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Hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) films exhibit super-low friction coefficient but high wear rate in vacuum, while adjusting the deposition bias voltage is a practical method to enhance their anti-wear abilities. However, the inherent mechanisms are still no well comprehended. Here, systematic characterizations were conducted to unveil the intrinsic relationship between the superlubricious transfer films and their corresponding initial ion-energy induced bonding structures. The results indicated that the establishment of hydrogen-rich, graphite-like transfer films was the key factor for the ultra-low friction. The elevated deposition ion energy can cause structural changes of the initial film from layered-like nanoclustering structures to disordered bonding network, which could hamper the graphitization of transfer films and lead to the failure of superlubricity after the depletion of the sp 2-rich, highly hydrogenated surface nanolayers. For the sustainable structural evolution from the inherent nanoclusters to superlubricious transfer films, sufficient hydrogen and mechanical stiffness of the film bulk were necessary, which can be optimized by balancing the growth process of subplantaion and chemical adsorption via controlling the carbon ion energy to approach the theoretical surface penetration threshold of 30 eV. Under this condition, the films can achieve an ultra-low wear rate of 6.6 × 10−8 mm3N−1m−1 with a lowest friction coefficient of 0.007 in vacuum. These findings can provide guidance for the design of superlubricious carbon coatings for aerospace applications. [Display omitted] • The optimal deposition energy of a-C:H film for superlubricity in vacuum was explored. • Hydrogen-rich, graphite-like transferfilms were necessary for ultra-low friction. • Composition and nanoclusters of a-C:H determined the structure evolution of transferfilm. • Deposition energy close to the subplantation threshold leaded to robust superlubricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) film has demonstrated superlubricity in previous studies, but its effectiveness may be limited when applied to engineering components with surface contact and non-ideal smoothness. In this work, four kinds of plane contact friction pairs with different surface roughness (roughness of Sa from 21 nm to 544 nm) were designed and coated with a-C:H film with 43% hydrogen content by ionized beam deposition method. The results demonstrate that the film exhibits exceptional lubrication performance across various roughness interfaces, with the minimum friction coefficient reaching 0.005. The graphitization process and the actual contact state are discussed and calculated. These findings offer valuable insights into the potential application of highly-hydrogenated a-C:H film for moving parts in industrial equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-based materials including diamond-like carbon (DLC) and graphene have been demonstrated as extraordinary lubricating materials due to its specific structure and weakness of the interlayer interactions. In this work, the extreme coefficient of friction (COF = 0.002) was achieved on the silicon-doped hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H:Si) film by lubrication with graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets as additives in ethylene glycol. The tribochemical reactions occurred on the Si 3 N 4 surface and a-C:H:Si film, leading to the formation of the silica colloid layer on both Si 3 N 4 and a-C:H:Si surfaces. In the meantime, the physical adsorption of GO nanosheets on the friction surfaces makes the shear plane transfer from Si 3 N 4 /a-C:H:Si interface to GO/GO interface, which results in a further reduction of shear stress. The mechanism and modelling of a-C:H:Si and GO nanosheets synergistic lubrication effect was finally established to reveal the design principle of superlubricity at macroscale. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) films can provide macroscale superlubricity states in vacuum, their self-lubricating behaviors are highly dependent on the applied loads. The mechanisms of loss of superlubricity under ultra-low or extremely high contact pressure remain unclear. In this work, the origin of load-sensitive superlubricity of a-C:H films was revealed based on spatially resolved structural analyses of the sliding interfaces. The results highlighted the key role of contact pressure-induced diversified nano-structural evolution of transfer films in controlling superlubricity. To achieve superlubricity, a sufficiently high contact pressure was required to trigger the structural evolution of transfer films from polymer-like disordered bonding network structure towards locally ordered, layered-like sp 2 nanoclustering structures. Robust superlubricity can still be maintained under extremely high peak Hertz contact pressure up to 4.87 GPa, which is the highest value reported for macroscopic superlubricity in carbon-based materials. Nevertheless, excessively high contact pressure can cause an increase in the interfacial shear strength due to the pressure-induced generation of heterogeneous transfer films with thin, poor-hydrogenated, over-graphitized local regions embedded with enriched ironic sub-micro debris and nanoparticles, which inhibited further decrease of friction coefficient under extremely high contact pressure. These findings will enable more effective space applications of superlubricious a-C:H films under extreme conditions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superlubricity, a fantastic lubrication sate where friction or resistance to sliding nearly vanishes, has become one of the most important approaches to combat friction-induced energy consumption and devices failures. Emerging carbon nanostructures endow the research community with unprecedented opportunities to realize superlubricity across different length scales. This review provides an overview of the state-of-the-art of nanostructured carbon-based superlubricity, with a specific emphasis on unusual properties and new phenomena in representative carbon materials including layer carbon structure, diamond-like carbon, onion-like/fullerene-like carbons, ultra-nanocrystalline diamond and carbon nanotubes. The scientific fundamentals and technical routes to achieve superlow friction are highlighted for each individual carbon nanostructure. Perspectives on current challenges are put forward, and the possible future directions to guide the development of this field are suggested. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene-related materials and molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2) are good candidates as solid lubricants owing to their easy-shear property between lattice layers. However, the coefficients of friction (COFs) of graphene or graphene oxide (GO) are not sufficiently low at the macroscale and the friction and wear performance of MoS 2 is significantly deteriorated by humidity. Herein, GO–MoS 2 nanocomposite film is fabricated on a stainless steel (SS) substrate by a simple electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method in water. The deposited nanocomposite film can reduce the COF to 10% of that for a SS substrate and 50% of that for a pristine GO film and can extend the lifetime in comparison to a MoS 2 film under ambient conditions. A tribofilm forms in the wear track where GO nanoflakes wrap MoS 2 nanoflakes in the tribofilm; furthermore, a MoS 2 transfer layer forms on the steel ball surface during the friction test. This excellent lubrication performance arises from the synergetic effect between GO and MoS 2 , where the layered MoS 2 dominates the lubrication performance owing to its easy-shear property and the surrounding GO protects MoS 2 from humidity and oxidation. This has implications for developing nanocomposite films with excellent lubrication and wear-resistance performance for industrial applications. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to high concerns for environmental protection and resource conservation, water-based lubrication with some additives is gaining the attention of researchers. Hence, the present study has been conducted to explore the tribological potential of lubricant containing graphene oxide (GO) as an additive in water. The friction and wear performance was evaluated for self-mated SS 304 under reciprocating sliding using a ball-on-disc configuration under high contact stress (∼1.42 GPa or higher). The results indicate that 0.1 wt% is the optimum content of graphene oxide under the conditions used in the study and has the capability to reduce friction coefficient from 0.56 (pure water) to 0.12 with an attendant reduction in wear volume by 68%. The enhancement in tribological performance has been attributed to the formation of a low shear strength tribo-layer of graphene on the surface of both the ball and the disc. The effect of normal load and sliding speed for optimized concentration was also investigated. The average coefficient of friction was observed to increase with load whereas, it was observed to decrease with increase in speed till 0.05 m/s beyond which it increased. • Keeping in view the environmental concerns, the potential of GO nano-sheets as an additive in water has been explored for self-mated steel pair. • A significant reduction in friction coefficient of the system (from 0.56 to 0.12) has been observed with the addition of 0.1 wt.% GO in water. • Improved tribological performance has been attributed to the adsorption of GO and formation of a low shear-strength tribo-layer on steel-pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract There have been insistent demands for effective lubricants as well as additives for reducing friction and wear in various applications. Recently, graphene oxide (GO) and nanodiamond (ND) have been observed to be promising materials to reduce friction and wear in tribological studies. Herein, a novel lubricant has been developed by using GO and ND together as lubricant additives in water in order to enhance tribological performance. The tribopairs employed were Si3N4 balls and Si wafers, and the applied normal load was 5–80 mN. The lowest friction coefficient of approximately 0.03 was obtained for water with 0.1 wt.% GO and 0.5 wt.% ND, while the corresponding depth of wear track was as low as about 5 nm. Analysis of the tribological mechanisms elucidated that the sliding-induced nanostructured tribofilm, the low shearing resistance between graphene sheets, and the possible ball bearing effect of ND all contributed to the remarkable tribological behaviors of the lubricant. Highlights • GO and ND are used simultaneously as solid additives in water. • Low friction coefficient of about 0.03 and tiny wear track depth of about 5 nm were obtained. • The sliding-induced tribo-films were investigated by TEM to reveal the tribological mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Graphene has shown excellent tribological behaviors, enabling its potential applications as lubricating and anti-wear coatings, however, the grain boundaries (GBs) formed during the preparation process may deteriorate the performance of graphene. Using large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, we study the wear mechanism of graphene GBs with various misorientation angles between two grains. Compared with pure nanoindentation at the GBs, the critical load of wear failure upon nanoscratching across the GBs is much lower due to the synergetic actions of interlocking and pushing between the tip and graphene atoms. The misorientation angle between the adjacent grains significantly effects the onset and fashion of atomic-scale wear. Results show that wear resistance of the graphene with large-angle GBs is slightly lower than that of pristine graphene. Nevertheless, a number of the long bonds emerge in the vicinity of the low-angle GBs during scratching, leading to wear failure at much smaller load than the large-angle GBs. Furthermore, wear resistance of the low-angle GBs can be enhanced by increasing the interfacial strength between graphene and substrate due to the reduced number of the long bonds at the GB. This study sheds light on improving wear resistance of graphene coating by properly controlling its microstructures. Graphical abstract Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract NiTi alloys with different porosities were obtained by the Spark Plasma Sintering method. The two-way shape memory effect of NiTi alloys with good integrated performance was obtained by the thermal-mechanical cycling training, and it was used to endow NiTi alloy with the self-adaptive behavior. The results show that the porous NiTi alloys with excellent tribological performances and functional properties were obtained. With the storage of oil, the friction coefficient can decrease from 0.391 to 0.041. The self-lubricating mechanism is the formation of a fractionated thin film, and the main wear form is abrasive wear. The lubricating oil inside the specimens with self-adaptive behavior can be squeezed out or stored back, so as to accommodate the lubricating film for better lubrication. Graphical abstract Image 1 Preparation of NiTi alloy and its self-adaptive behavior: (a) thermal-mechanical training and (b) the mechanism of self-adaptive behavior. Highlights • The porous NiTi shape memory alloy with good synthetical properties are obtained by SPS. • After thermal-mechanical cycling training, the porous NiTi alloys can obtain the self-adaptive behavior. • The specimens with self-adaptive behavior can resist the influence of temperature on their COFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbides with high strength and chemically inert have unique optical and electrical properties, but widely used and controllable wet chemical methods are unsuitable for the synthesis of their nanocomposites because of the ultrahigh melting point. In this paper, we demonstrate one novel, simple and ultrafast laser irradiation method to synthesize ultrafine SiC@graphene nanocomposites. Both the fragmentation and spheroidization of bulk SiC flakes and surface covered by 1–3 graphene layers are accomplished in the one-step laser irradiation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controllable friction and wear is desired for the structural durability and functional reliability in small-scale moving devices such as MEMS/NEMS. A critical need is to understand the fundamental mechanisms concerning interfacial friction evolution and modulation on the nano-structured surfaces, and to explore the possibility to reduce wear at the nanoscale. Here, we show a novel method to reduce friction by fabrication of nano-groove patterns on wear-resistant Zr-based bulk metallic glass of Zr 52.5 Cu 17.9 Ni 14.6 Al 10 Ti 5 . The tunable level of friction reduction is highly dependent on contact parameters, and the origins of a series of friction phenomena such as Amontonian behavior, friction anisotropy, logarithmic evolution and topography-induced instability are interpreted from the aspects of groove density, normal load, scan velocity, topographical direction and contact area. The exceptional anti-wear performance of glassy metal interface is attributed to the in-situ formation of a 5 nm-thick oxide layer with specific alloying components of ZrO 2 , CuO and Al 2 O 3 . The present findings provide key implications on the use of metallic glass as engineering materials for sustainable and efficient design of miniaturized systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tremendous mechanical energy loss on friction and serious mechanical failures caused by wear are attracting more and more researchers studying on friction and lubrication to ease the situation of energy shortage. We demonstrate a novel and green laser-assisted solution growth strategy for ideal fullerene-like MoS 2 nanospheres, in which both the morphology reshaping and bond reconstructing processes of MoS 2 nanoflakes are involved in the one-step laser irradiation under ambient conditions. Due to the spherical shape, solid structure, and improved chemical stability, such MoS 2 nanospheres as additives in paraffin liquid can effectively reduce the friction coefficient (∼47% reduction) and enhance the extreme pressure property (>2.24 GPa). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functionalization of graphene will render it with novel properties through modifying its chemical, structural and electronic properties, and therefore it has been intensively investigated. As one effective method to enhance the surface activity of graphene, fluorination of graphene with chemical controllability and topographical uniformity is highly desirable yet grandly challenging. In this study, the density functional theory calculations have been carried out to investigate the fluorination activity of graphene on Ni(1 1 1) and graphite. The results indicate that the interfacial interaction between graphene and Ni(1 1 1) can remarkably enhance the binding energies of F atoms on graphene via the intensive charge transfer between C atoms and Ni atoms. The atomic stacking of graphene and top layer of Ni(1 1 1) has a remarkable influence on the binding energies of F atoms, and the C atoms at the hollow sites of Ni(1 1 1) are more likely to be fluorinated. In addition, due to the confinement from Ni(1 1 1), the crystalline structure and corrugation of graphene are well preserved after the fluorination. As for the case of graphene on graphite, its fluorination activity is similar to monolayer graphene. Moreover, the fluorination activity of graphene on Ni(1 1 1) was found to be layer-dependent, namely being reduced as a result of the attenuation of the interfacial interaction from Ni(1 1 1) with the increasing of graphene layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cubic boron nitride (cBN) as a superhard material has significant potential to provide solutions for the thermostability problems of the high-speed cutting tools to adapt the harsh mechanical working environments. Granularity-induced improvements in hardness and the thermal resistance of pure polycrystalline cBN (PcBN) is highly conductive to fragment and plastic behaviors of the pristine cBN particles in the first step of high-pressure induced synthesis process. Rapid detection of them with respect to different sizes of pristine cBN powders is realized by the analysis of the internal stress through the methods of X-ray diffraction (XRD) profile and Raman spectrum. It is deduced that the plastic deformation with significant fragment of the relatively coarse-grained PcBN was dominated by the effect of strain strengthening and then recrystallization, resulting in the optimized performance with a combination of the enhanced mechanical properties (Vickers hardness of Hv3958 and compressive strength of 2.38 GPa) and the high thermal resistance (1202 °C). The proposed fundamental plastic deformation theory of the strengthening polycrystalline cBN is of great guiding significance for the field of high-precision cutting tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A series of tungsten-gradually doped diamond-like carbon (DLC) films with functionally graded interlayer were prepared using a hybrid technique of vacuum cathodic arc/magnetron sputtering/ion beam deposition. With ‘compositionally graded coating’ concept, the deposition of wear-resistant carbon-based films with excellent adhesion to metallic substrate was realized. In the films, a functionally graded interlayer with layer sequence of Cr/CrN/CrNC/CrC/WC was first deposited onto the substrate, and then, a DLC layer doped with gradually decreasing content of W was coated on. The W concentration gradient along depth of the film was tailored by adjusting the W target current and deposition time. The characterized results indicate that the microstructural, mechanical and tribological properties of these films show a significant dependence on the W concentration gradient. A high fraction of W atom in carbon matrix can promote the formation of sp2 sites and WC1−x nanoparticles. Applying this coating concept, strongly adherent carbon films with critical load exceeding 100N in scratch test were obtained, and no fractures or delaminations were observed at the end of the scratched trace. The hardness was found to vary from 13.28 to 32.13GPa with increasing W concentration. These films also presented excellent tribological properties, especially significantly low wear rate under dry sliding condition against Si3N4 ball. The optimum wear performance with friction coefficient of 0.19 and wear rate of 8.36×10−7 mm3/Nm was achieved for the tungsten-gradually doped DLC film with a graded W concentration ranging from 52.5% to 17.8%. This compositionally graded coating system might be a potentially promising candidate for wear-resistant carbon-based films in the demanding tribological applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In order to smooth the rough surface and further improve the wear-resistance of coarse chemical vapor deposition diamond films, diamond/tetrahedral amorphous carbon composite films were synthesized by a two-step preparation technique including hot-filament chemical vapor deposition for polycrystalline diamond (PCD) and subsequent filtered cathodic vacuum arc growth for tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C). The microstructure and tribological performance of the composite films were investigated by means of various characterization techniques. The results indicated that the composite films consisted of a thick well-grained diamond base layer with a thickness up to 150μm and a thin covering ta-C layer with a thickness of about 0.3μm, and sp3-C fraction up to 73.93%. Deposition of a smooth ta-C film on coarse polycrystalline diamond films was proved to be an effective tool to lower the surface roughness of the polycrystalline diamond film. The wear-resistance of the diamond film was also enhanced by the self-lubricating effect of the covering ta-C film due to graphitic phase transformation. Under dry pin-on-disk wear test against Si3N4 ball, the friction coefficients of the composite films were much lower than that of the single PCD film. An extremely low friction coefficient (∼0.05) was achieved for the PCD/ta-C composite film. Moreover, the addition of Ti interlayer between the ta-C and the PCD layers can further reduce the surface roughness of the composite film. The main wear mechanism of the composite films was abrasive wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Multilayered Cr–C/a-C:Cr thin films were prepared by using a hybrid technique of combined vacuum cathodic arc/magnetron sputtering/ion beam deposition. The multilayered films consisted of a dense gradient base layer and 10 bi-layers of Cr–C (chromium matrix containing some carbon) and a-C:Cr (amorphous carbon matrix containing a small amount of chromium). The thickness of individual a-C:Cr layer was kept constant at about 18.5nm, while that of individual Cr–C layer varied from 11.1 to 55.1nm. It was found that an increase of the individual Cr–C layer thickness from 11.1 to 40nm resulted in increase in material nanohardness from 7.6 to 13.6GPa and Young''s modulus from 107 to 164.8GPa. However, a further increase in the individual Cr–C layer thickness to 55.1nm led to decrease in nanohardness to 9.5GPa and Young''s modulus to 142.4GPa. The scratch tests indicate that the adhesion strengths between the films and substrates are dramatically improved through the multilayered structure, acquiring critical loads exceeding 80N. The results of pin-on-disk tests show that the lowest wear rate 1.35×10−6 mm3/Nm was achieved from the coated sample with the individual Cr–C layer thickness of about 40nm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg) play a central role in the prevention of autoimmunity and in the control of immune responses by down-regulating the function of effector CD4+ or CD8+ T cells. The role of Treg in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and persistence is inadequately documented. Therefore, the current study was designed to determine whether CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells may modulate immunity against human tuberculosis (TB). Our results indicate that the number of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Treg increases in the blood or at the site of infection in active TB patients. The frequency of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Treg in pleural fluid inversely correlates with local MTB-specific immunity (p <0.002). These CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ T lymphocytes isolated from the blood and pleural fluid are capable of suppressing MTB-specific IFN-γ and IL-10 production in TB patients. Therefore, CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Treg expanded in TB patients suppress M. tuberculosis immunity and may therefore contribute to the pathogenesis of human TB. