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Poly(N‐vinylcaprolactam) (PVCL), a salt responsive ligand, was grafted from electrospun cellulose nanofiber membranes by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The membranes were used for hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The modified PVCL‐cellulose membranes were used to separate BSA dimers from monomers as well as monoclonal antibody (mAb) aggregates. Fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) was used for protein separation and fraction collection. High performance liquid chromatography with a size exclusion column (HPLC‐SEC) analysis confirmed the separation of monomers and aggregates from both BSA and the mAb. The results suggest that use of a responsive ligand that changes its conformation with ionic strength could improve the performance of hydrophobic interaction chromatography enabling the separation of compounds based on slight differences in hydrophobicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aging lungs are vulnerable to chronic pulmonary diseases; however, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, we compared the aging lungs of 20–24-month-old mice with the young of 10–16-week-old mice, and found that aging airway epithelial cells significantly upregulated the expression of uteroglobin-related protein 1 (UGRP1), which was responsible for the higher levels of CCL6 in the aging lungs. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) changed intrinsically with aging, exhibiting a decrease in cell number and altered gene expression. Using terminal differentiation trajectories, a population of MARCO+ AMs with the ability to produce CCL6 was identified in the aging lungs. Upregulated UGRP1was demonstrated to modulate CCL6 production of AMs in the UGRP1-MARCO pair in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, MARCO+ AMs aggravated bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in a CCL6-dependent manner in the aged mice, and blocking MARCO or neutralizing CCL6 significantly inhibited pulmonary fibrosis, similar to the depletion of AMs. The age-related upregulation of UGRP1 and MARCO+ AMs, involved in the progression of lung fibrosis, was also observed in human lung tissues. Thus, UGRP1 modulated MARCO+ AMs regarding the age-related lung fibrosis in a CCL6-dependent manner, which is key to establishing optimal targeting for the aging population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a bona fide epigenetic marker, DNA methylation has been linked to the differentiation and function of regulatory T (Treg) cells, a subset of CD4 T cells that play an essential role in maintaining immune homeostasis and suppressing autoimmunity and antitumor immune response. DNA methylation undergoes dynamic regulation involving maintenance of preexisting patterns, passive and active demethylation, and de novo methylation. Scattered evidence suggests that these processes control different stages of Treg cell lifespan ranging from lineage induction to cell fate maintenance, suppression of effector T cells and innate immune cells, and transdifferentiation. Despite significant progress, it remains to be fully explored how differential DNA methylation regulates Treg cell fate and immunological function. Here, we review recent progress and discuss the questions and challenges for further understanding the immunological roles and mechanisms of dynamic DNA methylation in controlling Treg cell differentiation and function. We also explore the opportunities that these processes offer to manipulate Treg cell suppressive function for therapeutic purposes by targeting DNA methylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recollision is the most important post-tunneling process in strong-field physics, but so far has been restricted to interaction between the first ionized electron and the residual ion in nonsequential double ionization. Here we identify the role of recollision of the second ionized electron in the below-threshold nonsequential double ionization process by introducing a Coulomb-corrected quantum-trajectories method. We will reproduce the experimentally observed cross-shaped and anti-correlated patterns in correlated two-electron momentum distributions, and the transition between them. Both the cross-shaped and anti-correlated patterns are attributed to recolliding trajectories of the second electron. The effect of recollision of the second electron is significantly enhanced by the stronger Coulomb potential of the higher valence residual ion, and is further strengthened by the recapture process of the second electron. Our work paves a potential way to image ultrafast dynamics of atoms and molecules in intense laser field. The recollision of photoexcited electrons with ions is a fundamental process in light-matter interaction, but so far only the rescattering of a single electron has been considered. Here by considering the recollision of a second electron theoretically, experimentally-observed momentum distributions can be understood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photothermal control has been widely used in the tuning of microelectronic devices due to its laser-assisted noncontact manipulation and cost-effective advantages. The Nd3+ heavily doped NaGdF4 nanocrystals (NCs) were proposed as a heat source at nanoscale, and its light-to-heat conversion efficiency was evaluated to be above 80%. Here, we obtained a whispering gallery mode lasing emission from the prepared polymer-coated silica microcavity under a 532 