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Abstract Enhancing and strengthening food production capacity has always been a top priority in agricultural research, serving as a cornerstone for ensuring national food security and stable economic development. This study, based on panel data spanning from 2011 to 2021 across 30 provinces in China, delves into the mechanism through which the digital economy impacts food production capacity. Employing a double fixed effect model, a mediation effect model, and a panel threshold model, we uncover several key findings: The digital economy significantly boosts food production capacity, with robustness tests affirming the reliability of our results. Mechanism analysis reveals that the digital economy enhances food production capacity by elevating total factor productivity and bolstering agricultural resilience. The threshold effect underscores that urbanization levels exhibit a single-threshold impact, wherein the influence of the digital economy on food production capacity intensifies upon crossing this threshold. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the digital economy significantly boosts food production capacity in central and primary grain-producing regions, while its impact is comparatively weaker in the eastern and western regions, as well as in non-primary grain-producing areas. In summary, this research sheds light on the pivotal role of the digital economy in augmenting food production capacity, offering valuable insights into regional variations and thresholds in its impact across China.

Pulmonary mixed squamous cell and glandular papilloma (MSCGP) is a subtype of pulmonary papilloma, which can be classified as central type and peripheral type based on its site of development. The central type is the most common. The clinical manifestations of pulmonary MSCGP are mainly related to the location of the tumor. Surgery is the main treatment for this disease. Bronchoscopic interventional treatment for the MSCGP in the central trachea could receive satisfactory effect. We reported a patient suffered from diffuse tracheal MSCGP who was treated by bronchoscopic interventional treatment in Respiratory Disease Center, Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, aiming to enhance the recognition of the clinical features and provide clinical references for the diagnosis and treatment of such disease.

In this study, experiments were conducted on soil samples collected from depths of 0–15 cm, 15–30 cm, and 30–50 cm at the National Long-term Scientific Research Base for the Comprehensive Management of Rocky Desertification in the Wuling Mountains. The aim was to determine the physicochemical indexes and explore the nature and spatial heterogeneity of the soil of the planted mixed forests within the rocky desertification area of the Wuling Mountain. Various analytical methods were employed, including descriptive statistical analysis, correlation analysis, analysis of variance, principal component analysis, spatial interpolation analysis, and kriging interpolation, to fit the optimal model of the semi-variance function of soil physicochemical properties and analyze the model’s parameters. The results indicated that soil physical and chemical properties varied with depth and were generally correlated. The relationship between soil organic matter and total nitrogen content was the closest. Additionally, there was a certain degree of correlation between soils at different depths in the vertical profile, generally the correlation between layer B (15–30 cm) and layer C (30–50 cm) > that between layer A (0–15 cm) and layer B (15–30 cm) > that between layer A (0–15 cm) and layer C (30–50 cm). The weighting coefficients of the principal components of soil physicochemical properties indicated that soil organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, pH, total porosity, and capillary porosity are key factors in the soil properties of karst desertification areas. The spatial variability of soil physicochemical properties at different depths ranged from 21.91 to 87.59 m, and the abutment ratio (Co/Co+C) of these properties ranged from 12.99% to 89.53%. Using kriging interpolation in ArcGIS, the spatial distribution pattern of soil physical and chemical properties was mapped, revealing that these indicators were distributed with heterogeneous patches of various sizes and shapes. Therefore, the degree of rocky desertification significantly influences the spatial distribution pattern of soil physical and chemical properties.

The clinical application of 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu), a potent chemotherapeutic agent, is often hindered by its well-documented cardiotoxic effects. Nevertheless, natural polyphenolic compounds like resveratrol (RES), known for their dual anti-tumor and cardioprotective properties, are potential adjunct therapeutic agents. In this investigation, we examined the combined utilization of RES and 5-Fu for the inhibition of gastric cancer using both in vitro and in vivo models, as well as their combined impact on cardiac cytotoxicity. Our study revealed that the co-administration of RES and 5-Fu effectively suppressed MFC cell viability, migration, and invasion, while also reducing tumor weight and volume. Mechanistically, the combined treatment prompted p53-mediated apoptosis and autophagy, leading to a considerable anti-tumor effect. Notably, RES mitigated the heightened oxidative stress induced by 5-Fu in cardiomyocytes, suppressed p53 and Bax expression, and elevated Bcl-2 levels. This favorable influence enhanced primary cardiomyocyte viability, decreased apoptosis and autophagy, and mitigated 5-Fu-induced cardiotoxicity. In summary, our findings suggested that RES holds promise as an adjunct therapy to enhance the efficacy of gastric cancer treatment in combination with 5-Fu, while simultaneously mitigating cardiotoxicity.

