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Background: Stem cell-based therapies have shown great promise in regenerative medicine and continue to generate wide interest in future clinical applications. However, the issue of storage and preservation of stem cells, for future clinical applications, still requires extensive investigation. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of cryopreservation on the regenerative capacity of bone marrow stem cells in periodontal defects in dogs. Materi als and Methods: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were obtained from 5 beagle dogs. After cryopreservation for 1 month, cell viability, surface adherence ability, alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralized nodule formation were assessed. Twenty-six periodontal fenestration defects (5 × 5 mm) were created at a location 5 mm apical to the cemento-enamel junction in experimental teeth. Cryopreserved BMSCs were transplanted into the defects using a collagen scaffold carrier. Freshly isolated BMSCs and collagen scaffold alone were used as controls. All animals were sacrificed 8 weeks after surgery, and specimens were evaluated by histomorphometry. Results: Cryopreservation had no discernible negative effect on BMSC growth and differentiation in vitro. Both freshly isolated and cryopreserved BMSC transplantations induced significantly better periodontal regeneration with newly formed cementum, alveolar bone and periodontal ligament compared with the application of collagen scaffold alone. Conclusion: Cryopreserved BMSCs showed no altered regenerative capacity compared with freshly isolated BMSCs in the application of periodontal regeneration. Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel actinobacterium, YIM 132084T, was isolated from Lepraria sp. lichen collected from Yunnan province, south-west PR China and identified by a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The strain was Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, catalase-positive, oxidase-negative, non-motile and coccus-shaped. Colonies were round, convex, smooth and light orange yellow in color. It grew at 10–40 °C (optimum 28 °C), at pH 6.0–11.0 (optimum pH 7.0) and in the presence of 0–4% NaCl (optimum 0%). Strain YIM 132084T comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol as the major polar lipids, MK-8(H4) as the predominant menaquinone, and anteiso-C15:0, anteiso-C17:0, iso-C15:0 and iso-C16:0 as major fatty acids. Strain YIM 132084T had meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan, and mannose, ribose, glucose and rhamnose as whole-cell sugars. The 16S rRNA gene sequence showed high level of similarity with Nakamurella flavida KCTC 19127T (97.7%) and Nakamurella flava CGMCC 4.7524T (97.7%). The G + C content of the genomic DNA was 72.4 mol%. Based on draft genome sequences, strain YIM 132084T showed an average nucleotide identity value of 76.1% and 74.9%, a digital DNA–DNA hybridization value of 20.9% and 20.6% with the reference strains Nakamurella flavida and Nakamurella flava, respectively. The results of the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses showed that strain YIM 132084T represents a novel species of the genus Nakamurella, for which the name Nakamurella leprariae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 132084T (= CGMCC 4.7667T = NBRC 114280T = KCTC 49367T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The unfired sludge bricks (USB) were prepared by chemical solidification and compaction forming technology. • A series of physical, mechanical and thermal conductivity tests were conducted to evaluate the engineering properties of USB. • The optimum compressive strength of USB was achieved by adding 1.5% nano-SiO 2. • The microstructure and crystalline phases of typical USB were explored by conducting SEM and XRD tests. This paper investigated the engineering properties of unfired sludge bricks (USB) made from dredged sludge and cement-fly ash-lime admixed nano-SiO 2 binders under compaction forming technology. A series of laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the effects of cement content, mass ratio of lime to fly ash (L/FA) and nano-SiO 2 (NS) content on the physical, mechanical and thermal insulation performance of USB. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests were also performed to explore the microstructural properties of USB. The results indicated that the binder composed of 15% cement, 1% lime, 9% fly ash and 1.5% NS was recommended to replace 25% cement for preparing USB, which can increase 7-, 28- and 60-day compressive strength by 1.37, 12.94 and 23.30%, respectively. The bulk density of USB increased with the increase of cement and NS content, but decreased with the L/FA. The water absorption of USB decreased with increasing cement and NS content, but increased with the L/FA. The lime content used in USB should be less than 3%. The pH of USB decreased with increasing NS content, and tended to be stable as the NS content increased to more than 1.5%. The increase of cement and NS content had adverse effect on the thermal insulation performance, but this can be effectively improved by the inclusion of lime and fly ash. A positive linear relationship was achieved between thermal conductivity and bulk density. The microstructure analysis confirmed that the CSH and CAH gels were the main cementitious products inside the USB, and the calcite (CaCO 3) may be responsible for the micro-cracks appeared in USB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The addition of steel slag powder can effectively improve the strength development of CSDS. • The inclusion of 5–10%, and 15–20% SSP were recommended as cement admixture for stabilizing DS and humic acid-containing DS, respectively. • Using 15% cement admixed 20% SSP was conducive to the long-term strength development of CSDS. • Microstructure and crystalline phases analyses were conducted by SEM and XRD tests. Waste steel slag is an industrial by-product during the process of steelmaking, and it is usually stacked in steelmaking plants. Employing steel slag in treating dredged sludge (DS) would be an economic and environmental protection solution. This study investigated the effectiveness of steel slag powder (SSP) on the strength development of cement-SSP-stabilized DS (CSDS). The effects of cement content and type, SSP content, humic acid (HA) content and curing age on the strength development of CSDS were analyzed via a series of UCS and pH tests. Additionally, microstructure analyses were conducted by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests. The results indicated that the