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A bilinear map whose domain and target sets are identical is called a self-bilinear map. Original self-bilinear maps are defined over cyclic groups. Since the map itself reveals information about the underlying cyclic group, the Decisional Diffie–Hellman Problem (DDH) and the computational Diffie–Hellman (CDH) problem may be solved easily in some specific groups. This brings a lot of limitations to constructing secure self-bilinear schemes. As a compromise, a self-bilinear map with auxiliary information was proposed in CRYPTO'2014. In this paper, we construct this weak variant of a self-bilinear map from generic sets and indistinguishable obfuscation. These sets should own several properties. A new notion, One Way Encoding System (OWES), is proposed to summarize these properties. The new Encoding Division Problem (EDP) is defined to complete the security proof. The OWES can be built by making use of one level of graded encoding systems (GES). To construct a concrete self-bilinear map scheme, Garg, Gentry, and Halvei(GGH13) GES is adopted in our work. Even though the security of GGH13 was recently broken by Hu et al., their algorithm does not threaten our applications. At the end of this paper, some further considerations for the EDP for concrete construction are given to improve the confidence that EDP is indeed hard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The helium coolant in the primary circuit of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) contains traces of impurities, which can induce the corrosion of superalloys when exposed to elevated temperatures. The superalloy damage caused by the corrosion could threaten the safe operation of the reactor. In this work, the corrosion behavior of a representative superalloy (chromium-rich iron base alloy Incoloy 800H) was investigated under the impure helium at different typical temperatures of HTGR. An experimental setup developed for studying the high-temperature corrosion of superalloys was used to investigate the chemical reactions and corrosion behaviors of Incoloy 800H. It was found that CO2 is an important oxygen source in the reaction with chromium, and CO is released as the product. In addition, the observation and computation of the critical temperature (TC) of the reaction between CO2 and carbon in the alloy show that TC is much lower than that (TA) of the microclimate reaction, which indicates that CO2 can protect the scale from destruction. Furthermore, the slight decarbonization of the alloy was found above TC. Also, a model developed by the thermodynamic analysis was proposed to explain the mechanism of slight decarbonization and predict the critical temperature when the CO2-C reaction occurs. This work presents a guideline for protecting the oxide scale of superalloys used in HTGR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twelve new specimens of sporidesmium-like taxa were collected from freshwater habitats in China and Thailand. Phylogenetic analysis of nuc 28S rDNA (LSU), internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1-α) and second-largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2) sequence data, combined with morphological data, revealed that they are Distoseptispora species. Among them, six new species, including D. aqualignicola, D. aquamyces, D. crassispora, D. curvularia, D. nonrostrata and D. pachyconidia, are introduced. Two new combinations, D. adscendens and D. leonensis, are transferred from Ellisembia. A new habitat and geographical record are reported for D. clematidis, collected from a freshwater habitat in China. New RPB2 sequence data for D. dehongensis are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an enterprise financial risk indicator system is established to warn about the financial risk of enterprises. First, the related knowledge of financial risk and its measurement is introduced. Next, the financial risk indicator system of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is established based on back propagation neural network (BPNN). The rough set theory is adopted to simplify the indicator. Finally, the BPNN model is used to predict the financial situation of SMEs. The results show that in the 490th iteration, the performance of the BPNN-based financial risk early warning system for SMEs can reach the optimal and meet the accuracy requirements of initialization. The error of the enterprise financial risk early warning model converges to the target error, so the calculation result is credible. The actual output after training is close to the expected output. By judging the actual output value, it can be known that the financial risk status of SMEs in 2016, 2017 and 2018 is of low alarm. This exploration has a certain preventive effect on the financial risk of enterprises and provides a basis for the rapid development of enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abrupt capacity fade can have a significant impact on performance and safety in battery applications. To address concerns arising from possible knee occurrence, this work aims for a better understanding of their cause by introducing a new definition of capacity knees and their onset. A curvature-based identification of a knee and its onset is proposed, which relies on the discovery of a distinctly fluctuating behavior in the transition between an initial and a final stable acceleration of the degradation. The method is validated on experimental degradation data of two different battery chemistries, synthetic degradation data, and is also benchmarked to the state-of-the-art knee identification method in the literature. The results demonstrate that our proposed method could successfully identify capacity knees when the state-of-the-art knee identification method failed. Furthermore, a significantly strong correlation is found between knee and end of life (EoL) and almost equally strong between knee onset and EoL. As the method does not require the full capacity fade curve, this opens up online knee-onset identification as well as knee and EoL prediction. [Display omitted] • A curvature approximation method to measure the rate of capacity fade is proposed. • A new oscillatory degradation phenomenon is discovered. • The oscillatory degradation phenomenon is used to identify knee and knee-onset. • The method outperforms the state-of-the-art method on both synthetic and real data. • The method can be used for online knee-onset identification and knee prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To systematically evaluate the efficacy, safety, recovery speed, and long-term visual quality of excimer laser corneal refractive surgery and to provide evidence-based medicine for the promotion and use of excimer laser corneal refractive surgery. Methods. Randomized controls on excimer laser refractive surgery in Web of science, PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, China Knowledge Network (CNKI), China VIP Database, Wan Fang Database, and China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) were searched by the computer. Randomized controlled trial (RCT) data were extracted independently by two researchers, and the risk of bias of each included RCT was assessed according to the Cochrane Handbook 5.1.0 criteria. Meta-analysis of the collected data was performed using RevMan5.4 statistical software. Results. In the end, 9 high-quality literatures were included, with a total of 4366 samples, and meta-analysis was used. There was no significant difference in uncorrected visual acuity WMD after excimer laser keratorefractive surgery, but there was a statistically significant difference in WMD in the safety of excimer laser keratorefractive surgery. The results of uncorrected visual acuity (close) indicated the following: Chi2 = 13.56, DF = 5, P = 0.02, and I2 = 100%; the results of uncorrected visual acuity (distance) indicated the following: Chi2 = 34.44, DF =5 (P < 00000), and I2 = 85%; the results of best corrected visual acuity (myopia) indicated the following: Chi2 = 0.65, DF = 3, P = 088 > 0.05, and I2 = 0%; the results of best corrected visual acuity (hyperopia) indicated the following: Chi2 = 1.80, DF = 3, P = 0.61 > 0.05, and I2 = 0%. Conclusion. Excimer laser corneal refractive surgery is safe and effective, with faster recovery and better long-term visual acuity treatment effect. However, more studies and follow-up with higher methodological