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(1) Background: Afatinib has been approved for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) carrying major uncommon epidermal growth factor receptor gene (EGFR) mutations. Dacomitinib, another second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has also shown promising potential for uncommon EGFR mutations. However, no comparative study has been conducted. (2) Methods: Two cohorts were employed: the AFANDA cohort, an ambispective cohort including 121 patients with uncommon EGFR mutations admitted to two tertiary hospitals in China, and an external validation afatinib cohort (ex-AC), extracted from the Afatinib Uncommon EGFR Mutations Database (N = 1140). The AFANDA cohort was divided into an afatinib cohort (AC) and a dacomitinib cohort (DC) for internal exploration. Objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and adverse events (AEs) were assessed for comparison. Progression patterns and resistance mechanisms were explored. (3) Results: In total, 286 patients with advanced NSCLC carrying uncommon EGFR mutations treated with afatinib or dacomitinib were enrolled, including 79 in the AFANDA cohort (44 in the DC, 35 in the AC) and 207 in the ex-AC. In internal exploration, the ORR of the DC was significantly higher than that of the AC (60.5 vs. 26.7%, p = 0.008), but there was no significant difference in median PFS between the DC and the AC (12.0 months vs. 10.0 months, p = 0.305). Multivariate analysis confirmed an independent favorable effect of dacomitinib on PFS (hazard ratio (HR), 1.909; p = 0.047). In external validation, multivariate analysis confirmed the independent prognostic role of dacomitinib in PFS (HR, 1.953; p = 0.029). Propensity score matching analysis confirmed the superiority of dacomitinib over afatinib in terms of PFS in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Toxicity profiling analysis suggested more G1 (p = 0.006), but fewer G3 (p = 0.036) AEs in the DC than in the AC. Progression patterns revealed that the incidence of intracranial progression in the AC was significantly higher than that in the DC (50 vs. 21.1%, p = 0.002). Drug resistance analysis indicated no significant difference in the occurrence of T790M between the AC and the DC (11.8 vs. 15.4%, p = 0.772). (4) Conclusions: Compared with afatinib, dacomitinib demonstrated a more favorable activity with manageable toxicity and different progression patterns in patients with NSCLC carrying uncommon EGFR mutations.

Chemotherapy resistance is one of the main causes of lung cancer treatment failure, and a combination regimen may be an effective way to overcome this. Here we report 5 new (1-3, 7, and 9) and 15 known polyketides, isolated from an endozoic Aspergillus niger. The structures of the new compounds were determined by the interpretation of IR, HRESIMS, NMR, and ECD spectra. The ESI-MS/MS fragmentation of the isolated naphtho-γ-pyrone isomers in positive mode is discussed. The effects of isolated compounds in combination with cisplatin (DDP) on a DDP-resistant A549 cell line (A459/DDP) are investigated. The most active compound, 12, could reduce the ratio of GSH/GSSG, promote the generation of intracellular ROS, and cooperate with DDP to down-regulated levels of Nrf2, Akt, HO-1, and NQO1, suggesting that inhibition of Nrf2 and Akt pathways might be involved in the combined effect of 12 and DDP in A549/DDP cells.

In this work, we synthesize and functionalize Ag nanoparticles (NPs) with Sodium tripolyphosphate in one pot. Due to $\text{P}_{3}\,\,\text{O}_{10}^{5-}$ _AgNPs aggregation in the presence of mercury, colorimetric detection with naked eye realize, the limit of detection is $1~\mu $ mol $\cdot \text{L}^{-1}$ . Based on one critical additional point with $3~\mu $ mol $\cdot \text{L}^{-1}$ of Hg2+ added, trace sensing of mercury can be performed through absorption spectra analysis, the limit of detection reaches 1nmol $\cdot \text{L}^{-1}$ . The TEM image and EDS test tell the mechanism, where the aggregating behavior of $\text{P}_{3}\text{O}_{10}^{5-}$ _AgNPs in the presence of Hg2+ is different from that of Cr3+ and Mn2+. Also, this method possesses high selectivity. This work may pave a facile way in mercury detection sensors.

