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Smartphone-assisted fluorescence and colorimetric methods for the on-site detection of Hg2+ and Cl− were established based on the oxidase-like activity of the Au–Hg alloy on the surface of Au/Cu/Ti3C2 NSs. The Au nanoparticles (NPs) were constructed via in-situ growth on the surface of Cu/Ti3C2 NSs and characterized by different characterization techniques. After the addition of Hg2+, the formation of Hg–Au alloys could promote the oxidization of o-phenylenediamine (OPD) to generate a new fluorescence emission peak of 2,3-diaminopenazine (ADP) at 570 nm. Therefore, a turn-on fluorescence method for the detection of Hg2+ was established. As the addition of Cl− can influence the fluorescence of ADP, the fluorescence intensity was constantly quenched to achieve the continuous quantitative detection of Cl−. Therefore, a turn-off fluorescence method for the detection of Cl− was established. This method had good linear ranges for the detection of Hg2+ and Cl− in 8.0–200.0 nM and 5.0–350.0 µM, with a detection limit of 0.8 nM and 27 nM, respectively. Depending on the color change with the detection of Hg2+ and Cl−, a convenient on-site colorimetric method for an analysis of Hg2+ and Cl− was achieved by using digital images combined with smartphones (color recognizers). The digital picture sensor could analyze RGB values in concentrations of Hg2+ or Cl− via a smartphone app. In summary, the proposed Au/Cu/Ti3C2 NSs-based method provided a novel and more comprehensive application for environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the design of a self-developed EMP simulator with a 5 m height and an inverted conducting mono-cone antenna with a cone half-angle of 32° is introduced. The experimental region of the simulator is a circular area of 25 m in diameter around the cone vertex. Two feeding modes, feed-in over the ground and feed-in under the ground, are realized by two different high-voltage pulse sources. It can be concluded through radiation field testing that the radiation field waveform generated by the simulator has a rise time of 2–3 ns and a half-width of about 25 ns, meeting the specifications of the EMP experimental waveform in the IEC61000-2-9 standard. Meanwhile, the differences between the engineering implementation of the simulator and its ideal structure during the design process can lead to some distortion issues in the antenna radiation characteristics and the electromagnetic radiation field it generates. The radiation field waveform and the distribution of the EMP field generated by the simulator under different feeding methods, antenna wire quantities, antenna end processing methods, and different antenna resistive loading were studied, and the changes in the radiation field waveform and field distribution with different angles and distances of the monitoring point were analyzed. Based on the measurement results, the radiation characteristics of the antenna and the factors that affect the waveform of the field were studied and analyzed. Through the aforementioned work, a comprehensive understanding of the performance, radiation characteristics, and engineering factors affecting the electromagnetic environment generated by the simulator has been obtained. On this basis, the parameters of the antenna wire quantity, antenna end processing method, and test point position of the designed simulator were reconfirmed and optimized. In summary, this work has important reference significance for mastering the development technology of such simulators, understanding their antenna radiation characteristics, and conducting EMP-related assessments and effect experiments in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consequence of exposure to the dual environment of seawater sea sand concrete (SWSSC) on the inner surface and seawater (SW) on the outer surface on the durability of fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) confining tubes has received very limited research attention. The durability of FRPs fabricated with different fibre types was investigated for the application of SWSSC filled tubes and SWSSC-filled double-skin tubes exposed to the external environment of SW. The colour and shininess of carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) surfaces generally stayed unchanged even after 6 months of exposure to the dual environment, whereas basalt-fibre-reinforced polymer (BFRP) and glass-fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) tubes suffered degradation. The degradation led to a ~20–30% increase in pH; however, the pH increase in the external SW was more pronounced when the internal solution was SWSSC. The extent of degradation was greater in BFRP that in GFRP. The investigation also included a specialised investigation of the degradation at the fibre–matrix interface by fracturing specimens in liquid nitrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to further improve the insulation performance of fiber reinforce plastic (FRP) materials used in electromagnetic pulse (EMP) simulators, the flashover characteristics of FRP materials with different surface roughness and groove, i.e., those who are easily achieved and have a prominent effect, are investigated in 0.1 MPa SF6 under nanosecond