and fruits dated by 14C at 2500 years B.P. were unearthed in the Yanghai Tombs, Turpan District in Xinjiang, China. By comparing the morphological and anatomical characteristics of the plant remains found in the tomb and specimens of modern plants, it is shown that the remains belong to Cannabis. Based on the shamanistic background of the deceased man and ancient customs, it is assumed that the Cannabis was utilized for ritual/medicinal purposes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Eight previously undescribed indole-diterpenoids named penerpenes O–V (1 – 8), together with seven known analogues (9 – 14), were isolated from the marine soft coral-derived fungus Aspergillus sp. ZF-104. Their structures including the absolute configurations of these compounds were assigned on the basis of spectroscopic data and ECD analysis along with quantum ECD and NMR calculations. Compounds 4 and 5 bear rare indolin-2-one units in their structures and 6 bears a reconstructed novel skeleton in which the indole ring and the terpenoid substructure are cleaved before they are reconnected through the nitrogen atom. Compounds 1 , 2 , 7 , and 10 showed protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitory activities comparable to that of the positive control NaVO 3. Eight previously undescribed indole-diterpenoids were isolated from the marine soft coral-derived fungus Aspergillus sp. ZF-104. Compounds 1 , 2 , 7 , and 10 showed protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitory activities comparable to that of the positive control NaVO 3. [Display omitted] • Eight previously undescribed indole-diterpenoids named penerpenes were isolated from Aspergillus sp. ZF-104. • Two compounds bear rare indolin-2-ones in their structures and 6 bears a reconstructed novel skeleton. • Four compounds showed protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitory activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twelve previously undescribed and four known lanostane triterpenoids were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma calidophilum. The structures of undescribed compounds, ganodecalones H–S (1 − 12), were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis as well as ECD and NMR calculations. Compound 4 showed significant inhibitory activity against human leukaemia cell line K562, gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901, and cervical cancer cell line HeLa with IC 50 values of 13.10 ± 0.19, 17.26 ± 4.75, and 4.36 ± 0.58 μM, respectively. Compound 16 exhibited inhibitory potency against protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and α-glucosidase with IC 50 values of 30.2 ± 0.13 μM and 120.6 ± 0.14 μM, respectively. The binding sites and interactions of 16 with PTP1B and α-glucosidase were revealed using molecular docking simulations. Twelve previously undescribed and four known lanostane triterpenoids with anti-proliferative and PTP1B/α-glucosidase inhibitory activities were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma calidophilum. [Display omitted] • 12 undescribed and 4 known triterpenoids were isolated from Ganoderma calidophilum. • Ganodecalone K (4) showed significant anti-proliferative activity. • Compound 16 exhibited inhibitory activities against PTP1B and α-glucosidase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the potential role of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have portal vein (PV) and/or inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombi. Methods and materials: One hundred fifty-eight patients with HCC who had PV and/or IVC tumor thrombus were reviewed and analyzed by Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis. Forty-four patients with HCC who received local limited EBRT (in addition to other treatment modalities) were classified as the EBRT group. The total radiation dose was 36–60 Gy (median, 50 Gy) and was focused on the tumor thrombi. One hundred fourteen patients with HCC who did not receive EBRT were selected from hospitalized patients with HCC who had PV and/or IVC thrombi during the same period; these were classified as the non-EBRT group, and their intrahepatic tumors were treated with transarterial chemoembolization or resection, on the basis of the patients'' status. Parameters observed included survival rates and the tumor thrombus response to EBRT as seen on CT scan or MRI. Results: Of the 44 patients who received EBRT, 15 (34.1%) showed complete disappearance of tumor thrombi, 5 (11.4%) were in partial remission, 23 (52.3%) were stable in their tumor thrombi, and 1 (2.3%) showed disease progression at the end of the study period. The median survival was 8 months, and the 1-year survival rate was 34.8% in the EBRT group. In the non-EBRT group, the median survival and 1-year survival rates were 4 months and 11.4%, respectively. In stepwise multivariate analysis, EBRT showed a strongly protective value (relative risk = 0.324, p < 0.001). Survival was not related to intrahepatic tumor status in the non-EBRT patients. However, in the EBRT group, poorer prognosis was significantly related to intrahepatic multifocal or diffusion lesions, and the most common reason for death was liver failure caused by uncontrolled intrahepatic disease. Conclusion: Although EBRT is palliative in intent, it is preferred for prolonging survival in the treatment of tumor thrombi. