Search

To analyze the implementation security of the PRIDE lightweight cryptosystem proposed at CRYPTO in 2014, a novel method of impossible statistical fault analysis on the ciphertext-only attack assumption was proposed.Furthermore, new distinguishers were designed, such as the Chi-square goodness-of-fit test-Hamming weight, and Chi-square goodness-of-fit test-maximum likelihood estimation.The proposed method had a random nibble-oriented fault model, and combined the statistical distribution states with the impossible relationship.On the difference among the intermediate states before and after the fault injections, at least 432 faults were required to recover the 128 bit secret key of PRIDE with a reliability of at least 99%.The experimental analysis demonstrates that the proposed method can not only reduce injected faults and latency, but also increase the accuracy.The results provide a vital reference for exploring the implementation security of lightweight cryptosystems.

Abstract Background Gout pain seriously affects the quality of patients' life. There is still no effective treatment. The inflammatory response is the main mechanism of gout. Here, we found that ozone can reduce the inflammatory reaction in the joints of gouty mice and relieve gout pain, and we further explore its protective mechanism. Methods MSU was used to establish the gouty mice model. Nociception was assessed by Von Frey hairs. Cell signaling assays were performed by western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The mouse leukemia cells of monocyte macrophage line RAW264.7 were cultured to investigate the effects of ozone administration on macrophage. Results Ozone reduced inflammation, relieved gout pain and improved the paw mean intensity and duty cycle of the gouty mice. Ozone increased the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), induced suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) expression and inhibited metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) expression. In vivo, ozone activated AMPK to induce Gas6 release, and upregulated MerTK/SOCS3 signaling pathway to reduce inflammation in mouse macrophage line RAW264.7. Inhibitors of AMPK and MerTK, respectively abolished the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of ozone in vivo and in vitro. Gas6 knockout cancelled the protectively effects of ozone on gout pain and the paw mean intensity and duty cycle of gouty mice. Additionally, the level of Gas6 and protein S in plasma of patients with hyperuricemia was significantly higher than that of healthy contrast group. Conclusion Ozone reduces inflammation and alleviates gout pain by activating AMPK to up-regulate Gas6/MerTK/SOCS3 signaling pathway.

Water, land, and other environmental conditions restrict marginal land (ML) conversion into newly cultivated land. Accurately evaluating ML’s development and utilization potential (DUP) can provide critical support for increasing new cultivated land and ensuring food security. This study focuses on Northwest China, using spatial identification of different types of ML based on remote sensing images, and constructs a county-level DUP evaluation model through contiguous characteristics and restrictive factors to determine new cultivated-land potential, water demand, and liftable grain production. The results show that the DUP of ML in Northwest China is 12.59 million ha, with low-efficiency cultivated land (LCL) and two types of restoration land (TTRL) accounting for 3.29% and 5.95%, and other marginal land (OML) making up 90.76%. The total water demand for ML development and utilization is 69.87 billion cubic meters, which can increase grain production by 62.31 million tons. The coordinated development of water, land, and food promotes an increase in grain production, with water resources being the main restrictive factor. This model effectively evaluates DUP and provides a scientific basis for promoting the rational use of water and land resources. Further research should set up more detailed water resource utilization strategies and scenarios as well as find more development and utilization techniques.

BackgroundOlfactory testing is emerging as a potentially effective screening method for identifying mild cognitive impairment in the elderly population.ObjectiveOlfactory impairment is comorbid with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older adults but is not well-documented in subdomains of either olfactory or subtypes of cognitive impairments in older adults. This meta-analysis was aimed at synthesizing the differentiated relationships with updated studies.MethodsA systematic search was conducted in seven databases from their availability to April 2023. A total of 38 publications were included, including 3,828 MCI patients and 8,160 healthy older adults. Two investigators independently performed the literature review, quality assessment, and data extraction. The meta-analyses were conducted with Stata to estimate the average effects and causes of the heterogeneity.ResultsCompared to normal adults, MCI patients had severe impairments in olfactory function and severe deficits in specific domains of odor identification and discrimination. Olfactory impairment was more severe in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment than in patients with non-amnestic MCI. Diverse test instruments of olfactory function caused large heterogeneity in effect sizes.ConclusionValid olfactory tests can be complementary tools for accurate screening of MCI in older adults.

