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The metal–organic framework (MOF) materials with significant steadiness and a large specific surface area have been popular with supercapacitor material in recent years. However, its application in supercapacitors is restricted due to the low specific capacitance and poor conductivity. Herein, sulfur compounds with a high theoretical specific capacitance and highly conductive titanium nitride (TiN) were introduced into Co-based metal–organic frameworks/nickel foam (Co-MOF/NF) through a two-step hydrothermal technique (nickel sulfide/titanium nitride@ Co-based metal–organic frameworks/nickel foam). In detail, the fabricated nickel sulfide/titanium nitride@Co-based metal–organic frameworks/nickel foam (Ni3S2/TiN@Co-MOF/NF) electrode material exhibits a markedly high specific capacitance (2648.8 F g−1) at 1 A g−1, compared with that (770 F g−1) of the precursor Co-MOF/NF. And its mass specific capacitance is retained 88.3% (8 A g−1) after 5000 cycles. Furthermore, a non-symmetrical supercapacitor (ASC) composed of Ni3S2/TiN@Co-MOF/NF and AC exhibits excellent power density (801.8 W kg−1) and energy density (97.8 W h kg−1). Therefore, Ni3S2/TiN@Co-MOF/NF with excellent electrochemical properties and stability provides new ideas for the development of excellent supercapacitor electrode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the influence of thermal stress and material property variations, this study employs the Navier–Stokes equations and Fourier heat conduction law to establish a semi-implicit time-domain numerical analysis method for hypersonic aerothermal-structural coupling. Study the temporal variation pattern of different regions of the composite material wing under aerodynamic heating. Using the obtained transient temperature field of the wing, the thermal modal of the wing at different time points is calculated using the finite element method. Additionally, it conducts an analysis and discussion on the factors influencing the thermal modal. Composites can be effectively utilized as thermal protection materials for aircraft. During the aerodynamic heating process, the leading edge temperature reaches thermal equilibrium first, followed by the trailing edge, and the belly plate experiences a slower thermal response. Temperature rise significantly affects higher-order modes, with the change in material properties during the early stages of heating being the dominant factor. This leads to a faster decrease in natural frequency. As heat conduction progresses, the influencing factors of thermal stresses gradually increase, and the natural frequency decreases slowly or even rises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize the effective separation of palladium from high-level liquid waste (HLLW), a ligand-supported adsorbent (NTAamide(C8)/SiO2-P) was prepared by the impregnation method in a vacuum. The SiO2-P carrier was synthesized by in situ polymerization of divinylbenzene and styrene monomers on a macroporous silica skeleton. The NTAamide(C8)/SiO2-P adsorbent was fabricated by impregnating an NTAamide(C8) ligand into the pore of a SiO2-P carrier under a vacuum condition. The adsorption performance of NTAamide(C8)/SiO2-P in nitric acid medium has been systematically studied. In a solution of 0.2 M HNO3, the distribution coefficient of Pd on NTAamide(C8)/SiO2-P was 1848 mL/g with an adsorption percentage of 90.24%. With the concentration of nitric acid increasing, the adsorption capacity of NTAamide(C8)/SiO2-P decreases. Compared to the other 10 potential interfering ions in fission products, NTAamide(C8)/SiO2-P exhibited excellent adsorption selectivity for Pd(II). The separation factor (SFPd/other metals > 77.8) is significantly higher than that of similar materials. The interference of NaNO3 had a negligible effect on the adsorption performance of NTAamide(C8)/SiO2-P, which maintained above 90%. The adsorption kinetics of Pd(II) adsorption on NTAamide(C8)/SiO2-P fits well with the pseudo-second order model. The Sips model is more suitable than the Langmuir and Freundlich model for describing the adsorption behavior. Thermodynamic analysis showed that the adsorption of Pd(II) on NTAamide(C8)/SiO2-P was a spontaneous, endothermic, and rapid process. NTAamide(C8)/SiO2-P also demonstrated good reusability and economic feasibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BAZ2A, an epigenetic regulatory factor that affects ribosomal RNA transcription, has been shown to be highly expressed in several cancers and promotes tumor cell migration. This study explored the expression and mechanism of BAZ2A in tumorigenesis at the pan-cancer level. The Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Expression Omnibus databases and TIMER2.0, cBioPortal and other tools were used to analyze the level of expression of BAZ2A in various tumor tissues and to examine the relationship between BAZ2A and survival, prognosis, mutation and immune invasion. In vitro experiments were performed to assess the function of BAZ2A in cancer cells. Using combined transcriptome and proteome analysis, we examined the possible mechanism of BAZ2A in tumors. BAZ2A exhibited high expression levels in multiple tumor tissues and displayed a significant association with cancer patient prognosis. The main type of BAZ2A genetic variation in cancer is gene mutation. Downregulation of BAZ2A inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoted apoptosis in LM6 liver cancer cell. The mechanism of BAZ2A in cancer development may involve lipid metabolism. These results help expand our understanding of BAZ2A in tumorigenesis and development and suggest BAZ2A may serve as a prognostic and diagnostic factor in several cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BAZ2A, an epigenetic regulatory factor that affects ribosomal RNA transcription, has been shown to be highly expressed in several cancers and promotes tumor cell migration. This study explored the expression and mechanism of BAZ2A in tumorigenesis at the pan-cancer level. The Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Expression Omnibus databases and TIMER2.0, cBioPortal and other tools were used to analyze the level of expression of BAZ2A in various tumor tissues and to examine the relationship between BAZ2A and survival, prognosis, mutation and immune invasion. In vitro experiments were performed to assess the function of BAZ2A in cancer cells. Using combined transcriptome and proteome analysis, we examined the possible mechanism of BAZ2A in tumors. BAZ2A exhibited high expression levels in multiple tumor tissues and displayed a significant association with cancer patient prognosis. The main type of BAZ2A genetic variation in cancer is gene mutation. Downregulation of BAZ2A inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoted apoptosis in LM6 liver cancer cell. The mechanism of BAZ2A in cancer development may involve lipid metabolism. These results help expand our understanding of BAZ2A in tumorigenesis and development and suggest BAZ2A may serve as a prognostic and diagnostic factor in several cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Research on the Cap protein is highly significant in the diagnosis, prevention, and control of porcine circovirus 3. In this study, we identified a novel B cell epitope of Cap protein using monoclonal antibody, and an epitope-blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was successfully developed to detect PCV3 antibodies in porcine sera. This established EB-ELISA has the advantages of being rapid, highly sensitive, re-producible, specific, and did not react with other porcine virus sera, which has great potential for the detection of PCV3 antiserum in porcine farms. Porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) is endemic in swine worldwide and causes reproductive disorders, dermatitis and nephrotic syndrome, and multi-organ inflammation. Currently, there is a growing need for rapid and accurate diagnostic methods in disease monitoring. In this study, four monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against PCV3 capsid proteins were prepared (mAbs 2F6, 2G8, 6E2, and 7E3). MAb 7E3, which had the highest binding affinity for the Cap protein, was chosen for further investigation. A novel B cell epitope 110DLDGAW115 was identified using mAb 7E3. An epitope-blocking (EB) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was successfully developed using horseradish-peroxidase-labeled mAb 7E3 to detect PCV3 antibodies in porcine sera. Moreover, the EB-ELISA showed no specific reaction with other porcine disease sera, and the cut-off value was defined as 35%. Compared with the commercial ELISA, the percentage agreement was 95.59%. Overall, we have developed a novel EB-ELISA method that accurately and conveniently detects PCV3 in serum, making it a valuable tool for the clinical detection of PCV3 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural non-point source pollution (ANPSP) is a primary cause of watershed water quality deterioration, and over 50% of NPS pollutants are estimated to come from ANPSP. Based on the "source-sink" theory and minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model, ANPSP source and key resistance factors were integrated to identify areas at risk of ANPSP production and transportation into the waters of the upper Yangtze River basin. The results showed a spatial difference in the agricultural pollution sources of the basin, which were determined