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The study investigates the rapid intensification (RI) of tropical cyclones (TCs) in the Northwestern Pacific. We found that rapid changes in the maximum wind speed (Vmax) and the minimum central pressure (Pmin) are not always concurrent. RI cases can be categorized into three types: (a) RIv, only Vmax strengthens rapidly; (b) RIp, only Pmin decreases rapidly; (c) RIpv, rapid changes in Vmax and Pmin occur concurrently. At the onset of RI, RIv‐type TCs exhibit the weakest intensity and the smallest size, with deep convection concentrated in the inner‐core region; RIp‐type TCs are characterized by the strongest cyclone intensity and the largest outer‐core size, with strong convection covering the inner‐ and outer‐core regions; RIpv‐type TCs show moderate intensity, size, and convection distribution. For RIpv, significant strengthening of wind profile is concentrated in the inner‐core region, while for RIp it is more prominent in the outer‐core. Plain Language Summary: The rapid intensification (RI) of tropical cyclones (TCs) continues to pose challenges in both operational forecasting and scientific research. The maximum wind speed (Vmax) and the minimum central pressure (Pmin) are two commonly used TC intensity indicators. In most of existing studies, one single indicator (usually Vmax) is used to investigate the RI process. Whether there is a difference between RI cases defined by 24‐hr strengthening of Vmax and 24‐hr deepening of Pmin is an issue deserving discussion. The study found that rapid changes in Vmax and Pmin are not always concurrent. In the cases where only Vmax strengthens rapidly, the outer‐core size of TC expands slowly. While in the cases where only Pmin deepens rapidly, the enhancement of outer circulation is distinctive. Since the Pmin, as an integral variable, reflects TC information of both the intensity and the size, RI cases classified via these two commonly used indicators (Vmax and Pmin) could help us further understand the relationship between TC intensity and size. Key Points: Rapid changes in the maximum wind speed (Vmax) and the minimum central pressure (Pmin) are not always concurrent in tropical cyclones (TCs)TCs that only experience a rapid increase in Vmax (RIv) tend to have a significantly weaker lifetime maximum intensityThe evident expansion of the outer circulation occurs in TCs of which only Pmin deepens rapidly (RIp) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the moist buffering halo region of shallow maritime cumulus clouds is systematically investigated using large eddy simulations with various grid resolutions and numerical choices. Autocorrelation analyses of cloud liquid water and relative humidity suggest a converged size of 200–300 m for moist patches outside clouds when the model resolution is below 50 m, but may overestimate this size due to noncloudy moist regions. Based on a composite analysis, the structure of the moist halo immediately outside individual clouds is examined. It is found that, regardless of model resolution, the distribution of relative humidity in the halo region does not depend on cloud size, but on the real distance away from the cloud boundary, indicating some size‐independent length scales are responsible for the halo formation. The relative humidity decays with distance more quickly with finer horizontal resolution, which is possibly related to the model resolution dependence of the cloud spectrum. The halo size near the cloud base is larger than that within the cloud layer and this feature is robust across all simulations. Further analyses of backward and forward Lagrangian trajectories originating from the moist halo region reveal the possible role for subcloud coherent structures in cloud‐base halo formation. Possible mechanisms explaining cloud halo sizes and associated length scales are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CoMorph is a new mass‐flux convection parametrization under development at the Met Office designed for use within the Unified Model and its successor model, LFRic. Use of a three‐dimensional idealised model enables controlled tests of the performance of the scheme across different regimes. This includes the interaction between the physical parametrizations and the resolved dynamics, allowing study of the emergent organisation of convection on the resolved scale. A selection of well‐known cases is revisited here, with the purpose of documenting the extent to which CoMorph captures a range of important, but challenging, behaviour such as the diurnal cycle and sensitivity to tropospheric moisture. Simulations using CoMorph‐A, a new physics package, that has been demonstrated to perform well at numerical weather prediction (NWP) and climate scales, are compared against the current global atmosphere configuration and high‐resolution results. In addition to an entirely new convection scheme, the package of changes includes significant changes to the cloud, microphysics, and boundary‐layer parametrizations. Recognising that CoMorph‐A is the first version of a scheme that will continue to be substantially developed and to obtain good performance, compromises in tuning have had to be made. These idealised tests therefore show what works well in this configuration, and what areas will require further work. As such, it is quite a demanding testbed and could be viewed as some of the equipment required for a "convective playground". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the predictability of the most long‐lived tropical cyclone (TC) Freddy in 2023 while it traversed westward across the southern tropical Indian Ocean during the first 18 days of its existence. Global ensemble forecasts revealed southward track deflection and intensity underestimation of Freddy. We identified three key factors contributing to the limited predictability of Freddy, which are associated with the Mascarene High, Storm Dingani, and Freddy itself. The large track errors of Freddy can be attributed to the underestimated strength of the Mascarene High, the more northeastern position of Dingani, and the presence of excessively large or small sizes of Freddy. These findings were further validated through a high‐resolution regional model. Specifically, Freddy's track and intensity most closely matched the observations when these three factors were most closely represented. It underscores the pivotal role played by the interaction between TCs and multi‐scale systems in TC forecasts. Plain Language Summary: In 2023, Storm Freddy emerged as the most long‐lived tropical cyclone (TC) in record, lasting 35 days over the southern tropical Indian Ocean and spanning both weather and sub‐seasonal to seasonal time ranges. The primary objective of this study is to understand the factors contributing to the poor predictability of Freddy in forecasts spanning over 2 weeks. This holds significant importance as our understanding about the ability of the numerical models to predict long‐lived TCs remains limited. Using over 7,000 global ensemble forecasts from five global Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) centers and a high‐resolution regional model, we identified three key factors contributing to the limited predictability of Freddy: the strength of the Mascarene High, the position of Storm Dingani (2023), and the size of Freddy. In large track‐error results of the global forecasts and regional simulations for Freddy, the strength of the Mascarene High was underestimated, Dingani was located further northeast, and Freddy was either too large or too small. Our investigation emphasizes the crucial role played by the interaction between the TC and multi‐scale systems in TC forecasts. This is meaningful for the improvement of Numerical Weather Prediction models to deal with extreme TC events in the future. Key Points: Due to the long lifespan of Storm Freddy, many forecasting challenges across several numerical models aroseThe limited predictability of Freddy was related to the underestimated Mascarene High and the more northeastern position of Storm DinganiThe inaccurately forecasted size of Freddy, whether excessively large or small, also contributed to the large track errors [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic, devastating disease primarily occurring in premature infants. To date, intervention strategies to prevent or treat BPD are limited. We aimed to determine the effects of umbilical cord blood‐derived exosomes (UCB‐EXOs) from healthy term pregnancies on hyperoxia‐induced lung injury and to identify potential targets for BPD intervention. A mouse model of hyperoxia‐induced lung injury was created by exposing neonatal mice to hyperoxia after birth until the 14th day post birth. Age‐matched neonatal mice were exposed to normoxia as the control. Hyperoxia‐induced lung injury mice were intraperitoneally injected with UCB‐EXO or vehicle daily for 3 days, starting on day 4 post birth. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were insulted with hyperoxia to establish an in vitro model of BPD to investigate angiogenesis dysfunction. Our results showed that UCB‐EXO alleviated lung injuries in hyperoxia‐insulted mice by reducing histopathological grade and collagen contents in the lung tissues. UCB‐EXO also promoted vascular growth and increased miR‐185‐5p levels in the lungs of hyperoxia‐insulted mice. Additionally, we found that UCB‐EXO elevated miR‐185‐5p levels in HUVECs. MiR‐185‐5p overexpression inhibited cell apoptosis, whereas promoted cell migration in HUVECs exposed to hyperoxia. The luciferase reporter assay results revealed that miR‐185‐5p directly targeted cyclin‐dependent kinase 6 (CDK6), which was downregulated in the lungs of hyperoxia‐insulted mice. Together, these data suggest that UCB‐EXO from healthy term pregnancies protect against hyperoxia‐induced lung injuries via promoting neonatal pulmonary angiogenesis partially by elevating miR‐185‐5p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although the Tibetan medicine Triphala (THL) is widely used in many countries, insufficient progress has been made in quality control. Objectives: The present study aimed to propose a methodology for quality control of THL based on HPLC fingerprinting combined with an orthogonal array design. Methods: Seven identified peaks were used as indicators to examine the effects of temperature, extraction time, and solid–liquid ratio on the dissolution of active ingredients in THL. Fingerprint analysis was performed on 20 batches of THL from four geographical areas (China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam). For further chemometric assessment, analysis techniques including similarity analysis, hierarchical clustering analysis, principal component analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis (OPLS‐DA) were used to classify the 20 batches of samples. Results: Fingerprints were established and 19 common peaks were identified. The similarity of 20 batches of THL was more than 0.9 and the batches were divided into two clusters. Four differential components of THL were identified based on OPLS‐DA, including chebulinic acid, chebulagic acid, and corilagin. The optimal extraction conditions were an extraction time of 30 min, a temperature of 90°C, and a solid–liquid ratio of 30 mL/g. Conclusion: HPLC fingerprinting combined with an orthogonal array design could be used for comprehensive evaluation and quality assessment of THL, providing a theoretical basis for further development and utilization of THL. THL of different origins were analysed and an orthogonal array design was designed. The results showed the similarity were more than 0.9 and could be divided into two categories: one category was that the origins of Terminalia chebula were domestic provinces of China, and the other category was that the origins were Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The optimal extraction process of THL was extraction time of 30 min with temperature of 90°C and solid‐liquid ratio of 30 mL/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the evolution of tropopause layer cooling (TLC) in an idealized tropical cyclone (TC) as well as the physical mechanism for its formation throughout its lifetime. TLC development is closely related to the intensity change of the TC. The TLC within the inner core of a TC coincides with the occurrence of the TC warm core, whereas the enhancement of the TLC precedes the strengthening of the warm core and the intensification of the TC. This phenomenon suggests that the TLC could be a valuable signal for predicting TC intensity and intensity change. After the onset of rapid intensification, the TLC continues to enhance until it is replaced by the warm core in the inner core region, and it expands to the outer core area and forms a cold ring above the TC outflow layer. The budget analyses of the azimuthal mean potential temperature indicate that advection plays a leading role during all stages of the TLC evolution. Prior to and during the rapid intensification stages of a TC, advection (due to eddy motion) contributes to a cooling of the upper layer above the TC center. This upper‐level cooling is assumed to be related to the uplift caused by overshooting and convection within the inner core. However, the advection process caused by the azimuthal vertical motion dominated the broad cooling across the whole TLC area. Plain Language Summary: Observations and numerical simulations show that there is typically a cold anomaly above the TC warm core. This cooling can work with the warm core to reduce the upper‐tropospheric stability and affect the water vapor and momentum transport between the TC and the stratosphere. However, little is known about how the cold anomaly evolves during the life cycle of a TC and how it can be related to changes in TC intensity. This study examines the evolution of the cold anomaly throughout the lifetime of a TC with an idealized TC simulation. The cold anomaly emerges at the TC center before rapid intensification starts and continues to enhance during TC development. It moves radially and forms a cold ring around the TC until the mature stage. The advection, specifically the vertical mean motion, dominates the generation of the TLC, but the advection due to eddy motions is responsible for the cold anomaly near the center. Our findings demonstrate the importance of tropopause layer cooling on TC structure and intensity changes and indicate the necessity of additional observations of this cold anomaly to improve TC predictions. Key Points: The cooling tendency in the tropopause layer enhances continuously during the preintensification and rapid intensification stages of tropical cyclone (TC)The adiabatic uplift caused by overshooting convection can cool the upper layer in the TC center through azimuthal‐eddy advectionThe broad ring of the cold anomaly above the TC outflow layer is related to adiabatic cooling through the azimuthal mean vertical motion [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rainfall distribution in a tropical cyclone (TC) is affected by many factors/processes. Most of previous studies have focused on individual TCs. Little is known about the rainfall distribution in binary TCs. This study examines the rainfall distribution in binary TCs over the western North Pacific based on the observational data. When two TCs become nearby, the asymmetric component of rainfall shows an increasing trend with rainfall significantly suppressed in Quadrant IV of the TC located to the west when orienting the two TCs in the west‐east direction. The suppression becomes remarkable once the separation distance between the two TCs is within about 2,050 km. Furthermore, the convective activity in one TC is related to the deep‐layer vertical wind shear (VWS) from its companion. Rainfall is enhanced downshear‐left in a TC, consistent with a single TC embedded in an environmental VWS as found in previous studies. Plain Language Summary: The rainfall distribution in each tropical cyclone (TC) of binary‐TC systems may be more complicated than that in a single TC. Whether the rainfalls of binary TCs have some special features has not been studied before. This observational study examines the rainfall distribution in binary TCs over the western North Pacific during 2001–2020. The results show that the asymmetric component of TC rainfalls strengthened with the decreasing of the