quality and longer intervention time are needed for further validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Aqueous rechargeable batteries offer a safe alternative for electrochemical energy storage, integrating cost-efficiency and energy density to meet the demand for stationary applications. Recent efforts have focused on the improvement of electrode materials in aqueous electrolytes, particularly the cycle life and energy reliability of batteries. The anion intercalation chemistry in graphite could be an alternative cathode candidate, often requiring an upper cut-off potential above 4.5 V vs. Li+/Li. Such a potential readily exceeds the electrochemical stability windows of water-based electrolytes. Herein, we provide a progress report and critical comment on the reversible intercalation chemistry in graphite compounds, i.e. , anion and halogen intercalations, for the development of economical, high-energy aqueous rechargeable batteries. In addition, this review focuses on the charge carrier species, their charge storage mechanisms and battery configurations, aiming to provide solutions to solve the remaining key challenges for aqueous batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carburization and tensile behavior of Alloy 617 corroded at 950 °C for 100 h in the impure helium containing methane were investigated. In helium containing 20 ppm CH 4 , Alloy 617 exhibited slight carburization and held its plasticity. However, in helium containing 200 ppm CH 4 , Alloy 617 was carburized to a depth of over 20 % and lost plasticity. In addition, the stress-strain curves in the plastic phase at room temperature exhibited a serrated flow phenomenon in both two environments, primarily caused by dynamic interactions between carbide-induced crack pinning and stress-concentration-induced crack unpinning. [Display omitted] • Accurate control and real-time detection of gas levels in the ppm range are achieved in this study. • The decomposition of methane at 950 °C is only related to itself and is not affected by the alloy. Carburization occurs only when free carbon from methane decomposition is deposited on the surface of the alloy. • The microstructure of Alloy 617 exhibited dramatic differences in the environments containing different levels of CH 4 , with a relatively smooth surface when the CH 4 content was 20 ppm, but a rough surface covered by a large amount of carbon and carbide when the content increased to 200 ppm. • The ductility of Alloy 617 is highly sensitive to the CH 4 content. The fracture mode of the alloy shifted from ductile fracture to brittle cleavage fracture when the content of methane increased from 20 ppm to 200 ppm. • Alloy 617 showed stress serrations in the plastic deformation stage at room temperature. The main reason for this phenomenon may be the dynamic interaction between carbide-induced crack pinning and stress concentration-induced crack debonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meige syndrome is a rare neurological disease characterized by segmental dystonia, specifically blepharospasm and oromandibular dystonia. These symptoms are often accompanied by complex movements of the eyelids, lower facial muscles, mandible, and neck muscles. Bilateral blepharospasm is the most common feature of this disease. In this case report, we present the successful treatment of refractory blepharospasm in a 72-year-old woman with Meige syndrome via 2 incisions resulting from myectomy and in situ surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An open source software (Aerosol and Air Quality Research Lab-Aerosol Dynamics Model, AAQRL-ADM) used for aerosol dynamics simulations is developed by including four models: discrete, discrete-sectional, method of moments, and modal. First, the mathematical description of these models as well as the effects of aerosol dynamics available in the software are reviewed, and a modal model is developed to use multiple modes to represent particle size spectrum. Second, the design of a working principle and user graphical interface (GUI) of AAQRL-ADM is described. Third, the models in AAQRL-ADM are validated by investigating the evolution of particle size distribution (PSD) in considering the effects of coagulation, condensation, and nucleation. Next, the trade-off between simulation accuracy and numerical efficiency is discussed for all of the four models, and a guide to choosing the appropriate aerosol dynamic model in practical simulation is presented. Finally, discrete-sectional, moment, and modal models are used to investigate the particle size distribution in a furnace aerosol reactor along a streamline, coupled with the velocity and temperature profiles. AAQRL-ADM is provided free of charge for the use of public researchers. Copyright © 2020 American Association for Aerosol Research [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although plasmas commonly present as electrical neutrality, for plasma jet plume at atmospheric gas pressure, it might appear nonneutral polarity due to plasma bullet being consisted of a large amount of electron avalanches. In this paper, the polarity transition and the ionization enhancement of atmospheric argon plasma jet plumes generated by the repetitive microwave pulses are studied. Three interesting phenomena have been found despite of discharges either with or without the hairpin metal wire, including: 1) a potential voltage pulse with positive polarity invariably arises steeply at each moment of power on; 2) high-speed photograph images show that there are ionization enhancements happened twice in each pulsed periods; and 3) ahead of the confluence point, the polarity transits from negative to positive while behind of this point, its positive polarity changes into the negative one. Moreover, the experiment results and electromagnetic simulations suggest that the theories of guided negative ionization wave and microwave resonant discharge excited by surface plasma polaritons should be used to interpret the spatial–temporal discharge process of the proposed microwave plasma jets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A single drop with different Weber number impacting on a static liquid film of different thickness is recorded by a high-speed camera. • A series of image pre-processing procedures are performed to detect and extract the secondary droplets from the image. • The evolution of the secondary droplet number, diameter and velocity are carried out. • The effect of Weber number and the dimensionless film thickness on the features of the secondary droplets is investigated. In this paper, an experimental study of the generation of secondary droplets produced by a single droplet impacting on a static liquid film is studied. Different factors are investigated through a high-speed camera at 5000 fps, such as the Weber number of the falling droplet, and the dimensionless liquid film thickness. Several technics are used to improve the image quality to detect the secondary droplets. Especially, a particle tracking algorithm is developed to calculate the velocity distribution of the secondary droplets. The influence of time, Weber number and dimensionless film thickness on the number, diameter and velocity distribution of the secondary droplets are performed. The results show that as time increases, the number of the secondary droplets rises up in the dimensionless time with the range of 0 < τ < 2, then decreases during the rest time regardless the Weber number and the dimensionless film thickness. The maximum value of the diameter distribution of the secondary droplets becomes higher, and the range of the velocity distribution becomes narrower over time. As increasing the Weber number, the number of secondary droplets grows up, as well as the peak value of the diameter distribution. Also, the increase of Weber number has a slight effect on the width of the velocity distribution of the secondary droplets. The results also show that, after the droplets impacting on liquid film with different thickness, the number of the secondary droplets changes little at different film thickness. Additionally, the dimensionless film thickness does not have a strong effect on the diameter distribution or the velocity distribution of the secondary droplets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an effective anti-tumor drug accompanied with many side effects, especially heart injury. To explore what effects of