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The thyroid hormone receptor α1 (TRα1) is a nuclear receptor for thyroid hormone that shuttles rapidly between the nucleus and cytoplasm. Our prior studies showed that nuclear import of TRα1 is directed by two nuclear localization signals, one in the N-terminal A/B domain and the other in the hinge domain. Here, we showed using in vitro nuclear import assays that TRα1 nuclear localization is temperature and energy-dependent and can be reconstituted by the addition of cytosol. In HeLa cells expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged TRα1, knockdown of importin 7, importin β1 and importin α1 by RNA interference, or treatment with an importin β1-specific inhibitor, significantly reduced nuclear localization of TRα1, while knockdown of other importins had no effect. Coimmunoprecipitation assays confirmed that TRα1 interacts with importin 7, as well as importin β1 and the adapter importin α1, suggesting that TRα1 trafficking into the nucleus is mediated by two distinct pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two 9,10-distyrylanthracene (DSA) derivatives CNDSA and t-BUDSA were designed and synthesized, and their photophysical properties and crystal structures were investigated. Compared to DSA, the maximum emission peaks of the two compounds showed red-shift not only in THF solution, but also in crystals, because the introduction of electron-withdrawing substituents to DSA leads to more dispersion of the electrons in the molecules. The two crystals of CNDSA and t-BUDSA show strong fluorescence with the efficiency Φ of 45% and 33%, respectively, which may be resulted from no obvious π-π interactions between molecules inside the crystal due to the large distance between the two adjacent molecules and nearly no overlap between the central anthracene planes. The analysis of crystal structures of the two compounds indicated that the molecules are arranged in the same conformation and orientation in their crystals, i.e. uniaxially oriented packing crystal, because of the supramolecular interaction of CH/π in the two crystals and additional C-H...N interactions in CNDSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A batch production route is established for large-area, uniform SnO 2 ETLs film by chemical bath deposition. • The mercaptosuccinic acid is applied on the SnO 2 surface modification for energy band alignment and defects passivation. • A PCE variance (V a) with the as-made SnO 2 is 0.073, comparing to that of control sample of V a at 2.833. • A high efficiency of 22.54% was obtained for the FA-based perovskite device. Chemical bath deposited tin oxide film (CBD SnO 2) has been demonstrated as an amazing electron transporting layer for high photoconversion efficiency (PCE) hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) over 25 %. The current CBD process is normally studied for small area devices. A rapid batch production of large-area CBD SnO 2 film with high and uniform performance is essential for potential upscaling of perovskite solar module. Herein, we carried out a modified batch CBD process, a double chemical bath deposition (DC), for batch fabrication of large-area (400 cm2) SnO 2 films and realized a homogenized PCE with a variance (V a) of 0.127, comparing to that of control sample of V a at 2.833. We further introduced mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) at the interface of SnO 2 /perovskite for convenient energy band alignment and defects passivation, which significantly improved the PCE , stability and homogeneity of the devices. As a result, the mix-cation planar PSCs reaches 21.24% with further reduced V a of 0.073. A high efficiency of 22.54% was obtained for the narrow band gap FA-based perovskite device. These results suggest high potential of this modified CBD route for large area and high efficiency perovskite module preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome (CHS) after bypass surgery is known as a complication of moyamoya disease (MMD). However, the incidence of CHS has not been accurately reported, and there is no consensus on related risk factors. To evaluate the incidence and characteristics of CHS in patients with MMD after revascularization surgery via meta-analysis. Relevant cohort studies were retrieved through a literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Ovid until December 1, 2018. Eligible studies were identified per search criteria. A systematic review and meta-analysis were used to assess the CHS total incidence, incidence in pediatric patients with MMD and adult patients with MMD, incidence for direct and combined bypass surgery, progress rate, and proportion of each symptom (including transient neurologic deficits [TNDs], hemorrhage, and seizure). A total of 27 cohort studies with 2225 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The weighted proportions per random-effects model were 16.5% (range, 11.3%–22.3%) for CHS total incidence, 3.8% (range, 0.3%–9.6%) for pediatric patients with MMD, 19.9% (range, 11.7%–29.4%) for adult patients with MMD, 15.4% (range, 5.4%–28.8%) for direct bypass surgery, and 15.2% (range, 8.4%–23.2%) for combined bypass surgery. Progress rate was 39.5% (range, 28.7%–50.8%). The most common CHS-related symptom