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Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) offer the advantage of flexibility; however, the use of traditional transparent anode ITO limits further extension of their flexible characteristics. In this study, we propose employing an polymer polybenzodifuranedione (PBFDO) as a flexible transparent anode instead of the rigid ITO. To address the issue encountered during the PBFDO solution spin-coating process, we introduced n-butanol into the PBFDO conductive solution to reduce its viscosity and freezing point by modulating intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions. Consequently, high-quality PBFDO films with high conductivity, superior transmittance, and low surface roughness were successfully obtained via spin-coating. Moreover, due to its proper work function, regular molecular stacking, and low refractive index properties, PBFDO electrode facilitate efficient carrier injection and transport as well as photon extraction. The resulting device utilizing a PBFDO anode combined with Super Yellow as the light-emitting layer exhibited excellent performance characteristics including a normal threshold voltage of 2.6 V and a maximum luminous efficiency of 12.8 cd A−1 comparable to that device based on the ITO electrode. Furthermore, flexible device also achieved satisfactory performance (7.7 cd A−1) when using the PEN substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel acetyl acetonate (Ni(acac)2), a metal-organic compound, was directly dispersed in base oils alkylated naphthalene (AN-5), diisooctyl sebacate (DIOS), poly-α-olefin (PAO6), and mineral oil (liquid hydrocarbon mixtures:150 N) in the presence of commercial dispersant RF1151 (monoallyl poly(isobutylene succinimide). The tribological properties of the lubricants were tested with a four-ball friction and wear tester. The friction-induced in-situ formation of carbon films on rubbed steel surfaces under the catalysis of Ni(acac)2 was investigated, and the as-formed carbon films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that Ni(acac)2 added in the base oils can decompose to form metallic nickel to form nickel layer on the rubbed metal sub-surfaces and catalyze the degradation of the base oil molecules adsorbed to form carbon-based tribofilms. The carbon film formed from AN-5 with aromatic ring structure has a high degree of graphitization and the best friction-reducing and antiwear abilities, and those formed from PAO6 and 150 N with linear structure have a low degree of graphitization as well as good tribological properties. Under the lubrication of DIOS with Ni(acac)2, however, there is no carbon film formation while the tribological properties of the lubricant are relatively poor, due to the absence of the catalytic metallic nickel and nickel oxide layer on the rubbed metal sub-surface. Thanks to the catalytic effect of metallic nickel released from Ni(acac)2 for the degradation of various base oils with different molecular structure, the present approach could provide a rational pathway to tune the in-situ formation of carbon-based tribofilm on rubbed steel surfaces so as to effectively reduce the friction and wear of steel-steel sliding pair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intestinal microbiota community is a fundamental component of the human body and plays a significant regulatory role in maintaining overall health and in the management disease states.The intestinal microbiota-gut-brain axis represents a vital connection in the cognitive regulation of the central nervous system by the intestinal microbiota.The impact of intestinal microbiota on cognitive function is hypothesized to manifest through both the nervous system and circulatory system. Imbalances in intestinal microbiota during the perioperative period could potentially contribute to perioperative neurocognitive dysfunction. This article concentrates on a review of existing literature to explore the potential influence of intestinal microbiota on brain and cognitive functions via the nervous and circulatory systems.Additionally, it summarizes recent findings on the impact of perioperative intestinal dysbacteriosis on perioperative neurocognitive dysfunction and suggests novel approaches for prevention and treatment of this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holocellulose nanofibrils, as a two-component biomass nanomaterial, exhibit many advantages in surface/interface engineering fields, and show a broader prospect in the preparation of high-performance functional materials. However, there is a lack of research in this newly emerging material from the perspective of raw material selection. Herein, holocellulose derived from bamboo, pine, and eucalyptus are chosen to prepare sulfated holocellulose nanofibrils (SHCNFs) through sulfation and mechanical defibrillation. The sulfation and disintegration into SHCNFs are governed not only by the amount of hemicellulose, but also by the fiber morphology. The properties of SHCNFs largely depends on the plant species. Compared with the other two raw materials, bamboo holocellulose fibers have higher reaction accessibility and facile defibrillation property. The resulting bamboo SHCNF films exhibites excellent mechanical performance (tensile strength, 201 MPa; Young's modulus, 5.7 GPa). Moreover, the bamboo SHCNFs suspension shows good dispersibility. Therefore, it has more advantages in the preparation of multifunctional composite materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the commonest malignant tumors of humans. Existing evidence has linked the poor prognosis of CRC with high expression of stromal antigen 3 (STAG3), but, the exact biological effect of STAG3 in CRC is still unclear. The aim of this research is to reveal the biological function and molecular mechanism of STAG3 in CRC. To investigate the differential expression of STAG3 in CRC tissues and cell lines compared to normal colon tissues and cell lines, Western blot (WB) and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) techniques were utilized. STAG3 N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification level were identified using m6A RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP). Additionally, the functional roles of methyltransferase-like protein 3 (METTL3) and insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) in CRC were explored by manipulating their levels via knockdown or overexpression. Cell proliferation was evaluated through Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) and clone formation experiments, while cell migration was assessed through wound healing experiments. Furthermore, cell apoptosis was detected using flow cytometry, and the protein expressions associated with proliferation and apoptosis were detected using WB. To identify the specific binding of target genes, RIP and pull-down assays were employed. Finally, the biological function of STAG3 in vivo was investigated through a xenotransplantation mouse tumor model. In CRC tissues and cell lines, STAG3 was up-regulated and accompanied by m6A methylation. Additionally, the expression of METTL3 was found to be upregulated in CRC tissues. Knocking down METTL3 resulted in a decrease in both the m6A level and protein expression of STAG3, inhibited cell proliferation and migration while promoting apoptosis, which were restored through STAG3 overexpression. Furthermore, online prediction indicated the interaction between STAG3 mRNA and IGF2BP2 protein, which was further verified by RIP experiments. IGF2BP2 downregulation led to decreased STAG3 protein expression, cell proliferation, and migration, but increased apoptosis. However, these impacts were reversed by STAG3 overexpression. Finally, subcutaneous tumor experiments conducted in nude mice also confirmed that METTL3 regulated CRC progression through STAG3 in vivo. The METTL3/IGF2BP2/STAG3 axis affects CRC progression in an m6A modification-dependent manner. This may guide targeted therapy in CRC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal algorithm to ensure computational efficiency and accuracy remains to be challenging for the development of robust operation model to solve the optimization problem of reservoir operation, particularly for applications involving flood control with complex flood hydrograph. The dynamic programming (DP) is one of the most popular methods to solve optimization problem, but it is limited the "curse of dimensionality" problem. The improved dynamic programming (IDP) method