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Background: Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are the most essential endogenous transcription factors in the hypoxic microenvironment and regulate multiple genes involved in the proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. However, the regulatory mechanism of HIFs in driving HCC progression remains poorly understood. Methods: Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were carried out to investigate the role of TMEM237 in vitro and in vivo. The molecular mechanisms involved in HIF-1α-induced TMEM237 expression and TMEM237-mediated enhancement of HCC progression were confirmed by luciferase reporter, ChIP, IP-MS and Co-IP assays. Results: TMEM237 was identified as a novel hypoxia-responsive gene in HCC. HIF-1α directly bound to the promoter of TMEM237 to transactivate its expression. The overexpression of TMEM237 was frequently detected in HCC and associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients. TMEM237 facilitated the proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of HCC cells and promoted tumor growth and metastasis in mice. TMEM237 interacted with NPHP1 and strengthened the interaction between NPHP1 and Pyk2 to trigger the phosphorylation of Pyk2 and ERK1/2, thereby contributing to HCC progression. The TMEM237/NPHP1 axis mediates hypoxia-induced activation of the Pyk2/ERK1/2 pathway in HCC cells. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that HIF-1α-activated TMEM237 interacted with NPHP1 to activate the Pyk2/ERK pathway, thereby promoting HCC progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To prevent the x-ray detectors from the interference of optical photons, x-ray filters are widely used in x-ray space missions. As the flux of low energy x-rays would be significantly attenuated by the filters, it is important to derive the transmittance of the filters below 10 keV. In this paper, we present a simple experimental apparatus and data processing method to measure the transmittance curve of x-ray filters in the energy range from 1.6 to 10 keV. The measured spectra were further processed with Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation results and a direct demodulation algorithm. The obtained transmittance is in good accordance with the theoretical calculation and the synchrotron radiation test result, which proves that the proposed system with the algorithm is a reasonable way to characterize the x-ray transmittance performance of filters above 1.6 keV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a 10-kW novel gallium-nitride (GaN)-based three-phase grid to 48-V battery energy storage system (BESS). The BESS utilizes a single-stage ac–dc dual-active-bridge (DAB) converter with dual-phase-shift (DPS) and variable-frequency (VF) control. 600- and 80-V GaN power transistors, as well as planar magnetics, are used to achieve 96.6% efficiency and 50-W/in $^3$ power density. The operation principle and power transfer characteristics are derived based on time-domain analysis of the DAB inductor current. VF and DPS are utilized to achieve power factor correction and zero-voltage switching simultaneously while minimizing the DAB rms current. An online calculation algorithm is presented with short execution time, which enables the closed-loop control of the BESS. Experimental results are presented to validate the novel control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The extended A-F crystal plasticity model is used to simulate macroscopic and microscopic deformations of 316RF steel. • Effect of micro-defects of different sizes on the LCF and CFI behavior is examined at 650 °C. • Geometric sizes effects of micro-defect on fatigue accumulation is analysed by three fatigue index parameters. The main purpose of this study is to explore and discuss the effect of micro-defects of different sizes on the low cyclic fatigue (LCF) and creep fatigue (CF) behavior in 316FR stainless steel. From the crystal plasticity finite element (CPFE) perspective, representative volume element (RVE) models including different micro-defect sizes are systematically developed, and an extended Armstrong-Frederick (A-F) nonlinear kinematic hardening rule is used to capture the LCF and CF behavior of the 316FR stainless steel. Statistical probability analysis shows that the relative errors between the macroscopic stress–strain simulation results and the experimental data ranged from 0.24% to 16.52%, indicating that the model has high accuracy. Three fatigue index parameters (FIPs) are used to characterize the degree of fatigue of the material: the standard deviation of strain increases with increasing micro-defect size, and the standard deviation of the maximum strain at CF loads exceeds that at LCF loads by 0.0173; the larger the size of the micro-defects are, the coarser the persistent slip band (PSB) around the defects is; the strain distribution under CF loading is wider than that of LCF, and the strain at 99% of the strain accumulation frequency at CF loading exceeds that at LCF loading by 0.078. These results indicate that the larger the defect sizes are, the higher the degree of fatigue accumulation in 316FR stainless steel is, and that the deformation behavior of the material is more complex under CF loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of X-ray space detection, the optical blocking filter which can transmit X-ray and block UV, visible and infrared light is required. The combination of polyimide film and Al coating is the most commonly used design of OBF. The Al island structure created during magnetron sputtering deposition affects the optical properties of OBF. In this work, the potential of Mg as a seed layer to improve the optical performance of OBF was investigated. Polyimide films coated with Mg–Al bilayer with different thickness parameters (the total thickness was the same, equaled to 80 nm) were prepared, and the effect of Mg on the optical properties of optical blocking filters was analyzed. The results show that the island structure of the Al coating is weakened by the addition of Mg seed layer. For optical blocking filter with 10 nm and 20 nm Mg seed layer, the UV, visible and infrared transmittance decreased significantly, and the X-ray transmittance increased slightly. The blocking performance of UV, visible and infrared light has no change with the variation of storage time. • The Mg seed layer was used between the Al coating and Polyimide film. • The island structure of the Al coating is weakened by Mg seed layer. • The optical performance of optical blocking filter is improved by Mg seed layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) composite sponge with preferable properties was fabricated via water solution mixing and casting technique with a fixed PVA ratio and the various contents of nano‐fillers. The morphology and physical properties of all the samples have been studied and characterized extensively. The results showed that HNTs were uniformly aligned along in the PVA matrix depending on good interfacial interactions between HNTs and PVA matrix. The addition of HNTs decreased the pore sizes and porosity of the sponges. Mechanical tests indicated that the incorporation of HNTs contribute to the reinforcement in mechanical properties of composite sponges under both dry and moist conditions. In addition, the composites showed better performances in thermal stability and water absorption capacity than pure PVA sponges. Rhodamine B and ibuprofen were employed to evaluate the control release ability. The results illustrated that increasing HNT contents can enhance the sustained release ability of PVA sponges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In rice grain production, low nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE) is a persistent problem that impairs the balance between higher grain yield and the environmental risk caused by overuse of N