nm pulsed laser. The nanoheaters are combined with the microcavity to trigger the photothermal effect at the irradiation of a second 793 nm continuous wave (CW) laser, thereby realizing all-optical tuning of the resonance wavelength by changing the effective refractive index of the microcavity. By measuring the shift of lasing modes on exposure to CW laser with different power intensities, the maximum tuning range and sensitivity of 2 nm and 1.96 nm/(W·mm−2) were achieved as the power intensity increased from 0 to 1.02 W/mm2. Our work provides a method for developing a new generation of all-optical tunable lasers based on nanoscale photothermal effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive radar can overcome the shortcomings of traditional radars that are difficult to adapt to complex environments and adaptively adjust the transmitted waveform through closed-loop feedback. The optimization design of the transmitted waveform is a very important issue in the research of cognitive radar. Most of the previous studies on waveform design assume that the prior information of the target spectrum is completely known, but actually the target in the real scene is uncertain. In order to simulate this situation, this paper uses a robust waveform design scheme based on signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) and mutual information (MI). After setting up the signal model, the SINR and MI between target and echo are derived based on the information theory, and robust models for MI and SINR are established. Next, the MI and SINR are maximized by using the maximum marginal allocation (MMA) algorithm and the water-filling method which is improved by bisection algorithm. Simulation results show that, under the most unfavorable conditions, the robust transmitted waveform has better performance than other waveforms in the improvement degree of SINR and MI. By comparing the robust transmitted waveform based on SINR criterion and MI criterion, the influence on the variation trend of SINR and MI is explored, and the range of critical value of Ty is found. The longer the echo observation time is, the better the performance of the SINR-based transmitted waveform over the MI-based transmitted waveform is. For the mutual information between the target and the echo, the performance of the MMA algorithm is better than the improved water-filling algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many researchers have studied the application of SO2 in fruit preservation, and most studies focused on using modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) + SO2 pads that are being widely used in commercial table grape storage. We introduced an automatic and periodical SO2 fumigation device in this study, by which we could accurately set and control SO2 concentration and treatment duration. The aim of this study was to compare effects of traditional MAP + SO2 pad and periodical SO2 fumigation on storage quality of "Red Globe" table grape (Vitis vinifera L.). Results suggested that MAP + SO2 pad became less effective to inhibit fungal pathogens during late storage period, whereas 0.1 ml/L and 0.3 ml/L × 30 min SO2 fumigation every 30 days was able to maintain the storage quality of "Red Globe" table grape for 240 days. Practical applications: An automatic and periodical SO2 fumigation device was designed and applied to "Red Globe" table grape (Vitis vinifera L.) in this study. 0.1 ml/L and 0.3 ml/L × 30 min SO2 fumigation every 30 days are fit for long‐term storage of "Red Globe" table grape which could significantly reduce SO2 residue and improve the storage quality compared with MAP + SO2 pad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• By analyzing the effect of Nd3+ doping concentration on the photothermal conversion efficiency of Nd:NaGdF 4 nanoparticles under continuous wave laser irradiation, the highest value in NaNdF 4 as a nanoscale heat source in the microstructure can reach 82.5%, which is greater than the currently reported nanoheaters. • The nanoheater is doped into the silica core by infrared laser ablation of microfibers, and the 793 nm trigger laser is injected axially through the fiber stem to trigger the photothermal effect, so that the PMMA-coated microcavity maintains a high intrinsic Q factor during all-optical tuning process, and possesses improved integration. • The nanoheater-doped microlaser achieves a wavelength tuning range of over 3.1 nm within the applied power intensity range of 1 to 1.62 W/mm2, which is more than 2.5 times larger than that of the undoped microlaser, confirming that nanoheater doping is an effective way to improve all-optical wavelength tunability. A novel all-optical tunable microlaser based on a polymer-coated microcavity embedded with a high-efficiency nanoheater is proposed. The large refractive index contrast between polymer and air helps to generate whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonances, so lasing from polymer microshells can be obtained via total internal reflection. Under the continuous triggering of a 793 nm laser, a maximum photothermal conversion efficiency of 82.9% was achieved using the Nd3+ heavily doped NaGdF 4 nanocrystal (NC) as a nanoscale heat source. The nanoheater was doped into the silica core by infrared laser ablation of the microfiber without contact with the WGM, enabling the coated microcavity to maintain a high Q factor up to 1.6 × 106. Significant heat transfer is achieved by the nanoheater absorbing the 793 nm trigger light pumped via the fiber stem, and the lasing