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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a severe neurological condition characterized by inflammation in the central nervous system. SERPINA3 has garnered attention as a potential biomarker for assessing this inflammation. Our study aimed to explore the predictive value of postoperative serum SERPINA3 levels in identifying the risk of cerebral edema and its prognostic implications in TBI. This study is a prospective observational study, including 37 patients with TBI who finally met our criteria. The Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), Levels of Cognitive Functioning (LCF), Disability Rating Scale (DRS), and Early Rehabilitation Barthel Index (ERBI) scores at six months after trauma were defined as the main study endpoint. We further calculated the ventricle-to-intracranial-volume ratio (VBR) at 6 months from CT scans. The study included patients with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores ranging from 3 to 8, who were subsequently categorized into two groups: the critical TBI group (GCS 3–5 points) and the severe TBI group (GCS 6–8 points). Within the critical TBI group, SERPINA3 levels were notably lower. However, among patients with elevated SERPINA3 levels, both the peak intracranial pressure (ICP) and average mannitol consumption were significantly reduced compared with those of patients with lower SERPINA3 levels. In terms of the 6-month outcomes measured via the GOS, LCF, DRS, and ERBI, lower levels of SERPINA3 were indicative of poorer prognosis. Furthermore, we found a negative correlation between serum SERPINA3 levels and the VBR. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) demonstrated the predictive performance of SERPINA3. In conclusion, incorporating the novel biomarker SERPINA3 alongside traditional assessment tools offers neurosurgeons an effective and easily accessible means, which is readily accessible early on, to predict the risk of intracranial pressure elevation and long-term prognosis in TBI patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead (Pb) pollution, especially from the incineration of municipal solid waste (MSW), poses a significant threat to the environment. Among all the effective methods, activated carbon (AC) injection serves as an effective approach for lead removal from flue gas, while the modification of ACs emerges as a crucial pathway for enhancing Pb adsorption capacities. Density functional theory (DFT) is employed in this study to investigate the mechanisms underlying the enhanced adsorption of Pb species (Pb0, PbO, and PbCl2) on nitrogen-functionalized carbonaceous surfaces. The results show that nitrogen-containing groups substantially enhance lead adsorption capacity, with adsorption energies ranging from −526.18 to −288.31 kJ/mol on nitrogen-decorated carbonaceous surfaces, much higher than those on unmodified surfaces (−310.35 to −260.96 kJ/mol). Additionally, electrostatic potential and density-of-states analyses evidence that pyridinic nitrogen atoms remarkably expand charge distribution and strengthen orbital hybridization, thereby augmenting lead capture. This research elucidates the role of nitrogen-containing functional groups in lead adsorption, offering valuable insights for the development of highly efficient biomass-derived activated carbon sorbents for lead removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginger soft rot is a serious soil-borne disease caused by Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporum, resulting in reduced crop yields. The application of common chemical fungicides is considered to be an effective method of sterilization, and therefore, they pose a serious threat to the environment and human health due to their high toxicity. Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and benzethonium chloride (BEC) are two popular quaternary ammonium salts with a wide range of fungicidal effects. In this study, we investigated the fungicidal effects of BAC and BEC on soft rot disease of ginger as alternatives to common chemical fungicides. Two soft rot pathogens of ginger were successfully isolated from diseased ginger by using the spread plate method and sequenced as F. solani and F. oxysporum using the high-throughput fungal sequencing method. We investigated the fungicidal effects of BAC and BEC on F. solani and F. oxysporum, and we explored the antifungal mechanisms. Almost complete inactivation of spores of F. solani and F. oxysporum was observed at 100 mg/L fungicide concentration. Only a small amount of spore regrowth was observed after the inactivation treatment of spores of F. solani and F. oxysporum in soil, which proved that BAC and BEC have the potential to be used as an alternative to common chemical fungicides for soil disinfection of diseased ginger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the crop harvesting process, it is important to obtain the crop yield quickly, accurately and in real time to accelerate the development of smart agriculture. This paper investigated a denoising method applicable to the impact-type sunflower yield sensor signal under the influence of complex noise background in the pneumatic seed delivery structure for a sunflower combine harvester. A signal processing method combining complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition (CEEMD) and wavelet threshold denoising (WTD) based on an adaptive decomposition capability was proposed by analyzing the non-smoothness of the signal with the impact-type sunflower yield sensor signal in sunflower fields. CEEMD was used to decompose the sunflower seed impact analog signal and field impact-type sunflower yield sensor signal adaptively, and the