pulse voltage with a rise time of 20–30 ns. The experimental results show that surfaces with different roughness have no significant influence on the flashover voltages of the FRP insulators, and both the convex grooves made of FRP and the convex grooves with nylon rings inlaid to form projections can improve the surface flashover voltage of epoxy FRP insulators under nanosecond pulse, in which the effect of the former surface is more obvious. For the insulators with convex grooves made of FRP, it is found that the root of the FRP protrusions breaks down after a number of shots with the occurrence of carbonization channels and spots, which is nonexistent for the nylon projections. Combined with the test results of surface characteristics, the surface roughness and the secondary electron emission yield (SEEY) are not key factors of flashover characteristics in SF6 under nanosecond pulse, arguably due to the fact that the energy needed for an incident electron to ionize an SF6 molecule is lower than that to excite two secondary electrons. Hence, the flashover performance cannot be improved by adjusting the surface roughness, and the flashover channel is principally governed by the macroscopic distribution of electrical field which can be changed by the convex groove. Breakdown phenomena of FRP protrusions indicate that the bulk insulation performance of resin FRP is weaker compared to pure resin because of its composite structure, as well as the impurities and voids introduced in the manufacturing process. The results are instructive for the design of FRP insulation structures in the compact EMP simulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morpholine- and bis(2-methoxyethyl)amine-substituted 1,3,5-triazine derivatives containing an alkoxy-o-carborane in the 6-position of the triazine ring were successfully synthesized. The molecular structures of the methoxy- and ethoxy-o-carboranyl-1,3,5-triazines were established by X-ray crystallography. In vitro studies showed that the methylene bridged morpholine- and bis(2-methoxyethyl)amine-substituted o-carboranyl-1,3,5-triazines accumulated to high levels in B16 melanoma cells and exhibited higher cytotoxicity than p-boronophenylalanine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) impair the physiological functions of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells by inducing cell apoptosis, which is the main cause of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The mechanism by which UV/ROS induces RPE cell death is not fully addressed. Here, we observed the activation of a ceramide-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling axis in UV and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-treated RPE cells. UV and H2O2 induced an early ceramide production, profound ER stress and AMPK activation. Pharmacological inhibitors against ER stress (salubrinal), ceramide production (fumonisin B1) and AMPK activation (compound C) suppressed UV- and H2O2-induced RPE cell apoptosis. Conversely, cell permeable short-chain C6 ceramide and AMPK activator AICAR (5-amino-1-β-D-ribofuranosyl-imidazole-4-carboxamide) mimicked UV and H2O2's effects and promoted RPE cell apoptosis. Together, these results suggest that UV/H2O2 activates the ceramide-ER stress-AMPK signaling axis to promote RPE cell apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High myopia is a global ocular disease and one of the most common causes of blindness. Fundus images can be obtained in a noninvasive manner and can be used to monitor and follow up on many fundus diseases, such as high myopia. In this paper, we proposed a computer-aided diagnosis algorithm using deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) to grade the risk of high myopia. The input images were automatically classified into three categories: normal fundus images were labeled class 0, low-risk high-myopia images were labeled class 1, and high-risk high-myopia images were labeled class 2. We conducted model training on 758 clinical fundus images collected locally, and the average accuracy reached 98.15% according to the results of fivefold cross-validation. An additional 100 fundus images were used to evaluate the performance of DCNNs, with ophthalmologists performing external validation. The experimental results showed that DCNNs outperformed human experts with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9968 for the recognition of low-risk high myopia and 0.9964 for the recognition of high-risk high myopia. In this study, we were able to accurately and automatically perform high myopia classification solely using fundus images. This has great practical significance in terms of improving early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Localization method based on skyline for visual geo-location is an important auxiliary localization method that does not use a satellite positioning system. Due to the computational complexity, existing panoramic skyline localization methods determine a small area using prior knowledge or auxiliary sensors. After correcting the camera orientation using inertial navigation sensors, a fine position is achieved via the skyline. In this paper, a new panoramic skyline localization method is proposed that involves the following. By clustering