sophocarpine (SOP) on DOX-induced heart injury, this study conducted in vivo experiment and in vitro experiment, and the C57BL/6J mice and the H9C2 cells were used. The experimental methods used included echocardiography, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), dihydroethidium (DHE) staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, western blotting and so on. Echocardiography showed that SOP alleviated DOX-induced cardiac dysfunction, as evidenced by the improvements of left ventricle ejection fraction and left ventricle fractional shortening. DOX caused upregulations of creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), while SOP reduced these indices. The relevant stainings showed that SOP reversed the increases of total superoxide level induced by DOX. DOX also contribute to a higher level of MDA and lower levels of SOD and GSH, but these changes were suppressed by SOP. DOX increased the pro-oxidative protein level of NOX-4 while decreased the anti-oxidative protein level of SOD-2, but SOP reversed these effects. In addition, this study further discovered that SOP inhibited the decreases of Nrf2 and HO-1 levels induced by DOX. The TUNEL staining revealed that SOP reduced the high degree of apoptosis induced by DOX. Besides, pro-apoptosis proteins like Bax, cleaved-caspase-3 and cytochrome-c upregulated while anti-apoptosis protein like Bcl-2 downregulated when challenged by DOX, but them were suppressed by SOP. These findings suggested that SOP could alleviate DOX-induced heart injury by suppressing oxidative stress and apoptosis, with molecular mechanism activating of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, point cloud representation has become one of the research hotspots in the field of computer vision, and has been widely used in many fields, such as autonomous driving, virtual reality, robotics, etc. Although deep learning techniques have achieved great success in processing regular structured 2D grid image data, there are still great challenges in processing irregular, unstructured point cloud data. Point cloud classification is the basis of point cloud analysis, and many deep learning-based methods have been widely used in this task. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide researchers in this field with the latest research progress and future trends. First, we introduce point cloud acquisition, characteristics, and challenges. Second, we review 3D data representations, storage formats, and commonly used datasets for point cloud classification. We then summarize deep learning-based methods for point cloud classification and complement recent research work. Next, we compare and analyze the performance of the main methods. Finally, we discuss some challenges and future directions for point cloud classification. • We first give a detailed introduction to the 3D data and make a deeper interpretation of the point cloud for the reader's understanding, and then give the datasets used for point cloud classification and their acquisition methods. • We summarize recently published research on point cloud classification reviews, building on which to complement state-of-the-art research methods. • We discuss the advantages and limitations of subcategories of methods based on their classification. This classification is more suitable for researchers to explore these methods on actual needs. • We give the evaluation metrics and performance comparisons of the methods, and then analyze some current challenges and future trends in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A piezoelectric droplet generator was designed and fabricated. • Results of the droplet train impact were recorded by a high-speed camera. • The comparison has been made with the single droplet impact to understand the difference in mechanism. • Effect of impact frequency, Weber number, and surface static contact angle have investigated and relevant empirical correlations were obtained. Abstract An experimental study of successive impingement of a single train of monodispersed millimetric-sized droplets at low Weber number (We < 200) is presented. A piezoelectric droplet generator which is capable of adjusting droplet impact frequency and droplet diameter is fabricated and used to produce monodispersed millimetric-sized droplets. The interaction phenomena between the droplet-surface and droplet-film were observed using a high-speed camera at 4000 fps. The variation of the dimensionless spread factor and flatness factor of the liquid film formed by the successive impacts of droplets over time were recorded. The impact frequency of droplets was varied between 40 Hz and 85 Hz. The Weber number ranged from 29.6 to 196.6. And three types of solid surface with different static contact angles (71.5°, 82.7°, 90.1°) were tested in this work. The results showed that the impact frequency of droplets in the selected range had a minor effect on the maximum spread factor and post-impact oscillation. The maximum dimensionless spread factor of the liquid film formed by the successive impacts at the same dimensionless time tends to be greater when Weber number was higher and static contact angle was lower. The post-impact oscillation was more violent when Weber number was lower and static contact angle was larger. Empirical correlations for the maximum spread factor and average flatness factor under different conditions were obtained based on the experiment results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there are several computational studies on differential mobility analyzers (DMA), there is none for high flow DMA to classify nanoparticles less than 3 nm. A specific design of a high flow DMA, a half mini DMA, is investigated to predict its performance through numerical modeling in the incompressible flow regime. The governing equations for flow field, electric field and aerosol transport are solved using COMSOL 5.3. The transfer function of the half mini DMA is compared with that of a nano DMA (TSI 3085). The results show that both the height of the transfer function and resolution (R) of the half mini DMA are much better than those of nano DMA in sub-2 nm particle size range. Finally, the transfer function of half mini DMA is evaluated for different values of aerosol flow rate to the sheath flow rate (q/Q). Comparison of the simulated transfer function with existing models from Knutson-Whitby and Stolzenburg is also elucidated. It is found that the former model overestimates the resolution; whereas the latter is close to the simulation results for q/Q above 0.067. This work provides a useful method to study the flow regimes and transfer function of a high flow DMA. Copyright © 2018 American Association for Aerosol Research [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boring trepanning association (BTA) deep hole drilling is one of the most important manufacturing techniques to produce a large length-to-diameter ratio hole for industrial applications. In addressing the challenge of excessive surface damage, inefficiency and poor indexing in BTA deep hole drilling, for which there are limited studies reported. The functional behaviour of deep hole machining and the correlation between the machined surface quality, subsurface layer deformation and the machining conditions are investigated in this paper, together with the drilling mechanism. Various parameter combinations are used to produce different samples on which surface roughness and microstructures are studied. Metallurgical characterization is performed on the subsurface regions, followed by qualitative and quantitative mechanical nanohardness investigations. Electron microscopic analysis reveals various surface features such as grooves and plateaus, folding, material flaking that are exclusive to deep hole drilling. It has been found that improved surface integrity in BTA drilling relies on a trade-off among feedrates and speeds. Although considered sample dependent, combination of a feedrate of 28 mm min −1 and a speed of 630 r min −1 can produce nearly excellent surface integrity. Grain structure observations over the subsurface reveal three different layered zones including an ultrafine grain structure layer, a transitional grain structure layer and a substrate material layer. A significantly hardened (56% increase) surface layer on cutting-and-burnishing region comparing with the solely cutting region is detected. The subsurface grain features