high frequency components were processed by WTD. Finally the de-noised signal was obtained by reconstruction. An evaluation objective function of the denoising ability of the algorithm based on signal-noise ratio, root mean square error, smoothness and waveform similarity indexes with different weights was also constructed. The results showed that the evaluation objective functions of the simulated and measured signals after denoising by the CEEMD-WTD method are 1.9719 and 4.5318, respectively, which are better than the single denoising methods of EMD (1.5096 and 4.0012), EEMD (1.8248 and 4.0724), CEEMD (1.9516 and 4.3384), and WTD (1.8737 and 4.5294). This method provides a new idea for signal denoising of the impact-type sunflower yield sensor installed in the pneumatic seed delivery structure, and further provides theoretical support and technical references for the development of sunflower high-precision yield measurements in smart agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, based on the actual project in Dalian, the dynamic interaction of the double tunnel sand bridge pile system (SSSI) under earthquake action is studied by shaking table test, and the dynamic response laws of the structure and site are obtained, which are compared with ABAQUS numerical simulation. The Kelvin constitutive model subprogram is introduced into the numerical model, and the equivalent linear method is used to deal with the nonlinear problems of sand in the calculation process. The experimental results are compared with the results obtained using the numerical model to verify the reliability of the numerical simulation. Based on this, eight working conditions are designed, and the interaction law between the structures in the system is investigated through a comparative analysis. The results showed that the tunnel amplifies the dynamic responses of the bridge pile, adjacent tunnel, and far field, while the bridge pile attenuates the dynamic responses of the side tunnel and far field; the presence of both the tunnel and bridge pile increases the internal force of the adjacent structure, and the peak internal force often occurs near the intersection of the structure or at the pile–soil interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As emerging smart polymers, ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) are playing more and more important roles as promising candidates for next-generation actuators in terms of academic interest and industrial applications. It is reported that the actuation behaviors of IPMCs are dependent on the electrochemical kinetic process between metal/polymer interfaces to a great extent. Thus, the fabrication of tailored metal/polymer interface electrodes with large surface areas and superior interface characteristics is highly desirable in improving the actuation performance of IPMCs, which is still technologically critical for IPMCs. In this contribution, we developed a novel fabrication technology for carbon/metal composite electrodes with a superior interface structure and characteristics to optimize the actuation behaviors of IPMCs by exploiting the synergistic effect of combining a sulfonated multi-walled carbon nanotube (SCNT)/Nafion hybrid layer with nanodispersed Pd particles. The improved IPMCs showed significantly enhanced capacitance characteristics and highly facilitated charge–discharge processes. Moreover, their actuation behaviors were greatly improved as expected, including approximately 2.5 times larger displacement, 3 times faster deformation speed, 4 times greater output force, and 10 times higher volume work density compared to those of the IPMCs with traditional electrode structures. The advantages of the developed SCNT/Pd-IPMCs will greatly facilitate their applicability for artificial muscles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common neurological disease. Netrin-1 and deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) receptor are potential biomarkers associated with nerve regeneration and immune regulation. We aimed to investigate the ability of the DCC receptor and Netrin-1 to predict a high ICP level after operation in severe traumatic brain injury and their prognostic significance. This study is a prospective observational study. We selected 23 patients with traumatic brain injury who had undergone surgical operations as subjects. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on the contusion tissue that was removed by the operation to determine the expression of DCC receptor. At the same time, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to detect the serum Netrin-1 content. Determination of intracranial pressure (ICP) value was measured by intraventricular catheter. The Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score at six months after trauma was defined as the main study endpoint. The results showed that serum Netrin-1 concentrations of patients in the critical TBI group (GCS 3–5 points) was significantly lower than that in the severe TBI group (GCS 6–8 points). The ICP peak and average mannitol consumption in the high Netrin-1 group were significantly lower than those in the low Netrin-1 group. DCC receptor-positive patients had a significantly lower ICP peak. There was no significant difference in six month-GOS scores between patients in the high and low Netrin-1 groups, while DCC receptor concentrations below 3.82 ng/mL predicted poor prognosis (GOS 1–3 points). In conclusion, the expression level of the DCC receptor can better evaluate the postoperative high ICP level and prognosis than the level of serum Netrin-1 in severe traumatic brain injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most commonly malignant tumor and