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Background and Objective: The neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were significant and succinct indicators of systemic inflammation. We assessed the influence of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) on NLR and PLR in patients with locally advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (LA‐NSCLC). Methods: We reviewed the medical data of patients with LA‐NSCLC who underwent SBRT between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2018. NLR and PLR values recorded at pre‐ and post‐SBRT were examined. We assessed the correlation between pre/post‐SBRT NLR and PLR and survival outcomes. The decision tree evaluation was conducted using Chi‐square automatic detection. Results: In total, 213 patients were included in the study with a median follow‐up duration of 40.00 (ranging from 5.28 to 100.70) months. Upon dichotomization by a median, we identified that post‐SBRT NLR > 5.5 and post‐SBRT PLR > 382.0 were negatively associated with shorter overall survival (OS). In the multivariate assessment, post‐SBRT PLR > 382.0 was the only factor. Based on post‐SBRT PLR, tumor locations, and tumor stage, we categorized patients into low, medium, or high‐risk groups. Conclusions: Post‐SBRT PLR > 382.0 correlated with survival in patients undergoing SBRT. The decision tree model might play a role in future risk stratification to guide the clinical practice of individualized SBRT for LA‐NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low compressive strength of rigid fibrous ceramics (RFC) greatly restricts their application as thermal protection materials. Traditional reinforcing method using ceramic aerogels shows low efficiency and impairs high‐temperature thermal‐insulation properties. Herein, a novel strategy is proposed to optimize compressive and high‐temperature thermal‐insulation performances of RFC enormously and synergistically using nanoporous phenolic aerogel as reinforcement and high‐temperature evaporative refrigerant. In‐situ X‐ray micro‐CT results reveal that phenolic aerogel can protect bonding areas and handle compressive deformation, thereby increasing compressive strength of RFC. What's more, the strengthening effect along practical application (through‐thickness) direction is more obvious than that along in‐plane direction. Ablation test results indicate that pyrolysis gas of phenolic will carry away surface heat, thus improving high‐temperature thermal‐insulation and antiablation performances. The resulting mullite RFC with 45 wt.% of phenolic aerogel exhibits a high compressive strength of 44.8 ± 1.1 MPa along through‐thickness direction, low backside temperature of 38.4°C under ablation temperature of 1500°C for 30 s. The idea and results will further advance the application of RFC in more extreme environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The different materials has an impact on the transmissivity of LCD. There is a matching problem between BLU and cell. The polarization of BLU will affect the transmissivity of cell, the influencing factors of BLU polarization was studied in detail. Through the application of polarization, the transmissivity can be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this study, whey protein isolate (WPI) and polydextrose (PDX) were used to produce WPI‐PDX covalent conjugates via dry‐heating Maillard reaction, and their characteristics and functional properties including abilities to emulsify and stabilise the corn germ oil/water emulsions were measured. Compared with WPI alone, the WPI‐PDX conjugates had higher water solubility and DPPH radical scavenging ability, and the derived emulsions exhibited good storage stability over 60 days prepared under these conditions: reaction time 24 h, conjugate concentration 4–6%, oil fraction ratio 0.6 and emulsion system pH 3–8. Further, we found that the emulsion possessed the best storage stability under the condition of 4% WPI‐PDX conjugates and 0.6% oil fraction. These results provide a potent to prepare a beneficial Maillard conjugation following an optimised reaction condition and highlight the potential use of WPI‐PDX conjugates as the emulsifier in food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main observation and conclusion: In this work, we screened three Grubbs catalysts and two Hoveyda‐Grubbs catalysts for the production of H2 by dehydrogenation of formic acid (FA). The best results were achieved with the use of a first‐generation Hoveyda‐Grubbs catalyst. With a catalyst loading of mere 0.5 μmol, a maximum TON of 36356 was obtained within 3 h. Two key intermediates were identified by using 1H NMR and high‐resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (HRESI‐MS), based on which a mechanism possibly responsible for the observed catalysis was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify postoperative recurrence patterns of pancreatic cancer with different molecular profiles, which provides evidence for personalized target volumes of adjuvant radiotherapy. Patients with pathologically confirmed resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were included. Recurrences were treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy. Immunohistochemical staining of Ki‐67, P53, and programmed cell death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) was carried out. Both of the intensities of Ki‐67 and P53 were classified as 10% or less, 11%‐49%, and 50% or more. Eighty‐nine patients had PD‐L1 tested, stratified as TC0 and IC0, and TC1/2 or IC1/2. Distances with significant differences among different levels or beyond 10 mm were