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Asphalt pavement exhibits different dynamic responses to vehicle loading in different conditions. It is essential to conduct field full-scale tests to systematically investigate the comprehensive influence of various factors on the dynamic response of asphalt pavement. Based on accelerated pavement testing (APT), this paper presents research on the effects of several factors on the dynamic response of semi-rigid base pavement and fatigue damage of the asphalt layer. The factors include groundwater level, vehicle speed, wheel–ground contact pressure, and temperature. The results show that the amplitudes of vertical stress, vertical strain, and transverse strain decreased with the rise of groundwater level, while the amplitude of longitudinal strain increased. The amplitudes of three-dimensional strain and vertical stress increased with the increase in the wheel–ground contact pressure and temperature, and the decrease in the vehicle speed. Based on the controlled environment-multiaxial loading facility (CE-MLF) system, a dynamic response prediction model of coupled vehicle speed and temperature was established. Based on the natural environment-automatically loaded track (NE-ALT) system, a dynamic response prediction model of coupled vehicle speed and wheel–ground contact pressure was established. According to the dynamic response results, the fatigue life of the upper layer of two test roads was calculated. The fatigue life increased slightly with the increase in the test temperature and speed in the CE-MLF system. In the NE-ALT system, the fatigue life decreased with the increase in the wheel–ground contact pressure and the decrease in speed. Therefore, the coupling effect of speed, wheel–ground contact pressure, and temperature should be considered in evaluating the fatigue life of the asphalt layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to introduce a new classification system for paediatric femoral neck fractures (PFNFs) and to evaluate its reliability. Methods: Two hundred and eight unilateral PFNFs (mean patient age: 9.0 ± 4.8 years) were included. Based on preoperative radiographs, the new classification system distinguished PFNFs without anterior or posterior translation (Type I), PFNFs with anterior (Type II) or posterior (Type III) translation, PFNFs with a comminuted medial or posterior column (Type IV), and subtrochanteric femoral fractures (SFFs; Type V). Radiographs were evaluated twice with an interval of two weeks by 19 raters with different specialties, experiences and geographical origins. The results were compared with a selection of 50 patient age-matched unilateral PFNFs and SFFs (mean patient age: 9.1 ± 4.9 years). These were graded twice by the same graders according to the Delbet-Colonna (D-C) classification. Results: Four radiologists and 15 paediatric orthopaedic surgeons from Europe and Asia graded the radiographs. Fair agreement was found between radiologists (κ = 0.296 ± 0.01) and surgeons (κ = 0.3 ± 0.005) (P = 0.17), although more experienced surgeons performed better than less experienced ones; a similar fair assessment was found for raters from Europe (κ = 0.309 ± 0.021) and Asia (κ = 0.3 ± 0.006) and for type II, III and IV fractures; the κ value in the first evaluation (0.309) was similar to that in the second evaluation (0.298). The overall κ value of the D-C classification subtypes was significantly higher (0.599 ± 0.217) than that of the new classification, 0.326 ± 0.162 (t = 3.190 P = 0.005). Conclusions: The new classification system showed fair reliability relative to the D-C classification. The reliability of the new classification system was not affected by the specialty or geographic origin of the rater or the evaluation round, only by rater experience level. The concordance was worse for PFNFs with anterior or posterior translation or with a comminuted medial or posterior columns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The previous technology-centric development of smart cities mainly focuses on the numbers, diversities, and types of applied intelligent technologies, while the citizen-centric smart city has become an important paradigm for improving the sustainability of cities around the world. The citizens' sense of gain (CSG), which considers both material acquisition and spiritual feelings of smart city services, is thus proposed and regarded as one of the core orientations in the smart cities' transformation development process from the centric of advanced technology applied to the centric of citizen subjective perception. To shift smart cities from being technology-centric to citizen-centric, it is critical to identify the factors influencing CSG and develop appropriate strategies to enhance CSG in smart cities. Hence, this work identifies 17 key CSG influencing factors based on the dimensions dissected from the definition of CSG and it further formulates 15 strategies for enhancing CSG by adopting the SWOT-AHP-TOWS method based on data collected from Nanjing citizens. The results indicate that the most important criteria for enhancing CSG in smart cities are the external opportunities, which are originated from citizens' attitudes and behaviors, and the top-ranked strategy is "dividing smart infrastructure into different categories according to the hierarchy needs of citizens and promoting the synergy development of smart infrastructure within and among different categories". Finally, four implications are proposed, including (i) strengthening publicity and encouraging citizen participation, (ii) clarifying the responsibilities of local governments, (iii) prioritizing citizens' needs, and (iv) promoting age-friendly, vulnerable-friendly, and environmental-friendly development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archimedes optimization algorithm (AOA) is a new meta-heuristic algorithm which is based on Archimedes principle and mimics the buoyancy force received by an object in water. The AOA is designed according to physical principles and has been the object of many scholars' research because of its simple and reliable performance. In the course of the study, this paper finds that the AOA is flawed. In the iterative update of the algorithm, the buoyancy principle applied to the object is not completely followed. Through the investigation and analysis of this problem, it is found that the algorithm design which follows the buoyancy principle completely is more advantageously and persuasively, and named the corrected algorithm CAOA. The performance of the CAOA and other comparison optimization algorithms is tested in benchmark functions CEC2017 under equal conditions to verify the ideas proposed in this paper. In the solution accuracy with dimensions of 30 and 50, the comprehensive score of the CAOA is 31 and 33 and ranks first in all algorithms. In the statistical analysis, the CAOA compared with other algorithms one by one, and achieved the best results in all test functions. When compared with other algorithms, the CAOA ranked first. It is hoped that the verification of the ideas in this paper will help the AOA to develop better and optimize the development of the algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the specific geometry and gesture of the diamond grains into consideration, a novel simulation model to predict the machined surface topography in grinding of superalloy (GH4169) is presented, where the arrangements of abrasive grains and the plowing induced pile-up ridges are also integrated. Based on the designed surface topography of the grains arrayed brazed diamond wheels, the grinding wheel was firstly reconstructed according to the following factors of the abrasive grains, including the shape, dimension, protrusion height, attitude, and position. In accordance with the kinematics of the grains, the pile-up ridges corresponding to the real-time depth of cut were then achieved, and the superposition resulting from the interference of successive abrasive particles was thoroughly discussed to simulate the final ground topography accurately. Finally, the grinding experiments at the selected parameters were undertaken to verify the proposed model, where the measured and simulated surface topography and the surface statistics (Sa, Sq) were investigated and compared. The favorable accordance between the simulated and experimental results indicated the accuracy and the practicability of the proposed model for optimizing the grain arrangement in the diamond wheel design and improving the grinding surface uniformity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By introducing some parameters perturbed by white noises, we propose a class of stochastic inertial neural networks in random environments. Constructing two Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals, we establish the mean-square exponential input-to-state stability on the addressed model, which generalizes and refines the recent results. In addition, an example with numerical simulation is carried out to support the theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common and most lethal malignant tumors in the world. Microvascular invasion (MVI) is a major risk factor for survival outcomes and intrahepatic metastasis after resection in patients with HCC. Relevant English literatures retrieved using PubMed on the research progress of MVI in patients with HCC were reviewed. For HCC patients, especially those with MVI, it is very important to develop a comprehensive and sequential treatment plan to support the long-term survival of patients. This manuscript reviewed and analyzed the risk factors for MVI; the preoperative prediction of MVI, which informs the selection of surgical strategies; and the current situation and future direction of comprehensive postoperative treatment strategies; to provide a basis for the comprehensive treatment of HCC patients with MVI. For HCC patients with MVI, the preoperative prediction of MVI may play a certain guiding role in planning procedures, and the comprehensive sequential postoperative pathological detection of HCC MVI may provide a basis for treatment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal stability of lead-free perovskite ceramics (1-x)Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-x(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 (BZT–xBCT) is enhanced greatly by co-sintering different combinations in rhombohedral phase (R phase), tetragonal phase (T phase) and morphotropic phase boundary (MPB), respectively. By co-sintering the mixture of BZT–0.2BCT (R) and BZT–0.8BCT (T) powders with molar ratio of 1:1 at the optimized condition of 1250 °C for 2 h, its thermal stability is increased by 46% compared with the recognized ceramic of BZT–0.5BCT (MPB). Furthermore, the ceramic obtained by co-sintering the mixture of BZT–0.2BCT, BZT–0.5BCT and BZT–0.8BCT powders with molar ratio of 1:1:1 shows the further improved thermal stability by 63% compared with the recognized ceramic of BZT–0.5BCT. The finding reveals that co-sintering different phases to enhance the thermal stability of ceramics may provide a broad prospect for the application of lead-free perovskite ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore which preoperative clinical data and conventional MRI findings may indicate microvascular invasion (MVI) of combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CCA) and have clinical significance.Methods: The study enrolled 113 patients with histopathologically confirmed cHCC-CCA (MVI-positive group [n = 56], MVI-negative group [n = 57]). Two radiologists retrospectively assessed the preoperative MRI features (qualitative analysis of morphology and dynamic enhancement features), and each lesion was assigned according to the LI-RADS. Preoperative clinical data were also evaluated. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess the relative value of these parameters as potential predictors of MVI. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates after hepatectomy in the two groups were estimated using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and compared using the log-rank test.Results: The majority of cHCC-CCAs were categorized as LR-M. On multivariate analysis, a higher serum AFP level (OR, 0.523; 95% CI, 0.282-0.971; p = 0.040), intratumoral fat deposition (OR, 14.368; 95% CI, 2.749-75.098; p = 0.002), and irregular arterial peritumoral enhancement (OR, 0.322; 95% CI, 0.164-0.631; p = 0.001) were independent variables associated with the MVI of cHCC-CCA. After hepatectomy, patients with MVI of cHCC-CCA showed earlier recurrence than those without MVI (hazard ratio [HR], 0.402; 95% CI, 0.189-0.854, p = 0.013).Conclusion: A higher serum AFP level and irregular arterial peritumoral enhancement are potential predictive biomarkers for the MVI of cHCC-CCA, while intratumoral fat detected on MRI suggests a low risk of MVI. Furthermore, cHCC-CCAs with MVI may have worse surgical outcomes with regard to early recurrence than those without MVI.Key Points: • Higher serum levels of AFP combined with irregular arterial peritumoral enhancement are independent risk factors for the MVI of cHCC-CCA, while fat deposition might be a protective factor. • cHCC-CCA with MVI may have a higher risk of early recurrence after surgery. • Most cHCC-CCAs were categorized as LR-M in this study, and no significant difference was found in MVI based on LI-RADS category. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the dynamical Casimir–Polder force on a two-level atom with different initial states in the one-dimensional dielectric cavity with output coupling, and obtain the analytical expression of the expectation value of dynamical Casimir–Polder force. Results show that the expectation values of dynamical Casimir–Polder force may be affected by the initial states of the atom. Moreover, the expectation value of Casimir–Polder force may vanish at some special atomic positions by properly selecting the initial state of the system. The effects of different relative dielectric constants and the cavity size on the expectation value of Casimir–Polder force are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering stochastic perturbations of white and color noises, we introduce the Markov switched stochastic Nicholson-type delay system with patch structure. By constructing a traditional Lyapunov function we show that solutions of the addressed system are not only positive, but also do not explode to infinity in finite time and, in fact, are ultimately bounded. Then we estimate its ultimate boundedness, moment, and Lyapunov exponent. Finally, we present an example of numerical simulations to verify theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to develop a radiomics-based model derived from gadoxetic acid-enhanced MR images to preoperatively identify cytokeratin (CK) 19 status of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods: A cohort of 227 patients with single HCC was classified into a training set (n = 159) and a time-independent validated set (n = 68). A total of 647 radiomic features were extracted from multi-sequence MR images. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and decision tree methods were utilized for feature selection and radiomics signature construction. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating clinico-radiological features and the fusion radiomics signature was built for prediction of CK19 status by evaluating area under curve (AUC).Results: In the whole cohort, 57 patients were CK19 positive and 170 patients were CK19 negative. By combining 11 and 6 radiomic features extracted in arterial phase and hepatobiliary phase images, respectively, a fusion radiomics signature achieved AUCs of 0.951 and 0.822 in training and validation datasets. The final combined model integrated a-fetoprotein levels, arterial rim enhancement pattern, irregular tumor margin, and the fusion radiomics signature, with a sensitivity of 0.818 and specificity of 0.974 in the training cohort and that of 0.769 and 0.818 in the validated cohort. The nomogram based on the combined model showed satisfactory prediction performance in training (C-index 0.959) and validation (C-index 0.846) dataset.Conclusions: The combined model based on a fusion radiomics signature derived from arterial and hepatobiliary phase images of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI can be a reliable biomarker for CK19 status of HCC.Key Points: • Arterial rim enhancement pattern and irregular tumor margin on hepatobiliary phase on gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI can be useful for evaluating CK19 status of HCC. • A radiomics-based model performed better than the clinico-radiological model both in training and validation datasets for predicting CK19 status of HCC. • The nomogram based on the fusion radiomics signature can be easily used for CK19 stratification of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: A new type of protein nanostructure as a chemodynamic therapy nanoagent was fabricated via proper assembling and crosslinking techniques. The as-fabricated nanostructures could cross the blood–brain barrier, possessing excellent long circulating times and accumulation properties at the tumor site. The RBC@Hb@GOx NPs can be regarded as ‘pure particles of drugs,’ which can produce toxic reactive oxygen species to inhibit the growth of orthotopic brain tumor.Glioblastoma (GBM) remains a formidable challenge in oncology. Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) that triggers tumor cell death by reactive oxygen species (ROS) could open up a new door for GBM treatment. Herein, we report a novel CDT nanoagent. Hemoglobin (Hb) and glucose oxidase (GOx) were employed as powerful CDT catalysts. Instead of encapsulating the proteins in drug delivery nanocarriers, we formulate multimeric superstructures as self-delivery entities by crosslinking techniques. Red blood cell (RBC) membranes are camouflaged on the protein superstructures to promote the delivery across blood–brain barrier. The as-prepared RBC@Hb@GOx nanoparticles (NPs) offer superior biocompatibility, simplified structure, and high accumulation at the tumor site. We successfully demonstrated that the NPs could efficiently produce toxic ROS to kill U87MG cancer cells in vitro and inhibit the growth of GBM tumor in vivo, suggesting that the new CDT nanoagent holds great promise for treating GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the correlation between avascular necrosis (AVN) and the amount (severity) and direction (translation and angulation) of initial displacement of pediatric femoral neck fractures.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 108 pediatric patients (mean age 10.3 ± 4.1 years) with femoral neck fractures. The amount of initial translation (T) and angulation (A) was measured on anteroposterior (AP; TAP% and AAP) and lateral (TL% and AL) radiographs. The direction of translation was determined on AP (medial or lateral) and lateral radiographs (anterior or posterior). Furthermore, the presence of a comminuted medial cortex on the AP pelvis radiograph was also recorded. Logistic regression analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, student's t tests, and chi-square tests were used to evaluate the correlation between AVN and the severity and direction of displacement.Results: Twenty-eight out of 108 hips (25.9%) developed AVN of the femoral head. Logistical regression analysis indicated that TAP%, TL%, AAP, and AL were risk factors for AVN (P < 0.05). The analysis of ROC curves found that TAP% over 37.4% and TL% over 29% were the cut-off values for an increased incidence of AVN; similarly, AAP over 8° and AL over 18.6° were the cut-off values for an increased incidence of AVN. The amount of initial translation is a better predictor of AVN than angulation is; fractures with posterior translation (P = 0.002) and/or medial comminution had a significantly higher incidence of AVN (P = 0.005). The mean diagnostic accuracy of translation (74-75%) was significantly higher than that of angulation (65-66%).Conclusions: Displacement severity and direction are important radiological parameters to be assessed in children with femoral neck fractures. Initial translation better predicts AVN than angulation does. Posterior translation and medial comminution are associated with an increased risk of AVN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of dilute Co doping on the epitaxial growth of GdBCO films was