separation distance between the two TCs. If orient binary TCs in the west‐east direction, the rainfalls of the western TC were distinctly weakened in its Quadrant IV. The suppression effect cannot be neglected within 2,050‐km separation distance between binary TCs. Composite analyses indicate that the asymmetric rainfalls in one of the binary TCs were related to the deep‐layer vertical wind shear induced by its companion. The consistent pattern of rainfall asymmetry indicates a highly predictable component of rainfall distribution at vortex‐scale in binary TCs and can help improve the precipitation forecast of binary TCs. Key Points: The rainfall asymmetry increases with the decreasing separation distance between binary tropical cyclones (TCs)If the two TCs are oriented west‐east and within about 2,050 km, rainfall in the western TC is suppressed in its Quadrant IVThe asymmetric convective activity in one TC can be explained by the deep‐layer vertical wind shear from its companion [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prediction of tropical cyclone (TC) intensity remains a major scientific challenge. Recent studies indicate that cloud‐radiation feedback (CRF) plays a positive role in the intensification of TCs during their genesis. However, little attention has been given to how CRF affects TC intensity after genesis. This study shows that CRF may prevents TCs from attaining higher maximum intensities. The ascending motion induced by the anomalous radiative heating of TC promotes more latent heating on the outer side of the upper eyewall, resulting in a more tilted eyewall. A more tilted eyewall leads to a larger inner‐core size and less inward flux of absolute vertical vorticity within the inner core, thus preventing the TC from reaching higher intensity. This work highlights that CRF may affect TC intensity by modulating the structure of the inner‐core convection, and further advances our understanding of the interaction between radiation effect and TC dynamics. Plain Language Summary: Cloud‐radiation feedback plays an important role throughout the life cycle of a tropical cyclone (TC). While many previous studies have focused on the effects of cloud‐radiation feedback (CRF) during TC genesis, little work has examined how CRF modulates TC intensity after TC genesis. With idealized simulations, this study shows that radiation‐induced secondary circulation leads to a more tilted eyewall, which results in a larger inner‐core size and less inward flux of absolute vertical vorticity, finally preventing TCs from reaching higher intensities. These results demonstrate that after TC genesis, CRF may affect storm intensity by modulating the structure of the inner‐core convection, a pathway previously overlooked. This study also reveals, counterintuitively, that CRF may have opposite effects on TC intensities at different stages of their lifetimes. Key Points: Cloud‐radiation feedback (CRF) results in a larger but weaker tropical cyclone (TC)Anomalous radiative heating induces a more tilted eyewall, leading to a larger radius of the maximum wind and less inward flux of vorticityThe effect of CRF on TC inner‐core processes is critical [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The short‐range impacts of volcanic aerosols from the eruption of the Kilauea volcano on the genesis of tropical cyclone (TC) Wukong in 2018 are investigated by numerical simulations, as distinct from the studies on the aerosol climate effects. The aerosol−radiation and aerosol−cloud effects are isolated through sensitivity experiments. For the aerosol−radiation effect, the radiative cooling at the low levels and heating above by aerosols southeast of Wukong's periphery induce stable sinking and decrease latent heating in the environment far from the storm center. Therefore, the sea‐level pressure increases there, enhancing low‐level radial inflow to the storm, inner‐core convection and the release of latent heat, which is conducive to TC genesis. For the aerosol−cloud effect, volcanic aerosols in storm circulation can be converted into cloud condensation nuclei, invigorating inner‐core convection, and subsequently favoring TC genesis. However, the nonlinear effect resulting from the interaction between aerosol−radiation and aerosol−cloud effects is not conducive to TC genesis, because it weakens the aerosol−cloud effect through the deposition of aerosols and also limits the aerosol−radiation effect through the increasing of peripheral convection. Plain Language Summary: The role of sulfate aerosols released by volcanic eruptions in climatological tropical cyclone (TC) activities over different basins or hemispheres remains uncertain. These aerosols, composed of either solid or liquid particles, not only change the heating or cooling of atmosphere by scattering and absorbing sunlight, but also participate in cloud formation and evolution by conversion into nuclei of cloud droplets. Impacts of aerosol−radiation and aerosol−cloud interaction on a TC formation process during a volcanic eruption still lacks of detailed study for real cases. We investigate whether these effects of aerosols from the Kilauea volcanic eruption were beneficial or not to the formation of TC Wukong in 2018. The aerosol−radiation effect enhances cooling at the low levels of Wukong's environment and increases the sea‐level pressure there, which drives air to flow inward and is beneficial to TC genesis. On the other hand, lots of aerosols ingested into the storm invigorates the convection near the storm center, is also helpful. Instead, the interaction between the above two effects offset partly their own positive contributions to TC genesis. Our findings suggest that considering the interaction of volcanic aerosol−cloud−radiation is necessary to improve our understanding and prediction of TC activities. Key Points: Enhanced radiative cooling at low layer of Wukong's periphery induced by aerosols from Kilauea volcanic eruption advanced its genesisMicrophysical effect of the aerosols partly entering into Wukong's inner core invigorated convection so as to favor its genesisThe nonlinear interaction between the aerosol−radiation and the aerosol−cloud effects contributed negatively to Wukong's genesis [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulation of the atom‐atom interspaces of dual‐atom catalysts is essential to optimize the dual‐atom synergy to achieve high activity but remains challenging. Herein, we report an effective strategy to regulate the Pt1‐Ni1 interspace to achieve Pt1Ni1 dimers and Pt1+Ni1 heteronuclear dual‐single‐atom catalysts (HDSACs) by tailoring steric hindrance between metal precursors during synthesis. Spectroscopic characterization reveals obvious electron transfers in Pt1Ni1 oxo dimers but not in Pt1+Ni1 HDSAC. In the hydrolysis of ammonia borane (AB), the H2 formation rates show an inverse proportion to the Pt1‐Ni1 interspace. The rate of Pt1Ni1 dimers is ≈13 and 2 times higher than those of Pt1 and Pt1+Ni1 HDSAC, manifesting the interspace‐dependent synergy. Theoretical calculations reveal that the bridging OH group in Pt1Ni1 dimers promotes water dissociation, while Pt1 facilitates the cleavage of B−H bonds in AB, which boosts a bifunctional synergy to accelerate H2 production cooperatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium‐metal (Li) electrode has been regarded as an excellent option to increase the energy density of next‐generation secondary batteries due to its low electrochemical potential and ultrahigh theoretical capacity. However, Li electrodes suffer from poor Coulombic efficiency (CE) and uneven lithium deposition issues during cycling that severely restrain its application. Herein, ammonium perfluoro(2‐methyl‐3‐oxahexanoate) (APFA), a pragmatic anionic surfactant, is introduced as an electrolyte additive to regulate the deposition behavior of lithium. Different from the conventional sacrificial additives that reinforce solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers on Li electrodes, the PFA− anions are mainly adsorbed on the Li surface, which improves the electron transfer step kinetics due to the ψ1 effect. The introduction of APFA in the electrolyte promises homogeneous and highly dense