has been proposed to overcome this defeat of DP, remaining the convergence problem. The relaxation method based on approximate monotonic relationship shows potential to ensure convergence of IDP. In this study, the theoretical search range of the relaxation method are analyzed. A stable improved dynamic programming (SIDP) method is proposed based on relaxation method and a prediction method of schedulable storage states. The proposed SIDP overcomes the complex computational problem of DP and the convergence problem of IDP. The case study on an ideal reservoir and the Guanting reservoir, shows that SIDP can achieve an accuracy as high as DP, but with a much higher efficiency than DP. This method shows a strong solution to optimization problems of reservoir flood control operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining the strategies of introducing larger heteroatom, regio-regular backbone and extended branching position of side-chain, we developed polymer semiconductors (PPCPD) with narrow band-gap to construct the photosensing layer of thin-film photodiodes and image arrays. The spectral response of the resulting organic photodiodes spans from the near ultra-violet to short-wavelength infrared region. The performance of these short-wavelength infrared photodiodes in 900–1200 nm range achieved a level competitive with that of indium gallium arsenide-based inorganic crystalline detectors, exhibiting a specific detectivity of 5.55×1012 Jones at 1.15 µm. High photodetectivity and quantum efficiency in photodiode with amorphous/nanocrystalline thin-films of 100–200 nm thickness enabled high pixel-density image arrays without pixel-level-patterning in the sensing layer. 1 × 256 linear diode arrays with 25 µm × 25 µm pixel pitch were achieved, enabling high pixel-density short-wavelength infrared imaging at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, chemical action is generally determined by pH regulator and oxidant in the polishing slurry. In this paper, tungsten (W) polished by CMP was examined, and the material removal mechanism was discussed. The influence of pH values and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentrations on surface quality and material removal rate (MRR) were closely investigated. The MRR obtained from the CMP test indicates that the removal rate of W by the H2O2 oxidant reaches 34.10 μm/h under acidic pH conditions and the H2O2 oxidant improves the polishing rate of W. The obtained potentiodynamic polarization results show that the passivation layer formed under the H2O2 action cannot prevent the further corrosion of the slurry to the sample, but W can stably generate a tungsten trioxide (WO3) passivation layer under acidic conditions. XPS data confirm that the formation and dissolution of tungsten oxide passivation layers with different compositions are the main causes of these results. By analyzing the different morphologies (corrosion pits, grain boundaries, etc.) formed after tungsten chemical mechanical polishing (W-CMP), the deformation and removal mechanisms involved in the process are more deliberately exposed. This study enriches the understanding of the corrosion damage and material removal mechanisms of pure tungsten during CMP and contributes to the efficient and high-precision manufacturing of W components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the rapid progress of organic solar cells based on non-fullerene acceptors, simultaneously achieving high power conversion efficiency and long-term stability for commercialization requires sustainable research effort. Here, we demonstrate stable devices by integrating a wide bandgap electron-donating polymer (namely PTzBI-dF) and two acceptors (namely L8BO and Y6) that feature similar structures yet different thermal and morphological properties. The organic solar cell based on PTzBI-dF:L8BO:Y6 could achieve a promising efficiency of 18.26% in the conventional device structure. In the inverted structure, excellent long-term thermal stability over 1400 h under 85 °C continuous heating is obtained. The improved performance can be ascribed to suppressed charge recombination along with appropriate charge transport. We find that the morphological features in terms of crystalline coherence length of fresh and aged films can be gradually regulated by the weight ratio of L8BO:Y6. Additionally, the occurrence of melting point decrease and reduced enthalpy in PTzBI-dF:L8BO:Y6 films could prohibit the amorphous phase to cluster, and consequently overcome the energetic traps accumulation aroused by thermal stress, which is a critical issue in high efficiency non-fullerene acceptors-based devices. This work provides insight into understanding non-fullerene acceptors-based organic solar cells for improved efficiency and stability. Energetic traps accumulation aroused by thermal stress is a critical issue in organic solar cells. Here, authors integrate a wide bandgap polymer and two non-fullerene acceptors with different thermal and morphological properties, realizing a promising efficiency of 18.26% and long device stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of 250-kelvin superconducting lanthanum polyhydride under high pressure marked a significant advance toward the realization of a room‐temperature superconductor. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies reveal a nonstoichiometric LaH9.6 or LaH10±δ polyhydride responsible for the superconductivity, which in the literature is commonly treated as LaH10 without accounting for stoichiometric defects. Here, we discover significant nuclear quantum effects (NQE) in this polyhydride, and demonstrate that a minor amount of stoichiometric defects will cause quantum proton diffusion in the otherwise rigid lanthanum lattice in the ground state. The diffusion coefficient reaches ~10−7 cm2/s in LaH9.63 at 150 gigapascals and 240 kelvin, approaching the upper bound value of interstitial hydrides at comparable temperatures. A puzzling phenomenon observed in previous experiments, the positive pressure dependence of the superconducting critical temperature Tc below 150 gigapascals, is explained by a modulation of the electronic structure due to a premature distortion of the hydrogen lattice in this quantum fluxional structure upon decompression, and resulting changes of the electron-phonon coupling. This finding suggests the coexistence of the quantum proton fluxion and hydrogen-induced superconductivity in this lanthanum polyhydride, and leads to an understanding of the structural nature and superconductivity of nonstoichiomectric hydrogen-rich materials. The role of stoichiometric defects in the superconducting polyhydride LaH10±δ has received little attention so far. Here, the authors use molecular-dynamics simulations to show that a small amount of stoichiometric defects will cause quantum proton diffusion in the otherwise rigid lanthanum lattice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this prospective study is to compare the Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) between early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA) patients and healthy controls; and to assess the relationship between CVAI and the bone microstructure using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) in ERA patients. 