fertilizer. Efficient N utilization is achieved through close coordination between N acquisition by roots and assimilation in the plant. In this study, we engineered the N assimilation process by the generation of transgenic rice overexpressing OsGS1;2 —the gene coding for glutamine synthetase (GS) for primary NH 4 + assimilation in rice roots. The NUE and grain yield of these genetically modified rice lines were then assessed under field conditions with naturally fluctuating environment for two successive growth seasons. Three levels of N application corresponding respectively to N deficiency (LN, no N applied), moderate or reduced N input (MN, 200 kg N hm−2) and N overuse (HN, 350 kg N hm−2) were designed for the experiment. Under either levels of N application, overexpression of OsGS1;2 led to increases in plant biomass, tiller numbers and flag leaf N contents, and consequently greater recovery N use efficiency (RE N). A significant improvement of the physiological (PE N) and agronomic (AE N) N use efficiencies with increased grain yield can be achieved with the OsGS1;2 overexpressors under reduced N input (MN). However, such advantages of the overexpressors are diminished under N overuse (HN) conditions and even causes significant grain yield loss of rice. Conclusively, our results suggest a potentially useful approach that coordinates improved N use efficiencies with higher grain yield under conditions of reduced cost of N application by overexpression of OsGS1;2. • OsGS1;2 abundance correlates to facilitated NH 4 + uptake capability by rice roots. • Overexpression of OsGS1;2 contributes to plant N accumulation under N-limiting conditions. • But only under moderate N OsGS1;2 overexpression contributes to rice grain yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which accounts for approximately 90% of primary liver cancer, is commonly treated with surgical resection. However, most patients lose the opportunity to receive this therapeutic strategy due to delayed diagnosis and rapid tumor progression. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to play essential roles in the initiation and progression of HCC. However, the function of the novel lncRNA neuropeptide S receptor 1 antisense RNA 1 (NPSR1-AS1) in HCC and its potential mechanism, is unclear. Here, our microarray data revealed NPSR1-AS1 as a novel hypoxia-responsive lncRNA in HCC cells. Interestingly, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) knockdown abolished hypoxia-induced NPSR1-AS1 expression in HCC cells. NPSR1-AS1 expression was upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. Next, the ectopic expression of NPSR1-AS1 facilitated the proliferation and glycolysis of HCC cells. In contrast, NPSR1-AS1 silencing repressed HCC cell proliferation and glycolysis. Mechanistically, NPSR1-AS1 overexpression increased the levels of p-ERK1/2 and pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) in HCC cells. NPSR1-AS1 knockdown abrogated hypoxia-induced the activation of the MAPK/ERK pathway in HCC cells. Importantly, NPSR1-AS1 depletion partially reversed hypoxia-induced proliferation and glycolysis of HCC cells in vitro. In conclusion, hypoxia-inducible NPSR1-AS1 promotes the proliferation and glycolysis of HCC cells, possibly by regulating the MAPK/ERK pathway, suggesting an underlying therapeutic strategy for HCC. • Hypoxia induced lncRNA NPSR1-AS1 expression in HCC cells. • NPSR1-AS1 was highly expressed in HCC tissues and cell lines. • NPSR1-AS1 promoted the proliferation and glycolysis of HCC cells. • NPSR1-AS1 modulated the MAPK/ERK pathway in HCC cells. • NPSR1-AS1 mediated the effects of hypoxia on HCC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This minireview highlights some recent advances in the rational design of precise Cu nanoclusters supported on microporous materials, including zeolites and metal‐organic frameworks. The development of comprehensive characterisation techniques enables scientists to elucidate the structure‐activity relationship of these catalysts, which aids the subsequent engineering of more superior catalytic systems at an atomistic perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We constructed a comprehensive model atom for Ne i –Ne ii using the most-up-to-date atomic data available and evaluated the nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) line formation for Ne i and Ne ii in classical 1D models representing the atmospheres of B-type stars. We find that the large NLTE strengthening of the Ne i lines corresponding to the 2p53p–2p53s transition array occurs due to extremely small photoionization cross sections of the 2p53s levels that lead to strong overpopulation of these levels relative to their LTE populations. The deviations from LTE for most Ne ii lines are small and do not exceed 0.11 dex in absolute value. We analyzed 20 lines of Ne i and 13 lines of Ne ii for 24 B-type stars in the temperature range of 10,400 ≤ ≤ 33,400 K. For five stars, the NLTE leads to consistent abundances of Ne i and Ne ii , while the difference in LTE abundance can reach up to 0.50 dex. Using the experimental oscillator strengths recently measured by Piracha et al. leads to smaller line-by-line scatter for most of the investigated stars. The average neon abundance in 24 B-type stars in the solar neighborhood is 8.02 ± 0.05. This value may provide indirect constraints on the solar photospheric neon abundance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most terrifying thing about pandemic could be the large number of patients running against the health service system, which causes a serious shortage of health resources, especially medical personnel. Plotting mortality and diagnosis rates against medical staff resources in 16 cities in Hubei Province, where the epidemic was initially concerned and the most severe, shows a significant negative correlation, indicating the critical role of medical staff resources in controlling epidemics. Nevertheless, it is difficult to ensure that there exist enough medical personnel in cities severely hit by the outbreak. China provides solutions by adopting nationwide "pairing assistance" measures with at least one province assisting one city to alleviate pressure in the most severe area. By plotting the number of patients receiving treatment against day, it is clear that implementing "pairing assistance" is a turning point in China's fight against epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumour. An increasing number of studies indicate that microRNAs (miRNAs) are critical regulators in the carcinogenesis and progression of HCC. MiR‐627‐5p has been identified as a tumour suppressor in colorectal cancer and glioblastoma multiforme. However, the function of miR‐627‐5p in HCC progression remains unclear yet. In our present study, miR‐627‐5p was determined to be low‐expressed in HCC tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, miR‐627‐5p was expressed at significantly lower levels in HCC tissues with tumour size >5 cm or advanced tumour stages (III+IV). Additionally, HCC patients with low miR‐627‐5p level had a significantly poorer overall survival. Functionally, ectopic expression of miR‐627‐5p obviously inhibited the proliferation, and induced G1 phase arrest and apoptosis of Hep3B and SMMC‐7721 cells. Conversely, miR‐627‐5p silencing facilitated HCC cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis resistance. In vivo experiments further confirmed that miR‐627‐5p overexpression repressed the growth of Hep3B cells in mice. Mechanistically, BCL3 transcription coactivator was predicted as a direct target of miR‐627‐5p. MiR‐627‐5p overexpression reduced, whereas miR‐627‐5p knockdown enhanced the expression of BCL3 protein in HCC cells. Luciferase reporter assay confirmed the direct binding between miR‐627‐5p and 3′UTR of BCL3. The expression of BCL3 protein was negatively correlated with miR‐627‐5p level in HCC tissues. More importantly, re‐expression of BCL3 partially reversed miR‐627‐5p induced inhibitory effects on Hep3B cells. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that miR‐627‐5p functioned as a tumour suppressor in HCC possibly by attenuating BCL3. This finding might offer a new therapeutic target for HCC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reported here is the first crystallographic observation of stereospecific bindings of l‐ and d‐lysine (Lys) in achiral MFI zeolites. The MFI structure offers inherent geometric and internal confinement effects for the enantiomeric difference in l‐ and d‐Lys adsorption. Notable differences have been observed by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Distinct l‐ and d‐Lys adsorption behaviours on the H‐ZSM‐5 framework have been revealed by the Rietveld refinement of high‐resolution synchrotron X‐ray powder diffraction (SXRD) data and the density‐functional theory (DFT) calculations. Despite demonstrating the approach for l‐ and d‐Lys over MFI zeolites at an atomistic resolution, the differential adsorption study sheds light on the rational engineering of molecular interaction(s) with achiral microporous materials for chiral separation purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reported here is the first crystallographic observation of stereospecific bindings of l‐ and d‐lysine (Lys) in achiral MFI zeolites. The MFI structure offers inherent geometric and internal confinement effects for the enantiomeric difference in l‐ and d‐Lys adsorption. Notable differences have been observed by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Distinct l‐ and d‐Lys adsorption behaviours on the H‐ZSM‐5 framework have been revealed by the Rietveld refinement of high‐resolution synchrotron X‐ray powder diffraction (SXRD) data and the density‐functional theory (DFT) calculations. Despite demonstrating the approach for l‐ and d‐Lys over MFI zeolites at an atomistic resolution, the differential adsorption study sheds light on the rational engineering of molecular interaction(s) with achiral microporous materials for chiral separation purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional (3D) object detection is crucial for accurate recognition of autonomous driving roads, and the distribution of point clouds in 3D scenes becomes sparse with increasing distance, thus seriously affecting the sensor's perception precision. To address this problem, we propose a two-stage 3D object detection network based on point and voxel feature fusion. In the first stage, a spatial semantic feature fusion module is designed to effectively fuse low-level spatial features and high-level semantic features to generate high-quality proposals. Then, an attention mechanism-based residual module is constructed to expand the receptive field and adaptively aggregate the voxel features in the 3D scene. At the same time, the sampled key points and voxel features are fused to extract the key information in the 3D scene. In the second stage, the graph network pooling module is introduced to construct local graphs on 3D proposals using key point features as nodes to estimate the confidence and location of objects more accurately. Experimental results on the KITTI dataset show that the detection precision is improved significantly in easy, moderate, and hard tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Osimertinib (AZD9291), a third‐generation EGFR‐tyrosine kinase inhibitor, can effectively prolong survival in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR mutations, particularly T790M mutations; however, acquired resistance to AZD9291 is inevitable, thus exploration of the targets of resistance is urgent. Methods: Considering the important role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in cancers, we established AZD9291‐resistant NSCLC cell lines (H1975/AZDR and HCC827/AZDR) and used microarray analysis to determine the circRNA expression profiles of the cells. The H1975/AZDR and HCC827/AZDR cell lines were induced by gradually increasing the drug concentration. CircRNA microarray expression profiles were obtained from H1975, HCC827, H1975/AZDR, and HCC827/AZDR cells and validated by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Expression data were analyzed bioinformatically. Results: The H1975/AZDR and HCC827/AZDR cell lines were successfully established. The half‐maximal inhibitory concentration and the invasion ability of H1975/AZDR and HCC827/AZDR cells were significantly enhanced. The proliferation rates of H1975/AZDR and HCC827/AZDR were much lower than H1975 and HCC827. Microarray analysis identified 15 504 circRNAs differentially expressed in H1975, HCC827, H1975/AZDR, and HCC827/AZDR cells. Among them, 7966 were upregulated and 7538 were downregulated more than two‐fold. We predicted the possible miRNAs of the top dysregulated circRNAs. Furthermore, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis showed that the most modulated circRNAs regulate several cancers and cancer‐related pathways. Conclusion: Our results reveal that circRNAs may play a role in NSCLC AZD9291 resistance and might be a promising molecular target candidate for gene therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both Backward Bent Duct Buoy (BBDB) and Japanese “Mighty Whale” are offshore floating Oscillating Water Column (OWC) type wave power devices. The investment of “Mighty Whale” is comparatively huge and its wave-to-wire efficiency is about 5.3%. Based on the reports of model experiments and over-3-year sea trials of “Mighty Whale”, recent progress of air turbines and the studies of BBDB and air turbine in Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion (GIEC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the cost-performance ratio of wave power boat based on the BBDB principle is evaluated. According to the RMB purchasing power in 2014, if the incident wave power density is 16 kW/m, the boat lifespan is 15 years, and the air turbine efficiency is high enough to make the wave-to-wire conversion efficiency reach 30%, the cost of electricity generated by this boat can drop to below 1 CNY/kWh. If the incident wave density or the wave-to-wire efficiency is higher, this cost will decrease further. And, the mobility of the self-propelled wave power boat solves the underwater residue problem caused by the complex mooring of traditional wave energy converter; also, it helps the wave power boat in moving to a port to avoid typhoons and adjusting to the wave direction. Therefore, the BBDB wave power boat technology has broad prospects for developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the flume tests on a new backward bent duct buoy (BBDB) with a pentagon buoyancy cabin and single-point mooring are presented. Influences of the incident wave height, incident wave period, orifice area, mooring chain length, and mooring point position on its capture width ratio ( η ) are also investigated. In experiments it was discovered that: η is high in a wide wave period range; η reaches maximum 130.78% when BBDB is moored at the intersection of its front and the symmetric line of the bottom; and when other factors are set near their optimal values, the mooring point position has a weak influence on η , that is, this BBDB may has a low mooring point position requirement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve accurate detection of different space x-ray sources, three types of filters are designed for the follow-up x-ray telescope onboard the Einstein probe (EP). Two of them are supported by PI mesh and Ni stiffener, which are studied in this paper. Since visible light blocking performance of these filters is important for x-ray detection, the transmittance and visible light irradiation damage performance of them are measured and presented. With a self-built double-beam laser system, the detection sensitivity of transmittance at 532 nm is increased to 10 − 9 compared with 10 − 5 for the