In this study, rice bran protein was prepared by ultrasound-assisted extraction, and its physicochemical and emulsifying properties were also evaluated. Results demonstrated that a significant increase in protein yield was observed when ultrasound-assisted method was employed for extracting protein. Noticeably, obtained rice bran protein possessed excellent physicochemical properties, such as oil absorption capacity, protein solubility and foaming property. More hydrophobic groups were exposed in the process of ultrasound-assisted extraction, which led to the increase of surface hydrophobicity. More importantly, the ultrasound-assisted extraction could improve emulsifying properties of rice bran protein, and the emulsions prepared using protein samples exhibited the great stability. Besides, it was also found that emulsifying properties of protein samples presented a decrease trend with increasing ultrasound power and time. All in all, ultrasound-assisted extraction is a suitable alternative process for preparing rice bran protein.

Magnetic absorber in optical frequency can be fulfilled through metamaterials designing. Therein, magnetic resonance in metal-dielectric-metal metasurfaces can be manipulated conveniently, and studying the parameters impacts is the primary for applications. In this work, through changing the grating width and the thickness of silica, the magnetic resonance modes have been studied, the conditions of the phase change zone from magnetic resonance (MR) to Fabry-Perot (FP) are given out in Ag−SiO2−Ag grating magnetic metasurfaces. The results indicate that the MR mode in metal-dielectric-metal configuration is mainly decided on the dielectric duty factor other than the sole behaviors of the thickness of dielectric and size of nanostructures. The physical mechanism is elucidated through simulated electromagnetic field distributions using finite difference time domain (FDTD) solution, and numerical analysis of effective refraction index of Ag−SiO2−Ag magnetic metasurfaces. This study may prompt development of metamaterials in basic research in condensed physics and in optical devices applications.

Currently, the school children usually spend a lot of time on the games in their recreational activities and some of them are even addicted to the games. Compared with other extracurricular activities, the e-Learning system reflects the fact that school children are very interested in the games. As a result, educators have lately craved to develop effective teaching activities that allow the school children to learn some subjects and to play the games simultaneously. Therefore, this study is based on an e-Learning system which combines the serious game by Unity3D Game Engine with augmented reality (AR). Students are able to acquire their knowledge and to foster logical skills via this game-based e-Learning system. According to its efficacy and utilities, this study has assessed and compared the game-based e-Learning system with the traditional learning and other e-Learning systems. The experimental results have indicated that the proposed game-based e-Learning system can outperform other existing systems.

Due to the favorable stability, water solubility and good biocompatibility, carbon dots have attracted much attention. Herein, a novel nitrogen-doping bifunctional carbon dots (N-BCDs) with ultra-highly quantum yield (QYabs = 70.4%) is prepared through microwave-assisted method. 50 μg/mL of N-BCDs emit intense fluorescence in HeLa and GES-1 cells with negligible cytotoxicity. In addition, effective inhibition of N-BCDs to human insulin (HI) fibrillation is observed even at 10:1 (mass ratio of HI: N-BCDs) by ThT fluorescence, CD assay and TEM. N-BCDs prevent HI from fibrillation with prolonged lag time and reduced fluorescent intensity at equilibrium, regardless of the addition time of N-BCDs (HI: N-BCDs = 1:1, mass ratio), which has been rarely reported before. Furthermore, the morphology of final HI fibrils is shorter and thinner in the presence of N-BCDs. Mechanism studies reveal that the enhanced hydrogen bond between HI monomers and N-BCDs inhibits nucleation during the lag stage (Ka: 1.54 × 104 L·mol−1, 298 K), while the accumulation of N-BCDs blocks the growth of profibrils in the elongation stage. To the best of our knowledge, it's the first time to observe the accumulation of N-BCDs around HI profibrils with TEM. Our study provides a new strategy for developing efficient nanoparticle inhibitors for protein fibrillation.

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a highly prevalent, chronic joint disorder, and it is a typical disease which can develop chronic pain. Our previous study has proved that endocannabinoid (2-AG)-CB1R-GABA-5-HT pathway is involved in electroacupuncture (EA) mediated inhibition of chronic pain. However, it is still unclear which among the 5-HT receptor subtype is involved in EA evoked 5-HT mediated inhibition of chronic pain in the dorsal spinal cord. 5-HT

In the current research context of precision treatment of malignant tumors, the advantages of immunotherapy are unmatched by conventional antitumor therapy, which can prolong progression-free survival and overall survival. The search for new targets and novel combination therapies can improve the efficacy of immunotherapy and reduce adverse effects. Since current research targets for immunotherapy mainly focus on lymphocytes, little research has been done on erythrocytes. Nucleated erythroid precursor stem cells have been discovered to play an essential role in tumor progression. Researchers are exploring new targets and therapeutic approaches for immunotherapy from the perspective of erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs). Recent studies have shown that different subtypes of EPCs have specific surface markers and distinct biological roles in tumor immunity. CD45+ EPCs are potent myeloid-derived suppressor cell-like immunosuppressants that reduce the patient’s antitumor immune response. CD45− EPCs promote tumor invasion and metastasis by secreting artemin. A specific type of EPC also promotes angiogenesis and provides radiation protection. Therefore, EPCs may be involved in tumor growth, infiltration, and metastasis. It may also be an important cause of anti-angiogenesis and immunotherapy resistance. This review summarizes recent research advances in erythropoiesis, EPC features, and their impacts and processes on tumors.