cement content and type significantly affected the strength gain of CSDS. The UCS of CSDS increased first and then decreased with an increasing in SSP content. The SSP content of 5–10% was the optimal to improve the strength of CSDS, but for CSDS containing HA, the 15–20% SSP was recommended as cement admixture. The HA seriously reduced the strength of CSDS, but this strength loss can be effectively relieved by adding SSP. Based on the strength difference (ΔUCS) and strength growth rate (UCS gr), it was suggested that using 15% cement admixed 20% SSP was the most effective to the long-term strength development of CSDS. The variation of UCS with pH exhibited oscillation characteristics, and the pH of 9.00–10.00 was conducive to the strength development of CSDS. The microstructural analyses confirmed that the addition of SSP can contribute to the formation of cementitious products in CSDS, especially needle-like gel ettringite, and then leading to a dense inter-locked structure in CSDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The small-strain dynamic shear modulus (G) and damping ratio (D) of CSC and CFSC were investigated by resonant column tests. • The G and D increased and decreased respectively, with an increase in the confining pressure and curing age. • The D was significantly affected by the cleanliness and cementation of soil particles. • It is desirable to use 5% cement together with 30% fly ash instead of 15% cement alone for the stabilization of silty clay. This study examines the small-strain dynamic properties of cement-stabilized silty clay (CSC) and cement-fly ash-stabilized silty clay (CFSC). A series of resonant column tests were performed to investigate the effect of confining pressure, binder content and curing age on the small-strain dynamic shear modulus (G) and damping ratio (D) of CSC and CFSC. Furthermore, the maximum dynamic shear modulus (G max) and maximum damping ratio (D max) of CSC and CFSC were also evaluated. The results showed that the G of CSC and CFSC increased with the increase of confining pressure, binder content and curing age. The G decreased slowly and then rapidly with shearing strain (γ), and the γ of 10−4 was the turning point of evaluating the small-strain dynamic behavior of CSC and CFSC. Using 5% cement together with 30% fly ash as stabilizer has advantageous over using 15% cement alone in improving the stiffness properties of silty clay. The D of CSC and CFSC decreased with the increase of confining pressure and curing age, but increased with an increase in cement and fly ash content. This was attributed to the weakly cemented and rough of soil particles led to more energy dissipation of vibration wave propagating through the sample. The microstructural analysis revealed that the micro-aggregate effect and hollow structure of fly ash particles not only contributed to the improvement in G, but also effectively improve the energy dissipation performance of CFSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Application of nano-SiO 2 to cement-solidified dredged sludge (CDS) can significantly improve its strength development. • Roles of cement, nano-SiO 2 , humic acid, lime and curing age on the solidification effect were evaluated. • Using lime together with cement for solidifying dredged sludge containing humic acid had advantages over using cement alone. • The nano-SiO 2 content of 1.0% was considered the most cost-effective for improving the strength development of CDS. The disposal of dredged sludge (DS) poses an increasingly difficult problem for sediment dredging engineering. This study investigated the strength development of solidifying DS containing humic acid (HA) with cement, lime and nano-SiO 2 (NS). A range of unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and pH tests were conducted to explore the roles of cement, NS, HA, lime and curing age on the solidification effect of DS. Furthermore, microstructures and crystalline phases of typical mixes were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests. The results showed that the addition of NS can significantly improve the strength development of cement-solidified dredged sludge (CDS). The 60-day UCS of CDS with 1.0% NS was more than twice that without NS, concurrently, the addition of NS also reduced the pH of CDS. The HA seriously affected the strength development of CDS, and the influence threshold value of HA content was in the range of 4.5–5.0%. Using lime together with cement for solidifying DS containing HA had advantages over using cement alone, and the optimum mass ratio of lime to cement is 6:9. The optimum NS content of 1.0% was determined to be the most cost-effective for improving the strength development of CDS. The microstructure and mineralogy analysis confirmed that adding NS to CDS can effectively accelerate the hydration reaction and produce more calcium silicate hydrate (CSH), leading to a significant improvement in the strength of CDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to better study dynamic traffic, experiment and modeling are two common methods. Through experiments, some interesting phenomena and conclusions can be found. In the experiment of Jiang et al., (2014), the standard deviations of speeds of cars show a concave tendency. The amplitudes of car accelerations become larger along the car platoon. However, the simulation results by the inertia model and 2D-inertia model cannot be consistent with the experimental ones quantitatively. To this end, we put forward an improved 2D-inertial model, in which different mechanisms of acceleration and deceleration are considered. As a result, both the speed standard deviation and acceleration tendency in simulation can match to the experimental ones. Moreover, the fundamental relationship between flow rate, density and speed has been analyzed. There are different traffic dynamics at the high density from homogeneous/mega-jam initial configuration. • Concave tendency of speed standard deviations. • Increasing fluctuation of acceleration. • Different mechanisms of acceleration and deceleration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental pollution resulted from the stacking of solid wastes, and the 250 kg CO 2 emission caused by calcined a ton of kaolinite have become an urgent problem to be solved. In this study, a novel phosphoric acid-activated geopolymer was developed, which was composed of fly ash (FA), mechanically activated-kaolinite (MAK). The influences of phosphoric acid concentration, mechanical grinding duration, and curing temperature were investigated. Microstructural properties of FAMAK geopolymers were examined through a serious of