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Abstract Background Chondrocyte senescence play an essential role in osteoarthritis (OA) progression. Recent studies have shown that snoRNA-derived RNA fragments (sdRNAs) are novel regulators of post-transcriptional gene expression. However, the expression profiles and their role in post-transcriptional gene regulation in chondrocyte senescence and OA progression is unknown. Here, we determined sdRNAs expression profile and explored sdRNA-D43 role in OA and its mechanism. Methods We used qPCR arrays to determine sdRNAs expression in the chondrocytes of areas undamaged and damaged of the three knee OA samples. SdRNA-D43 expression was determined using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization. Then, bioinformatics analysis was conducted on the target genes that might be silenced by sdRNA-D43. Primary chondrocytes of damaged regions of knee OA samples were transfected with a sdRNA-D43 inhibitor or mimic to determine their functions, including in relation to mitophagy and chondrocyte senescence. Argonaute2-RNA immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays were conducted to determine the target gene of sdRNA-D43. In a rat OA model induced by monosodium iodoacetate, adeno-associated virus sh-rat-sdRNA-D43 was injected into the knee joint cavity to assess its in vivo effects. Results sdRNA-D43 expression were upregulated in damaged areas of knee OA cartilage with increased senescent chondrocytes. sdRNA-D43 inhibited mitophagy and promoted chondrocytes senescence during OA progression. Mechanistically, sdRNA-D43 silenced the expression of both NRF1 and WIPI2 by binding to their 3′-UTR in an Argonaute2‑dependent manner, which inhibited PINK1/Parkin-mediated pathway. Additionally, injection of AAV-sh-sdRNA-D43 alleviated the progression of OA in a monosodium iodoacetate-induced rat model. Conclusion Our results reveal an important role for a novel sdRNA-D43 in OA progression. sdRNA-D43 improves chondrocyte senescence by negatively regulating PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy pathway via dual-targeting NRF1 and WIPI2, which provide a potential therapeutic strategy for OA treatment.

Abstract Purpose Immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs) are promising, however they do not fit all types of tumor, such as those lack of tumor antigens. Induction of potent anti-tumor T cell immunity is critical for cancer therapy. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of immunotherapy via the immunogenic cell death (ICD) dying tumor cells in mouse models of lung metastasis and tumorigenesis. Methods ICD was induced by short exposure to lethal dose of chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (Dox), which initiated an irreversible ICD program in tumor cells. We immunized mice with ICD dying tumor cells in prevention, therapy in lung metastasis models, and Gprc5a-knockout (ko) model of lung tumorigenesis. T cells and macrophages isolated from lymph nodes or tumor tissues were analyzed by flow cytometry. Cytokines were analyzed by ELISA or Q-PCR analysis. Results Immunization with these live but ICD dying tumor cells induced potent tumor-specific anti-tumor T cell immunity, which not only protected host from challenge by these tumor cells in prevention and therapy in mouse model of lung metastasis, but also prevented tumors development in Gprc5a-ko mouse model of lung tumorigenesis. The lymphocytes from lymph nodes and tumor tissues exhibited greatly enhanced activities of Th1 cells and M1 macrophages. Conclusion Immunization with the ICD dying tumor cells evokes potent tumor-specific T cell immunity, which provides a novel approach for cancer immunotherapy.

Abstract The uncertainty brought by the integration of distributed generations in distribution networks poses a higher demand for situation awareness in the distribution network. Accurate identification of distribution network line parameters is of great significance for the operation and control of the distribution network. This paper proposes a method for identifying distribution network line parameters considering multisource measurement. Firstly, the initial values of conductivity and susceptance are obtained through linear regression and converted into resistance and reactance, respectively. Then, based on the series parallel connection of the network end branches, a non‐linear function about resistance reactance is derived. By combining the measurement data of micro phasor measurement unit and advanced metering infrastructure at multiple times, the non‐linear measurement equation of the line is established, and the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm is used to solve the non‐linear function, thus achieving the identification of distribution line parameters. The case study demonstrates the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the anti-tumor effector of Liuwei Dihuang Decoction (LWDHD) in prostate cancer (PCa) and explore the potential mechanism using experimental validation, network pharmacology, bioinformatics analysis, and molecular docking. Methods CCK test, Clone formation assay and wound-healing assays were used to determine the effect of LWDHD on prostate cancer growth and metastasis. The active ingredients and targets of LWDHD were obtained from the TCMSP database, and the relevant targets were selected by GeneCards, OMIM and DisGeNET databases for PCa. The cross-targets of drugs and disease were imported into the STRING database to construct protein interactions. The network was also visualized using Cytoscape software and core targets are screened using the Network Analyzer plug-in. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment were analyzed using R software. TCGA database was used to analyze the correlation of bioinformatics genes. AutoDock vina was used to predict the molecular docking and binding ability of active ingredients to key targets. Through WB and q-PCR experiments, the above gene targets were detected to verify the effect of LWDHD on PCa. Results CCK and scratch tests confirmed that LWDHD could inhibit the proliferation, invasion and migration of prostate cancer cells. Clone formation experiments showed that LWDHD inhibited the long-term proliferative capacity of PC3 cells. LWDHD and PCa had a total of 99 common targets, establishing a “drug-ingredient-common target” network. Through GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, PI3K/AKT, MAPK, TP53 pathway, MYC, TNF pathway and other signaling pathways were found. Bioinformatics analysis showed that MYC gene was highly expressed and CCND1 and MAPK1 were low expressed in prostate cancer tissues. In addition, TP53, AKT1, MYC, TNF and CCND1 were positively correlated with MAPK1, among which AKT1 and CCND1 were most closely correlated with MAPK1. Molecular docking results showed that quercetin, kaempferol, β-sitosterol and other main active ingredients of LWDHD treatment for PCa were combined with core proteins MAPK1 and AKT1 well. WB and q-PCR results showed that LWDHD inhibited the expression of PI3K and AKT in PC3 cells. Conclusion The mechanism of LWDHD therapy for PCa is a multi-target and multi-pathway complex process, which may be related to the biological processes mediated by MAPK1 and AKT1 pathways, such as cell proliferation and inhibition of metastasis, and the regulation of signaling pathways. The PI3K/AKT signaling pathway may be a central pathway of LWDHD to inhibit prostate cancer proliferation.

Modern large-scale active distribution networks have complex and dynamic operating circumstances, which pose major difficulties to state estimation (SE) technology. This study suggests a novel forecasting aided state estimate (FASE) framework based on an enhanced pseudo measurement modeling approach to overcome these issues and boost management and control decisions. Specifically, the suggested framework employs an advanced kind of pseudo measurement modeling that builds a model that is consistent with the distribution network’s real operation by using a support vector machine (SVM) with an upgraded kernel function. Furthermore, we introduce a numerical stability enhanced FASE algorithm that enhances the accuracy and efficiency of the estimation process. Through the application of measurement transformation and trustworthy pseudo measurement data as input, the FASE algorithm attains high-precision operational parameter awareness of the distribution network. Ultimately, the case study illustrates the benefits of the suggested framework over existing methods in terms of estimation accuracy, efficiency, and numerical stability compared to existing methods.