The surface charges in nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharge under quiescent air and airflow are detected based on the Pockels effect of electro-optical crystals. In quiescent air, it is found that the surface charge spot propagates and moves in a certain direction due to the combination of the transverse electric field and the thermal accumulation during dozens of consecutive discharge cycles. However, the position of the surface charge spot remains fixed throughout a single discharge cycle (0.83 ms). At the same time, the noticeable decay of surface charges emerges in the above time scales. Furthermore, when the airflow is introduced into the discharge gap, the propagation and movement of surface charges are accelerated. With the increase of airflow velocity, the discharge transforms from a filamentary mode to a diffuse mode, and the distribution of surface charges varies from discrete to uniform. The transition point of the discharge state and charge distribution corresponds to the airflow velocity of 10 m s−1. The airflow accelerates the decay of surface charges, resulting in the shrink and dispersion of surface charges, which is considered to be the fundamental reason for the airflow’s potential to improve discharge uniformity. The inherent mechanism for achieving uniform discharge is revealed in this study.

Background. This paper aims to investigate the correlation between high mobility group protein-1 (HMG-b1), antioxidant enzyme-1 (paraoxon-1, PON-1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, MCP-1), P. gingivalis, and MSAF. Materials and Methods. The total sample size comprised of 73 cases in both groups. These patients were further subdivided into 2 groups: the MSAF group and the control group. 38 women were in the MSAF group and 35 women with term amniotic fluid serum were in the control group. The MSAF group was selected as a full-term singleton amniotic fluid fecal infection group. Clinical data were collected, and specimens were collected. Fecal staining of amniotic fluid and full-term amniotic fluid removes the placenta and umbilical cord blood. The expression of HMGB1 in the placenta was observed by immune-histochemical staining of MSAF and control groups. The content of PON-1 in cord blood was determined by ELISA. Results. Correlation between maternal and neonatal clinical data and MSAF was done; MSAF group mean gestational age was 41.38 ± 1.40 weeks; control group mean gestational age was 39.20 ± 1.24 weeks. This study found no correlation between the birth weight, maternal age, sex, first/transmaternal, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and anemia between the MSAF and control group with nonsignificant P value ( P > 0.05 ). However, the fatal age, gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, umbilical cord abnormalities, placental abnormalities, and neonatal asphyxia factors were statistically different with a significant P value of P < 0.05 ); however, the level of PON-1 was lower in the MSAF group as compared to the controls ( P < 0.05 ). Conclusions. Gestational age and placental abnormalities are clinical high-risk factors for MSAF. HMGB1, PON-1, MCP-1, and Periodontal P. gingivalis may be involved in the development of MSAF, suggesting an oxidative/antioxidant imbalance with inflammation, and may be one of the mechanisms for MSAF development.

This paper aims to investigate the correlation between high mobility group protein-1 (HMG-b1), antioxidant enzyme-1 (paraoxon-1, PON-1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, MCP-1),The total sample size comprised of 73 cases in both groups. These patients were further subdivided into 2 groups: the MSAF group and the control group. 38 women were in the MSAF group and 35 women with term amniotic fluid serum were in the control group. The MSAF group was selected as a full-term singleton amniotic fluid fecal infection group. Clinical data were collected, and specimens were collected. Fecal staining of amniotic fluid and full-term amniotic fluid removes the placenta and umbilical cord blood. The expression of HMGB1 in the placenta was observed by immune-histochemical staining of MSAF and control groups. The content of PON-1 in cord blood was determined by ELISA.Correlation between maternal and neonatal clinical data and MSAF was done; MSAF group mean gestational age was 41.38 ± 1.40 weeks; control group mean gestational age was 39.20 ± 1.24 weeks. This study found no correlation between the birth weight, maternal age, sex, first/transmaternal, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and anemia between the MSAF and control group with nonsignificantGestational age and placental abnormalities are clinical high-risk factors for MSAF. HMGB1, PON-1, MCP-1, and Periodontal

This study aimed to understand the characteristics of dietary patterns among children aged 12 to 23 months and discusses the relationship between dietary patterns and the growth of children.Cross-sectional data were selected from the National Nutrition and Health Systematic Survey for 0 to 18 year-old children in China (Four dietary patterns were identified among the childrenAlthough China is undergoing rapid urbanization and economic development, there is still a phenomenon of insufficient intake of protein-rich foods and dairy-based dietary patterns at the stage of complementary food introduced among children aged 12 to 23 months.