tests. Furthermore, the Gibbs free energy and nano-scale structure characteristics of acid-activated hydration products were calculated for the first time by using density functional theory. The results show that the optimal mass ratio of FA to MAK is 7:3 with 8 mol/L phosphoric acid, which led to the maximum compressive strength of 36.6 MPa at 56-day. Besides, the optimal grinding time is 3 h and temperature is 40 °C. Moreover, the content of silicon promotes the polymerization reaction. The valence and bonding of aluminum are primarily affected by its coordination number. The key outcomes in this study provides a low-carbon cementitious materials, which can achieve the double benefits of carbon reduction and the utilization of solid wastes. • Mechanically activated kaolinite (MAK) can be used to replace metakaolin. • A novel high-strength FA-MAK acid-activated geopolymer was developed. • The optimal synthesis conditions are 3 h grinding and 40 °C curing. • The strength development and polymerization mechanism were revealed. • The nano-scale structure and properties of hydration products were calculated by DFT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To analyze the prevalence of varicocele (VC) and its relationship with body mass index (BMI) in men undergoing military examination, and provide relevant data support for the subsequent prevention of varicocele. Methods A total of 2017 healthy males aged between 18 and 23 years old, college students at Chenggong District of Kunming, who participated in military examination, were enrolled in the study. The prevalence of varicocele in these male college students was analyzed and the grades of varicocele were evaluated. Height and weight data of patients were collected and the body mass index was calculated. The varicocele grading and BMI of the patients were statistically analyzed. Results Among all the participants, 58.75% were diagnosed with varicocele, including 40. 30% mild varicocele, 12.94% moderate varicocele, 5.00% severe varicocele and 0.50% bilateral varicocele. The average age of participants was (20 ± 1. 5) years, and their median BMI was (22.8 ±1.2) kg/m². Conclusion The prevalence of varicocele in college students of the university town of Chenggong District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, was 58.75%, which was much higher than that provided by the 2022 edition of urology guidelines. This finding may be related to multiplex factors such as "growth and development are rapid, testicular volume increases rapidly, and local blood flow accelerates". The statistical data revealed that the prevalence of varicocele in those with high BMI was lower than that in those with low BMI. The prevalence of varicocele was negatively correlated with BMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer-modified bentonite is widely utilized in wastewater treatments and barrier projects for contaminants due to its excellent performance. Despite numerous studies being conducted on the properties of different types of polymer-modified bentonite, the impact of synthetic processes has not been systematically explored. Hence, two common processes, the wet process and the semi-dry process, were investigated and compared. Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-modified bentonite was selected as an example here. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to develop relationship models of various factors versus the swell index. Specifically, the influence of modification temperature and stirring duration in the wet process, as well as pressure, moisture content, and ageing time in the semi-dry process were investigated. The feasibility and accuracy of the models were verified by the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and hypothesis testing. Results indicate that the semi-dry process leads to greater expansibility than the wet process. CMC dosage is a critical factor affecting performance. The following recommendations were made for the practical production: for the wet process, long-duration stirring at high temperature should be avoided at low CMC dosage, while the opposite is true at high CMC dosage (> 10%); for the semi-dry process, a longer ageing period should be selected at higher polymer contents, which can obviously improve the performance. Microscopic experiments were conducted to compare the differences in the modification mechanism of the two processes. Polymer/bentonite composites mainly form co-existing exfoliated and intercalated structures in wet and semi-dry processes, and the latter has a higher degree of exfoliation. The intensity of cationic bridging, hydrogen bonding, and group interaction between the polymer and bentonite is stronger when adopting the semi-dry process, resulting in better modification effects. • Different synthetic processes for polymer-modified bentonite were investigated and compared. • Mechanochemical action can lead to excellent swelling capacity. • Cationic bridging and hydrogen bonding are the main modification mechanisms. • The co-existing exfoliated and intercalated structure can be observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are few studies on two-dimensional (2D) piezoelectric materials with polyatomic thickness at the present stage. The 2D materials with a thickness of 5 atoms were investigated on the piezoelectric effect of Sb2Se2Te, Sb2Te2Se, and three structures of SbAsSe2Te monolayers. The calculated piezoelectric coefficient d31 of Sb2Te2Se is 1.72 pm/V and is higher than that of the other four 2D piezoelectric materials. Compared with other 2D piezoelectric materials, the out-of-plane piezoelectric properties of 2D Janus Sb2Te2Se show great advantages. Density functional perturbation theory was employed to calculate the piezoelectric tensors. The charge density distribution was calculated to explain the polarization and chemical bonds. The electrostatic potential energy was calculated to reveal the polarization phenomenon. Our works imply that 2D Janus Sb2Te2Se monolayer have potential applications in flexible electronics and piezoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the value of single or combined detection of procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), serum amyloid A (SAA) and c-reactive protein (CRP) in the differential diagnosis of simple and strangulated intestinal obstruction. Methods: This retrospectively study collected 61 patients with intestinal obstruction. The patients were classified into the group of simple or strangulated intestinal obstruction according to operation. The age, sex, basic diseases, lesion sites and inflammatory indicators such as PCT, IL-6, SAA and CRP