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The cubic equation of state (EoS) of Patel and Teja with a new mixing rule, which is based on the assumption that the excess Helmholtz energy at infinite pressure is zero, was presented to calculate the vapor–liquid equilibria of highly asymmetric systems. With only one temperature-independent parameter, the new mixing rule was tested with various binary and ternary asymmetric systems and better results were obtained for this new mixing rule compared to the MHV1, LCVM and van der Waals mixing rules. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The model contains traditional , renewable energy resources and energy storage batteries. • A distributed algorithm based on alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is proposed here. And we obtain the optimal solution of different generators within 24 h by this method. In this paper, the dynamic economic dispatch problem (DEDP) of a hybrid power network is studied. The micro-grid model is constructed with three types of non-renewable power sources, renewable energy and energy storage batteries. Meanwhile, the pollutant emission costs and benefit function are considered here to maximize the total welfare. Firstly, we transform the benefit-maximum problem into its equivalent minimization problem which the generators connected each other in a directed graph. Then, we introduced a distributed algorithm based on alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) to find the optimal solution of different generators within 24 h. To solve the sub-problem, the bisection method and the finite-time distributed algorithm are adopted here. Finally, the convergence of the distributed algorithm is analyzed. Moreover, our experimental results verify that the optimal solution satisfies the constraints of supply–demand balance equality constraint and capacity inequalities well in each time slot, and meanwhile satisfies the constraints of output threshold between different time slots, furthermore, we utilized a practical example to make a comparison with the existed literature, and the superiority of the algorithm is verified to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There were few reports in the literature about the hidden blood loss (HBL) after intramedullary nail (IMN) fixation for extra-articular tibial fractures. Our purpose was to evaluate the amount of hidden blood loss after intramedullary nail fixation for extra-articular tibial fractures, meanwhile, identified the influential factors causing HBL.Methods: From January 2015 to December 2017, 122 consecutive extra-articular tibial fracture patients fixed with IMN and 96 met all inclusion criteria for the chosen analysis. Preoperative hematocrit (Hct) levels on admission and postoperative Hct levels on the third day after surgery to calculate the amount of HBL.Results: The mean HBL was 473.29 ± 102.75 ml after IMN fixation of extra-articular tibial fractures, the multiple regression analysis showed gender, surgical duration, and the diameter of the medullary cavity at the narrowest part of the tibia had an independent influence on HBL.Conclusions: A significant amount of postoperative HBL has occurred after IMN fixation of extra-articular tibial fractures. Surgeons should be aware that more HBL can be developed in patients who have male sex, small medullary cavity, and long-time surgical duration. HBL deserves attention to ensure patients' safety in the perioperative period of IMN fixation for extra-articular tibial fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asia-Pacific ground-based Optical Space object Observation System (APOSOS) is an international cooperation project, which is initiated and supported by Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO). Currently, APOSOS consists of three Observation Nodes in Pakistan, Peru and Iran, and a Data and Operation Management Center in National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Each Observation Node is equipped with a dedicated 15 cm aperture refracting telescope, which is capable of real-time astrometric data reduction. APOSOS aims to develop a tracking network of space object to acquire accurate astrometric measurements of space objects owned by APSCO member states. In this paper, we present an overview of APOSOS's design and development. The APOSOS's