104 female ERA and 100 age-, gender- and BMI-matched healthy controls were recruited for the comparison of CVAI. All ERA patients were prospectively followed for 1 year. HR-pQCT scan of the distal radius, tibia and second metacarpal head were performed at baseline and after one-year. ERA patients were divided into two sub-groups according to the median CVAI value (65.73) (low CVAI and high CVAI groups). CVAI in the ERA group was significantly higher than the controls group (p = 0.01). At baseline, the high CVAI group had a higher ESR level (p = 0.004) while the cortical volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) was lower (at both the distal radius and tibia, all p < 0.05) compared to the low CVAI group. Linear regression analysis revealed that a higher baseline CVAI was an independent predictor of a lower cortical vBMD at month 12 (distal radius: B = − 0.626, p = 0.022, 95%CI − 1.914 to − 0.153; tibia: B = − 0.394, p = 0.003, 95%CI − 1.366 to − 0.290); and a greater reduction in trabecular vBMD (tibia: B = 0.444, p = 0.001, 95%CI 0.018–0.063; distal radius: B = 0.356, p = 0.008, 95%CI 0.403–0.063). In summary, CVAI is an independent predictor of trabecular bone loss in female patients with ERA, which may be augmented by a chronic inflammatory state in patients with visceral dysfunction of fat metabolism. Trial registration:http://Clinicaltrial.gov no: NCT01768923, 16/01/2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Laparoscopic duodenum-preserving total pancreatic head resection (LDPPHRt) is used for treating benign or low-grade malignant tumors of the pancreatic head. However, preservation of the duodenum and biliary tract integrity remains challenging. We present a new approach for LDPPHRt and evaluate its feasibility and safety. Methods: From April 2020 to December 2020, 30 patients successfully underwent LDPPHRt using the intracapsular approach in our center. Their medical records were reviewed for relevant clinical characteristics, pathologic findings, postoperative complications, and survival. Results: The median diameter of the lesions was 3.6 cm (range, 2.0–5.5 cm). The median operative time was 234.7 min (range, 195–310 min). The median blood loss was 66.7 ml (range, 20–250 ml). The morbidity rate was 26.7%, including POPF, hemorrhage, lymphatic leakage, wound infection, pulmonary infection, and delayed gastric emptying. Five patients developed pancreatic fistula type A, and two patients had type B, classified according to the International Study Group on Pancreatic Fistula. No biliary tract injury or duodenal leakage was observed. The median postoperative hospital stay was 11.5 days (range, 6–25), and the operative mortality rate was 0%. Conclusion: The intracapsular approach is a feasible and safe surgical procedure in LDPPHRt for patients with benign or low-grade malignant tumors, especially those without severe pancreatic head fibrosis or peripancreatic adhesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concrete bridges often undergo the influence of windborne/waterborne debris, vehicle/vessel collision, and rockfall because of frequent seismic activity. Damage due to rockfall impact can influence the properties of the concrete structures and should be considered while investigating the mechanical behavior of a designed structure. In this study, experiments on concrete slabs were conducting by subjecting them to impact velocities ranging from 3.16 to 7.74 to understand the failure of concrete slabs under the low-velocity impact. The length-to-thicknesses (L/T) ratios of the slabs were 12.5:1 and 6.25:1, respectively. A high-velocity camera was used to record the entire process of crack occurrence, development, and destruction in each target slab during the impact process. The failure mechanism and crack distribution in the targets were obtained through the experiments. Assuming that elastoplastic deformation occurred in the slabs and considering the overall deformation characteristics, a method for the calculation of rockfall impact force was developed. Furthermore, a numerical model with a large geometric size was established to simulate and compare impact responses and the maximum impact force. The calculated results have corresponded to the the experiment and analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the clinical value of SBRT for primary lung lesions of EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients with non-oligometastatic disease during first-line EGFR-TKI treatment. Methods: We identified patients with stage IV EGFR-mutant non-oligometastatic NSCLC who were suitable to receive SBRT for the primary tumors after EGFR-TKI treatment. All selected patients were treated with first-line EGFR-TKIs and SBRT for their primary lesions. The primary endpoints were the progression-free survival 1 (PFS1, time of first TKI dose relative to disease progression based on RECIST) and PFS2 (time of first TKI dose relative to disease progression after SBRT). The secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and safety. Results: Seventy-nine patients were enrolled, including 45 patients who received SBRT for their primary tumor at the maximal response of EGFR-TKI (the preemptive RT group) and 34 patients who received SBRT for their primary tumor after the occurrence of oligoprogression (the delayed RT group). The preemptive RT group had a significantly better median PFS1 than the delayed RT group (22.3 months vs. 12.9 months, P = 0.0031). The median PFS2 in the preemptive RT and delayed RT groups were 22.3 and 28.9 months, respectively (P = 0.17). The median OS did not differ significantly between the preemptive RT group and the delayed RT group (46.6 versus 51.3 months, P = 0.54). No severe toxicities (≥ grade 3) were recorded. Conclusion: This real-world study showed that preemptive RT to primary lung tumors is a feasible option for selected patients with EGFR-mutant non-oligometastatic NSCLC who had stable disease during first-line EGFR-TKI treatment, and that it significantly improved PFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparation of cellulose nanofibers or nanocrystals with large-scale by traditional methods is facing a scientific challenge due to the complex technological process, excessive energy consumption and environmental pollution. Herein, the novel holocellulose nanofibers (HNFs) were obtained from different lignocellulosic biomass, including wheat straw, bamboo (Neosinocalamus affinis), hardwood (Populus nigra), and softwood (Monterey pine) by mechanical or TEMPO-mediated oxidation method. Compared with TEMPO-mediated oxidation, HNFs prepared by mechanical method exhibit higher hemicellulose content, well preserved natural structure (a core-shell structure), and high crystallinity. Significantly, the mechanical processing is simple and more suitable for large-scale production. After introducing HNFs, the mechanical property of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film increased dramatically. In particular, the Young's modulus of HNFs/PVA composite film is 25.12 times higher than that of pure PVA. These results suggest that HNFs can be used as versatile reinforcement to construct composite materials with excellent performance. A novel nano-holocellulose could be replace cellulose to construct functional material was prepared by mechanical or TEMPO-mediated oxidation methods from different lignocellulosic biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the intricate interplay of hydraulic coupling, creep damage, and permeability evolution mechanisms in phyllite, focusing on their relevance to tunnel engineering design and long-term stability in soft rock formations. To achieve this, conventional triaxial tests were conducted on saturated phyllite specimens under creep-seepage acoustic emission conditions. The results were systematically analyzed to unveil the inherent characteristics of creep deformation, seepage rate evolution, and damage progression in phyllite when subjected to stress–seepage coupling. Furthermore, a permeability model for representative volume element (RVE) was developed based on meso-mechanics principles, considering the distinctive attributes of low-permeability non-Darcy’s flow in rock. Consequently, a novel relationship between effective damage and permeability was established. We determined that seepage pressure induces three key effects on the creep damage mechanism of phyllite samples: (1) It adds to the existing stress through the superposition of osmotic pressure and axial load, (2) it induces tensile expansion stress because of pore water pressure, and (3) it softens the fracture surfaces to some extent. More importantly, this study validates the relationship between effective damage and permeability through the fitting of creep and damage parameters, which were obtained from the test results, and it reveals a square relationship between subsequent damage and permeability under stress conditions. The findings of this study provide a robust theoretical foundation for comprehending the evolution of damage and permeability characteristics during the creep process of rock under seepage conditions. We obtained essential insights and quantitative analyses for comprehending the damage mechanisms in rock creep under hydraulic coupling, which has significant implications for tunnel engineering and long-term rock stability assessments in soft rock environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QD-LEDs) promise a new generation of efficient, low-cost, large-area and flexible electroluminescent devices. However, the inferior performance of green and blue QD-LEDs compared with their red counterpart is hindering the commercialization of QD-LEDs in display and solid-state lighting applications. Here we demonstrate green and blue QD-LEDs