Latamoxef is a semi-synthetic, broad-spectrum oxacephem antibiotic used primarily to treat infectious diseases, but the adverse drug reactions, such as the risk of fatal bleeding, once caused physicians to use it less frequently. However, with the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, latamoxef is being used again to treat infectious diseases, especially in pediatrics. The pharmacokinetic parameters of latamoxef are highly variable, given the changes in body composition, organ maturation, and development that occurs in pediatrics. Therefore, an appropriate dosing regimen is essential. Latamoxef dosing optimization in pediatrics should adequately account for current body weight, postnatal age, postmenstrual age, and different minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values. In addition, attention should also be paid to some of the adverse reactions associated with latamoxef, such as coagulation disorders and bleeding risks, disulfiram-like reactions, as well as hypersensitivity and anaphylactic shock. This review summarizes the dosing regimens and some key points of pharmaceutical care for latamoxef in pediatrics in order to provide a better reference for its application in clinical practice.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to discern the challenges and coping experiences encountered by nursing staff in long-term care facilities in China. This will be achieved through the identification, evaluation, and qualitative synthesis of comprehensive data.DesignThis is a qualitative meta-analysis.MethodsThe research systematically examined relevant literature sourced from six databases, concluding the search in August 2023. The inclusion criteria encompassed qualitative and mixed-methods studies in both Chinese and English, focusing on challenges faced by nursing staff in long-term care facilities and their corresponding coping strategies. The application of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework facilitated the qualitative meta-integration process. Three independent researchers meticulously screened and assessed the quality of the chosen studies. The synthesis process sought to amalgamate and structure analogous findings into novel categories through multiple readings of the original literature. These categories were subsequently distilled into comprehensive themes.ResultsAnalyzed 15 articles revealed 14 sub-themes and 4 overarching analytical themes. These encompassed Sources of Challenges such as multitasking, clinical emergencies, workplace conflict, demand exceeding resources, and occupational discrimination. Psychological impacts included suppressed emotion, compassion fatigue, and self-doubt. Practical consequences involved damaged health, imbalanced life, and occupational disappointment. Coping strategies identified were self-adjusting, feeling validation and belonging, and finding support.ConclusionOur research identified the challenges faced by nursing staff in Chinese long-term care facilities and their coping experiences. We found that most challenges could be mitigated through appropriate adjustments in managerial strategies, such as reasonable human resources planning, and providing resource support, including material, emotional, and informational support. Similarly, institutions should have offered necessary emotional and psychological support to nursing staff to overcome the negative impacts of challenges and encourage them to adopt positive coping strategies.

Abstract Six transmembrane epithelial antigen of the prostate 1 (STEAP1) is a cell surface antigen for therapeutic targeting in prostate cancer. Here, we report broad expression of STEAP1 relative to prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) in lethal metastatic prostate cancers and the development of a STEAP1-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy. STEAP1 CAR T cells demonstrate reactivity in low antigen density, antitumor activity across metastatic prostate cancer models, and safety in a human STEAP1 knock-in mouse model. STEAP1 antigen escape is a recurrent mechanism of treatment resistance and is associated with diminished tumor antigen processing and presentation. The application of tumor-localized interleukin-12 (IL-12) therapy in the form of a collagen binding domain (CBD)-IL-12 fusion protein combined with STEAP1 CAR T cell therapy enhances antitumor efficacy by remodeling the immunologically cold tumor microenvironment of prostate cancer and combating STEAP1 antigen escape through the engagement of host immunity and epitope spreading.

Abstract Background To reconstruct massive bone defects of the femoral diaphysis and proximal end with limited bilateral cortical bone after joint-preserving musculoskeletal tumor resections, two novel 3D-printed customized intercalary femoral prostheses were applied. Methods A series of nine patients with malignancies who received these novel 3D-printed prostheses were retrospectively studied between July 2018 and November 2021. The proximal and diaphyseal femur was divided into three regions of interest (ROIs) according to anatomic landmarks, and anatomic measurements were conducted on 50 computed tomography images showing normal femurs. Based on the individual implant-involved ROIs, osteotomy level, and anatomical and biomechanical features, two alternative 3D-printed prostheses were designed. In each patient, Hounsfield Unit (HU) value thresholding and finite element analysis were conducted to identify the bone trabecula and calcar femorale and to determine the stress distribution, respectively. We described the characteristics of each prosthesis and surgical procedure and recorded the intraoperative data. All patients underwent regular postoperative follow-up, in which the clinical, functional and radiographical outcomes were evaluated. Results With the ROI division and radiographic measurements, insufficient bilateral cortical bones for anchoring the traditional stem were verified in the normal proximal femur. Therefore, two 3D-printed intercalary endoprostheses, a Type A prosthesis with a proximal curved stem and a Type B prosthesis with a proximal anchorage-slot and corresponding locking screws, were designed. Based on HU value thresholding and finite element analysis, the 3D-printed proximal stems in all prostheses maximally preserved the trabecular bone and calcar femorale and optimized the biomechanical distribution, as did the proximal screws. With the 3D-printed osteotomy guide plates and reaming guide plates, all patients underwent the operation uneventfully with a satisfactory duration (325.00 ± 62.60 min) and bleeding volume (922.22 ± 222.36 ml). In the follow-up, Harris Hip and Musculoskeletal Tumor Society scores were ameliorated after surgery (P