lithium deposition and the LiLi symmetric cell with APFA can operate over 4000 h with excellent stability and low polarization. This work provides a facile and promising strategy for fabricating stable Li anode for high‐energy‐density secondary batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study is to explore the potential factors in hearing outcomes and verify the role of oxidant‐antioxidant equilibrium on the prognosis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). Methods: Ninety‐two patients who were diagnosed with SSNHL between January 2018 and December 2019 in our hearing clinic center were included in this study. All patients were treated with intravenous dexamethasone, and 72 cases were treated with additional HBOT for 10 consecutive days. Peripheral blood was collected prior to any treatment to determine the blood cell count and hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. Pure tone audiometry was measured before and after treatment. Complete and overall recovery rate was evaluated. Multivariate logistic analysis was used to identify prognostic factors. Results: The rate of overall recovery was significantly higher in the patient with combined therapy compared to patients treated with steroids only (51.4% vs 25.0%, p =.036). The levels of HGB, HCT, and SOD were much higher in the patients with better hearing outcomes (p =.027,.033, and.011, respectively). Multivariate logistic analysis demonstrated that patients with higher initial hearing thresholds, or hearing loss at overall frequency, were more prone to have poor hearing gains after HBOT. Conclusion: HBOT is effective as an early adjuvant therapy for SSNHL. Hearing loss at low frequency, low initial hearing thresholds, as well as high HBG, HCT, and SOD levels are positive prognostic factors for SSNHL patients treated with HBOT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No tropical cyclone (TC) formed over the western North Pacific (WNP) in July 2020, which is record‐breaking. Some recent studies suggested that this extreme event was mainly caused by the strong WNP subtropical high (WNPSH) in July 2020, which might not be the only reason. In this study, results from statistical and composite analyses indicate that the strong WNPSH, the strong South Asian high, the westward extended tropical upper‐tropospheric trough, and the weak South Asian summer monsoon are all detrimental to TC genesis over the WNP and might contribute to the absence of TCs in July 2020. Results from sensitivity experiments using a regional atmospheric model that can resolve TCs further demonstrate that it was the collective effect, not any of the individual large‐scale circulation anomalies, that induced the extremely unfavorable conditions for TC genesis and thus led to the record‐breaking inactive TC month. Plain Language Summary: Tropical cyclones (TCs) become more active during the typhoon season (from July to September) over the western North Pacific (WNP). However, it is an exception in the records that no TC formed over the WNP in July 2020. Some recent studies suggest that this extreme event was mainly caused by the strong WNP subtropical high (WNPSH) in July 2020. This study identified four large‐scale circulation anomalies that are detrimental to TC genesis over the WNP and might contribute to this extremely inactive TC event, including the strong WNPSH, the strong South Asian high (SAH), the westward extended tropical upper‐tropospheric trough, and the weak South Asian summer monsoon (SASM). The strong WNPSH reduced the mid‐level moisture and the low‐level vorticity; the strong SAH and the westward shift of the tropical upper‐tropospheric trough increased the deep‐level vertical wind shear; and the weak SASM could not provide sufficient low‐level relative vorticity. It is the combined effect, not any of the individual large‐scale circulation anomalies, that induced the extremely unfavorable conditions for TC genesis and led to the absence of TCs over the WNP in July 2020. Key Points: No tropical cyclone (TC) formed over the western North Pacific (WNP) in July 2020, an extreme month that has never occurred in historyIt is due to the combination of anomalies in the WNP subtropical high, the South Asian high, the South Asian summer monsoon, and the tropical upper‐tropospheric troughTC‐resolving numerical experiments demonstrate the detrimental contributions of all the four large‐scale atmospheric circulations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After decades of unremitting research on the launch safety of propellant charge at home and abroad, it is gradually recognized that the fractured propellant charge generated by the compression process of propellant particles is the leading cause of chamber explosion. The large numbers of particles in propellant charge inevitably bring out the complexity in describing the fracture process under impact load in description. The discrete element method is applied to study the influences of the random stacking configurations of propellant charge and the charge diameter on the compression and fracture process of propellant charge in this paper. The results show that the random stacking of propellant bed influences little on the fracture process under the same impact load. When the diameter of propellant charge is larger than a certain value, the charge's diameter has little influence on the fracture process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene mutations were first screened in 180 patients with WGS/WES/targeted sequencing data, including 40 cases of EBER-positive DLBCL and 140 cases of EBER-negative DLBCL. As serum EBV DNA is mostly derived from tumor cells,6 our findings emphasized the advantage of serum EBV DNA as noninvasive biomarker for predicting tumor EBER status and prognostic factor of DLBCL. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an important human oncogenic virus and closely related to the pathogenesis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.1 This is, to our knowledge, the first study to systematically evaluate the clinical impact of EBV infection on DLBCL, based on a prospective clinical trial (NHL-001, NCT01852435). [Extracted from the article]

Enrofloxacin (ENR), a broad‐spectrum antibacterial drug, has extremely poor water solubility contributing to low bioavailability, which prevents drug formulation design and limits its wide application in livestock farming and aquaculture. Compared to conventional formulations of ENR, casein (Cas)‐based drug delivery system has been reported to have significant advantages in the improvement of solubility and bioavailability of drugs. In this paper, we report the preparation process of ENR‐loaded Cas nanoparticles (ENR‐Cas) using magnetic agitation without any organic agent and the optimization of the formulation. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were all adopted to characterize the ENR‐Cas. Results showed that the obtained ENR‐Cas were approximately spherical with a particle size of 171.6 ± 13.8 nm with a polydispersity index of 0.322 ± 0.053. In vitro release behavior of ENR‐Cas showed a sustained release profile. Additionally, in vivo study in rats displayed that the mean plasma concentration of ENR after oral administration of ENR‐Cas was significantly higher than that treated with ENR suspension. The mean residence time (MRT0–24) of ENR was enhanced by Cas nanoparticles from 9.287 ± 0.524 to 11.372 ± 1.139 hr in comparison with ENR suspension. Accordingly, the area under the curve (AUC0–24) of ENR‐Cas was 80.521 ± 6.624 μg·hr/ml, 3.8‐fold higher than that of ENR suspension (20.850 ± 1.715 μg·hr/ml). Therefore, it can be concluded that ENR‐Cas enhanced the absorption, prolonged the retention time, and improved oral bioavailability of ENR. Taken the good oral safety of Cas into consideration, ENR‐Cas should be a more promising oral preparation of ENR for clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The normalized distributions of thermodynamic and dynamical variables both within and outside shallow clouds are investigated through a composite algorithm using large‐eddy simulations of oceanic and continental cases. The normalized magnitude is maximum near the