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We have reported that chaperone-rich cell lysate (CRCL) is an effective anticancer vaccine in immunocompetent mice. In this study, we explored the therapeutic applicability of CRCL in the context of syngeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) to treat preexisting leukemia. Our results demonstrate that tumor growth is significantly delayed in mice receiving syngeneic HCT from 12B1 tumor CRCL-immunized donors compared with animals receiving HCT from nonimmunized donors. CRCL immunization after immune HCT further hindered tumor growth when compared with immune HCT without posttransplantation vaccination. The magnitude of the immune response was consistent with the antitumor effects observed in vivo. Rechallenge of surviving mice with 12B1 or A20 cells in opposite groins confirmed that mice had developed long-term tumor-specific immunity against 12B1 tumor cells. In addition, we documented that both T cells and natural killer cells contributed to the antitumor effect of CRCL vaccination, because depletion of either subset hampered tumor growth delay. Thus, our results indicate that CRCL is a promising vaccine capable of generating specific immune responses. This antitumor immunity can be effectively transferred to a host via HCT and further enhanced after HCT with additional tumor CRCL immunizations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Many studies have provided evidence that core antigen of hepatitis B virus (HBcAg) is extremely immunogenic, HBcAg can be function as both a T-cell-dependent antigen and a T-cell-independent antigen, and thus may be a promising candidate for therapeutic vaccine for control of chronic HBV infection. HBcAg is also an effective carrier for heterologous peptide epitopes. The preS1 is a surface protein of HBV and is immunogenic at the T and B cell level. The amino acid sequence 21–47 of preS1 is crucial for HBV binding to human hepatocytes as well as to PBMC and haematopoietic cell lines of the B cell lineage. Here we expressed a chimeric protein named HBVCS1, created by fusing the preS1 sequence 3–55 to the carboxyl terminus of the truncated HBcAg sequence 1–155 in E. coli. Analysis of its antigenicity and immunogenicity revealed that both HBc and preS1 epitopes are surface accessible, and that fusion of preS1 did not affect the HBc antigenicity and immunogenicity of the truncated HBc sequence. HBVCS1 induced strong anti-HBc and moderate anti-preS1 immune responses as well specific T-cell response in Balb/c mice. HBVCS1 vaccination reduced of the titer of HBsAg and HBV DNA in sera of HBV-Tg mice. These results indicate that HBVCS1 may have potential as a therapeutic vaccine for treatment of HBV chronic infection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) for mechanical energy harvesting has been regarded as one of the most prospective energy technologies for the new era. However, inevitable material wear during triboelectrification results in output reduction and even failure of the TENG. In this work, a submillimeter‐scale superlubric TENG (SS‐TENG) is reported that enables ultra‐low friction coefficient (µ) and stable power generation. By using the micro/nano‐processing technology, the interdigital electrodes are embedded into the dielectric layer as a flat surface, on which the highly‐hydrogenated diamond‐like carbon (PLC) is deposited as the triboelectric layer to effectively reduce the friction coefficient. The frictional properties are systematically investigated at different parameters, in which a submillimeter‐scale (130 µm) superlubricity state (µ = 0.0084) is achieved at 4 N, 2 Hz and nitrogen atmosphere. Meanwhile, the SS‐TENG has a maximum power density of 3 mW m−2, which can remain stable at the superlubric condition. This work has first realized the freestanding‐mode superlubric TENG in submillimeter scale and provided a viable strategy for the development of long‐lifetime TENG, which may have great applications in frictional energy recovery from mechanical components, human joint motion, and the natural environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A nickel layer was pre-electroplated over bearing steel to assist the graphene deposition. • Few to multi-layer Graphene was synthesized under varying growth conditions. • Optimized growth condition can produce high-quality graphene films. • Graphene films on steel enhance short as well as long term tribological performance. The present work investigates the friction and wear behavior of graphene synthesized on bearing steel. To avoid the deterioration in the quality of graphene during transfer and to avail the advantage of better adhesion between graphene and substrate, the graphene films were grown directly by thermal chemical vapor deposition on GCr15 bearing steel catalyzed with a layer of electroplated nickel. A gaseous mixture of H 2 and acetylene (C 2 H 2) was used to synthesize the graphene films. The effect of growth temperature, reaction time and flow rate on the formation of graphene films was investigated by Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that few to multilayer graphene can be grown across the surface of Ni/steel. It was concluded that the graphene quality could be enhanced by optimizing the growth temperature, acetylene flow rate and time. Further, comparative study of tribological behavior of steel, Ni/steel, and G/Ni/steel was performed against steel ball for shorter as well as longer duration and it was concluded that graphene films over nickel catalyzed steel can enhance the tribological performance effectively. Graphene films can reduce the friction coefficient to 0.15 with 2–3 order reduction in wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sulfur- and phosphorus-free organo-molybdenum (SPFM) was successfully synthesized. The friction-reducing and anti-wear properties of SPFM combined with zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) in base oil were assessed, revealing SPFM additive efficiently reduces the friction coefficient and exhibits good synergistic anti-wear relationship with ZDDP. The smoother wear scar surface further supports the improvement in the anti-wear behavior and synergy effect between SPFM and ZDDP. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy unravels the existence of Mo and S in the tribofilms formed on the rubbing surface, and the formation of MoS 2 crystalline is verified by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microcopy. The mechanism promoting the in situ formation of MoS 2 is proposed via the synergistic chemical reaction between SPFM and ZDDP during rubbing. • A sulfur- and phosphorus-free organo-molybdenum (SPFM) was successfully synthesized. • SPFM displays good synergistic anti-wear relationship with ZDDP and their combination shows low friction coefficient. • MoS 2 is in situ formed under the coexistence of SPFM and ZDDP, which is confirmed by transmission electron microcopy. • The mechanism triggering in situ formation of MoS 2 is proposed via synergistic chemical reaction between SPFM and ZDDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beyond the antimicrobial activity, doxycycline (DOX) exhibits longevity‐promoting effect in nematodes, while its effect on mammals is unclear. Here, we applied a mouse model of Hutchinson‐Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), Zmpste24 knockout (KO) mice, and analyzed the antiaging effect of DOX. We found that the DOX treatment prolongs lifespan and ameliorates progeroid features of Zmpste24 KO mice, including the decline of body and tissue weight, exercise capacity and cortical bone density, and the shortened colon length. DOX treatment alleviates the abnormal nuclear envelope in multiple tissues, and attenuates cellular senescence and cell death of Zmpste24 KO and HGPS fibroblasts. DOX downregulates the level of proinflammatory