the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the world, and the early diagnosis and treatment of patients with HCC is core in improving its prognosis. The early diagnosis of HCC depends largely on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI has good soft-tissue resolution, which is the international standard method for the diagnosis of HCC. However, MRI is still insufficient in the diagnosis of some early small HCCs and malignant nodules, resulting in false negative results. With the deepening of research on HCC, researchers have found many specific molecular biomarkers on the surface of HCC cells, which may assist in diagnosis and treatment. On the other hand, molecular imaging has progressed rapidly in recent years, especially in the field of cancer theranostics. Hence, the preparation of molecular imaging probes that can specifically target the biomarkers of HCC, combined with MRI testing in vivo, may achieve the theranostic purpose of HCC in the early stage. Therefore, in this review, taking MR imaging as the basic point, we summarized the recent progress regarding the molecular imaging targeting various types of biomarkers on the surface of HCC cells to improve the theranostic rate of HCC. Lastly, we discussed the existing obstacles and future prospects of developing molecular imaging probes as HCC theranostic nanoplatforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early diagnosis of cancer is of paramount significance for the therapeutic intervention of cancers. Although the detection of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has emerged as a promising, minimally invasive approach for early cancer diagnosis, there is an urgent need to develop a highly sensitive and rapid method to precisely identify plasma cfDNA from clinical samples. Herein, we report a robust fluorescent "turn-on" clutch probe based on non-emissive QDs-Ru complexes to rapidly recognize EGFR gene mutation in plasma cfDNA from lung cancer patients. In this system, the initially quenched emission of QDs is recovered while the red emission of Ru(II) complexes is switched on. This is because the Ru(II) complexes can specifically intercalate into the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) to form Ru-dsDNA complexes and simultaneously liberate free QDs from the QDs-Ru complexes, which leads to the occurrence of an overlaid red fluorescence. In short, the fluorescent "turn-on" clutch probe offers a specific, rapid, and sensitive paradigm for the recognition of plasma cfDNA biomarkers from clinical samples, providing a convenient and low-cost approach for the early diagnosis of cancer and other gene-mutated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of phase retrieval is to recover an unknown signal from the random measurements consisting of the magnitude of its Fourier transform. Due to the loss of the phase information, phase retrieval is considered as an ill-posed problem. Conventional greedy algorithms, e.g., greedy spare phase retrieval (GESPAR), were developed to solve this problem by using prior knowledge of the unknown signal. However, due to the defect of the Gauss–Newton method in the local convergence problem, especially when the residual is large, it is very difficult to use this method in GESPAR to efficiently solve the non-convex optimization problem. In order to improve the performance of the greedy algorithm, we propose an improved phase retrieval algorithm, which is called the greedy autocorrelation retrieval Levenberg–Marquardt (GARLM) algorithm. Specifically, the proposed GARLM algorithm is a local search iterative algorithm to recover the sparse signal from its Fourier transform magnitude. The proposed algorithm is preferred to existing greedy methods of phase retrieval, since at each iteration the problem of minimizing the objective function over a given support is solved by using the improved Levenberg–Marquardt (ILM) method and matrix transform. A local search procedure such as the 2-opt method is then invoked to get the optimal estimation. Simulation results are given to show that the proposed algorithm performs better than the conventional GESPAR algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) always proves inadequate in terms of large attenuation and short working time in air due to water leakage. To address this problem, a feasible and effective solution was proposed in this study to enhance IPMC performance operating in air by doping polyethylene oxide (PEO) with superior water retention capacity into Nafion membrane. The investigation of physical characteristics of membranes blended with varying PEO contents revealed that PEO/Nafion membrane with 20 wt% PEO exhibited a homogeneous internal structure and a high water uptake ratio. At the same time, influences of PEO contents on electromechanical properties of IPMCs were studied, showing that the IPMCs with 20 wt% PEO presented the largest peak-to-peak displacement, the highest volumetric work density, and prolonged stable working time. It was demonstrated that doping PEO reinforced electromechanical performances and restrained displacement attenuation of the resultant IPMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realization of electrically pumped emitters at micro and nanoscale, especially with flexibility or special shapes is still a goal for prospective fundamental research and application. Herein, zinc oxide (ZnO) microwires were produced to investigate the luminescent properties affected by stress. To exploit the initial stress, room temperature in situ elastic bending stress was applied on the microwires by squeezing between the two approaching electrodes. A novel unrecoverable deformation phenomenon was observed by applying a large enough