using both ANPSP loads and land-use types. Soil type, rainfall erosivity, and elevation were the three most important resistance factors in pollution transportation, weighting 0.373, 0.241, and 0.147, respectively. There was a spatial effect on the comprehensive resistance of ANPSP transportation, which was lower in mountainous terrain at the central basin. On the coupling of source and resistance processes, regions at serious risk of ANPSP were found to be concentrated in the southwest area. Areas at very high risk of NH3-N and TP pollution accounted for 37.6% and 38.1%, respectively, in the total town/street area. The spatial risk patterns identified in this study could be used for decision making and policy regulation of ANPSP and for aquatic environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differentiating tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) from non-tuberculosis pleural effusion remains a challenge in clinical practice. This study aimed to develop and externally validate a novel prediction model using the peripheral blood tuberculous infection of T cells spot test (T-SPOT.TB) to assess the probability of TPE in patients with unexplained pleural effusion. Patients with pleural effusion and confirmed etiology were included in this study. A retrospective derivation population was used to develop and internally validate the predictive model. Clinical, radiological, and laboratory features were collected, and important predictors were selected using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. The prediction model, presented as a web calculator, was developed using multivariable logistic regression. The predictive performance of the model was evaluated for discrimination and calibration and verified in an independent validation population. The developed prediction model included age, positive T-SPOT.TB result, logarithm of the ratio of mononuclear cells to multiple nuclear cells in pleural effusion (lnRMMPE), and adenosine deaminase in pleural effusion ≥ 40 U/L. The model demonstrated good discrimination [with area under the curve of 0.837 and 0.903, respectively] and calibration (with a Brier score of 0.159 and 0.119, respectively) in both the derivation population and the validation population. Using a cutoff value of 60%, the sensitivity and specificity for identifying TPE were 70% and 88%, respectively, in the derivation population, and 77% and 92%, respectively, in the validation population. A novel predictive model based on T-SPOT.TB was developed and externally validated, demonstrating good diagnostic performance in identifying TPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, in order to clarify the influence of structural parameters of laminates on the modal characteristics of high-aspect-ratio wings under prestress, the CFD/CSD coupling method was used to study the modal characteristics of nonlinear structures under the influence of layering angle, layering unbalanced coefficient, and layering reference direction. The results show that the first six order modal frequencies of wing structure increase with the increase of layering angle, and the increment change of frequency increases with the increase of layering angle. The frequency results of positive and negative layering angles are basically the same, and there is no great difference. The modal frequency of airfoil structure is not very sensitive to the change of unbalanced coefficient. The modal frequencies obtained by the mixed angle layering scheme are obviously larger than those obtained by the layering scheme composed of only two angles. With the change of the reference direction of laying, the lowest frequency is generally present in the 0° reference direction and has one or two minima in each order of modal frequency. The layer reference direction angle mainly in the second quadrant is beneficial to the enhancement of modal frequency. After determining the related layer parameters, the appropriate adjustment of the layer reference direction will be beneficial to change the vibration characteristics of the wing structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the influence of the unbalanced coefficient and the change in lay-up angle on the failure characteristics of the laminate in the static aeroelastic problem of the aircraft, numerical simulations were performed based on the classical laminate theory and the Tsai-Wu failure criterion, as well as the fluid-structure coupling calculation method. The structure's stress-strain and failure curves are found to decrease as the unbalanced coefficient increases. The stress curve's slope is relatively stable, whereas the strain and failure curves' slopes change three times, indicating that strain may be the primary cause of structural failure. Unbalanced coefficient laminates are classified into three types based on their mechanical properties low unbalanced coefficient laminates (Unbalanced coefficient 0.2 to 0.3), quasi-balanced coefficient laminates (Unbalanced coefficient 0.4 to 0.6, Balanced laminate when the Unbalanced coefficient is 0.5), and high unbalanced coefficient laminates (Unbalanced coefficient 0.7 to 0.8). Within their respective spanning intervals, the mechanical properties of the three types of laminates remain relatively stable. An increase in the ply angle reduces both the elastic deformation of the structure and the failure factor. The variation patterns of structural strain and failure at 45° and 60° ply angles decrease as unbalanced coefficients increase, whereas the opposite is true for 30° ply angles. Finally, a two-level optimization method based on "equalized plies" and "equal-angle plies" was developed, resulting in a 23.93% reduction in elastic deformation and a 37.04% reduction in the laminated structure's failure coefficient when compared to the preoptimization results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with yellow fluorescence were firstly prepared by hydrothermal method using corn stover as raw material. Then, the CQDs/Cu 2 O S-scheme heterojunction was obtained by combining the prepared CQDs with dodecahedral Cu 2 O. The catalytic performance of the prepared catalyst under visible light was studied by using tetracycline (TC) as the degradation target. The results showed that the conductivity and the active sites in Cu 2 O were enhanced by loading CQDs, and the 3 wt% CQDs/Cu 2 O heterojunction showed the highest photocatalytic performance and the most excellent stability with 92.49% of TC degradation within 100 min. It is found that the recombination rate of electron and hole was reduced by the CQDs/Cu 2 O heterojunction with improved separation efficiency of the photo-generated electron-hole pairs and enhanced photo-degradation efficiency. [Display omitted] • CQDs/Cu 2 O S-scheme heterojunction was successfully prepared. • CQDs were successfully prepared from using corn stover by a hydrothermal method. • 92.49% of tetracycline was decomposed in 100 min by 3 wt% CQDs/Cu 2 O composite. • Effective separation of e--h+ pair and faster interfacial charge transfer was achieved. • Excellent performance is ascribed to synergistic effect of photo-generated electron pair in Cu 2 O and CQDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Different types of anesthesia may affect cancer patient's outcomes, we compared the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with pancreatic cancer under total intravenous and inhalation anesthesia. Methods: The authors collected the electronic medical records of patients who had accepted at a pancreatectomy from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2016. Patients respectively received total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) or inhalational anesthesia (INHA). Stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (SIPTW)was used to minimize differences. Kaplan–Meier survival was established to analyze the influence of sort of anesthesia on disease-free and overall survival. We compare the effects of each sort of anesthesia on cancer recurrence or metastasis and all-cause mortality. Results: A total of 463 patients who had undergone pancreatic cancer resection were collected in this study, of which 421 patients were available (TIVA group, n = 114 INHA group, n = 307). After SIPTW there were no significant differences between the two groups in disease-free survival (hazard ratio, 1.01, 95%CI, 0.78 to 1.29, P = 0.959) or overall survival (hazard ratio, 1.11, 95%CI, 0.87 to 1.42, P = 0.405). Conclusions: In conclusion, the present study showed no significant difference in overall survival and disease-free survival between total intravenous anesthesia and volatile anesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An easy prepared probe, BHMMP, was designed and synthesized, which displayed a significant fluorescence enhancement (over 38-fold) and obvious color change in the recognition of Al3+. The binding ratio of probe BHMMP to Al3+ was determined as 1:1, according to Job plot. The binding mechanism was fully clarified by the experiments, such as FT-IR spectrum, ESI–MS analysis, and 1H NMR titration. A DFT study further confirmed the binding mode of BHMMP to Al3+. The limit of detection (LOD) for Al3+ was determined as low as 0.70 µM, based on the fluorescence titration of BHMMP. Moreover, the results from real sample experiments, including real water samples, test papers, and cell images, well-demonstrated that BHMMP was capable of sensing Al3+ in environmental and