The main purpose of the National Nutrition and Health Systematic Survey for children 0-17 years of age in China (CNHSC) was to collect basic data on the nutrition, development, and health status for children in different regions across China using evidence-based, reliable, and cost-effective approaches. Children and their parents or guardians from seven regions (south, southwest, north, northwest, eastern, central, and northeast China) in China were recruited. A multi-stage stratified randomized sampling method was used. Two provinces were randomly sampled from each of the seven regions, from which one urban district and one rural country were also randomly sampled, resulting in a total of 28 survey counties/districts. Dietary surveys, health examinations, laboratory testing, and questionnaires were used to collect dietary intake, nutritional status, child development, and health status information. Nutrition, health, and lifestyle assessment of children and their parents was determined using the Knowledge Attitude Practice (KAP) survey. Greater than 100,000 children (38,000 children6 years of age and 66,000 children 6-17 years of age) completed the survey. The survey provided comprehensive data on child nutrition and health status for future studies and will serve as the basis for an integrated nutrition and health improvement strategies proposal for children in China.

The present study identifies changes in energy simulation of residential buildings in Toronto when three distinct weather simulation methodologies are used. The first is the Typical Year Canadian Weather File for Energy Calculations, the second is the actual meteorological data from the years of 1998 to 2018, and the last is an updated Canadian Weather File for Energy Calculations. The modelled buildings include a single-family home, high rise multi-unit residential building, and low rise multi-unit residential building. Missing meteorological data from the years 2015 to 2018 were collected from Environment Canada Historical Database and National Solar Radiation Database from the National Research Council Laboratory. The results show between arange of 12% monthly variance in energy consumption for low rise buildings, a range of 15% monthly variance in high rise buildings, and a range of 11% variance in single family homes. Annual variances range 2% in total energy variances. The single-family home is verified to an actual home. These results suggest that the monthly values when in a typical year simulation are not indicative of long term actual climate. In addition, this research analyzes the differences in selected months of the Canadian Weather File for Energy Calculations when the historical dataset used to generate the file is changed. Based on the gradual increase in CDD and decrease in HDD, simulations using an updated CWEC represent a climate condition with less heating demand and more cooling demand.

The present study examined the roles of 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B and 5-HT2C receptor subtypes in mediating the ventrolateral orbital cortex (VLO)-induced antiallodynia in a rat model of neuropathic pain induced by spared nerve injury (SNI). Change of mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) was measured using von-Frey filaments. Microinjection of preferential or selective 5-HT2A/C, 5-HT2B and 5-HT2C receptor agonists, (±)-1-(2,5-Dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane hydrochloride (DOI), α-methyl-5-(2-thienylmethoxy)-1H-Indole-3-ethanamine hydrochloride (BW723C86) and 1-(3-Chlorophenyl)-piperazine hydrochloride (m-CPP) into the VLO significantly depressed allodynia induced by SNI, and the inhibitory effect of DOI was blocked or attenuated by selective 5-HT2A/C receptor antagonists ketanserin (+)-tartrate salt (ketanserin) and 5-HT2A receptor antagonist R-(+)-alpha-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-[2-(4-fluorophenylethyl)]-4-piperidinemethanol (M100907); the effects of BW723C86 and m-CPP were antagonized by 5-HT2B receptor antagonists N-(1-Methyl-1H-5-indolyl)-N'-(3-methyl-5-isothiazolyl)urea (SB204741) and 5-HT2C receptor antagonist RS102221 hydrochloride hydrate (RS-102221), respectively. These results suggest that 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, 5-HT2C receptor subtypes are involved in mediating the VLO-induced antiallodynia in the neuropathic pain state.