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is an important cell surface target in prostate cancer. There are limited data on the heterogeneity of PSMA tissue expression in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Furthermore, the mechanisms regulating PSMA expression (encoded by the FOLH1 gene) are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that PSMA expression is heterogeneous across different metastatic sites and molecular subtypes of mCRPC. In a rapid autopsy cohort in which multiple metastatic sites per patient were sampled, we found that 13 of 52 (25%) cases had no detectable PSMA and 23 of 52 (44%) cases showed heterogeneous PSMA expression across individual metastases, with 33 (63%) cases harboring at least 1 PSMA-negative site. PSMA-negative tumors displayed distinct transcriptional profiles with expression of druggable targets such as MUC1. Loss of PSMA was associated with epigenetic changes of the FOLH1 locus, including gain of CpG methylation and loss of histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27) acetylation. Treatment with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors reversed this epigenetic repression and restored PSMA expression in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, these data provide insights into the expression patterns and regulation of PSMA in mCRPC and suggest that epigenetic therapies — in particular, HDAC inhibitors — can be used to augment PSMA levels.

In order to definite the molecular structure and allergic characteristics of cashew nuts, the main allergic proteins were isolated and purified by organic solvent defatting, salting out, dialysis and Sephadex G-150 gel. The allergenic proteins were definitely by UV, BCA kit, SDS-PAGE and Western-Blotting. The amino acid sequence and the DNA sequence of cashew allergic protein were obtained by using the NCBI database and protein mass spectrum sequencing. The structure of cashew allergic protein was predicted by DNAstar bio-information software and circular dichroism (CD). The results showed that the Ana o 2 and Ana o 3 were the main cashew allergenic proteins with molecular weight of 33 and 17 kD. The results of CD and Protean program in DNAstar predicted that there were α-helical, β-folded regions and corner regions which was a hydrophilic protein with strong sensitization because of the β-corners and random curls were found in 54% in Ana o 2. The secondary structure had only a small amount of β-folded region and corner region, accounted for 12%, but had mainly α-helix and random coil structure. It was also hydrophilic allergic protein, and the formation of allergenic epitopes was relatively weak. This study would provide reference for further clarifying the structure of the main allergens of natural cashew nuts and exploring the sensitization mechanism of cashew nuts.

Abstract Nanoparticles have drawn intense interest as delivery agents for diagnosing and treating various cancers. Much of the early success was driven by passive targeting mechanisms such as the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, but this has failed to lead to the expected clinical successes. Active targeting involves binding interactions between the nanoparticle and cancer cells, which promotes tumor cell-specific accumulation and internalization. Furthermore, nanoparticles are large enough to facilitate multiple bond formation, which can improve adhesive properties substantially in comparison to the single bond case. While multivalent binding is universally believed to be an attribute of nanoparticles, it is a complex process that is still poorly understood and difficult to control. In this review, we will first discuss experimental studies that have elucidated roles for parameters such as nanoparticle size and shape, targeting ligand and target receptor densities, and monovalent binding kinetics on multivalent nanoparticle adhesion efficiency and cellular internalization. Although such experimental studies are very insightful, information is limited and confounded by numerous differences across experimental systems. Thus, we focus the second part of the review on theoretical aspects of binding, including kinetics, biomechanics, and transport physics. Finally, we discuss various computational and simulation studies of nanoparticle adhesion, including advanced treatments that compare directly to experimental results. Future work will ideally continue to combine experimental data and advanced computational studies to extend our knowledge of multivalent adhesion, as well as design the most powerful nanoparticle-based agents to treat cancer.

Concrete requires a large amount of water throughout the product life cycle. This study constructs a comprehensive evaluation model of the life cycle water footprint (LCWF) of concrete production. It calculates the LCWF of concrete in Northwest China. The main conclusions are: (1) The vast water consumption of the concrete industry is closely related to VWF, which is the focus of LCWF assessment. The first three significant factors are WF of Coarse aggregate, Meals, and Cement. (2) the overproduction of cement is 15,731 × 104t, which results in the excessive consumption of water resources of 24,035 × 104m3. Excessive water consumption in the domestic cement trade is equivalent to an outflow of water resources. (3) The water stress index (WSI) of Northwest China is 0.67 (in Heavy pressure). The WSI of Qinghai (0.05) and Shaanxi (0.5) are in Mild pressure and Moderate pressure, respectively, while the WSI of Gansu is 0.67 (in Heavy pressure). It is worth noting that the WSI of Ningxia (9.01) and Xinjiang (1.28) are under Extreme pressure. The sustainable development of water resources in Northwest China is under heavy pressure, exacerbated by the growth of the concrete and cement industries. HIGHLIGHTS This study constructs a comprehensive evaluation model of the LCWF of concrete production in Northwest China.; The first three sensitivity factors are WF of Coarse aggregate, Meals, and Cement.; The overproduction of cement is 157.31 million tons, which results in the excessive consumption of water resources of 240.35 million cubic meters.; The WSI of Northwest China is 0.67 (in Heavy pressure).;