biological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Intermediate layer of SS NPs improves the physical and electrochemical properties of the electrode. • CeCoO x powder has good electrochemical properties under acidic oxygen evolution. • The feasibility of powder-modified electrodes in zinc electrowinning simulations is demonstrated. Presently, the most widely used anode material in industrial zinc electrowinning is lead-silver alloy, and the low corrosion resistance and high oxygen evolution overpotential of lead-silver alloy anodes are the most popular topics and urgent problems to solve in zinc electrowinning research. Herein, the Ti/Sb-SnO 2 NPs/α-PbO 2 /β-PbO 2 -CeCoO x composite anode is prepared by hydrothermal-electrodeposition. Based on the tested results of electrochemical properties, the composite anodes have a low overpotential of 545 mV at 50 mA cm−2 and a low Tafel slope of 135.19 mV dec–1. According to the tested results of the Raman spectra, Co4+ is the primary active material in the oxygen evolution reaction. Compared to the anode containing lead-silver alloy, the cell voltage is reduced by 0.41 V, and the electrode can operate at a high current density of 2 A cm−2 and under highly acidic conditions for 94 h, confirming excellent corrosion resistance in H 2 SO 4 solution electrolysis. The composite anode shows bright prospects for industrial applications in zinc electrowinning and other hydrometallurgy processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bitter melon extract (BME), which contains a variety of natural bioactive substances, has diversified biological functions. The present study is aimed at evaluating the effects of dietary supplementation of BME on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, inflammatory cytokine expression, and intestinal microbiota in common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.). An 8-week feeding trial was conducted using four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets containing different levels of BME (0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1% for control, LBME, MBME, and HBME groups, respectively). The results showed that there were no significant differences in the growth performance of common carp among all groups, including final body weight (FBW), weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and viscera index (VSI) (p > 0.05), but the condition factor (CF) was decreased by all BME treatments (p < 0.05). Serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly improved in all BME groups (p < 0.05), and serum catalase (CAT) activity was significantly higher in the MBME group (p < 0.05). Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) level was lowest while serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) was highest in the HBME group (p < 0.05). Dietary BME supplementation inhibited proinflammatory cytokine (il-1β and il-8) mRNA expression, while anti-inflammatory cytokine (il-6 and il-10) mRNA expressions were promoted (p < 0.05). Furthermore, principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed that there were no differences in bacterial communities among different groups, and Shannon index and Simpson index of intestinal microbiota were unaffected (p > 0.05). Whereas dietary BME reduced Firmicutes abundance and the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes at phylum level, the relative abundance of streptococcaceae at family level, Streptococcus and Exiguobacterium at genus level were also decreased (p < 0.05). Overall, these results suggested that dietary supplementation of BME improved serum antioxidant capacity, anti-inflammatory activity, and modified intestinal microbiota in common carp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Milk protein allergy is one of the most common food allergies in infants. We aimed to test whether fecal calprotectin can be used to monitor food allergies in infants by comparing the fecal calprotectin levels in infants with a milk protein allergy before and after an intervention treatment. Methods: The study was designed as a prospective case–control trial. Stool samples were collected at follow-up, and the concentration of fecal calprotectin was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The infant's weight and length were measured. Results: The allergic group comprised 90 milk-allergic infants (41 boys, 49 girls), and the nonallergic group comprised 90 nonallergic infants (51 boys, 39 girls). Compared with the fecal calprotectin level in the nonallergic group (median: 141 μg/g), that in the allergic group (median: 410 μg/g) was significantly higher (z = − 9.335, p < 0.001). After two dietary interventions and treatments, the fecal calprotectin levels of the infants with a milk protein allergy at the first (median: 253 μg/g) and second follow-up visits (median: 160 μg/g) were significantly lower than those before the intervention (z = − 7.884, p < 0.001 and z = − 8.239, p < 0.001, respectively). The growth index values (LAZ and WAZ) of the infants with a milk protein allergy at the first and second follow-up visits were significantly higher than those before dietary intervention (p < 0.05). Fecal calprotectin was negatively and significantly correlated with the WLZ and WAZ at the second follow-up visit (Spearman's rho = − 0.234, p = 0.01 and Spearman's rho = − 0.193, p = 0.03, respectively). Conclusion: The level of fecal calprotectin in infants with a milk protein allergy decreased after dietary intervention and seems to be a promising biological indicator for monitoring intestinal allergies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, in order to understand the influence of the unbalanced coefficient of composite laminates on the static aeroelasticity of high aspect wings, a series of numerical simulation calculations were carried out, and this work wants to provide some reference for the structural design of aircraft. Considering the influence of geometric nonlinearity, the unidirectional fluid-solid coupling calculation method based on loose coupling is used to control the change of unbalanced coefficient of laminates on the basis of layering angle, layering thickness, and layering region, so as to observe the changes caused to the wings. The relationship between the unbalanced coefficient and the constant thickness layup and the variable thickness layup with 0° and ±45° layup angles was studied, respectively. Then, the layup angle of 90° was added to study the influence of the unbalanced coefficient on the static aeroelasticity of the wing structure with the change of the layup angle and the different choice of layup region. The results show that the deformation is the smallest when the unbalanced coefficient is 0.5, and the deformation trend is evenly distributed along both sides when the unbalanced coefficient is 0.5. When the unbalanced coefficient is changed, adding the 90° layup angle can significantly reduce the overall deformation of the wing and show different sensitivity characteristics to different layup areas. The increase of the unbalanced coefficient makes the chordal displacement gradually change from linear distribution to nonlinear distribution along the spread direction, and the displacement will gradually decrease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The oil-soluble contrast medium used in hysterosalpingography has been shown to have a fertility-enhancing effect, but the underlying mechanism is unclear, especially regarding the role of window of implantation (WOI). This study aimed to assess the endometrial immunological impact of the WOI before and after bathing with the oil-soluble contrast medium in women with recurrent implantation failure (RIF). Methods: This descriptive study involved two medical centers between December 18, 2019, and December 30, 2020. We included infertile women who underwent three or more transfer cycles, cumulative transplantation of at least four high-quality cleavage-stage embryos or three high-quality blastocysts without clinical pregnancy, and high-quality frozen embryos that were still available for implantation. Patients received 5 ml of ethiodized poppyseed oil bathing, endometrial biopsy around bathing, and frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) within four menstrual cycles after bathing. Patients were excluded if failure to complete anyone. Data on the baseline characteristics and clinical data of the FET cycles were collected, and endometrial biopsy specimens were collected in the luteal phase before and after bathing and subjected to immunohistochemistry. The number of CD56 and CD138 positive cells and H-score of expression of ανβ-3 and HOXA10 in endometrium were collected. Results: Thirty-four patients were initially enrolled in the study; ultimately, twelve patients with a median age of 32.5 years (range 27–40 years) completed the research. The median number of embryo transfer cycles was three (range 3–8). A total of 4 of 12 women (33.33%) were diagnosed with chronic endometritis before oil-soluble contrast bathing. After bathing, the median numbers of CD138-positive cells in endometrium decreased from 0.75 (range 0–13.5) to 0.65 (range 0–6), P = 0.035; additionally, the H-score of expression of ανβ-3 in endometrium increased from 148.50 ± 31.63 to 175.58 ± 31.83, P < 0.001. The thickness of the endometrium also significantly increased (8.90 ± 1.45 mm vs.10.11 ± 1.98 mm, P = 0.005). However, no consistent changes were found in the expression of CD56 and HOXA10 in the