are induced by repeated thermo-mechanical functioning that causes grain refinement and thus materials hardening. The different surface integrities are the result of comprehensive functions of the machining parameters and combined drilling mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): MicroRNA-21 (miR21) is aberrantly elevated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, the significance of this microRNA in RA pathogenesis and treatment, however, has not been investigated. In this study, by using RA-derived fibroblast-like synoviocyte (FLS) cells as a model, we investigated the effect and corresponding mechanism of miR21 inhibition on FLSs invasion. Materials and Methods: miR21 expression in synovial tissue and FLSs in RA patients and non-RA controls were determined by stem-loop RT-PCR. The effect of miR21 on FLSs viability and invasiveness were evaluated using miR21 inhibition. Cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay and the expression of genes at mRNA and protein levels was determined by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Results: Our results showed that miR21 expression was highly increased in synovial tissue and FLSs in RA patients. Also, we reported that miR21 inhibitor treatment could significantly suppress the invasiveness of FLSs without affecting cell viability. The decreased FLSs invasion by miR21 inhibition was associated with down-regulated expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, MMP3, and MMP13. Further analysis revealed that miR21 inhibition could suppress the expression of TGFβ1 and Smad4, but promote that of Smad7. Moreover, suppression of FLS invasion and MMPs expression by miR21 treatment could be counteracted by additional TGFβ1 treatment. Conclusion: Our results indicated that miR21 inhibition can down-regulate the expression of MMP1, MMP3, and MMP13 and consequently suppress the invasiveness of FLS, which is achieved through TGFβ1/Smad4/7 signaling pathway. The findings of this study could offer a novel approach for RA treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current meta-analysis evaluated the association between vitamin B12 intake and blood vitamin B12 level and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk.Design: The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched. A dose-response analysis was performed with generalized least squares regression, with the relative risk (RR) and 95 % CI as effect values.Setting: The meta-analysis included seventeen studies.Subjects: A total of 10 601 patients.Results: The non-linear dose-response relationship between total vitamin B12 intake and CRC risk was insignificant (P=0·690), but the relationship between dietary vitamin B12 intake and CRC risk was significant (P<0·001). Every 4·5 μg/d increment in total and dietary vitamin B12 intake was inversely associated with CRC risk (total intake: RR=0·963; 95 % CI 0·928, 0·999; dietary intake: RR=0·914; 95 % CI 0·856, 0·977). The inverse association between vitamin B12 intake and CRC risk was also significant when vitamin B12 intake was over a dosage threshold, enhancing the non-linear relationship. The non-linear dose-response relationship between blood vitamin B12 level and CRC risk was insignificant (P=0·219). There was an insignificant association between every 150 pmol/l increment in blood vitamin B12 level and CRC risk (RR=1·023; 95 % CI 0·881, 1·187).Conclusions: Our meta-analysis indicates that evidence supports the use of vitamin B12 for cancer prevention, especially among populations with high-dose vitamin B12 intake, and that the association between CRC risk and total vitamin B12 intake is stronger than between CRC risk and dietary vitamin B12 intake only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A B-dot was used for measuring cathode emission current in the injector of a linear induction electron accelerator. The measured current waveforms in commissioning were different from our initial expectation. This could well be explained by that the measured current waveform was the sum of actual emission current and displacement current. The displacement current could be derived by the measured diode voltage and the calculated diode capacitance. The actual emission current waveform was then obtained by subtracting the displacement current from the measured waveform. The pure displacement current waveform was also measured by the B-dot, while there was no emission from a thermionic cathode. The calculated and measured displacement current waveforms were well consistent with each other. The B-dot’s sensitivity factor calibrated by comparing the aforementioned two waveforms was equal to our theoretical estimate within an error range. The obvious displacement current may also exist in the similar pulsed power facilities, which contain high-voltage and fast pulses. It can be processed by the same methods discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A hybridized composite material of α-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles/human hair-derived carbon (HHC) is prepared using a facile two-step method combined carbonization of human hair with homogeneous precipitation under microwave irradiation. Results show that the uniform α-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles were highly dispersed on the surface of porous human hair-derived carbon. As an anode material for Li-ion batteries, it retains a reversible capacity of 1000 mAh g −1 after 200 cycles at 0.2 C. A discharge capacity higher than 750 mAh g −1 and 550 mAh g −1 is also recorded at 1 C and 2 C after 200 cycles, respectively. Such superior electrochemical performance of α-Fe 2 O 3 /HHC composite could be attributed to the favorable structure of HHC, which can improve the electron and lithium ion transport ability as anode. This study provides a cost-effective, highly efficient means to fabricate materials which combine keratin wastes-derived carbon with active nanoparticles for the development of high-performance lithium-ion battery materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dewatering-induced ground settlement is an important issue, and there a cumulative effect in stratified soil settlement. Detailed research of the stratified soil settlement devotes to a better evaluation of ground settlement. To better investigate the dewatering-induced stratified settlement characteristics of the soil strata in Shanghai, an intensive field-monitoring program was carried out for the excavation of an underground metro station, which involved the dewatering of confined aquifers in urban areas. Analyses of monitoring results suggest that the groundwater tables dropped steadily. The ground settlement decreased with an increasing distance from the excavation, and the maximum ground settlement was less than the allowable value. The results for stratified settlement monitoring showed that the ground settlement was less than the settlement at the bottom of the soft soil clay layer, which indicates that the clay layer swelled during dewatering in the underlying soil layer. This special phenomenon, referred to as dewater-caused soil expansion, has not been reported in the existing literature. This project acts as a special case study and provides a basic insight into this phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical value of carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 in gastric cancer is controversial. We evaluated the clinicopathologic and prognostic value of CA 19-9 in gastric cancer. Methods. A literature search was conducted in PubMed and Embase databases. Odds ratios (ORs), risk ratios (RR), hazard ratios (HRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used as effect measures. Results. Thirty-eight studies were included. Results showed that there were significant differences in the incidence of high CA 19-9 levels between stages III/IV and I/II groups (OR = 3.36; 95% CI = 2.34-4.84), the pT3/T4 and pT1/T2 groups (OR = 2.40; 95% CI = 1.60-3.59), the lymph node-positive and node-negative groups (OR = 2.91; 95% CI = 2.21-3.84), the metastasis-positive and metastasis-negative groups (OR = 2.76; 95% CI = 1.12-6.82), and vessel invasion-positive and invasion-negative groups (OR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.11-2.48). Moreover, CA 19-9 was significantly associated with poor overall survival (HR = 1.83; 95% CI = 1.56-2.15), disease-free survival (HR = 1.85; 95% CI = 1.16-2.95), and