Fermented wine refers to alcoholic beverages with complex flavor substances directly produced by raw materials (fruit or rice) through microbial fermentation (yeast and bacteria). Its production steps usually include saccharification, fermentation, filtration, sterilization, aging, etc., which is a complicated and time-consuming process. Pulsed electric field (PEF) is a promising non-thermal food processing technology. Researchers have made tremendous progress in the potential application of PEF in the fermented wine industry over the past few years. The objective of this paper is to systematically review the achievements of PEF technology applied to the winemaking and aging process of fermented wine. Research on the application of PEF in fermented wine suggests that PEF treatment has the following advantages: (1) shortening the maceration time of brewing materials; (2) promoting the extraction of main functional components; (3) enhancing the color of fermented wine; (4) inactivating spoilage microorganisms; and (5) accelerating the formation of aroma substances. These are mainly related to PEF-induced electroporation of biomembranes, changes in molecular structure and the occurrence of chemical reactions. In addition, the key points of PEF treatments for fermented wine are discussed and some negative impacts and research directions are proposed.

In grassland ecosystems, the plant functional group (PFG) is an important bridge connecting individual plants to the community system. The grassland ecosystem is the main ecosystem type on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Altun Mountain is located in the key grassland transcontinental belt of the northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The composition and changes in the PFG in this ecosystem reflect the community characteristics in the arid and semi-arid extreme climate regions of the Plateau. The main PFGs were forbs and grasses, and the importance values (IVs) accounted for more than 50%. Plant species diversity of the community was influenced by the IV of the legumes, and the increase in legumes would promote the increase in plant community diversity. The C, N, and P contents of plant communities were mainly influenced by forbs and grasses, and the relationship between forbs and C, N, and P was opposite to that of grasses. However, under the influence of different hydrothermal conditions, forbs and grasses as dominant functional groups had a stronger correlation with community and soil nutrients. This indicates that the dominant PFGs (forbs and grasses) can dominate the C, N, and P contents of the community and soil, and legumes affect community composition and succession. In this study, we analyzed the changing characteristics of functional groups in dry and cold extreme environments and the difference in their impacts on community development compared with other grassland ecosystem functional groups.

Abstract Possible assignments of highly excited $$\varLambda _c(2860)^+$$ Λ c ( 2860 ) + , $$\varLambda _c(2880)^+$$ Λ c ( 2880 ) + and $$\varLambda _c(2940)^+$$ Λ c ( 2940 ) + are explored in a $$^3P_0$$ 3 P 0 strong decay model. Decay widths, branching fraction ratios $$R={\varGamma (\varSigma _c(2520)\pi )\over \varGamma (\varSigma _c(2455)\pi )}$$ R = Γ ( Σ c ( 2520 ) π ) Γ ( Σ c ( 2455 ) π ) and the branching fractions of DN channels of theses assignments are computed. $$D^0p$$ D 0 p channel is a very important channel to provide information on the inner excitation and structure of these highly excited $$\varLambda _c$$ Λ c . In our analysis, $$\varLambda _c(2860)^+$$ Λ c ( 2860 ) + may be a 1D-wave excited $$\varLambda _c$$ Λ c with $$J^P={3\over 2}^+$$ J P = 3 2 + , which has dominant DN decay channels with a branching fraction $${\mathcal {B}}(\varLambda _c(2860)^+\rightarrow DN)=75\%$$ B ( Λ c ( 2860 ) + → D N ) = 75 % and a branching ratio $$R={\varGamma (\varSigma _c(2520)\pi )\over \varGamma (\varSigma _c(2455)\pi )}=0.12$$ R = Γ ( Σ c ( 2520 ) π ) Γ ( Σ c ( 2455 ) π ) = 0.12 . $$\varLambda _c(2880)^+$$ Λ c ( 2880 ) + is very possibly a 1F-wave excited $$\varLambda _c$$ Λ c with $$J^P=\frac{5}{2}^-$$ J P = 5 2 - ; In this assignment, the predicted total decay width ( $$\varGamma \approx 4.49$$ Γ ≈ 4.49 MeV) is comparable to the measured $$\varGamma =5.6^{+0.8}_{-0.6}$$ Γ = 5 . 6 - 0.6 + 0.8 MeV, and the predicted $$R={\varGamma (\varSigma _c(2520)\pi )\over \varGamma (\varSigma _c(2455)\pi )}=0.12$$ R = Γ ( Σ c ( 2520 ) π ) Γ ( Σ c ( 2455 ) π ) = 0.12 is consistent with the measured $$R=0.225\pm 0.062\pm 0.025$$ R = 0.225 ± 0.062 ± 0.025 ; The DN channels are its dominant strong decay channels with a branching fraction $${\mathcal {B}}(\varLambda _c(2880)^+\rightarrow DN)=94\%$$ B ( Λ c ( 2880 ) + → D N ) = 94 % . $$\varLambda _c(2880)^+$$ Λ c ( 2880 ) + seems impossibly a 1D-wave excited $$\varLambda _c$$ Λ c with $$J^P=\frac{5}{2}^+$$ J P = 5 2 + once the presently measured $$R={\varGamma (\varSigma _c(2520)\pi )\over \varGamma (\varSigma _c(2455)\pi )}$$ R = Γ ( Σ c ( 2520 ) π ) Γ ( Σ c ( 2455 ) π ) is confirmed. $$\varLambda _c(2940)^+$$ Λ c ( 2940 ) + may be a 2P-wave excited $$\varLambda ^{1,0}_{c1,1}(\frac{3}{2}^-,2P)$$ Λ c 1 , 1 1 , 0 ( 3 2 - , 2 P ) . In this case, $$\varLambda _c(2940)^+$$ Λ c ( 2940 ) + has a total decay width $$\varGamma =17.56$$ Γ = 17.56 MeV, a branching ratio $$R={\varGamma (\varSigma _c(2520)\pi )\over \varGamma (\varSigma _c(2455)\pi )}=0.89$$ R = Γ ( Σ c ( 2520 ) π ) Γ ( Σ c ( 2455 ) π ) = 0.89 and the DN decay channels with a branching fraction $${\mathcal {B}}(\varLambda _c(2940)^+\rightarrow DN)=43\%$$ B ( Λ c ( 2940 ) + → D N ) = 43 % . In order to understand the inner excitation and structure of these highly excited $$\varLambda _c$$ Λ c , measurements of those predicted quantities are required in the future.