voltage, resulting in the formation of additional defects at bent regions. The electrical characteristics of the microwire changed with the applied bending deformation due to the introduction of defects by stress. When the injection current exceeded certain values, bright emission was observed at bent regions, ZnO microwires showed illumination at the bent region priority to straight region. The bent emission can be attributed to the effect of thermal tunneling electroluminescence appeared primarily at bent regions. The physical mechanism of the observed thermoluminescence phenomena was analyzed using theoretical simulations. The realization of electrically induced deformation and the related bending emissions in single microwires shows the possibility to fabricate special-shaped light sources and offer a method to develop photoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: We established a new minimally invasive mouse model for GBM relapse. For this, we utilized orthotopical implantation of HSVTK-transduced GBM cells and pharmacological treatment with GCV. In addition, we implanted patient-derived GBM cells of primary or recurrent tumors. We found that recurrent GBM were more aggressively invasive than primary GBM. Moreover, the recurring tumors had a higher ratio of monocyte-derived macrophages among the entire population of tumor associated myeloid cells. This shift in the composition of tumor-associated immune cells appeared to be independent from cell-death signaling or surgical intervention. This model provides the means to investigate the entire process of tumor relapse and test standard as well as experimental therapeutic strategies for relapsing GBM under defined conditions. Glioblastoma (GBM) recurrence after treatment is almost inevitable but addressing this issue with adequate preclinical models has remained challenging. Here, we introduce a GBM mouse model allowing non-invasive and scalable de-bulking of a tumor mass located deeply in the brain, which can be combined with conventional therapeutic approaches. Strong reduction of the GBM volume is achieved after pharmacologically inducing a tumor-specific cell death mechanism. This is followed by GBM re-growth over a predictable timeframe. Pharmacological de-bulking followed by tumor relapse was accomplished with an orthotopic mouse glioma model. Relapsing experimental tumors recapitulated pathological features often observed in recurrent human GBM, like increased invasiveness or altered immune cell composition. Orthotopic implantation of GBM cells originating from biopsies of one patient at initial or follow-up treatment reproduced these findings. Interestingly, relapsing GBM of both models contained a much higher ratio of monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) versus microglia than primary GBM. This was not altered when combining pharmacological de-bulking with invasive surgery. We interpret that factors released from viable primary GBM cells preferentially attract microglia whereas relapsing tumors preponderantly release chemoattractants for MDM. All in all, this relapse model has the capacity to provide novel insights into clinically highly relevant aspects of GBM treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacturing of precise surface microstructures with low cost is needed for surface texturing-based surface engineering. In this paper, a device for the fabrication of surface microgroove texture on stainless steel based on ultrasonic impact peening (UIP) is proposed and investigated. First, the principle of applying the UIP into the fabrication of surface texture is analytically described. Then, the design of the UIP device, particularly the design of functional systems and mechanical structures, is carried out. Next, a UIP experimental device is built, and is further applied to fabricate microgroove textures on 316L stainless steel. The subsequent experimental characterization of microgroove morphology demonstrates the feasibility of the designed UIP device for the fabrication of stainless steel surface texture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of Chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) in tumor progression has been gradually clarified in different kinds of solid tumors. Hence, we aim to elucidate its prognostic value for glioma. In this study, we analyzed RNA sequencing data combined with corresponding clinical information obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) databases. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were acquired based on CHI3L1 expression profiles and were used for Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. Cox regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression methods, along with a nomogram, were employed to establish a predictive model. Compared with the corresponding non-tumor tissues, CHI3L1 expression was significantly upregulated in various types of solid tumors, correlating with poor clinical outcomes including glioma. GO analysis identified oxidative stress-related genes (ORGs) that were differentially expressed and modulated by CHI3L1, with 11 genes subsequently identified as potential predictors, using Univariate-Cox regression and LASSO regression. In addition, an index of oxidative stress-related genes (ORGI) was established, demonstrating its prognostic value in conjunction with CHI3L1 expression. The aberrant expression of CHI3L1 was proved in glioma patients through immunohistochemistry (IHC). Meanwhile, the knockdown of CHI3L1 inhibited glioma growth in vitro, and real-time Quantitative PCR (qPCR) confirmed decreased ORG expression upon CHI3L1 knockdown, suggesting the potential prognostic value of CHI3L1 as a therapeutic target for glioma.