IL6 in both serum and tissues. Moreover, the elevated α‐tubulin (K40) acetylation mediated by NAT10 in progeria, is rescued by DOX treatment in the aorta tissues in Zmpste24 KO mice and fibroblasts. Collectively, our study uncovers that DOX can decelerate aging in progeria mice via counteracting IL6 expression and NAT10‐mediated acetylation of α‐tubulin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The urgent need for new treatments for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and pre-extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (pre-XDR-TB) is evident. However, the classic randomized controlled trial (RCT) approach faces ethical and practical constraints, making alternative research designs and treatment strategies necessary, such as single-arm trials and host-directed therapies (HDTs). Methods: Our study adopts a randomized withdrawal trial design for MDR-TB to maximize resource allocation and better mimic real-world conditions. Patients' treatment regimens are initially based on drug resistance profiles and patient's preference, and later, treatment-responsive cases are randomized to different treatment durations. Alongside, a single-arm trial is being conducted to evaluate the potential of sulfasalazine (SASP) as an HDT for pre-XDR-TB, as well as another short-course regimen without HDT for pre-XDR-TB. Both approaches account for the limitations in second-line anti-TB drug resistance testing in various regions. Discussion: Although our study designs may lack the internal validity commonly associated with RCTs, they offer advantages in external validity, feasibility, and ethical appropriateness. These designs align with real-world clinical settings and also open doors for exploring alternative treatments like SASP for tackling drug-resistant TB forms. Ultimately, our research aims to strike a balance between scientific rigor and practical utility, offering valuable insights into treating MDR-TB and pre-XDR-TB in a challenging global health landscape. In summary, our study employs innovative trial designs and treatment strategies to address the complexities of treating drug-resistant TB, fulfilling a critical gap between ideal clinical trials and the reality of constrained resources and ethical considerations. Trail registration: Chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2100045930. Registered on April 29, 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superlubricity at gold–graphite heterointerfaces can be easily achieved at the nanoscale because the different lattice parameters make them the promising friction pairs to form the incommensurate contact. However, the superlubricity under a high contact pressure at micro- or macro-scales, which has great implications in mechanical lubrication, remains unclear. In this study, a gold nanocrystal-coated probe was fabricated to form the multiple gold–graphite heterointerfaces in the contact zone, and the superlubricity was achieved under high contact pressures at ambient conditions. Friction coefficient reduced to the order of 0.001, and the scaling law of friction versus contact area satisfied the structural superlubricity model with a scaling power of γ = 0.08–0.36. The superlow friction can be attributed to the formation of structural superlubricity where the mismatched lattices at the multiple gold–graphite heterointerfaces ensure the incommensurate contact. These results extend the superlubricity of gold–graphite heterointerfaces to the practical level for the lubrication of micro- and nano-electromechanical systems. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The previous study shows that superlubricity is achieved for self-mated a-C:H films deposited on steel surfaces with industry-application-level roughness (Sa∼118 nm). However, for rougher surfaces (Sa > 500 nm), whether superlubricity can be maintained is still unbeknown. In this study, two types of balls coated with different a-C:H films were rubbed with a rough a-C:H surface (Sa ∼565 nm). The results indicate the superlubricity probability for balls with type A film (gradient adhesive-interlayer) is higher than that with type B film (non-gradient adhesive-interlayer). For a rough a-C:H surface, the adhesive strength of coating and transfer film microstructure dominate tribological behaviors. These findings supply guidance for the industry application of DLC films with scale-up of roughness. [Display omitted] • Outstanding adhesion of a-C:H film is a premise for superlubricity on rough surfaces (Sa > 500 nm). • The lubricity of bare steel counterfaces against rough a-C:H surface is clarified. • The structural origins of local ordering degrees of tribo-layers are revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing the tribological properties of immersed resin is a common and effective method to prolong the service life of aero self-lubricating spherical plain bearing. Herein, using hollow mesoporous carbon nanospheres (HMCNs) as containers, the oil-containing carbon nanocapsules (Oil@C), which were obtained by the incipient wetness impregnation method, were applied as reinforced particles to improve the tribological properties of solvent-based phenol−formaldehyde (PF) resin. Specifically speaking, the Oil@C was monodispersed and uniform with the diameter of 190 nm, shell thickness of 12.5 nm and oil containing rate of 70.59 wt%. With the content of Oil@C reach to 5 wt%, the coefficient of friction (COF) of PF composite decreased about 81.9% (from 0.54 to 0.098). Moreover, the service life of the PF composite prolonged greatly, from 460 s to 5 h. According to the analyzation of morphology and transfer film of the friction pairs, it revealed that the released oil played a key role in the realization of self-lubricating property of PF composites, inhibiting the transfer of PF resin and exfoliation of coating. However, there were different degrees of decline occurred on the shear strength of the PF composites, which needs further improvement. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Three new multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB)/ pre-extensive drug-resistant tuberculosis (pre-XDR-TB) regimens, five drugs for 9 months. • The first cohort of short-course regimens for MDR-TB in China. • Of 99 assessable participants, 92.9% had a favorable outcome. • Culture conversion was 82.5% at month 2 and 97.9% at month 6. • Majority of adverse effects were manageable and reversible. Long, ineffective, and toxic regimens hinder the treatment of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and pre-extensive drug-resistant tuberculosis (pre-XDR-TB). We conducted a multicenter cohort study to prospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy of three 9-month, all-oral, 5-drug regimens. Regimen A (bedaquiline [Bdq]+linezolid [Lzd]+moxifloxacin [Mfx]+cycloserine [Cs]+pyrazinamide [Pza]) and Regimen B (Lzd+Mfx+Cs+clofazimine [Cfz]+Pza) were used to treat MDR-TB patients (Groups A and B, respectively, assigned according to the patient's treatment preference), while Regimen C (Bdq+Lzd+Cs+Cfz+Pza) was used to treat pre-XDR-TB patients (Group C). The primary endpoint was the occurrence of an unfavorable outcome within 12 months of treatment completion, regardless of regimen. A total of 104 patients (34 in Group A, 46 in Group B, and 24 in Group C), with a median age of 35.5 (29.0-54.0) years, were included in the analysis population. At 12 months after treatment completion, five patients were deemed non-assessable. Of the remaining 99 participants, seven (7.1%) had an unfavorable outcome (including two deaths from any cause, four with treatment failure, and one loss to follow-up) and 92 (92.9%) had a favorable outcome. Culture conversion was achieved in 82.5% (80/97) of participants at month 2 and in 97.9% (94/97) of participants at month 6. Adverse events (AEs) resulting in drug adjustment occurred in 69.2% (72/104) of participants, mainly due to Lzd and Pza use. A QT interval prolongation of ≥ 500 ms occurred in 5.8% (6/104) of participants. The primary outcome of the three tailored, 9-month, all-oral, 5-drug regimens was satisfactory in the vast majority of MDR-TB and pre-XDR-TB patients, with manageable and reversible