cloud centre and decreases outwards. While relative humidity (RH) and cloud liquid water (ql) decrease smoothly to match the environment, the vertical velocity, virtual potential temperature (θv), and potential temperature (θ) perturbations have more complicated behaviour towards the cloud boundary. Below the inversion layer, θv′ becomes negative before the vertical velocity has turned from an updraft to a subsiding shell outside the cloud, indicating the presence of a transition zone where the updraft is negatively buoyant. Due to the downdraft outside the cloud and enhanced horizontal turbulent mixing across the edge, the normalized turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and horizontal turbulent kinetic energy (HTKE) decrease more slowly from the cloud centre outwards than the thermodynamic variables. The distributions all present asymmetric structures in response to the vertical wind shear, with more negatively buoyant air, stronger downdrafts, and larger TKE on the downshear side. We discuss several implications of the distributions for theoretical models and parameterizations. Positive buoyancy near the cloud base is mostly due to the virtual effect of water vapour, emphasizing the role of moisture in triggering. The mean vertical velocity is found to be approximately half the maximum vertical velocity within each cloud, providing a constraint to achieve possible power‐law distributions for some models. Finally, the normalized distributions for different variables are used to estimate the vertical heat and moisture fluxes within clouds. The results suggest that distributions near the cloud edge and variability of maximum perturbations need careful treatment. The fluxes are underestimated in the inversion layer because cloud‐top downdrafts cannot be captured well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study takes the first step to bridge the gap between the pressure drag of a shallow cloud ensemble and that of an individual cloud composed of rising thermals. It is found that the pressure drag for a cloud ensemble is primarily controlled by the dynamical component. The dominance of dynamical pressure drag and its increased magnitude with height are independent of cloud lifetime and are common features of individual clouds except that the total drag of a single cloud over life cycle presents vertical oscillations. These oscillations are associated with successive rising thermals but are further complicated by the evaporation‐driven downdrafts outside the cloud. The horizontal vorticity associated with the vortical structure is amplified as the thermals rise to higher altitudes due to continuous baroclinic vorticity generation. This leads to the increased magnitude of local minima of dynamical pressure perturbation with height and consequently to increased dynamical pressure drag. Plain Language Summary: Shallow cumulus clouds play a crucial role in the Earth's energy budget by vertically redistributing momentum, heat, and moisture from the surface to the free atmosphere, but they cannot be explicitly resolved in current numerical models. Therefore, a reasonable parameterization of vertical velocity of shallow cumulus clouds is critical for improving weather forecast and climate projections. Recent studies suggest that these clouds are composed of sticky rising thermals whose vertical velocity is mainly controlled by the buoyancy source and the drag due to the pressure perturbation. However, little is known about how the pressure drag of thermals can be related to that of a large ensemble of clouds, which is the focus of convection parameterization in climate models. This study finds that the pressure drag of a cloud ensemble increases with height and is dominated by the dynamical component. The pressure drag of individual clouds shares similar features except that there are frequent oscillations in the vertical related with successive rising thermals. The increased pressure drag with height is due to the continuous baroclinic generation of horizontal vorticity along with the rising thermals. These findings could provide useful insights for a reasonable representation of pressure drag in a parameterization. Key Points: The dynamical pressure drag dominates the total pressure drag of a cloud ensemble and increases with heightThe pressure drag of individual clouds shares similar features except for frequent oscillations produced by successive rising thermalsContinuous baroclinic generation of horizontal vorticity associated with rising thermals leads to the increased pressure drag with height [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amorphous BaTiO3 (a‐BTO) thin films are deposited on p‐Si(111) substrates by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering without extra substrate heating. The microstructure of a‐BTO thin films is modified by postannealing at low temperatures (260–600 °C) in air. The results show that distorted TiO6 octahedra exist in a‐BTO thin films, and the degree of distortion decreases when the annealing temperature rises. The concentration of O vacancies in the TiO6 of the thin films remains high when postannealed between 370 and 460 °C, and a built‐in electric field across the a‐BTO/p‐Si heterojunction is established in this annealing temperature range. This built‐in electric field is regulated by controlling the concentration of O vacancies from the TiO6. The tunable C–V characteristic of the Au/a‐BTO/p‐Si metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) capacitor is obtained by modulating the built‐in electric field at the heterojunction, and the flat band voltage of the MOS capacitor shifts from about −3 V to at least −13 V when the postannealing temperature increases from 260 to 420 °C. This kind of tunable built‐in electric field at the a‐BTO/p‐Si heterojunction, controlled by modifying the microstructure of amorphous oxide thin films, has never been observed before, which will be useful for MOS applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common malignant tumour, which has posed a heavy health and financial burden worldwide. Due to limited symptoms at the early stage and the limitation in current biomarkers, HCC patients are usually diagnosed at the advanced stage with a pessimistic overall survival rate. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a subclass of single‐stranded RNAs characterized by a covalently closed loop structure without 3'‐ or 5'‐end. With advances in high‐throughput sequencing technology and bioinformatics, accumulating studies have demonstrated the promotor or suppressor roles of circRNAs in the carcinogenesis, progression, and metastasis of HCC. Moreover, circRNAs are characteristic of higher abundance, stability and conservation compared with linear RNAs. Therefore, circRNAs have emerged as one of the most promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for HCC with reliable accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. In this review, we briefly introduce the characteristics of circRNAs and summarize the roles of circRNAs in the biological procedures of HCC. Furthermore, we provide an overview on the potential diagnostic and prognostic value of circRNAs as biomarkers for patients with HCC. Finally, we discuss future perspectives of circRNAs in cancer research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial dysfunction is the leading cause of reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst and apoptosis in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Ursodeoxycholyl lysophosphatidylethanolamide (UDCA‐LPE) is a hepatotargeted agent that exerts hepatoprotective roles by regulating lipid metabolism. Our previous studies have shown that UDCA‐LPE improves hepatic I/R injury by inhibiting apoptosis and inflammation. However, the role of UDCA‐LPE in lipid metabolism and mitochondrial function in hepatic I/R remains unknown. In the present study, we investigated the role of UDCA‐LPE in hepatic I/R by focusing on the interface of phospholipid metabolism and mitochondrial homeostasis. Livers from 28‐week‐old mice, primary hepatocytes and HepG2 cells were subjected to in vivo and in vitro I/R, respectively. Analyses of oxidative stress, imaging, ATP