with ~100% conversion of the injected charge carriers into emissive excitons. The key to success is the elimination of electron leakage at the organic/inorganic interface by using hole-transport polymers with simultaneous low electron affinity and reduced energetic disorder. Our devices exhibit high external quantum efficiencies over a wide range of luminance values (peak external quantum efficiencies of 28.7% for green and 21.9% for blue) and excellent stability (extrapolated T95 lifetime is 580,000 h for green and 4,400 h for blue QD-LEDs). We expect our work to provide a general strategy for eliminating charge leakage in solution-processed LEDs featuring organic/inorganic interfaces. A new strategy to reduce charge leakage in quantum-dot light-emitting diodes enables high external quantum efficiencies of 28.7% and 21.9% and excellent T95 lifetimes of 580,000 h and 4,400 h for green and blue devices, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) have an increased risk of suffering thromboembolic events. Vitamin K antagonists (VKA) are recommended as therapy but there is still limited data regarding the efficacy of prescribing non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs). This retrospective study investigates the effectiveness and safety of NOAC administration in patients with HCM and AF. A total of 124 patients with HCM and AF on an oral anticoagulant therapy were recruited between January 2015 and December 2019; these patients were followed up until March 31, 2020. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to compare the clinical outcomes in patients treated with NOACs versus warfarin. The Cox model was used to estimate the risk of clinically relevant bleeding. Our study included 124 patients, of which 48 (38.7%) received warfarin and 76 (61.3%) received NOACs. Survival analysis showed the patients undergoing NOACs had a lower risk of clinically relevant bleeding (log-rank P = 0.039) over a period of 53.6 months. The median time in therapeutic range (TTR) score was 50% (interquartile range: 40.43 to 57.08%). A total of nine patients (18.75%) had a good TTR with a median score of 66.35% (interquartile range: 64.58 to 77.75%). The incidence of death by all causes, cardiovascular death and thromboembolism were similar between NOAC and warfarin-treated patients (log-rank P = 0.239, log-rank P = 0.386, and log-rank P = 0.257, respectively). Patients treated with NOACs showed a significant reduction in the risk of clinical (P = 0.011) and gastrointestinal bleeding (P = 0.032). Cox multiple regression analysis showed age (HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.03–1.24; P = 0.013) and warfarin therapy (HR 7.37, 95% CI 1.63‐33.36; P = 0.010) were independent predictors of clinically relevant bleeding. Compared to warfarin, NOACs were associated with a lower incidence of clinically relevant bleeding in HCM patients with AF, as demonstrated by the similar incidence of death by all causes, cardiovascular death and thromboembolic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to further understand the role of MXene-Ti3C2 in oil–solid synergistic lubrication, three kinds of microporous channel composites, M50, M50-Sn-Ag-Cu and M50-Sn-Ag-Cu-Ti3C2, were designed and prepared in this study. Tribological behaviors under different environmental conditions of oil lubrication and dry friction were analyzed. The results show that M50-Sn-Ag-Cu-Ti3C2 exhibits excellent tribological properties under oil lubrication. Mxene-Ti3C2 enhances the strength of solid lubricant film, so that the oil film can give full play to the antifriction and wear resistance of solid lubricant film. The synergistic effect of lubricating oil, solid lubricants and bionic curved microchannel reduces the friction coefficient and wear rate. The vibration acceleration along the reciprocating direction is also reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of molecular complexity in an atom- and step-efficient manner remains an outstanding goal in modern synthetic chemistry. Artificial biosynthetic pathways are uniquely able to address this challenge by using enzymes to carry out multiple synthetic steps simultaneously or in a one-pot sequence1–3. Conducting biosynthesis ex vivo further broadens its applicability by avoiding cross-talk with cellular metabolism and enabling the redesign of key biosynthetic pathways through the use of non-natural cofactors and synthetic reagents4,5. Here we describe the discovery and construction of an enzymatic cascade to MK-1454, a highly potent stimulator of interferon genes (STING) activator under study as an immuno-oncology therapeutic6,7 (ClinicalTrials.gov study ). From two non-natural nucleotide monothiophosphates, MK-1454 is assembled diastereoselectively in a one-pot cascade, in which two thiotriphosphate nucleotides are simultaneously generated biocatalytically, followed by coupling and cyclization catalysed by an engineered animal cyclic guanosine-adenosine synthase (cGAS). For the thiotriphosphate synthesis, three kinase enzymes were engineered to develop a non-natural cofactor recycling system in which one thiotriphosphate serves as a cofactor in its own synthesis. This study demonstrates the substantial capacity that currently exists to use biosynthetic approaches to discover and manufacture complex, non-natural molecules.Leveraging enzymatic selectivity, a single reaction stream provides a single diastereomer of the cyclic dinucleotide MK-1454, a promising immune-oncology drug candidate, without the use of protecting groups or chiral auxiliaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a digestive tract malignancy with poor prognosis. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) OPA interacting protein 5 antisense RNA 1 (OIP5-AS1) was regarded to be correlated with human malignancy, working as tumor suppressor or promoter on the basis of tumor types. However, the function of OIP5-AS1 in PC remained unclear. Aims: The study focused on the function and regulatory mechanism of OIP5-AS1 in PC. Methods: OIP5-AS1 expression was assessed by the quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) in tumor tissues and PC cell lines. 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays were applied to detect cell proliferation ability. Through wound healing and transwell assays, cell migration and invasion capacities were estimated. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to examine apoptosis capability of PC cells. Results: OIP5-AS1 downregulating inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion capacities, while promoting cell apoptosis rates. As a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA), OIP5-AS1 competed with Forkhead Box M1 (FOXM1) for the binding sites on microRNA-320b (miR-320b). OIP5-AS1 was able to upregulate FOXM1 expression via silencing miR-320b. Furthermore, FOXM1 served as an activator of Wnt/β-catenin pathway and mediated the effect of OIP5-AS1 on Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Conclusion: OIP5-AS1 expedites the proliferative, migrated, and invasive capability of PC cells, while repressing cell apoptosis through regulating miRNA-320b/FOXM1 axis and FOXM1/Wnt/β-catenin pathway in PC. OIP5-AS1 regulation on FOXM1/Wnt/β-catenin pathway may offer novel efficient markers for PC treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We experimentally demonstrate the generation of a flat broadband optical pulse in an Er/Yb co-doped double-clad fiber laser based on the nonlinear polarization rotation by inserting a 15 m highly-nonlinear fiber together with a 30 m single-mode fiber. Through changing the dispersive parameters of the cavity, phase matching is achieved and the efficiency of the four-wave mixing is enhanced. At 2000 mW pump power, the 3 dB bandwidth of the output noise-like pulse reaches ∼140 nm, and the optical spectrum is smooth and flat from 1528.2 to 1667.9 nm, which almost covers the C, L, and U bands. The separation of the neighboring pulses is ∼380.8 ns, and the corresponding repetition rate is ∼2.62 MHz. The output pulse energy is ∼30 nJ, which can be enhanced using an Er/Yb co-doped double-clad fiber laser and high-power pump. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epoxidized Eucommia ulmoides gum (EEUG) with different epoxy contents is prepared by Eucommia ulmoides gum (EUG) to improve its elasticity and expand its applications. Unlike EUG, the crystallinity of EEUG decreases while the thermal stability increases significantly with the increase in epoxidation degree. Furthermore, the silicon dioxide-graphene oxide (SiO2-GO) nanohybrid was prepared by situ hydrolysis, which could play advantages of GO and SiO2 to provide multiple protections to the substrate. In this study, a facile strategy is used to fabricate EUG, EEUG, EUG/SiO2-GO, and EEUG/SiO2-GO films (E, EE, E/SG, and EE/SG) by electrospinning method. The interaction between EEUG and SiO2-GO is beneficial to EE/SG film with better thermal stability, mechanical properties, and chemical stabilities. Importantly, the EE/SG film shows a high ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) value, which indicates its preferable ultraviolet (UV) resistance performance. Therefore, this study provides a feasible strategy for the efficient UV resistance of the green EEUG and is expected to provide new ideas for the fabrication of bio-based multifunctional barrier material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-efficiency and low-cost Zr-based metal–organic frameworks loaded with Co catalyst for the catalytic transfer hydrogenation of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) into 2,5-dihydroxymethylfuran (DHMF) through Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley reduction was developed. A series of Co/UiO-66-NH2 catalysts were synthesised by wet impregnation and reduction using the KBH4 method and characterized by XRD, ICP-OES, XPS, SEM, TEM, BET and TPD techniques. As expected, Co1.6/UiO-66-NH2 displayed high catalytic transfer hydrogenation activity with 92.6% HMF conversion and 95.9% DHMF selectivity at a relatively mild reaction temperature (100 °C) in the presence of isopropanol that served as both hydrogen donor and reaction solvent. The highly dispersed Co species may effectively regulate the acid–base sites of the catalyst, which could be the main reason for the high hydrogenation activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

M50 steel is one of the most widely used high-performance bearing steels, and the tribological properties are related to its service life. In this paper, the dry sliding tribological tests of M50, M50-Sn-Ag-Cu and M50-Sn-Ag-Cu-Ti3C2 against Si3N4 ceramic balls under different loads were carried out. Through the analysis of worn surface and cross section of wear scar, as well as characteristics of friction signal, the causes of frictional noise are discussed, and the influence of Ti3C2 on the frictional noise is revealed. The results show that the addition of Ti3C2 can significantly improve the tribological performance of M50-Sn-Ag-Cu-Ti3C2, reduce the intensity of frictional noise and suppress its high-frequency components. Frictional noise is caused by the system energy dissipation due to the contact surface roughness. The synergistic effect of Ti3C2 and Sn-Ag-Cu makes the lubricant be easily extruded to the contact surface, which will form a protective layer on the worn surface, thus reducing the surface roughness and frictional noise and improving the tribological performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogels with antibacterial activity have attracted more and more attention in the wound dressing area. Here, we developed antibacterial hydrogels directly from cellulose, xylan, and silver nitrate via a three-step process, involving chemical modification, Schiff-base reaction, and green reduction reaction. Amino cellulose (AC) and dialdehyde xylan (DAX) were prepared by chemical modification. Then, they were cross-linked by Schiff-base bonds (C = N bonds) to prepare AC-DAX hydrogels. The crosslinking density and porosity of AC-DAX hydrogels were significantly influenced by the mass ratios of AC to DAX. The AC-DAX-Ag hydrogels were synthesized by the reduction reaction of the C = N bonds without adding additional reductants. The demonstrated AC-DAX hydrogels and AC-DAX-Ag hydrogels showed similar layered surface structure and swelling capacity. In addition, AC-DAX-Ag hydrogels exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against E. coli with an obvious inhibition zone diameter about 0.50 cm. The developed AC-DAX-Ag hydrogels with antibacterial activity represents an attractive alternative to the wound dressing materials toward biomedical area. This work provides new ideas for the fabrication of bio-based antibacterial material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health of the lower basin of the Volta River in Ghana was evaluated in January–February and May–June 2016 using physicochemical parameters and benthic macroinvertebrates sampled at 10 locations. Selected environmental variables were compared to accepted environmental water quality standard values where applicable. Principal component analysis (PCA) and redundancy analysis (RDA) were used to analyse the association between the benthic macroinvertebrates distribution and physicochemical variables. Pesticide concentrations were generally below the limit of detection 0.01 and 0.005 µg/L for organophosphate/synthetic pyrethroid and organochlorines respectively. Nutrient levels were also generally low; however, significant differences existed between the values of physicochemical parameters at the different sampling sites and seasons (Monte Carlo permutation test; p = 0.002), as well as between the abundance of macroinvertebrates at the different sites and seasons (p = 0.002). The environmental variables dissolved oxygen (DO), phosphate, pH, substratum (p < 0.05), turbidity, conductivity, total dissolved solids, total solids and nitrate (0.05 < p < 0.10) significantly explained the variation in macroinvertebrate composition between sampling stations in the Volta River. Polypedilum fuscipenne, was positively correlated with turbidity and DO concentrations; Physa sp., Centroptilum sp., Centroptiloides sp., Phaon iridipennis and juvenile fish were positively correlated with nitrate concentration and pH and negatively correlated with turbidity and DO. Polluted sites were dominated by the snail Lymnaea glabra. This demonstrates that physicochemical parameters and macroinvertebrates could be applied to describe the water quality and improve the biomonitoring for water resources management and the environmental protection in the Lower Volta River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative complication rates after laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) remain high despite improvements in perioperative management. Measurements on computed tomography imaging of intra-abdominal tissue have not been thoroughly investigated as predictors of mortality and morbidity following LPD. The aim of this study was to assess whether the ratio of abdominal depth and body mass index (AD/BMI ratio) could predict postoperative complications following LPD. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 231 patients who underwent LPD and had a computed tomography scan between 2014 and 2018. Demographic, radiologic, and pathologic data were correlated to the occurrence of postoperative complications. Propensity score matching was performed to minimize selection biases associated with the comparison of retrospective data between the high and low AD/BMI ratio groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were also performed to assess the risk factors for postoperative complications. Results: Of the 102 patients identified for propensity score matching analysis, 29 patients (28.4%) experienced postoperative complications. Patients with a high AD/BMI ratio had a higher prevalence of overall complications (45.1% vs. 11.8%, P < 0.001), postoperative pancreatic fistula (17.6% vs. 2.00%, P = 0.008), delayed gastric emptying (33.3% vs. 3.90%, P < 0.001), and intra-abdominal abscess (17.6% vs. 0, P = 0.002). In the multivariate analysis, an AD/BMI ratio greater than 2.7 (m3/[kg·103]; OR = 6.16, 95% confidence interval [1.04–36.4], P = 0.045) was the only independent predictive factor of postoperative complications. Conclusions: The preoperative AD/BMI ratio is a predictor of postoperative complications following LPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) or Nicotinamide-1-ium-1-β-D-ribofuranoside 5′-phosphate is a nucleotide that can be converted into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) in human cells. NMN has recently attracted great attention because of its potential as an anti-aging drug, leading to great efforts for its effective manufacture. The chemical synthesis of NMN is a challenging task since it is an isomeric compound with a complicated structure. The majority of biological synthetic routes for NMN is through the intermediate