Bladder cancer (BCa) poses a significant medical burden worldwide. However, the epidemiological pattern of the global smoking-induced BCa burden is unclear. Our analysis of the 2019 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database showed a significant increase in the number of BCa cases worldwide from 1990 to 2019, with a clear upward trend in both age-standardized prevalence and incidence. In contrast, age-standardized rates of mortality (ASMR) and disability-adjusted life-years (ASDR) showed a downward trend, despite an increase in the absolute number of death and disability-adjusted life years. The burden of BCa caused by smoking is greater in males, middle-aged and older adults, and people in countries with high-middle socio-demographic indices (SDI). The study highlights the continuing global health challenge posed by smoking-related BCa. Targeted health policies and interventions are critical, especially in areas with high smoking rates and low socioeconomic status.

Abstract Background Bladder cancer is very common worldwide. PIGT is a subunit of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol transamidase which involves in tumorigenesis and invasiveness. m6A modification of mRNA has been linked to cell proliferation, tumor progression and other biological events. However, how PIGT is regulated and what is the function of PIGT in bladder cancer remains to be elucidated. Methods PIGT was silenced or overexpressed to study its role in regulating bladder cancer. Cell proliferation and invasion were examined with the Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation and Transwell assay, respectively. Cellular oxygen consumption rates or extracellular acidification rates were detected by a XF24 Analyzer. Quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblots were performed to detect mRNA and protein levels. Results PIGT was overexpressed in bladder cancer. Silencing PIGT inhibited cell proliferation, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycolysis. Overexpressing PIGT promoted cell proliferation, oxidative phosphorylation, glycolysis in vitro and tumor metastasis in vivo by activating glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1). PIGT also promoted GLUT1 glycosylation and membrane trafficking. Wilms’ tumor 1-associated protein (WTAP) mediated PIGT m6A modification, and m6A reader, insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein (IGF2BP2), binds to the methylated PIGT to promote the stability of PIGT, leading to up-regulation of PIGT. Conclusion WTAP mediates PIGT m6A modification to increase the stability of PIGT via the IGF2BP2, which enhances cell proliferation, glycolysis, and metastasis in bladder cancer by modulating GLUT1 glycosylation and membrane trafficking.

Extensive penetration of distribution energy resources (DERs) brings increasing uncertainties to distribution networks. Accurate topology identification is a critical basis to guarantee robust distribution network operation. Many algorithms that estimate distribution network topology have already been employed. Unfortunately, most are based on data-driven alone method and are hard to deal with ever-changing distribution network physical structures. Under these backgrounds, this paper proposes a data-model hybrid driven topology identification scheme for distribution networks. First, a data-driven method based on a deep belief network (DBN) and random forest (RF) algorithm is used to realize the distribution network topology rough identification. Then, the rough identification results in the previous step are used to make a model of distribution network topology. The model transforms the topology identification problem into a mixed integer programming problem to correct the rough topology further. Performance of the proposed method is verified in an IEEE 33-bus test system and modified 292-bus system.

A rational partition is the key prerequisite for the application of distributed algorithms in distribution networks. This paper proposes community-detection-based approaches to a distribution network partition, including a non-overlapping partition and a border-node partitioning method. First, a novel electrical distance is defined to quantify the coupling relationships between buses and it is further used as the edge weight in a transformed equivalent graph. Then, a vertex/link partition community detection approach is applied to over-partition the network into high intra-cohesive and low inter-coupled subregions. Following this, a greedy algorithm and a tabu search method are combined to merge these subregions into target numbers according to the scale similarity principle. The proposed approaches take the influence of three-phase imbalance into consideration and they are decoupled from the power flow. Finally, the approaches are tested on an IEEE 123-bus distribution system and the results verify the effectiveness and the credibility of our proposed methods.

Abstract Targeted therapy is pivotal in renal carcinoma treatment, and the dual-inhibitor NVP-BEZ235 has emerged as a promising candidate in preliminary studies. Its effectiveness against renal carcinoma and the mechanisms underlying potential resistance, however, warrant further exploration. This study aims to elucidate these aspects, enhancing our understanding of NVP-BEZ235's future clinical utility. To investigate resistance mechanisms, renal cancer cell lines were exposed to progressively increasing concentrations of NVP-BEZ235, leading to the development of stable resistance. These resistant cells underwent extensive RNA-sequencing analysis. We implemented gene interference techniques using plasmid vectors and lentivirus and conducted regular IC50 assessments. To pinpoint the role of LncRNAs, we utilized FISH and immunofluorescence staining assays, supplemented by RNA pull-down and RIP assays to delineate interactions between LncRNA and its RNA-binding protein (RBP). Further, Western blotting and qRT-PCR were employed to examine alterations in signaling pathways, with an animal model providing additional validation. Our results show a marked increase in the IC50 of NVP-BEZ235 in resistant cell lines compared to their parental counterparts. A significant revelation was the role of LncRNA-CHKB-AS1 in mediating drug resistance. We observed dysregulated expression of CHKB-AS1 in both clinical samples of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and cell lines. In vivo experiments further substantiated our findings, showing that CHKB-AS1 overexpression significantly enhanced tumor growth and resistance to NVP-BEZ235 in a subcutaneous tumorigenesis model, as evidenced by increased tumor volume and weight, whereas CHKB-AS1 knockdown led to a marked reduction in these parameters. Critically, CHKB-AS1 was identified to interact with MAP4, a key regulator in the phosphorylation of the PI3k/Akt/mTOR pathway. This interaction contributes to a diminished antitumor effect of NVP-BEZ235, highlighting the intricate mechanism through which CHKB-AS1 modulates drug resistance pathways, potentially impacting therapeutic strategies against renal carcinoma.

Abstract Tanshinone IIA is a lipophilic organic compound from the root of Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) and is one of the most well-known Tanshinone molecules by pharmacologists. In recent years, in addition to effects of anti-cardiovascular and neurological diseases, Tanshinone IIA has also shown some degrees of anti-prostate cancer potential. Although they do have some studies focusing on the molecular mechanism of Tanshinone IIA’s anti-prostate cancer effects, a further understanding on the transcriptomic and structural level is still lacking. In this study, transcriptomic sequencing technology and computer technology were employed to illustrate the effects of Tanshinone IIA on prostate cancer through bioinformatic analysis and molecular dynamics simulation, and PPARG was considered to be one of the targets for Tanshinone IIA according to docking scoring and dynamic calculation. Our study provides a novel direction to further understand the mechanism of the effects of Tanshinone IIA on prostate cancer, and further molecular biological studies need to be carried on to further investigate the molecular mechanism of Tanshinone IIA’s anti-prostate cancer effect through PPARG.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may have a negative impact on the sexual health of male adults. An online questionnaire survey was conducted among male adults from February 04, 2023 to March 15, 2023 to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on the sexual health of male adults in China.Participants provided about their medical, social, lifestyle, and family situations information through questionnaires including the Brief Sexual Function Inventory (BSFI). Sexual function problems were defined based on predetermined cutoff values of the BSFI domain scores.A total of 1,250 male adults were included with median age as 32 years. According to the analysis of statistical results, sexual drive and erections firm enough to have sexual intercourse were reported to be present only a few days or less last month among 14.8 % and 11.1 % of COVID-19 survivors, respectively. Compared with uninfected persons, COVID-19 survivors had significantly lower scores on all BSFI domains and an increased risk of problems with sexual drive and erectile. In multivariate models of COVID-19 survivors, age ≥30 years, rural resident, lower education level, manual worker, lower income, and shorter duration from recovery to survey date were significantly associated with poorer overall sexual function.In this study, COVID-19 survivors was reported to have significantly poorer sexual function than uninfected persons. The COVID-19 may have had a significant impact on the sexual health of Chinese male adults. We need to focus on sexual dysfunction in COVID-19 survivors, and proactively provide effective interventions.