spectrophotometer. Moreover, the tests of visible light irradiation damage performance under vacuum and air conditions have been carried out using this system, which proves that the filters have good reliability. Finally, the topography of these filters is studied and described with a microscope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Novel binary MIL/ZIF hybrid adsorbents were successfully prepared for the first time. • The MIL/ZIF adsorbents can remove several antibiotics from wastewater efficiently. • The MIL/ZIF adsorbents can be applied to actual wastewater with high renewability. • A feasible adsorption mechanism was proposed for the removal of antibiotics. Environmental pollution by emerging contaminants has become an urgent problem. Herein, novel binary metal–organic framework hybrids were constructed from Materials of Institute Lavoisier-53(Fe) (MIL-53(Fe)) and zeolite imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) for the first time. A battery of characterizations were employed to determine the MIL/ZIF hybrids' properties and morphology. Furthermore, the MIL/ZIF towards toxic antibiotics (tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin) were studied to explore their adsorption abilities. The present work disclosed that the obtained MIL-53(Fe)/ZIF-8 = 2:3 possessed an eminent specific surface area with an admirable removal efficiency of tetracycline (97.4%), ciprofloxacin (97.1%) and ofloxacin (92.4%), respectively. The tetracycline adsorption process conformed to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and this process was more compatible with the Langmuir isotherm model with the highest adsorption capacity of 215.0 mg g−1. Moreover, the process of removing tetracycline was proved to be spontaneous and exothermic by the thermodynamic results. Furthermore, the MIL-53(Fe)/ZIF-8 = 2:3 towards tetracycline exhibited significant regeneration ability. The effects of pH, dosage, interfering ions and oscillation frequency on tetracycline adsorption capacity and removal efficiency were also investigated. The primary factors contributing to the decent adsorption ability between MIL-53(Fe)/ZIF-8 = 2:3 and tetracycline included electrostatic, π–π stacking, hydrogen bonding and weak coordination interactions. Additionally, we also investigated the adsorption ability in real wastewater. Thus, the proposed binary metal–organic framework hybrid materials can be deemed a promising adsorbent in wastewater purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a semi-analytical model of the evolution of the Milky Way, we show how secular evolution can create distinct overdensities in the phase space of various properties (e.g. age versus metallicity or abundance ratios versus age) corresponding to the thin and thick discs. In particular, we show how key properties of the Solar vicinity can be obtained by secular evolution, with no need for external or special events, like galaxy mergers or paucity in star formation. This concerns the long established double-branch behaviour of [alpha/Fe] versus metallicity and the recently found non-monotonic evolution of the stellar abundance gradient, evaluated at the birth radii of stars. We extend the discussion to other abundance ratios and we suggest a classification scheme, based on the nature of the corresponding yields (primary versus secondary or odd elements) and on the lifetimes of their sources (short-lived versus long-lived ones). The latter property is critical in determining the single- or double- branch behaviour of an elementary abundance ratio in the Solar neighbourhood. We underline the high diagnostic potential of this finding, which can help to separate clearly elements with sources evolving on different time-scales and help determining the site of e.g. the r-process(es). We define the 'abundance distance' between the thin and thick disc sequences as an important element for such a separation. We also show how the inside-out evolution of the Milky Way disc leads rather to a single-branch behaviour in other disc regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are coupled with Fe-doped g-C 3 N 4 to prepare a binary composite photocatalyst, which shows retarded recombination of photo-induced carriers and enhanced surface absorption active sites. Then, interfacial charge transfer effect (IFCT) is introduced the binary composite by grafting Fe(III) species on the surface of CQDs/Fe-doped g-C 3 N 4 via a facile impregnation method. The obtained ternary Fe(III)/CQDs/Fe-doped g-C 3 N 4 composite photocatalyst exhibits largely increased optical absorption with its absorption region extended to 1200 nm and efficiently inhibited charge recombination through the IFCT effect. It is revealed that the increased surface absorption active sites provided by CQDs lead to more amount of Fe(III) species anchored in the ternary photocatalyst than in the binary Fe(III)/Fe-doped g-C 3 N 4 composite, which favors the photocatalytic activity. The EPR probe experiments elucidate that OH active species could be generated from the ternary Fe(III)/CQDs/Fe-doped g-C 3 N 4 photocatalyst under visible light irritation, originating from the cooperation between the IFCT effect and the photo-Fenton reaction due to the existence of the Fe(III) species, which accounts for its highly enhanced photocatalytic performance on the degradation of MO and phenol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian hepatitis E virus (avian HEV) increases poultry mortality and decreases egg production, leading to huge economic losses worldwide. However, there is no effective serological test for avian HEV. Researchers previously created a testing platform using the nanobody (Nb)-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) fusion protein as an ultrasensitive probe to develop competitive ELISA (cELISA) to detect antibodies against different animal viruses. In this study, a rapid and reliable cELISA was developed to test for antibodies against avian HEV using the same platform. Six anti-avian HEV capsid protein nanobodies were selected from an immunized Bactrian camel using phage display technology. The avian HEV-Nb49-HRP fusion protein was expressed and used as a probe for developing a cELISA assay to test for avian HEV antibodies. The cut-off value of the developed cELISA was 22.0%. There was no cross-reaction with other anti-avian virus antibodies, suggesting that the cELISA had good specificity. The coefficients of variation were 0.91% to 4.21% (intra-assay) and 1.52% to 6.35% (inter-assay). Both cELISA and indirect ELISA showed a consistency of 86.7% (kappa = 0.738) for clinical chicken serum samples, and coincidence between cELISA and Western blot was 96.0% (kappa = 0.919). The epitope recognized by Nb49 was located in aa 593-604 of the avian HEV capsid protein, and the peptide (TFPS) in aa 601-604 was essential for binding. The novel cELISA is a saving cost, rapid, useful, and reliable assay for the serological investigation of avian HEV. More importantly, the peptide TFPS may be crucial to immunodominant antigen composition and protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanodots synthesized from rapeseed flower bee pollens were used to couple with ultrathin g-C3N4 nanosheets for preparing the 2D/0D type photocatalysts by a hydrothermal method. The g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets (UCN) obtained from ammonium chloride blowing dicyandiamide methods exhibit ultrathin two-dimension structure with a series of hollow spherical structures, and CQDs are well dispersed and uniformly anchored into the UCN network via π-π stacking interactions. The incorporation of CQDs can effectively expand visible light absorption regions via photosensitization and suppress the recombination of photo-induced carriers. Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance technology and photoelectrochemical measurements together reveal that CQDs serve as electron transfer mediation to facilitate charge separation and extend the lifetime of photo-induced carriers. The UCN/CQDs-0.2% composite has the optimal H 2 evolution of 88.1 μmol/h, 9.79, 3.02 and 1.91 folds of bulk g-C 3 N 4 (BCN), pristine UCN and BCN/CQDs-0.2%, respectively. Consequently, the UCN/CQDs composites exhibit high photocatalytic activity of hydrogen release under the visible light irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backward bent duct buoy (BBDB) is a high-efficiency wave energy converter. It can be paralleled to form a wave energy farm. In this paper, a wave energy converter (WEC) array composed of three parallel BBDBs was tested. The array's performance and properties were reported. And, an effective method to improve the arrays' energy-capturing ability by setting the spacing above zero was proposed and verified. This method is helpful for the construction of BBDB wave energy farm. • Presenting the experimental performance of the parallel-BBDBs array which is rarely reported in the world so far. • An effective method to improve the wave energy conversion efficiency of the parallel-BBDBs array is proposed. Its theoretic mechanism is presented. • The proposed method can advance the construction of BBDB wave energy farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We modify the electrical properties of polyimide (PI) films by irradiation with 80 keV Xe ions. The surface resistivity of irradiated PI film at room temperature decreases remarkably from 1.2×1014 Ω/□ for virgin PI film to 3.15×106 Ω/□ for PI film irradiated by 5.0×1016 ions/cm2, and the temperature dependence of the resistivity of the treated films is well-fit using Mott''s Equation. The irradiated PI film structure is studied using Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry. The concentration of O in the irradiated layer decreases with increasing fluence, while the variation of N concentration is negligible. Graphite-like carbon-rich phases are created in the irradiated layers, leading to the modification of the electrical properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The modification of mechanical properties of polyimide (PI) films by 2.0MeV Si ions irradiation was investigated by means of Hysitron TriboIndenter In Situ Nanomechanical Test System (Hysitron TriboIndenter). The results indicate that the elastic modulus and the hardness have remarkable increase with the increase of the fluence. The elastic modulus of the modified PI at the fluence of 1.25×1015 ions/cm2 is nearly five times that of the original PI, and the hardness of the modified PI at this fluence is more than 13 times that of the original PI. The friction coefficient changed from about 0.7 (original PI) to about 0.18 (modified PI at the fluence of 1.0×1015 ions/cm2). Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy were applied to analyze the changes in the chemical structures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A graded porous supported symmetric (GPSS) flat ceramic membrane made of a K 2 NiF 4+δ type oxide (Pr 0.9 La 0.1) 2 (Ni 0.74 Cu 0.21 Ga 0.05)O 4+δ (PLNCG) is fabricated by aqueous tape casting. This membrane design stands out for its unique structure, consisting of a thin dense layer at its core and two graded porous substrates that adhere symmetrically to this middle layer. In comparison to previously reported PLNCG hollow fiber membranes, the GPSS membrane offers superior oxygen permeation flux, exceeding that of the hollow fiber membrane by more than four times. When using air as the feed gas and even when introducing CO 2 into the feed gas or sweep gas, the membrane maintains a consistent oxygen permeation flux of 4.41 mL min−1 cm−2 (STP). This work demonstrates that by paying close attention to membrane structure, the oxygen permeation flux of flat membranes can surpass that of hollow fiber membranes. Given its exceptional oxygen separation performance, the PLNCG-GPSS membrane holds great potential for practical applications such as high-purity oxygen production, pure hydrogen production, oxygen-involved catalytical reactions, and CO 2 capture and storage. [Display omitted] • A graded porous supported symmetric flat ceramic mixed conductor membrane is fabricated. • X-CT is employed for 3D reconstructed pore structure distribution. • The flat membrane exhibits 4.41 mL min−1 cm−2 of oxygen permeation flux at the presence of CO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This systematic study aims to assess the global epidemiologic, economic, and humanistic burden of illness associated with all types of hereditary angioedema. Methods: A systematic search for articles reporting the epidemiologic, economic, and humanistic burden associated with patients with HAE was conducted using English and Chinese literature databases from the inception to May 23, 2022. The selected studies were assessed for their quality and risk of bias. The study was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD42022352377). Results: In total, 65 articles that met the search inclusion criteria reported 10,310 patients with HAE, of whom 5861 were female patients. Altogether, 4312 patients (81%) and 479 patients (9%) had type 1 and type 2 HAE, respectively, whereas 422 patients (8%) had HAE-normal C1-INH. The overall prevalence of all types of HAE was between 0.13 and 1.6 cases per 100,000. The mean or median delay from the first onset of a symptom of HAE to confirmed diagnosis ranged from 3.9 to 26 years. The estimated risk of death from asphyxiation was 8.6% for patients with HAE. Hospitalization, medication, unnecessary surgeries, doctor visits, specialist services, and nursing costs are direct expenses that contribute to the growing economic burden. The indirect cost accounted mostly due to missing work ($3402/year) and loss of productivity ($5750/year). Furthermore, impairment of QoL as reported by patient-reported outcomes was observed. QoL measures identified depression, anxiety, and stress to be the most common symptoms for adult patients and children. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of early diagnosis and the need for improving awareness among health care professionals to reduce the burden of HAE on patients and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bromodomain-containing 8 (BRD8), which belongs to the histone acetyl transferase (HAT) complex, functions as a driver in colorectal cancer. However, the role of BRD8 and its related regulatory mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unexplored. In this study, we found that the level of BRD8 mRNA in HCC was prominently higher than that in nontumor tissues. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry analysis indicated that BRD8 protein expression was upregulated in HCC compared to noncancerous tissues. The positive expression of BRD8 was closely associated with HBV infection, a tumor size ≥5 cm and an advanced TNM stage. Moreover, HCC patients with an elevated expression of BRD8 had an obvious poorer survival rate. Functionally, BRD8 knockdown markedly reduced the proliferation of Hep3B and Huh7 cells. Depletion of BRD8 obviously induced the apoptosis of HCC cells. Conversely, BRD8 overexpression promoted the proliferation and apoptosis resistance of Huh7 cells. Lysine acetyltransferase 5 (KAT5) expression was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues. In addition, BRD8 knockdown obviously reduced the level of KAT5 protein and the mRNA expression of KAT5-induced genes in both Hep3B and Huh7 cells. KAT5 knockdown showed similar effects as BRD8 silencing on HCC cell proliferation and apoptosis. The expression of miR-876–3p was downregulated and inversely correlated with the BRD8 mRNA level in HCC tissues. The expression of BRD8 protein in HCC cells was reduced by the overexpression of miR-876–3p and enhanced by the knockdown of miR-876–3p. A luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that BRD8 was a direct target of miR-876–3p. Notably, in