in two groups were collected and analyzed. The Students' T-test and the Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze normally and non-normally distributed data, respectively. The categorical variable was analyzed by the chi-square test. The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to predict the differential diagnostic value of single and combined detection of the above clinical inflammatory indicators. Results: The serum levels of PCT, IL-6, SAA and CRP of the strangulated group were significantly higher than those of the simple group (p <.05). The areas under the ROC curve (AUC) were 0.907 for PCT, 0.712 for IL-6, 0.723 for SAA and 0.681 for CRP. With the cutoff values of PCT (0.24 ng/L), IL-6 (19.55 pg/L), SAA (282.50 mg/L) and CRP (63.00 mg/L), the sensitivity and specificity were 86.40% and 87.20% for PCT, 68.20% and 76.90% for IL-6, 59.10% and 87.20% for SAA, 63.60% and 87.20% for CRP, respectively. And the sensitivity and specificity were 86.40% and 89.70% for combined model. The differences between PCT and the combined model are tiny and neither clinically nor statistically significant. Conclusions: For discriminating strangulated intestinal obstruction from simple intestinal obstruction, PCT alone may be the preferred approach due to its simplicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Thermal modified phosphogypsum (MPG) was used as a substitute for calcium sulphoaluminate cement (CSC). • The effects of MPG content and temperature on the engineering properties and micro-mechanism of CSC were studied. • The optimal replacement of 10% 300℃ MPG can effectively improve the strength enhance of CSC. • Calcium sulfate hemihydrate in MPG enhances the characteristics of fast setting and early strength for CSC. The phosphogypsum (PG) can be used as a substitute for calcium sulphoaluminate cement (CSC) due to its high content of calcium sulfate dehydrate. In this study, the engineering properties including setting time, compressive strength and fluidity index of CSC with addition of thermal modified phosphogysum (MPG) were experimentally investigated. Furthermore, the micro-mechanisms including crystalline phase and microstructure evolutions of CSC incorporating MPG under different thermal treatment temperatures were analyzed via conducting X-ray diffraction (XRD), heat of hydration, thermogravimetry (TG) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests. The results show that the optimum PG content and thermal modification temperature were respectively 10% and 300℃, which achieved the maximum compressive strength of 41.59 MPa. The hydration heat release peak of CSC with 300℃ MPG was advanced, contributing to shorter setting time and poor fluidity of CSC. Whereas after incorporating untreated and 100℃ MPG, the hydration exothermic peak of CSC lagged behind, causing higher retarding effect and better fluidity. The main hydration products of ettringite (AFt) and alumina gel (AH 3) in CSC-MPG mixture were respectively produced in the early and later stages, which were similar to that in pure CSC. The amount of AFt was the most under the optimum incorporation of 10% MPG at 300℃, which was mainly responsible for the highest structure density. The key findings in this study can achieve the double benefits of utilizing waste PG and improving the engineering properties of CSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A MAPG binder was developed for strongly acidic Pb2+ contaminated soil solidification/stabilization. • MAPG binder is an acidic cementitious material prepared using fly ash, metakaolin, and aluminum dihydrogen phosphate. • Optimal mix ratio of MAPG binder is the L/S of 0.45, MK content of 3%, and ADP concentration of 35%. • MAPG binder had a good S/S effect on strongly acidic lead contaminated soil under different leaching environments. The existing binders are difficult to be compatible with the acidic environment of acidic heavy metal contaminated soil, it is hard to repair acidic heavy metal contaminated soil. In this study, a modified acid phosphorus-based geopolymer (MAPG) binder suitable for the solidification/stabilization (S/S) treatment of acidic heavy metal Pb2+ contaminated soil was fabricated using aluminum dihydrogen phosphate (ADP) as activator, fly ash and metakaolin (MK) as raw materials. The influences of liquid–solid ratio (L/S), MK content, ADP concentration, curing age and leaching environment on the compressive strength, toxic leaching, resistivity, pH and EC of MAPG stabilized acidic Pb2+ contaminated soil were studied. Meantime, the X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and mercury intrusion (MIP) experiments were used to study the chemical properties and microscopic performance of MAPG treated acidic Pb2+ contaminated soil. The results showed that the MAPG binder prepared from MK had an excellent S/S effect on the acidic Pb2+ contaminated soil, and the MAPG binders had good compatibility with the acidic environment. The compressive strength of each group of MAPG stabilized soil could meet the strength standard (>350 kPa) for solid waste landfill and Pb2+ leaching concentration is < 5 mg/L for toxicity identification criteria after 7 days of curing. With an increase in curing age, the strength of stabilized acidic contaminated soil decreased slightly, but the strength still met the requirements of landfill strength standard after 28 days of curing. In three different leaching environments, the Pb2+ leaching decreased with an increase in curing age. Microscopic analysis showed that the main crystalline compounds in stabilized contaminated soil were potassium feldspar, Berlinite and lead phosphate compounds, and their contents were related to L/S, MK content, ADP concentration, and curing time. Potassium feldspar, berlinite, and lead phosphate compounds could not only fill pores, but also had physisorption, encapsulation and chemical precipitation effects on Pb2+. The study could provide an economical, environmental friendly and efficient binder for the remediation of acidic Pb2+ contaminated soil, but the further investigation into the long-term effectiveness of the MAPG binder or its applicability to other types of contaminated soil is also needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Recycled glass powder (GP) can be used as Portland cement (PC) admixture in dredged sediment (DS) stabilization. • The effects of PC content, GP content, GP fineness and curing age on the strength development of PC-GP stabilized DS (CGDS) were investigated. • The optimum GP content inside CGDS tended to increase with the curing age evolution. • Incorporating suitable GP contributed to the formation of