of interest. With the increasing intensity of Ki‐67, the distance from the superior and posterior border of 80% recurrences to the celiac axis (CA) ranged from 10.1 to 13.8 mm and 9.2 to 11.0 mm. The distance from the inferior and posterior border of 80% recurrences to the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) ranged from 9.4 to 9.9 mm and 9.4 to 11.0 mm. Similarly, with the increasing intensity of P53, the distance from the superior and posterior border of 80% recurrences to the CA ranged from 9.7 to 13.2 mm and 10.1 to 10.6 mm. The distance from the inferior and anterior border of 80% recurrences to the SMA ranged from 9.5 to 9.9 mm and 8.6 to 9.4 mm. Regarding the increasing level of PD‐L1, the distance from the superior border of 80% recurrences to the CA ranged from 10.9 to 13.5 mm. A biologically effective dose of more than 65 Gy to local recurrences was predictive of favorable outcomes in all levels of Ki‐67, P53, and PD‐L1. Nonuniform expansions of regions of interest based on different levels of molecular profiles to form target volumes could cover most recurrences, which might be feasible for adjuvant radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research utilized the systematic biological and proteomics strategies to explore the regulatory mechanism of Danshen Yin Modified (DSYM) on atherosclerosis (AS) biological network. The traditional Chinese medicine database and HPLC was used to find the active compounds of DSYM, Pharmmapper database was used to predict potential targets, and OMIM database and GeneCards database were used to collect AS targets. String database was utilized to obtain the other protein of proteomics proteins and the protein‐protein interaction (PPI) data of DSYM targets, AS genes, proteomics proteins and other proteins. The Cytoscape 3.7.1 software was utilized to construct and analyse the network. The DAVID database is used to discover the biological processes and signalling pathways that these proteins aggregate. Finally, animal experiments and proteomics analysis were used to further verify the prediction results. The results showed that 140 active compounds, 405 DSYM targets and 590 AS genes were obtained, and 51 differentially expressed proteins were identified in the DSYM‐treated ApoE‐/‐ mouse AS model. A total of 4 major networks and a number of their derivative networks were constructed and analysed. The prediction results showed that DSYM can regulate AS‐related biological processes and signalling pathways. Animal experiments have also shown that DSYM has a therapeutic effect on ApoE‐/‐mouse AS model (P <.05). Therefore, this study proposed a new method based on systems biology, proteomics, and experimental pharmacology, and analysed the pharmacological mechanism of DSYM. DSYM may achieve therapeutic effects by regulating AS‐related signalling pathways and biological processes found in this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obese patients, often accompanied by hyperleptinemia, are prone to develop liver fibrosis. A large body of data including the results from human studies suggested the promotion role of leptin, an adipocyte‐derived hormone, in liver fibrosis. Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, a crucial step in liver fibrogenesis, requires global reprogramming of gene expression which is regulated by multiple mechanisms including epigenetic regulation such as methylation of DNA. S‐Adenosylmethionine is a principal biological methyl donor and its biosynthesis is catalyzed by a methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) such as MATII. MATII consists of the catalytic subunit MAT2A and regulatory subunit MAT2B which are essential for HSC activation. The present research investigated the effect of leptin on the expression of Mat2b in HSCs in vitro and in a leptin‐deficient mouse model. Results demonstrated that leptin significantly increased Mat2b expression. Leptin‐induced Mat2b expression required the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. c‐Jun, a component of activator protein (AP1), was phosphorylated by leptin‐induced PI3K/AKT signaling and thus potentiated its binding to the element around −964 bp in the Mat2b promoter. MAT2B was involved in leptin‐induced HSC activation and liver fibrosis in a leptin‐deficient mouse model. These results might broaden understanding of the mechanisms underlying the liver fibrogenesis in obese patients with hyperleptinemia. © 2020 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive group content was a key parameter in polymer curing process. However, the conventional methods to measure the curing were destructive and time consuming. In this article, near‐infrared spectra technology had been applied for reactive group analysis of the photothermal curing silicone to achieve rapid nondestructive and quantitative detection. The calibration model was developed about epoxy value and CC double bond value, with determination coefficient (R2) of 0.9631 and 0.9689. Root mean square error of prediction were 0.0179 and 0.0143 by partial least square regression. The optimized calibration model was used to predict the content of epoxy value and CC double bond value in the photothermal curing process, it proved that the silicone resin cured under UV‐radiation and heat. This novel method provided a promising approach to analysis the curing mechanism and quality parameters of resin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sterol regulatory element‐binding protein 1c (SREBP1c) plays key roles in maintenance of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) quiescence. The present researches investigated