disease-specific survival (HR = 1.33; 95% CI = 1.10-1.60) in gastric cancer. Conclusions. Our meta-analysis showed that CA 19-9 indicates clinicopathologic characteristics of gastric cancer and is associated with a poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel network LiFePO4/C composite was prepared by mixing precursor solution with carbon aerogel (CA) via a simple solution impregnation method, characterized by XRD, SEM, EDS and electrochemical analysis. The results revealed that the LiFePO4 nanowire forming on the ektexine of CA intertwined with LiFePO4/CA particles and formed a special web structure. The initial discharge capacity was improved to be 139.3 mAh g−1 at 10 C and the capacity retention is near 100% after 50 cycles. The web structure could improve electron transport and electrochemical activity effectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Exosomes are tiny membrane-bound vesicles that are over produced by most proliferating cell types during normal and pathological states. Their levels are up-regulated during pregnancy and disease states such as cancer. Exosomes contain a wide variety of proteins, lipids, RNAs, non-transcribed RNAs, microRNAs and small RNAs that are representative to their cellular origin and shuttle from a donor cell to a recipient cell. From intercellular communication to tumor proliferation, exosomes carry out a diverse range of functions, both helpful and harmful. Useful as biomarkers, exosomes may be applicable in diagnostic assessments as well as cell-free anti-tumor vaccines. Exosomes of ovarian cancer contain different set of proteins and miRNAs compared to exosomes of normal, cancer-free individuals. These molecules may be used as multiple "barcode" for the development of a diagnostic tool for early detection of ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Preparation of 5-HMF catalyzed by a novel diimidazole ionic liquids (CnDAIMF). • The catalytic performance of CnDAIMF was close to conventional solid acid. • CnDAIMF was significantly better than Br− or PF 6 − class monoimidazole salt. • 5-HMF from fructose was obtained in a yield of 52.59% in water, and 73.71% in DMSO. • Microwave-assisted could afford a high yield of 5-HMF in a short time. A kind of functionalized diallylimidazole ionic liquids (CnDAIMF) was synthesized and applied in the dehydration of D-fructose to produce 5-HMF under the microwave radiation. The results showed that X-ray, 1H NMR and FT-IR confirmed the production. The target ILs existed in a highly centrally symmetric, and crystalline state at room temperature, with a good thermal stability up to 300 °C (HTD ≥ 340 °C). In the experiments of conversion D-fructose to 5-HMF, 5-HMF could be obtained via the catalysis of diallylimidazole IL whether in water or DMSO. The catalytic performance of these ILs was not much different from that of solid acid (like camphor sulfonic acid or solid carbon sulfonic acid), and which was higher than that of the monoimidazole hexafluorophosphate or imidazole class bromine salt, but there were no obvious changes can be found with the variation of carbon chain length between imidazole rings in diallylimidazole IL. The effects of temperature and solvent on the reaction were more significant. The optimized yield of 5-HMF was 52.59% at 185 °C in a water-C 2 DAIMF solvent (t = 10 min), while 73.71% at 195 °C in DMSO-C 2 DAIMF solvent. Furthermore, six CnDAIMF have a considerable effect on the conversion in water and 5-HMF yield of about 50% could be obtained, which is satisfactory compared with other similar processes, especially in the microwave system of aqueous solution. Therefore, this process may be benefit for many researches and applications related to functionalized ionic liquid research and biomass conversion applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the interactions of magnesium (Mg) atom and Mg(001) surface with different metal-atom-doped graphene were investigated using a density functional theory (DFT) method. For the interactions of magnesium with Al-, Mn-, Zn-, and Zr-doped and intrinsic graphene, it was found that the magnesium atoms were physisorbed into the hollow sites of the intrinsic graphene with only the smallest interaction energy (approximately −1.900 eV). However, the magnesium atoms tended to be chemisorbed on the doped graphene, which exhibited larger interaction energies and charge transfers. Additionally, the Zn-doped graphene displayed the largest interaction energy with the Mg atom (approximately −3.833 eV). For the interactions of Mg(001) with Al-, Mn-, Zn-, and Zr-doped and intrinsic graphene (intrinsic and doped graphene/Mg interface), doped atoms interacted with a Mg layer to make graphene wrinkle, resulting in a higher specific surface area and better stability. Mg–C chemical bonds were formed at the Al-, Zn-, and Zr-doped interface, and Mg–Mn chemical bonds were formed at the Mn-doped interface. This study provided the fundamental research for future research into doped atoms on graphene reinforced magnesium matrix composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenza A (H1N1) virus was the most common cause of human influenza (flu) in 2009. We report a patient infected with influenza A virus who showed improvement in his pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis progression after switching to Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) therapy. Although antiviral drug and corticosteroids were administered, some disturbing respiratory illness and immune imbalance attributed to corticosteroids taken prompted him to seek for CHM therapy. After CHM treatment for three months, significant recovery in chest radiograph was noted, and the result of subsequent pulmonary function test showed improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An important characteristic of tumors is that they at some point in their development overcome the surveillance of the immune system. Tumors secrete exosomes, multivesicular bodies containing a distinct set of proteins that can fuse with cells of the circulating immune system. Purified exosomes from TS/A breast cancer cells, but not non-exosomal fractions, inhibit (at concentrations of nanograms per ml protein) IL-2-induced natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity. The dietary polyphenol, curcumin (diferuloylmethane), partially reverses tumor exosome-mediated inhibition of natural killer cell activation, which is mediated through the impairment of the ubiquitin–proteasome system. Exposure of mouse breast tumor cells to curcumin causes a dose-dependent increase in ubiquitinated exosomal proteins compared to those in untreated TS/A breast tumor cells. Furthermore, exosomes isolated from tumor cells pretreated with curcumin have a much attenuated inhibition of IL-2 stimulated NK cell activation. Jak3-mediated activation of Stat5 is required for tumor cytotoxicity of IL-2 stimulated NK cells. TS/A tumor exosomes strongly inhibit activation of Stat5, whereas the tumor exosomes isolated from curcumin-pretreated tumor cells have a lowered potency for inhibition of IL-2 stimulated NK cell cytotoxicity. These data suggest that partial reversal of tumor exosome-mediated inhibition of NK cell tumor cytotoxicity may account for the anti-cancer properties of curcumin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Data on the duration of transgene expression in the liver, the presence of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) against adenovirus, and serum cytokines from 18 strains of C57BL/6×DBA/2 (B×D) recombinant inbred mice were analyzed. Our aim was to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that may have causal relationship with the duration of adenovirus-mediated transgene expression in the liver. Information from β-galactosidase (LacZ) expression; CTL production; and serum levels of gamma interferon, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 30 days after intravenous injection of liver LacZ were summarized by principal component analysis and analyzed using maximum likelihood interval mapping implemented in the QTL cartographer software. Two principal component (PC) scores explained 82.5% of the phenotypic variance in the original variables and identified QTLs not identified by analysis of individual traits. The distribution of original variables among PCs was such that variables in PC1 were predominantly cytokines with little CTL response