Herein, we fabricate a composite fluorescence sensor by integrating amine-functionalized carbon quantum dots (amine-CQDs) and a zirconium-based metal-organic framework (UiO-67) using a post-synthetic modification approach, and employ the resulting amine-CQDs@UiO-67 composite as a platform for highly selective and sensitive detection of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP). In particular, UiO-67 acts as an adsorbent for the selective capture and enrichment of DNP molecules, whereas amine-CQDs serve as functional monomers for selective and sensitive DNP sensing.

Polyimide (PI) aerogels have attracted great attention owing to their low density and excellent thermal stability. However, hydrophobic surface modification is required for PI aerogels to improve their ability in oil/water separation due to their amphiphilic characteristic. Two-dimensional MXenes (transition metal carbides/nitrides) can be utilized as nanofillers to enhance the properties of polymers because of their unique layered structure and versatile interface chemistry. Herein, the robust, lightweight, and hydrophobic PI/MXene three-dimensional architectures were fabricated via freeze-drying of polyamide acid/MXene suspensions and thermal imidization. Polyamide acid was synthesized using N-N-dimethylacetamide and 4,4'-oxydianiline. MXene (Ti3C2Tx) dispersion was obtained via the etching of Ti3AlC2 and ultrasonic exfoliation. Taking advantage of the strong interaction between PI chains and MXene nanosheets, the interconnected, highly porous, and hydrophobic PI/MXene aerogels with low density were fabricated, resulting in the improved compressive performance, remarkable oil absorption capacity, and efficient separation of oil and water. For the PI/MXene-3 aerogel (weight ratio, 5.2:1) without any surface modification, the water contact angle was 119° with a density of 23 mg/cm3. This aerogel can completely recover to its original height after 50 compression-release cycles, exhibiting superelasticity and exceptional fatigue-resistant ability. It also showed high absorption capacities to various organic liquids ranging from approximately 18 to 58 times of their own weight. This hybrid aerogel can rapidly separate the chloroform, soybean oil, and liquid paraffin from the water-oil system. The thermally stable hybrid aerogel also exhibited excellent fire safety properties and outstanding reusability under an extreme environment.

In this work, we test the hypothesis that the Mg2+ content in biogenic aragonite has a systematic relationship with biomolecules. A series of biomimetic experiments were conducted to show the dependence of Mg2+ in aragonite on the model organic molecules added to the mineralizing solution, including the concentration of various organics, mineralization temperature, Mg/Ca ratio and Mg2+ initial concentration. The mineralized products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). High Mg2+ is detected in aragonite obtained in the presence of organics, whereas the lowest Mg2+ is measured in aragonite without organics. Moreover, the concentration of Mg2+ in aragonite increases gradually with the amended organics. Mg K-edge NEXAFS spectra show that the magnesium microenvironment in aragonite is similar to the organic-associated environment, indicating that the Mg2+ ions are not on the aragonite lattices, but adhere to the intracrystalline organics. Furthermore, the mineralization temperature, Mg/Ca ratio and Mg2+ content in mineralization medium significantly influence Mg2+ content in aragonite, reiterating the effect of the microenvironment on aragonite biomineralization.

For spacecraft working in vacuum environment, sublimator is an effective heat rejection approach to reject system’s peak heat load, and supplement spacecraft radiation heat rejection. For a spacecraft active fluid loop thermal control system combined with sublimator, waste heat generated from multi-point distributed heat sources could be collected by the fluid loop efficiently. However, the heat and mass transfer performances of the sublimator combined with fluid loop have not been adequately studied in previous research, especially for the influences of the heat load. Since work fluid mass flow rate is the main factor affecting heat load of the fluid loop, this context experimentally studied influences of the fluid loop mass flow rate on sublimator start-up transient characteristics, including heat transfer performances, response time, and work stability. Results indicated that the fluid loop mass flow rate affected the sublimator heat and mass transfer performances obviously, but the heat rejection ability is not always increase with the increasing of the fluid loop mass flow rate. In addition, we obtained the condition to judge whether there is a positive correlation between heat rejection ability and fluid loop mass flow rate. Keywords: Fluid loop, Mass flow rate, Sublimator, Spacecraft, Thermal control

The surface charge distribution in a surface dielectric barrier discharge driven by repetitive pulse bias superimposed on AC voltage is measured using the Pockels effect of an electro-optic crystal. The impact of surface charge on surface-breakdown characteristics is investigated by varying the phase of the pulse superimposition. It is demonstrated that the surface charge accumulation varies at different superimposition phases depending on the potential difference between the two electrodes. The accumulated positive/negative surface charge will facilitate the following surface discharge when the AC voltage polarity changes. In addition, different spatiotemporal characteristics of the surface charge distribution are presented when changing the polarity of superimposed pulses. Positive surface discharges are usually easier to develop than negative surface discharges due to their lower breakdown voltage caused by the accumulation of negative surface charges near the edges of exposed electrodes. The decay of positive surface charge is dominated by neutralization of negative surface charge and negatively charged particles (free electrons and negative ions) from the volume above the dielectric. There are two decay modes of positive surface charge: exponential decay and linear decay.