detecting capability of tracking a space object is darker than 12 m in LEO or 16 m in GEO, the size of which is equivalent to a diameter of 10-cm class in LEO or meter class in GEO respectively. A parametric estimation model is setup to profile APOSOS's capability in different tracking missions, which is verified by experimental observations. Preliminary results of tracking observations of SLR satellites showed that RMS of APOSOS astrometric measurements in RA/DEC is better than 5 ″ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bistatic radar system has been one of the effective methods to detect the space debris in low earth orbit (LEO). Tianlai radio array with cylindrical-parabolic antennas is designed for dark energy detection, which has large field of view and high sensitivity, offering a fan-beam during the observation. We propose a bistatic radar system, which consists of Tianlai radio array and an incoherent scattering radar (ISR) assumed as a transmitter in the Qujing city of China, to detect space debris. In this paper, we calculate and analyze the detection capabilities of this system. The results show the bistatic radar system has the potential to detect small space debris of less than 10 cm in LEO. We provide a space debris detection method to obtain the position of the cross-beam satisfying the observation requirement with the TLE data of the space debris. The method can solve the problem of space synchronization between the radio array and ISR. We used the long-short baseline method of the radio array to locate the space target. The relationship among positioning error, the azimuth and the elevation angle are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urchin-shaped Au@Bi 2 S 3 core-shell structures were synthesized as the typical Schottky junction via intermediate layer conversion method, which show synergistic killing due to the high yield of ROS and hyperthermia leading to rapid inactivation of Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) triggered by near-infrared (NIR) light. • Urchin-shaped Au@Bi 2 S 3 core-shell structures have been prepared for the first time. • Au nanorods were coated by urchin-shaped Bi 2 S 3 via a hard template engaged polyol method. • The Au@Bi 2 S 3 core-shell structures exhibited enhanced antibacterial activities. Antimicrobial nanostructures are expected to be effective alternatives to antibiotics, combating the emergence of drug resistance and superbugs. Herein, we have developed an intermediate layer conversion strategy to fabricate urchin-shaped Au@Bi 2 S 3 core-shell structures via a hard template engaged polyol method, which showed low cytotoxicity and excellent photothermal conversion properties. This metal-semiconductor composite nanostructures are also behaved as the typical Schottky junction that can improve the separation efficiency of the electron-hole pairs triggered by near-infrared (NIR) light, leading to considerable generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). As a result, the obtained urchin-shaped Au@Bi 2 S 3 core-shell structures exhibited enhanced antibacterial ability compared to Au nanorods or Bi 2 S 3 alone, which can be attributed to the higher yield of ROS and hyperthermia. Once stimulated by 808 nm laser irradiation, urchin-shaped Au@Bi 2 S 3 core-shell structures made a nearly 100% bactericidal ratio quickly for Escherichia coli (140 μg/mL) and Staphylococcus aureus (120 μg/mL) owing to their synergetic photothermal and photodynamic anti-bacterial (PTA/PDA) performance. Thus, this work can be extended to fabricate some other heterostructures comprised of semiconductors and metals/semiconductors. In particular, the urchin-shaped Au@Bi 2 S 3 core-shell structures is a promising candidate for rapidly bacterial elimination in medical treatment or environmental remedy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Constructing an experimental platform of a packed channel with disordered cement granules. • Fitting the data of Nusselt and Reynolds numbers provides an experimental correlation. • A mathematical model of the channel packed with granules is proposed. • Using the inverse problem method determines the average local velocity of cooling air. The channels packed with disordered granules are common in industry, which permits an improved performance of the facility as well as the energy efficiency. This paper describes the construction of an experimental platform of a packed channel with disordered cement granules. Using the method of dimensionless number correlation, fitting the data of Nusselt and Reynolds numbers provides an experimental correlation. Analysis shows that the Nusselt number in a packed channel is approximately eight times that in a smooth channel. The inner-wall temperature of a channel with smaller granules is lower, implying the heat transfer is stronger. The inverse