whereas LacZ and CTL were the predominant contributors to PC2 with practically no contribution from cytokines. PC1 was significantly associated with two QTLs on chromosomes 7 and 9 located at 57.5 cM and 41.01 cM, respectively. Five QTLs were significantly associated with PC2 on chromosomes 12 (23.01 and 31.01 cM) and 15 (29.21, 36.01, and 56.31 cM). These results illustrate the use of principal component analysis in mapping QTLs using multiple correlated traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We have analyzed the antibody response against either AAV2 or canine F.IX (cF.IX) in parental C57BL/6 (B6) and DBA/2 (D2) and 18 strains of B6 × D2 (BXD) recombinant inbred (RI) strains of mice after iv administration of AAV2-(ApoE)4/hAAT-cF.IX. There was a higher anti-AAV2 capsid response in B6 compared to D2 mice, with IgG2b being the major isotype separating the high and low responders in these two strains. In contrast, the antibody response to cF.IX was lower than the response to the AAV2 capsid and was limited to the IgG1 isotype in both strains. Genetic linkage analysis of the IgG2b anti-AAV2 antibody response in BXD RI strains revealed a significant locus at D4Mit164 (29 cM, LRS = 15.3) and two suggestive loci at D6Mit16 (30.5 cM, LRS = 11.2) and D17Mit187 (47.4 cM, LRS = 13.1). Genetic linkage analysis of the IgG1 anti-cF.IX antibody response revealed a suggestive locus at D1Mit218 (67 cM, LRS = 14.1). Significant epistatic interaction was found between two loci (D8Mit45 and D16Mit47; LOD = 6.54) for anti-AAV2 and two other loci (D5Mit348 and D15Mit161; LOD = 7.66) for anti-cF.IX. These results indicate that multiple genetic loci independently regulate the isotype-specific antibody response to the AAV2 capsid and the cF.IX transgene. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The initial layer phenomena for a class of singular perturbed nonlinear system with slow variables are studied. By introducing stretchy variables with different quantity levels and constructing the correction term of initial layer with different “thickness”, the N-order approximate expansion of perturbed solution concerning small parameter is obtained, and the “multiple layer” phenomena of perturbed solutions are revealed. Using the fixed point theorem, the existence of perturbed solution is proved, and the uniformly valid asymptotic expansion of the solutions is given as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, FPGA (field-programmable gate array) architecture has made great progress in the requirements of hardware volume, which can meet common needs. However, for the increasing number of resources, it is difficult to significantly reduce the delay of process mapping. Therefore, this paper proposes FDMAP (fit descending map) algorithm from the perspective of the LUT number to reduce the delay. This paper proposes a method of FPGA mapping and debugging for heterogeneous multicore high-performance processors based on isomorphic symmetric FPGA architecture, which effectively utilizes the architectural features of heterogeneous multicore processors and the symmetric features of isomorphic FPGA, divides FPGA functions from top to bottom in a hierarchical way, and constructs FPGA architecture from bottom to top. Using differential bridge and adaptive delay adjustment sampling technology, combined with the embedded virtual logic analyzer debugging tool, FPGA architecture can be lightened and deployed quickly. Multicore complementary core-to-core replacement simulation mapping methods such as debug shells can be used to effectively complete the mapping of the target's high-performance heterogeneous multicore processor to the entire SOC (system on-ship) chip system-level FPGA. In the aspect of algorithm, the fdmap algorithm is mainly implemented, and the low latency mapping of resources is realized with FPGA architecture. In order to verify the effectiveness of mapping the fdmap algorithm, this paper compares the fdmap algorithm with the vector VM algorithm. The research shows that when the wavelength resolution is 7 pm and the temperature error is less than 1°C, the shell is debugged, and 10 mapping examples are simulated with the fdmap algorithm. In the experiment, the LUT with the most critical 20% is selected, and the closed value of the LUT search type is set to 0.86. Compared with the original data, the number of LUTs increased by 15.2%, and the criticality decreased by 35.21%. Compared with the vector VM algorithm with the biggest gap, the number of LUTs decreased by 14.25%, the criticality improved by 14.21%, and the overall delay decreased by 65%. Therefore, the isomorphic symmetric FPGA architecture proposed in this paper can improve the structural criticality and significantly reduce the latency while reducing the number of LUTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Person re-identification (Re-ID) technology plays an increasingly crucial role in intelligent surveillance systems. Widespread occlusion significantly impacts the performance of person Re-ID. Occluded person Re-ID refers to a pedestrian matching method that deals with challenges such as pedestrian information loss, noise interference, and perspective misalignment. It has garnered extensive attention from researchers. Over the past few years, several occlusion-solving person Re-ID methods have been proposed, tackling various sub-problems arising from occlusion. However, there is a lack of comprehensive studies that compare, summarize, and evaluate the potential of occluded person Re-ID methods in detail. In this review, we commence by offering a meticulous overview of the datasets and evaluation criteria utilized in the realm of occluded person Re-ID. Subsequently, we undertake a rigorous scientific classification and analysis of existing deep learning-based occluded person Re-ID methodologies, examining them from diverse perspectives and presenting concise summaries for each approach. Furthermore, we execute a systematic comparative analysis among these methods, pinpointing the state-of-the-art solutions, and provide insights into the future trajectory of occluded person Re-ID research. • Summarize the visual transformer-based approach for occluded person Re-ID. • Classify state-of-the-art approaches scientifically, comprehensively. • Incorporate 3D person Re-ID & multimodal person Re-ID: Advancing the field. • Inspire new challenges & ideas for researchers in person Re-ID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major problem associated with adenovirus gene therapy is the T cell-mediated immune response, which is elicited by inoculation of the adenovirus vector and leads to rapid clearance of the virus and loss of transgene expression. In this study, the immune response to adenovirus was prevented by induction of specific T-cell tolerance by pretreatment with adenovirus-infected antigen-presenting cells (APC) that express Fas ligand. Compared with control-treated mice, the tolerized mice showed prolonged expression of lacZ upon administration of AdCMVlacZ 1 week after tolerance induction. In contrast to the control mice, the tolerized mice did not display proliferation of CD[SUP3+] T cells in the spleen in response to AdCMVlacZ. Tolerance induction also was indicated by the lower production of interferon-γ and inter-leukin-2 by peripheral T cells isolated from AdCMVlacZ-challenged tolerized mice than by AdCMVlacZ-challenged control-treated mice. The T-cell tolerance was specific for the adenovirus as the T-cell responses to irrelative murine cytomegalovirus remained unimpaired. Our results indicate that adenovirus-specific T-cell tolerance can be induced by APCs that coexpress Fas ligand and adenovirus antigens. We propose that this new strategy can be used to induce tolerance to adenovirus vector gene therapy with resultant prolonged expression of the transgene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents algorithms for calculating optimal deconvolution estimators while considering the problem of optimal input estimation using an innovation analysis method in the time domain. Description of the tool for obtaining the estimators; Input problems covered by the algorithm; Application of the algorithm.