Small nucleolar RNA host gene 15 (SNHG15) plays an oncogenic role in many cancers. However, the role of SNHG15 in bladder cancer (BLCA) remains unclear. In this study, the regulation of SNHG15 on the activities of BLCA cells (T24 and RT112) was investigated. In detail, super-enhancers (SEs), differentially expressed genes, and functional enrichment were detected by bioinformatic analyses. Mutant cell lines lacking SNHG15-SEs were established using CRISPR-Cas9. Relative gene expression was detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blot, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry assays. Cell senescence, apoptosis, viability, and proliferation were measured. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-qPCR and luciferase reporter gene assays were conducted to analyze the interactions between genes. A novel super-enhancer of SNHG15 (SNHG15-SEs) was discovered in several BLCA datasets. The deletion of SNHG15-SEs resulted in a significant downregulation of SNHG15. Mechanistically, the core active region of SNHG15-SEs recruited the transcription factor FOSL1 to facilitate the SNHG15 transcription, thereby inducing the proliferation and metastasis of BLCA cells. Deletion of SNHG15-SEs inhibited the growth and metastasis of T24 and RT112 cells by inactivating the WNT/CTNNB1 pathway activation. Overexpression of FOSL1 in SNHG15-SEs restored the cell proliferation and metastasis. Next, a xenograft mouse model showed that SNHG15-SEs deletion inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of BLCA cells in vivo. Collectively, our data indicate that SNHG15-SEs recruit FOSL1 to promote the expression of SNHG15 which interacts with CTNNB1 in the nucleus to activate the transcription of ADAM12, leading to the malignance of BLCA cells.

The aim of our research is to explore the various characteristics and genetic profiles of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) in order to discover possible predictors of prognosis and targets for treatment. By utilizing ssGSEA scores, we categorized patients with ccRCC into groups based on their phenotype, distinguishing between low and high. This categorization revealed significant variations in the expression of crucial immune checkpoint genes and Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) genes, suggesting the presence of a potential immune evasion tactic in different subtypes of ccRCC. A predictive model was built using genes that are expressed differently and linked to cell death, showing strong effectiveness in categorizing patient risk. Furthermore, we discovered a noteworthy correlation among risk scores, infiltration of immune cells, the expression of genes related to immune checkpoint inhibitors, and diverse clinical features. This indicates that our scoring system for risk could function as a comprehensive gauge of the severity of the disease. The examination of the mutational terrain further highlighted the predominance of particular genetic changes, including VHL and PBRM1 missense mutations. Finally, we have discovered the function of DKK1 in facilitating cell death in ccRCC, presenting an additional possibility for therapeutic intervention. The results of our study suggest the possibility of incorporating molecular information into clinical prediction, which could lead to personalized treatment approaches in ccRCC.

To explore the solution of the two-step method applied in the rapid construction of super large cross-section tunnels passing through IV-and V-grade surrounding rock sections in karst cave areas, based on an engineering example of the Lianhuashan Tunnel, we use the numerical calculation method to analyze the stability of surrounding rock and the design parameters of the control measures for super large cross-section tunnels during the construction of the step method. The calculated results show that the working face of IV-grade surrounding rock can be stabilized by an advanced small pipe, and the stability of the supporting structure should be controlled mainly by IV-grade surrounding rock. In order to control the stability of the tunnel face, it is necessary to use an advanced large pipe shed in the surrounding V-grade rock. The reinforcement range of the advanced large pipe shed is 120° and the length is 20 m. This is the most economical design parameter of the advanced large pipe shed, ensuring the deformation control effect. For control of the stability of the supporting structure, under the condition that the working space is suitable for large machinery, the settlement of the arch of the supporting structure can be obviously reduced by shortening the step cycle footage and reducing the step length, and the peripheral convergence of the supporting structure can be obviously reduced by reducing the step height. After comprehensive analysis and considering the development of karst caves, the advanced support measures, design parameters, bench excavation design parameters, initial support measures, karst cave treatment measures, and bench construction process of IV- and V-grade surrounding rock is determined. The application verification shows that the research results have a good control effect on the stability of the surrounding rock and cave and are suitable for large-scale mechanical operations, which can significantly improve the excavation speed of the super large cross-section tunnel passing through the IV- and V-grade surrounding rock sections in the karst cave area.

Deep learning-based models have achieved impressive results across various practical fields. However, these models are susceptible to attacks. Recent research has demonstrated that adversarial samples can significantly decrease the accuracy of deep learning models. This susceptibility poses considerable challenges for their use in security applications. Various methods have been developed to enhance model robustness by training with more effective and generalized adversarial examples. However, these approaches tend to compromise model accuracy. Currently proposed detection methods mainly focus on speech adversarial samples generated by specified white-box attack models. In this study, leveraging manifold learning technology, a method is proposed to detect whether a speech input is an adversarial sample before feeding it into the recognition model. The method is designed to detect speech adversarial samples generated by black-box attack models and achieves a detection success rate of 84.73%. It identifies the low-dimensional manifold of training samples and measures the distance of a sample under investigation to this manifold to determine its adversarial nature. This technique enables the preprocessing detection of adversarial audio samples before their introduction into the deep learning model, thereby preventing adversarial attacks without affecting model robustness.

Due to the increasing severity of network security issues, training corresponding detection models requires large datasets. In this work, we propose a novel method based on generative adversarial networks to synthesize network data traffic. We introduced a network traffic data normalization method based on Gaussian mixture models (GMM), and for the first time, incorporated a generator based on the Swin Transformer structure into the field of network traffic generation. To further enhance the robustness of the model, we mapped real data through an AE (autoencoder) module and optimized the training results in the form of evolutionary algorithms. We validated the training results on four different datasets and introduced four additional models for comparative experiments in the experimental evaluation section. Our proposed SEGAN outperformed other state-of-the-art network traffic emulation methods.