AEs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper highlights the lubricating and film-forming behaviors of diketone and surface characteristics of tribopairs after the friction test. An ultralow friction coefficient of 0.007 is accomplished on steel surfaces with diketone. The existence of tribochemical adsorption films inside the wear track is directly measured and observed. Moreover, a well-developed conformal contact surface morphology is generated between two friction pairs, which can be helpful to the realization of ultralow friction on rough surfaces. In addition, the film thickness of diketone was detected using by relative optical interference intensity (ROII) under different rolling speeds. Present work reveals that diketone lubricant has a good lubricating performance on steel surfaces, and can be extended to applications with small loads. Graphical abstract Tribochemical adsorbed films are formed on steel surfaces lubricated with EPBD-0201. (a) XPS spectra of C 1s, (b) adsorption model of diketone molecule with iron ion, (c) molecular structure of chelate. Image 1 Highlights • Ultralow friction coefficient of 0.007 is achieved and keeps stable on steel surfaces lubricated with EPBD-0201. • Tribochemical reaction between diketone molecules and iron ions occurs and chemically adsorbed films are formed on rubbing surfaces. • A well-established conformal contact surface morphology between steel ball and disc is generated lubricated with EPBD-0201 during running-in process due to the tribochemical reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• All types and characteristics of available laboratory testing for SARS-CoV-2 were reviewed. • The selection strategies of testing and sampling sites were examined at different disease stages. • The choice of test depends on technical characteristics, clinical scenarios and requirements. The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which began in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, has rapidly spread to produce a global pandemic. It is now clear that person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has been occurring and that the virus has been dramatically growing in recent months. Early, rapid and accurate diagnosis is of great significance for curtailing the spread of SARS-CoV-2. There are currently several diagnostic techniques (e.g. viral culture and nucleic acid amplification test) being used to detect the virus. However, the sensitivity and specificity of these methods are quite different, with the sample source and detection limit varying greatly. This study reviewed all types and characteristics of the currently available laboratory diagnostic assays for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection and summarized the selection strategies of testing and sampling sites at different disease stages to improve the diagnostic accuracy of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The heterogeneous interface paired by nc-Ag/MoS 2 and GLC films achieved robust superlubricity at high contact stress for long working duration. • The tribopair achieved COF as low as 0.005 and wear rate at 3.67×10-8 mm3/N·m under a high contact pressure up to 2.33 GPa for 50000 cycles. • High contact stress induced MoS 2 to be highly crystallized and well aligned along the sliding interface, along with the graphitization of GLCH film. Solid lubricants have superior environmental adaptability and can be widely used in space machinery under extreme harsh working conditions, including high contact pressure, high or cryogenic temperature, long working duration, etc. Loose-structured molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2) film usually has poor load-bearing capacity, while low-hydrogenated graphitic-like carbon (GLCH) film is difficult to construct low-sheared frictional interfaces under dry inert atmosphere. In this paper, the heterogeneous interface was built up by combining nano-crystallized silver-doped MoS 2 (nc-Ag/MoS 2) and GLCH films to achieve superlubricity (coefficient of friction, COF = 0.006) under the ultra-high contact stress of 2.33 GPa. The results emphasize that the GLCH film with a low hydrogen content among the hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) films is more likely to be low-friction and anti-wear when paired with nc-Ag/MoS 2 film. Moreover, the nc-Ag/MoS 2 film has potential to obtain the high load-bearing capacities and induce an appropriate graphitization of GLCH film in the heterogeneous interface system, obtaining superlow friction in contrast to the homogeneous self-mated GLCH tribopair. Additionally, this heterogeneous interface can achieve superlubricity (COF = 0.007) for more than 50,000 sliding cycles without failure. This study has important application significance in space machinery and can provide theoretical guidance and new paths for future solid lubrication technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to lack of effective biomarkers for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), many patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, which leads to poor prognosis. Dysregulation of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA contributes significantly to tumorigenesis and tumor progression. However, the diagnostic value of m6A RNA status in peripheral blood to screen NSCLC remains unclear. Peripheral blood samples from 152 NSCLC patients and 64 normal controls (NCs) were applied to assess the m6A RNA levels. Bioinformatics and qRT-PCR analysis were performed to identify the specific immune cells in peripheral blood cells and investigate the mechanism of the alteration of m6A RNA levels. Robust elevation of m6A RNA levels of peripheral blood cells was exhibited in the NSCLC group. Moreover, the m6A levels increased as NSCLC progressed, and reduced after treatment. The m6A levels contained area under the curve (AUC) was 0.912, which was remarkably greater than the AUCs for CEA (0.740), CA125 (0.743), SCC (0.654), and Cyfra21-1 (0.730). Furthermore, the combination of these traditional biomarkers with m6A levels elevated the AUC to 0.970. Further analysis established that the expression of m6A erasers FTO and ALKBH5 were both markedly reduced and negatively correlated with m6A levels in peripheral blood of NSCLC. Additionally, GEO database and flow cytometry analysis implied that FTO and ALKBH5 attributes to peripheral CD4+ T cells proportion and activated the immune functions of T cells. These findings unraveled that m6A RNA of peripheral blood immune cells was a prospective biomarker for the diagnosis of NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Scedosporium species have drawn significant interest as inhabitants of polluted soil and water and as cause of high mortality in near‐drowning patients. So far, most cases have been reported from Europe and Australia, while knowledge on their prevalence and genotypic diversity from Asia is scant. Objectives: To increase the knowledge of the genetic diversity and in vitro antifungal susceptibility of Scedosporium species involved in human infections from China. Methods: Here, we applied the ISHAM‐MLST consensus scheme for molecular typing of Scedosporium species and revealed both high species diversity and high genotypic diversity among 45 Chinese clinical Scedosporium isolates. Results: Among the five species, Scedosporium boydii (n = 22) was the most common, followed by S. apiospermum (n = 18), S. aurantiacum (n = 4) and S. dehoogii (n = 1). S. aurantiacum was reported for the first time from clinical samples in China. The predominant sequence types (STs) were ST17 in S. apiospermum, ST4 in S. boydii and ST92 in S. aurantiacum, including four novel STs (ST40, ST41, ST42 and ST43) in S. apiospermum. Based on the CLSI‐M38 A2 criterion, voriconazole was the only antifungal compound with low MIC values (MIC90 ≤ 1 μg/ml) for all Scedosporium isolates in our study. Conclusions: The genetic diversity of clinical isolates of Scedosporium species from China is extremely high, with S. boydii being predominant and S. aurantiacum being firstly reported here. VOR was the only antifungal compound with low MIC values for all Scedosporium isolates in our study, which should be recommended as the firstline