Focused ultrasound (FUS) has proven its efficacy in non-invasive, radiation-free cancer treatment. However, the commonly used low-frequency high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) destroys both cancerous and healthy tissues non-specifically through extreme heat and inertial cavitation with low spatial resolution. To address this issue, we evaluate the therapeutic effects of pulsed (60 Hz pulse repetition frequency, 1.45 ms pulse width) high-frequency (20.7 MHz) medium-intensity (spatial-peak pulse-average intensity ISPPA < 279.1 W/cm2, spatial-peak temporal-average intensity ISPTA < 24.3 W/cm2) focused ultrasound (pHFMIFU) for selective cancer treatment without thermal damage and with low risk of inertial cavitation (mechanical index < 0.66), in an in vivo subcutaneous B16F10 melanoma tumor growth model in mice. The pHFMIFU with $104~\mu \text{m}$ focal diameter is generated by a microfabricated self-focusing acoustic transducer (SFAT) with a Fresnel acoustic lens. A three-axis positioning system has been developed for automatic scanning of the transducer to cover a larger treatment volume, while a water-cooling system is custom-built for dissipating non-acoustic heat from the transducer surface. Initial testing revealed that pHFMIFU treatment can be applied to a living animal while maintaining skin temperature under 35.6 °C without damaging normal skin and tissue. After eleven days of treatment with pHFMIFU, the treated tumors were significantly smaller with large areas of necrosis and apoptosis in the treatment field compared to untreated controls. Potential mechanisms of this selective, non-thermal killing effect, as well as possible causes of and solutions to the variation in treatment results, have been analyzed and proposed. The pHFMIFU could potentially be used as a new therapeutic modality for safer cancer treatment especially in critical body regions, due to its cancer-specific effects and high spatial resolution.

Gas disasters threaten the safe operation of coal mines. Improving the accuracy of gas concentration predictions can effectively prevent gas disasters and reduce disaster losses. Traditional gas concentration prediction methods poorly couple the gas concentration and its influencing factors when dealing with a great number of features and data, which results in low prediction accuracy and poor efficiency. To solve this problem, we used an innovative Pearson-LSTM prediction model, which uses the Pearson coefficient to select features of gas concentration data. It then uses long short-term memory (LSTM) that has been optimized using adaptive moment estimation (Adam) to predict a time series. In the process of model establishment, the optimal prediction model was obtained by constantly adjusting the number of network layers and batch size based on the fitting effect, performance issues, and result errors. Taking monitoring data from the 2407 working face at Yuhua Coal Mine as the sample, we compared our method with the traditional Bi-RNN and GRU machine learning methods. The results show that, compared with the Bi-RNN and GRU models, the mean square error of the Pearson-LSTM model can be reduced to 0.015 with an error range of 0.005 to 0.04, which has higher prediction accuracy. This method has excellent precision and robustness for forecasting gas concentration time series. The model was able to make predictions 15 min in advance for the 2409 working face of the Yuhua Coal Mine, and the mean square error could be lowered to 0.008, which verifies the applicability and reliability of the model and provides a reference for ensuring the safety of coal mine operations. In summary, Pearson-LSTM models have higher accuracy and robustness and can effectively predict changes in gas concentration, thus allowing for more response time for accidents, which is important for coal mine production safety.

