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Over the past decades, low‐dose computed tomography (LD‐CT) screening has been widely used for the early detection of lung cancer. Increasing numbers of indeterminate pulmonary nodules are now being discovered. However, it remains challenging to distinguish malignant from benign pulmonary nodules, especially those considered to be small or ground‐glass (GGN) nodules. Liquid biopsies have been successfully applied in the diagnosis of advanced lung cancer, and the potential value for early detection of lung cancer has made great progress. Recent studies have demonstrated the value of various blood‐based tumor biomarkers in determining the nature of pulmonary nodules, including cell‐free DNA (cfDNA), microRNAs (miRNAs), circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and tumor‐associated autoantibodies (AAbs). In this review, we summarize the latest progress of liquid biopsies, and their potential applications and challenges in the diagnosis of malignant pulmonary nodules., Schematic representation of liquid biopsies for aiding in the diagnosis of pulmonary nodules detected by LD‐CT. The biomarkers for liquid biopsies include cell‐free DNA (cfDNA), microRNAs (miRNAs), circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and autoantibodies (AAbs).

Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) contribute to disease pathogenesis and drug treatment effects. Both emodin and dexamethasone (DEX) have been used for treating severe acute pancreatitis‐associated acute lung injury (SAP‐ALI). However, lncRNA regulation networks related to SAP‐ALI pathogenesis and drug treatment are unreported. In this study, lncRNAs and mRNAs in the lung tissue of SAP‐ALI and control rats, with or without drug treatment (emodin or DEX), were assessed by RNA sequencing. Results showed both emodin and DEX were therapeutic for SAP‐ALI and that mRNA and lncRNA levels differed between untreated and treated SAP‐ALI rats. Gene expression profile relationships for emodin‐treated and control rats were higher than DEX‐treated and ‐untreated animals. By comparison of control and SAP‐ALI animals, more up‐regulated than down‐regulated mRNAs and lncRNAs were observed with emodin treatment. For DEX treatment, more down‐regulated than up‐regulated mRNAs and lncRNAs were observed. Functional analysis demonstrated both up‐regulated mRNA and co‐expressed genes with up‐regulated lncRNAs were enriched in inflammatory and immune response pathways. Further, emodin‐associated lncRNAs and mRNAs co‐expressed modules were different from those associated with DEX. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction demonstrates selected lncRNA and mRNA co‐expressed modules were different in the lung tissue of emodin‐ and DEX‐treated rats. Also, emodin had different effects compared with DEX on co‐expression network of lncRNAs Rn60_7_1164.1 and AABR07062477.2 for the blue lncRNA module and Nrp1 for the green mRNA module. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that emodin may be a suitable alternative or complementary medicine for treating SAP‐ALI.

In situ CO2 foams (ISCF) are studied systematically by combining in situ CO2 gas reactants (carbonate anhydrous, hydrochloric acid) and bio‐based surfactant. Sandpack flooding experiments at 60°C along with PVT experiments were carried out to analyze the oil displacement mechanisms. The results showed that ISCF could increase oil recovery from heterogeneous multilayer formation of permeability ratio over 6, and displacement efficiency increased with the injection volume increased before the injection of 1 PV. The incremental oil recovery by ISCF was much greater than that of conventional foam or in situ CO2 (ISC) without foam under the same injection conditions. The generated CO2 foam could reduce the interfacial tension between displacement phase and displaced phase effectively which contributed to the great increase in capillary number. The CO2 dissolution greatly reduced the viscosity of crude oil, and the highest viscosity reduction rate at 60°C could be as high as 98%. The Ca2+ concentration of produced liquids analysis revealed the ISCF could distribute intelligently the acid in heterogeneous formations.

The properties of the foam fluid in porous media depend on its dynamic structure. However, few studies have focused on the dynamic structural change in foam. In this research, a method based on the level set method is proposed for the simulation of aqueous foam transport in porous media. As a first step, we focus on the Jamin effect, and a concise relation is established which reveals that the resultant pressure is proportional to the capillary pressure. Second, the snap‐off process of foam in porous media is studied, and both the two stages, including partial disintegration, are revealed based on the results. Third, the conclusion that foam automatically selects a larger channel in which to continue flowing is obtained by studying the foam selectivity. Finally, experiments are carried out to verify the simulation results using different models. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results. These results are expected to be helpful for further understanding the foam characteristics and their effective applications.

An unsymmetrically protonated PN(3) -pincer complex in which ruthenium is coordinated by one nitrogen and two phosphorus atoms was employed for the selective generation of hydrogen from formic acid. Mechanistic studies suggest that the imine arm participates in the formic acid activation/deprotonation step. A long life time of 150 h with a turnover number over 1 million was achieved.