generation, genetics, and lipidomics showed that I/R was associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and a reduction in phospholipids. UDCA‐LPE alleviated mitochondria‐dependent oxidative stress and apoptosis and prevented the decrease of phospholipid levels. Our study found that cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), a phospholipase that is activated during I/R, hydrolyzed mitochondrial membrane phospholipids and led to mitochondria‐mediated oxidative stress and apoptosis. UDCA‐LPE inhibited the interaction between cPLA2 and mitochondria and reduced phospholipid hydrolysis‐mediated injury. UDCA‐LPE might regulate the crosstalk between the phospholipid metabolism and the mitochondria, restore mitochondrial function and ameliorate I/R injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An epidemic of an acute respiratory syndrome caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) in Wuhan, China, now known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), beginning in December 2019, has attracted an intense amount of attention worldwide. As the natural history and variety of clinical presentations of this disease unfolds, extrapulmonary symptoms of COVID‐19 have emerged, especially in the digestive system. While the respiratory mode of transmission is well known and is probably the principal mode of transmission of this disease, a possibility of the fecal‐oral route of transmission has also emerged in various case series and clinical scenarios. In this review article, we summarize four different aspects in published studies to date: (a) gastrointestinal manifestations of COVID‐19; (b) microbiological and virological investigations; (c) the role of fecal‐oral transmission; and (d) prevention and control of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in the digestive endoscopy room. A timely understanding of the relationship between the disease and the digestive system and implementing effective preventive measures are of great importance for a favorable outcome of the disease and can help climnicians to mitigate further transmission by taking appropriate measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SiC slurry with ultra‐high concentration up to 70 vol% was prepared using oxidized fine and coarse SiC powder mixture, and dense SiC green body with a relative density of 76% was fabricated by drying the slurry at ambient condition. Three approaches were performed to prepare highly concentrated SiC slurry; preparation of SiC powder having good dispersion behavior, optimization of the oxidation condition, and optimization of bi‐modal particle size distribution. An aqueous slurry with the solid loading up to 62 vol% could be prepared using fine (150 nm) SiC powder prepared by the mechanical alloying of Si and carbon. The surface property of the fine and coarse (10 μm) SiC powders was optimized using an oxidation treatment. The maximum solid loading of the fine SiC slurry prepared using oxidized powder was 66 vol%. By optimizing the mixing ratio of the oxidized fine and coarse SiC powder to 75:25, the solid loading of the SiC slurry could increase up to 70 vol%. The relative densities of the green bodies after drying 66, 68, and 70 vol% slurries were 69, 75.7, and 76.1%, respectively, which values were higher than those (58%) prepared by cold isostatic pressing under 200 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute liver injury can result from a number of different diseases. Inflammatory cytokines are known to be involved in the development of this condition; however, their precise roles and effects on liver function remain unclear. The goal of this study was to determine the relationship between serum cytokine levels and both the severity of liver damage and recovery in acute liver injury. We enrolled 100 patients with acute liver injury caused by drug application who were hospitalized from September 2012 to September 2017 and measured serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and the cytokines, interleukin (IL)‐2 and IL‐6, before and after clinical therapy. Our results indicate that IL‐2 and IL‐6 levels are altered significantly following clinical therapy. However, with the exception of an association between IL‐2 and ALT, we found no correlation between the differences in cytokine levels pre‐ and post‐therapy and recovery of liver function. In contrast, we observed that pre‐ vs post‐treatment difference in the IL‐2/IL‐6 ratio negatively correlates with the pre‐ vs post‐treatment difference in ALT and AST values, and positively correlates with ALT and AST at 1‐month post‐discharge. Thus, our data suggest that IL‐2/IL‐6 ratio may represent a novel predictor for the prognosis of liver injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper develops the sliding mode control (SMC) design for N‐coupled reaction‐diffusion parabolic PDEs with boundary input disturbances. In order to reject the disturbances, the backstepping‐based boundary SMC law is constructed to steer the system trajectory to a suitable sliding surface and then maintain sliding motion on the surface thereafter, resulting in the exponential convergence to the zero equilibrium state. The well‐posedness of the closed‐loop system is established based on a detailed spectral analysis and Riesz basis generation. Finally, a simulation example is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the SMC design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene of 22 island populations of the springtail Homidia socia in the Thousand Island Lake were sequenced. Across all sequences, 37 haplotypes were identified for the 510‐bp mitochondrial (mt) DNA COI gene. Haplotype 2 was the most common, and was distributed in the most of the 22 island populations. Haplotype diversity ranged from 0.065 to 0.733, and the total genetic diversity was 0.56216. The genetic characteristics of the 22 island populations were analyzed using the fixation index and gene flow, with values of 0.00043–0.94900 and 0.02703–703.72540, respectively. Comparison between (island area and isolations) with population genetic diversity revealed that there were no significant correlations between them, except for a significant correlation between the number of haplotypes and island area. Mantel tests showed that there was no significant correlation between geographic distance and genetic distance among various groups. All the results indicated that there were no obvious relationships between island characteristics and the genetic diversity of the springtails. We consider that the low dispersal capacity of springtails and the island patches surrounded by water in the Thousand Island Lake are the major factors affecting the genetic diversity of H. socia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to habitat fragmentation, the loss of species diversity has been extensively studied. On the contrary, the effects of habitat fragmentation on functional diversity is still poorly understood. In the Thousand Island Lake, we conducted studies of insect functional diversity on a set of 29 isolated islands. We used 10 functional diversity indices from three aspects (functional richness, functional evenness and functional divergence) to respectively describe functional diversity of insects on sample islands. We found the following results: (i) The functional indices selected could reflect the functional diversity of sample islands and it is further proved that in general, three components of functional diversity were independent of each other; (ii) Sample islands could be divided into two categories, island JSD and the remaining islands; (iii) Functional richness increased with island area and shape index, but had no significant correlation with isolation. Likewise, both functional evenness and functional divergence had no significant correlation with island attributes. The conclusion to emphasize from our research is that: (i) habitat fragmentation reduced the biological functional diversity to some extent, further demonstrating the importance of habitat continuity in biodiversity protection; and (ii) for functional diversity protection of insects in a fragmented landscape, an island which has high approximate shape