the mechanisms underlying the effects of SREBP1c on HSCs and liver fibrogenesis by HSC‐targeted overexpression of the active SREBP1c using adenovirus in vitro and in vivo. Results demonstrated that SREBP1c exerted inhibitory effects on TAA‐induced liver fibrosis. SREBP1c down‐regulated TGFβ1 level in liver, reduced the receptors for TGFβ1 and PDGFβ, and interrupted the signalling pathways of Smad3 and Akt1/2/3 but not ERK1/2 in HSCs. SREBP1c also led to the decreases in the protein levels of the bromodomain‐containing chromatin‐modifying factor bromodomain protein 4, methionine adenosyltransferase 2B (MAT2B) and TIMP1 in HSCs. In vivo activated HSCs did not express cyclin D1 and cyclin E1 but SREBP1c down‐regulated both cyclins in vitro. SREBP1c elevated PPARγ and MMP1 protein levels in the model of liver fibrosis. The effect of SREBP1c on MAT2B expression was associated with its binding to MAT2B1 promoter. Taken together, the mechanisms underlying the effects of SREBP1c on HSC activation and liver fibrosis were involved in its influences on TGFβ1 level, the receptors for TGFβ1 and PDGFβ and their downstream signalling, and the molecules for epigenetic regulation of genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fast algorithm is proposed to tackle the constrained total generalised variation (TGV)‐based image‐restoration and reconstruction problems. The proposed algorithm proceeds by splitting: the non‐smooth constrained TGV model is first decomposed into several sub‐problems easier to solve, and then the linear gradient or proximity operators, including projections and shrinkages, of the sub‐problems are individually called without inner iteration. The algorithm is highly parallel since most of its steps can be executed simultaneously. Image‐restoration and reconstruction experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms several state‐of‐the‐art TV‐based methods both in accuracy and high‐speed efficiency. Besides, the proposed method efficiently suppresses staircase effects and presents better visual impression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Kaposi's sarcoma–associated herpes virus (KSHV) vIL‐6 is sufficient to induce lymphatic reprogramming of vascular endothelial cells, which is a key event in Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) development. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of Chinese herb oroxylin A on lymphatic reprogramming and neovascularization by KSHV vIL‐6 in vitro and in vivo. Methods: The lymphatic‐phenotype endothelial cell line was generated by lentiviral KSHV vIL‐6 infection. Cell viability and apoptosis were determined by MTT assay or flow cytometry with annexin V/propidium iodide staining. Migration, invasion, and neovascularization of the vIL‐6‐expressing lymphatic‐phenotype endothelial cells were determined by wound healing assay, transwell chamber assay, microtubule formation assay, and chick chorioallantoic membrane assay, respectively. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis were used to test the expression of Prox1, VEGFR3, podoplanin, LYVE‐1, and PPARγ in cells. Co‐localization of Prox1 and PPARγ was determined by immunofluorescence. Ubiquitination of Prox1 was detected by in vivo ubiquitination assay. Results: The lymphatic‐phenotype endothelial cell line expressing KSHV vIL‐6 was successfully generated. Oroxylin A induced cellular invasion abrogation, apoptosis induction, and neovascularization inhibition of the vIL‐6‐expressing endothelial cells. Mechanically, oroxylin A elevated PPARγ expression, which in turn interacted with and facilitated Prox1 to undergo ubiquitinational degradation, and subsequently leads to VEGFR3, LYVE‐1, and podoplanin reduction. Conclusion: Through modulating PPARγ/Prox1 axis, oroxylin A inhibits lymphatic reprogramming and neovascularization of KSHV vIL‐6. Thus, oroxylin A may serve as a candidate for the treatment of KS as well as other aggressive angiomas. Highlights: Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpes virus (KSHV) encoded viral interleukin (IL)‐6 is sufficient to induce lymphatic reprogramming of endothelial cells, which is a pivotal event in Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) development. The study demonstrates that the Chinese herb Oroxylin A inhibits lymphatic reprogramming and neovascularization of KSHV vIL‐6 by modulating PPAR?/Prox1 axis. Oroxylin A may have a potential in treatment of KS as well as other aggressive angiomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To identify impacts of different combined regimens of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and chemotherapy on survival of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) and factors correlated with determinations of different combinations. Four hundred and nineteen patients with radiographically and biopsy‐proven LAPC were prospectively enrolled. Factors associated with different strategies were analyzed with Chi‐square test and contingency coefficients. Cox regression was used to identify factors predictive of survival. Prognostic values of different multimodality were further analyzed by propensity score‐matched analysis. Median overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS) of all patients was 13.2 and 8.2 months, respectively. Baseline ECOG correlated with induction chemotherapy, while tumor stage, lymph node invasion, and toxicity after SBRT associated with adjuvant chemotherapy. Patients with induction chemotherapy alone (12.2 months), adjuvant chemotherapy alone (13.6 months), and induction and adjuvant chemotherapy (13.3 months) had longer OS than those without chemotherapy (11.2 months; P < .001), while adjuvant chemotherapy alone and induction and adjuvant chemotherapy increased PFS. An adjusted overall survival benefit was gained with adjuvant chemotherapy compared with induction and adjuvant chemotherapy (OS: 14.7 months [95% CI: 14.2‐15.2 months] vs 13.1 months [95% CI: 12.3‐13.9 months]; P < .001) (PFS: 8.8 months [95% CI: 8.4‐9.2 months] vs 8.1 months [95% CI: 7.4‐8.8 months]; P = .053). Induction and adjuvant chemotherapy, especially adjuvant chemotherapy, plus SBRT may improve OS and PFS. Baseline performance status, tumor stage, lymph node involvement, and toxicity after SBRT influenced determinations of upfront multimodality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of stereotactic body radiation therapy for the elderly with advanced or medically inoperable pancreatic cancer was still debated. Therefore, we evaluated the value of stereotactic body radiation therapy and its association with survival of those patients. A total of 417 elderly patients were retrospectively reviewed from 2012 to 2015. Overall survival ( OS), progression-free survival ( PFS), local recurrence-free survival ( LRFS), distant metastasis-free survival ( DMFS), and toxicities were analyzed. Prescription doses ranged from 30-46.8 Gy in 5-8 fractions. Median age was 73 years old. Median OS, PFS, LRFS, and DMFS were 10, 8, 10, and 9.5 months, respectively. One-year OS, PFS, LRFS, and DMFS rate were 35.5%, 18.2%, 26.6%, and 27.1%, respectively. Tumor stage and tumor response at 6 months and CA19-9 levels normalization at 3 months after treatment were independent predictors of OS, PFS, LRFS, and DMFS. Patients with early-stage cancer, better tumor response, and normalization of CA19-9 levels had significantly longer OS, PFS, LRFS, and DMFS. Patients with the prodrug of 5- FU and radiotherapy had longer survival than those with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Patients who received BED10 ≥ 60 Gy achieved better tumor response compared with those who received BED10 < 60 Gy. Two patients had grade 4 intestinal strictures. No grade 3 or higher hematologic toxicities occurred. Stereotactic body radiation therapy is safe and effective for elderly patients with advanced or medically inoperable pancreatic cancer. Early efficacy could be predictive of prognosis. Higher doses may be associated with efficacy but need further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four isostructural heptanuclear {(Ln6Cr)(C8A)2} compounds (Ln = Gd, Tb, Dy, and Tm; H8C8A = p-tert-butylcalix[8]arene) were synthesized under solvothermal conditions. These four compounds feature a sandwich-like unit in which the heterometallic {LnIII6CrIII} cluster is capped by two perpendicular calix[8]arene molecules in a double-cone conformation. Magnetic investigations revealed that the {TbIII6CrIII} compound exhibits single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidence reveals that hormone leptin, mainly produced by adipocyte, plays a unique role in promotion of liver fibrosis. Hepatic stellate cell ( HSC) activation is a key step in liver fibrosis and peroxisome-proliferator activated receptor γ ( PPARγ) exerts a crucial role in inhibition of HSC activation. Our previous researches demonstrated that leptin reduced PPARγ1 (a major subtype of PPARγ in HSCs) expression through GATA binding protein 2 ( GATA2) binding to a site around −2323 in PPARγ1 promoter. The present researches aimed to examine the effect of GATA3 on leptin-induced inhibition of PPARγ1 and elucidate the relationship between GATA3 and GATA2. Gene expressions were analysed by real-time PCR, western blot, luciferase assay and immunostaining. C57 BL/6J ob/ob mouse model of thioacetamide-induced liver injury was used in vivo. Results demonstrate that leptin significantly induces GATA3 expression in HSCs by multiple signalling pathways including NADPH oxidase pathway. There exist crosstalks between NADPH oxidase pathway and the other pathways. GATA3 can bind to GATA2-binding site in PPARγ1 promoter and interacts with GATA2, contributing to leptin inhibition of PPARγ1 expression in HSCs. These data demonstrated novel molecular events for leptin inhibition of PPARγ1 expression in HSCs and thus might have potential implications for clarifying the detailed mechanisms underlying liver fibrosis in diseases in which circulating leptin levels are elevated such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in obese patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The α-[P2W18O62]6--based coordination polymer [Cu2(phen)3(H2O)3(P2W18O62)][Cu(phen)2(H2O)] ·5H2O ( 1) (phen = phenanthroline), was hydrothermally synthesized and characterized by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, IR and UV/Vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. Structural studies reveal that compound 1 exhibits a three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular structure based on π-π and hydrogen bonding interactions. In addition, visible light driven photocatalytic experiments of compound 1 were also studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Two poly(2'-aminomethyl-3,4-ethylenedioxythienylene) (PEDOT-MeNH2) derivatives were successfully synthesized by electrochemical polymerization of precursors, diethyl 3'-(((2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4- b][1,4]dioxin-2-yl) methyl)azanediyl)dipropanoate ( monomer 1) and ethyl 3-(((2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4- b][1,4]dioxin-2-yl) methyl)amino)propanoate ( monomer 2), respectively. Structure-property relationships of monomers and polymers, including electrochemical, optical properties, and