endometrium. Five patients experienced biochemical pregnancies (41.67%), four had clinical pregnancies (33.33%), and three achieved live births following oil-soluble contrast bathing (25%). Conclusions: These results suggest that oil-soluble contrast medium bathing decreased CD138-positive cells and upregulated expression of ανβ-3 during WOI in patients with RIF. This histological impact of endometrium may result in enhanced fertility during FET cycles. Investigating the ability of intrauterine bathing with lower-dosage oil-soluble contrast to improve pregnancy in the RIF population is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, we identified that the atypical protein kinase C isoform ι (PKCι) enhances the expression of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) to promote the tumorigenesis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma harboring mutant KRAS (mu-KRAS). To advance our understanding about underlying mechanisms, we analyze the transcription of YAP1 in pancreatic cancer cells and reveal that transcription factor specificity protein 1 (Sp1) is upregulated by PKCι and subsequently binds to multiple sites in YAP1 promoter to drive the transactivation of YAP1 in pancreatic cancer cells carrying mu-KRAS. The bioinformatics analysis further substantiates that the expression of PKCι, Sp1 and YAP1 is correlated and associated with the stages and prognosis of pancreatic tumors. Moreover, our apoptotic detection data demonstrate that combination of PKCι and Sp1 inhibitors at subtoxic doses displays synergistic effects on inducing apoptosis and reversing the immunosuppression of pancreatic cancer cells, establishing the combination of PKCι and Sp1 inhibitors as a promising novel therapeutic approach, or an adjuvant strategy to potentiate the antitumor effects of other immunotherapeutic agents in pancreatic cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work class remote operated vehicles (ROVs) are generally equipped with underwater manipulators and are widely used in underwater intervention and maintenance tasks. As the load of underwater operation is relatively heavy, most commercial underwater manipulators are hydraulically actuated and are not equipped with any sensor for joint angles to keep their architectures compact. Therefore, the automatic control methods widely used in industrial robots cannot be simply applied to underwater manipulators. In this paper, an estimation method on joint angles of manipulator is presented, in which several markers are arranged on the arm links and positioned from the corresponding cameras; consequently, the joint angles of the manipulator are estimated. The simulation results show that under typical optical vision positioning error (RMS: 5 mm), the positioning error of the end effector can be estimated as about 10 mm (RMS), which means that the proposed estimation method is feasible for the state estimation for automatic control of underwater manipulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transaction fraud detection is an essential topic in financial research, protecting customers and financial institutions from suffering significant financial losses. The existing ensemble learning-based fraud detection model improves the accuracy of distinguishing fraudulent transactions by integrating multiple base learners. However, their insufficient optimization of variance leads to the inadequate generalization of the model, which makes them unable to meet the requirements of detecting evolving fraudulent behavior. So, this paper proposes an attention-based boosting ensemble model (AM-Boost) for fraud detection that imparts diversity perturbation to the base learner from the feature dimension. Firstly, the feature-wise attention mechanism is proposed to help the model exploit the highly informative fraud features by learning distributed global feature space. And it is combined with boosting strategy to reduce the variance by lowering the correlation between base learners. Secondly, we propose a feature diversity regularization term in the integration stage to optimize the weighted majority voting strategy with a reasonable trade-off between bias and variance. Finally, we evaluate the proposed method on a public fraud detection dataset and a real-world transaction dataset. Extensive experiment results demonstrate that our method outperforms the baseline methods in both datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of serum S100A8/A9 in intestinal inflammation has been confirmed, and its role in food allergy is currently being investigated. Objective: To explore the levels of S100A8/A9 and inflammatory factors, including Toll-like receptors 4 (TLR4), Nuclear transcription factors (NF-κB) and Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), in mild food allergies. Methods: Eighty 3-week-old male Brown Norway rats were used. Forty rats were randomly assigned to the ovalbumin-sensitized experimental group, while 40 rats were assigned to the normal saline sham-sensitized control group. Body weight and length and the levels of serum ovalbumin-specific IgE (OVA-IgE), histamine, Th1-associated and Th2-associated factors, S100A8/A9 and inflammation-associated cytokines were compared. Results: Through the evaluation of OVA-IgE level and Th1/Th2 balance in the experimental group, a successful IgE-mediated food allergy model was constructed. Compared with the control group, the experimental group had higher serum S100A8/A9 levels on days 21, 28, 35 and 42 (all P < 0.05); higher TLR4 levels on days 28, 35 and 42 (all P < 0.05); higher TNF-α levels on days 28, 35 and 42 (all P < 0.05); higher NF-κB levels on days 35 and 42 (all P < 0.05); and higher IL-1β and IL-6 levels on days 7 to 42 (all P < 0.05). Moreover, positive correlations were found between the serum levels of S100A8/A9 and inflammation-associated cytokines [TNF-α: r = 0.378, P = 0.039; IL-1β: r = 0.679, P = 0.000; IL-6: r = 0.590, P = 0.001]. Conclusion: S100A8/A9 and inflammatory-related factors, including TLR4, NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β, is closely related to food allergies. Moreover, immune and inflammatory factors interact with each other in food allergies, which may provide insight into food allergy causes and treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common inherited disorder in the Chinese population, there is scarce evidence regarding the epidemiology, evolutionary origin, and malaria‐induced positive selection effects of G6PD‐deficient alleles in various Chinese ethnic populations. Methods: We performed a large population‐based screening (n = 15,690) to examine the impact of selection on human nucleotide diversity and to infer the evolutionary history of the most common deficiency alleles in Chinese populations. Results: The frequencies of G6PD deficiency ranged from 0% to 11.6% in 12 Chinese ethnic populations. A frequency map based on geographic information showed that G6PD deficiency was highly correlated with historical malaria prevalence in China and was affected by altitude and latitude. The five most frequently occurring G6PD gene variants were NM_001042351.3:c.1376G>T, NM_001042351.3:c.1388G>A, NM_001042351.3:c.95A>G, NM_001042351.3:c.1311T>C, and NM_001042351.3:c.1024C>T, which were distributed with ethnic features. A pathogenic but rarely reported variant site (NM_001042351.3:c.448G>A) was identified in this study. Bioinformatic analysis revealed a strong and recent positive selection targeting the NM_001042351.3:c.1376G>T allele that originated in the past 3125 to 3750 years and another selection targeting the NM_001042351.3:c.1388G>A allele that originated in the past 5000 to 6000 years. Additionally, both alleles originated from a single ancestor. Conclusion: These results indicate that malaria has had a major impact on the Chinese genome since the introduction of rice agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• New mesoporous MIL@silica gel composites were designed for enhanced NH 3 adsorption. • The MIL@silica gels show higher NH 3 capacity than silica gel and faster rate than MILs. • The highest capacity was got by 48.89 wt% [Bmim] 2 [Co(NCS) 4 ]@silica gel in 15 min. • The [Bmim] 2 [Co(SCN) 4 ]@silica gel exhibit excellent reversibility after five cycles. The emerging of ionic liquids (ILs) provides a promising way to efficiently separate ammonia (NH 3) and simultaneously recover NH 3 due to their negligible volatility, good affinity with NH 3 and designable structures. However, the relatively high viscosities of ILs and the limited gas-liquid interface severely affect gas diffusion in ILs, which hinders their practical use in industries. In this work, in order to overcome the mass-transfer limitations of ILs in gas separation, three metal ILs (MILs), [Bmim] 2 [CuCl 4 ], [Bmim] 2 [NiCl 4 ] and [Bmim] 2 [Co(NCS) 4 ], with good affinity toward NH 3 were incorporated into porous silica gels with large surface area and abundant hydroxyl groups, by an impregnation-vaporization method to form novel MIL@silica gel composites for rapid, efficient and reversible adsorption of NH 3. The FT-IR and BET results indicated that the prepared adsorbents with different loadings of MILs are mesoporous composites. The [Bmim] 2 [Co(NCS) 4 ]@silica gel composites not only show much higher NH 3 capacity and NH 3 selectivity than pristine silica gel and faster adsorption rate than the corresponding pure MILs, but also exhibit excellent reversibility. The highest capacity of NH 3 