Background and objective As a new technique developed in recent years, bronchoscopic intervention therapy has the advantages of minimal invasion, high safety and repeatability. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristics of bronchopleural fistula (BPF) induced by surgeries for lung malignancies or benign diseases and the effect of bronchoscopic intervention therapy for BPF, so as to provide support for prevention and treatment of BPF. Methods Data 64 patients with BPF who were treated by bronchoscopic intervention in Respiratory Disease Center of Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine from June 2020 to September 2023 were collected. Patients with fistula diameter ≤5 mm were underwent submucous injection of macrogol, combined with blocking therapy with N-butyl cyanoacrylate, medical bioprotein glue or silicone prosthesis. Patients with fistula diameter >5 mm were implanted with different stents and cardiac occluders. Locations and characteristics of fistulas were summarized, meanwhile, data including Karnofsky performance status (KPS), shortbreath scale (SS), body temperature, pleural drainage volume and white blood cell count before and after operation were observed. Results For all 64 patients, 96 anatomic lung resections including pneumonectomy, lobectomy and segmentectomy were executed and 74 fistulas occurred in 65 fistula locations. The proportion of fistula in the right lung (63.5%) was significantly higher than that in the left (36.5%). Besides, the right inferior lobar bronchial fistula was the most common (40.5%). After operation, KPS was significantly increased, while SS, body temperature, pleural drainage volume and white blood cell count were significantly decreased compared to the preoperative values (P

Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is a rare and highly malignant tumor, which includes the following five pathologic types: pleomorphic carcinoma, spindle cell carcinoma, giant cell carcinoma, carcinosarcoma and pulmonary blastoma. The onset of PSC is occult with non-specific clinical symptoms and signs. The clinical manifestations include irritating cough, bloody sputum, dyspnea, chest pain and so on, which are closely related to the growth and invasion site of the tumor. PSC tends to metastasize early, so most patients are already in local advanced stage or advanced stage with a median survival of 9 months at the time of hospital visit. A patient with primary PSC which led to 90% stenosis in central airway was treated by combined method of vascular and tracheoscopic intervention in our respiratory center. This treatment prolonged the patient’s survival time and got a satisfactory effect at 19-month follow-up after surgery. Herein we report the case for clinical reference.

Abstract Background Patients with myocardial infarction (MI) frequently experience a heightened incidence of depression, thereby increasing the risk of adverse cardiovascular events. Consequently, early detection and intervention in depressive symptoms among patients with MI are imperative. Shexiang Baoxin Pills (SBP), a Chinese patent medicine employed for the treatment of MI, exhibits diverse mechanisms targeting this condition. Nevertheless, its therapeutic efficacy on postmyocardial infarction depressive symptoms remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness and mechanism of SBP in managing depression during acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods A rat model combining MI and depression was established, and the rats were randomly divided into four groups: the model (MOD) group, SBP group, Fluoxetine (FLX) group, and Sham group. After 28 days of drug intervention, cardiac function was assessed using echocardiography while behavior was evaluated through sucrose preference test (SPT), forced swimming test (FST), and open‐field test (OFT). Additionally, levels of inflammatory factors in serum and hippocampus were measured along with NLRP3 inflammasome‐related protein expression via Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Results SBP can enhance cardiac function in rats with AMI and depression, while significantly ameliorating depressive‐like behavior. Compared to the Sham group, levels of IL‐1β, IL‐18, TNF‐α, and other inflammatory factors were markedly elevated in the MOD group. However, expressions of these inflammatory factors were reduced to varying degrees following treatment with SBP or FLX. Analysis of NLRP3 inflammasome‐related proteins in the hippocampus revealed a significant upregulation of IL‐1β, IL‐18, NLRP3, ASC, caspase‐1, and GSDMD in the MOD group; conversely, these measures were significantly attenuated after SBP intervention. Conclusion We have observed a significant amelioration in depression‐like behavior upon SBP administration during the treatment of AMI, suggesting that this effect may be attributed to the inhibition of NLRP3‐mediated pyroptosis. (The main findings are summarized in the graphical abstract in the supplementary file.)