investigated by self-developed fluorine-free polymer-assisted metal-organic deposition (PA-MOD) method. Under the same sintering heat treatment, dilute Co doping dramatically improved the crystallinity, microstructure, and critical current density (Jc) of GdBCO films. High Jc of 4.0 MA/cm2 at 77 K and self-field was obtained in Co-doped film after only sintering for 30 min, which is eight times of the Jc for the undoped film. Also, Co-doped GdBCO film sintered for as short as 20 min still possesses a high Jc of 1.5 MA/cm2, whereas the Jc is 0 for the similarly sintered pure film. These results suggest that dilute Co doping facilitates the epitaxial growth of the high-performance GdBCO film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This papers investigates device approaches towards the confinement of acoustic modes in unreleased UHF MEMS resonators. Acoustic mode confinement is achieved using specially designed mechanically coupled acoustic cavities known as acoustic Bragg Grating Coupler structures to spatially localize the vibration energy within the resonators and thereby improve the motional impedance (Rx) and mechanical quality factor (Q). This enhancement in the mechanical response is demonstrated with numerical simulations using distinct unreleased resonator technologies involving dielectric transduction mechanisms. These initial investigations show improvements in the Q as well as enhanced vibrational amplitudes within the resonator domains (i.e. translating to improved Rx values) in the case of coupled cavities as opposed to single cavity designs. An initial approach to fabricate the devices in a CMOS compatible dual-trench technology are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the aircraft skin is assembled by riveted structural parts, and the riveted holes are prone to cracks due to stress concentration, so it is urgent to carry out non-destructive testing research on aircraft riveted components. In this paper, a planar remote-field eddy current focusing detection probe was designed to study the hidden defects around the holes of aircraft riveted components, and a 3D simulation model was established for the detection of hidden defects in aircraft riveted components. The structural parameters of the focused remote-field eddy current probe were optimized by combining simulation and experiment, and the planar remote-field eddy current focusing detection test was carried out. The simulation and results showed that: When the inclination angle of the excitation coil is 10° and the coil spacing is 0 mm, the optimized focused remote-field eddy current probe can effectively detect the defect in length × width × depth of 10 mm × 0.2 mm × 1 mm under the buried depth of 9 mm. When the buried depth of the defect is 6–9 mm, the focused remote-field eddy current probe has a better detection capability than the non-focused remote-field eddy current probe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological methods are important for flow visualization, and many of them involve the detection and classification of critical points. Traditionally, the critical points are detected and classified by error-prone numerical methods, until Bhatia et al. (Topological methods in data analysis and visualization III, Springer, 2014) proposed the robust method for detecting simplices containing critical points. In this paper, we will extend Bhatia's idea to compute the Poincaré index of critical points in piecewise linear vector fields. All kinds of simplical complexes are considered, including 2D/3D triangulated meshes, and also triangulated surfaces. We test our algorithm on both synthetic and simulation data sets, which show the efficiency and accuracy of our methods. Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we conducted investigations in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary and adjacent waters (CREAW) in June and November of 2014. We collected water samples from different depths to analyze the nitrogen isotopic compositions of nitrate, nutrient concentrations (including inorganic N, P, and Si), and other physical and biological parameters, along with the vertical distribution and seasonal variations of these parameters. The compositions of nitrogen isotope in nitrate were measured with the denitrifier method. Results show that the Changjiang River diluted water (CDW) was the main factor affecting the shallow waters (above 10 m) of the CREAW, and CDW tended to influence the northern areas in June and the southern areas in November. $$\delta ^{15} N_{NO_3 } $$ values in CDW ranged from 3.21‰-3.55‰. In contrast, the deep waters (below 30 m) were affected by the subsurface water of the Kuroshio Current, which intruded into the waters near 31°N in June. The $$\delta ^{15} N_{NO_3 } $$ values of these waters were 6.03‰-7.6‰, slightly higher than the values of the Kuroshio Current. Nitrate assimilation by phytoplankton in the shallow waters of the study area varied seasonally. Because of the favorable temperature and nutrient conditions in June, abundant phytoplankton growth resulted in harmful algae blooms (HABs). Therefore, nitrate assimilation was strong in June and weak in November. The $$\delta ^{15} N_{NO_3 } $$ fractionations caused by assimilation of phytoplankton were 4.57‰ and 4.41‰ in the shallow waters in June and November, respectively. These results are consistent with previous laboratory cultures and in situ investigations. Nitrification processes were observed in some deep waters of the study area, and they were more apparent in November than in June. The fractionation values of nitrification ranged from 24‰-25‰, which agrees with results for Nitrosospira tenuis reported by previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological methods are important tools for data analysis, and recently receiving more and more attention in vector field visualization. In this paper, we give an introductory description to some important topological methods in vector field visualization. Besides traditional methods of vector field topology, space-time method and finite-time Lyapunov exponent, we also include in this survey Hodge decomposition, combinatorial vector field topology, Morse decomposition, and robustness, etc. In addition to familiar numerical techniques, more and more combinatorial tools emerge in vector field visualization. The numerical methods often rely on error-prone interpolations and interpolations, while combinatorial techniques produce robust but coarse features. In this survey, we clarify the relevant concepts and hope to guide future topological research in vector field visualization. Graphical abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using the Krasnoselskii fixed point theorem in a cone, we investigate the existence of two positive periodic solutions of the generalized delay differential neoclassical growth model with periodic coefficients and delays. Moreover, we give an example to demonstrate the theoretical result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competitive sports analysis is a popular and valuable research topic in recent years. Sports are competitive, fast paced, and teamwork based. In this article, we introduce a generalized and effective system MatchOrchestra to analyze competitive team sports based on musical score and orchestra metaphor. MatchOrchestra provides views about player performance, team status, match tempo, player cooperation and confrontation, which can help analysts in performing specific analysis tasks. To demonstrate the usability of our proposed system, representative case studies were conducted on an NBA (National Basketball Association) game and also extend to apply in football match, which are both typical competitive sports matches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium humate was oxidized with nitric acid to obtain fulvic acid (FA), which was further quaternized to obtain quaternary fulvic acid (QFA). QFA-intercalated saponite (QFA-saponite) was prepared ultrasonically. Thermoplastic poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/quaternary fulvic acid-intercalated saponite nanocomposites were prepared by melt intercalation technique. The morphology and dispersion of QFA-saponite were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Mechanical properties, thermal stability and crystallization behavior of PLA/QFA-saponite nanocomposites were also tested. Results showed a predominantly flocculated structure and partially intercalated morphology for QFA-saponite. Mechanical testing and thermogravimetric analysis showed that the tensile strength, impact properties, and thermostability of PLA/QFA-saponite nanocomposites improved significantly compared to pure PLA. Differential scanning calorimetry results showed that crystallinity of PLA increased from 22.5 to 68.3 % on addition of QFA-saponite. Polarized optical microscopy showed QFA-saponite as a nucleating agent for PLA that enhanced its crystallization rate. Rotational rheological behaviors of PLA/QFA-saponite nanocomposites demonstrated that incorporation of QFA-saponite increased rigidity of the network structure in PLA matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is concerned with periodic solutions of a model of gene regulatory system with time-varying coefficients and delays. We establish some sufficient conditions for the existence, positivity, and permanence of solutions, which help to derive the global exponential stability of positive periodic solutions for this model. Our method depends on differential inequality technique and Lyapunov functional. At last, we give an example and its numerical simulations to verify theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy density of fuel is an important issue for advanced aircrafts and spacecrafts. Exo-tetrahydrotricyclopentadiene (exo-THTCPD) is a promising high-energy density fuel candidate with many desirable properties, including high volumetric energy content (43.2 MJ/L), high density (1.04 g/mL) and low freezing point (<−40 °C). In this work, we demonstrated the first example of one-pot catalytic synthesis of exo-THTCPD directly from dicyclopentadiene (DCPD). The whole procedure was fulfilled in one-pot by three steps. First, tricyclopentadiene (TCPD) was prepared directly from the dissociation-recombination of DCPD at 200 °C. Then the reaction mixture (the majority is TCPD, mixed with small amount of DCPD and tetracyclopentadiene) was saturated using supported noble metal catalysts at 150 °C under 4.0 MPa H2. Finally, the hydrogenated mixture was treated by AlCl3-catalytic isomerization at 15 °C. Like most synthesis processes, fractional distillation was needed to obtain the final product of exo-THTCPD. Compared with previous routes, the new protocol has many advantages such as one-pot, high concentration, less solvents, low catalyst loading, short reaction time, etc, and therefore showed great potential for industrial applications. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed study of the structural, electronic, and optical absorption properties of crystalline 1,4-dinitrofurazano[3,4-b]piperazine (DNFP) under hydrostatic pressures of 0-100 GPa was performed using periodic density functional theory. As the pressure increases, the lattice constants and cell volumes calculated by LDA gradually approach those obtained by GGA-PW91. It was found that the structure of DNFP is much stiffer in the b direction than along the a and c axes, indicating that the compressibility of the crystal is anisotropic. As the pressure increases, the band gap gradually decreases, and this decrease is more pronounced in the low-pressure range than in the high-pressure region. An analysis of the density of states showed that the electronic delocalization in DNFP gradually increases under the influence of pressure. DNFP exhibits relatively high optical activity at high pressure. As the pressure increases, the bands in the fundamental absorption region of the absorption spectrum of DNFP become more numerous and intense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-dimensional braided gold nanowires with 40-50 nm in width and several micrometers in length which were fabricated by using cationic gemini surfactant hexamethylene-1,6-bis (dodecyl dimethylammonium bromide) (CCCBr). Through simply regulating the mole ratio of CCCBr to HAuCl, the morphology of the gold products changed into nanoparticles and nanowires. The CryoTEM images indicated that the CCCBr/HAuCl mixture formed spherical or fibrillar aggregates depending on the mole ratio of CCCBr to HAuCl, which performed as the versatile templates for morphology-controlled synthesis of the multiple gold nanomaterials. The HRTEM and SAED results suggested the nanowires and braided nanowires were polycrystalline. The gold nanostructure displayed a time-dependent growth process, i.e., first the nanoparticles arranged in one dimension, and then assembled into nanowires. Therefore, a template-directed aggregation and fusion process of nanoparticles is proposed for the formation of the one-dimensional gold nanomaterials. The braided nanowires exhibited a higher catalytic activity in the reduction of p-nitroaniline than that of the nanowires. This gemini surfactant-based template provides a versatile strategy for the morphology-controlled synthesis of gold nanomaterials, and may be applied for the synthesis of other noble-metal nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to construct a numerical simulation model that can reflect the bedding structure of real shale samples, CT scanning and digital image processing were utilized to analyze the intricate internal structure of the shale. By integrating this information with RFPA3D finite element software, a 3D non-uniform numerical model that can accurately represent the shale bedding structure was built and simulated for direct tensile tests. The experimental findings demonstrated that shale possesses noticeable anisotropic properties with regard to tensile strength. Two distinct modes of damage were observed in shale specimens subjected to uniaxial tensile loading: tensile damage along the bedding plane and damage occurring perpendicular to the bedding plane. The spatial distribution characteristics of the acoustic emission points better reflect the damage pattern of the specimen, and the acoustic emission counting evolution characteristics are closely related to the damage process of the specimen. These research findings shed light on the fracture damage mechanism of shale formations, thereby contributing to a better understanding of the engineering stability evaluation for rock bodies. Furthermore, they offer a novel perspective for investigating the evolution of damage in rock particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: A new type of protein nanostructure as a chemodynamic therapy nanoagent was fabricated via proper assembling and crosslinking techniques. The as-fabricated nanostructures could cross the blood–brain barrier, possessing excellent long circulating times and accumulation properties at the tumor site. The RBC@Hb@GOx NPs can be regarded as 'pure particles of drugs,' which can produce toxic reactive oxygen species to inhibit the growth of orthotopic brain tumor. Glioblastoma (GBM) remains a formidable challenge in oncology. Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) that triggers tumor cell death by reactive oxygen species (ROS) could open up a new door for GBM treatment. Herein, we report a novel CDT nanoagent. Hemoglobin (Hb) and glucose oxidase (GOx) were employed as powerful CDT catalysts. Instead of encapsulating the proteins in drug delivery nanocarriers, we formulate multimeric superstructures as self-delivery entities by crosslinking techniques. Red blood cell (RBC) membranes are camouflaged on the protein superstructures to promote the delivery across blood–brain barrier. The as-prepared RBC@Hb@GOx nanoparticles (NPs) offer superior biocompatibility, simplified structure, and high accumulation at the tumor site. We successfully demonstrated that the NPs could efficiently produce toxic ROS to kill U87MG cancer cells in vitro and inhibit the growth of GBM tumor in vivo, suggesting that the new CDT nanoagent holds great promise for treating GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focusing on delay differential neoclassical growth model in random environments, we introduce the stochastic model to describe the dynamics of the long-run behavior of the economy with a parameter perturbed by white noises. We prove that the global positive solution exists uniquely and estimate its ultimate boundedness in mean and sample Lyapunov exponent. Finally, some numerical tests are given to illustrate theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Microvascular invasion (MVI) is a critical determinant of the early recurrence and poor prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Prediction of MVI status is clinically significant for the decision of treatment strategies and the assessment of patient's prognosis. A deep learning (DL) model was developed to predict the MVI status and grade in HCC patients based on preoperative dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and clinical parameters. Methods: HCC patients with pathologically confirmed MVI status from January to December 2016 were enrolled and preoperative DCE-MRI of these patients were collected in this study. Then they were randomly divided into the training and testing cohorts. A DL model with eight conventional neural network (CNN) branches for eight MRI sequences was built to predict the presence of MVI, and further combined with clinical parameters for better prediction. Results: Among 601 HCC patients, 376 patients were pathologically MVI absent, and 225 patients were MVI present. To predict the presence of MVI, the DL model based only on images achieved an area under curve (AUC) of 0.915 in the testing cohort as compared to the radiomics model with an AUC of 0.731. The DL combined with clinical parameters (DLC) model yielded the best predictive performance with an AUC of 0.931. For the MVI-grade stratification, the DLC models achieved an overall accuracy of 0.793. Survival analysis demonstrated that the patients with DLC-predicted MVI status were associated with the poor overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Further investigation showed that hepatectomy with the wide resection margin contributes to better OS and RFS in the DLC-predicted MVI present patients. Conclusion: The proposed DLC model can provide a non-invasive approach to evaluate MVI before surgery, which can help surgeons make decisions of surgical strategies and assess patient's prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke produces the highest adult disability. Despite successful recanalization, no-reflow, or the futile restoration of the cerebral perfusion after ischemia, is a major cause of brain lesion expansion. However, the vascular mechanism underlying this hypoperfusion is largely unknown, and no approach is available to actively promote optimal reperfusion to treat no-reflow. Here, by combining two-photon laser scanning microscopy (2PLSM) and a mouse middle cerebral arteriolar occlusion (MCAO) model, we find myogenic vasomotion deficits correlated with post-ischemic cerebral circulation interruptions and no-reflow. Transient occlusion-induced transient loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) permanently impairs mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) contacts and abolish Ca2+ oscillation in smooth muscle cells (SMCs), the driving force of myogenic spontaneous vasomotion. Furthermore, tethering mitochondria and ER by specific overexpression of ME-Linker in SMCs restores cytosolic Ca2+ homeostasis, remotivates myogenic spontaneous vasomotion, achieves optimal reperfusion, and ameliorates neurological injury. Collectively, the maintaining of arteriolar myogenic vasomotion and mitochondria-ER contacts in SMCs, are of critical importance in preventing post-ischemic no-reflow. The no-reflow phenomenon after stroke is attributed to damaged spontaneous vasomotion of cerebral arterioles, which can be alleviated by maintaining mitochondria-ER contact-dependent Ca2+ oscillation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the clinical efficacy and feasibility of the surgical treatment of thoracic spinal tuberculosis using one-stage posterior instrumentation, transpedicular debridement, and hemi-interbody and unilateral posterior bone grafting. Methods: Fifty-six patients with thoracic spinal tuberculosis who underwent surgery performed by a single surgeon between September 2009 and August 2020 were enrolled in this study. Based on data from the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Cobb angle before surgery, after surgery, and at the most recent follow-up, clinical effectiveness was assessed using statistical analysis. The variables investigated included operating time, blood loss, complications, neurological function, and hemi-interbody fusion. Results: None of the patients experienced significant surgery-associated complications. At the last follow-up, 23 of the 25 patients (92%) with neurological impairment showed improvement. The thoracic kyphotic angle was significantly decreased from 24.1 ± 9.9° to 13.4 ± 8.6° after operation (P < 0.05), and the angle was 14.44 ± 8.8° at final follow-up (P < 0.05). The Visual Analog Scale significantly decreased from 6.7 ± 1.4 preoperatively to 2.3 ± 0.8 postoperatively (P < 0.05) and finally to 1.2 ± 0.7 at the last follow-up (P < 0.05). Bone fusion was confirmed in 56 patients at 3–6 months postoperatively. Conclusions: One-stage posterior transpedicular debridement, hemi-interbody and unilateral posterior bone grafting, and instrumentation are effective and feasible treatment methods for thoracic spinal tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that surfactants play a vital role in aqueous-phase synthesis of gold nanoparticles (GNPs). However, to date, it remains challenging to fully elucidate the roles of surfactants, especially for the correlation between the molecular and aggregate structure of the employed surfactant and the structures of the resulting GNPs. In the study, the synthesis of GNPs in aqueous solution of a series of cationic gemini surfactants with different spacer length (12-s-12, s = 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12) has been investigated. A remarkable spacer length-dependent morphological evolution of nanorod→nanostar→nanoplate→spherical nanoparticle has been observed. The results show that the gemini surfactants can form the electrostatic complexes with AuI ions, and the complexes further self-assemble into the various aggregates of different sizes, which greatly alters the migration dynamics of AuI and eventually influences the growth kinetics of GNPs. The overall growth rate of the GNPs is determined by the combination of the monomer-AuI molecular weight, the size of aggregates, and the local concentration of AuI in the aggregates. Besides, the gemini surfactants with different spacer length could selectively anchor on various facets of GNPs, thus acting as the capping agents to direct the formation of the shaped GNPs. It is believed that the cationic gemini surfactants with different spacer length provide an excellent choice to control the growth kinetics and final morphology of GNPs, and this study provides new insights in surfactant-assisted synthesis of GNPs.Graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the clinical efficacy and feasibility of the surgical treatment of thoracic spinal tuberculosis using one-stage posterior instrumentation, transpedicular debridement, and hemi-interbody and unilateral posterior bone grafting. Methods: Fifty-six patients with thoracic spinal tuberculosis who underwent surgery performed by a single surgeon between September 2009 and August 2020 were enrolled in this study. Based on data from the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Cobb angle before surgery, after surgery, and at the most recent follow-up, clinical effectiveness was assessed using statistical analysis. The variables investigated included operating time, blood loss, complications, neurological function, and hemi-interbody fusion. Results: None of the patients experienced significant surgery-associated complications. At the last follow-up, 23 of the 25 patients (92%) with neurological impairment showed improvement. The thoracic kyphotic angle was significantly decreased from 24.1 ± 9.9° to 13.4 ± 8.6° after operation (P < 0.05), and the angle was 14.44 ± 8.8° at final follow-up (P < 0.05). The Visual Analog Scale significantly decreased from 6.7 ± 1.4 preoperatively to 2.3 ± 0.8 postoperatively (P < 0.05) and finally to 1.2 ± 0.7 at the last follow-up (P < 0.05). Bone fusion was confirmed in 56 patients at 3–6 months postoperatively. Conclusions: One-stage posterior transpedicular debridement, hemi-interbody and unilateral posterior bone grafting, and instrumentation are effective and feasible treatment methods for thoracic spinal tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a semiparametric time-dependent jump diffusion model in an effort to capture the dynamic behavior of short-term interest rates. The newly proposed model includes a wide variety of well-known interest rate models, incorporating the time-varying instantaneous return, volatility as well as jump component. The local likelihood density estimation technique together with pseudo likelihood estimation method is employed to estimate the parameters of the model. Some simulations are conducted to examine the statistical performance of our estimators. The proposed procedure is then applied to analyze daily federal funds rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To secure surgical margin for hepatic lesion with involvement of the inferior vena cava (IVC), combined radical liver resection and IVC replacement are required. A novel method of replacing IVC by newly customized autologous great saphenous vein (GSV) grafts was introduced by this study. This study aimed at reporting the feasibility and outcome of this novel technique. Methods: From January 2014 to January 2021, all consecutive patients who underwent concomitant hepatectomy and IVC replacement by autogenous GSV graft were enrolled in this study. Technical insights, intraoperative details, demographic data, postoperative complication, graft patency and survival data were collected and analyzed. Results: Concomitant hepatectomy/autotransplantation (ERAT) with IVC replacement by autogenous GSV graft was successful in 47 patients and there was no 30-day mortality. There were 8 out of the 47 patients whose retrohepatic venae cavae were completely invaded by the lesion and their reconstructed IVCs were totally made from GSV grafts. The other 39 patients whose IVCs were partially invaded had their IVCs reconstructed by both the unaffected part of the IVC wall and newly customized GSV graft. Postoperative complications classified as Clavien-Dindo grade II, III A and III B were observed in 10, 7 and 3 patients, respectively. The median follow-up months were 35 months (29–80 months). No patient developed thrombosis of the graft and 100% patency of the IVC was observed throughout the study. Conclusion: In selected patients, hepatectomy/ERAT with IVC replacement by autogenous GSV graft is safe and feasible. The newly customized autologous GVS graft was ideal for reconstruction of the IVC in liver surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a common, severe, and debilitating psychiatric disorder of unclear etiology. Our previous study has shown that protein phosphatase Mg2+/Mn2+-dependent 1F (PPM1F) in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) displays significant regulatory effects in depression-related behaviors. miR-132-3p plays a potential role in the etiology of depression. This study explored the effect of miR-132-3p on the onset of depression and the possible underlying mechanism for modulating PPM1F expression during the pathology of depression. We found that miR-132-3p levels in the hippocampus of depressed mice subjected to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) were dramatically reduced, which were correlated with depression-related behaviors. Knockdown of miR-132-3p in hippocampal DG resulted in depression-related phenotypes and increased susceptibility to stress. miR-132-3p overexpression in hippocampal DG alleviated CUS-induced depression-related performance. We then screened out the potential target genes of miR-132-3p, and we found that the expression profiles of sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1 (Srebf1) and forkhead box protein O3a (FOXO3a) were positively correlated with PPM1F under the condition of miR-132-3p knockdown. Finally, as anticipated, we revealed that the activities of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CAMKII) and adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) were reduced, which underlies the target signaling pathway of PPM1F. In conclusion, our study suggests that miR-132-3p was designed to regulate depression-related behaviors by indirectly regulating PPM1F and targeting Srebf1 and FOXO3a, which have been linked to the pathogenesis and treatment of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidence indicates that adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) are an effective treatment for diabetic refractory wounds. However, the application of ADSCs to diabetic wounds is still limited, indicating that we still lack sufficient knowledge regarding regulators/mediators of ADSCs during wound healing. Rab37, a member of RabGTPase, may function as regulator of vesicle trafficking, which is a crucial event for the secretion of cytokines by ADSCs. Our previous study indicated that Rab37 promotes the adiopogenic differentiation of ADSCs. In this study, we explored the role of Rab37 in ADSC-mediated diabetic wound healing. An in vivo study in db/db diabetic mice showed that Rab37-expressing ADSCs shortened the wound closure time, improved re-epithelialization and collagen deposition, and promoted angiogenesis during wound healing. An in vitro study showed that Rab37 promoted the proliferation, migration and endothelial differentiation of ADSCs. LC–MS/MS analysis identified Hsp90α and TIMP1 as up-regulated cytokines in conditioned media of Rab37-ADSCs. The up-regulation of Rab37 enhanced the secretion of Hsp90α and TIMP1 during endothelial differentiation and under high-glucose exposure. Interestingly, Rab37 promoted the expression of TIMP1, but not Hsp90α, during endothelial differentiation. PLA showed that Rab37 can directly bind to Hsp90α orTIMP1 in ADSCs. Moreover, Hsp90α and TIMP1 knockdown compromised the