adsorption up to 99.808 mg NH 3 ·(g adsorbent)−1 in 15 min was obtained when the loading of [Bmim] 2 [Co(NCS) 4 ] in the MIL@silica gel composite was 48.89 wt%, which could be attributed to the synergistic interaction of the complexation and hydrogen bonding between cobalt coordinated anion and NH 3 as well as mesoporous structures. Moreover, the NH 3 absorbed by the [Bmim] 2 [Co(SCN) 4 ]@silica gel can be completely released in 15 min, and no obvious losses in NH 3 capacity were detected during five adsorption and regeneration cycles, indicating great potentials as adsorbents for NH 3 separation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digging resistance in a normal state is the key to excavator design and automated excavation. It is difficult to accurately predict, simulate, or directly measure the digging resistance in a normal state due to uncertainties in the soil properties and excavation parameters. In this paper, a research idea is proposed that uses the working device as the entry point to indirectly calculate the digging resistance in a normal state by measuring the motion parameters and the cylinder pressure intensity. Based on the rule of combination for spatial force systems, a method for combining and projecting the system of the digging resistance is proposed in which the system is projected as six parts, and the tangential force, normal force, and bending moment in the plane of symmetry of the working device are the objects of the solution to avoid redundant equations. Based on kinematics and dynamics models of the excavator and the force and moment equilibrium conditions of the working device, equations for the active-side calculation of the incomplete digging resistance are derived. Based on these equations, the motion parameters of the working device and data on the cylinder pressure intensity obtained by measurement are used to calculate the incomplete digging resistance. The validation scheme and process proposed use the incomplete digging resistance as the external load to obtain the simulated stress of the working device through transient analysis. The simulated stress and the measured stress corresponding to the position of the measurement point are extracted and compared. The results show that there is a difference in the size of the numerical value between the simulated and measured stress, but the variation law is highly consistent, which validates the calculation method. In this paper, an active-side calculation method is provided for the incomplete digging resistance in a normal state without considering the soil-tool interaction relationships, which lays a theoretical foundation for the study of the digging resistance characteristics in a normal state, as well as excavator design and automated excavation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The CDs with dual-report function for monitoring the LDs polarity and their spatial characteristics was developed. • The high-contrast fluorescence diagnosis of HCC was successfully realized by using dual-function CDs. • The CDs were further utilized to evaluate the efficacy of anticancer drugs with satisfactory performance. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a metabolic disease with high mortality caused by abnormal deposition of lipid droplets (LDs). The number and distribution of LDs can effectively reflect the severity of HCC. Additionally, polarity change is also an important indicator for monitoring HCC. Therefore, using fluorescence imaging technology to accurately identify LDs is helpful for HCC diagnosis and treatment evaluation. To date, the study that can simultaneously monitor the polarity and spatiotemporal characteristics of LDs to diagnose HCC has not been reported yet. Herein, a novel LD-targeting near-infrared carbon dots (CDs) with dual-report function of determining the LDs polarity as well as presenting their spatial characteristics was developed. The high lipophilicity and solvatochromic effect of CDs endows it with the ability to image LDs with high-fidelity, so it can not only report the spatiotemporal characteristics of LDs including the number, size, and aggregation degree, but also determine their polarity variations. Therefore, the high-contrast fluorescence diagnosis of HCC was successfully realized by using dual-function CDs. Meanwhile, the CDs were further utilized to evaluate the efficacy of anticancer drugs with satisfactory performance. Overall, this CD-based LDs probe may provide a new perspective for the diagnosing of LDs-related diseases and screening of anticancer drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • In order to analyze nanomolar dissolved organic nitrogen, VUV was evaluated. • VUV converted ∼90% of dissolved organic nitrogen species into inorganic nitrogen. • VUV pretreatment enabled a lower MDL (1.5 μg-N/L) than conventional methods. • If NH 4 + was completely converted into NO 3 −, IC alone can measure DON in water. Abstract Quantifying trace dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in water is currently challenging for conventional methods not only because of the presence of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) species, which usually dominate in total nitrogen (TN), but also because of the high method detection limits (MDLs) of current TN methods, which are ≥100 μg/L. In order to overcome these barriers, an earlier study has applied electrodialysis to eliminate DINs from water, thereby reducing the interference of DIN. However, it remains difficult to analyze DON at nanomolar level. To address this issue, this study proposes to convert DON completely into DIN by vacuum ultraviolet irradiation (VUV) and then to measure DON by the sum of DINs (i.e., ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate). A number of verification tests show that the proposed method had comparable results with conventional methods for selected model compounds and real samples. The average nitrogen recovery for sixteen model DON compounds (each at 2.0 mg-N/L) with varying structures and molecular weights was 89 ± 16%, similar to those obtained by thermal-activated persulfate oxidation (87 ± 18%) and high temperature catalytic oxidation (86 ± 20%) methods. Moreover, this method features an advantage that it reached a MDL of 1.5 μg-N/L, much lower than conventional TN methods. With a prolonged 12-h irradiation, this approach was able to convert ammonia completely into nitrate, thus enabling detection of DON by using ion chromatography only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the CFD/CSD coupling method, the transonic static aeroelastic characteristics of the low-aspect-ratio swept wing was studied by numerical simulation. The Navier-Stokes equation was used as the fluid computational control equations. The flow field mesh deformation was performed using the Transfinite Interpolation method (TFI) method, and the data exchange on the CFD/CSD coupling interface was realized by the Constant Volume Transform (CVT) method. Based on the above method, the transonic static aeroelastic coupling calculation program was developed. The results of ONERA M6 wing static aeroelastic calculated by the coupling program were compared with wind tunnel test and reference results, and the effectiveness of the program was verified. Through numerical simulation, the influence of different angles of attack and Mach number on the static aeroelastic deformation and torsion angle of the wing are studied. Finally, by comparing the surface pressure cloud and pressure coefficient of the rigid wing and the elastic wing, the influence of static aeroelastic on the longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics and stability of the wing is mainly analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A large number of NH 3 emissions from industries, such as ammonia plant purge gas, tail gases of urea plants and ammonium molybdate plants, inevitably cause serious air pollution problems, such as fog and haze, which has raised extensive attentions worldwide. However, the commercial methods, like water scrubbing and acid scrubbing, substantially transfer the NH 3 pollute from gas phase to liquid or solid phase, which does not mean total elimination. How to realize efficiently separate and recover NH 3 form NH 3 -containing gas mixtures is still a great challenge. In order to develop efficient absorbents for NH 3 removal, a series of metal (copper (Cu), stannum (Sn), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), ferrum (Fe)) ionic liquids (MILs) were synthesized, and their physicochemical properties and NH 3 absorption performance were systematically investigated. The results implied that the incorporation of metal center into ILs has a great effect on NH 3 absorption. Among the investigated MILs, bis(1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium) copper tetrachloride salt ([Bmim] 2 [CuCl 4 ]) and bis(1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium) stannum tetrachloride salt ([Bmim] 2 [SnCl 4 ]) show excellent NH 3 absorption capacities up to 0.172 gNH 3 ·gIL−1 and 0.106 gNH 3 ·gIL−1, respectively, which are far more than most of the conventional ILs. Moreover, the high selectivity for NH 3 /N 2 , NH 3 /CO 2 and NH 3 /O 2 of [Bmim] 2 [CuCl 4 ] and [Bmim] 2 [SnCl 4 ] indicated that these MILs can selectively separate NH 3 from NH 3 -containing gases. The absorption mechanism was further studied using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and quantitative chemical calculations. It