index values of at least hundred hectare magnitude order has a critical promoting effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to fully investigate the rash and pruritus of programmed death‐1 (PD‐1) inhibitors in cancer patients. The relevant studies of the randomized controlled trials in cancer patients treated with PD‐1 inhibitors were retrieved, and a systematic evaluation was conducted. EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PubMed were searched for articles published up to April 2018. Nineteen randomized controlled trials and 11,006 patients were included. The current meta‐analysis suggests that the use of PD‐1 inhibitors significantly increases the risk of developing the all‐grade rash (risk ratio [RR] 1.41; 95%CI 1.14–1.76; P = .002) and pruritus (RR 1.77; 95%CI 1.26–2.49; P = .001), and there was no difference between high‐grade rash and pruritus. The RR of all‐grade rash and pruritus did not vary significantly according to the type of drug, type of cancer, the line of therapy, or the treatment regimen. But both all‐grade rash and pruritus varied significantly according to control therapy. The current meta‐analysis suggests that the use of PD‐1 inhibitors significantly increases the risk of developing all‐grade rash and pruritus. Physicians should be aware of these adverse events and should monitor cancer patients who are receiving PD‐1 inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This integrative multistage study was aimed to identify circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) as prognostic biomarkers and investigate the treatment target for early‐stage non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. In stage I–II NSCLC patients, we screened and validated the miRNA ratio signatures predictive of prognosis in serum. In tumor, we found that the expression of miR‐150 in identified miRNA signatures was also associated with survival. Increased miR‐150 expression promoted NSCLC cell proliferation and migration and vice versa. Specific mRNA cleavage sites targeted by endogenous miR‐150 in 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of SRCIN1 was identified by utilizing our recently developed novel Stem‐Loop‐Array reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (SLA‐RT‐PCR) assay. The blocking action of miR‐150 resulted in repressed NSCLC cell growth in vitro and knockdown of miR‐150 caused substantial tumor volume reduction in vivo. Our findings suggest that miR‐150 binding on specific recognition sites in 3′ UTR of tumor suppressor gene SRCIN1 present a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cisapride monohydrate (systematic name: 4‐amino‐5‐chloro‐N‐{(3RS,4SR)‐1‐[3‐(4‐fluorophenoxy)propyl]‐3‐methoxypiperidin‐4‐yl}‐2‐methoxybenzamide monohydrate), C23H29ClFN3O4·H2O, is a nondopamine‐blocking gastrokinetic drug. A new polymorph of cisapride monohydrate has been reported nearly three decades after the report of its first known crystal structure [Collin et al. (1989). J. Mol. Struct.214, 159–175]. The second polymorph is also monoclinic, but with different unit‐cell parameters. A comparison of both polymorphic forms shows that the difference is thus not in the molecular conformation but in the arrangements of molecules in the crystal packing. The crystal morphology of two forms was predicted with the BFDH model in Materials Studio and inferred that the powder of the new polymorph has better flowability than the original polymorph. The results of DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) analysis and slurry experiments show that both polymorphs are stable at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is concerned with the output regulation of an anti‐stable system of coupled wave equations with external disturbances. A state‐feedback regulator is designed to force the output of the coupled wave equations to track the reference signal, which is generated by an exosystem. Moreover, the tracking error decays exponentially at a prescribed rate. The design is based on backstepping approach and relies on solving the regulator equations. The solvability condition of the regulator equations is characterised by the transfer matrix of the coupled wave equations and eigenvalues of the exosystem. An output‐feedback regulator is then constructed by developing an observer. Finally, the numerical simulations are demonstrated for the effectiveness of the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Greater than 40% of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cases in the United States are attributed to excessive body weight. Moreover, obesity also may be linked to RCC prognosis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these associations are unclear. In the current study, the authors evaluated the role of promoter methylation in obesity-related genes in RCC tumorigenesis and disease recurrence. METHODS Paired tumors (TU) and normal adjacent (N-Adj) tissues from 240 newly diagnosed and previously untreated white patients with RCC were examined. For the discovery phase, 63 RCC pairs were analyzed. An additional 177 RCC pairs were evaluated for validation. Pyrosequencing was used to determine CpG methylation in 20 candidate obesity-related genes. An independent data set from The Cancer Genome Atlas also was analyzed for functional validation. The association between methylation and disease recurrence was analyzed using multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. RESULTS Methylation in neuropeptide Y ( NPY), leptin ( LEP), and leptin receptor ( LEPR) was significantly higher in TU compared with N-Adj tissues ( P<.0001) in both the discovery and validation groups. High methylation in LEPR was associated with an increased risk of disease recurrence (hazard ratio, 3.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.23-8.07 [ P = .02]). Patients with high methylation in LEPR had a shorter recurrence-free survival compared with patients in the low-methylation group (log-rank P = 2.25 × 10−3). In addition, high LEPR methylation in TU was associated with more advanced features ( P≤.05). Consistent with the findings of the current study, lower LEPR expression in TU compared with N-Adj tissues ( P = 1.00 × 10−3) was found in data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. CONCLUSIONS Somatic alterations of promoter methylation in the NPY, LEP, and LEPR genes are involved in RCC tumorigenesis. Furthermore, LEPR methylation appears to be associated with RCC recurrence. Future research to elucidate the biology underlying this association is warranted. Cancer 2017;123:3617-27. © 2017 American Cancer Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phantom sound of tinnitus is believed to be triggered by aberrant neural activity in the central auditory pathway, but since this debilitating condition is often associated with emotional distress and anxiety, these comorbidities likely arise from maladaptive functional connections to limbic structures such as the amygdala and hippocampus. To test this hypothesis, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to identify aberrant effective connectivity of the amygdala and hippocampus in tinnitus patients and to determine the relationship with tinnitus characteristics. Chronic tinnitus patients ( n = 26) and age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy controls ( n = 23) were included. Both groups were comparable for hearing level. Granger causality analysis utilizing the amygdala and hippocampus as seed regions were used to investigate the directional connectivity and the relationship with tinnitus duration or distress. Relative to healthy controls, tinnitus patients demonstrated abnormal directional connectivity of the amygdala and hippocampus, including primary and association auditory cortex, and other non-auditory areas. Importantly, scores on the Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaires were positively correlated with increased connectivity from the left amygdala to left superior temporal gyrus ( r = 0.570, P = 0.005), and from the right amygdala to right superior temporal gyrus ( r = 0.487, P = 0.018). Moreover, enhanced effective connectivity from the right hippocampus to left transverse temporal gyrus was correlated with tinnitus duration ( r = 0.452, P = 0.030). The results showed that tinnitus distress strongly correlates with enhanced effective connectivity that is directed from the amygdala to the auditory cortex. The longer the phantom sensation, the more likely acute tinnitus becomes permanently encoded by memory traces in the hippocampus. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2384-2397, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membrane distillation water desalination can attain a significantly higher water recovery than reverse osmosis, while the lack of stable hydrophobic membranes limits its commercial applications. This article presents the preparation of a new hydrophobic membrane by modifying a porous Si3N4 substrate with vesicular SiNCO nano-particles. The membrane had a water contact angle of 142°, due to the presence of -Si-CH3 terminal groups and the high surface roughness. The contact angle remained nearly the same after exposures of the membrane to boiling water, aqueous solutions with pH ranging from 2 to 12, and benzene. The membrane exhibited satisfactory water desalination performance on highly concentrated NaCl solutions and simulated seawater. With the highly stable membrane, it is promising to develop a zero-discharge water desalination process for simultaneous production of fresh water for daily uses and brine for industrial uses. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 1272-1277, 2017 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Our study aimed to investigate the associations between Histamine H4 receptor ( HRH4) gene polymorphisms (rs77485247, rs74604924, and rs77041280) and oral H1 antihistamine efficacy for the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) patients. Methods A total of 142 AR patients were selected as a case group and 160 healthy individuals were recruited as a control group. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the HRH4 gene were detected using direct sequencing. Serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), specific IgE, and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Clinical efficacy was evaluated by the visual analogue scale (VAS). The occurrence of adverse reaction was recorded. Results There were significant differences in the distribution frequencies of mutant genotype (TA + AA) and A allele of rs77485247, mutant genotype (AT + TT) and T allele of rs74604924, and mutant genotype (AT + TT) and T allele of rs77041280 between the case and control groups. AR patients with mutant genotype (TA + AA) of rs77485247 and AR patients with mutant genotype (AT + TT) of rs77041280 had higher specific IgE, ECP levels, and VAS scores after treatment and lower incidence of adverse reactions and total effective rate than those with TT genotype and those with AA genotype, respectively. However, for rs74604924, there were no differences was found between AR patients with mutant genotype (AT + TT) and those with AA genotype. Conclusion Our findings provide evidence that HRH4 rs77485247 and rs77041280 polymorphisms may be associated with the risk of AR and the efficacy of H1 antihistamines for the treatment of AR patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most ovarian cancer patients present at an advanced stage with poor prognosis. Telomeres play a critical role in protecting chromosomes stability. The associations of genetic variants in telomere maintenance genes and ovarian cancer risk and outcome are unclear. We genotyped 137 single nucleotide polymorphisms ( SNPs) in telomere-maintenance genes in 417 ovarian cancer cases and 417 matched healthy controls to evaluate their associations with cancer risk, survival and therapeutic response. False discovery rate Q-value was calculated to account for multiple testing. Eleven SNPs from two genes showed nominally significant associations with the risks of ovarian cancer. The most significant SNP was TEP1: rs2228026 with participants carrying at least one variant allele exhibiting a 3.28-fold (95% CI: 1.72-6.29; P < 0.001, Q = 0.028) increased ovarian cancer risk, which remained significant after multiple testing adjusting. There was also suggested evidence for the associations of SNPs with outcome, although none of the associations had a Q < 0.05. Seven SNPs from two genes showed associations with ovarian cancer survival ( P < 0.05). The strongest association was found in TNKS gene (rs10093972, hazard ratio = 1.88; 95% CI: 1.20-2.92; P = 0.006, Q = 0.076). Five SNPs from four genes showed suggestive associations with therapeutic response ( P < 0.05). In a survival tree analysis, TEP1:rs10143407 was the primary factor contributing to overall survival. Unfavourable genotype analysis showed a cumulative effect of significant SNPs on ovarian cancer risk, survival and therapeutic response. Genetic variations in telomere-maintenance genes may be associated with ovarian cancer risk and outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fully dense (TiB2 + SiC) reinforced Ti3SiC2 composites with 15 vol% TiB2 and 0-15 vol% SiC were designed and synthesized by in situ reaction hot pressing. The increase in SiC content promoted densification and significantly inhibited the growth of Ti3SiC2 grains. The in situ incorporated TiB2 and SiC reinforcements showed columnar and equiaxed grains, respectively, providing a strengthening-toughening effect by the synergistic action of particulate reinforcement, grain's pulling out, 'self-reinforcement,' crack deflection, and grain refining. A maximum bending strength of 881 MPa and a fracture toughness of 9.24 MPam1/2 were obtained at 10 vol% SiC. The Vickers hardness of the composites increased monotonously from 9.6 to 12.5 GPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regorafenib {systematic name: 4-[4-({[4-chloro-3-(trifluoromethy)phenyl]carbamoyl}amino)-3-fluorophenoxy]-1-methylpyridine-2-carboxamide}, C21H15ClF4N4O3, is a potent anticancer and anti-angiogenic agent that possesses various activities on the VEGFR, PDGFR, raf and/or flt-3 kinase signaling molecules. The compound has been crystallized as polymorphic form I and as the monohydrate, C21H15ClF4N4O3·H2O. The regorafenib molecule consists of biarylurea and pyridine-2-carboxamide units linked by an ether group. A comparison of both forms shows that they differ in the relative orientation of the biarylurea and pyridine-2-carboxamide units, due to different rotations around the ether group, as measured by the C-O-C bond angles [119.5 (3)° in regorafenib and 116.10 (15)° in the monohydrate]. Meanwhile, the conformational differences are reflected in different hydrogen-bond networks. Polymorphic form I contains two intermolecular N-H...O hydrogen bonds, which link the regorafenib molecules into an infinite molecular chain along the b axis. In the monohydrate, the presence of the solvent water molecule results in more abundant hydrogen bonds. The water molecules act as donors and acceptors, forming N-H...O and O-H...O hydrogen-bond interactions. Thus, R42(28) ring motifs are formed, which are fused to form continuous spiral ring motifs along the a axis. The (trifluoromethyl)phenyl rings protrude on the outside of these motifs and interdigitate with those of adjacent ring motifs, thereby forming columns populated by halogen atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, two new two-dimensional Nb4C3-based solid solutions (MXenes), (Nb0.8,Ti0.2)4C3T x and (Nb0.8,Zr0.2)4C3T x (where T is a surface termination) were synthesized-as confirmed by X-ray diffraction-from their corresponding MAX phase precursors (Nb0.8,Ti0.2)4AlC3 and (Nb0.8,Zr0.2)4AlC3. This is the first report on a Zr-containing MXene. Intercalation of Li ions into these two compositions, and Nb4C3T x was studied to determine the potential of those materials for energy storage applications. Lithiation and delithiation peaks at 2.26 and 2.35 V, respectively, appeared in the case of Nb4C3T x, but were not present in Nb2CT x. After 20 cycles at a rate of C/4, the specific capacities of (Nb0.8,Ti0.2)4C3T x and (Nb0.8,Zr0.2)4C3T x were 158 and 132 mAh/g, respectively, both slightly lower than the capacity of Nb4C3T x. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]