HCC cells, the ectopic expression of miR-876–3p inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis. In conclusion, BRD8, which was negatively regulated by miR-876–3p, facilitated proliferation and inhibited apoptosis in HCC cells by modulating KAT5. • BRD8 was frequently overexpressed in HCC and correlated with poor prognosis. • BRD8 knockdown inhibited HCC cell growth and induced apoptosis. • BRD8 silencing reduced the levels of KAT5 and its downstream genes in HCC cells. • KAT5 depletion induced the proliferation inhibition and apoptosis of HCC cells. • miR-876–3p exerted a tumor suppressive role in HCC possibly by targeting BRD8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A 160nm Al0.08In0.018Ga0.902N layer was grown by metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) on sapphire (0001) with thick (1 m) GaN intermediate layer. The chemical compositions can be determined by Rutherford backscattering (RBS). The perpendicular and parallel strain of Al0.08In0.018Ga0.902N layer was derived to be zero by using a combination of high resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) and RBS/channeling. The conclusion is further evidenced by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Dense (K, Na)NbO3 ceramics are successfully fabricated via the cold sintering process at 350°C under a uniaxial pressure of 400 MPa for 4 h. Equimolar KOH and NaOH solutions were utilized as a transient alkaline flux. The microstructure and dielectric properties were studied in detail. Scanning electron microscope and the relative densities reveal dense structures of the ceramics. After post‐annealing at 800°C for 1 h, the ceramics show good electrical performance. The relative dielectric permittivity is 829 (at 10 kHz) at room temperature, and the piezoelectric constant (d33) reaches up to 148 pC/N. The cold sintering technique with equimolar KOH and NaOH solutions as a transient alkaline flux endow KNN ceramics with excellent dielectric and piezoelectric properties, showing a potential way to fabricating other KNN‐based ceramics at low temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thoracic adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is rare, and the differences between tracheal and lung lesions have not been fully understood. Methods: Patients were identified from a Chinese cancer center (FUSCC) (2005–2022) and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (2000–2019). Incidence was calculated and trends were quantified. Clinicopathological features and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. Nomograms predicting OS were constructed. Results: Totally, 55 tracheal adenoid cystic carcinoma (TACC) and 25 lung and bronchus adenoid cystic carcinoma (LACC) were included in a Chinese cohort, 121 TACC and 162 LACC included in the SEER cohort. There were larger tumor sizes, more lymph nodes and distant metastases for LACC than TACC patients. TACC patients are more likely to get local treatments. Patients with LACC had significantly worse median OS than patients with TACC (SEER cohort: 68.0 months vs. 109.0 months, p = 0.001, Chinese cohort: 62.9 months vs. 124.8 months, p = 0.061). Age, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and local treatment were identified as independent prognostic factors for OS of TACC. Distant metastasis and local treatment were identified for LACC. Specifically, surgery alone or in combination with radiotherapy is crucial for improving survival in both TACC and LACC. Only TACC benefits from radiotherapy alone, while chemotherapy does not improve survival for either. The nomograms constructed using these factors revealed good prognostic accuracy. Conclusions: LACC is more aggressive and has a worse prognosis than TACC. TACC patients have more opportunities for local treatment, which is important for the prognosis of both TACC and LACC. Nomograms were created for TACC and LACC to aid in personalized survival predictions and clinical decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes a method of synthesising pyridine, quinoline, and isoquinoline ketones using 2‐halogenated N‐heterocycles as the starting materials under mild reaction conditions. Considering the significance of pyridones in organic chemistry, developing novel, green synthetic strategies is highly desirable. The reaction employs H2O as the solvent and source of O, rendering it green, and it is simple to execute, with a broad substrate scope and an excellent functional group tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-sensor fusion system has many advantages, such as reduce error and improve filtering accuracy. The observability of the system state is an important index to test the convergence accuracy and speed of the designed Kalman filter. In this paper, we evaluate different multi-sensor fusion systems from the perspective of observability. To adjust and optimize the filter performance before filtering, in this paper, we derive the expression form of estimation error covariance of three different fusion methods and discussed both observable degree of fusion center and local filter of fusion step. Based on the ODAEPM, we obtained their discriminant matrix of observable degree and the relationship among different fusion methods is given by mathematical proof. To confirm mathematical conclusion, the simulation analysis is done for multi-sensor CV model. The result demonstrates our theory and verifies the advantage of information fusion system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unfortunately, after publication of this article [1], it was noticed that a value in Table 2 is incorrect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth fatal malignant tumour type worldwide. However, the exact molecular mechanism involved in HCC progression remains unclear. Methods: Three pairs of HCC and matched portal vein tumour thrombus (PVTT) tissue samples were analysed by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) assay to investigate the differentially expressed proteins. Real‐time quantitative PCR, immunostaining, and immunoblotting were performed to detect cofilin 1 (CFL1) in HCC and non‐tumour tissues. CCK8 and EdU, and Transwell assays, respectively, determined cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells. Further, subcutaneous and tail vein injection were performed in nude mice for investigating HCC growth and lung metastasis in vivo. Regulatory effect of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) on CFL1 was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. Finally, interaction between CFL1 and phospholipase D1 (PLD1) was studied using immunoprecipitation (IP) assay. Results: The iTRAQ analysis identified expression of CFL1 to be significantly upregulated in PVTT than in HCC tissues. Increased expression of CFL1 was closely associated with unfavourable clinical features, and was an independent risk predictor of overall survival in HCC patients. The knockdown of CFL1 inhibited cell growth viability, invasiveness, and epithelial‐mesenchymal transformation (EMT) in HCC cells. Furthermore, CFL1 silencing significantly suppressed the growth and lung metastasis of HCC cells in nude mice. Next, HIF‐1α directly regulated CFL1 transcription by binding to the hypoxia‐responsive element (HRE) in the promoter. Moreover, we disclosed the interaction between CFL1 and PLD1 in HCC cells using IP assay. Mechanistically, CFL1 maintained PLD1 expression by repressing ubiquitin‐mediated protein degradation, thereby activating AKT signalling in HCC cells. Notably, the CFL1/PLD1 axis was found mediating the hypoxia‐induced activation of the AKT pathway and EMT. Conclusion: The analysis suggests that hypoxia‐induced CFL1 increases the proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT in HCC by activating the PLD1/AKT pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional treatment methods used for the management of autoimmune diseases (ADs) have