morphology, were systematically explored. Significantly, the designed polymers exhibited red and orange emission signatures with high fluorescence quantum yields ( ΦF) of 0.044 and 0.045 compared with those of monomers; they may be used as building blocks for rational design of fluorescent materials. Moreover, cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry studies demonstrated that poly(diethyl 3'-(((2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4- b][1,4]dioxin-2-yl)methyl)azanediyl) dipropanoate) ( P1) and poly(ethyl 3-(((2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4- b][1,4]dioxin-2-yl)methyl)amino) propanoate) ( P2) can be reversibly oxidized and reduced accompanied by obvious color changes from light purple to light blue for P1, and from purple to blue for P2. Furthermore, both P1 and P2 displayed higher optical contrasts (40-70%) in the visible region, favorable coloration efficiency (typically 50-230 cm2 C−1). From these results, the two polymers would be promising candidate materials for display applications. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 2081-2091 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Two new 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) derivatives, (2 R)-(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-2-yl)methyl 2-phenylpropanoate (( R)-EDTM-PP) and (2 S)-(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-2-yl)methyl 2-phenylpropanoate (( S)-EDTM-PP), were synthesized and electropolymerized in dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) and terabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate (Bu4NPF6) system. As chiral electrodes, poly((2 R)-(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-2-yl)methyl 2-phenylpropanoate) (( R)-PEDTM-PP) and poly((2 S)-(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-2-yl)methyl 2-phenylpropanoate) (( S)-PEDTM-PP)-modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) were employed to successfully recognize 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) enantiomers. Cyclic voltammetry presents that ( R)-PEDTM-PP and ( S)-PEDTM-PP had good redox activity and stability. Spectroelectrochemistry studies revealed ( R)-PEDTM-PP and ( S)-PEDTM-PP polymers have electronic bandgap of 1.68 and 1.66 eV, and could be reversibly oxidized and reduced accompanying with obvious color changes from dark blue to light purple. In addition, the electrochemical behavior, structural characterization, thermal stability, morphology and circular dichroism of ( R)-PEDTM-PP and ( S)-PEDTM-PP films were investigated in detail. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 2238-2251 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Tripalmitoyl-S-glycero-Cys-(Lys) 4 (Pam3CSK4) interacted with TLR2 induces inflammatory responses through the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signal pathway. Rapamycin can suppress TLR-induced inflammatory responses; however, the detailed molecular mechanism is not fully understood. Here, the mechanism by which rapamycin suppresses TLR2-induced inflammatory responses was investigated. It was found that Pam3CSK4-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines were significantly down-regulated at both the mRNA and protein levels in THP-1 cells pre-treated with various concentrations of rapamycin. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase-B (PI3K/AKT) signaling did not suppress the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, indicating that the immunosuppression mediated by rapamycin in THP1 cells is independent of the PI3K/AKT pathway. RT-PCR showed that Erk and NF-κB signal pathways are related to the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Inhibition of Erk or NF-κB signaling significantly down-regulated production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, western blot showed that pre-treatment of THP-1 cells with rapamycin down-regulates MAPKs and NF-κB signaling induced by Pam3CSK4 stimulation, suggesting that rapamycin suppresses Pam3CSK4-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines via inhibition of TLR2 signaling. It was concluded that rapamycin suppresses TLR2-induced inflammatory responses by down-regulation of Erk and NF-κB signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Poly(4-(((2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4- b][1,4]dioxin-2-yl)methoxy)methyl)benzoic acid) (PEDOT-Ph-COOH) was facilely synthesized by the direct electropolymerization of 4-(((2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4- b][1,4]dioxin-2-yl)methoxy)methyl)benzoic acid (EDOT-Ph-COOH) in CH2Cl2-Bu4NPF6 (0.10 M) system, and the PEDOT-Ph-COOH films were systematically investigated. The results displayed that the film had excellent reversible redox activities, good electrochemical performance, and rough and compact surface. Finally, the PEDOT-Ph-COOH film was used as an optical chemo-sensor for the highly selective and sensitive detection of F− [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-assembly of zinc(II) coordination polymers have attracted intense interests due to their intriguing frameworks and fluorescence properties. Two new 3D ZnII coordination polymers with pcu networks, formulated by [Zn2L1L2(mbtz)] ·H2O ( 1) and [Zn4L12L22(btp)2] ·7H2O ( 2) [H2L1 = 2,5-dibenzoylterephthalic acid, H2L2 = 4,6-dibenzoylisophthalic acid, mbtz = 1,3-bis(1,2,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene, and btp = 1,3-bis(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)propane], were synthesized under normal hydrothermal conditions. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that both of the two compounds exhibited interesting 3D pcu frameworks, and showed shifted fluorescent emissions arising from the coordination chemistry between ZnII and the N-donor ligands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantial nigra pars compacta (SNc) is an important pathological feature in Parkinson's disease (PD). Loss of transcription factor myocyte enhancer factor 2D (MEF2D), a key neuronal survival factor, has been shown to underlie the loss of DA neurons in SNc and the pathogenic process of PD. It is known that PD-associated neurotoxins reduce the level of MEF2D protein to trigger neuronal death. Although neurotoxins clearly destabilize MEF2D by post-translational mechanisms, it is not known whether regulation of MEF2D mRNA contributes to neurotoxin-induced decrease in MEF2D protein. In this work, we showed that MPP+, the toxic metabolite of MPTP, caused a significant decrease in the half-life and total level of MEF2D mRNA in a DA neuronal cell line, SN4741 cells. Quantitative PCR analysis of the SNc DA neurons captured by immune-laser capture microdissection showed that exposure to MPTP led to a marked reduction in the level of MEF2D mRNA in SNc DA neurons compared to controls. Down-regulation of MEF2D mRNA alone reduced the viability of SN4741 cells and sensitized the cells to MPP+-induced toxicity. These results suggest that destabilization and reduction in MEF2D mRNA is in part responsible for neurotoxin-induced decrease in MEF2D protein and neuronal viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Berberine (BBR) has been suggested to be a hepatoprotective agent for oxidative-stress-related liver diseases because of its antioxidant activity. However, the antioxidant mechanisms of BBR are still not fully understood. In the present study, the protective effect of BBR was evaluated, and the underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated in hepatic cell line L02. Results from cell viability and apoptosis assay showed that in cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), the pretreatment of 12 μM BBR could increase cell viability by 19.10 ± 7.40% and reduce apoptotic cells by 7.91 ± 0.78%. A significant change in the expression levels of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and apoptosis-related proteins was also observed in the BBR-pretreated hepatocytes under exposure to H2O2. Furthermore, BBR exhibited a time-dependent effect on upregulation of SIRT1 in L02 cells. This study demonstrated that the protective effect of BBR against H2O2-induced apoptosis was associated with regulation of SIRT1 in hepatic cell line L02, which provided a possible explanation for its antioxidant activity, and implied an application of BBR for the therapeutic relevance in oxidative-stress-related liver diseases. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To rationally design hybrid structures with unique surface/interface features is very significant due to their multi‐functionalization in energy storage and conversion systems. Generally, single metal oxide as electrode material is still unsatisfactory for its slow electron transportation and inevitable structural collapse. To address these issues, sulfur element‐induced interface‐tailoring hybrid NiCo2O4@NiMo2S4 nanosheet structures with high electrochemical activity are reported through a simple vulcanization process of NiCo2O4@NiMoO4 nanosheets. The hybrid NiCo2O4@NiMo2S4 structure presents excellent hydrogen evolution reaction performance with the overpotential of 159 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and low Tafel slope of 53.1 mV dec−1, and overall water splitting abilities with low cell voltage of 1.63 V at 50 mA cm−2 and stability for 13 h. As supercapacitor electrode materials, the hybrid structures exhibit a specific capacitance 519 C g−1 at 1 A g−1, which is higher than that of hybrid NiCo2O4@NiMoO4 nanosheets (420 C g−1). The asymmetric device delivers an energy density of 30.73 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 374.9 W kg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrestrial net primary production (NPP) has shown remarkable changes in response to increasing atmospheric CO2 and associated climate change. Many studies have investigated and emphasized the CO2 fertilization effects, while the climatic effects remain uncertain in magnitude and spatial pattern. This study investigates these climatic effects and underlying causes by using outputs of the simulation abruptly quadrupled CO2 from 23 CMIP6 models. We find that tropical terrestrial NPP decreases but extratropical terrestrial NPP increases in response to the CO2‐induced climate change. The decreased tropical terrestrial NPP is significantly correlated with the warmer and drier climate anomalies, while the increased extratropical terrestrial NPP is significantly correlated with the warmer and wetter climate anomalies. These results emphasize the climatic effects on terrestrial NPP and reveal the differences among different terrestrial ecosystems, which is favorable for a better understanding of the terrestrial carbon cycle and its coupling with climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to assess whether left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) can result in favorable clinical and echocardiographic outcomes among patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF). Methods: We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients with PeAF if they required ventricular pacing and had left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) > 35%. During the same period, two experienced operators performed