antifungal treatment against scedosporiosis in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to reconfigure spin structure and spin‐photon interactions by an external electric field is a prerequisite for seamless integration of opto‐spintronics into modern electronics. In this study, the use of electric field on the tuning of circular photo galvanic effect in a quasi‐2D oxyhalide perovskite Bi4NbO8Cl is reported. The electrical transport measurements are applied to study the switching characteristics of the microsheet devices. The electric field is used to tune the nanoscale devices and an optical orientation approach is applied to understand the field‐tuned spin‐polarized band structures. It is found that the circular photogalvanic current can be erased and re‐created by poling, indicating the electric‐field‐based control over spin structure. The study enriches the basic understanding of the symmetry‐regulated optoelectronic response in ferroelectrics with spin‐orbit coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective adaptive immune response depends on the organized architecture of secondary lymphoid organs, including the lymph nodes (LNs). While the cellular composition and microanatomy of LNs under steady state are well defined, the impact of chronic tissue inflammation on the structure and function of draining LNs is incompletely understood. Here we showed that Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection remodeled LN architecture by increasing the number and paracortical translocation of B cells. The formation of paracortical B lymphocyte and CD35+ follicular dendritic cell clusters dispersed CCL21-producing fibroblastic reticular cells and segregated pathogen-containing myeloid cells from antigen-specific CD4+ T cells. Depletion of B cells restored the chemokine and lymphoid structure and reduced bacterial burdens in LNs of the chronically infected mice. Importantly, this remodeling process impaired activation of naive CD4+ T cells in response to mycobacterial and unrelated antigens during chronic tuberculosis infection. Our studies reveal a mechanism in the regulation of LN microanatomy during inflammation and identify B cells as a critical element limiting the T cell response to persistent intracellular infection in LNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A series of colorful Si-DLC/PLC multilayer films were synthesized for robust superlubricity at high contact stress. • The mechanical and anti-friction properties of the multilayer films are remarkably influenced by the bilayer period λ. • A bilayer period λ of 324 nm endows the film with a superlow friction coefficient and a near-zero wear rate under 1.76 GPa. Diamond-like carbon (DLC) enables the design of novel lubricant structures to realize macroscale superlubricity in harsh working conditions. In this work, a series of nanostructured multilayer Si-DLC/PLC films with colorful appearances were developed to provide a lubrication state with near-zero friction and wear for responding the challenge of lubrication requirement in high-load operation environment. The results reveal the crucial role of structural parameter, namely the thickness of a bilayer period λ (i.e., 9–324 nm), in determining the construction architecture, mechanical properties and anti-friction lubricity of the multilayered films. Specifically, a bilayer period of 324 nm (total film thickness of 1.53 μm) endows the film with a superlow friction coefficient of 0.003 and a near-zero wear rate of 4.06 × 10−9 mm/Nm under a peak Hertz contact pressure of 1.76 GPa. The relationship between the load-bearing capacity, nano-clustering transformation of the sliding interface and the steady state of superlubricity is investigated in detail to clarify its high-stress adaption and robustness of the anti-friction features. The design architecture of well-tailored multicomponent and nanostructured multilayer films indeed offers an effective theoretical and technical solution to the long-term lubrication and protection of mechanical moving parts under heavy load conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uridine is a natural nucleoside precursor of uridine monophosphate in organisms and thus is considered to be safe and is used in a wide range of clinical settings. The far-reaching effects of pharmacological uridine have long been neglected. Here, we report that the homeostatic disorder of uridine is carcinogenic. Targeted disruption (-/-) of murine uridine phosphorylase (UPase) disrupted the homeostasis of uridine and increased spontaneous tumorigenesis by more than 3-fold. Multiple tumors (e.g., lymphoma, hepatoma and lung adenoma) occurred simultaneously in some UPase deficient mice, but not in wild-type mice raised under the same conditions. In the tissue from UPase -/- mice, the 2'-deoxyuridine,5'-triphosphate (dUTP) levels and uracil DNA were increased and p53 was activated with an increased phospho-Ser18 p53 level. Exposing cell lines (e.g., MCF-7, RKO, HCT-8 and NCI-H460) to uridine (10 or 30 µM) led to uracil DNA damage and p53 activation, which in turn triggered the DNA damage response. In these cells, phospho-ATM, phospho-CHK2, and phospho-γH2AX were increased by uridine. These data suggest that uridine homeostatic disorder leads to uracil DNA damage and that pharmacological uridine may be carcinogenic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) causes persistent infection and challenges tuberculosis control worldwide. T cell-mediated immunity plays a critical role in controlling Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection, and therefore, enhancing Mtb-specific T cell immune responses represents a promising therapeutic strategy against TB. Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) immunotherapy is based on autologous infusion of in vitro expanded bulk T cells, which include both pathogen-specific and nonspecific T cells from patient peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) into TB patients. Preclinical mouse studies have shown that the adoptive T cell therapy inhibited Mtb infection. However, the efficacy of CIK immunotherapy in the treatment of MDR-TB infection has not been evaluated in clinical trials.Methods: We performed a retrospective study of MDR-TB patients who received CIK immunotherapy in combination with anti-TB chemotherapy and those who had standard chemotherapy.Results: Our results showed that CIK immunotherapy in combination with anti-TB chemotherapy treatment increased the conversion rate of sputum smear and Mtb culture, alleviated symptoms, improved lesion absorption, and increased recovery. The kinetics of serology and immunology index monitoring data showed good safety profiles for the CIK treatment.Conclusion: Our study has provided strong evidence that CIK immunotherapy in combination with anti-TB chemotherapy is beneficial for MDR-TB patients. A multicenter clinical trial is warranted to evaluate CIK as a new immune therapy for MDR-TB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most difficult subtype of breast cancer to treat due to the deficiency in drug-targetable receptors. LRP11-AS1, a newly identified oncogenic long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) was found to be significantly overexpressed in TNBC cells. The aim of this study is to investigate the malignant roles and the oncogenic mechanisms of LRP11-AS1 in TNBC. Methods: CCK-8, colony formation, transwell migration and transwell invasion assays were performed to study the functions of LRP11-AS1. Quantitative PCR and western blot were used to determine the gene expression. Bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay were conducted to study lncRNA and miRNA interactions. Results: LRP11-AS1 was found to be significantly overexpressed in TNBC cells compared to the non-TNBC cells and normal mammary epithelial cells. Knockdown of LRP11-AS1 could inhibit the growth and metastasis of TNBC cells and regulate cell cycle. Mechanistically, LRP11-AS1 was found to act as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to sponge miR-149-3p. Silencing of LRP11-AS1 increased the expression of miR-149-3p and overexpression of miR-149-3p suppressed the expression of LRP11-AS1. Inhibition of