Background: Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) is a commercially important plant. Cashew nuts are a popular food source that belong to the tree nut family. Tree nuts are one of the eight major food allergens identified by the Food and Drug Administration in the USA. Allergies to cashew nuts cause severe and systemic immune reactions. Tree nut allergies are frequently fatal and are becoming more common. Aim: We aimed to identify the key allergenic epitopes of cashew nut proteins by correlating the phage display epitope prediction results with bioinformatics analysis. Design: We predicted and experimentally confirmed cashew nut allergen antigenic peptides, which we named Ana o 2 (cupin superfamily) and Ana o 3 (prolamin superfamily). The Ana o 2 and Ana o 3 epitopes were predicted using DNAstar and PyMoL (incorporated in the Swiss-model package). The predicted weak and strong epitopes were synthesized as peptides. The related phage library was built. The peptides were also tested using phage display technology. The expressed antigens were tested and confirmed using microtiter plates coated with pooled human sera from patients with cashew nut allergies or healthy controls. Results: The Ana o 2 epitopes were represented by four linear peptides, with the epitopes corresponding to amino acids 108–111, 113–119, 181–186, and 218–224. Furthermore, the identified Ana o 3 epitopes corresponding to amino acids 10–24, 13–27, 39–49, 66–70, 101–106, 107–114, and 115–122 were also screened out and chosen as the key allergenic epitopes. Discussion: The Ana o 3 epitopes accounted for more than 40% of the total amino acid sequence of the protein; thus, Ana o 3 is potentially more allergenic than Ana o 2. Conclusions: The bioinformatic epitope prediction produced subpar results in this study. Furthermore, the phage display method was extremely effective in identifying the allergenic epitopes of cashew nut proteins. The key allergenic epitopes were chosen, providing important information for the study of cashew nut allergens.

Objective: This research aims to refresh the limited understanding about the canal and vascular structures within the epiphysis and metaphysis of the tibia and femur and their oncological significance.Methods: This study was started with characterization of a novel structure using radiographs and anatomic dissections, followed by a descriptive clinical study with 55 participants to investigate the effects of tumors on this novel discovery and a retrospective cohort study with 82 participants to investigate whether the structure would be a risk factor for tumor recurrence after the curettage of giant cell tumor of bone.Results: A new anatomical knee structure, the Lijianmin-Chengkun (LC) complex, was discovered in healthy adults, and its clinical implications were examined in this study. This new-found anatomical structure is composed of an epiphyseal and metaphyseal canal which surrounds a blood vessel, foramen, and foramen-covered synovium. All LC complexes showed similar radiographical, anatomical, and histological characteristics and were located within specific tibial and femoral intercondylar regions. These LC complexes seem to facilitate tumor residue and extension and may be a risk factor for tumor recurrence after curettage of femoral and tibial giant cell tumors (P = 0.031).Conclusion: The LC complexes are related to local tumor recurrence and bidirectional tumor dissemination between intraosseous and intraarticular regions. These findings have opened up a new perspective and may provide new targets for intervention in malignant and aggressive tumors around the knee joint.

Ki67 is a proliferation marker. It has been proposed as a useful clinical marker for breast cancer subtype classification, prognosis, and prediction of therapeutic response. But the questionable analytical validity of Ki67 prevents its widespread adoption of these measures for treatment decisions in breast cancer. Currently, Ki67 has been tested as a predictive marker for chemotherapy using clinical and pathological response as endpoints in neoadjuvant endocrine therapy. Ki67 can be used as a predictor to evaluate the recurrence-free survival rate of patients, or its change can be used to predict the preoperative “window of opportunity” in neoadjuvant endocrine therapy. In this review, we will elaborate on the role of Ki67 in neoadjuvant endocrine therapy in breast cancer.

The understanding of wind field characteristics during thunderstorms is key to structural design for resistance to thunderstorms. In this paper, the directional thunderstorm wind model is adopted to analyze the characteristics of vertical variations of the wind field in a typical thunderstorm event in the Beijing urban area, based on the measured data. First, the longitudinal and lateral fluctuating wind speed components were decoupled and the change of direction was obtained. Then, variation of the wind speed, wind direction, turbulence intensity, turbulence integral length scale, and gust factor with the height and time were studied. The measured thunderstorm wind spectrum and the coherence function of horizontal longitudinal reduced turbulent fluctuations were analyzed and compared with empirical models. The results showed that the wind speed profile presented an obvious “nose shape” near the peak wind speed. The longitudinal turbulence integral scale was larger than the lateral one. The Von Karman spectrum is relatively effective in fitting the thunderstorm wind spectrum. Compared with synoptic winds, the gust factor during the pass of thunderstorm wind is larger, so it seems necessary to consider the influence of thunderstorm wind in engineering design.