Objective The bone mass around the prosthesis plays an important role in the stability of the prosthesis. This study aimed to assess the effect of postoperative activity on bone mineral density (BMD) in the proximal tibia 5 years after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). To provide a scientific guidance for postoperative functional exercise. Methods 110 patients underwent unilateral primary TKA were divided into three groups based on the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) activity scale: low activity group (LA group, UCLA = 4, 5); medium activity group (MA group, UCLA = 6, 7); and high activity group (HA group, UCLA = 8, 9). The primary observation was a comparison of the BMD and BMD change percentage (ΔBMD (%)) in the periprosthetic tibia among the LA, MA and HA groups at 1 year, 3 years and 5 years. The secondary observations were radiographic evaluation (prosthetic stability, periprosthetic fractures, aseptic loosening and periprosthetic joint infection) and clinical evaluation (Knee Society Score (KSS), visual analogue score scores and range of motion (ROM)). A one‐way ANOVA was used to compare the clinical scores and BMD among the three groups. Results The BMD of medial region decreased by 10.80%, 12.64%, 13.61% at 1, 3, and 5 years respectively; these were 5.72%, 6.26%, 7.83% in lateral region and 1.42%, 1.78%, 3.28% in diaphyseal region. For medial metaphyseal region, the BMD of the MA group was significantly greater than that of the LA and HA groups at 1 and 3 years (108.9 ± 5.2 vs. 106.1 ± 6.69 vs. 105.4 ± 5.2 and 108.5 ± 6.0 vs. 101.2 ± 6.76 vs. 103.0 ± 6.8, P

At present, China is moving towards the direction of “Industry 4.0”. The development of the automobile industry, especially intelligent automobiles, is in full swing, which brings great convenience to people’s life and travel. However, at the same time, urban traffic pressure is also increasingly prominent, and the situation of traffic congestion and traffic safety is not optimistic. In this context, the Internet of Vehicles (also known as “IoV”) opens up a new way to relieve urban traffic pressure. Therefore, in order to further optimize the road network traffic conditions in the IoV environment, this research focuses on the traffic flow prediction algorithm on the basis of deep learning to enhance traffic efficiency and safety. First, the study investigates the short-time traffic flow prediction by combining the characteristics of the IoV environment. To address the issues that existing algorithms cannot automatically extract data features and the model expression capability is weak, the study chooses to build a deep neural network using GRU model in deep learning for short-time traffic flow prediction, thereby improving the prediction accuracy of algorithm. Secondly, a fine-grained traffic flow statistics approach suitable for the IoV situation is suggested in accordance with the deep learning model that was built. The algorithm sends the vehicle characteristic data obtained through GRU model training into the fine-grained traffic flow statistics algorithm, so as to realize the statistics of traffic information of various types of vehicles. The advantage of this algorithm is that it can well count the traffic flow of multiple lanes, so as to better predict the current traffic status and achieve traffic optimization. Finally, the IoV environment is constructed to confirm the effectiveness of the prediction model. The prediction results prove that the new algorithm has good performance in traffic flow statistics in different scenarios.

Abstract Objective Increased femoral anteversion (FA) has been correlated with less varus deformities in osteoarthritic (OA) knees, but the relationship between FA and the degree of valgus deformity in osteoarthritic (OA) knees is still largely unknown. We aimed to thoroughly analyze the distribution of FA in relation to varus or valgus deformities of the lower extremity in OA knees, and to further clarify the relationship between FA and trochlear morphology. Methods 235 lower extremities with OA knees were divided into five groups according to the mechanical tibiofemoral angle: excessive valgus ( 10°). FA (measured using the posterior condylar axis [pFA] and the transepicondylar axis [tFA]) was measured, and the relationships of FA to the mechanical tibiofemoral angle and femoral trochlear morphology were identified. Results Excessive FA (pFA ≥ 20°) was observed in 30.2% of all patients and in 58.8% of patients in the excessive valgus group. pFA showed a strong correlation with mechanical tibiofemoral angle (p = 0.018). Both the pFA and the tFA of patients in the excessive valgus group were greater than those in other four groups (all p ≤ 0.037). There were significant correlations between tFA and trochlear parameters, including the sulcus angle (SA), lateral trochlear slope (LTS), and medial trochlear slope (MTS) (all p ≤ 0.028). Conclusion High FA is prevalent, particularly in severe valgus knees, and FA is significantly related to the femoral trochlear morphology in OA knees. With the aim of improving the patellofemoral prognosis and complications, high FA should be considered during total knee arthroplasty.

Abstract The increasingly close connections between multiple heterogeneous energy subsystems, the integrated energy system (IES) will play a critical role in ensuring future energy generations and distributions. As an essential function of the energy management system, state estimation provides data support for energy management of IES. Unfortunately, the existing IES state estimation method does not consider the measurement delay, which is inconsistent with the measurement delay characteristics caused by the multi‐timescale characteristics of IES. Driven by this motivation, this paper proposes a real‐time state estimation framework for the gas‐electricity coupled system. Considering the characteristics of the gas pipelines and coupling elements, the dynamic model of the natural gas system is established. A dynamic state estimation algorithm to enhance numerical stability is adopted to solve the problem that real‐time estimation based on the traditional Kalman filter suffers from the curse of dimensionality. Finally, a modified unscented Kalman filter (UKF) based estimation method is designed based on unified time processing and delay noise synthesizing. The IEEE 39‐bus electrical system and the 20‐node Belgian gas system are coupled to form the test system in this paper. The case study shows the advantages of the proposed method in efficiency and accuracy compared with the existing methods.

Globally, prostate cancer remains a leading cause of mortality and morbidity despite advances in treatment. Research on prostate cancer has primarily focused on the malignant epithelium, but the tumor microenvironment has recently been recognized as an important factor in the progression of prostate cancer. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play an important role in prostate cancer progression among multiple cell types in the tumor microenvironment. In order to develop new treatments and identify predictive and prognostic biomarkers for CAFs, further research is needed to understand the mechanism of action of prostate cancer and CAF. In this work, we performed the single-cell RNA sequence analysis to obtain the biomarkers for CAFs, and ten genes were finally regarded as the marker genes for CAFs. Based on the ssGSEA algorithm, the prostate cancer cohort was divided into low- and high-CAFs groups. Further analysis revealed that the CAFs-score is associated with many immune-related cells and immune-related pathways. In addition, between the low- and high-CAFs tissues, a total of 127 hub genes were discovered, which is specific in CAFs. After constructing the prognostic prediction model, SLPI, VSIG2, CENPF, SLC7A1, SMC4, and ITPR2 were finally regarded as the key genes in the prognosis of patients with prostate cancer. Each patient was assigned with the risk score as follows: SLPI* 0.000584811158157081 + VSIG2 * -0.01190627068889 + CENPF * -0.317826812875334 + SLC7A1 * -0.0410213995358753 + SMC4 * 0.202544454923637 + ITPR2 * -0.0824652047622673 + TOP2A * 0.140312081524807 + OR51E2 * -0.00136602095885459. The GSVA revealed the biological features of CAFs, many cancer-related pathways, such as the adipocytokine signaling pathway, ERBB signaling pathway, GnRH signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway, mTOR signaling pathway and PPAR signaling pathway are closely associated with CAFs. As a result of these observations, similar transcriptomics may be involved in the transition from normal fibroblasts to CAFs in adjacent tissues. As one of the biomarkers for CAFs, CENPF can promote the proliferation ability of prostate cancer cells. The overexpress of CENPF could promote the proliferation ability of prostate cancer cells. In conclusion, we discuss the potential prognostic and therapeutic value of CAF-dependent pathways in prostate cancer.