LBBAP and right ventricular pacing (RVP). All‐cause death and heart failure hospitalization (HFH) were routinely followed after procedure. The primary outcome was the composite endpoints of all‐cause death or HFH. Results: LBBAP was successful in 49 of 52 patients (94.2%), whereas 44 patients received RVP. During a mean follow‐up of 13.9 ± 7.0 months, LBBAP group presented with higher ventricular pacing percentage (80% vs. 50.9%, p =.04) and narrower paced QRS duration (117.2 ± 18.8 ms vs. 151.8 ± 13.7 ms, p <.001) than RVP group. The primary endpoint was slightly reduced in LBBAP group than RVP without reaching statistical significance (7.7% vs. 11.4%, p =.48). Compared with baseline, we observed significant changes in LVEF (+0.7% vs. −2.2%, p =.007) and left atrial diameter (−1.63 mm vs. +1.23 mm, p =.011) between LBBAP and RVP. Conclusion: Our results indicate possible effect of LBBAP on reverse remodeling of left atrium and a trend towards favorable clinical outcomes in patients with PeAF requiring high burden of ventricular pacing when compared with RVP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main observation and conclusion: In this work, we screened three Grubbs catalysts and two Hoveyda‐Grubbs catalysts for the production of H2 by dehydrogenation of formic acid (FA). The best results were achieved with the use of a first‐generation Hoveyda‐Grubbs catalyst. With a catalyst loading of mere 0.5 μmol, a maximum TON of 36356 was obtained within 3 h. Two key intermediates were identified by using 1H NMR and high‐resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (HRESI‐MS), based on which a mechanism possibly responsible for the observed catalysis was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, due to the rise of social, biological, and other rich content graphs, several novel community detection methods using structure and node attributes have been proposed. Moreover, nodes in a network are naturally characterized by multiple community memberships and there is growing interest in overlapping community detection algorithms. In this paper, we design a weighted vertex interaction model based on distance dynamics to divide the network, furthermore, we propose a distance Dynamics‐based Overlapping Semantic Community detection algorithm(DOSC) for node‐attribute networks. The method is divided into three phases: Firstly, we detect local single‐attribute subcommunities in each attribute‐induced graph based on the weighted vertex interaction model. Then, a hypergraph is constructed by using the subcommunities obtained in the previous step. Finally, the weighted vertex interaction model is used in the hypergraph to get global semantic communities. Experimental results in real‐world networks demonstrate that DOSC is a more effective semantic community detection method compared with state‐of‐the‐art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), a new fascinating class of photocatalysts, have attracted considerable interest in the past few years. Unfortunately, the photocatalytic activities of most pristine MOFs are limited by their intrinsic drawbacks such as limited visible light absorption and poor charge separation efficiency. Herein, a series of Ce‐UiOs are constructed through metal substitution and ligand modification, and their photocatalytic properties are studied systematically. Due to the low‐lying empty 4f orbitals of Ce, the light absorption range of as‐prepared Ce‐UiO MOFs is extended to the visible light region. Moreover, their negative ligand‐to‐metal charge transfer energy (ELMCT) facilitates the separation of charge carriers, which leads to the efficient visible light oxidation of benzyl alcohol. The possible reaction mechanism is validated by electrochemical test and photoluminescence spectroscopy. This work provides an entire new set of Ce‐MOFs‐based photocatalysts for future important inorganic reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect tea is a traditional Chinese drink that contains abundant bioactive substances. In this study, the preventive effect of Insect tea on D‐galactose‐induced oxidation in mice was studied. The serum, liver, and spleen of mice were measured by biochemical and molecular biological methods, which showed that Insect tea could increase the biochemical indexes of the thymus, brain, heart, liver, spleen, and kidney in mice with induced oxidative damage. Insect tea can increase the levels of SOD (superoxide dismutase), GSH‐Px (glutathione peroxidase), and GSH (glutathione) and decrease the levels of MDA (malondialdehyde) in the serum, liver, and spleen of mice with oxidative damage. Pathological observation also confirmed that Insect tea could inhibit oxidative damage of the liver and spleen tissue caused by D‐galactose in mice. Further molecular biological experiments also showed that Insect tea could upregulate the mRNA and protein expression of Cu/Zn‐SOD (cuprozinc‐superoxide dismutase), Mn‐SOD (manganese superoxide dismutase), CAT (catalase), HO‐1 (heme oxygenase‐1), Nrf2 (nuclear factor‐erythroid 2 related factor 2), γ‐GCS (γ‐glutamylcysteine synthetase), and NQO1 (NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1) in the liver and spleen of oxidized mice. Insect tea has a good preventive effect on D‐galactose‐induced oxidation in mice, and the effect is better than vitamin C, an antioxidant. Insect tea is rich in isochlorogenic acid A, quercetin, rutin, hesperidin, neochlorogenic acid, and cryptochlorogenic acid. The combination of these bioactive substances has good antioxidant effects. Thus, Insect tea is a functional food with a good antioxidant effect that has value for future development and utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND As event-specific sequence information for most unauthorised genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is currently still unavailable, detecting unauthorised GMOs remains challenging. Here, we used insect-resistant rice TT51-1 as an example to develop a novel approach via detecting GMOs by RNA-seq (sequencing) and PCR. RNA-seq of TT51-1 generated 4.8 million (M) 21-nt cDNA tags. Alignment to the Oryza sativa subsp. japonica reference genome revealed 24 098 unmapped tags. Foreign tags from the nopaline synthetic enzyme gene (NOS) terminator and insect-resistant genes were then identified by searching against the NCBI VecScreen and NT databases. RESULTS To further isolate foreign DNA sequences, putative NOS terminator and insect-resistant gene tags were combined and used directly as primer pairs for long-range PCR, producing a 5016-bp fragment. The inserted DNA sequence of TT51-1 has been submitted to a database, and thus, similarity analysis using the database could identify a test sample. CONCLUSION The novel approach has a great potential for application to the detection and identification of unauthorised GMOs in food and feed products. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating the classification accuracy of a candidate biomarker signaling the onset of disease or disease status is essential for medical decisionmaking. A good biomarker would accurately identify the patients who are likely to progress or die at a particular time in the future or who are in urgent need for active treatments. To assess the performance of a candidate biomarker, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) are commonly used. In many cases, the standard simple random sampling (SRS) design used for biomarker validation studies is costly and inefficient. In order to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of biomarker validation, marker-dependent sampling (MDS) may be used. In a MDS design, the selection of patients to assess true survival time is dependent on the result of a biomarker assay. In this article, we introduce a nonparametric estimator for time-dependent AUC under a MDS design. The consistency and the asymptotic normality of the proposed estimator is established. Simulation shows the unbiasedness of the proposed estimator and a significant efficiency gain of the MDS design over the SRS design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether a two-dimensional (2D) ion chamber array detector quickly and accurately measures patient-specific dose distributions in treatment with passively scattered and spot scanning proton beams. Methods: The 2D ion chamber array detector MatriXX was used to measure the dose distributions in plastic water phantom from passively scattered and spot scanning proton beam fields planned for patient treatment. Planar dose distributions were measured using MatriXX, and the distributions were compared to those calculated using a treatment-planning system. The dose distributions generated by the treatment-planning system and a film dosimetry system were similarly compared. Results: For passively scattered proton beams, the gamma index for the dose-distribution comparison for treatment fields for three patients with prostate cancer and for one patient with lung cancer was less than 1.0 for 99% and 100% of pixels for a 3% dose tolerance and 3 mm distance-to-dose agreement, respectively. For spot scanning beams, the mean (± standard deviation) percentages of pixels with gamma indices meeting the passing criteria were 97.1%±1.4% and 98.8%±1.4% for MatriXX and film dosimetry, respectively, for 20 fields used to treat patients with prostate cancer. Conclusions: Unlike film dosimetry, MatriXX provides not only 2D dose-distribution information but also absolute dosimetry in fractions of minutes with acceptable accuracy. The results of this study indicate that MatriXX can be used to verify patient-field specific dose distributions in proton therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histone deacetylase 9 functions as an oncogene in a variety of cancers, but its role on non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been reported. Melatonin was proven to possess anticancer actions, whereas its effect on NSCLC and underlying mechanisms remains poorly understood. In this study, 337 patients with complete clinicopathologic characteristics who underwent NSCLC surgery were recruited for the study. We found that NSCLC patients with high HDAC9 expression were correlated with worse overall survival and poor prognosis. HDAC9 knockdown significantly reduced NSCLC cell growth and induced apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro. Melatonin application also markedly inhibited cell proliferation, metastasis, and invasion and promoted apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Moreover, RNA‐seq, real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and western blot analyses showed that melatonin treatment decreased the HDAC9 level in NSCLC cells. A mechanistic study revealed that HDAC9 knockdown further enhanced the anticancer activities of melatonin treatment, whereas HDAC9 overexpression partially reversed the melatonin's anticancer effects. Additionally, the in vivo study found melatonin exerted anti‐proliferative and pro‐apoptotic effects on xenograft tumors which were also strengthened by HDAC9 knockdown. These results indicated that HDAC9 downregulation mediated the anti‐NSCLC actions of melatonin, and targeting HDAC9 may be the novel therapeutic strategy for NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]