This study reviewed some simplified methods of finite element analysis (FEA) for connections in cold-formed steel (CFS) structure, and summarized eight simplified methods divided into three categories. Shear performance tests were performed for six groups of self-piercing riveted (SPR) connection in CFS. A constitutive model of shear behavior for SPR connections was proposed, which was simplified from the load–displacement curve of shear performance test results. The models of SPR connection were established in ABAQUS by the eight simplified methods, and then the FEA results and the test results were compared. The applicable scope of each simplified model was explored, and a simplified method of FEA that was most suitable for the shear behavior of the CFS-SPR connection was proposed. Moreover, the shear performance test of the CFS shear wall with SPR was conducted by considering the rivet spacing, and failure modes and load–deformation curves were obtained. On this basis, numerical models of the CFS-SPR connection shear wall were established. By comparing the test results and the FEA results for the CFS-SPR connection shear wall, the feasibility of a simplified method of FEA applied to the CFS-SPR connection was verified. The main failure modes of the CFS-SPR connection were that the rivet tail pulled out from the bottom sheet and the rivet head pulled over from the top sheet. The SPR connection of the CFS frame could be simplified with a pin or a fastener element, and the SPR connection between the steel frame and the sheathing could be simulated by a Cartesian connector or a Spring2 element. The FEA results were highly similar to the test results for the CFS-SPR shear wall.

A miniaturized Penning ion source, capable of generating a milliampere H^{+} beam with low anode power supply and low gas consumption, was produced and tested for neutron tubes. For a better understanding and optimization of the Penning ion source, magnetic field, beam extraction system, and plasma simulations were conducted to research the optimization of the Penning ion source. The distance between the two cathodes is optimized based on the plasma simulations. Based on the optimization of the magnetic field, extraction system, and the distance of the cathodes, the extraction current of the Penning source had been increased from 1.21 to 1.72 mA, and the H^{+} ratio had been increased from 36% to 42.3%.

Closed-form harmonic distortion (HD) formulas are derived by a symbolic tool for continuous-time Sigma-Delta modulators (CTSDMs). Distortion caused by operational amplifiers (Opamps) inside active-RC integrators is analyzed by the Volterra series method. Using the closed-form formulas the third order HD factor (HD3) can be calculated directly without the need of running conventional behavioral simulation. Application of the closed-form formulas to distortion optimization is discussed.

Breast cancer is a highly complicated disease. Advancement in the treatment and prevention of breast cancer lies in elucidation of the mechanism of carcinogenesis and progression. Rodent models of breast cancer have developed into premier tools for investigating the mechanisms and genetic pathways in breast cancer progression and metastasis and for developing and evaluating clinical therapeutics. Every rodent model has advantages and disadvantages, and the selection of appropriate rodent models with which to investigate breast cancer is a key decision in research. Design of a suitable rodent model for a specific research purpose is based on the integration of the advantages and disadvantages of different models. Our purpose in writing this review is to elaborate on various rodent models for breast cancer formation, progression, and therapeutic testing.

The conditions for microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of total flavonoids (TF) and total phenols (TP), and antioxidant activity from celery (Apium graveolens L.) leaves by response surface methodology (RSM) were optimised. The 3-level, 3-factorial Box-Behnken design (BBD) was employed to study three main extraction conditions: microwave power (300-500 W), solid-solvent ratio (15-30 ml/g), and ethanol concentration (50-80%). It was found that microwave power of 500 W at 30 ml/g solid-solvent ratio with 75.6% (v/v) ethanol concentration was the most optimum conditions for the extraction of TF and TP from celery leaves with the consequent high antioxidant activity measured by the DPPH inhibition rate. Using the optimum extraction conditions, the extraction yields of TF and TP were 0.62 g RUE/100 g DW, 3.01 g GAE/100 g DW, respectively, and the DPPH inhibition rate was 88%. The results indicated that the nutritional quality of celery (Apium graveolens L.) leaves could be improved significantly by optimising the extraction process of MAE using response surface methodology.

Modularized prefabricated steel structures have become the preferred design in the industrialization of steel structures due to their advantages of fast construction speed, high degree of industrialization, low labour intensity, and more. Prefabricated steel structures have some engineering applications, but all are low-rise structures with few applications in the field of high-rise buildings. Using finite element analysis with line and solid elements, full-scale experiments were conducted to study the single-span frame, which is the core load-bearing part of a modularized prefabricated high-rise steel frame structure with inclined braces. The mechanical mechanisms, computation methods, and design formulas of truss girders were obtained by comparing the finite element and model experiments and building a theoretical and experimental basis for the compilation of design codes. The mechanical characteristics under design load, the deformation and stress state, the elastic-plastic law of development, and the yield failure mode and mechanism under horizontal ultimate load were also obtained. Based on theoretical analysis, finite element analysis, and experiments, the design method of this frame was summarized and incorporated into the design code.