was TNDs (70.2%; range, 56.3%–82.7%), followed by hemorrhage (15.0%; range, 5.5%–26.9%) and seizure (5.3%; range, 0.6%–12.9%). CHS is a common complication after revascularization surgery in MMD. It is more frequently seen in adult patients. The most common CHS-related symptom was TNDs, followed by hemorrhage and seizure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The YEATS domain has been identified as a reader of histone acylation and more recently emerged as a promising anti-cancer therapeutic target. Here, we detail the structural mechanisms for π-π-π stacking involving the YEATS domains of yeast Taf14 and human AF9 and acylated histone H3 peptides and explore DNA-binding activities of these domains. Taf14-YEATS selects for crotonyllysine, forming π stacking with both the crotonyl amide and the alkene moiety, whereas AF9-YEATS exhibits comparable affinities to saturated and unsaturated acyllysines, engaging them through π stacking with the acyl amide. Importantly, AF9-YEATS is capable of binding to DNA, whereas Taf14-YEATS is not. Using a structure-guided approach, we engineered a mutant of Taf14-YEATS that engages crotonyllysine through the aromatic-aliphatic-aromatic π stacking and shows high selectivity for the crotonyl H3K9 modification. Our findings shed light on the molecular principles underlying recognition of acyllysine marks and reveal a previously unidentified DNA-binding activity of AF9-YEATS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open-phase fault (OPF) in the permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) drive system is one of the most prevalent failures due to the resulting large electromagnetic torque ripples and serious mechanical vibration. To improve the reliability of the PMSM drive system, several OPF diagnosis methods were studied and were mainly focused on vector control system. Recently, model predictive control (MPC) has been emerging as a popular control method for the PMSM drive system owing to its simple structure and excellent dynamic performance. However, so far, there are no special OPF diagnosis methods for the model predictive controlled PMSM drive system. Hence, this article first proposes a cost function-based OPF diagnosis method for the model predictive controlled PMSM drive system, considering the characteristics of MPC system. The dc component and second harmonic component in the cost function are used for the OPF diagnosis, and the initial phase angle differences are defined to locate the faulty phase. The experimental results show that, by the proposed fault diagnosis method, not only the OPF can be rapidly detected, but also the faulty phase can be effectively located. Moreover, the proposed method can be implemented simply and is robust against the operating point and parameter variations of the PMSM drive system. This article proposes an OPF diagnosis method for the model predictive controlled PMSM drive system based on cost function, taking into account the characteristics of the MPCC system. The experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. From the theoretical analysis and experimental results, the following works and conclusion are drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have shown that vinorelbine/capecitabine (NX) and docetaxel/capecitabine (TX) chemotherapy has a certain effect in advanced breast cancer. However, there are few clinical studies directly comparing TX and NX regimen chemotherapy, especially in patients with advanced breast cancer previously treated with anthracycline and taxane. The purpose of this Phase II study was to compare survival and side effects between patients with anthracycline- and taxane-resistant advanced breast cancer treated with NX and those treated with TX chemotherapy.Patients and Methods: From February 2012 to March 2014, a total number of 97 patients were randomly assigned to NX (n = 55) or TX (n = 42). Baseline characteristics were relatively well-balanced in the two treatment arms. The clinical trial registration number (clincaltrials.gov) is NCT01635465.Results: After a median follow-up of 46.0 months, there was no significant difference between the NX and TX arms in objective response rate (17.9% vs. 21.1%; P = 0.686) and progression-free survival (6 months vs. 7 months; P = 0.560). The overall survival period of the TX arm was longer than that of the NX arm (32 months vs. 27 months) but without statistical significance. Both regimens were well-tolerated. The main toxicities were neutropenia, leukopenia, and anemia. In the TX arm, hand-foot syndrome occurred more frequently than in the NX arm (P < 0.01), but frequencies of other minor adverse effects were similar between the two arms.Conclusion: NX and TX regimens are both alternative treatments for patients with anthracycline- and taxane-resistant advanced breast cancer, but the safety profile was more favorable and manageable with the NX regimen.Trial Registrations: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01635465. Registered 09 July 2012. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value and safety of stereotactic biopsy in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients with intracranial lesions via meta-analysis. Methods Relevant cohort studies were identified through a literature search in PubMed, Embase, and Ovid from 1985 to October 1, 2016. Appropriate studies were identified per search criteria. Systematic review and meta-analysis were used to assess the diagnostic success rate, changed management rate, clinical improvement rate, mortality rate, morbidity rate, hemorrhage rate, hemorrhage in morbidity rate, and final histologic diagnosis results. Study-specific outcomes were combined per a random effects model. Outcomes were compared between the pre-highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and post-HAART groups. Correlations between outcomes were assessed via meta-regression analysis. Results A total of 19 cohort studies with 820 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The weighted proportions per the random effects model were 92.2% (95% confidence interval [CI; 89.3%–94.5%]) for diagnostic success rate, 5.1% (95% CI [2.5%–8.3%]) for morbidity, and 0.7% (95% CI [0%–1.9%]) for mortality. The most common procedure-related morbidity was hemorrhage at 3.3% (95% CI [1.1%–6.3%]). Hemorrhage in morbidity was 78.0% (95% CI [51.4%–97.4%]). Management changed and clinical improvement were 60.4% (95% CI [49.4%–71.0%]) and 34.0% (95% CI [22.2%–46.8%]), respectively. The 4 most common diagnoses were primary central nervous system lymphoma (27.8%; 95% CI [20.2%–36.1%]), progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) (21.0%; 95% CI [14.3%–28.4%]), toxoplasma encephalitis (TE) (20.3%; 95% CI [14.3%–27.0%]), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) encephalitis (4.1%; 95% CI [1.4%–7.6%]). Multiple diagnoses rate was 1.2% (95% CI [0.0%–3.6%]). HIV encephalitis rate was significantly higher in the post-HAART group than the pre-HAART group (17.9% vs. 3.2%, respectively; P = 0.0024). Conclusions Stereotactic biopsy is a safe and effective way of diagnosing intracranial lesions in patients with AIDS. It is helpful for the differential diagnosis and for choosing a suitable therapy. The 4 most common intracranial lesions in patients with AIDS are lymphoma, PML, TE, and HIV encephalitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the pivotal to electrocatalytic water splitting is developing efficient and earth-abundant electrocatalysts to accelerate the sluggish kinetics of hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER). In this work, (NH 4) 2 MoS 4 derived from polyoxometalates ((NH 4) 6 Mo 7 O 24 ·4H 2 O) were immobilized onto the ion exchange resin D314, and highly dispersed Co-molybdenum disulfide (Co–MoS 2 @NG-4) on nitrogen-doped graphene catalyst was prepared. The optimized Co–MoS 2 @NG-4 shows excellent electrocatalytic performance for HER and OER. Specifically, the low overpotentials of 202 and 352 mV are required to drive the current density of 10 mA cm−2 with the small Tafel slope of 77.30 and 153.50 mV dec−1 for HER and OER, respectively. The Co–MoS 2 @NG-4 demonstrates excellent stability, maintaining a robust operation for 5000 cyclic tests with no detectable stability decay. Porous structure endows Co–MoS 2 @NG-4 with more active centers, increasing its specific surface area and ultimately improving its catalytic performance. [Display omitted] • Synthesized Co–MoS 2 @NG-4 catalyst using ion-exchange and thermal reduction methods. • The porous structure and heteroatom doping improve the electrocatalytic activity. • The Co–MoS 2 @NG-4 exhibits excellent electrochemical activity for both HER and OER. • The Co–MoS 2 @NG-4 exhibits exceptional stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the clinical benefits of emergent single burr hole evacuation technology in traumatic acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) with cerebral herniation cases. Methods We conducted a review comparing patients with ASDH with cerebral herniation who underwent single burr hole evacuation followed by decompressive craniectomy and intracranial hematoma removal surgery (n = 45, group A) and those who underwent decompressive craniectomy and intracranial hematoma removal surgery after rapid infusion of mannitol 250 mL (n = 53, group B) in our institution. Pre- and postoperative assessments included Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), activities of daily living (ADLs), and common complication incidences. Results At 1 and 6 months after operation, the median GCS score of group A was significantly higher than group B (P = 0.04 and P = 0.03, respectively). After 6 months, the GOS score and ADLs between the 2 groups had significant differences (P < 0.05). There were no differences between the 2 groups in the common complication incidences. Conclusions Emergent single burr hole evacuation in combination with decompressive craniectomy surgery is a useful treatment for ASDH with cerebral herniation, which can achieve reduction of intracranial pressure as soon as possible and improve the prognosis. Highlights • No reports have described the efficacy of emergent single burr hole evacuation for ASDH with cerebral herniation. • We studied a series of patients with ASDH with cerebral herniation. • Single burr hole evacuation is an effective and safe treatment for traumatic ASDH with cerebral herniation. • It can reduce intracranial pressure rapidly and relieve cerebral hernia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]