Group B Coxsackieviruses (CVB) are one of the causative pathogens of myocarditis, which may progress to cardiomyopathy. The pathogenesis of CVB is not fully understood, and effective antiviral therapy is not available. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), the classic antioxidant, has been used in clinical practice for several decades to treat various medical conditions. In this study, the anti-CVB effect of NAC was investigated. We show that NAC dramatically suppressed viral replication and alleviated cardiac injury induced by CVB3. To further study the antiviral mechanism of NAC, RNA-sequencing was performed for CVB3-infected cells with NAC treatment. We found that eukaryotic elongation factor 1 alpha 1 (EEF1A1) is one of the most upregulated genes in CVB3-infected cells. However, EEF1A2, the highly homologous isoform of EEF1A1, remains unchanged. EEF1A1 expression was significantly suppressed by NAC treatment in CVB3-infected cells, while EEF1A2 was not affected. eEF1A1 knockdown significantly inhibited CVB3 replication, implicating that eEF1A1 facilitates viral replication. Importantly, we show that eEF1A1, which was not expressed in the myocardia of newborn mice, was significantly upregulated by CVB3 infection. NAC markedly downregulated the expression of eEF1A1 but not eEF1A2 in the myocardia of CVB3-infected mice. Furthermore, NAC accelerated eEF1A1 degradation by promoting autophagy in CVB3-infected cells. We show that p62, one of the critical adaptors of autophagic targets, interacts with eEF1A1 and was downregulated in CVB3-infected cells upon NAC treatment. Taken together, this study demonstrated that NAC shows a potent anti-CVB effect through the downregulation of eEF1A1.

Abstract Background The studies of the effect of diabetes on the stiffness of Achilles tendon (AT) tissue remain inconclusive, we believe it is necessary to find a reliable method which can be used to detect the stiffness changes of the AT in the diabetic state. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of sound touch elastography (STE) as a tool for detecting diabetic Achilles tendinopathy. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of 180 participants, consisting of 82 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and 98 healthy adults, who had undergone AT ultrasonography. Young ‘s modulus (E) values of the distal, middle, and proximal segments of bilateral ATs of all participants were measured using STE technique. The E values of each AT segment between the case and control group were compared. Results The E values of the three segments of ATs in T2DM patients were lower than the healthy controls (P

The cotton fabric is esterified with a carboxylic acid (4-azidobenzoic acid) having an azide group to obtain a cotton fabric with an azide group on the surface. Then, the hydrophobic group-containing substance (1-heptyne) was modified on the surface of the cotton fabric through click chemistry, and a cotton fabric with super-hydrophobic and super-lipophilic properties was prepared. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), thermogravimetric/differential thermal analyzer (TG), and contact angle measuring instrument were used to characterize the surface morphology and hydrophobicity of the cotton fabric. The effect of pore size on the efficiency of oil-water separation was explored. The results show that the prepared cotton fabric has super-hydrophobic and super-lipophilic properties with a contact angle of up to 154.1°, and it has been successfully applied to oil/water separation. Even for different oil/water mixtures, the separation efficiency was better than 94% on average. The large pore size is beneficial to improve the efficiency of oil-water separation.