Chemotherapy resistance is one of the main causes of lung cancer treatment failure, and a combination regimen may be an effective way to overcome this. Here we report 5 new (

Environmental problems caused by the food processing industry have always been one of the concerns for the public. Herein, for the first time, a gate-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) was employed to evaluate the environmental impact of rice bran oil production. Four subsystems, namely, transportation of the raw rice bran to oil factory, crude oil extraction, oil refining, and oil storage, were established. The product sustainability software GaBi and the method CML 2001-Jan. 2016 were used to calculate and analyze the environmental burdens at each stage of the rice bran oil production chain. The results show the oil refining stage had the greatest environmental impact, followed by the oil extraction stage. High demands for coal and electricity make a critical difference in generating vast majority of environmental impacts. Modifying the electricity source and replacing traditional fuels with cleaner ones will do bring benefits to the sustainable development of the industry.

Reducing soil ammonia volatilization is one of the key ways to reduce soil nitrogen loss and improve nitrogen utilization efficiency in farmlands. Biochar has unique physico-chemical pro-perties, which can change soil physical and chemical properties, affect soil nitrogen cycle, and affect ammonia volatilization in farmland soil. Firstly, we reviewed the ammonia volatilization process and its influencing factors (climatic condition, soil environment, and fertilization management,降低土壤氨挥发量是农田生态系统中减少土壤氮素损失、提高氮肥利用率的关键途径之一。生物炭具有独特的理化性质,施入土壤后可改变土壤理化性状,影响土壤氮素循环,并对农田土壤中氨挥发产生重要的影响。本文首先介绍了稻田和旱田两种土地利用方式下农田氨挥发过程及其影响因素(气候条件、土壤环境、施肥管理等);其次,重点综述了生物炭对农田生态系统氨挥发影响的研究进展,并从物理吸附机制、气液平衡机制、生物化学过程调节机制等方面探讨了生物炭介入下农田土壤氨挥发的响应机制,认为土壤氨挥发减排的响应主要是基于生物炭表面含氧官能团对土壤NH

We herein constructed supramolecular assemblies from guanidinocalixarenes and sulfonatocalixarenes by exploiting multiple salt bridge interactions. They encapsulate six different kinds of fluorescent dyes (both cationic and anionic), leading to a fluorescence enhancement that could not be achieved by either single calixarene. As such, this study advances the research on high-performance fluorophores.

To initiate the domestic sewage aerobic granular sludge (AGS) process, the experiment is operated by intermittent influent-effluent aeration to reduce the concentration of nitrate and the inhibition of PAO, and realize granulation by phosphate precipitation and positive electricity particles generated during phosphorus removal. The sludge from a sewage treatment plant is inoculated into the SBR reactors R1, R2, R3, and R4, for durations of 30, 60, 90, and 120 min total anaerobic time. This was used to study the effect of anaerobic time on the aerobic granular sludge system in domestic sewage. The experiment shows that reactors R1, R2, R3, and R4 are started successfully with 56, 48, 39, and 35 days, respectively. After 105 days of the operation, the respective average particle sizes reached 750, 764, 791, and 650 μm. During the operational period, at the 43

SBR reactors R1 and R2 were used to inoculate activated sludge from a sewage treatment plant, and domestic sewage was used as the influent. The operation was carried out using a single and multiple influent-aeration operation strategy, respectively, and the particle size change and removal effect during the operation was studied. The results show that R1 and R2 successfully achieved sludge granulation after 56 days and 39 days of operation, respectively. The concentrations (mg·L