dense cemented soil matrix inside CGDS. Using glass powder (GP) as Portland cement (PC) helper in dredged sediment (DS) stabilization can achieve the double benefit of reducing PC dosage and recycling waste GP. This study evaluated the feasibility of using GP together with PC in improving the strength properties of DS. The effects of PC content, GP content, GP fineness and curing age on the strength development of PC-GP stabilized DS (CGDS) were investigated via a series of unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests were conducted to analyze the strength evolution micro-mechanisms inside CGDS. The results showed that the UCS of CGDS increased monotonously with increasing PC content, and incorporating GP led to the strength gain of CGDS regardless of PC content. The optimum GP content tended to increase with increasing curing age and water content. The highest 28-day UCS of CGDS with water content of 50, 60 and 75% were respectively achieved at GP content of 15, 15 and 20%. Improving GP fineness can obviously improve the strength development of CGDS. The maximum strength growth rate (UCS gr) of CGDS with water content of 50, 60 and 75% were respectively achieved at PC content of 8, 8 and 10%, and increasing GP content and fineness resulted in UCS gr improvement. The 28-day UCS of CGDS can be predicted via the known 7-day UCS using proposed linear relation. The microstructural test results confirmed that incorporating suitable GP contributed to the formation of dense cemented soil matrix inside CGDS. The 10% PC admixing 15–20% GP with 2000-mesh number fineness is recommended to replace 15% PC for stabilizing DS containing 50–75% water content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cement-stabilized dredged sediment (CDS) when used as a new road construction material cannot only solve the problem of abandoned sediment disposal, but also effectively save natural soil resources. This study aimed to evaluate the strength and permeability of CDS and establish corresponding prediction models from the perspective of a stabilization mechanism. The soil–water composition and pore size distribution were investigated by the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique. The results demonstrated that more liquid pore water inside the CDS specimen transformed into combined water with cement hydration. The amount of combined water, which essentially characterized the hydration process of cement, presented a linear relationship with log (t). The cementation and filling action of hydrates resulted in the transformation of large pores into smaller ones, hence the optimal pore size decreased with an increasing curing period and cement content. The stress–strain curves and hydraulic conductivity were determined based on unconfined compression and flexible wall penetration tests, respectively. The unconfined compressive strength increased exponentially with the amount of combined water, and the functional correlations of hydraulic conductivity and micropore parameters were established. The reliability of the NMR technique as a new method to study the microscopic evolution mechanism of the strength and permeability of CDS was further verified by scanning electron microscopy and mercury intrusion porosimetry tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Microtubule dynamics plays a crucial role in the spatial arrangement of cell organelles and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Purpose: This study aimed to explore whether microtubule affinity regulating kinase 4 (MARK4) can be a therapeutic target of periodontitis by affecting microtubule dynamics and NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis in macrophages. Materials and Methods: The NLRP3 inflammasome-related genes and MARK4 were measured in the healthy and inflamedhuman gingival tissues. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were infected with Porphyromonas gingivalis, while the MARK4 inhibitors (OTSSP167 and Compound 50) and small interference RNAwere utilized to restrain MARK4. Apoptosisassociated speck-like protein (ASC)speck was detected by confocal, and levels of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), as wellas IL-18, were assessed by ELISA. Results: Increased staining and transcription of MARK4, NLRP3, ASC, and Caspase-1 were observed in the inflamed gingiva. P. gingivalis infection promoted MARK4 expression and the NLRP3 inflammasome in BMDMs. Inhibition of MARK4 decreased LDH release, IL-1ß and IL-18 production, ASC speck formation, and the pyroptosis-related genes transcription. Furthermore, MARK4 inhibition reduced microtubule polymerization and acetylation in P. gingivalis-infected BMDMs. Conclusions: MARK4 promoted NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis in P. gingivalis-infected BMDMs by affecting microtubule dynamics. MARK4 inhibition might be a potential target in regulating the NLRP3 inflammasome during periodontitis progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel Actinobacterium strain YIM 131861 T, was isolated from lichen collected from the South Bank Forest of the Baltic Sea, Germany. It was Gram-stain-positive, strictly aerobic, catalase positive and oxidase negative, yellow pigmented. Cells were motile with a polar flagellum, irregular rod shaped and did not display spore formation. The strain grew at 15 − 30 °C (optimum 25 °C), at pH 6.0 − 10.0 (optimum pH 7.0) and in the presence of 0 − 1.5% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 1%). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain YIM 131861 T belonged to the genus Glaciibacter, and exhibited a high sequence similarity (96.4%) with Glaciibacter superstes NBRC 104264 T. The genomic DNA G + C content of strain YIM 131861 T was 68.2 mol%. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain YIM 131861 T and Glaciibacter superstes NBRC 104264 T were 73.2 and 19.9% based on the draft genome sequence. The cell-wall peptidoglycan type was B2γ and contained the 2, 4-diaminobutyric acid as the diagnostic amino acid. Whole cell sugars were galactose, rhamnose, ribose and glucose. It contained MK-12 and MK-13 as the predominant menaquinones. The major cellular fatty acids (> 10%) were identified as anteiso-C15:0, iso-C16:0 and anteiso-C17:0. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and two unknown glycolipids. Based on the results of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses, strain YIM 131861 T should belong to the genus Glaciibacter and represents a novel species of the genus Glaciibacter, for which the name Glaciibacter flavus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 131861 T (= CGMCC 1.16588 T = NBRC 113572 T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strain YIM 102744-1T was isolated from Rhinopithecus roxellanae fecal sample collected at Yunnan Wild Animal Park, Yunnan province, PR China. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile and irregular rods. Optimal growth occurred in the presence of 0–1.0% (w/v) NaCl, at pH 7.0–8.0, and at 30 °C. The predominant ubiquinone was Q-10. The major cellular fatty acids (> 10.0%) were C18:1ω7c and C16:1ω7c/C16:1ω6c. The dominant polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine. The DNA G + C content was 62.4 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that YIM 102744-1T belonged to the family Rhodobacteraceae and shared the highest similarity with the type strain Gemmobacter intermedius 119/4T (96.6%). In addition, phylogenetic trees indicated that strain YIM 102744-1T formed a distinct clade together with the closest relative G. intermedius 119/4T. Based on the results of polyphasic taxonomic analysis, strain YIM 102744-1T is considered to represent a novel species within a new genus Falsigemmobacter, for which the name Falsigemmobacter faecalis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Falsigemmobacter faecalis is YIM 102744-1T(= KCTC 52106T = CCTCC AB 2016031T). Because Gemmobacter intermedius 119/4T formed a branch with YIM 102744-1 in the phylogenetic trees and was clearly separated from the other members within the genus Gemmobacter, it is also proposed to transfer into the genus Falsigemmobacter as Falsigemmobacter intermedius comb. nov. (type strain 119/4T = CIP 110795T = LMG 28215T = CCM 8510T). The type species of the genus Falsigemmobacter is Falsigemmobacter intermedius gen. nov., comb. nov. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel bacterial strain, designated YIM 132548 T, was isolated from Lepraria sp. lichen collected from Yunnan province, south-west PR China. The organism was Gram-stain negative, aerobic and methylotrophic. The cell was catalase positive and oxidase negative, asporogenous, rod-shaped and motile with three polar flagella. The strain could grow at 15–30 °C (optimum, 20 °C), at pH 6.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and does not grow in the presence of NaCl. According to the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain YIM 132548 T showed high levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Methylobacterium soli YIM 48816 T (97.6%) and Methylobacterium durans NBRC 112876 T (97.3%), less than 97.0% with other validly named type strains of the genus Methylobacterium. Ubiquinone Q-10 was the predominant respiratory ubiquinone. The predominant cellular fatty acid was identified as summed feature 8 (C18:1ω7c). The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine. The DNA G + C content of the draft genome sequence is 70.2 mol%. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridizations values of strain YIM 132548 T with M. soli YIM 48816 T and M. durans NBRC 112876 T were 87.0% and 82.0%, 40.6% and 27.2% based on draft genome sequences, respectively. On the basis of phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic, phenotypic and genomic data, strain YIM 132548 T is concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Methylobacterium, for which the name Methylobacterium planium sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 132548 T (= CGMCC 1.17323 T = NBRC 114056 T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel actinobacterium, YIM 132087T, isolated from Lepraria sp. lichen collected from Yunnan province, south-west PR China. Cells are Gram-stain-positive, catalase-positive and oxidase-negative, aerobic, non-motile and short rod-shaped. Colonies are asporogenous, circular and white brown in colour. Optimal growth occured at 15−35 °C (optimum 28 °C), at pH 5.0−9.0 (optimum pH 6.0), and in the presence of 3% NaCl (w/v). The DNA G+C content of strain YIM 132087T based on the draft genome sequence was 71.3 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences suggested that strain YIM 132087T belonged to the genus Nakamurella and exhibited high levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Nakamurella endophytica CGMCC 4.7038T (97.9%) and Nakamurella intestinalis NBRC 111844T (97.2%). The DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain YIM 132087T and its closest relatives are lower than 26%. Strain YIM 132087T had meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic cell-wall diamino acid, and MK-8(H4) as the predominant menaquinone. Predominant cellular fatty acids (> 10%) were iso-C16:0, iso-C15:0, C16:0 and anteiso-C15:0. The polar lipid profile were found to be diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, three unknown phospholipids, one unknown aminophospholipid and one unknown lipid. Based on phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic analysis, strain YIM 132087T belongs to the genus Nakamurella and represents a novel species of the genus Nakamurella, for which the name Nakamurella albus sp. nov., with type strain YIM 132087T (=CGMCC 4.7629T =NBRC 114017T), is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram-negative, motile, aerobic and coccoid rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain YIM132180T, was isolated from a Lepraria sp. lichen collected from Pu'er, Yunnan Province, China. The strain grew at 15–35 °C (optimum, 25–28 °C), at 0–2% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0–1%) and at pH 6.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0). The 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain YIM132180T had highest similarity (96.4%) with Aureimonas endophytica 2T4P-2-4T, followed by Aureimonas ureilytica NBRC 106430T (95.7%) and Aureimonas rubiginis CC-CFT034T (95.6%). Phylogenetic analysis showed that the strain grouped with species of the genus Aureimonas. The genomic sequence was 4,779,519 bp and contained 4584 coding sequences (CDSs), 54 RNA genes, 3 complete rRNA genes and 47 tRNA genes. The major fatty acids (>10%) of strain YIM132180T were C18:1ω7c, C-16:0 and C19:0 cyclo ω8c. The predominant menaquinone was ubiquinone 10 (Q-10). The polar lipid profile comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, unidentified phospholipid, amino lipid, lipid and most importantly sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG). Based on the draft genome sequence, the G +C content of strain YIM132180T was 68.4 mol%. The results of the polyphasic taxonomic study, including phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and phylogenetic analyses, showed that strain YIM132180T represents a novel species of the genus Aureimonas, for