the sampling points in the location area and improving the existing retrieval method, the computing efficiency of the panoramic skyline localization is increased by fourfold. Furthermore, the camera orientation is estimated accurately from the terrain features in the image. Experimental results show that the proposed method achieves higher localization accuracy and requires less computation for a large area without the aid of external sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of using ibuprofen as an albumin-binding entity was recently demonstrated by the development of [177Lu]Lu-Ibu-PSMA-01. In the present study, we designed a novel ibuprofen-containing radioligand (Ibu-PSMA-02) with subtle structural changes regarding the linker entity in order to investigate a potential impact on the in vitro and in vivo properties. Ibu-PSMA-02 was prepared using solid-phase synthesis techniques and labeled with lutetium-177. [177Lu]Lu-Ibu-PSMA-02 was evaluated in vitro with regard to its plasma protein-binding properties, PSMA affinity and uptake into PSMA-expressing PC-3 PIP tumor cells. The tissue distribution profile of [177Lu]Lu-Ibu-PSMA-02 was assessed in tumor-bearing mice and dose estimations were performed. The in vitro characteristics of [177Lu]Lu-Ibu-PSMA-02 were similar to those previously obtained for [177Lu]Lu-Ibu-PSMA-01 with respect to plasma protein-binding, PSMA affinity and tumor cell uptake. The in vivo studies revealed, however, an unprecedentedly high uptake of [177Lu]Lu-Ibu-PSMA-02 in PC-3 PIP tumors, resulting in an increased absorbed tumor dose of 7.7 Gy/MBq as compared to 5.1 Gy/MBq calculated for [177Lu]Lu-Ibu-PSMA-01. As a consequence of the high tumor accumulation, [177Lu]Lu-Ibu-PSMA-02 showed higher tumor-to-background ratios than [177Lu]Lu-Ibu-PSMA-01. This study exemplified that smallest structural changes in the linker entity of PSMA radioligands may have a significant impact on their pharmacokinetic profiles and, thus, may be applied as a means for ligand design optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many basic laws of physics or chemistry can be written in the form of differential equations. With the development of digital signals and computer technology, the research on discrete models has received more and more attention. The estimates of the unknown coefficients in the discretized difference equation can be obtained by optimizing certain criterion functions. In modern control theory, the state-space model transforms high-order differential equations into first-order differential equations by introducing intermediate state variables. In this paper, the parameter estimation problem for linear difference equation systems with uncertain noise is developed. By transforming system equations into state-space models and on the basis of the considered priors of the noise and parameters, a variational Bayesian iterative estimation algorithm is derived from the observation data to obtain the parameter estimates. The unknown states involved in the variational Bayesian algorithm are updated by the Kalman filter. A numerical simulation example is given to validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smartphone-assisted fluorescence and colorimetric methods for the on-site detection of Hg 2+ and Cl - were established based on the oxidase-like activity of the Au-Hg alloy on the surface of Au/Cu/Ti 3 C 2 NSs. The Au nanoparticles (NPs) were constructed via in-situ growth on the surface of Cu/Ti 3 C 2 NSs and characterized by different characterization techniques. After the addition of Hg 2+ , the formation of Hg-Au alloys could promote the oxidization of o-phenylenediamine (OPD) to generate a new fluorescence emission peak of 2,3-diaminopenazine (ADP) at 570 nm. Therefore, a turn-on fluorescence method for the detection of Hg 2+ was established. As the addition of Cl - can influence the fluorescence of ADP, the fluorescence intensity was constantly quenched to achieve the continuous quantitative detection of Cl - . Therefore, a turn-off fluorescence method for the detection of Cl - was established. This method had good linear ranges for the detection of Hg 2+ and Cl - in 8.0-200.0 nM and 5.0-350.0 µM, with a detection limit of 0.8 nM and 27 nM, respectively. Depending on the color change with the detection of Hg 2+ and Cl - , a convenient on-site colorimetric method for an analysis of Hg 2+ and Cl - was achieved by using digital images combined with smartphones (color recognizers). The digital picture sensor could analyze RGB values in concentrations of Hg 2+ or Cl - via a smartphone app. In summary, the proposed Au/Cu/Ti 3 C 2 NSs-based method provided a novel and more comprehensive application for environmental monitoring.

Morpholine- and bis(2-methoxyethyl)amine-substituted 1,3,5-triazine derivatives containing an alkoxy-o-carborane in the 6-position of the triazine ring were successfully synthesized. The molecular structures of the methoxy- and ethoxy-o-carboranyl-1,3,5-triazines were established by X-ray crystallography. In vitro studies showed that the methylene bridged morpholine- and bis(2-methoxyethyl)amine-substituted o-carboranyl-1,3,5-triazines accumulated to high levels in B16 melanoma cells and exhibited higher cytotoxicity than p-boronophenylalanine.