Current ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) always proves inadequate in terms of large attenuation and short working time in air due to water leakage. To address this problem, a feasible and effective solution was proposed in this study to enhance IPMC performance operating in air by doping polyethylene oxide (PEO) with superior water retention capacity into Nafion membrane. The investigation of physical characteristics of membranes blended with varying PEO contents revealed that PEO/Nafion membrane with 20 wt% PEO exhibited a homogeneous internal structure and a high water uptake ratio. At the same time, influences of PEO contents on electromechanical properties of IPMCs were studied, showing that the IPMCs with 20 wt% PEO presented the largest peak-to-peak displacement, the highest volumetric work density, and prolonged stable working time. It was demonstrated that doping PEO reinforced electromechanical performances and restrained displacement attenuation of the resultant IPMC.

Molecular imaging is essential for diagnosis and treatment planning for glioblastoma patients. Positron emission tomography (PET) with tracers for the detection of the solute carrier family 7 member 5 ( SLC7A5 ; also known as the amino acid transporter light chain L system, LAT1) and for the mitochondrial translocator protein (TSPO) is successfully used to provide additional information on tumor volume and prognosis. The current approaches for TSPO-PET and the visualization of tracer ([18F] Fluoroethyltyrosine, FET) uptake by LAT1 (FET-PET) do not yet exploit the full diagnostic potential of these molecular imaging techniques. Therefore, we investigated the expression of TSPO and LAT1 in patient glioblastoma (GBM) samples, as well as in various GBM mouse models representing patient GBMs of different genetic subtypes. By immunohistochemistry, we found that TSPO and LAT1 are upregulated in human GBM samples compared to normal brain tissue. Next, we orthotopically implanted patient-derived GBM cells, as well as genetically engineered murine GBM cells, representing different genetic subtypes of the disease. To determine TSPO and LAT1 expression, we performed immunofluorescence staining. We found that both TSPO and LAT1 expression was increased in tumor regions of the implanted human or murine GBM cells when compared to the neighboring mouse brain tissue. While LAT1 was largely restricted to tumor cells, we found that TSPO was also expressed by microglia, tumor-associated macrophages, endothelial cells, and pericytes. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-data analysis corroborates the upregulation of TSPO in a bigger cohort of GBM patient samples compared to tumor-free brain tissue. In addition, AIF1 (the gene encoding for the myeloid cell marker Iba1) was also upregulated in GBM compared to the control. Interestingly, TSPO, as well as AIF1 , showed significantly different expression levels depending on the GBM genetic subtype, with the highest expression being exhibited in the mesenchymal subtype. High TSPO and AIF1 expression also correlated with a significant decrease in patient survival compared to low expression. In line with this finding, the expression levels for TSPO and AIF1 were also significantly higher in (isocitrate-dehydrogenase wild-type) IDH WT compared to IDH mutant (IDH MUT ) GBM. LAT1 expression, on the other hand, was not different among the individual GBM subtypes. Therefore, we could conclude that FET- and TSPO-PET confer different information on pathological features based on different genetic GBM subtypes and may thus help in planning individualized strategies for brain tumor therapy in the future. A combination of TSPO-PET and FET-PET could be a promising way to visualize tumor-associated myeloid cells and select patients for treatment strategies targeting the myeloid compartment.