which the name Aureimonas leprariae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 132180T (=KCTC 72462T = CGMCC 1.17389T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geopolymers play a significant role in remediation of heavy metal contamination and are attracting increasing interests. Sodium aluminosilicate hydrate (NASH) is the prime hydration substance of geopolymers which exhibits excellent adsorption capacity, however, the mechanism of metal cation adsorption at the NASH interface remains unclear. In this study, the adsorption behavior of cations at the NASH interface was investigated in depth, and the effects of Si/Al ratios, ion concentration and ion type on adsorption behavior were also analyzed. Furthermore, three Si/Al ratio models of NASH gel were modified and developed by molecular dynamics simulation, and validated by experiments. The result showed that electrostatic attraction and ion exchange played the major role in adsorbing three cations on the surface of NASH gel. For cations with the same charge number, ionic radius was inversely proportional to the cation exchange and adsorption capacity. Cations with lower ionic potential, among those with different charge numbers, were easier to be adsorbed onto the NASH surface. Therefore, the adsorption capacity of NASH for the three adsorbents was in the order of Na+ > Cs+ > Pb2+. The adsorption capacity of NASH gel for cations increased with the increasing of Al/Si and decreased with the increasing of cation concentration, which was attributed to the increased electrostatic attraction on the NASH surface and the limited number of adsorption sites. The derived microstructure and dynamics information are beneficial for profoundly understanding the adsorption mechanisms of geopolymers on cations. [Display omitted] • NASH models with different Si/Al ratios were modified and developed by molecular dynamics simulation. • Ion radius and ion potential affected its adsorption properties. • The atomic adsorption capacity of NASH followed the order of Na+ > Cs+ > Pb2+. • Adsorption capacity was affected by Si/Al ratio and cation concentration. • The adsorption of cation on NASH was dominated by electrostatic force and ion exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A support vector machine (SVM)-based data detection for 8-superposed pulse amplitude modulation and direct-current-biased optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing in visible light communication is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. In this work, the SVM detector contains multiple binary classifiers with different classification strategies. The separating hyperplane of each SVM is constructed by means of the training data. The experiment results presented that the SVM detection offers improved bit error rate performance compared with the traditional direct decision method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the predominant stromal cells in the microenvironment and play important roles in tumor progression, including chemoresistance. However, the response of CAFs to chemotherapeutics and their effects on chemotherapeutic outcomes are largely unknown. In this study, we showed that epirubicin (EPI) treatment triggered ROS which initiated autophagy in CAFs, TCF12 inhibited autophagy flux and further promoted exosome secretion. Inhibition of EPI-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production with N -acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) or suppression of autophagic initiation with short interfering RNA (siRNA) against ATG5 blunted exosome release from CAFs. Furthermore, exosome secreted from EPI-treated CAFs not only prevented ROS accumulation in CAFs but also upregulated the CXCR4 and c-Myc protein levels in recipient ER+ breast cancer cells, thus promoting EPI resistance of tumor cells. Together, the current study provides novel insights into the role of stressed CAFs in promoting tumor chemoresistance and reveal a new function of TCF12 in regulating autophagy impairment and exosome release. • Stromal TCF12 inhibits autophagy flux and promotes exosome secretion from CAFs with epirubicin (EPI) treatment. • EPI-induced ROS production and autophagy initiation in CAFs is required for TCF12-mediated exosome secretion. • Exosome secretion can scavenge EPI-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in CAFs. • Exosomes released from EPI-treated CAFs promote EPI resistance of ER+ breast cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The nuclear localization of Drosha is critical for its function as a microRNA maturation regulator. Dephosphorylation of Drosha at serine 300 and serine 302 disrupts its nuclear localization, and aberrant distribution of Drosha has been detected in some tumors.Aims: The purpose of the present study was to assess cytoplasmic/nuclear Drosha expression in gastric cancer carcinogenesis and progression.Methods: Drosha expression and its subcellular location was investigated by immunohistochemical staining of a set of tissue microarrays composed of normal adjacent tissues (374), chronic gastritis (137), precancerous lesions (94), and gastric adenocarcinoma (829) samples, and in gastric cancer cell lines with varying differentiation by immunofluorescence and western blot assay.Results: Gradual loss of cytoplasmic Drosha was accompanied by tumor progression in both gastric cancer tissues and cell lines, and was inversely associated with tumor volume (P = 0.002), tumor grade (P < 0.001), tumor stage (P = 0.018), and distant metastasis (P = 0.026). Aberrant high levels of cytoplasmic Drosha were apparent in intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia tissues. The levels of nuclear Drosha were sharply decreased in chronic gastritis and maintained through precancerous lesions to gastric cancer. High levels of cytoplasmic Drosha predicted longer survival (LR = 7.088, P = 0.008) in gastric cancer patients.Conclusions: Our data provide novel insights into gastric cancer that cytoplasmic Drosha potentially plays a role in preventing carcinogenesis and tumor progression, and may be an independent predictor of patient outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a novel microstrip antenna offering four operation bands to WiMAX (3.3–3.7 GHz), INST (4.5–4.8 GHz), downlink of X-band satellite communication (7.25–7.75 GHz) and X-band (8–12 GHz) is studied. The ring string-shaped radiator in the antenna consists of a circular ring patch and three elliptical rings of different sizes contributing to quad-band characteristics. The proposed antenna is fabricated on a FR-4 substrate with volume of 16 × 24 × 0.8 mm3. The