In this study, ground surface settlement induced by shield tunneling construction is investigated, where special strata composed of upper soil layers and lower rock layers are fully considered. The field data indicates that in soil-rock composite strata, the settlement trough along the transverse surface shows approximately normal distribution. The settlement that occurs during construction accounts for more than 60% of final settlement. The traditional Peck formula was modified to fit this composite strata by regression analysis of the measured data. The suggested values of modification factors α and β ranged from 0.6 to 1.2 and from 0.3 to 0.9, respectively. Moreover, the results of the numerical simulation show that the settlement pattern along the transverse surface in the soil-rock composite strata is significantly influenced by the hard-layer ratio m (hard-layer depth to excavation diameter). Surface settlement decreases, but trough width increases with as the hard-layer ratio increases. In particular, a roughly linear relationship between maximum surface settlement and hard-layer ratio is presented. A method of predicting settlement in shield tunneling construction in soil-rock composite strata is also proposed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particulate matter (PM) sensors are popular for distributed monitoring due to their portability, low-cost and networking capabilities. To provide reliable data, these sensors have to be calibrated periodically in the laboratory. This is often done in chambers with several of them co-located, alongside several research grade instruments. It is important to confirm that the aerosol is well distributed to ensure reliability and accuracy of the calibration tests. This paper describes a modeling and experimental study of these chambers used for calibration of PM sensors. The experimental setup is described and calibration results for the low-cost PM sensors (MAXIMA sensor, Applied Particle Technology, Inc.) using research-grade instruments (GRIMM 11-C, GRIMM Technologies, Inc.) are presented. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model including effects of turbulence and Brownian motion is used to predict particle trajectories and distribution in the chamber. The simulated particle number concentration agrees well with the measured values in the chamber. Having the CFD model, the suitability of three proposed chamber designs (fan off; fan on-parallel; fan on-diagonal) are explored for a variety of conditions. Operating conditions that result in uniform concentrations are established using the model. The recommended design for the PM sensor calibration in a rectangular ventilated chamber is: parallel fan layout, fan pressure of 12 Pa, and inlet air flow rate between 10 and 15 L/min. This study shows that the numerical modeling is available to understand the performance of a calibration chamber as well as optimizing the chamber design. A broader perspective is that the results validate the use of low-cost PM sensors for checking the distribution of aerosols in chambers. • Simulation and experiment are carried out to study the performance of a ventilated chamber for calibration of PM sensors. • The simulated particle number concentration agrees well with the measured values in the chamber. • An appropriate configuration for mixing fans is helpful to obtain uniform conditions in the chamber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable aqueous zinc batteries are ideal for large-scale energy storage due to their low cost and high safety. Here we demonstrate the reversible anion intercalation chemistry in graphite cathode for aqueous zinc battery, thus operating as a high-voltage dual-ion battery system. The use of a hybrid "water-in-salt" electrolyte with zinc and lithium bi-salts can maximize the ionic content, expand the anodic stability, promote dendrite-free zinc plating/stripping, and bring the reversible anion intercalation in graphite cathode. This cell configuration offers a high operating voltage and unprecedented cycling stability with comparable Coulombic efficiency to the organic dual-ion battery, opening new opportunities for the development of high-voltage rechargeable aqueous batteries. Image 1 • Hybrid "water-in-salt" electrolyte for zinc batteries. • Highly reversible Zn stripping/plating reaction. • Graphite cathode for anion intercalation in aqueous electrolyte. • A novel concept of aqueous dual-ion battery with high operating voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur-based cathode chemistries are essential for the development of high energy density alkali-ion batteries. Here, we elucidate the redox kinetics of sulfur confined on carbon nanotubes, comparing its performance in ether-based and carbonate-based electrolytes at room temperature. The solvent is found to play a key role for the electrochemical reactivity of the sulfur cathode in sodium–sulfur (Na–S) batteries. Ether-based electrolytes contribute to a more complete reduction of sulfur and enable a higher electrochemical reversibility. On the other hand, an irreversible solution-phase reaction is observed in carbonate solvents. This study clearly reveals the solvent-dependent Na–S reaction pathways in room temperature Na–S batteries and provides an insight into realizing their high energy potential, via electrolyte formulation design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim. is one of the original plants for traditional Chinese medicines Trichosanthis Fructus, Trichosanthis Semen, Trichosanthis Pericarpium and Trichosanthis Radix. Amino acids, nucleosides and carbohydrates are usually considered to have nutritional value and health-care efficacy. In this study, methods involving high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-ELSD), UV-visible spectrophotometry and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) were established for quantifying carbohydrates (fructose, glucose, stachyose, raffinose and polysaccharide), fourteen nucleosides and twenty one amino acids. Moreover, sixty-three samples from nine different parts, including pericarp, seed, fruit pulp, stem, leaf, main root, main root bark, lateral root and lateral root bark of T. kirilowii from different cultivated varieties were examined. The established methods were validated with good linearity, precision, repeatability, stability, and recovery. The results showed that the average content of total amino acids in roots (15.39 mg/g) and root barks (16.38 mg/g) were relatively higher than for others. Contents of nucleosides in all parts of T. kirilowii were below 1.5 mg/g. For carbohydrates, fruit pulp has a higher content than others for glucose (22.91%), fructose (20.63%) and polysaccharides (27.29%). By using partial least-squared discriminate analysis (PLS-DA), Variable importance in the projection (VIP) plots and analysis of variance (ANOVA) analysis, the characteristic components of the different organs (fruit, stems and leaves, roots) were found. This analysis suggested there were potential medicinal and nutritive health care values in various parts of the T. kirilowii, which provided valuable information for the development and utilization of T. kirilowii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a malignant tumor with an extremely poor prognosis, especially in progressive patients. Immunotherapy based on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is considered to be a promising treatment option for OS. Due to tumor heterogeneity, only a minority of patients benefit from immunotherapy. Therefore, it is urgent to explore a model that can accurately assess the response of OS to immunotherapy. In this study, we obtained the single-cell RNA sequencing datasets of OS patients from public databases and defined 34 cell clusters by dimensional reduction and clustering analysis. PTPRC was applied to identify immune cell clusters and nonimmune cell clusters. Next, we performed clustering analysis on the immune cell clusters and obtained 25 immune cell subclusters. Immune cells were labeled with CD8A and CD8B to obtain CD8+ T cell clusters. Meanwhile, we extracted the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of CD8+ T cell clusters and other immune cell clusters. Furthermore, we constructed a prognostic model (CD8-DEG model) based on the obtained DEGs of CD8+ T cells, and verified the excellent predictive ability of this model for the prognosis of OS. Moreover, we further investigated the value of the CD8-DEG model. The results indicated that the risk score of the CD8-DEG model was an independent risk factor for OS patients. Finally, we revealed that the risk score of the CD8-DEG model