was demonstrated that the chemical complexation between [Bmim] 2 [CuCl 4 ] and NH 3 plays a dominant role in NH 3 absorption, but the stronger hydrogen bonding between [Bmim] 2 [SnCl 4 ] and NH 3 enhances the absorption performance. In addition, [Bmim] 2 [SnCl 4 ] can keep good stability after five absorption and desorption cycles, implying this MIL shows great potentials as an efficient and reversible absorbent for NH 3 capture applications. Graphical abstract Novel metal chloride anion-based ionic liquids have been designed for efficient separation of NH 3 , and both high NH 3 absorption capacity and excellent recyclability were simultaneously achieved by stannum ionic liquids [Bmim] 2 [SnCl 4 ]. Image Highlights • The incorporation of metal center into ILs can obviously enhance NH 3 absorption capacity in metal ionic liquids (MILs). • [Bmim] 2 [CuCl 4 ] and [Bmim] 2 [SnCl 4 ] have higher NH 3 capacity and NH 3 selectivity towards other gases. • The chemical complexation plays a dominant role in NH 3 absorption in [Bmim] 2 [CuCl 4 ], resulting in its irreversibility. • NH 3 absorption occurs in [Bmim] 2 [SnCl 4 ] through the strong hydrogen bonding, therefore showing great recyclability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cornichon homolog 4 (CNIH4) belongs to the CNIH family. It functions as an oncogene in many tumors. However, CNIH4's significance in the immune landscape and its predictive potential in cervical cancer (CESC) is unexplored. Methods: CNIH4 levels and its effect on the survival of patients with CESC were evaluated using data retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The oncogenic effect of CNIH4 in CESC was determined using small interfering RNA‐mediated transfected cell lines and tumorigenesis experiments in animal models. Results: Higher expression of CNIH4 was found in advanced tumor and pathological stages, as well as lymph node metastasis. CNIH4 expression correlated positively with the infiltration of macrophages M2 and resting dendritic cells into the affected tissue. Additionally, functional enrichment of RNA‐sequencing of CNIH4‐knocked down CESC cell lines showed the association of CNIH4 to the PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway. Single‐sample gene set enrichment analysis highlighted several immune pathways that were elevated in the CESC samples with enhanced levels of CNIH4, including Type‐I and Type‐II IFN‐response pathways. The impact of CNIH4 on drug sensitivity was further assessed using the GDSC database. As CNIH4 is linked to the immune landscape in CESC, this study determined a four‐gene risk prediction signature utilizing CNIH4‐related immunomodulators. The risk score quantified from the prediction signature was an independent predictive indicator in CESC. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis verified the good predictive ability of the four‐gene signature in TCGA‐CESC cohort. Thus, the CNIH4‐related model showed potential as an auxiliary TNM staging system tool. Conclusion: CNIH4 may be an effective predictive biomarker for patients with cervical cancer, thus providing new ideas and research directions for CESC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-risk (HR)-human papillomavirus (HPV) is the leading cause of precancerous cervical lesions in patients with chronic untreated infection. We investigated the relationships among several vaginal microbiological alterations, oncogene E6/E7 expression, and HR-HPV. A total of 1327 women who underwent HPV screening, vaginal microecology determination, and fluid-based thin-layer cytological test were enrolled and classified into the HPV-negative group, the low-risk (LR)-HPV-positive group, and the HR-HPV-positive group. The status of cervical HPV infection, vaginal microecology, and E6/E7 mRNA expression were examined sequentially. The effect of HR-HPV infection on cervical cancer (CC) was meticulously assessed, and associations between HR-HPV infection and vaginal microecology and E6/E7 mRNA were identified. In total 548/1327 patients were HPV positive, including LR-HPV infection (N = 132) and HR-HPV infection (N = 416). Patients in the HR-HPV positive group revealed higher detection rates of bacterial vaginosis (BV), trichomonal vaginitis (TV), and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) relative to the HPV negative group. A higher E6/E7 mRNA expression was identified in HR-HPV patients compared to LR-HPV patients. BV and E6/E7 mRNA were classified as independent risk factors for HR-HPV infection. Patients with HR-HPV infection were more susceptible to CC development. Overall, BV and E6/E7 mRNA expression were identified as independent risk factors for HR-HPV infection. What is already known on this subject? Through literature review, we found that vaginal ecological changes increase the risk of HPV infection, and HPV persistent infection is an important risk factor for cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer. In addition, HPV gene E6/E7 is expressed in HPV-positive cervical cancer cells, which is related to cell malignant transformation and even tumorigenesis. What do the results of this study add? This study further revealed that bacterial vaginosis (BV) and E6/E7 mRNA were independently correlated with HR-HPV infection, and HR-HPV infection increased the risk of cervical cancer. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? E6/E7 mRNA detection may be used as a new auxiliary diagnostic index for HR-HPV infection. In addition, this study provides a reference for whether the restoration of vaginal microecological balance in patients with BV undergoing clinical treatment is conducive to HR-HPV regression, and provides theoretical support for the prevention and control of cervical cancer microecological approach and the occurrence and development of cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of early enteral nutrition (EEN) or total parenteral nutrition (TPN) support on nutritional status and blood glucose in patients with gastric cancer complicated with diabetes mellitus after radical gastrectomy were investigated. One hundred and twenty-nine patients with gastric cancer complicated with diabetes mellitus type 2 admitted to the First People's Hospital of Jinan (Jinan, China), from June 2012 to June 2016 were selected into the study. According to different nutrition support pathways, these patients were randomly divided into the EEN group and the TPN group. The improvement of nutritional indexes, postoperative complications, gastrointestinal function recovery and perioperative blood glucose fluctuation were compared between the two groups. On the 4th day after operation, the improvement levels of total bilirubin (TBL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total protein (TP), prealbumin (PAB), hemoglobin (HGB) and weight (Wt) in the EEN group were significantly higher than those in the conventional group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups on the 8th day after operation (P>0.05). No patients had complications in the EEN group, while a total of 29 patients in the TPN group suffered adverse reactions, indicating that the incidence rate of complications in the EEN group was significantly lower than that in the TPN group (P<0.05). The postoperative evacuation time was earlier, hospitalization time was shorter and cost of postoperative hospitalization was less in the EEN group than those in the TPN group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The blood glucose fluctuation values at fasting and 2 h after a meal in the TPN group were higher than those in the EEN group within 8 days after operation, and the differences were statistically significant (χ2=13.219, P=0.002; χ2=20.527, P<0.001). EEN support provides nutrition for patients with gastric cancer complicated with diabetes mellitus after radical gastrectomy, which is worthy of clinical promotion as it maintains good nutritional status, produces few postoperative complications and keeps the blood glucose level stable, by which the postoperative evacuation time is early, the hospitalization time is short and the cost is low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphologies of molybdenum carbide catalysts were designed by elaborately selecting organic carbon sources. Based on the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area data, it is found that the structure and surface area of Mo x C y catalysts can be adjusted by selecting different organic carbon sources. Wire-like Mo x C y , nanosheet-like Mo x C y and rod-like Mo x C y catalysts were obtained by using aniline and p-phenylenediamin (pPd), 4-chloro-o-phenylenediamin (4CloPd), and o-phenylenediamin (oPd) as the carbon sources, respectively, and the nanosheet-like Mo x C y showed a relatively high surface area of 30.3 m 2 g −1 . Furthermore, the crystal structure of Mo x C y was found to be controlled by the organic carbon source. Notably, α-Mo x C y nanosheets prepared by using 4CloPd showed the best catalytic performance, in which the formic acid conversion approached 100% with a low CO selectivity when the reaction temperature was higher than 250 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve better removal and analyses of three dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) species via ultraviolet-activated hydrogen peroxide (UV/H 2 O 2 ) process, this study systematically investigated the rates of photo-oxidations of ammonia/ammonium (NH 3 /NH 4 + ) and nitrite (NO 2 − ) as well as