problem method is adopted to measure the local average velocity and obtain the temperature distribution, permitting then a determination of the Reynold number based on the local average velocity in the channel combined with the fitted experimental correlation and a mathematical model of the experimental section. Comparisons with the Reynold number obtained from the superficial flow velocity shows that the Reynold number obtained from the average local velocity is much smaller and in particular, for the same mass flow rates, the latter Reynold number of the channel packed with smaller granules is larger than that packed with larger granules. It provides useful tools to analysis the local heat transfer performance to improve the energy efficiency in actual applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSRACT Twelve undescribed compounds including six phenanthrene derivatives (parviphenanthrines A-F), two stilbene derivatives (parvistilbines A-B), three esters (parviesters A-C), and one sesquiterpenoid (parvidiol A) were isolated from the roots of Stemona parviflora , together with twenty-two known ones. The structures of the undescribed compounds were elucidated based on the analyses of their spectroscopic data. The absolute configuration of parviphenanthrine A was determined by the quantum ECD calculations. Parviphenanthrines A and E , stemanthrene A , stilbostenin E , 4-hydroxy-benzenepropanol- α -benzoate , and (E)-4-hydroxycinnamic acid methyl ester showed nematocidal activity against Meloidogyne incognita with IC 50 values of 14.02 ± 0.32, 2.51 ± 0.13, 17.10 ± 0.65, 2.05 ± 0.07, 4.22 ± 0.31, and 1.07 ± 0.05 μ M, respectively. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • 34 non-alkaloids, including twelve undescribed ones, isolated from Stemona parviflora. • The phytochemicals from Stemona genus were categorized into 11 structural classes. • The phenols were also the main bioactive constituents with nematicidal bioactivity. • The phenols showed better safety profiles than alkaloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the hidden blood loss (HBL) in treatment of extra-articular tibial fractures with plate and intramedullary nail fixation.Methods: We conducted a retrospective study including 209 consecutive patients treated by plate (Group LCP) or intramedullary nail fixation (Group IMN) for extra-articular tibial fractures between January 2015 to December 2017. Demographics, intraoperative data, perioperative laboratory values, transfusion rate, and early complications were collected and analyzed.Results: Of 209 patients, 96 patients fixed with IMN and 113 fixed with LCP. The average HBL was 272.71 ± 57.88 ml in Group LCP and 507.66 ± 109.81 ml in Group IMN, and there was statistical difference in the HBL between two groups (p < 0.001). The Hb and Hct loss, surgical duration, and postoperative number of anemic patients in Group IMN were significantly higher than in Group LCP (p < 0.001), and IMN fixation has a significantly higher rate of transfusion (p = 0.027), whereas patients in group IMN has significantly less VBL (p < 0.001), shorter postoperative hospital stay (p < 0.001), and less superficial infection (p = 0.014).Conclusions: There was a significant amount of hidden blood loss after reamed intramedullary nail fixation for extra-articular tibial fractures, which was much higher than expected. In view of the morbidity of acute anaemia and transfusion, we suggest that for patients who suffer from extra-articular tibial fractures with multiple injuries, or those with low haemoglobin preoperatively, plates might be more suitable than nail fixation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The presence of operational satellites or small-body space debris is a challenge for autonomous ground-based space object observation. Although most space objects exceeding 10 cm in diameter have been cataloged, the position of each space object (based on six orbital parameters) remains important and should be updated periodically, as the Earth's orbital perturbations cause disturbances. Modern ground-based passive optical telescopes equipped with complementary metal-oxide semiconductors have become widely used in astrometry engineering, being combined with image processing techniques for target signal enhancement. However, the detection and tracking performance of this equipment when employed with image processing techniques primarily depends on the size and brightness of the space target, which appears on the monitor screen under variable background interference conditions. A small and dim target has a highly sensitive tracking error compared to a bright target. Moreover, most image processing techniques for target signal enhancement require large computational power and memory; therefore, automatic tracking of a space target is difficult. The present work investigates