phosphoribosyl diphosphate (PRPP), which is further converted to NMN by nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt). There are various routes for the synthesis of PRPP from simple starting materials such as ribose, adenosine, and xylose, but all of these require the expensive phosphate donor adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Thus, an ATP regeneration system can be included, leading to diminished ATP consumption during the catalytic process. The regulations of enzymes that are not directly involved in the synthesis of NMN are also critical for the production of NMN. The aim of this review is to present an overview of the biological production of NMN with respect to the critical enzymes, reaction conditions, and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to compare bariatric surgery versus non-surgical treatment on blood pressure for patients with obesity. Nineteen RCTs (1353 total patients) were included. In the pooled analyses, bariatric surgery reduces more systolic blood pressure (WMD: − 3.937 mmHg, CI95%: − 6.000 to − 1.875, p < 0.001, I2 = 0%), diastolic blood pressure (WMD: − 2.690 mmHg, CI95%: − 3.994 to − 1.385, P < 0.001, I2 = 0%) and more antihypertensives. In subgroup analyses, patients after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, with poor control of hypertension (BP > 130/80 mmHg) and diabetes mellitus (HbA1C > 7.0%, FPG > 7.0 mmol/L), elder patients (> 45 years), non-severe obesity (BMI < 40 kg/cm2, body weight < 120 kg), less waist circumference (< 115 cm) tend to decrease more blood pressure. Besides, patients after surgery also lost more weight (p < 0.001), decreased more waist circumference (p < 0.001), fasting plasma glucose (p < 0.001), glycosylated hemoglobin (p < 0.001), triglycerides (p < 0.001), hsCRP (p = 0.001), increased more high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.001), and had better remission of metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001). Changes in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, renal function, resting heart rate, and 6-min walking test were not significantly different. Therefore, bariatric surgery is more effective than non-surgical treatment in controlling patients' blood pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorporation of an additional component into the bulk-heterojunction light-harvesting layer of polymer solar cells has been considered as an effective strategy to enhance photovoltaic performance. Here we demonstrated that the photovoltaic parameters of all-polymer solar cells could be enhanced upon replacing a certain ratio of electron-donating polymer PTzBI-oF with a widely used wide-bandgap polymer donor PM6. The photoluminescent characterizations confirmed the Förster resonance energy transfer from incorporated PM6 to PTzBI-oF. Moreover, the combination of Fourier-transform photocurrent spectroscopy and electroluminescence external quantum efficiencies measurements demonstrated reduced non-radiative recombination energy loss upon the incorporation of PM6, resulting in a slightly enhanced open-circuit voltage of 0.88 V of the ternary cell regarding the binary PTzBI-oF:PFA1 device. The optimized ternary blend devices comprising of PTzBI-oF:PM6:PFA1 presented an impressively high power conversion efficiency of 16.3%, and the efficiency remains 15% on a device with an enlarged effective area of 1 cm2, demonstrating the great potential of these all-PSCs for potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) exhibits high risks of morbidity and mortality. Objective: To investigate the effect of scavenger receptor class A member 5 (SCRAR5) on CRC and its mechanism on modulation of cancer development. Methods: The SCRAR5 expression in four kinds of CRC cell lines (SW620, SW480, HT29, and HCT116) was measured by quantitative PCR and western blotting, respectively. The effects of SCRAR5 abnormal expression on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration were analyzed by CCK-8 assay, EdU assay, colony-forming assay, flow cytometry assay, Transwell assay and wound healing assay, respectively. Meanwhile, the involvements of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway with the role of SCRAR5 were investigated by western blotting. Afterwards, the in vivo effects of SCRAR5 abnormal expression on CRC xenograft mice were finally investigated by evaluating tumor volume, apoptosis and Ki67 expression. Results: SCRAR5 was lowly expressed in CRC cell lines, especially SW480 cells. Up-regulation of SCRAR5 significantly promoted cell apoptosis, reduced cell proliferation and migration in SW480 cells. Notably, SCRAR5 overexpression obviously inhibited the phosphorylation levels of PI3K, AKT, and mTOR. Reversely, SCRAR5 silence exhibited promoting effects on HT29 cells. Consistently, in vivo experiments also revealed that SCRAR5 overexpression remarkably suppressed tumor volume and Ki67 expression, as well as promoted cell apoptosis. Conclusions: Overall, up-regulating of SCRAR5 obviously inhibited CRC tumor growth in vitro and in vivo, which might be related to PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by mussel chemistry, adhesive hydrogels represented by polydopamine (PDA) have been widely studied in many fields such as biomedical applications and bioelectronics. However, the process of producing PDA from dopamine often requires specific conditions, which oxidize some of the effective groups and reduce the adhesion effect. So it is important to develop a simple and effective method for fabrication and application of adhesive hydrogels. In this work, an adhesive hydrogel composed of xylan, polyacrylic acid (PAA) and tannic acid (TA) was developed using a facile approach, which exhibited excellent mechanical and adhesion properties. The xylan and TA both from plants could endow the hydrogels with unique properties such as biocompatibility and biodegradability. Surprisingly, the resultant hydrogels exhibited excellent stretchability (extension ratio up to 4600%) and adhesive strength (up to 25 kPa). Besides, the synthesized hydrogels displayed excellent antioxidant and antibacterial properties, while the scavenging rate of 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical reached to 94.12%. This study provides a new insight for the design of hydrogels with stretchable, adhesive, antioxidant and antibacterial abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PhoPR two-component system, a highly conserved system in corynebacteria and mycobacteria, is involved in the cellular response to environmental stress. When analysing the transcriptomic data of Corynebacterium glutamicum strains under different dissolved oxygen (DO) levels, PhoPR was found to be the most responsive two-component system to DO changes. Here, we systematically investigated the expression of PhoPR in response to different DO levels and its impact on genes related to global regulation and energy metabolism. Using Green fluorescent protein as a reporter, we confirmed that PhoPR was significantly upregulated upon decrease of DO. Through real-time quantitative PCR and electrophoretic mobility shift assay, we found that the effector protein PhoP directly activated glxR (encoding a global regulator), pfk and gapA (encoding the glycolytic enzymes) and ctaD (encoding cytochrome c in the electron transport chain), while downregulated aceE and gltA (encoding the TCA cycle enzymes). Overexpression of phoP or phoR resulted in a decreased intracellular NAD+/NADH ratio and increased intracellular ATP level, consistent with the gene expression changes regulated by PhoP. These results reveal the PhoPR system respond to oxygen deficiency and is responsible for the regulation of pathways involved in the sustainability of the energy levels required under low oxygen conditions. Our findings in this study not only provide new insights into the adaptation pathways of C. glutamicum in response to low oxygen conditions but also identify new possible genetic targets for the construction of the new cell factories aimed toward industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of myricetin derivatives containing sulfonate groups were designed and synthesized. Preliminary antibacterial activity showed that most of the target compounds exhibited significant biological activities against Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. Citri (Xac), Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs), and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae (Xoo). In particular, the