Treatment of septic acute kidney injury (AKI) has still been beyond satisfaction, although anti-inflammatory therapy is beneficial for sepsis-induced AKI. Compound 5b was derived from natural pyranochalcones and exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity in adjuvant-induced arthritis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the renoprotective effects and potential mechanism of 5b against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced AKI. C57BL/6 mice and human renal proximal tubule cell line (HK-2 cell) were treated with LPS, respectively. Compound 5b was orally administrated at a dose of 25 mg/kg/day for 5 days before LPS (10 mg/kg) intraperitoneal injection. Cells were pretreated with 25 μg/mL 5b for 30 min before LPS (1 μg/mL) treatment. Pretreatment with 5b markedly alleviated tubular injury and renal dysfunction in LPS-induced AKI. The expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α both in renal tissue of AKI mice and in the LPS-stimulated HK-2 cell culture medium were reduced by 5b treatment ( p < 0.05). The results of immunohistochemistry staining showed that 5b reduced the expression of NF-κB p65 in kidneys. Similarly, 5b decreased the LPS-induced levels of NF-κB p65 and TLR4 proteins in kidneys and HK-2 cells. These data demonstrated that a potent pyranochalcone derivative, 5b , exhibited renoprotective effect against LPS-induced AKI, which was associated with anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB pathway., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Antibiotic overuse is one of the major drivers in the generation of antibiotic resistant "super bugs" that can potentially cause serious effects on health. In this study, we reported that the polycationic polysaccharide, chitosan could improve the efficacy of a given antibiotic (gentamicin) to combat bacterial biofilms, the universal lifestyle of microbes in the world. Short- or long-term treatment with the mixture of chitosan and gentamicin resulted in the dispersal of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) biofilms. In this combination, chitosan with a moderate molecular mass (~13 kDa) and high N-deacetylation degree (~88% DD) elicited an optimal anti-biofilm and bactericidal activity. Mechanistic insights indicated that chitosan facilitated the entry of gentamicin into the architecture of L. monocytogenes biofilms. Finally, we showed that this combination was also effective in the eradication of biofilms built by two other Listeria species, Listeria welshimeri and Listeria innocua. Thus, our findings pointed out that chitosan supplementation might overcome the resistance of Listeria biofilms to gentamicin, which might be helpful in prevention of gentamicin overuse in case of combating Listeria biofilms when this specific antibiotic was recommended.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) impair the physiological functions of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells by inducing cell apoptosis, which is the main cause of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The mechanism by which UV/ROS induces RPE cell death is not fully addressed. Here, we observed the activation of a ceramide-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling axis in UV and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-treated RPE cells. UV and H2O2 induced an early ceramide production, profound ER stress and AMPK activation. Pharmacological inhibitors against ER stress (salubrinal), ceramide production (fumonisin B1) and AMPK activation (compound C) suppressed UV- and H2O2-induced RPE cell apoptosis. Conversely, cell permeable short-chain C6 ceramide and AMPK activator AICAR (5-amino-1-β-D-ribofuranosyl-imidazole-4-carboxamide) mimicked UV and H2O2's effects and promoted RPE cell apoptosis. Together, these results suggest that UV/H2O2 activates the ceramide-ER stress-AMPK signaling axis to promote RPE cell apoptosis.

Oyster extracts have been reported to have many bioactive peptides. But the function of oyster peptides produced by proteolysis is still unknown. In this study, the oligopeptide-enriched hydrolysates from oyster (Crassostrea gigas) were produced using the protease from Bacillus sp. SM98011 at laboratory level, and scaled up to pilot (100 L) and plant (1,000 L) levels with the same conditions. And the antitumor activity and immunostimulating effects of the oyster hydrolysates in BALB/c mice were investigated. The growth of transplantable sarcoma-S180 was obviously inhibited in a dose-dependent manner in BALB/c mice given the oyster hydrolysates. Mice receiving 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg/g of body weight by oral gavage had 6.8%, 30.6% and 48% less tumor growth, respectively. Concurrently, the weight coefficients of the thymus and the spleen, the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, the spleen proliferation of lymphocytes and the phagocytic rate of macrophages in S180-bearing mice significantly increased after administration of the oyster hydrolysates. These results demonstrated that oyster hydrolysates produced strong immunostimulating effects in mice, which might result in its antitumor activity. The antitumor and immunostimulating effects of oyster hydrolysates prepared in this study reveal its potential for tumor therapy and as a dietary supplement with immunostimulatory activity.