BackgroundThe tibial crest is often used as an anatomic landmark for tibial plateau osteotomy (TPO) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), but it is not very accurate. This study aimed to investigate errors in using the tibial crest as a marker and present a simple approach to improve the angle accuracy of TPO by mapping the tibial mechanical axis (TMA), determined preoperatively, according to the tibial crest on the skin overlying the tibia.MethodsWe evaluated 50 healthy young volunteers and 100 pre-TKA osteoarthritic knees. The middle tibial crest lines (MTCLs) were marked on the shank tibial skin and covered with Kirschner wires. All participants underwent two sets of anteroposterior (AP) standing radiographs of the lower extremity, with the feet in neutral and external rotation positions. The MTCL–TMA angles were measured and compared. The TMA was mapped onto the tibial skin according to the MTCL–TMA angle prior to TKA and used for TPO. Postoperative outcomes were determined by the angle between the vertical tibial component axis (TCA) and the TMA.ResultsThe MTCL had no evident relationship with the TMA. A few MTCLs were parallel to the TMA. External rotation of the foot significantly changed the MTCL–TMA relationship. The angle accuracy of the TPO as guided by TMA skin-mapping was 0.83 ± 0.76°. No postoperative errors exceeded 3°.ConclusionThe MTCL was not equivalent to the TMA. The TPO error can be reduced by preoperatively marking the TMA on the tibial skin according to the MTCL.

Chronic inflammation is associated with lung tumorigenesis, in which NF-κB–mediated epigenetic regulation plays a critical role. Lung tumor suppressor G protein–coupled receptor, family C, member 5A (GPRC5A), is repressed in most non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, the mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we show that NF-κB acts as a transcriptional repressor in suppression of GPRC5A. NF-κB induced GPRC5A repression both in vitro and in vivo. Intriguingly, transactivation of NF-κB downstream targets was not required, but the transactivation domain of RelA/p65 was required for GPRC5A repression. NF-κB did not bind to any potential cis-element in the GPRC5A promoter. Instead, p65 was complexed with retinoic acid receptor α/β (RARα/β) and recruited to the RA response element site at the GPRC5A promoter, resulting in disrupted RNA polymerase II complexing and suppressed transcription. Notably, phosphorylation on serine 276 of p65 was required for interaction with RARα/β and repression of GPRC5A. Moreover, NF-κB–mediated epigenetic repression was through suppression of acetylated histone H3K9 (H3K9ac), but not DNA methylation of the CpG islands, at the GPRC5A promoter. Consistently, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, but not DNA methylation inhibitor, restored GPRC5A expression in NSCLC cells. Thus, NF-κB induces transcriptional repression of GPRC5A via a complex with RARα/β and mediates epigenetic repression via suppression of H3K9ac.

Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), which includes herbal slices and proprietary products, is widely used in China. Shenqi Dihuang (SQDH) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula with ingredients that affect tumor growth. Despite recent advances in prognosis, patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cannot currently receive curative treatment. The present study aimed to explore the potential target genes closely associated with SQDH. The gene expression data for SQDH and RCC were obtained from the TCMSP and TCGA databases. The SQDH-based prognostic prediction model reveals a strong correlation between RCC and SQDH. In addition, the immune cell infiltration analysis indicated that SQDH might be associated with the immune response of RCC patients. Based on this, we successfully built the prognostic prediction model using SQDH-related genes. The results demonstrated that CCND1 and NR3C2 are closely associated with the prognosis of RCC patients. Finally, the pathways enrichment analysis revealed that response to oxidative stress, cyclin binding, programmed cell death, and immune response are the most enriched pathways in CCND1. Furthermore, transcription regulator activity, regulation of cell population proliferation, and cyclin binding are closely associated with the NR3C2.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the leading causes of death in men. Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines may be an attractive means to achieve satisfactory results. Cancer immunotherapy is a promising cancer treatment strategy. However, immunotherapy is not widely used in renal cell carcinoma, as only a few patients show a positive response. The present study aimed to identify potential antigens associated with renal cell carcinoma to develop an anti-renal cell carcinoma mRNA vaccine. Moreover, the immune subtypes of renal cell carcinoma cells were determined. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) analysis revealed gene expression profiles and clinical information. Antigen-presenting cells infiltrated the immune system using Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) tool (http://timer.cistrome.org/). GDSC (Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer) database were used to estimate drug sensitivity. The 13 immune-related genes discovery could be targets for immunotherapy in renal cell carcinoma patients, as they were associated with a better prognosis and a higher level of antigen-presenting cells. These immune subtypes have significant relationships with immunological checkpoints, immunogenic cell death regulators, and RCC prognostic variables. Furthermore, DBH-AS1 was identified as a potential antigen for developing an mRNA vaccine. The CCK8 assay demonstrated that the proliferative capacity of 786-O and Caki-1 cells overexpressing DBH-AS1 was higher than in the control group. In addition, transwell assay revealed that 786-O and Caki-1 cells overexpressing DBH-AS1 showed higher invasion capacity compared with control. This study provides a theoretical basis for the development of mRNA vaccines. Our findings suggest that DBH-AS1 could be potential antigens for developing RCC mRNA vaccines.

ObjectiveThe limitations of tissue retraction and the amount of surgical working space have a great impact on extraperitoneal single-port robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (sp-RARP) with the multiport robotic surgical system. We used an extraperitoneal tissue retraction technique to achieve tissue exposure and working space expansion. This study evaluated the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of the extraperitoneal tissue retraction technique in extraperitoneal pure sp-RARP with the da Vinci Si surgical system.MethodsData from 42 patients were analyzed retrospectively from December 2018 to February 2020. The extraperitoneal tissue retraction technique was not used in 20 patients (group I) and was used in 22 patients (group II). Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were collected. The oncological and functional data during late follow-up were recorded.ResultsAll patients successfully underwent extraperitoneal pure sp-RARP. No patients required conversion to a multiport surgery or placement of additional assistant ports. The two groups were similar regarding baseline features. The median operation time in group I was significantly longer than that in group II (P

Objectives: Urinary microRNAs (miRNAs) have shown great diagnostic and prognostic values for multiple diseases. The profile of urinary miRNAs in patients with idiopathic osteonecrosis of femoral head (ONFH) is currently unclear. Methods: We first randomly chose ten patients with each Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO) stage (I, II, III and IV) and ten healthy participants from the entire cohorts for initial screening. The miRNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array was then performed to identify the differentially abundant miRNAs in urine of these participants. We then verified the findings in the entire cohort. Clinical features including age, gender, bone mass index (BMI), lesion size and stages were recorded. We then analysed the association between the level of urinary miRNAs and clinical features. Results: Our data indicated that there were 13 differentially abundant miRNAs among all groups. Urinary miR-150 demonstrated the highest diagnostic value among all candidates. Urinary miR-185 and miR-133a increased by ARCO staging. The levels of urinary miR-4824 abruptly decreased after femoral head collapse (ARCO stage III and IV). Urinary miR-144 was the only marker that correlated with lesion size. Conclusions: The levels of urinary miRNAs are valuable biomarkers for idiopathic ONFH. Given the noninvasive nature of this test, it is potentially useful for diagnosis and monitoring of idiopathic ONFH progression. The translational potential of this article: This article gives novel methods for ONFH diagnosis and progression monitoring in a convenient and non-invasive way.