To solve the shortage of traditional construction simulation methods for suspended dome structures, based on friction elements, node coupling technology, and local cooling, the cable tension preslack method is proposed in this paper, which is suitable for the whole process construction simulation of a suspended dome. This method was used to simulate the construction process of a large-span suspended dome case study. The effects on the simulation results of location deviation of joints, construction temperature, construction temporary supports, and friction of the cable-support joints were analyzed. The cable tension preslack method was demonstrated by comparing the data from the construction simulation with measured results, providing the control cable tension and the control standards for construction acceptance. The analysis demonstrated that the position deviation of the joint has little effect on the control value; the construction temperature and the friction of the cable-support joint significantly affect the control cable tension. The construction temperature, the temporary construction supports, and the friction of the cable-support joints all affect the internal force and deflection in the tensioned state but do not significantly affect the structural bearing characteristics at the load state. The forces should be primarily controlled in tensioned construction, while the deflections are controlled secondarily.

Defects in p53 and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways are frequently observed in the initiation and development of various human malignancies, including prostate cancer. Clinical studies demonstrate higher expression of NF-κB/p65/RelA, NF-κB/p50/RelB, and cRel as well as downregulation of the p53 network in primary prostate cancer specimens and in metastatic tumors. Betulinic acid (BA), is a triterpenoid that has been reported to be an effective inducer of apoptosis through modification of several signaling pathways. Our objective was to investigate the pathways involved in BA-induced apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells. We employed the androgen-responsive LNCaP cells harboring wild-type p53, and androgen-refractory DU145 cells possessing mutated p53 with high constitutive NF-κB activity. Inhibition of cell survival by BA at 10 and 20 µM concentrations occurred as a result of alteration in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in both cell lines that led to an increased cytochrome C release, caspase activation and poly(ADP)ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage, leading to apoptosis. BA treatment resulted in stabilization of p53 through increase in phosphorylation at Ser15 in LNCaP cells, but not in DU145 cells, and induction of cyclin kinase inhibitor p21/Waf1 in both cell types. Furthermore, treatment of both prostate cancer cells with BA decreased the phosphorylation of IκB kinase (IKK)α and I-kappa-B-alpha (IκBα) inhibiting the nuclear location of NF-κB/p65 causing cytosolic accumulation and resulting in its decreased nuclear binding. We demonstrate that BA may induce apoptosis by stabilizing p53 and downregulating NF-κB pathway in human prostate cancer cells, irrespective of the androgen association, and therefore can potentially be developed as a molecule of interest in cancer chemoprevention.

The mass spectrum and strong decays of the X(1870) and η2(1870) are analyzed. Our results indicate that X(1870) and η2(1870) are the two different resonances. The narrower X(1870) seems likely a good hybrid candidate. We support the η2(1870) as the η2(21D2) quarkonium. We suggest to search the isospin partner of X(1870) in the channels of J/ψ⟶ρf0980π and J/ψ⟶ρb11235π in the future. The latter channel is very important for testing the hybrid scenario.

In acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and blast crisis (BC) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) normal differentiation is impaired. Differentiation of immature stem/progenitor cells is critical for normal blood cell function. MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are small non-coding RNAs that interfere with gene expression by degrading messenger RNAs (mRNAs) or blocking protein translation. Aberrant miRNA expression is a feature of leukemia and miRNAs also play a significant role in normal hematopoiesis and differentiation. We have identified miRNAs differentially expressed in AML and BC CML and identified a new role for miR-150 in myeloid differentiation. Expression of miR-150 is low or absent in BC CML and AML patient samples and cell lines. We have found that expression of miR-150 in AML cell lines, CD34+ progenitor cells from healthy individuals, and primary BC CML and AML patient samples at levels similar to miR-150 expression in normal bone marrow promotes myeloid differentiation of these cells. MYB is a direct target of miR-150, and we have identified that the observed phenotype is partially mediated by MYB. In AML cell lines, differentiation of miR-150 expressing cells occurs independently of retinoic acid receptor α (RARA) signaling. High-throughput gene expression profiling (GEP) studies of the AML cell lines HL60, PL21, and THP-1 suggest that activation of CEPBA, CEBPE, and cytokines associated with myeloid differentiation in miR-150 expressing cells as compared to control cells contributes to myeloid differentiation. These data suggest that miR-150 promotes myeloid differentiation, a previously uncharacterized role for this miRNA, and that absent or low miR-150 expression contributes to blocked myeloid differentiation in acute leukemia cells.

The significance of information fusion for structural health monitoring and damage detection is introduced. The three levels of information fusion for multisensors are described. For the complex in the structural health monitoring, the distributed multisensor information fusion is more suitable and the structure is discussed. In the damage information fusion for character level, the concept for structural integral support vector machine damage detection matrix, damage self-information, and damage information entropy are presented. For a complex structure, it can be divided into multiple substructures in order to simplify the difficult for health monitoring, the data acquisition and support vector machine are established for each substructure in order to form integral damage detection matrix. In the damage information fusion for decision level, the methods based on fuzzy set theory, material element theory, and fuzzy neural network are proposed. The results given by a numerical example about space structure show that all the methods are valid and effective.