correlates with the immune profile of OS and can be used to evaluate the response of OS to immunotherapy. In conclusion, our study revealed the critical role of CD8 cells in OS. The risk score model based on CD8-DEGs can provide guidance for prognosis and immunotherapy of OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) contain more than 100 proteins. Whether there are EVs proteins that act as an 'organiser' of protein networks to generate a new or different biological effect from that identified in EV‐producing cells has never been demonstrated. Here, as a proof‐of‐concept, we demonstrate that EV‐G12D‐mutant KRAS serves as a leader that forms a protein complex and promotes lung inflammation and tumour growth via the Fn1/IL‐17A/FGF21 axis. Mechanistically, in contrast to cytosol derived G12D‐mutant KRAS complex from EVs‐producing cells, EV‐G12D‐mutant KRAS interacts with a group of extracellular vesicular factors via fibronectin‐1 (Fn1), which drives the activation of the IL‐17A/FGF21 inflammation pathway in EV recipient cells. We show that: (i), depletion of EV‐Fn1 leads to a reduction of a number of inflammatory cytokines including IL‐17A; (ii) induction of IL‐17A promotes lung inflammation, which in turn leads to IL‐17A mediated induction of FGF21 in the lung; and (iii) EV‐G12D‐mutant KRAS complex mediated lung inflammation is abrogated in IL‐17 receptor KO mice. These findings establish a new concept in EV function with potential implications for novel therapeutic interventions in EV‐mediated disease processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cleft palate is a common craniofacial birth defect. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of excess all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) on periderm removal and the disappearance of basal medial edge epithelial (MEE) cells during palatogenesis, particularly during the stage prior to contact. atRA (200 mg/kg) was administered to C57BL/6N mice at embryonic day (E) 12.0 by gavage. Fetal palates were processed and analyzed by histology and electron microscopy. Single palate shelf peridermal cells were removed and cultured in the presence of atRA (3 µM) only or in the presence of or the caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD (100 µM) only, for 48 h. Once cultured, morphological changes were analyzed by histological staining and electron microscopy. A TUNEL assay was used to detect apoptotic neurons. Paired palatal shelves with periderm removal were cultured in the presence of atRA (3 µM) only or in the presence of Z-VAD (100 µM) only for 48 h and analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. At E14.5, medial edge epithelium periderm was retained in the atRA-treated palates but had been shed prior to contact in the control groups. In addition, atRA was revealed to disrupt the cell cycle in the periderm by downregulating p21. Furthermore, atRA inhibited apoptosis in the periderm and basal MEE cells; however, atRA exhibited no effect on basement membrane degradation in single palatal organ culture. Additionally, once paired palates were cultured for 48 h, all of the groups in which the periderm had been removed exhibited confluence of the embryonic palatal mesenchyme. The present results suggest that periderm removal is inhibited in atRA-induced cleft palate in mice and that removal of the periderm contributes to EPM confluence in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries offer the greatest promise as an alternative technology for low-cost and high-safety energy storage. However, the development of high-performance cathode materials and their compatibility with aqueous electrolytes are major obstacles to their practical applications. Herein, we report the synthesis of orthorhombic V2O5·nH2O nanorods as cathodes for aqueous zinc batteries. As a result, the electrode delivers a reversible capacity as high as 320 mAh g−1 at 1.0 A g−1 and long-term cycling stability in a wide window of 0.2 to 1.8 V using a mild ZnSO4 aqueous electrolyte. The superior performance can be attributed to the improved stability of materials, inhibited electrolyte decomposition and facilitated charge transfer kinetics of such materials for aqueous zinc storage. Furthermore, a full cell using microsized Zn powder as an anode within capacity-balancing design exhibits high capacity and stable cycling performance, proving the feasibility of these materials for practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotics are used widely in human and veterinary medicine and are ubiquitous in environmental matrices worldwide. The influence of the concentration of antibiotics on adsorption kinetics is still unclear. This study used sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and ofloxacin (OFL) as adsorbates to investigate the adsorption kinetics on sediment affected by varying concentrations of antibiotics adsorbable species. At the experimental pH values, the major adsorbed species of SMX and OFL on sediment were SMX 0 and OFL + by hydrophobic interaction and electrostatic attraction, respectively. The apparent adsorption rate of SMX was not affected by the initial concentration and the pH values because the hydrophobic interactions were concentration-independent and charge-independent. However, the apparent adsorption rate of OFL significantly slowed down as the initial concentration increased. The adsorbed OFL + effectively neutralized the negative charges of the sediment, leading to a reduced adsorption rate of subsequent OFL + . The neutralization effect was greatly enhanced due to the increased OFL + with the increasing OFL concentration. Additionally, the apparent adsorption rate of OFL significantly increased at higher pH due to the reduced neutralization effect that resulted from the decreased OFL + and increased negative charges of the sediment surface. This study implied that the adsorption kinetics of antibiotics was greatly dominated by the concentration of adsorbable species rather than apparent overall concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composite cathode materials were fabricated by means of a thermal decomposition method combining a modified sol-gel method. The composite cathode-based cells exhibits improved electrochemical properties compared to the pristine lithium manganite cathode both at room temperature and boosted temperature. The cobalt oxide (Co 3 O 4 ) characterized by the thermogravimetry play a protecting role from disproportionation manganese reaction and the considerable coating amount was 2% summarized from the electrochemical results. The cobalt oxide coating layer and the nickel doping ions showed a synergistic effect to ameliorate the electrochemical performance and the 2% coating combine with nickel doping cathode delivers the discharge capacity of 114.3 mAhg −1 at current density of 148 mA/g with retention of 92.7% after 100th cycle as well as the rate capability. As what the results revealed that the cobalt oxide coating combined with nickel doping could be a considerable approach to improve the lithium manganate electrochemical properties and worth of further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the interactions of magnesium (Mg) atom and Mg(001) surface with different metal-atom-doped graphene were investigated using a density functional theory (DFT) method. For the interactions of magnesium with Al-, Mn-, Zn-, and Zr-doped and intrinsic graphene, it was found that the magnesium atoms were physisorbed into the hollow sites of the intrinsic graphene with only the smallest interaction energy (approximately −1.900 eV). However, the magnesium atoms tended to be chemisorbed on the doped graphene, which exhibited larger interaction energies and charge transfers. Additionally, the Zn-doped graphene displayed the largest interaction energy with the Mg atom (approximately −3.833 eV). For the interactions of Mg(001) with Al-, Mn-, Zn-, and Zr-doped and intrinsic graphene (intrinsic and doped graphene/Mg interface), doped atoms interacted with a Mg layer to make graphene wrinkle, resulting in a higher specific surface area and better stability. Mg–C chemical bonds were formed at the Al-, Zn-, and Zr-doped interface, and Mg–Mn chemical bonds were formed at the Mn-doped interface. This study provided the fundamental research for future research into doped atoms on graphene reinforced magnesium matrix composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]