Epoxide hydrolase 1 (EPHX1) has been reported to be related to the development of several tumors. However, the regulation of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) development by EPHX1 has not been reported. We used proteomic technology and found that the EPHX1 protein was highly expressed in CRPC tissues and the CRPC cell line C4-2. We performed screening and found that EPHX1 is a direct target of miR-491-5p. High miR-491-5p expression significantly reduced the EPHX1 level in C4-2 cells and inhibited C4-2 cell proliferation and migration. Zeolite imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) has good thermal stability, a simple synthesis method, tumor site stability, and specific acid responsiveness. We synthesized ZIF-8 nanodrug vectors to deliver miR-491-5p into C4-2 cells. After loading miR-491-5p into ZIF-8, we modified the ZIF-8 surface with folic acid (FA) as the target group (FA@ZIF-8). Our synthesized nanodrug carrier showed less cytotoxicity to C4-2 cells even at 200 μg/ml. Modified FA could increase the efficiency of nanomaterial entry into C4-2 cells. FA@miR-491-5p@ZIF-8 could stably release miR-491-5p for a long period in both phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.4) and acetate buffer (pH 4.8), and miR-491-5p was released faster at the beginning of the experiment in acetate buffer (pH 4.8). FA@miR-491-5p@ZIF-8 significantly reduced C4-2 cell proliferation and migration, and FA@miR-491-5p@ZIF-8 had a better effect than miR-491-5p alone. In vivo, FA@miR-491-5p@ZIF-8 significantly inhibited CRPC growth in nude mice. Overall, we verified that miR-491-4p regulated CRPC development by targeting EPHX1. The drug nanocarrier FA@miR-491-5p@ZIF-8 not only significantly reduced C4-2 CRPC cell proliferation and migration but also significantly inhibited CRPC growth. Our research provides a theoretical basis for treatment and treatment strategies for CRPC.

The major role of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 family (ALDH2) is to detoxify acetaldehyde (ACE) to non-toxic acetic acid. Many evidences suggest that ALDH2 dysfunction contributes to a variety of human diseases including cancer. However, the biological function and molecular mechanism of ALDH2 in tumor progression remain elusive. In this study, we found that ALDH2 repression was associated with poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma. Overexpression of ALDH2 inhibited malignant features of lung adenocarcinoma cells, such as proliferation, stemness and migration, whereas ALDH2 knockdown increased these features. Mechanistically, ALDH2 repression led to accumulation of ACE; whereas ACE enhanced the migration features of lung adenocarcinoma cells, which was associated with increased DNA damage. Importantly, accumulated ACE and increased DNA damage were identified in Aldh2-knockout (KO) mouse lung tissues in vivo. Consistent with this concept, treatment of lung adenocarcinoma cells with ALDH2 agonist Alda-1 suppressed the proliferation, stemness and migration features of lung adenocarcinoma cells. Thus, activating ALDH2, such as via its agonist, may provide a novel strategy for treatment of lung cancer.

Prostate cancer is one of the most severe male malignant tumors, which ranks second in mortality rate among all tumors. Traditional methods of treatment for prostate cancer produce obvious side effects and a high recurrence rate. Cancer stem cells are considered to be a group of cells that determine the proliferation, metastasis, and drug resistance of tumor. Prostate cancer therapy based on microRNAs and prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) has been a research hot spot in this field. Previous studies have reported that miR-197 plays an important role in the occurrence and development of prostate cancer, but the molecular mechanism of miR-197 on the development of prostate cancer has not been reported yet. In this study, we verified that miR-197 is significantly overexpressed in prostate cancer tissues and prostate cancer cells. Then, we verified that miR-197 expression affects the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of prostate cancer cells by regulating integrin subunit alpha V (ITGAV) expression through STAT5 pathway, and the results indicated that the miR-197 inhibitor can be a prostate cancer suppressor. Then we synthesized the AbCD133@GNR@MSNs@miR-197 inhibitor drug carrier, in which 35.42 μg of the miR-197 inhibitor could be loaded in 1 mg of AbCD133@GNR@MSNs. The AbCD133@GNR@MSNs@miR-197 inhibitor demonstrated good photothermal properties and photothermal controlled-release properties. The modified CD133 antibodies on the surface of the nano drug carrier helped more drug carriers to enter the PCSCs. The pharmacodynamic effects of the AbCD133@GNR@MSNs@miR-197 inhibitor on PCSCs in vivo and in vitro were studied under near-infrared radiation. The results showed that the AbCD133@GNR@MSNs@miR-197 inhibitor prepared in this study could not only significantly suppress the development of PCSCs through ITGAV/STAT5 pathway but also significantly suppress the growth of PCSC solid tumors. In short, our study verified that miR-197 regulates the development of PCSCs through STAT5 pathway by targeting ITGAV, and the AbCD133@MSNs@GNR@miR-197 inhibitor could be a potential suppressor used in prostate cancer treatment. In short, our study found that miR-197 affected the development of prostate cancer by regulating ITGAV. The AbCD133@GNR@MSNs@miR-197 inhibitor prepared in this study could suppress the development and growth of PCSCs in vitro and in solid tumors not only by targeting the ITGAV but also through photothermal therapy. Our study not only provides a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of prostate cancer but also provides a research scheme of drug loading and microRNA-based photothermal controlled therapy for prostate cancer.

Paraquat (PQ) herbicide causes damage to green plant tissues by inducing the production of toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). SUMOylation is an important post-translational modification that enables plants to defend against multiple stresses. However, it is still unknown whether the SUMOylation is involved in PQ resistance response in crops. Herein, we showed that a maize SUMO conjugating enzyme gene (ZmSCE1b) functioned in PQ resistance. The quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that this gene was significantly up-regulated upon PQ exposure. The overexpression of ZmSCE1b increased the levels of SUMO conjugates and improved PQ resistance in transgenic Arabidopsis. The ZmSCE1b-transgenic plants showed lower levels of ROS and lipid peroxidation, as well as higher antioxidant enzyme activities, upon PQ exposure. Furthermore, Western blotting showed that levels of SUMOylation in these transgenic plants were significantly elevated. In addition, the abundance of transcripts of several defense-related genes was apparently up-regulated in the over-expressing lines using qRT-PCR. Collectively, our results manifested the effect of overexpression of ZmSCE1b in improving resistance to PQ, possibly by regulating the levels of SUMO conjugates, antioxidant machinery, and expression of defense genes. Findings of this study can facilitate the understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying the involvement of SCE-mediated SUMOylation in PQ resistance response in crop plants. Meanwhile, ZmSCE1b could be utilized for engineering PQ-resistant crops in phytoremediation.