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a highly prevalent, chronic joint disorder, and it is a typical disease which can develop chronic pain. Our previous study has proved that endocannabinoid (2-AG)-CB1R-GABA-5-HT pathway is involved in electroacupuncture (EA) mediated inhibition of chronic pain. However, it is still unclear which among the 5-HT receptor subtype is involved in EA evoked 5-HT mediated inhibition of chronic pain in the dorsal spinal cord. 5-HT2A is a G protein-coupled receptor and it is involved in 5-HT descending pain modulation system. We found that EA treatment at frequency of 2 Hz +1 mA significantly increased the expression of 5-HT2A receptor in the dorsal spinal cord and intrathecal injection of 5-HT2A receptor antagonist or agonist reversed or mimicked the analgesic effect of EA in each case respectively. Intrathecal injection of a selective GABAA receptor antagonist Bicuculline also reversed the EA effect on pain hypersensitivity. Additionally, EA treatment reversed the reduced expression of GABAA receptor and KCC2 in the dorsal spinal cord of KOA mice. Furthermore, we demonstrated that intrathecal 5-HT2A receptor antagonist/agonist reversed or mimicked the effect of EA up-regulate of KCC2 expression, respectively. Similarly, intrathecal injection of PLC and PKC inhibitors prevented both anti-allodynic effect and up-regulation of KCC2 expression by EA treatment. Our data suggest that EA treatment up-regulated KCC2 expression through activating 5-HT2A-Gq-PLC-PKC pathway and enhanced the inhibitory function of GABAA receptor, thereby inhibiting chronic pain in a mouse model of KOA.

The evolution of surface charge in surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) is observed by using Pockels effect. SDBD is driven by sine AC and pulse dual-power supply voltage. The filamentary discharge and glow-like discharge are enhanced by superimposing positive pulse on sine trough and negative pulse on sine crest, respectively. The interval of enhanced discharge is adjusted by pulse repetition frequency (PRF). The formation and decay of surface charges are analyzed at low PRF, and the accumulation effect is analyzed at high PRF. The results showed that the decay rates of charges decrease with increasing distance from the exposed electrode. When a positive pulse is superimposed on sine trough, the traces of positive charges are filaments with long extending lengths, which are the footprints of discharge channels. The lifetime of positive charges is hundreds of AC cycles (tens of milliseconds). Under certain conditions, subsequent glow-like discharge evolves as ‘flying’ above the dielectric surface (three-dimensional (3D) propagation). Most of the negative charges are neutralized in subsequent filamentary discharge. Some negative charges accumulate downstream and exist longer than positive charges. In the case of negative pulses superimposed on sine crest, the enhanced glow-like discharge appears 3D propagation. The propagation distance is much smaller than that of positive pulse. Most of the negative charges are uniformly distributed near the exposed electrodes with a short lifetime (a few hundred microseconds) and are quickly neutralized in subsequent discharges. The occurrence of 3D propagation requires certain conditions and the mechanism needs further research.

We designed a water-soluble guanidinium-modified calix[5]arene to target lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), an ideal biomarker for early diagnosis of ovarian and other gynecologic cancers, achieving binding on the nanomolar level. An indicator displacement assay, coupled with differential sensing, enabled ultrasensitive and specific detection of LPA. Moreover, we show that using a calibration line, the LPA concentration in untreated serum can be quantified in the biologically relevant low μM range with a detection limit of 1.7 μM. The reported approach is feasible for diagnosing ovarian and other gynecologic cancers, particularly at their early stages.

While Ag nanoparticles hold great promise for broad spectrum antibacterial activity, the potential risks of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on human health remain a challenge. In this study, Ag/Fe3 O4 composites have been successfully prepared and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and their magnetic and antibacterial properties have been assessed. In vivo results show that the antibacterial effect of 500 μg/mL Ag/Fe3 O4 nanocomposites was significantly higher than that of 1000 μg/mL AgNPs after 72 h of treatment (p

It has been proved that lactate-4.25% dialysate could result in peritoneal fibrosis by inducing alternative activation of macrophages in our previous study, but the mechanism of high glucose-induced alternative activation has not been elucidated. This study was, therefore, to investigate the mechanism by high glucose stimuli.In this study, Raw264.7 (murine macrophage cell line) cells were cultured and stimulated by 4.25% glucose medium, and mannitol medium was used as osmotic pressure control. Cells were harvested at 0 h, 4 h, 8 h, and 12 h to examine the expression of Arg-1, CD206, and p-Akt. After blocking PI3K by LY294002, the expression of Arg-1, CD206, and p-Akt was examined again.The expression of Arg-1 and CD206 was increased in a time-dependent manner induced by high glucose medium. On the contrary, there was mainly no Agr-1 or CD206 expressed in cells cultured in the mannitol medium with the same osmotic pressure. What's more, Akt was phosphorylated at the eighth hour stimulated by high glucose medium, and LY294002 inhibited the expression of Arg-1 and CD206 by blocking the phosphorylation of Akt.Our study indicated that high glucose rather than high osmotic pressure induced M2 phenotype via PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