limited efficacy and also exhibit significant side effects. Thus, identification of novel strategies to improve the efficacy and safety of ADs treatment is urgently required. Overactivated immune response and oxidative stress are common characteristics associated with ADs. Polydopamine (PDA), as a polymer material with good antioxidant and photothermal conversion properties, has displayed useful application potential against ADs. In addition, PDA possesses good biosafety, simple preparation, and easy functionalization, which is conducive for the pharmacological development of PDA nanomaterials with clinical transformation prospects. Here, we have first reviewed the preparation of PDA, the different functional integration strategies of PDA-based biomaterials, and their potential applications in ADs. Next, the mechanism of action of PDA in ADs has been elaborated in detail. Finally, the application opportunities and challenges linked with PDA nanomaterials for ADs treatment are discussed. This review is contributed to design reasonable and effective PDA nanomaterials for the diagnosis and treatment of ADs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES Chest tube (CT) drainage is a main cause of postoperative pain in lung surgery. Here, we introduced a novel drainage strategy with bi-pigtail catheters (PCs) and conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare with conventional CT drainage after uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery lung surgery. METHODS A single-centre, prospective, open-labelled, randomized controlled trial (ChiCTR2000035337) was conducted with a preplanned sample size of 396. The primary outcome was the numerical pain rating scale (NPRS) on the first postoperative day. Secondary outcomes included other indicators of postoperative pain, drainage volume, duration of drainage, postoperative hospital stay, incidence of postoperative complications, CT reinsertion and medical costs. RESULTS A total number of 396 patients were randomized between August 2020 and January 2021, 387 of whom were included in the final analysis. The baseline and clinical characteristics of the patients were well balanced between 2 groups. The NPRS on the first postoperative day was significantly lower in the PC group than in the CT group (2.40 ± 1.27 vs 3.02 ± 1.39, p  <   0.001), as well as the second/third-day NPRS, the incidence of sudden severe pain (9/192, 4.7% vs 34/195, 17.4%, P  <   0.001) and pain requiring intervention (19/192, 9.9% vs 46/195, 23.6%, P  <   0.001). In addition, the medical cost in the PC group was lower (US$7809 ± 1646 vs US$8205 ± 1815, P  =   0.025). Univariable and multivariable analyses revealed that the drainage strategy was the only factor influencing the incidence of pain requiring intervention. CONCLUSIONS The drainage strategy with bi-PCs in patients undergoing uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery lung surgery alleviates postoperative pain with adequate safety and efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a method for the synthesis of thiazinopyrrole fused ring derivatives utilizing a ring‐opening recombination strategy with benzothiazole salts. Thiazolium salts, aldehydes, and amines undergo a cascade cyclization reaction in a one‐pot under the solvent conditions of ethanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: After economic reform, China experienced rising public health services inequality between the eastern developed and mid-west undeveloped provinces. The fiscal transfer payment system which aims to shape the disparities was considered inefficient. However, there are only a few studies that address the political reason when analyzing the inter-provincial public health services inequality. And the previous studies did not consider a possible non-linear relationship between the fiscal transfer payments and the inter-provincial public health services equalization. Methods: This paper argues that the local officials' fanatical pursuit of local economic growth which driven by the Political Promotion Tournament and the polarized fiscal self-sufficiency (fiscal capacities) of local governments are responsible for the inter-provincial inequality of public health services and the inefficiency of fiscal transfer payments. By constructing panel threshold regression models with fiscal self-sufficiency of local governments as threshold variable, this study tries to empirically investigate the optimal level of the local governments' self-sufficiency at which the fiscal transfer payments can effectively promote equalization. Results: Threshold effects exist between fiscal transfer payments and inter-provincial public health services equalization. The effects on inter-provincial public health services equalization show trends that first increase and then decrease as the fiscal self-sufficiency of local governments increases. And there exist a range of fiscal self-sufficiency between 29.236 and 43.765% or between 28.575 and 45.746% for local governments where the fiscal transfer payments can effectively achieve equalization. Currently, the vast majority of provinces in China remain in the ineffective regime where the fiscal transfer payments are inefficient in shaping inequality. Conclusions: This paper explains the reason of inequality in public health services and the inefficiency of fiscal transfer payment system from Chinese local officials' behavior aspect, and try to find out an effective solution by focusing on the local government's fiscal capacity. The effective way to narrow the inequality is to establish a flexible tax-sharing system to adjust local governments' fiscal capacities and give local governments with low fiscal self-sufficiency more fiscal resources. The new policy measures recently launched by Chinese central government coincide with our recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Intertidal macroalgae are highly resistant to hypersaline stress conditions. However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. In the present study, the mechanism behind Pyropia haitanensis responses to two hypersaline stress conditions [100‰ (HSS_100) and 110‰ (HSS_110)] was investigated via analyses of physiological and transcriptomic changes. We observed that the differences between the responses of Py. haitanensis to HSS_100 and HSS_110 conditions involved the following three aspects: osmotic regulation, ionic homeostasis, and adjustment to secondary stresses. First, the water retention of Py. haitanensis was maintained through increased expansin production under HSS_100 conditions, while cell wall pectin needed to be protected from hydrolysis via the increased abundance of a pectin methylesterase inhibitor under HSS_110 conditions. Meanwhile, Py. haitanensis achieved stable and rapid osmotic adjustments because of the coordinated accumulation of inorganic ions (K+, Na+, and Cl−) and organic osmolytes (glycine betaine and trehalose) under HSS_100 conditions, but not under HSS_110 conditions. Second, Py. haitanensis maintained a higher K+/Na+ ratio under HSS_100 conditions than under HSS_110 conditions, mainly via the export of Na+ into the apoplast rather than compartmentalizing it into the vacuoles, and the enhanced uptake and retention of K+. However, K+/Na+ homeostasis was not completely disrupted during a short-term exposure to HSS_110 conditions. Finally, the Py. haitanensis antioxidant system scavenged more ROS and synthesized more heat shock proteins under HSS_100 conditions than under HSS_110 conditions, although thalli may have been able to maintain a certain redox balance during a short-term exposure to HSS_110 conditions. These differences may explain why Py. haitanensis can adapt to HSS_100 conditions rather than HSS_110 conditions, and also why the thalli exposed to HSS_110 conditions can recover after being transferred to normal seawater. Thus, the data presented herein may elucidate the mechanisms enabling Pyropia species to tolerate the sudden and periodic changes in salinity typical of intertidal systems. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • P. haitanensis maintained stronger water retention under HSS_100 than HSS_110. • P. haitanensis achieved stable osmotic adjustment more rapidly under HSS_100 than HSS_110. • P. haitanensis maintained higher K+/Na+ ratio under HSS_100 than under HSS_110. • P. haitanensis could scavenge ROS more positively under HSS_100 than HSS_110. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Follow-up X-ray Telescope (FXT) is one of the key payloads onboard EP. It is a Wolter-I type X-ray focusing telescope equipped with two telescope modules (focal length 1.6 m), with a total effective area of ~ 600 cm2 at 1.25 keV and an energy range of 0.3–10 keV. FXT is mainly composed of an X-ray focusing mirror assembly (MA) and a camera assembly with a PNCCD detector module. The two FXT modules are completely independent from each other, thus avoiding a single point failure. We completed the internal composites of FXT structural design, which meets the function and performance requirements of mechanical, thermal, contamination control and X-ray optics. The FXT passed successfully the mechanical, thermal qualification level tests on the spacecraft platform in the phase C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ratcheting behavior of pressurized straight pipes made of Z2CND18.10 austenitic stainless steel alloy was evaluated under in-plane bending cycles and under displacement- and force-controlled conditions by means of the Ahmadzadeh-Varvani (A-V) kinematic hardening rule. Ratcheting tests were conducted on straight pressurized steel pipes under bending cycles. Ratcheting response of steel pipes was also numerically simulated through inclusion of the A-V framework into ABAQUS software. The simulated ratcheting results along the axial and circumferential directions were found in good agreement with those of experimental values in the pressurized steel pipes. It was found that variables including the magnitude of internal pressure, cyclic bending moments, loading spectra, material properties, and FE element types, size and numbers noticeably impacted simulated ratcheting values. Ratcheting boundaries were further determined through coupling design codes of KTA/ASME and RCC-MR plus committee of three-dimensional finite element stress evaluation (C-TDF) with the A-V model. Both experimentally obtained ratcheting boundaries and those determined by design codes agreeably revealed the shakedown occurrence. • Ratcheting behavior of straight pipe under different controls is simulated by A-V model. • Influence of different factors on ratcheting behavior of pressurized straight pipe is studied. • Ratcheting boundary of shell and solid element types used for straight pipe is determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estrogen receptor-alpha36 (ER-α36) is a new isoform of estrogen receptors without transcriptional activation domains of the classical ER-α(ER - α66). ER-α36 is mainly located in cytoplasm and plasma membrane. ER-α36 mediates non-genomic signaling and is involved in genomic signaling of other ERs. Recently ER-α36 is found to play a critical role in the development of estrogen-dependent cancers and endocrine resistance of breast cancer. The present article overviews and updates the biological nature and function of ER-α36, potential interaction of ER-α36 with other estrogen receptors and growth factor receptors, intracellular signaling pathways, potential mechanism by which ER-α36 may play an important role in the development of tumor resistance to endocrine therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary pure mucinous adenocarcinoma (PMA) is a rare type of lung cancer with unique clinical and prognostic features. Previous studies have shown that PMA have more early‐stage cancer compared with other adenocarcinoma (ADC) subtypes. The clinicopathological features and optimal treatment strategies of resectable locally advanced mucinous adenocarcinoma lack evidence and require further study. Methods: In this study, we collected information from patients with stage III‐N2 PMA who underwent radical surgery between 2004 and 2016 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The clinicopathological parameters, treatments, overall survival (OS), and cancer‐specific survival (CSS) were evaluated. Results: Of 242,699 eligible lung adenocarcinoma patients, 124 with PMA and 3405 with other ADCs of stage III‐N2 received radical surgery were identified. Compared with other ADCs, PMA tended to appear more in the lower lobes, with higher degree of differentiation, less early T stage, and more positive lymph nodes numbers. Patients with PMA had significantly worse survival than other ADCs (OS = 45.0 vs. 57.1 months, p = 0.005, CSS = 51.8 vs. 65.5 months, p = 0.017). We explored the benefit population of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) and found that the population with ≤7 positive lymph nodes could benefit from PORT, and OS was significantly improved (41.2 vs. 69.3 months, p = 0.034). For patients with >7 positive lymph nodes, PORT did not provide a survival benefit, while chemotherapy improved OS (10.9 vs. 23.3 months, p = 0.041). Multivariate analysis showed that race, tumor location, number of positive lymph nodes, and PORT were independent prognostic factors in patients with postoperative III‐N2 lung PMA. Conclusion: The prognosis of patients with resectable III‐N2 primary lung PMA was significantly worse than that of other ADCs, and PORT was an independent prognostic factor. Patients with ≤7 positive lymph nodes could benefit from PORT and those with >7 positive lymph nodes could benefit from chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the hydrangea-shaped Bi 2 WO 6 /ZIF-8 (BWOZ) visible light photocatalysts have been prepared via a facile synthetic strategy for the first time. The constructed BWOZ composites were systematically studied by a series of characterization techniques. The SEM results manifested the octahedral ZIF-8 coated the flower-like Bi 2 WO 6 uniformly and the composition of BWOZ composites had been confirmed by XPS measurement. And the photocatalytic activity was evaluated by eliminating methylene blue with the help of visible light. The results showed that 7%-BWOZ (7.0 wt% Bi 2 WO 6) exhibited better photodegradation capability than pure Bi 2 WO 6 and ZIF-8. Compared with Bi 2 WO 6 , the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue by 7%-BWOZ could reach 85.7%. In addition, the pseudo-first-order kinetic constant of 7%-BWOZ was 23.00 and 1.61 times that of pristine Bi 2 WO 6 and ZIF-8, respectively. The improved photocatalytic ability of BWOZ systems may be due to the construction of heterojunctions between Bi 2 WO 6 and ZIF-8, which resulted in the rapid separation of photogenerated carriers. Additionally, the specific surface area of the formed BWOZ system was also improved in comparison with the flower-shaped Bi 2 WO 6 , and thus more active sites could be provided to contact with methylene blue molecules, thereby achieving better removal capacity. Moreover, trapping experiments and electron spin resonance results further illustrated that the coexistence of multiple free radicals realized efficient degradation of methylene blue. More importantly, the photocatalytic property of the 7%-BWOZ composite remained even after three cycles. Furthermore, a feasible photodegradation mechanism was also explored in depth. [Display omitted] • A novel photocatalyst of Bi 2 WO 6 /ZIF-8 was fabricated via a facile synthetic strategy. • The Bi 2 WO 6 /ZIF-8 can photodegrade methylene blue (MB) from wastewater efficiently. • The Bi 2 WO 6 /ZIF-8 can be applied in actual wastewater and possessed high renewability. • A convincible photocatalytic mechanism for removing MB by Bi 2 WO 6 /ZIF-8 was provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]