A randomized fingerprint model is proposed, which can effectively reduce the false positive rate by generating a unique fingerprint for each URL. The model is also used to improve the Wu and Manber (WM) algorithm, which is a multi-string matching algorithm; as a result, a randomized fingerprint WM (RFP-WM) algorithm is proposed. Furthermore, a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)-based parallel randomized fingerprint algorithm (GRFP-WM) is implemented. Experimental results indicate that, for a massive pattern set containing more than a million URLs, the efficiency of the RFP-WM algorithm is 20% higher than that of the WM algorithm. The WM algorithm's efficiency is approximately 7% higher than that of the Aho and Corasick (AC) algorithm, which is also a multi-string matching algorithm. The efficiency and speedup of the GRFP-WM algorithm are higher than those of the GPU-based WM and the GPU-based AC algorithms. These results indicate that the randomized fingerprint model can effectively reduce the collision rate and improve the efficiency of the algorithm.

In this study, the chemical composition of different tissues of Rana temporaria chensinensis David derived from the same individual was analyzed by comparative approach. First, pre-column derivatization combined with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was established to determine the content of 1-methyl hydantoin in samples, which used S1–S5 samples. The results indicated that 1-methyl hydantoin was determined in Oviductus Ranae (OR), Rana chensinensis ovum (RCO), Rana chensinensis meat (RCM), and Rana chensinensis skin (RCS), except for Rana chensinensis bone (RCB). Moreover, the content of it in RCS was the highest. In addition, the contents of six polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in different tissues of Rana chensinensis were measured by HPLC, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), α-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (ARA), linoleic acid (LA) and oleic acid (OA). The results indicated that OR, RCO, RCM, RCS, and RCB all contained the above six PUFAs. With the aid of chemometrics methods, the results of principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) combined with the sequencing results of the total PUFAs content of each sample, showed that different tissues of Rana chensinensis could be divided into four categories, and the RCO sample was divided into one category because of the highest PUFAs content, which was a good source of PUFA. For comparison, OR and other tissue from the perspective of PUFAs, we also established OPLS-DA models of them. It could be found that the RCM was the most similar to the OR in the diversity and content of PUFAs. This study provided a theoretical basis for the further development and utilization of RCO, RCM, RCS, and RCB as by-products of OR.

Abstract Background Significant amount of bone mass is lost during the process of aging due to an imbalance between osteoblast-mediated bone formation and osteoclast-mediated bone resorption in bone marrow microenvironment, which leads to net bone loss in the aging population, resulting in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. Methods Firstly, differences in proliferative capacity of adipocyte or adipogenic differentiation in mouse mesenchymal stem cells (MMSCs) and senile mouse model-derived bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (SMMSCs), as well as mRNA expression of OGN and PPARγ2 were observed. Secondly, osteogenic abilities of MMSCs and SMMSCs treated with rosiglitazone (a PPARγ2 agonist) to induce osteogenic changes were observed, and negative correlation of PPARγ2 with OGN was evaluated. Thirdly, the role of SMMSCs in promoting osteogenesis was examined through enhancing expression of OGN; besides, the related mechanism was investigated by means of expression of related adipocyte and osteoblast specific genes. Results Forced OGN expression by OGN-infected lentivirus could increase expression of Wnt5b, RUNX2, OCN, ALP and Colla1, as well as bone formation, while decreases expression of adipogenesis marker PPARγ2. It resulted in expression inhibition of adipocyte genes such as adipocytic differentiation related genes adipocyte binding protein 2 (aP2) and osteoclast differentiation factor Rankl in bone marrow, giving rise to increased bone mass. Conclusion OGN may plays a significant role in osteoporosis, which may also provide a potential target for therapeutic intervention of senile osteoporosis characterized by altered differentiation of BMSCs into osteoblasts and adipocytes.

Abstract Background Simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an effective treatment option and safe for properly selected patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether patients have different satisfaction levels between the first and second knee in the early stage after simultaneous bilateral TKA. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 46 patients who underwent simultaneous bilateral TKA by a single surgeon in our department between March 2013 and March 2015. The surgeon typically performed first-side TKA (right knee), followed by TKA on the left knee. Tranexamic acid (TXA) (10 mg/kg) was given intravenously, and the tourniquet was released after wound closure. The preoperative KSS, ROM, and pain visual analog scale (VAS); the objective parameters including drainage volume and swelling evaluated by the circumference of the 10 cm above the patella; and the preoperative and postoperative (1st, 3rd, and 7th days) subjective parameters including pain, satisfaction VAS, and patient satisfaction of the first and second surgeries for each knee were analyzed. Results In simultaneous bilateral TKA, compared with the second-side TKA (left knee), the first-side TKA (right knee) had a lower mean drainage volume (p

Lung squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) are highly aggressive tumors, and there is currently no effective targeted therapy owing to the lack of specific mutation targets. Compared with lung adenocarcinoma (ADCs), lung SCCs reportedly utilized higher levels of glucose metabolism to meet the anabolic and catabolic needs required to sustain rapid tumor growth. Hexokinase 2 (HK2) is an enzyme that catalyzes the rate-limit and first committed step in glucose metabolism. Here, we investigated the expression and effect of HK2 in lung SCCs. We found a significantly higher HK2 expression in lung SCCs, but not lung ADC or normal tissues. HK2 depletion or inhibition decreased the glycolysis and tumor growth via activating AMPK signaling pathway, which downregulated mTORC1 activity. Furthermore, we found an increased oxygen respiration rate compensating for HK2 depletion. Thus, metformin treatment showed combinatorial therapeutic value, which resulted in greater induction of lung SCC apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Our study suggests that HK2 depletion in combination with metformin might be a novel effective strategy for lung SCCs therapy.

The thermomechanical fatigue (TMF) behaviors of spray-deposited SiCp-reinforced Al-Si alloy were investigated in terms of the size of Si particles and the Si content. Thermomechanical fatigue experiments were conducted in the temperature range of 150-400°C. The cyclic response behavior indicated that the continuous cyclic softening was exhibited for all materials, and the increase in SiC particles size and Si content aggravated the softening degree, which was attributed to dislocation generation due to differential thermal contraction at the Al matrix/Si phase interface or Al matrix/SiC particle interface. Meanwhile, the TMF life and stress amplitude of SiCp/Al-7Si composites were greater than those of Al-7Si alloy, and increased with the increasing SiC particle size, which was associated with “load sharing” of the direct strengthening mechanism. The stress amplitude of 4.5μmSiCp/Al-Si composite increased as the Si content increased; however, the influence of Si content on the TMF life was not so significant. The TMF failure mechanism revealed that the crack mainly initiated at the agglomeration of small-particulate SiC and the breakage of large-particulate SiC, and the broken primary Si and the exfoliated eutectic Si accelerated the crack propagation.