We report on and discuss the effects of intermittent starvation on the operation of the simultaneous partial nitrification, ANAMMOX, and denitrification (SNAD) process. The SNAD process was carried out in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) at room temperature (22℃±3℃), and the intermittent starvation was achieved by periodically extending the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the system. The results showed that after the operation of intermittent starvation, the NO

Biochar, with high degree of carbon stability, is considered as a kind of carbon sequestration material that can effectively alleviate the greenhouse effect. It is of great significance for carbon sequestration and mitigation to develop biochar with high carbon retention and stability. Mineral modification can regulate the stability of biochar. However, the relevant research has not received enough attention, and the underlying mechanism is not very clear. Firstly, the evaluation indices of biochar stability were summarized, mainly including H/C atomic ratio, O/C atomic ratio, coefficient of stability R生物炭具有高度的碳素稳定性,是一种能有效缓解温室效应的固碳材料.研发碳素持留率高和稳定性强的生物炭对固碳减排具有重要意义.矿物改性处理能对生物炭的稳定性起调控作用,但目前相关研究并未得到足够重视,相应调控机理尚不十分清楚.本研究首先对生物炭稳定性的评价指标进行了归纳,主要包括H/C原子比、O/C原子比、稳定性系数

According to the educational regulations in Taiwan, students are required to learn English when they are at the first grade of elementary school. However, not all the students have an appropriate environment to practice English, especially, for those students whose school is not located in the city. Thus, their English abilities in speaking, reading, and listening are poor. An intelligent tutoring system is used to help the students improve their English capabilities. This paper aims to provide a convenient tutoring environment, where teachers and students do not need to prepare a lot of teaching aids. They can teach and learn English whenever in the environment. Also, it proposes a method to verify the intelligent tutoring system using Petri nets. We have built the intelligent tutoring system based on Augmented Reality (AR), Text-to-Speech (TTS), and Speech Recognition (SR). This intelligent tutoring system is divided into two parts: one for teachers and the other for students. The experimental results have indicated that using Petri nets can help users verify the intelligent tutoring system for better learning performance and operate it correctly.

In this study we aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the wristband activity monitor against the accelerometer for children..A total of 99 children (mean age = 13.0 ± 2.5 y) wore the two monitors in a free-living context for 7 days. Reliability was measured by intraclass correlation to evaluate consistency over time. Repeated-measures analyses of variance was used to detect differences across days. Spearman's correlation coefficient (rho), median of absolute percentage error, and Bland-Altman analyses were performed to assess the validity of the wristband against the ActiGraph accelerometer. The optimal number of repeated measures for the wristband was calculated by using the Spearman-Brown prophecy formula.The wristband had high reliability for all variables, although physical activity data were different across 7 days. A strong correlation for steps (rho: 0.72, P0.001), and moderate correlations for time spent on total physical activity (rho: 0.63, P0.001) and physical activity energy expenditure (rho: 0.57, P0.001) were observed between the wristband and the accelerometer. For different intensities of physical activity, weak to moderate correlations were found (rho: 0.38 to 0.55, P0.001).The wristband activity monitor seems to be reliable and valid for measurement of overall children's physical activity, providing a feasible objective method of physical activity surveillance in children.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) located in dorsal root ganglion has been found as a new target for chronic pain treatment. However, it is not clear whether the change of EGFR expression in the dorsal root ganglion contributes to neuropathic pain development. In this study, we used a chronic compression of unilateral lumbar dorsal root ganglions (CCD)-induced rat neuropathic pain model and found that CCD caused the upregulation of both phosphorylated EGFR and total EGFR expression in compressed lumbar 4/5 (L4/L5) dorsal root ganglions by western blotting and immunohistochemistry methods. Either inhibition of EGFR activation by EGFR inhibitor or knockdown of EGFR expression by EGFR small interference RNA (siRNA) relieved CCD-induced pain hypersensitivities to mechanical, thermal, and cold stimuli in rats. Moreover, EGFR knockdown reversed CCD-induced the increase of intracellular mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) expression as well as the activation of the satellite glial cells in the ipsilateral compressed L4/L5 dorsal root ganglions. These findings suggest that not only activated EGFR but also total EGFR contribute to CCD-induced neuropathic pain by enhancing intracellular mTOR signaling.