Abstract Electromagnetic cooperative strategy has been presented as a mainstream approach that can effectively optimize the matching thickness of dielectric loss dominant system. However, it is still challenging for dielectric–magnetic loss coexisting-type absorber to develop electromagnetic wave (EMW) performance with ultra-low matching thickness (≤ 1 mm). Breaking the limitation of traditional electromagnetic response at microscopic/mesoscopic scale, a ficus microcarpa-like magnetic aerogel with macroscopical electromagnetic cooperative effect was fabricated through highly oriented self-assembly engineering. The highly oriented Ni chains with unique macroscopic morphology (~ 1 cm in length) were achieved via a special magnetic field-induced growth. Strong magnetic coupling was observed in the Ni chains confirmed by the micromagnetic simulation. The deductive calculation validates that maintaining high value of electromagnetic parameters at high frequencies is the prerequisites of ultrathin absorber. The electromagnetic cooperative networks with uninterrupted and dual pathways spread through the entire aerogel skeleton, resulting in the impressive permittivity even at high frequencies. Consequently, the aerogel exhibits a remarkable EMW performance at an ultrathin thickness of 1 mm. Thus, based on the modulation of electromagnetic parameters, this work proposed a macroscopic ordered structure with the electromagnetic cooperative effect useful to develop a suitable strategy for achieving ultrathin EMW absorbers.

Abstract The rational construction of microstructure and composition with enhanced Maxwell-Wagner-Sillars effect (MWSE) is still a challenging direction for reinforcing electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption performance, and the related EMW attenuation mechanism has rarely been elucidated. Herein, MWSE boosted β-chitin/carbon nano-onions/Ni–P composites is prepared according to the heterointerface engineering strategy via facile layer-by-layer electrostatic assembly and electroless plating techniques. The heterogeneous interface is reinforced from the aspect of porous skeleton, nanomaterials and multilayer construction. The composites exhibit competitive EMW response mechanism between the conductive loss and the polarization/magnetic loss, as describing like the story of “The Hare and the Tortoise”. As a result, the composites not only achieve a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of − 50.83 dB and an effective bandwidth of 6.8 GHz, but also present remarkable EMW interference shielding effectiveness of 66.66 dB. In addition, diverse functions such as good thermal insulation, infrared shielding and photothermal performance were also achieved in the hybrid composites as a result of intrinsic morphology and chemicophysics properties. Therefore, we believe that the boosted MWSE open up a novel orientation toward developing multifunctional composites with high-efficient EMW response and thermal management.

Systematic codes are of important practical interest for communications. Network coding, however, seems to conflict with systematic codes: although the source node can transmit message packets, network coding at the intermediate network nodes may significantly reduce the number of message packets received by the destination node. Is it possible to obtain the benefit of network coding while preserving some properties of the systematic codes? In this paper, we study the systematic design of batched network coding, which is a general network coding framework that includes random linear network coding as a special case. A batched network code has an outer code and an inner code, where the latter is formed by linear network coding. A systematic batched network code must take both the outer code and the inner code into consideration. Based on the outer code of a BATS code, which is a matrix-generalized fountain code, we propose a general systematic outer code construction that achieves a low encoding/decoding computation cost. To further reduce the number of random trials required to search a code with a close-to-optimal coding overhead, a triangular embedding approach is proposed for the construction of the systematic batches. We introduce new inner codes that provide protection for the systematic batches during transmission and show that it is possible to significantly increase the expected number of message packets in a received batch at the destination node, without harm to the expected rank of the batch transfer matrix generated by network coding.

Abstract Inspired by the nature, lotus leaf-derived gradient hierarchical porous C/MoS2 morphology genetic composites (GHPCM) were successfully fabricated through an in situ strategy. The biological microstructure of lotus leaf was well preserved after treatment. Different pores with gradient pore sizes ranging from 300 to 5 μm were hierarchically distributed in the composites. In addition, the surface states of lotus leaf resulted in the Janus-like morphologies of MoS2. The GHPCM exhibit excellent electromagnetic wave absorption performance, with the minimum reflection loss of − 50.1 dB at a thickness of 2.4 mm and the maximum effective bandwidth of 6.0 GHz at a thickness of 2.2 mm. The outstanding performance could be attributed to the synergy of conductive loss, polarization loss, and impedance matching. In particularly, we provided a brand-new dielectric sum-quotient model to analyze the electromagnetic performance of the non-magnetic material system. It suggests that the specific sum and quotient of permittivity are the key to keep reflection loss below − 10 dB within a certain frequency range. Furthermore, based on the concept of material genetic engineering, the dielectric constant could be taken into account to seek for suitable materials with designable electromagnetic absorption performance.