As the basic system of the rescue robot, the SLAM system largely determines whether the rescue robot can complete the rescue mission. Although the current 2D Lidar-based SLAM algorithm, including its application in indoor rescue environment, has achieved much success, the evaluation of SLAM algorithms combined with path planning for indoor rescue has rarely been studied. This paper studies mapping and path planning for mobile robots in an indoor rescue environment. Combined with path planning algorithm, this paper analyzes the applicability of three SLAM algorithms (GMapping algorithm, Hector-SLAM algorithm, and Cartographer algorithm) in indoor rescue environment. Real-time path planning is studied to test the mapping results. To balance path optimality and obstacle avoidance, A∗ algorithm is used for global path planning, and DWA algorithm is adopted for local path planning. Experimental results validate the SLAM and path planning algorithms in simulated, emulated, and competition rescue environments, respectively. Finally, the results of this paper may facilitate researchers quickly and clearly selecting appropriate algorithms to build SLAM systems according to their own demands.

The aluminized layer of 321 stainless steel was treated by laser shock processing (LSP). The effects of constituent distribution and microstructure change of the aluminized layer in 321 stainless steel on creep performance at high temperature were investigated. SEM and EDS results reveal that aluminized coating is mainly composed of an Al2O3 outer layer, the transition layer of the Fe-Al phase, and the diffusion layer. Additionally, LSP conducted on coating surface not only improves the density of the layer structure, resulting in an increment on the bonding strength of both infiltration layer and substrate, but also leaves higher residual compressive stress in the aluminized layer which improves its creep life effectively. Experimental results indicate that the microhardness of the laser-shocked region is improved strongly by the refined grains and the reconstruction of microstructures. Meanwhile, the roughness and microhardness of aluminized steel are found to increase with the laser impact times. On the other hand, the intermetallic layers, whose microstructure is stable enough to inhibit crack initiation, reinforce strength greatly. The anticreep life of aluminized sample with three times LSP was increased by 232.1% as compared to aluminized steel, which could attribute to the increased dislocation density in the peened sample as well as the decrease of creep voids in size and density.

The AP2 transcription factors play important roles in regulating plant growth and development. However, limited data are available on the contributions of AP2 transcription factors in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). In the present study, a total of 62 AP2 genes were identified in wheat from a genome-wide search against the latest wheat genome data. Phylogenetic and sequence alignment analyses divided the wheat AP2 genes into 3 clusters, euAP2, euANT, and basalANT. Chromosomal distribution, gene structure and duplication, and motif composition were subsequently investigated. The 62 TaAP2 genes were unevenly distributed on 21 chromosomes. Twenty-four homologous gene sets among A, B, and D sub-genomes were detected, which contributed to the expansion of the wheat AP2 gene family. The expression levels of TaAP2 genes were examined using the WheatExp database; most detected genes exhibited tissue-specific expression patterns. The transcript levels of 9 randomly selected TaAP2 genes were validated through qPCR analyses. Overexpression of TaAP2-10-5D, the most likely homolog of ArabidopsisANT gene, increased organ sizes in Arabidopsis. Our results extend our knowledge of the AP2 gene family in wheat, and contribute to further functional characterization of AP2s during wheat development with the ultimate goal of improving crop production.

Rana chensinensis ovum oil (RCOO) is an emerging source of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), but it is lacking in green and efficient extraction methods. In this work, using the response surface strategy, we developed a green and efficient CO2 supercritical fluid extraction (CO2-SFE) technology for RCOO. The response surface methodology (RSM), based on the Box–Behnken Design (BBD), was used to investigate the influence of four independent factors (pressure, flow, temperature, and time) on the yield of RCOO in the CO2-SFE process, and UPLC-ESI-Q-TOP-MS and HPLC were used to identify and analyze the principal UFA components of RCOO. According to the BBD response surface model, the optimal CO2-SFE condition of RCOO was pressure 29 MPa, flow 82 L/h, temperature 50 °C, and time 132 min, and the corresponding predicted optimal yield was 13.61%. The actual optimal yield obtained from the model verification was 13.29 ± 0.37%, and the average error with the predicted value was 0.38 ± 0.27%. The six principal UFAs identified in RCOO included eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), α-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (ARA), linoleic acid (LA), and oleic acid (OA), which were important biologically active ingredients in RCOO. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the yield of these UFAs was closely related to the yield of RCOO (the correlation coefficients were greater than 0.9). Therefore, under optimal conditions, the yield of RCOO and principal UFAs always reached the optimal value at the same time. Based on the above results, this work realized the optimization of CO2-SFE green extraction process and the confirmation of principal bioactive ingredients of the extract, which laid a foundation for the green production of RCOO.

Background/Aims: Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignant cancers and a major leading cause of cancer deaths in men. Cancer stem-like cells are shown to be highly tumorigenic, pro-angiogenic and can significantly contribute to tumor new vessel formation and bone marrow derived-EPCs (BM-EPCs) are shown to recruit to the angiogenic switch in tumor growth and metastatic progression, suggesting the importance of targeting cancer stem cells (CSCs) and EPCs for novel tumor therapies. Pristimerin, an active component isolated from Celastraceae and Hippocrateaceae, has shown anti-tumor effects in some cell lines in previous studies. However, the effect and mechanism of Pristimerin on CSCs and EPCs in PCa bone metastasis are not well studied. Methods: The effect of Pristimerin on PC-3 stem cell characteristics and metastasis were detected by spheroid formation, CD133 and CD44 protein expression, matrix-gel invasive assay and colony-formation assay in vitro, VEGF and pro-inflammatory cytokines expression by ELISA assay, and tumor tumorigenicity by X-ray and MR in NOD-SCID mice model in vivo. In addition, we also detected the effect of Pristimerin on VEGF-induced vasculogenesis and protein expression of BM-EPCs. Results: Pristimerin could significantly inhibit spheroid formation and protein expression of CD133 and CD44, reduce VEGF and pro-inflammation cytokines expression of PC-3 cell, and prevent the xenografted PC-3 tumor growth in the bone of nude mice. The present data also showed that Pristimerin significantly inhibited VEGF-induced vasculogenesis of BM-EPCs by suppressing the EPCs functions including proliferation, adhesion, migration, tube formation and inactivation the phosphorylation of VEGFR-2, Akt and eNOS. Conclusion: These data provide evidence that Pristimerin has strong potential for development as a novel agent against prostate bone metastasis by suppressing PC-3 stem cell characteristics and VEGF-induced vasculogenesis of BM-EPCs.

Pattern matching is the core module in network security system,it's the highest occupancy rate of system resources is more than 70%.According to problem and challenges of pattern matching in the network security system,taking 2000 as the boundary,the pattern matching was divided into the traditional pattern matching method and the new pattern matching method.Through the analysis of the principle and the computational complexity of different pattern matching method and the development and evolution of the new pattern matching method,applicable environment of different methods was concluded.A comprehensive review and evaluation of pattern matching in network security system was presented.Finally,a conclusion and some suggestions for future research were summarized and prospected.