autonomous space target detection and tracking to achieve high-sensitivity detection and improved tracking ability for non-Gaussian and dynamic backgrounds with a simple system mechanism and computational efficiency. We develop an improved particle filter (PF) using the ensemble Kalman filter (KF) for track-before-detect (TBD) frameworks, by modifying and optimizing the computational formula for our non-linear measurement function. We call this extended version the "ensemble Kalman PF-TBD (EnKPF-TBD)." Three sequential astronomical image datasets taken by the Asia-Pacific Ground-Based Optical Space Objects Observation System (APOSOS) telescope under different conditions are used to evaluate three proposed TBD baseline frameworks. Given an optimal random sample size, the EnKPF-TBD exhibits superior performance to PF-TBD and threshold-based unscented KF with two-dimensional peak search (2dPS). The EnKPF-TBD scheme achieves satisfactory performance for all variable background interference conditions, especially for a small and dim space target, in terms of tracking accuracy and computational efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper, an inertial projection neural network (IPNN) is proposed for the reconstruction of sparse signals. Firstly, a nonconvex l 1 − 2 minimization problem is presented for sparse signal reconstruction from highly coherent measurement matrices, instead of our familiar l 1 minimization which used standard convex relaxation. For solving this nonconvex l 1 − 2 minimization problem, the IPNN is introduced. Under certain condition, the convergence of IPNN is proved. Finally, a series of experiments on various applications are conducted and experimental results show the effectiveness and performance of IPNN for the introduced l 1 − 2 minimization method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead halide perovskite quantum dots have become a greatly promising material for photoelectronic applications. However, the simultaneous promotion of both high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and excellent stability is still a major challenge. In this article, we fabricated CsPbBr 3 @Kaolin composites using nanosheet Kaolin as template by in-situ growth method. The structure, luminescent properties, especially for stability of heat, water and UV irradiation are systematically researched. The optimization of relative proportion of Kaolin and CsPbBr 3 is obtained. The optimized CsPbBr 3 @Kaolin composites show that the PLQY (95.6%) is considerably higher than pure CsPbBr 3 QD S (76.25%). It is fascinating that the composite displays remarkably enhanced stability under water, thermal, and light irradiation conditions. As high PLQY of optimized CsPbBr 3 @Kaolin composites, it is selected CIE colour coordinate monochromatic light encompassed 111% of NTSC color gamut. The white LED with bright natural white light is successfully achieved. The in-situ growth method proposed in this paper provides a brand-new method for obtaining ultra-stable quantum dots (QD S). • The fluorescence lifetime and PLQY of CsPbBr 3 @10% Kaolin are 39.63 ns and 95.56% (a considerably higher than pure CsPbBr 3) respectively. • The designed CsPbBr 3 @10% Kaolin shows more superior stability than pure CsPbBr 3 QD S under exposing water, heat, and UV light irradiation such as after 40 days of immersion in water, the emission intensity of CsPbBr 3 @10% Kaolin is basically unchanged, the CsPbBr 3 @10% Kaolin maintains 79% of its PL intensity at 100° C and so on. • The as-prepared CsPbBr 3 @10% Kaolin composites are employed to construct a white LED device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To search for active anti-cancer constituents in the fruiting body of Ganoderma calidophilum , we have successfully isolated four previously undescribed spiro-lactone lanostane triterpenoids (spiroganocalitones A-D), two previously undescribed lanostanoids (ganodecalones A and B) together with twenty-three known ones. The structures of the six previously undescribed compounds were elucidated based on 1D, 2D-NMR, and HRMS analyses. Ganoderone A showed moderate cytotoxic activity against K562, BEL7402, and SGC790 cell lines with IC 50 values of 7.62, 6.28, and 3.55 μ M, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daphnauranins A ( 1 ) and B ( 2 ), two sesquiterpenoids were isolated from the roots of Daphne aurantiaca Diels. One is an unprecedented 5/7 oxacycloheptane ring system, the other is a sesquiterpene-lignan complex. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic methods including MS and NMR. Their absolute configurations were further confirmed by the quantum ECD calculations. Daphnauranins A and B showed anti-insect activities against male fruit fly with anti-feeding rate up to 46.2 ± 7.1 and 44.7 ± 5.4% at 1 mM, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]