miR-149-3p could reverse the anticancer effect of LRP11-AS1 deficiency in TNBC cells. Moreover, Neuropilin-2 (NRP2) was found to be the target of miR-149-3p. Rescue experiments revealed that NRP2 overexpression could rescue the anticancer effect of LRP11-AS1 deficiency in TNBC cells. Conclusion: LRP11-AS1 overexpressed in TNBC showed the oncogenic effects possibly by sponging miR-149-3p and regulating the miR-149-3p/NRP2 axis, which indicated LRP11-AS1 as a potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target in TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies demonstrated that transforming growth factor (TGT) β1 plays an immunosuppressive role in clinical tuberculosis. However, the contribution of TGF-β1 gene polymorphisms to human tuberculosis susceptibility remains undetermined. In this study, we showed that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TGF-β1 gene were associated with increased susceptibility to tuberculosis in the discovery cohort (1533 case patients and 1445 controls) and the validation cohort (832 case patients and 1084 controls), and 2 SNPs located in the promoter region (rs2317130 and rs4803457) are in strong linkage disequilibrium. The SNP rs2317130 was associated with the severity of tuberculosis. Further investigation demonstrated that rs2317130 CC genotype is associated with higher TGF-β1 and interleukin 17A production. The mechanistic study showed that rs2317130 C allele affected TGF-β1 promoter activity by regulating binding activity to nuclear extracts. These findings provide insights into the pathogenic role of TGF-β1 in human tuberculosis and reveal a function for the TGF-β1 promoter SNPs in regulating immune responses during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate whether amide proton transfer (APT) MRI can be used to characterize gliomas in pediatric patients and whether it provides added value beyond relaxation times. Methods: In this prospective study, APT imaging and relaxation time mapping were performed in 203 pediatric patients suspected of gliomas from February 2018 to December 2019. The region of interest (ROI) in the tumor was automatically generated with artifact detection and ROI-shrinking algorithms. Several APT-related metrics (CESTR, CESTRnr, MTRRex, AREX, and APT#) and quantitative T1 and T2 were compared between low-grade and high-grade gliomas using the student's t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test. The performance of these parameters was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. A stepwise multivariate logistic regression model was used to combine the imaging parameters. Results: Forty-eight patients (mean age: 6 ± 4 years; 23 males and 25 females) were included in the final analysis. All the APT-related metrics except APT# had significantly (p < 0.05) higher values in the high-grade group than the low-grade group. Under different ROI-shrinking cutoffs, the quantitative T1 (p = 0.045–0.200) and T2 (p = 0.037–0.171) values of high-grade gliomas were typically lower than those of low-grade ones. The stepwise multivariate logistic regression revealed that CESTRnr and APT# were combined significant predictors of glioma grades (p < 0.05), with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.86 substantially larger than those of T1 (AUC = 0.69) and T2 (AUC = 0.68). Conclusions: APT imaging can be used to differentiate high-grade and low-grade gliomas in pediatric patients and provide added value beyond quantitative relaxation times. Key Points: • Amide proton transfer (APT) MRI showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher values in pediatric patients with high-grade gliomas than those with low-grade ones. • The area under the curve was 0.86 for APT MRI to differentiate low-grade and high-grade gliomas in pediatric patients, which was substantially higher than that for quantitative T1 (0.69) and T2 (0.68). • APT MRI demonstrated added value beyond quantitative T1 and T2 mapping in characterizing pediatric gliomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the role of sliding counterbodies, which significantly affect the wear properties and friction of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) film. The bearing steel balls exhibit a high friction coefficient of 0.12, whereas a ceramic ball of Si3N4 achieves an ultralow friction coefficient of 0.06. The evolution of different friction coefficients with different counterbodies is associated with the formation of a tribolayer at the sliding interface. The decreased friction coefficient in NCD films sliding against Si3N4 ball is likely linked to the occurrence of lubricating nanostructures, especially the silica‐like oxide compounds and graphite‐like carbon phases. The findings of this study may provide new avenues for the design and development of wear‐resistant and environment‐friendly hard carbon films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The first trial to explore all-oral short regimens for MDR-TB in China. • Two optimized regimens, designed according to local conditions. • Similar high culture conversion in the early stage in both regimens. • High treatment success rate for patients who completed the treatment. • Good adherence in the pandemic of COVID-19. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients have been suffering long, ineffective, and toxic treatment until short-course injectable-free regimens emerged. However, the new WHO-recommended regimens might be less feasible in the real-world setting. Here, we evaluated two optimized all-oral short-course regimens in China. From April 2019 to August 2020, we conducted a prospective nonrandomized controlled trial and consecutively included 103 MDR-TB patients diagnosed with pulmonary MDR-TB in Shenzhen, China. A 4-5 drug regimen of 9-12 months was tailored to the strain's resistance patterns, patients' affordability, and tolerance to drugs. This was an interim analysis, focusing on the early treatment period. 53.4% (55/103) of patients were prescribed linezolid, fluoroquinolone (FQ), clofazimine, cycloserine, and pyrazinamide, followed by a regimen in which clofazimine was replaced by bedaquiline (35/103, 34.0%). The culture conversion rate was 83.1% and 94.4% at two and four months, respectively, with no significant difference between bedaquiline-free and bedaquiline-containing cases and between FQ-susceptible and FQ-resistant cases. Among 41 patients who completed treatment, 40 (97.6%) patients had a favorable outcome and no relapse was observed. Peripheral neuropathy and arthralgia/myalgia were the most frequent AEs (56.3%, 58/103). 18 AEs caused permanent discontinuation of drugs, mostly due to pyrazinamide and linezolid. Optimized all-oral short-course regimens showed satisfactory efficacy and safety in early treatment stage. Further research is needed to confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is one of the primary causes of death worldwide. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of TB is one of the most direct means to reduce the incidence of TB. In this study, urinary proteomic profiling of TB patients and non‐TB individual controls (HCs) was performed, and differentially expressed urinary proteins between TB and HCs were compared and exclusively expressed proteins in TB patients were selected to establish a clinically useful disease marker panel. In total, these top 11 targeted proteins with 265 peptides were scheduled for multiple reaction monitoring validation analysis by using urine samples from 52 TB patients and 52 HCs. The result demonstrated that a three‐protein combination out of the five‐protein panel (namely P22352, Q9P121, P15151, Q13291, and Q8NDA2) exhibited sensitivity rate of 82.7% in the diagnosis of TB. Furthermore, the three‐protein combination could differentiate TB from the latent tuberculosis (LTB) effectively, which exhibited specificity rate of 92.3% for the diagnosis of TB from the LTB category. Although more numbers of clinical samples are required for further verification, the results provided preliminary evidence that this "three‐protein combination" out of the five‐protein panel could probably be a novel TB diagnostic biomarker in clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]