measured reflection coefficient is lower than −20 dB and the peak gains are higher than 1.58 dBi at the center frequency of each operating bands. There is a high consistency between the measured results and the simulation results. It indicates that the idea of this antenna is correct and the proposed antenna can suit for the four desired operating bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidino-based additives show great potential in high-performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the role of different functional groups in amidino-based additives have not been well elucidated. Herein, two multifunctional amidino additives 4-amidinobenzoic acid hydrochloride (ABAc) and 4-amidinobenzamide hydrochloride (ABAm) are employed to improve the film quality of formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI 3 ) perovskites. Compared with ABAc, the amide group imparts ABAm with larger dipole moment and thus stronger interactions with the perovskite components, i.e., the hydrogen bonds between N…H and I - anion and coordination bonds between C = O and Pb 2+ cation. It strengthens the passivation effect of iodine vacancy defect and slows down the crystallization process of α-FAPbI 3 , resulting in the significantly reduced non-radiative recombination, long carrier lifetime of 1.7 µs, uniformly large crystalline grains, and enhances hydrophobicity. Profiting from the improved film quality, the ABAm-treated PSC achieves a high efficiency of 24.60%, and maintains 93% of the initial efficiency after storage in ambient environment for 1200 hours. This work provides new insights for rational design of multifunctional additives regarding of defect passivation and crystallization control toward highly efficient and stable PSCs., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Halide perovskites have shown great potential in X-ray detection due to outstanding optoelectronic properties. However, finding a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable method for handling end-of-life devices has remained challenging. Here, a "One-Click Restart" eco-friendly recycling strategy is introduced for end-of-life perovskite X-ray detectors. This method, utilizing water, allows for the recapture and reuse of both perovskite and conductor materials. The process is straightforward and environmentally friendly, eliminating the need for further chemical treatment, purification, additional additives or catalysts, and complex equipment. A sustainable device cycle is developed by reconstructing flexible perovskite membranes for wearable electronics from recycled materials. Large-scale, flexible membranes made from metal-free perovskite DABCO-N 2 H 5 -I 3 (DABCO = N-N'-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octonium) achieve remarkably impressive average sensitivity of 6204 ± 268 µC Gy air -1  cm -2 and a low detection limit of 102.3 nGy air s -1 , which makes highly effective for X-ray imaging. The sensitivity of recycled flexible devices not only matches that of single-crystal devices made with fresh materials but also ranks as the highest among all metal-free perovskite X-ray detectors. "One-Click Restart" applies to scalable flexible devices derived from aged single-crystal counterparts, offering significant cost, time, and energy savings compared to their single-crystal equivalents. Such advantages significantly boost future market competitiveness., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The critical requirement for ambient-printed formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI 3 ) lies in the control of nucleation-growth kinetics and defect formation behavior, which are extensively influenced by interactions between the solvent and perovskite. Here, a strategy is developed that combines a cosolvent and an additive to efficiently tailor the coordination between the solvent and perovskite. Through in situ characterizations, the direct crystallization from the sol-gel phase to α-FAPbI 3 is illustrated. When the solvent exhibits strong interactions with the perovskite, the sol-gel phases cannot effectively transform into α-FAPbI 3 , resulting in a lower nucleation rate and confined crystal growth directions. Consequently, it becomes challenging to fabricate high-quality void-free perovskite films. Conversely, weaker solvent-perovskite coordination promotes direct crystallization from sol-gel phases to α-FAPbI 3 . This process exhibits more balanced nucleation-growth kinetics and restrains the formation of defects and microstrains in situ. This strategy leads to improved structural and optoelectronic properties within the FAPbI 3 films, characterized by more compact grain stacking, smoother surface morphology, released lattice strain, and fewer defects. The ambient-printed FAPbI 3 perovskite solar cells fabricated using this strategy exhibit a remarkable power conversion efficiency of 24%, with significantly reduced efficiency deviation and negligible decreases in the stabilized output., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Upscalable printing of high-performance and stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is highly desired for commercialization. However, the efficiencies of printed PSCs lag behind those of their lab-scale spin-coated counterparts owing to the lack of systematic understanding and control over perovskite crystallization dynamics. Here, the controlled crystallization dynamics achieved using an additive 1-butylpyridine tetrafluoroborate (BPyBF 4 ) for high-quality ambient printed α-formamidinium lead triiodide (FAPbI 3 ) perovskite films are reported. Using in situ grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering and optical diagnostics, the spontaneous formation of α-FAPbI 3 from precursors during printing without the involvement of  δ-FAPbI 3 is demonstrated. The addition of BPyBF 4 delays the crystallization onset of α-FAPbI 3 , enhances the conversion from sol-gel to perovskite, and reduces stacking defects during printing. Therefore, the altered crystallization results in fewer voids, larger grains, and less trap-induced recombination loss within printed films. The printed PSCs yield high power conversion efficiencies of 23.50% and 21.60% for a 0.09 cm -2 area device and a 5 cm × 5 cm-area module, respectively. Improved device stability is further demonstrated, i.e., approximately 94% of the initial efficiency is retained for over 2400 h under ambient conditions without encapsulation. This study provides an effective crystallization control method for the ambient printing manufacture of large-area high-performance PSCs., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)