Abstract Objective To investigate the relationship between the elasticity of the carotid artery and the LV (left ventricle) systolic function in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) by using two-dimensional speckle-tracking strain echocardiography (2D-STE). Methods DN patients (n = 108) and control subjects (n = 112), all of whom underwent echocardiography and carotid ultrasound. Analysis of LV GLS (global longitudinal strain) from the apical two-chamber (2C), three-chamber (3C), and four-chamber (4C) views. Meanwhile, the circumferential strain (CS) of the carotid artery was obtained from the view of the short-axis right common carotid artery. The differences between the two groups were compared, and a correlation analysis between CS and GLS was performed. Results The 4CGLS, 2CGLS, 3CGLS, and CS of the DN group were significantly lower at significant levels in contrast to the control group (p < 0.05). There was a significantly positive correlation of CS with 4CGLS, 2CGLS, and 3CGLS in all subjects (r = 0.809, p = 0.000; r = 0.830, p = 0.000; r = 0.830, p = 0.000, respectively). Conclusion 2D-STE is a relatively new technique for assessing the mechanical characteristics of the carotid artery in patients with DN. Reduced values of CS correlate with reduced LV systolic function as evaluated by strain measurements, which can predict the risk of systolic dysfunction of LV.

Graphene oxide (GO) and acrylamide (AM) were polymerized and cross-linked to form a composite aerogel. The microscopic properties and thermal stability of the composite aerogel were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric instrument and scanning electron microscopy. The adsorption properties of the composite aerogel were tested. The effects of temperature, GO/AM ratios, pH values, feed amounts, dye liquor concentrations and times on the adsorption properties of composite aerogels were investigated. The results showed that under the same experimental conditions, the more the aerogel dosage and the longer the adsorption time, the better the adsorption performance of the composite aerogel on the active yellow dye liquor; the temperature had little effect on the adsorption of the dye liquor. The gel had the greatest adsorption effect under acidic conditions. The pH was 0.99, the dosage was 0.25g, the concentration of the dye solution was 40mg/L, and the adsorption rate reached 65.51?ter adsorption for 24 hours.

The polyvinyl alcohol/graphene oxide (PVA/GO) hydrogel was prepared. It was confirmed that the adsorption performance of polyvinyl alcohol/graphene oxide hydrogel composite material was improved, and it does not cause secondary pollution. According to adsorption experiments, it was found that PVA/ GO adsorbent with a content of 30 % graphene oxide has the best comprehensive performance. The suitable environment of adsorption was under 25°C, 12-18 h for adsorption time and acidic conditions. The suitable adsorbent dosage was 0.3g and the suitable concentration of the dye was 10 mg/L.

Background. Sepsis is a leading cause of mortality among severe burns. This study was conducted to investigate the predictive role of C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) for sepsis and prognosis in severe burns. Methods. Patients with severe burn injuries from 2013 to 2017 were enrolled and divided into septic and nonseptic groups based on the presence of sepsis within 30 days postburn. Independent risk factors for sepsis were performed by the univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. The association between CAR level at admission and postburn 30-day mortality was designed via the Kaplan–Meier method. Results. Of all the 196 enrolled patients, 83 patients developed sepsis within 30 days postburn injury, with an incidence of 42.3%. TBSA percentage (OR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.17-2.32, P=0.014) and CAR at admission (OR: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.33-3.56, P=0.009) were the two independent risk factors for sepsis in severe burns by the multivariate logistic regression analysis. A higher CAR level (≥1.66) at admission was associated with a lower postburn 30-day survival rate (P=0.005). Conclusions. The CAR level at admission was an independent risk factor for sepsis and prognosis in severe burns.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is essentially the simulation of human intelligence. Today’s AI can only simulate, replace, extend, or expand part of human intelligence. In the future, the research and development of cutting-edge technologies such as brain-computer interface (BCI) together with the development of the human brain will eventually usher in a strong AI era, when AI can simulate and replace human’s imagination, emotion, intuition, potential, tacit knowledge, and other kinds of personalized intelligence. Breakthroughs in algorithms represented by cognitive computing promote the continuous penetration of AI into fields such as education, commerce, and medical treatment to build up AI service space. As to human concern, namely, who controls whom between humankind and intelligent machines, the answer is that AI can only become a service provider for human beings, demonstrating the value rationality of following ethics.