promoting effects of Rab37 on the proliferation, migration and endothelial differentiation of ADSCs. In conclusion, Rab37 promotes the proliferation, migration and endothelial differentiation of ADSCs and accelerates ADSC-mediated diabetic wound healing through regulating the secretion of Hsp90α and TIMP1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease using diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) in comparison with conventional diffusion-weighted imaging, with histology as reference standard.Methods: This prospective study included 81 patients and DKI with b-values of 0, 200, 500, 1,000, 1,500, 2,000 s/mm2 were performed. Mean diffusivity (MD), mean kurtosis (MK) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps were calculated. The diagnostic efficacy of MD, MK and ADC for predicting stage 2 fibrosis or greater, and stage 3 fibrosis or greater were compared.Results: The MD (rho=-0.491, p<0.001), MK (rho=0.537, p<0.001) and ADC (rho=-0.496, p<0.001) correlated significantly with fibrosis stages, and ADC exhibited a strong negative correlation with MK (rho=-0.968; p<0.001) and a moderate association with MD (rho=0.601, p<0.001). Areas under the curves (AUCs) for predicting stage 2 fibrosis or greater were not significantly different (p>0.05) between MK (0.809) and ADC (0.797) as well as between MD (0.715) and ADC. AUCs were also similar for MD (0.710), MK (0.768) and ADC (0.747) for predicting stage 3 fibrosis or greater.Conclusion: Although DKI is feasible for predicting liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease, MD and MK offer similar diagnostic performance to ADC values.Key Points: • Diffusion kurtosis imaging is feasible for staging liver fibrosis. • Diffusion kurtosis and monoexponential model are highly correlated. • The kurtosis model offers no added value to the conventional, monoexponential model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The therapeutic potential of recombinant cytokines has been limited by the severe side effects of systemic administration. We describe a strategy to reduce the dose-limiting toxicities of monomeric cytokines by designing two components that require colocalization for activity and that can be independently targeted to restrict activity to cells expressing two surface markers. We demonstrate the approach with a previously designed mimetic of cytokines interleukin-2 and interleukin-15—Neoleukin-2/15 (Neo-2/15)—both for trans-activating immune cells surrounding targeted tumor cells and for cis-activating directly targeted immune cells. In trans-activation mode, tumor antigen targeting of the two components enhanced antitumor activity and attenuated toxicity compared with systemic treatment in syngeneic mouse melanoma models. In cis-activation mode, immune cell targeting of the two components selectively expanded CD8+ T cells in a syngeneic mouse melanoma model and promoted chimeric antigen receptor T cell activation in a lymphoma xenograft model, enhancing antitumor efficacy in both cases. IL-2 cytokine therapy is made safer by splitting a designed mimetic in two for tumor targeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: 4-Terminal inorganic perovskite/organic tandem solar cells were made by using semi-transparent inorganic perovskite solar cells and narrow-bandgap organic solar cells as the sub-cells, yielding a power conversion efficiency of 22.34%, which is the highest efficiency for inorganic perovskite/organic tandem solar cells. Inorganic perovskite solar cells made by drop-coating (self-spreading) gave much higher power conversion efficiency than the cells made by spin-coating, enabling perovskite/organic tandem solar cells with higher efficiency. After fast developing of single-junction perovskite solar cells and organic solar cells in the past 10 years, it is becoming harder and harder to improve their power conversion efficiencies. Tandem solar cells are receiving more and more attention because they have much higher theoretical efficiency than single-junction solar cells. Good device performance has been achieved for perovskite/silicon and perovskite/perovskite tandem solar cells, including 2-terminal and 4-terminal structures. However, very few studies have been done about 4-terminal inorganic perovskite/organic tandem solar cells. In this work, semi-transparent inorganic perovskite solar cells and organic solar cells are used to fabricate 4-terminal inorganic perovskite/organic tandem solar cells, achieving a power conversion efficiency of 21.25% for the tandem cells with spin-coated perovskite layer. By using drop-coating instead of spin-coating to make the inorganic perovskite films, 4-terminal tandem cells with an efficiency of 22.34% are made. The efficiency is higher than the reported 2-terminal and 4-terminal inorganic perovskite/organic tandem solar cells. In addition, equivalent 2-terminal tandem solar cells were fabricated by connecting the sub-cells in series. The stability of organic solar cells under continuous illumination is improved by using semi-transparent perovskite solar cells as filter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almost all of the coalfields in East China are now mining deep seams. Accurate prediction of the damage to floor rock during mining is key to preventing and controlling coal seam floor water hazards in these deep mines. In this study, Brillouin optical time domain reflectometry (BODTR) was used to dynamically monitor the mining failure of a deep coal seam mine floor. A metal kieso sensing optical cable employing distributed optical fiber sensing technology was embedded in the coal seam floor prior to mining, which allowed real-time monitoring during mining. The strain data monitored using the BOTDR system and the strain threshold of the limit compression and tensile fracturing of the corresponding strata were compared and analyzed to obtain the accurate maximum failure depth of the coal seam floor strata. This approach improved the accuracy of the failure depth of the mine floor by 7–10% compared with traditional monitoring methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the role of tanshinone IIA (TSO IIA) in astrocytic swelling caused by ischemia–reperfusion-like injury in an in vitro model and the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect. Primary brain astrocytes were cultured under conditions of glucose and oxygen deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R). The study explored the effects of TSO IIA treatment on cell swelling and injury and the protein levels of aquaporin 4 (AQP4) in the plasma membrane. It then examined the involvement of the high-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1)/receptors for advanced-glycation end products (RAGE)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)/interleukin-6 (IL-6) pro-inflammatory axis in TSO IIA-mediated protection. The treatment with TSO IIA alleviated OGD/R-induced astrocytic swelling and the overclustering of AQP4 protein in the plasma membrane. In addition, TSO IIA significantly reduced the overexpression of HMGB1 and the high levels of the NF-κB protein in the nucleus and of the IL-6 protein in the cytoplasm and extracellular media induced by OGD/R. The combination of TSO IIA and recombinant HMGB1 reversed these effects. The inhibition of the RAGE, the receptor of HMGB1, induced results similar to those of TSO IIA. In addition, exogenous IL-6 reversed TSO IIA-mediated effect on AQP4 overclustering and cell swelling. TSO IIA significantly reduced astrocyte swelling after OGD/R injury in vitro, via blocking the activation of the HMGB1/RAGE/NF-κB/IL-6 pro-inflammatory axis and thereby decreasing the expression of AQP4 in the plasma membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated custom cross-response sensing array has been developed combining the algorithm module's visible machine learning approach for rapid and accurate pathogenic microbial taxonomic identification. The diversified cross-response sensing array consists of two-dimensional nanomaterial (2D-n) with fluorescently labeled single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) as sensing elements to extract a set of differential response profiles for each pathogenic microorganism. By altering the 2D-n and different ssDNA with different sequences, we can form multiple sensing elements. While interacting with microorganisms, the competition between ssDNA and 2D-n leads to the release of ssDNA from 2D-n. The signals are generated from binding force driven by the exfoliation of either ssDNA or 2D-n from the microorganisms. Thus, the signal is distinguished from different ssDNA and 2D-n combinations, differentiating the extracted information and visualizing the recognition process. Fluorescent signals collected from each sensing element at the wavelength around 520 nm are applied to generate a fingerprint. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate that a six-sensing array enables rapid and accurate pathogenic microbial taxonomic identification, including the drug-resistant microorganisms, under a data size of n = 288. We precisely identify microbial with an overall accuracy of 97.9%, which overcomes the big data dependence for identifying recurrent patterns in conventional methods. For each microorganism, the detection concentration is 105 ~ 108 CFU/mL for Escherichia coli, 102 ~ 107 CFU/mL for E. coli-β, 103 ~ 108 CFU/mL for Staphylococcus aureus, 103 ~ 107 CFU/mL for MRSA, 102 ~ 108 CFU/mL for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 103 ~ 108 CFU/mL for Enterococcus faecalis, 102 ~ 108 CFU/mL for Klebsiella pneumoniae, and 103 ~ 108 CFU/mL for Candida albicans. Combining the visible machine learning approach, this sensing array provides strategies for precision pathogenic microbial taxonomic identification. • A molecular response differential profiling (MRDP) was established based on custom cross-response sensor array for rapid and accurate recognition and phenotyping common pathogenic microorganism. • Differential response profiling of pathogenic microorganism is derived from the competitive response capacity of 6 sensing elements of the sensor array. Each of these sensing elements' performance has competitive reaction with the microorganism. • MRDP was applied to LDA algorithm and resulted in the classification of 8 microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Some glucoside drugs can be transported via intestinal glucose transporters (IGTs), and the presence of carbohydrate excipients in pharmaceutical formulations may influence the absorption of them. This study, using gastrodin as probe drug, aimed to explore the effects of fructose, lactose, and arabic gum on intestinal drug absorption mediated by the glucose transport pathway.The influence of fructose, lactose, and arabic gum on gastrodin absorption was assessed via pharmacokinetic experiments and single-pass intestinal perfusion. The expression of sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 (SGLT1) and sodium-independent glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) was quantified via RT‒qPCR and western blotting. Alterations in rat intestinal permeability were evaluated through H&E staining, RT‒qPCR, and immunohistochemistry.Fructose reduced the area under the curve (AUC) and peak concentration (Cmax) of gastrodin by 42.7% and 63.71%, respectively (P < 0.05), and decreased the effective permeability coefficient (Peff) in the duodenum and jejunum by 58.1% and 49.2%, respectively (P < 0.05). SGLT1 and GLUT2 expression and intestinal permeability remained unchanged. Lactose enhanced the AUC and Cmax of gastrodin by 31.5% and 65.8%, respectively (P < 0.05), and increased the Peff in the duodenum and jejunum by 33.7% and 26.1%, respectively (P < 0.05). SGLT1 and GLUT2 levels did not significantly differ, intestinal permeability increased. Arabic gum had no notable effect on pharmacokinetic parameters, SGLT1 or GLUT2 expression, or intestinal permeability.Fructose, lactose, and arabic gum differentially affect intestinal drug absorption through the glucose transport pathway. Fructose competitively inhibited drug absorption, while lactose may enhance absorption by increasing intestinal permeability. Arabic gum had no significant influence.Methods: Some glucoside drugs can be transported via intestinal glucose transporters (IGTs), and the presence of carbohydrate excipients in pharmaceutical formulations may influence the absorption of them. This study, using gastrodin as probe drug, aimed to explore the effects of fructose, lactose, and arabic gum on intestinal drug absorption mediated by the glucose transport pathway.The influence of fructose, lactose, and arabic gum on gastrodin absorption was assessed via pharmacokinetic experiments and single-pass intestinal perfusion. The expression of sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 (SGLT1) and sodium-independent glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) was quantified via RT‒qPCR and western blotting. Alterations in rat intestinal permeability were evaluated through H&E staining, RT‒qPCR, and immunohistochemistry.Fructose reduced the area under the curve (AUC) and peak concentration (Cmax) of gastrodin by 42.7% and 63.71%, respectively (P < 0.05), and decreased the effective permeability coefficient (Peff) in the duodenum and jejunum by 58.1% and 49.2%, respectively (P < 0.05). SGLT1 and GLUT2 expression and intestinal permeability remained unchanged. Lactose enhanced the AUC and Cmax of gastrodin by 31.5% and 65.8%, respectively (P < 0.05), and increased the Peff in the duodenum and jejunum by 33.7% and 26.1%, respectively (P < 0.05). SGLT1 and GLUT2 levels did not significantly differ, intestinal permeability increased. Arabic gum had no notable effect on pharmacokinetic parameters, SGLT1 or GLUT2 expression, or intestinal permeability.Fructose, lactose, and arabic gum differentially affect intestinal drug absorption through the glucose transport pathway. Fructose competitively inhibited drug absorption, while lactose may enhance absorption by increasing intestinal permeability. Arabic gum had no significant influence.Results: Some glucoside drugs can be transported via intestinal glucose transporters (IGTs), and the presence of carbohydrate excipients in pharmaceutical formulations may influence the absorption of them. This study, using gastrodin as probe drug, aimed to explore the effects of fructose, lactose, and arabic gum on intestinal drug absorption mediated by the glucose transport pathway.The influence of fructose, lactose, and arabic gum on gastrodin absorption was assessed via pharmacokinetic experiments and single-pass intestinal perfusion. The expression of sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 (SGLT1) and sodium-independent glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) was quantified via RT‒qPCR and western blotting. Alterations in rat intestinal permeability were evaluated through H&E staining, RT‒qPCR, and immunohistochemistry.Fructose reduced the area under the curve (AUC) and peak concentration (Cmax) of gastrodin by 42.7% and 63.71%, respectively (P < 0.05), and decreased the effective permeability coefficient (Peff) in the duodenum and jejunum by 58.1% and 49.2%, respectively (P < 0.05). SGLT1 and GLUT2 expression and intestinal permeability remained unchanged. Lactose enhanced the AUC and Cmax of gastrodin by 31.5% and 65.8%, respectively (P < 0.05), and increased the Peff in the duodenum and jejunum by 33.7% and 26.1%, respectively (P < 0.05). SGLT1 and GLUT2 levels did not significantly differ, intestinal permeability increased. Arabic gum had no notable effect on pharmacokinetic parameters, SGLT1 or GLUT2 expression, or intestinal permeability.Fructose, lactose, and arabic gum differentially affect intestinal drug absorption through the glucose transport pathway. Fructose competitively inhibited drug absorption, while lactose may enhance absorption by increasing intestinal permeability. Arabic gum had no significant influence.Conclusion: Some glucoside drugs can be transported via intestinal glucose transporters (IGTs), and the presence of carbohydrate excipients in pharmaceutical formulations may influence the absorption of them. This study, using gastrodin as probe drug, aimed to explore the effects of fructose, lactose, and arabic gum on intestinal drug absorption mediated by the glucose transport pathway.The influence of fructose, lactose, and arabic gum on gastrodin absorption was assessed via pharmacokinetic experiments and single-pass intestinal perfusion. The expression of sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 (SGLT1) and sodium-independent glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) was quantified via RT‒qPCR and western blotting. Alterations in rat intestinal permeability were evaluated through H&E staining, RT‒qPCR, and immunohistochemistry.Fructose reduced the area under the curve (AUC) and peak concentration (Cmax) of gastrodin by 42.7% and 63.71%, respectively (P < 0.05), and decreased the effective permeability coefficient (Peff) in the duodenum and jejunum by 58.1% and 49.2%, respectively (P < 0.05). SGLT1 and GLUT2 expression and intestinal permeability remained unchanged. Lactose enhanced the AUC and Cmax of gastrodin by 31.5% and 65.8%, respectively (P < 0.05), and increased the Peff in the duodenum and jejunum by 33.7% and 26.1%, respectively (P < 0.05). SGLT1 and GLUT2 levels did not significantly differ, intestinal permeability increased. Arabic gum had no notable effect on pharmacokinetic parameters, SGLT1 or GLUT2 expression, or intestinal permeability.Fructose, lactose, and arabic gum differentially affect intestinal drug absorption through the glucose transport pathway. Fructose competitively inhibited drug absorption, while lactose may enhance absorption by increasing intestinal permeability. Arabic gum had no significant influence.Graphical Abstract: Some glucoside drugs can be transported via intestinal glucose transporters (IGTs), and the presence of carbohydrate excipients in pharmaceutical formulations may influence the absorption of them. This study, using gastrodin as probe drug, aimed to explore the effects of fructose, lactose, and arabic gum on intestinal drug absorption mediated by the glucose transport pathway.The influence of fructose, lactose, and arabic gum on gastrodin absorption was assessed via pharmacokinetic experiments and single-pass intestinal perfusion. The expression of sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 (SGLT1) and sodium-independent glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) was quantified via RT‒qPCR and western blotting. Alterations in rat intestinal permeability were evaluated through H&E staining, RT‒qPCR, and immunohistochemistry.Fructose reduced the area under the curve (AUC) and peak concentration (Cmax) of gastrodin by 42.7% and 63.71%, respectively (P < 0.05), and decreased the effective permeability coefficient (Peff) in the duodenum and jejunum by 58.1% and 49.2%, respectively (P < 0.05). SGLT1 and GLUT2 expression and intestinal permeability remained unchanged. Lactose enhanced the AUC and Cmax of gastrodin by 31.5% and 65.8%, respectively (P < 0.05), and increased the Peff in the duodenum and jejunum by 33.7% and 26.1%, respectively (P < 0.05). SGLT1 and GLUT2 levels did not significantly differ, intestinal permeability increased. Arabic gum had no notable effect on pharmacokinetic parameters, SGLT1 or GLUT2 expression, or intestinal permeability.Fructose, lactose, and arabic gum differentially affect intestinal drug absorption through the glucose transport pathway. Fructose competitively inhibited drug absorption, while lactose may enhance absorption by increasing intestinal permeability. Arabic gum had no significant influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although mRNA vaccines have shown certain clinical benefits in multiple malignancies, their therapeutic efficacies against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains uncertain. This study focused on establishing a novel risk score system based on immune subtypes so as to identify optimal HCC mRNA vaccination population.GEPIA, cBioPortal and TIMER databases were utilized to identify candidate genes for mRNA vaccination in HCC. Subsequently, immune subtypes were constructed based on the candidate genes. According to the differential expressed genes among various immune subtypes, a risk score system was established using machine learning algorithm. Besides, multi-color