the photo-reduction of nitrate (NO 3 − ) at varying pH and H 2 O 2 conditions. The results showed that the mass balances of nitrogen were maintained along irradiation despite of interconversions of DIN species, suggesting that no nitrogen gas (N 2 ) or other nitrogen-containing compound was formed. NH 3 was more reactive than NH 4 + with hydroxyl radical ( OH), and by a stepwise H 2 O 2 addition method NH 3 /NH 4 + can be completely converted to NO x − ; NO 2 − underwent rapid oxidation to form NO 3 − when H 2 O 2 was present, suggesting that it is an intermediate compound linking NH 3 /NH 4 + and NO 3 − ; but once H 2 O 2 was depleted, NO 3 − can be gradually photo-reduced back to NO 2 − at high pH conditions. Other than H 2 O 2 , the transformation kinetics of DINs were all dependent on pH, but to varying aspects and extents: the NH 3 photo-oxidation favored a pH of 10.3, which fell within the pK a values of NH 4 + (9.24) and H 2 O 2 (11.6); the NO 3 − photo-reduction increased with increasing pH provided that it exceeds the pK a of peroxynitrous acid (6.8); while the NO 2 − photo-oxidation remained stable unless the pH neared the pK a of H 2 O 2 (11.6). The study thereby demonstrates a picture of the evolutions of DIN species together during UV/H 2 O 2 irradiation process, and for the first time presents a method to achieve complete conversion of NH 4 + to NO 3 − with UV/H 2 O 2 process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficiency of the combined process of ozonation with Vallisneria natans to improve the quality of piggery effluent was investigated in this study, and the effects of ozonated water on the antioxidant responses of V. natans were explored. The effluent was treated with ozone at 10, 30 and 50 mg L −1 for 30 min in combination with V. natans for 28 − d. Combined treatment was successful at removing inorganic nutrients and organic compounds from piggery effluent. Low ozone concentration treatment of water was optimal for the growth of V. natans , while exposure to high levels for long periods of time increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and damaged their antioxidant systems. The results demonstrate that combined ozonation and submerged macrophytes treatment, can remove inorganic nutrients and organic compounds from piggery effluent, reducing the pollution into aquatic ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu 2 O/exfoliated graphite composites (Cu 2 O/EG (1 wt%), Cu 2 O/EG (4 wt%), Cu 2 O/EG (7 wt%), Cu 2 O/EG (10 wt%), and Cu 2 O/EG (15 wt%)) were prepared by the precipitation method. The photocatalytic activity of the material was evaluated using the decolorization of methyl orange (MO) solution as model reaction. Results showed that Cu 2 O deposited on the worm-like flakes of EG in the form of nanocrystals. The EG provided a three-dimensional environment for photocatalytic reaction and endowed a high adsorption capacity for the sample. Under optimal conditions, the decolorization efficiencies of MO for 60 min reached 96.7%. Recycling of the catalyst showed Cu 2 O/EG composites (10 wt%) to possess high photocatalytic efficiency even when repeatedly used for five times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As regards the ticket allotment issue of the intercity passenger corridor designed for different train grades, the matching relationship between the ticket allotment and the passenger flow demand is studied. The passenger flow conversion equation which is based on the collaborative optimization of the intercity train stop schedule plan and ticket allotment is established. Then the mathematical model aiming at the maximum revenue of intercity train system and the highest satisfaction from the passengers is established. The particle swarm harmony search algorithm is designed to solve the model. The example verifies the effectiveness of the model and algorithm, which indicates that, through the collaborative optimization of the stop schedule plan and ticket allotment for different grades intercity trains, the sectional utilization rate of the train can be improved; meanwhile, the optimum matching between the intercity train revenue and the passenger satisfaction can be realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the large amount of pesticides discharged into rivers, adverse effects could be induced to aquatic organisms. Daphnia magna is often used as an indicator organism to evaluate the toxicity of pesticides. In this study, a quantitative structure–toxicity relationship (QSTR) model was established based on norm descriptors for predicting the acute toxicity of pesticides to Daphnia magna. The model results showed the good predictability (R training 2 = 0.8045, R testing 2 = 0.8224). The validation results of internal validation, external validation, Y -randomization test and application domain analysis demonstrated the model's stability, reliability and robustness. Therefore, the above results indicate that norm descriptors might be universal for describing the relationship between the toxicity and structures of pesticides compounds. Moreover, some pesticides' toxicities without experimental data were also predicted by this model. [Display omitted] • Based on norm descriptors, a QSAR model was developed for acute toxicity of pesticides towards Daphnia magna with a large of data. • 48 h exposure time was considered in the present work. • The parameters of DFT were introduced into norm descriptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the large amount of pesticides discharged into rivers, adverse effects could be induced to aquatic organisms. Daphnia magna is often used as an indicator organism to evaluate the toxicity of pesticides. In this study, a quantitative structure–toxicity relationship (QSTR) model was established based on norm descriptors for predicting the acute toxicity of pesticides to Daphnia magna. The model results showed the good predictability (R training 2 = 0.8045, R testing 2 = 0.8224). The validation results of internal validation, external validation, Y -randomization test and application domain analysis demonstrated the model's stability, reliability and robustness. Therefore, the above results indicate that norm descriptors might be universal for describing the relationship between the toxicity and structures of pesticides compounds. Moreover, some pesticides' toxicities without experimental data were also predicted by this model. [Display omitted] • Based on norm descriptors, a QSAR model was developed for acute toxicity of pesticides towards Daphnia magna with a large of data. • 48 h exposure time was considered in the present work. • The parameters of DFT were introduced into norm descriptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The ethanol extract (EE) from Ramaria flava displayed strong anticancer activity. [•] The water fraction of EE exhibited high DPPH and OH radical scavenging activity. [•] The EE also showed strong antimicrobial activity and moderate antifungal activity. [•] Three phenolic compounds from the water fraction were also identified by HPLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and low cost method for the determination of mercury has been developed. The method was based upon the highly sensitive color reaction of mercury(II) ions with 2,4-bis(4-phenylazophenylaminodiazo)benzenesulfonic acid ( BPPABSA). We found that in the presence of 2.0% Triton X-100, the reagent reacts with mercury to form a stable red complex in a borax buffer solution at pH 10.22. The formed complex shows an absorption maximum at 530 nm. The apparent molar absorptivity is 2.18 × 10 L/mol cm. The content of mercury in the sample was low and some foreign ions might interfere with the determination of mercury(II), so we used sulfhydryl dextran gel ( SDG) to separate and enrich trace mercury(II), which lead to a satisfactory result. Under the optimal conditions, Beer's law is obeyed in the range of 0-15 μg/25 mL Hg, the detection limit and relative standard deviation are 0.86 ng/mL and 1.4-3.8%, respectively. The method has been applied to the determination of mercury in cereals with satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-risk (HR)-human papillomavirus (HPV) is the leading cause of precancerous cervical lesions in patients with chronic untreated infection. We investigated the relationships among several vaginal microbiological alterations, oncogene E6/E7 expression, and HR-HPV. A total of 1327 women who underwent HPV screening, vaginal microecology determination, and fluid-based thin-layer cytological test were enrolled and classified into the HPV-negative group, the low-risk (LR)-HPV-positive group, and the HR-HPV-positive group. The status of cervical HPV infection, vaginal microecology, and E6/E7 mRNA expression were examined sequentially. The effect of HR-HPV infection on cervical cancer (CC) was meticulously assessed, and associations between HR-HPV infection and vaginal microecology and E6/E7 mRNA were identified. In total 548/1327 patients were HPV positive, including LR-HPV infection (N = 132) and HR-HPV infection (N = 416). Patients in the HR-HPV positive group revealed higher detection rates of bacterial vaginosis (BV), trichomonal vaginitis (TV), and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) relative to the HPV negative group. A higher E6/E7 mRNA expression was identified in HR-HPV patients compared to LR-HPV patients. BV and E6/E7 mRNA were classified as independent risk factors for HR-HPV infection. Patients with HR-HPV infection were more susceptible to CC development. Overall, BV and E6/E7 mRNA expression were identified as independent risk factors for HR-HPV infection. What is already known on this subject? Through literature review, we found that vaginal ecological changes increase the risk of HPV infection, and HPV persistent infection is an important risk factor for cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer. In addition, HPV gene E6/E7 is expressed in HPV-positive cervical cancer cells, which is related to cell malignant transformation and even tumorigenesis. What do the results of this study add? This study further revealed that bacterial vaginosis (BV) and E6/E7 mRNA were independently correlated with HR-HPV infection, and HR-HPV infection increased the risk of cervical cancer. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? E6/E7 mRNA detection may be used as a new auxiliary diagnostic index for HR-HPV infection. In addition, this study provides a reference for whether the restoration of vaginal microecological balance in patients with BV undergoing clinical treatment is conducive to HR-HPV regression, and provides theoretical support for the prevention and control of cervical cancer microecological approach and the occurrence and development of cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have a good designability, a well-defined pore, stimulus responsiveness, a high surface area, and a controllable morphology. Up to now, various MOFs have been widely used as nanocarriers and have attracted lots of attention in the field of drug delivery and release because of their good biocompatibility and high-drug-loading capacity. Herein, we provide a comprehensive summary of MOF-based nanocarriers for drug delivery and release over the last five years. Meanwhile, some representative examples are highlighted in detail according to four categories, including the University of Oslo MOFs, Fe-MOFs, cyclodextrin MOFs, and other MOFs. Moreover, the opportunities and challenges of MOF-based smart delivery vehicles are discussed. We hope that this review will be helpful for researchers to understand the recent developments and challenges of MOF-based drug-delivery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Thalassemia, the most common global monogenetic disorder, is highly prevalent in southern China. Epidemiological and molecular characterization of thalassemia is important for designing appropriate prevention strategies in high-risk areas, especially the border area of Guangxi-Yunnan-Guizhou province in southwestern China. Methods: We recruited 38812 reproductive age couples and screened them for thalassemia. Routine blood tests as well as hemoglobin components and levels were evaluated. In addition, suspected thalassemia were identified by gap polymerase chain reaction (Gap-PCR) and PCR-based reverse dot blot (PCR-RDB). Results: The overall prevalence of thalassemia was 26.76%. Specifically, incidences of α-thalassemia, β-thalassemia, and concurrent α- and β-thalassemia were 17.52%, 6.92%, and 2.32%, respectively. The diagnosed α-thalassemia anomalies were associated with six gene mutations and 25 genotypes. The β-thalassemia anomalies were associated with 12 gene mutations and 15 genotypes. Moreover, among the 1799 concurrent mutated α- and β-thalassemia genes, 95 different genotypes were identified. Couples in which both partners were positive for α-thalassemia and β-thalassemia isotypes were 8.80% and 2.08%, respectively. The proportion of couples at a risk of having children with thalassemia major or intermedia was high. Conclusions: This study elucidates on the prevalence and molecular characterization of thalassemia in the border area of Guangxi-Yunnan-Guizhou provinces. These findings provide valuable baseline data for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis, with the overarching goal of preventing and controlling severe thalassemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

n efficient micropropagation system for Hylotelephium tatarinowii (Maxim.) H. Ohba, a rare medicinal plant, has been developed. Callus induced from leaf explants placed onto Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with supplementation of plant growth regulators. When the concentration of 2,4-dicholorophenoxy acetic acid was as high as 2.0 mg l in combination with 0.5 mg l 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BAP), the callus induction rate reached 92.1%. Adventitious shoots were observed on callus exposed to 1.0 mg l 6-BAP, with 81.5% frequency of shoot regeneration after 30 d. Flower buds appeared after subculture. Regenerated shoots could flower normally in vitro. Up to 100% of the regenerated shoots formed complete plantlets on half-strength MS medium without any growth regulator, with an average of 5.9 roots per shoot explant. Quantitative analysis of flavonoids and rutin showed that the phytochemical profile of callus and regenerated plants was similar to that of wild plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Facile design synthesis was performed under benign environmental conditions. • Adsorption capacity of wheat straw was enhanced after Zr modification. • There is little effect of salts on adsorption. • Good adsorption properties were presented in batch mode and column mode. • The complexation was the main mechanism between adsorbent and tetracycline. A novel adsorbent (Zr-WS) was developed from the chemical modification of wheat straw with diethylenetriamine, chloroacetic acid and zirconium (Zr) and its efficacy for adsorption property was assessed using tetracycline (TC) as model pollutant. The materials were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the results indicated that zirconium was successfully loaded on the surface of wheat straw. The adsorption property of TC was performed in batch mode and fixed-bed column mode. The TC uptake was influenced by several factors such as pH, salts, temperature and contact time in batch mode. The adsorption quantity of Zr-WS toward TC was to 77.2 mg·g−1 from equilibrium study at 303 K. Freundlich model was suitable to fit the equilibrium data while Elovich model was better to predict the kinetic process. The adsorption of TC onto Zr-WS was a physical and chemical reaction with endothermic and entropy increasing. The fixed-bed adsorption results showed that high column, high TC concentration and low flow rate were beneficial to the adsorption quantity. Yan model could describe the column adsorption behavior well. There were coordination complexation and ion exchange in the adsorption process. There was some property of regeneration using 0.1 mol·L−1 hydrogen chloride solution as eluting agent. Therefore, Zr-WS could be promising as a new material to remove tetracycline from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of tetra-alkylcarbamides as novel ligands: N,N-butyl-N',N'-hexylurea (L1: ABHU), and N,N-butyl-N',N'-pentylurea (L2: ABPU), for the solvent extraction and complexation behaviors of uranium(VI) was synthesized and investigated in this study. The effects of HNO3 and NO3− concentrations in the aqueous phase on the distribution ratio of U(VI) were examined. Under 5 mol/L HNO3 concentration, DU reached 5.02 and 4.94 respectively without third-phase formation. During the extraction, slope measurements and IR spectral analysis revealed that the U(VI) complexes are a form of UO2(NO3)2·2L for both ligands. In addition, thermodynamic studies showed that the uranium extraction reaction was a spontaneous exothermic reaction. The deep structural analysis of the complexes was realized with DFT calculation. The bond length, bond properties, and topology of the complexes were discussed in detail to analyze the extraction behavior. This study enriches the coordination chemistry of U(VI) by tetra-alkylcarbamides, which may offer new clues for the design and synthesis of novel ligands for the separation, enrichment, and recovery of uranium in the nuclear fuel cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lanthanide-doped upconversion photoluminescent nanoparticles with unique anti-Stokes spectroscopic properties excel in many fields of application. Ytterbium-based self-sensitized fluorides with rich Yb3+ possess higher absorption efficiency of incident near infrared laser, and are more favorable for photoluminescence or optical heating applications. In this work, α-NaYbF 4 :Tm3+ crystalline nanoparticles are synthesized, which exhibit intense ultraviolet self-sensitized upconversion photoluminescence and highly efficient optical heating capability under 980 nm laser excitation. NaYbF 4 :Tm3+ nanocrystals emit multi-band luminescence with emission peaks located in the ultraviolet, blue and red spectral regions. The energy transfer mechanism and electronic transition pathways for the Upconversion luminescence are investigated based on the energy level scheme, and are further confirmed by luminescent dynamic analysis. Due to cross-relaxations between Tm3+ and energy back transfer from Tm3+ to Yb3+ processes, the NaYbF 4 : 1 mol% Tm3+ nanoparticles possess the highest luminescence intensity. The luminescent dynamic characteristics, such as decay time and rise time, vary with Tm3+ doping concentrations. Highly efficient optical heating effect is observed in the NaYbF 4 :Tm3+ nanoparticles with slope efficiency of photothermal conversion for 10 s laser irradiation is as high as 100.48 °C/W. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]