Manipulating cell cycle is one of the common strategies used by viruses to generate favorable cellular environment to facilitate viral replication. Coxsackievirus B (CVB) is one of the major viral pathogens of human myocarditis and cardiomyopathy. Because of its small genome, CVB depends on cellular machineries for productive replication. However, how the structural and non-structural components of CVB would manipulate cell cycle is not clearly understood. In this study, we demonstrated that the capsid protein VP1 of CVB type 3 (CVB3) induced cell cycle arrest at G1 phase. G1 arrest was the result of the decrease level of cyclin E and the accumulation of p27Kip1. Study on the gene expression profile of the cells expressing VP1 showed that the expression of both heat shock protein 70-1 (Hsp70-1) and Hsp70-2 was significantly up-regulated. Knockdown of Hsp70 resulted in the increased level of cyclin E and the reduction of p27Kip1. We further demonstrated that the phosphorylation of the heat shock factor 1, which directly promotes the expression of Hsp70, was also increased in the cell expressing VP1. Moreover, we show that CVB3 infection also induced G1 arrest, likely due to dysregulating Hsp70, cyclin E, and p27, while knockdown of Hsp70 dramatically inhibited viral replication. Cell cycle arrest at G1 phase facilitated CVB3 infection, since viral replication in the cells synchronized at G1 phase dramatically increased. Taken together, this study demonstrates that the VP1 of CVB3 induces cell cycle arrest at G1 phase through up-regulating Hsp70. Our findings suggest that the capsid protein VP1 of CVB is capable of manipulating cellular activities during viral infection.

OBJECTIVES:Among the dramatic increased internal migration in China in past three decades, a considerable proportion of young females migrated to urban areas and found employment in "entertainment venues", who may be vulnerable to psychological distress. This study examines the prevalence of depression and explores its associations with health-risk behaviors and social capital among this subgroup. METHODS:358 female migrants were recruited from entertainment venues in a rapidly growing urban city in China. A survey which included measures of depressive symptoms, health-risk behaviors, social capital, and socio-demographic characteristics was administered. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to identify the independent correlates of depression. RESULTS:Of participants, 31.0% had clinically significant depressive symptoms (CES-D score ≥ 16). In multivariable models, greater likelihood of depressive symptoms was associated with working in massage centers/hotels (OR = 3.20, 95% CI: 1.80-5.70), having probable alcohol dependence (OR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.22-4.16), self-reported lifetime use of illicit drugs (OR = 2.98, 95% CI: 1.26-7.06), growing up in a non-nuclear family (OR = 2.46, 95% CI: 1.18-5.16), and poor social capital (OR = 6.01, 95% CI = 2.02-17.87). CONCLUSION:Intervention strategies to address the high prevalence of depression among female migrants are needed, and should also aim to reduce problematic alcohol and drug use, improve social capital, and target women working in massage centers or hotels.

Background/Aims: Endoscopic biliary stent drainage plays an important role in the palliative treatment of malignant biliary obstruction. The aim of this study was to investigate predictors of occlusion of first metal inserted stent in patients with malignant biliary obstruction. Patients and Methods: The retrospective analysis was performed in 178 patients with malignant biliary obstruction. Factors associated with stent occlusion were analyzed by Cox regression analysis. Results: Median overall stent patency was 178 days. Total cumulative obstruction rate of the first stents during the follow up was 33%, 57%, 83%, and 96% at 90, 180, 360, and 720 days. Multivariate analysis revealed that hilar obstruction (hazard ratio [HR] =3.26, 95% confidence interval [CI, 2.31–4.61), metastasis cancer (HR = 2.61, 95% CI, 1.79–3.80), and length of stent (HR = 1.74, 95% CI, 1.24–2.46) were independent predictors of stent occlusion. Conclusions: Hilar biliary stricture, metastatic cancer, and length of stent were important predictors of occlusion of first-inserted metal stent in patients with malignant biliary obstruction.

Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the cardiac muscle and one of the primary causes of dilated cardiomyopathy. Group B coxsackievirus (CVB) is one of the leading causative pathogens of viral myocarditis, which primarily affects children and young adults. Due to the lack of vaccines, the development of antiviral medicines is crucial to controlling CVB infection and the progression of myocarditis. In this study, we investigated the antiviral effect of baicalein, a flavonoid extracted from Scutellaria baicaleinsis. Our results demonstrated that baicalein treatment significantly reduced cytopathic effect and increased cell viability in CVB3-infected cells. In addition, significant reductions in viral protein 3D, viral RNA, and viral particles were observed in CVB3-infected cells treated with baicalein. We found that baicalein exerted its inhibitory effect in the early stages of CVB3 infection. Baicalein also suppressed viral replication in the myocardium and effectively alleviated myocarditis induced by CVB3 infection. Our study revealed that baicalein exerts its antiviral effect by inhibiting the activity of caspase-1 and viral protease 2A. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that baicalein has antiviral activity against CVB3 infection and may serve as a potential therapeutic option for the myocarditis caused by enterovirus infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous development of the industry, oil spill accidents occur frequently. Oil/water separation materials are considered to be a major choice for the treatment of oily wastewater due to their flexible operation and low cost. Cotton fabrics are low-cost and environmentally friendly, which are used as substrates to prepare oil/water separation materials with quite competitive in the market. A large number of oil/water separation cotton fabrics with excellent properties have been frequently reported in recent decades. On the other hand, since the service life of these oil/water separation cotton fabrics is closely related to the thin layer covered on the surface, so in order to improve the practical applicability, substances such as dopamine and plant polyphenols that improve the adhesion of the thin layer to the surface of the material are introduced into the preparation process of these materials. On this basis, the research progress of super-hydrophobic cotton fabrics, super-hydrophilic/ underwater super-oleophobic cotton fabrics, super durable oil/water separation cotton fabrics and intelligent response to oil/water separation fabric in recent years are reviewed, as well as their applications in the field of oil/water separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water pollution caused by oil spills at sea and industrial and daily wastewater discharges are causing serious damage to the ecological environment, not only in terms of economic losses but also in terms of human health and survival, a problem that needs to be addressed urgently. Oil/water separation is a global challenge, and while these problems are frequent, various oil/water separation strategies have been extensively investigated in recent years. The efficiency of the materials prepared is a key factor, as are the environmental friendliness and low cost of the methods and raw materials used in the experiments. This work reviews methods and materials applied in oil/water separation in recent years, including natural textile materials, metal meshes, synthetic membranes, particulate adsorbent materials, foams, sponges, aerogels, smart controllable special wettable separation materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While printing and dyeing bring us huge economic benefits, it also brings us huge challenges. Printing and dyeing will produce a large amount of wastewater, and the treatment of printing and dyeing wastewater has always been a concern. This work uses 2-methacryloxyethyl dimethyl-3-sulfonic acid propyl ammonium hydroxide, 3-(methacryloxy) propyl trimethoxysilane, and N, N'-methylene bispropylene as raw materials, and a photoinitiator is used to initiate polymerization under an ultraviolet lamp to prepare a copolymer gel. Taking the aqueous solution containing soap yellow as simulated dye wastewater, the adsorption performance of the prepared polymer for dyes was investigated. An ultraviolet spectrophotometer was used to investigate the effects of adsorption time, initial dye concentration, and polymer dosage on the adsorption performance. The performance test results show that the prepared polymer has high adsorption and removal efficiency for dyes containing soap yellow simulation, and has a potential application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the therapeutic implication of mediator complex subunit 19 (Med19) in breast cancer cells. Methods: The mRNA expression of Med19 was assayed using qRT-PCR. Cell viability was determined with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, while 4',6-diamidino-2- phenylindole (DAPI) and annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) assays were used for determination of apoptosis. Wound healing and Transwell assays were used for the determination of cell migration and invasion. Western blotting analysis was used for assay of protein expression levels. Results: The results showed that Med19 was significantly (p < 0.05) upregulated in human breast cancer cell lines, relative to normal cells. The up-regulations ranged from 3.7-fold in UACC-2087 cells to 6.4-fold in BT-20 cells. Moreover, Med19 silencing caused significant decrease in the proliferation of BT-20 breast cancer cells (p < 0.05). The inhibition of cell proliferation was due to the induction of apoptosis, as was evident in increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Annexin V/PI staining revealed 6% apoptosis in si-NC-transfected, and about 13.30% in si-Med19-transfected BT-20 cells. Wound healing and Transwell assays revealed that the invasion of BT-20 breast cancer cells significantly decreased upon Med19 silencing. Conclusion: Med19 regulates the proliferation, migration and invasion of human breast cancer cells. Thus, Med19 may be beneficial in the treatment of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