immunofluorescence of tumor tissues from 72 HCC patients were applied to validate the feasibility and efficiency of the risk score system.Twelve overexpressed and mutated genes associated with poor survival and APCs infiltration were identified as potential candidate targets for mRNA vaccination. Three immune subtypes (e.g. IS1, IS2 and IS3) with distinct clinicopathological and molecular profiles were constructed according to the 12 candidate genes. Based on the immune subtype, a risk score system was developed, and according to the risk score from low to high, HCC patients were classified into four subgroups on average (e.g. RS1, RS2, RS3 and RS4). RS4 mainly overlapped with IS3, RS1 with IS2, and RS2+RS3 with IS1. ROC analysis also suggested the significant capacity of the risk score to distinguish between the three immune subtypes. Higher risk score exhibited robustly predictive ability for worse survival, which was further independently proved by multi-color immunofluorescence of HCC samples. Notably, RS4 tumors exhibited an increased immunosuppressive phenotype, higher expression of the twelve potential candidate targets and increased genome altered fraction, and therefore might benefit more from vaccination.This novel risk score system based on immune subtypes enabled the identification of RS4 tumor that, due to its highly immunosuppressive microenvironment, may benefit from HCC mRNA vaccination.Methods: Although mRNA vaccines have shown certain clinical benefits in multiple malignancies, their therapeutic efficacies against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains uncertain. This study focused on establishing a novel risk score system based on immune subtypes so as to identify optimal HCC mRNA vaccination population.GEPIA, cBioPortal and TIMER databases were utilized to identify candidate genes for mRNA vaccination in HCC. Subsequently, immune subtypes were constructed based on the candidate genes. According to the differential expressed genes among various immune subtypes, a risk score system was established using machine learning algorithm. Besides, multi-color immunofluorescence of tumor tissues from 72 HCC patients were applied to validate the feasibility and efficiency of the risk score system.Twelve overexpressed and mutated genes associated with poor survival and APCs infiltration were identified as potential candidate targets for mRNA vaccination. Three immune subtypes (e.g. IS1, IS2 and IS3) with distinct clinicopathological and molecular profiles were constructed according to the 12 candidate genes. Based on the immune subtype, a risk score system was developed, and according to the risk score from low to high, HCC patients were classified into four subgroups on average (e.g. RS1, RS2, RS3 and RS4). RS4 mainly overlapped with IS3, RS1 with IS2, and RS2+RS3 with IS1. ROC analysis also suggested the significant capacity of the risk score to distinguish between the three immune subtypes. Higher risk score exhibited robustly predictive ability for worse survival, which was further independently proved by multi-color immunofluorescence of HCC samples. Notably, RS4 tumors exhibited an increased immunosuppressive phenotype, higher expression of the twelve potential candidate targets and increased genome altered fraction, and therefore might benefit more from vaccination.This novel risk score system based on immune subtypes enabled the identification of RS4 tumor that, due to its highly immunosuppressive microenvironment, may benefit from HCC mRNA vaccination.Results: Although mRNA vaccines have shown certain clinical benefits in multiple malignancies, their therapeutic efficacies against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains uncertain. This study focused on establishing a novel risk score system based on immune subtypes so as to identify optimal HCC mRNA vaccination population.GEPIA, cBioPortal and TIMER databases were utilized to identify candidate genes for mRNA vaccination in HCC. Subsequently, immune subtypes were constructed based on the candidate genes. According to the differential expressed genes among various immune subtypes, a risk score system was established using machine learning algorithm. Besides, multi-color immunofluorescence of tumor tissues from 72 HCC patients were applied to validate the feasibility and efficiency of the risk score system.Twelve overexpressed and mutated genes associated with poor survival and APCs infiltration were identified as potential candidate targets for mRNA vaccination. Three immune subtypes (e.g. IS1, IS2 and IS3) with distinct clinicopathological and molecular profiles were constructed according to the 12 candidate genes. Based on the immune subtype, a risk score system was developed, and according to the risk score from low to high, HCC patients were classified into four subgroups on average (e.g. RS1, RS2, RS3 and RS4). RS4 mainly overlapped with IS3, RS1 with IS2, and RS2+RS3 with IS1. ROC analysis also suggested the significant capacity of the risk score to distinguish between the three immune subtypes. Higher risk score exhibited robustly predictive ability for worse survival, which was further independently proved by multi-color immunofluorescence of HCC samples. Notably, RS4 tumors exhibited an increased immunosuppressive phenotype, higher expression of the twelve potential candidate targets and increased genome altered fraction, and therefore might benefit more from vaccination.This novel risk score system based on immune subtypes enabled the identification of RS4 tumor that, due to its highly immunosuppressive microenvironment, may benefit from HCC mRNA vaccination.Conclusions: Although mRNA vaccines have shown certain clinical benefits in multiple malignancies, their therapeutic efficacies against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains uncertain. This study focused on establishing a novel risk score system based on immune subtypes so as to identify optimal HCC mRNA vaccination population.GEPIA, cBioPortal and TIMER databases were utilized to identify candidate genes for mRNA vaccination in HCC. Subsequently, immune subtypes were constructed based on the candidate genes. According to the differential expressed genes among various immune subtypes, a risk score system was established using machine learning algorithm. Besides, multi-color immunofluorescence of tumor tissues from 72 HCC patients were applied to validate the feasibility and efficiency of the risk score system.Twelve overexpressed and mutated genes associated with poor survival and APCs infiltration were identified as potential candidate targets for mRNA vaccination. Three immune subtypes (e.g. IS1, IS2 and IS3) with distinct clinicopathological and molecular profiles were constructed according to the 12 candidate genes. Based on the immune subtype, a risk score system was developed, and according to the risk score from low to high, HCC patients were classified into four subgroups on average (e.g. RS1, RS2, RS3 and RS4). RS4 mainly overlapped with IS3, RS1 with IS2, and RS2+RS3 with IS1. ROC analysis also suggested the significant capacity of the risk score to distinguish between the three immune subtypes. Higher risk score exhibited robustly predictive ability for worse survival, which was further independently proved by multi-color immunofluorescence of HCC samples. Notably, RS4 tumors exhibited an increased immunosuppressive phenotype, higher expression of the twelve potential candidate targets and increased genome altered fraction, and therefore might benefit more from vaccination.This novel risk score system based on immune subtypes enabled the identification of RS4 tumor that, due to its highly immunosuppressive microenvironment, may benefit from HCC mRNA vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient and recyclable Pd nano-catalyst was developed via immobilization of Pd nanoparticles on polyimide linked covalent organic frameworks (PCOFs) that was facilely prepared through condensation of melamine and 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride. The Pd nanoparticles (Pd NPs) catalyst was thoroughly characterized by FT-IR, XRD, SEM, TEM. Furthermore, the catalytic activity of Pd NPs catalyst was evaluated by Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction and nitroarene reduction in water, respectively. The excellent yields of corresponding products revealing revealed that the Pd NPs catalyst could be applied as an efficient and reusable heterogeneous catalyst for above two reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: How much difference there is between hepatic resection (HR) combined with intraoperative radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in treatment of multifocal hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) remains unclear. This study compared outcomes for patients with multifocal HCCs meeting the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) criteria treated by LDLT or HR + RFA. Methods: A total of 126 consecutive Child–Pugh A patients with multifocal HCCs meeting the UCSF criteria, who underwent LDLT (n = 51) or HR + RFA (n = 75), were included. Propensity score (PS) matching was performed to adjust for baseline differences. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were calculated, and subgroup, multivariate and nomogram analyses were performed. Results: LDLT provided significantly better OS and RFS than did HR + RFA before and after PS matching and reduced the dropout rate on waiting list, but HR + RFA was more convenient, less invasive and less cost. Patients with all lesions located in the same lobe had better OS and RFS than those located in the different lobes after HR + RFA. Multivariate and nomogram analyses revealed that HR + RFA, alpha-fetoprotein ≥ 400 ng/mL, the major tumour size > 3 cm and microvascular invasion were independent predictors of poor prognosis. Conclusion: For Child–Pugh A patients with multiple HCCs meeting the UCSF criteria, LDLT may offer significantly better long-term results than did HR + RFA, and HR + RFA may still be considered as an acceptable curative therapy for those without considering transplantation or as a bridge treatment for a patient, with a plan for transplantation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]