A gene (TcGBE) encoding a glycogen branching enzyme from Thermomonospora curvata was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified, and biochemically analyzed. The purified enzyme was approximately 84 kDa, and exhibited a maximum activity at 55°C and pH 8.5. The enzyme showed the highest specificity to amylose with a specific activity of 90.28 U/mg. The recombinant enzyme could act on maize starch, and starch treated with TcGBE was observed to have a lower amylose content and molecular weight. The number of short chains of amylopectin in TcGBE-modified starch with a degree of polymerization (DP) less than 13 increased from 20.19 to 32.59%, and was accompanied by a reduction in longer chains (DP > 25) from 25.58 to 10.03%. In addition, the medium length chains of amylopectin (13

Solar photocatalysis is a potential solution to satisfying energy demand and its resulting environmental impact. However, the low electron-hole separation efficiency in semiconductors has slowed the development of this technology. The effect of defects on electron-hole separation is not always clear. A model atomically thin structure of single-unit-cell Bi3 O4 Br nanosheets with surface defects is proposed to boost photocatalytic efficiency by simultaneously promoting bulk- and surface-charge separation. Defect-rich single-unit-cell Bi3 O4 Br displays 4.9 and 30.9 times enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and nitrogen fixation activity, respectively, than bulk Bi3 O4 Br. After the preparation of single-unit-cell structure, the bismuth defects are controlled to tune the oxygen defects. Benefiting from the unique single-unit-cell architecture and defects, the local atomic arrangement and electronic structure are tuned so as to greatly increase the charge separation efficiency and subsequently boost photocatalytic activity. This strategy provides an accessible pathway for next-generation photocatalysts.

A series of cationic dendrons bearing triethylene glycol monomethyl ether terminal groups of different generations have been synthesized and used to encapsulate an inorganic polyanionic cluster [K(12.5)Na(1.5)(NaP5W30O110)] through electrostatic interactions. The resulting dendritic cation-encapsulated polyoxometalate (POM) complexes, cluster-dendrimers, are soluble in water and exhibit lower critical solution temperatures (LCST). The thermoresponsivities of these complexes in aqueous solutions were studied by turbidimetry and variable-temperature (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The observed cloud points show a remarkable dependence on the generation of the dendrons. Complexes composed of first-generation dendrons exhibit no obvious thermoresponsive properties, but for complexes bearing second-generation dendrons, the LCST decreases as the number of dendritic cations around the POM cluster increases. Complexes composed of third-generation cations underwent reversible aggregation and disaggregation upon heating and cooling, respectively. This thermally induced self-aggregation was characterized by DLS and TEM. In addition, the effects of salt and solvent on the LCST were investigated. This research demonstrates a new type of thermoresponsive dendritic organic-inorganic hybrid complex and provides a general route to the endowment of POMs with temperature-sensitive properties through electrostatic interactions.

Zinc ion elevation contributes to acute excitotoxic brain injury and correlates with the severity of dementia in chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Downstream control of zinc-triggered signals is believed to be an efficient countermeasure. In the current study, we examined whether the flavonoid luteolin (Lu) could protect human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells against zinc toxicity. We found that Lu suppressed overproduction of reactive oxygen species and protected against apoptotic cell death induced by zinc. By using specific inhibitors, we found that zinc strongly triggered Akt and ERK1/2 activation via a PI3K–Akt–NF-κB–ERK1/2-dependent pathway. Furthermore, Lu completely blocked this activation. Our study strongly supports the hypothesis that Lu might protect SH-SY5Y cells against ROS-mediated apoptotic cell death induced by zinc in part by inhibiting the PI3K–Akt–NF-κB–ERKs pathway. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The synthesis of a novel nanostructure of LiCoO{sub 2}, and its performance as a cathode for a high-rate lithium ion battery, is described. The LiCoO{sub 2} nanostructure resembles the morphology of a known natural mineral: 'desert rose' gypsum. A range of measurement techniques are used to investigate the growth mechanism of this structure and the origin of its high rate charge/discharge properties.

The carbonophosphates Na3M(PO4)(CO3) (M: Mg, Sr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) are hydrothermally synthesized.

In materials containing 1D lithium diffusion channels, cation disorder can strongly affect lithium intercalation processes. This work presents a model to explain the unusual transport properties of monoclinic LiMnBO3, a material determined by scanning electron microscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction to contain a wide particle size distribution and Mn/Li antisite disorder. First-principles calculations indicate that Mn occupying Li sites obstruct the 1D lithium diffusion channel along the [001] direction. While channel blockage by the antisites significantly lowers Li mobility in large particles, Li kinetics in small particles and particle surfaces are found to be less sensitive to the presence of antisite disorder. Thus, in an electrode containing a large particle size distribution, smaller particles have higher Li mobility, and the measured Li diffusivity as determined by potentiostatic intermittent titration test varies as a function of particle size. The Li capacity in monoclinic LiMnBO3 is kinetically controlled by the fraction of large particles with antisite disorder, but is not intrinsically limited. These results strongly suggest that particle nanosizing will significantly enhance the electrochemical performance of LiMnBO3.