So far, the studies about the physical chemical properties of sugar-based surfactants have been still unsystematic; most of the studies have been focused on nonionic sugar-based surfactants. In the present work, we studied the micellization of four lactose-based surfactants, with the same headgroup (lactosylammonium) and the same hydrophobic alkyl chain (dodecyl) but different counterions (malonate, adipate, propionate, and hexanoate), at 25.0 and/or 50.0 °C. We found that these four surfactants could decrease the surface tension of water to ca. 30 mN/m. When the number of carboxylate groups in the counterion was the same, the counterion having a shorter alkyl chain could lead to a smaller minimum area per surfactant molecule. Moreover, the surfactants with monocarboxylates as counterions had much lower critical micelle concentrations than those with dicarboxylates as counterions, and the micelles from the former surfactants had a lower counterion binding degree. The lactosylammonium surfactants could bind with DNA, and low content of the surfactant could decrease the CD signal of DNA, while high content of the surfactant could make DNA unfold somewhat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual behavior is the dominant mode of HIV transmission in China, and young female migrants are among the populations at highest risk. This article examines how HIV-related risk behaviors among female migrants might vary according to workplace settings. Participants were young female migrants recruited from three workplace settings--factories, restaurants and entertainment venues. In a cross-sectional survey, we assessed 457 participants' sociodemographic characteristics, HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, condom use knowledge, sexual behaviors, condom use behavior and reproductive health factors. Participants working in entertainment venues were significantly more likely than those working in factories and restaurants to report sexual behavior, unprotected sex, multiple pregnancy terminations and sexually transmitted infections (STI). However, participants working in factories and restaurants reported significantly lower levels of HIV/AIDS knowledge, condom use knowledge, condom use self-efficacy and history of HIV/AIDS counseling and testing. Independent correlates of unprotected sex included employment in an entertainment venue, abortion history and sexual self-efficacy. Independent correlates of STI or genitourinary tract infection included employment in an entertainment venue, abortion history, recent migration and recent unprotected sex. These findings indicate a need for sexual and reproductive health interventions prioritizing young female migrants, and call for programs that can be incorporated into different workplace settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the influence of Al fraction at the AlxGa1-xN photocathode, models of GaN (0001) and Al0.25Ga0.75N (0001) surfaces are built and compared. Plane wave with ultrasoft pseudopotential method based on first-principle density functional theory is used to calculate and compare the Cs activation mechanism for Al0.25Ga0.75N (0001) surface and GaN (0001) surface. In this work, seven possible Cs adsorption sites are chosen for the Al0.25Ga0.75N (0001) surface while five high-symmetry sites are considered in the calculation model of GaN (0001) surface. Adsorption energy, work function, surface dipole moment, and photocurrent curves are obtained. Results show that Cs adsorption lowers the surface work function and benefits to get the most stable adsorption sites. To verify the result of our calculations, an activation experiment is performed on p-type Mg-doped GaN and AlGaN substrate grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. The photocurrent curves show that the overall photocurrent value of GaN photocathode is greater than that of Al0.25Ga0.75N photocathode. Spectral response curves of two photocathodes are also investigated and used to explain the difference of photocurrent. This works gives a reference for the further experimental research on the AlxGa1-xN and GaN photocathodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]