EC50 value of compound 3e was 13.76 μg/cm3 against Xac, which was better than commercial reagents bismerthiazol (50.32 µg/cm3) and thiodiazole copper. (83.27 µg/cm3), and the EC50 value of compound 3j was 11.92 μg/cm3 against Xoo in vitro, The result was better than that of bismerthiazol (72.08 µg/cm3) and thiodiazole copper (99.26 µg/cm3). Compound 3j displayed the better in vivo activity against rice bacterial leaf blight than bismerthiazol and thiodiazole copper. Meanwhile, the antibacterial mechanism of compounds 3e and 3j was studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM). These results suggested that myricetin derivatives containing sulfonate can be considered as a new antibacterial reagents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myricetin derivatives containing sulfonylpiperazine were synthesized and their structures were confirmed by NMR and HRMS. The antibacterial activity results indicated that some compounds showed good antibacterial activity against Xanthomonas oryzaepv. oryzae (Xoo), Xanthomonas axonopodispv. citri (Xac) and Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs). Among them, compounds 4m and 4p revealed excellent antibacterial activities against Rs with a concentration for 50% of maximal effect (EC50) value of 4 and 4 μg/mL, which were better than the control drugs bismerthiazol (13 μg/mL) and thiodiazole-copper (185 μg/mL). As observed using scanning electron microscope (SEM), these compounds act by causing folding and deformation of the bacterial surface, resulting in incomplete bacterial structure, so as to achieve the goal of bacteriostasis. The myricetin derivatives synthesized are expected to guide the research direction of new antibacterial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fixed-bed bioreactors packed with macrocarriers show great potential to be used for vaccine process development and large-scale production due to distinguishing features of low shear force, high cell adhering surface area, and easy replacement of culture media in situ. As an initial step of utilizing this type of bioreactors for Pseudorabies virus production (PRV) by African green monkey kidney (Vero) cells, we developed a tube-fixed-bed bioreactor in the previous study, which represents a scale-down model for further process optimization. By using this scale-down model, here we evaluated impacts of two strategies (use of serum-free medium and low cell inoculum density) on PRV production, which have benefits of simplifying downstream process and reducing risk of contamination. We first compared Vero cell cultures with different media, bioreactors and inoculum densities, and conclude that cell growth with serum-free medium is comparable to that with serum-containing medium in tube-fixed-bed bioreactor, and low inoculum density supports cell growth only in this bioreactor. Next, we applied serum-free medium and low inoculum cell density for PRV production. By optimization of time of infection (TOI), multiplicity of infection (MOI) and the harvesting strategy, we obtained total amount of virus particles ~ 9 log10 TCID50 at 5 days post-infection (dpi) in the tube-fixed-bed bioreactor. This process was then scaled up by 25-fold to a Xcell 1-L fixed-bed bioreactor, which yields totally virus particles of 10.5 log10 TCID50, corresponding to ~ 3 × 105 doses of vaccine. The process studied in this work holds promise to be developed as a generic platform for the production of vaccines for animal and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An enduring geological mystery concerns the missing xenon problem, referring to the abnormally low concentration of xenon compared to other noble gases in Earth's atmosphere. Identifying mantle minerals that can capture and stabilize xenon has been a great challenge in materials physics and xenon chemistry. Here, using an advanced crystal structure search algorithm in conjunction with first-principles calculations we find reactions of xenon with recently discovered iron peroxide FeO2, forming robust xenon-iron oxides Xe2FeO2 and XeFe3O6 with significant Xe-O bonding in a wide range of pressure-temperature conditions corresponding to vast regions in Earth's lower mantle. Calculated mass density and sound velocities validate Xe-Fe oxides as viable lower-mantle constituents. Meanwhile, Fe oxides do not react with Kr, Ar and Ne. It means that if Xe exists in the lower mantle at the same pressures as FeO2, xenon-iron oxides are predicted as potential Xe hosts in Earth's lower mantle and could provide the repository for the atmosphere's missing Xe. These findings establish robust materials basis, formation mechanism, and geological viability of these Xe-Fe oxides, which advance fundamental knowledge for understanding xenon chemistry and physics mechanisms for the possible deep-Earth Xe reservoir. The abnormally low concentration of xenon compared to other noble gases in Earth's atmosphere remains debated, as the identification of mantle minerals that can capture and stabilize xenon is challenging. Here, the authors propose that xenon iron oxides could be potential Xe hosts in Earth's lower mantle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Our aim was to investigate the prevalence value of a high-avidity antinuclear antibody (ANA) of the IgG isotype (HA IgG ANA) compared with that of ANAs of other isotypes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to assess the associations of HA IgG ANA with the activity of SLE and lupus nephritis. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical and laboratory data from subjects. Blood samples were acquired from 101 SLE patients, 67 patients with other autoimmune diseases, and 65 healthy donors. The levels of HA IgG ANA and other isotype ANAs were measured by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF). The prevalence and diagnosis value of HA IgG ANA and other antibodies in SLE patient were tested. The advantage of HA IgG ANA compared with HA anti-dsDNA antibodies IgG (HA dsDNA IgG) was verified by ELISA. We monitored the relative avidity indexes (RAIs) of HA IgG ANA and HA dsDNA IgG at 3 time points after the start of treatment in the same individuals with SLE. Results: The prevalence of HA IgG ANA was significantly higher in active cases than in inactive cases of SLE and LN, which is consistent with data for IgG ANAs, anti-dsDNA IgG antibodies, low C3 levels, low C4 levels, and anti-C1q antibodies. HA IgG ANA showed moderate sensitivity and specificity (80% and 81.3%) for discriminating active and inactive SLE cases. However, HA IgG ANA showed no significant differences among the different clinical manifestations of SLE. Compared with that of HA dsDNA IgG, the RAI of HA IgG ANA was positively related to SLEDAI scores after treatment at 0, 1, and 3 months (r = 0.6813, p = 0.0026; r = 0.5972, p = 0.0114; r = 0.4817, p = 0.0474). Conclusions: First, we demonstrated that HA IgG ANA was a reliable diagnostic tool in SLE patients. Furthermore, HA IgG ANA was supposed to be more appropriate for identifying the activity of SLE compared with HA dsDNA IgG. In summary, HA IgG ANA may be a new biomarker for diagnosing SLE and identifying SLE activity. Key Points • We first introduced the concept of a "high-avidity IgG ANA (HA IgG ANA)" that could distinguish between the early stage of SLE and SLE that had been active for some time. • The relative avidity indexes (RAIs) of HA IgG ANA and HA dsDNAIgG were presented and applied here to evaluate the avidities of antibodies involved in SLE. • In our study, we confirmed the value of HA IgG ANA in diagnosing SLE. In addition, HA IgG ANA was more appropriate for identifying the activity of SLE than was HA dsDNA IgG. • In conclusion, HA IgG ANA could be a potential biomarker for the assessment of the prognosis of SLE activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Radio-resistance is recognized as a main factor in the failure of radiotherapy in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Aberrant cell surface glycosylation has been reported to correlate with radio-resistance in different kinds of tumours. However, glycomic alterations and the corresponding enzymes associated with ESCC radio-resistance have not yet been defined. Methods: Two radioresistant cell lines, EC109R and TE-1R, were established from parental ESCC cell lines EC109 and TE-1 by fractionated irradiation. A lectin microarray was used to screen for altered glycan patterns. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was employed to identify differentially expressed glycosyltransferases. Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation and flow cytometry assays were used to measure cell viability and radiosensitivity. Expression of glycosyltransferase in ESCC tissues was assessed by immunohistochemistry. In vivo radiosensitivity was analysed using a nude mouse xenograft model. Downstream effectors of the enzyme were verified using a lectin-based pull-down assay combined with mass spectrometry. Results: We found that EC109R and TE-1R cells were more resistant to irradiation than the parental EC109 and TE-1 cells. Using lectin microarrays combined with RNA sequencing, we found that α1, 6-fucosyltransferase (FUT8) was overexpressed in the radioresistant ESCC cell lines. Both gain- and loss-of-function studies confirmed that FUT8 regulates the sensitivity of ESCC cells to irradiation. Importantly, we found that high FUT8 expression was positively linked to radio-resistance and a poor prognosis in ESCC patients who received radiation therapy. Moreover, FUT8 inhibition suppressed the growth and formation of xenograft tumours in nude mice after irradiation. Using a lectin-based pull-down assay and mass spectrometry, we found that CD147 could be glycosylated by FUT8. As expected, inhibition of CD147 partly reversed FUT8-induced radio-resistance in ESCC cells. Conclusions: Our results indicate that FUT8 functions as a driver of radio-resistance in ESCC by targeting CD147. Therefore, FUT8 may serve as a marker for predicting the response to radiation therapy in patients with ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the mechanical performance of hemicellulose-based hydrogel is an enormous challenge. Here, we propose a new strategy to achieve the hemicellulose-based hydrogels with superior mechanical performance through chain extension and semi-interpenetrating polymeric networks (semi-IPN). Xylan, known as the main type of hemicelluloses in angiosperms, is successfully modified to increase molecular weight by reductive amination reaction, overcoming the major limitation of brittleness. Then, the chemical network is obtained by graft copolymerizing acrylic acid (AA) with cross-linking agent N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) in the presence of chain extended xylan (CEX). With the further introduction of ferric ions, a physical network is constructed via metal–ligand interactions. Such a xylan-based semi-IPN hydrogel shows excellent mechanical properties with a fracture tensile stress of 1.4 MPa, compression stress of 0.59 MPa, and the elongation at break of 1136%. In addition, the hydrogel also exhibits fine water absorbency (213.6 g/g) and high electrical conductivity (4.76 × 10–3 S/m). We anticipate that the resultant xylan-based semi-IPN hydrogels will open up a new approach for the design of high performance hemicellulose-based soft materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objective Apatinib is an oral small molecule anti-angiogenic drug. This phase I study aimed to establish the feasible dose of apatinib in combination with pemetrexed plus carboplatin as first-line therapy for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and anaplasticlymphoma kinase (ALK) negative stage IV non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods Using a 3 + 3 dose-reduction design, patients received oral apatinib at four dose levels: 750 mg qd, 500 mg qd, 500 mg/day two weeks on/one week off schedule (500 mg schedule 2/1) or 250 mg qd. Pemetrexed (500 mg/m2) plus carboplatin (AUG = 5) was administered every three weeks. Maintenance therapy by apatinib or pemetrexed could be carried on until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The feasible dose was determined based on cycle 1 dose-limiting toxicities (DLT); other assessments included safety and antitumor activity according to response evaluation criteria in solid tumors. Result A total of twelve patients were enrolled and cycle 1 DLTs were observed in two patients at 750 mg qd dosage of apatinib (both Grade 3 hypertension), two patients at 500 mg qd (Grade 3 hypertension and Grade 3 hand-foot syndrome), and only one of six patients at 500 mg/day schedule 2/1 (Grade 3 hypertension). The most frequently drug-related adverse events (AEs) were hematological toxicity, hypertension, hand-foot syndrome, and hepatic transaminases elevation. Partial response was observed in four patients of eleven evaluable patients (objective response rate 36.4%), and six patients exhibited stable disease (disease control rate 90.9%). Conclusion In patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC, the feasible dose of apatinib given with standard-dose pemetrexed and carboplatin was 500 mg/day schedule 2/1. The schedule was generally well tolerated and demonstrated promising clinical benefit in NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile, green and economical method for the high-efficiency utilization and functionalization of bamboo fiber could significantly improve the development of biomass industries. Here, we demonstrated a deep eutectic solvent, which formed from choline chloride (ChCl) and lactic acid (LC), as pretreating agent to delignify moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) and produce nanocellulose. The results showed that most of the lignin was efficiently removed (94.39%) and 91% of the cellulose was recovered after the moso bamboo was pretreated with ChCl–LC at 120 °C for 3 h with a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:25. Furthermore, nanofibers with widths of 20–80 nm were successfully prepared from pretreated fibers after a simple mechanical process. SEM and AFM images showed that they have excellent aspect ratio. In addition, the obtained nanofibers could be used to fabricate strong films which feature a high tensile strength ranged from 163 to 213 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Emerging evidence has shown that lipid metabolism plays important roles in the occurrence and progression of CRC. The identification of potential biomarkers for CRC progression is critical for precise diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the potential lipid markers in relation to CRC progression. The plasma of patients with stage I/II CRC (n = 20) and stage III/IV CRC (n = 20) was collected. Lipidomic screening was performed by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. After multivariate data analysis, including orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis, determination of the fold change, and the Mann–Whitney U test, eight lipid species with altered levels with p < 0.05 and fold change greater than 2 were selected as potential lipid biomarkers. Compared with patients with early-stage CRC, patients with advanced-stage CRC showed significantly higher levels of cholesteryl ester (20:4) and some triglycerides with a saturated fatty acid chain and a lower level of fatty acid ester of hydroxy fatty acid 27:1 (9:0-18:1) in plasma. Furthermore, the receiver operating characteristic including these potential lipid biomarkers yielded a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 80% for separation of early-stage CRC patients from advanced-stage CRC patients. In all, this is the first report showing that the levels of triglycerides, the major contents of lipid droplets, increase in plasma of advanced-stage CRC patients compared with early-stage CRC patients. These data indicate that lipid droplets may be target organelles for the study of CRC progression and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A functional biopolymer was synthesized by introducing stearic acid (SA) to the backbone of xylan (X) obtained from viscose fiber mills. The SA–X derivatives were characterized by various tests for analysis of the functional properties. Effects on the esterification conditions including molar ratio, time and temperature were discussed, and the degree of substitution (DS) was in the range of 0.34–1.54. SA–X nanoparticles (SA–X NPs) were synthesized by dialysis, and the average particle size of the NPs was about 194 nm. Ketoprofen (KPF) was chosen as a hydrophobic model drug for the loading function evaluation, and the final encapsulation efficiency was about 64%. The KPF release profile in buffer standard solution with pH 11.0 and 2.0 were tested, and the final released amount were 43.6% and 53.8%, respectively. Thus, the fabrication of functional SA–X NPs provided a new way to improve the unreasonable application of factory biopolymer by-products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]