wavelength is all-optical tuned over 3 nm at the applied power intensity range of 1 to 1.62 W/mm2. Furthermore, a tuning sensitivity of up to 1.86 nm/(W mm−2) is realized. The excellent photothermal properties of the lanthanide-doped nanoheater make the proposed microlaser attractive for future microelectronic device applications in all-optical networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an edible coating material, chitosan coating (CS) has been widely reported to extend the storage quality of fruits and sulfur dioxide fumigation (SDF) is used to inhibit pathogens in grape preservation. CS and SDF treatments were simultaneously (CS+SDF) applied in fresh areca nut preservation at 13C and 90% relative humidity (RH). The result showed that as physiological deterioration and pathogens attack were limited, the CS+SDF treatment can significantly maintain the storage quality of fresh areca nut for 40 days. The final sulfur dioxide (SO2) residue content was 11.9 ± 1.6 mg/kg and lower than the limit level set by Chinese government (50 mg/kg). This technology enables the consumers an access to fresh areca nut after harvest period for a relative long time. Practical Applications Areca nut is widely favored by people in the region of South and Southeast Asia, most of them prefer to chew fresh ones. However, the fresh areca nut is only accessible around harvest period and difficult to preserve. It is vulnerable to chilling injury when stored at low temperature, and rapid physiological deterioration and pathogens attack at high temperature. Previous assay has confirmed the optimized storage temperature for areca nut is 13C. Compared with common cold storage temperature (usually around 0C), 13C is still a relative high storage temperature. In order to maintain storage quality of fresh areca nut at 13C, CS+SDF treatment was applied and proved an efficient storage method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The outcomes of HBV infections are related to complex immune imbalances; however, the precise mechanisms by which HBV induces immune dysfunction are not well understood. Methods: HBV transgenic (HBs-Tg) mice were used to investigate intrahepatic NK cells in two distinct subsets: conventional NK (cNK) and liver-resident NK (LrNK) cells during a chronic HBV infection. Results: The cNK cells, but not the LrNK cells, were primarily responsible for the increase in the number of bulk NK cells in the livers of ageing HBs-Tg mice. The hepatic cNK cells showed a stronger ability to produce IL-10, coupled with a higher expression of CD69, TIGIT and PD-L1, and lower NKG2D expression in ageing HBs-Tg mice. A lower mitochondrial mass and membrane potential, and less polarized localization were observed in the hepatic cNK cells compared with the splenic cNK cells in the HBs-Tg mice. The enhanced galectin-3 (Gal-3) secreted from HBsAg+ hepatocytes accounted for the IL-10 production of hepatic cNK cells via ITGB1 signaling. For humans, LGALS3 and ITGB1 expression is positively correlated with IL-10 expression, and negatively correlated with the poor clinical progression of HCC. Conclusions: Gal-3-ITGB1 signaling shapes hepatic cNK cells but not LrNK cells during a chronic HBV infection, which may correlate with HCC progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify candidate urinary protein biomarkers to distinguish medulloblastoma (MB) patients from healthy patients or benign brain disease control patients. The tandem mass tag (TMT)-labeled quantitative proteomics approach was used to identify differential proteins in the urinary proteome of 9 pre- and postsurgery MB patients and 9 healthy control patients, respectively. Ingenuity pathway analysis was used for functional annotation of differential proteins. The biomarker candidates were validated by the parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) method in 112 samples (29 pre- and postsurgery MB patients, 26 healthy control patients, and 28 benign brain disease control patients). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were developed to evaluate candidate biomarkers. A total of 114 differential proteins were found. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that the urinary proteome could reflect changes in MB. Seventeen candidate biomarkers were validated by PRM. The combination of CADH1, FGFR4 and FIBB could be used to discriminate MB patients from healthy control patients with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.973, and the combination of CADH1 and FIBB showed good discriminative power for differentiating MB from benign brain disease with an AUC of 0.884. This report describes the first application of a TMT-PRM workflow to identify and validate MB–specific biomarkers in urine. These findings might contribute to the application of urinary proteomics for detecting and monitoring MB. Medulloblastoma (MB) is among the most common pediatric brain malignancies. This tumor has a highly aggressive clinical course with a high tendency for relapses. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the major means of diagnosis and for radiographic surveillance after surgery. In MRI, sedation is often required in young children, which could expose them to a series of risks, including airway obstruction and even death. Aside from MRI, there is no reliable biomarker for clinical screening or monitoring of the disease. These facts introduce the clinical need of noninvasive biomarkers for early screening or monitoring of MB. This study is focused on the investigation of a marker panel based on urinary proteome, as a tool for the detection of MB in selected patients at risk. Upon evaluation of the marker model in an independent blinded set of 112 samples, the panel (CADH1, FGFR4 and FIBB) could be used to discriminate MB patients from healthy control patients with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.973, and the combination of CADH1 and FIBB showed good discriminative power for differentiating MB from benign brain disease with an AUC of 0.884. Unlabelled Image • Application of a TMT-PRM workflow to identify and validate MB–specific biomarkers in urine • Application of urinary proteomics for detecting and monitoring MB • Urinary proteomics is an effective method for research on brain tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First demonstrate a liquid crystal biosensor based on whispering gallery mode lasing for detection of acetylcholinesterase and its inhibitors. • The limit of detection achieved was as low as 0.1 pg/mL for fenobucarb and 1 pg/mL for dimethoate. • Compared with POM observations, the direct measurements from the lasing spectra of LC microdroplets provides more quantitative and more sensitive detection of reaction analytes. • The proposed biosensor also retains a detection performance in real river water. In this work, a liquid crystal (LC) biosensor based on whispering gallery mode (WGM) lasing is reported and demonstrated for real-time and high-sensitive detection of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and its inhibitors. Benefit from the double amplification by the WGM resonance and the 5CB molecules, small changes in biological processes are significantly enhanced in WGM spectral responses. The spectral responses provide direct information about the molecular adsorption/desorption at the LC/aqueous solution interface and can be used as an indicator of the enzymatic reaction. The limit of detection achieved was as low as 0.1 pg/mL for fenobucarb and 1 pg/mL for dimethoate, which is considerably lower than the standard levels of pesticides specified for water quality standards. Results indicate that this versatile method holds prospects for application in real-time and high-sensitive monitoring of biochemical reactions and can serve as an alternative solution to compensate for missing capabilities in conventional POM observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schematic drawing of Ni 12 P 5 and Ni formation on SiO 2 , ZSM-5 and Al 2 O 3 supports. [Display omitted] • Ni 12 P 5 crystal could effectively inhibit the coke formation on the catalysts. • High activity (95.4% conversion at 300 °C) was obtained on Ni 12 P 5 /SiO 2 catalyst. • Proper acidic sites and particle size of Ni 12 P 5 were responsible for high activity. Though nickel phosphides had been used widely to transform biomass into bio-fuel, the impact of support on the crystal formation was not clear. Herein, nickel and phosphides loaded on SiO 2 , ZSM-5 and γ-Al 2 O 3 were synthesized and the interaction between Ni/P and the supports was studied. Pure Ni 12 P 5 and pure Ni formed on SiO 2 and γ-Al 2 O 3 , respectively, whereas the mixture of Ni 12 P 5 and Ni formed on ZSM-5. The formation of AlPO 4 species was the main factor for the absence of Ni 12 P 5 on Ni/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst. Furthermore, the support also had a significant impact on the active phase with different particle size and dispersion, and further affected the performance. The highest fuel yield of 67.3 wt.% was obtained on Ni 12 P 5 /SiO 2 catalyst, which might be attributed to the appropriate acid sites and proper Ni 12 P 5 size. In addition, the catalysts with Ni 12 P 5 crystal phase displayed good resistance to coke deposition. The findings are important for clarification of the role of support in nickel phosphide active phase formation and coke deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The present systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to summarize the associations between gut microbiota composition and non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease. To compare the differences between individuals with or without NAFLD, the standardized mean difference and 95% confidence interval were computed for each α‐diversity index and relative abundance of gut microbes. The β‐diversity indices were summarized in a qualitative manner. A total of 54 studies with 8894 participants were included. Overall, patients with NAFLD had moderate reduction in α‐diversity indices including Shannon (SMD = −0.36, 95% CI = [−0.53, −0.19], p < 0.001) and Chao 1 (SMD = −0.42, 95% CI = [−0.68, −0.17], p = 0.001), but no significant differences were found for Simpson, observed species, phylogenetic diversity, richness, abundance‐based coverage estimator, and evenness (p ranged from 0.081 to 0.953). Over 75% of the included studies reported significant differences in β‐diversity. Although there was substantial interstudy heterogeneity, especially for analyses at the phylum, class, and family levels, the majority of the included studies showed alterations in the depletion of anti‐inflammatory microbes (i.e., Ruminococcaceae and Coprococcus) and the enrichment of proinflammatory microbes (i.e., Fusobacterium and Escherichia) in patients with NAFLD. Perturbations in gut microbiota were associated with NAFLD, commonly reflected by a reduction in beneficial species and an increase in the pathogenic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The feasibility and prognosis of surgical treatment for children with optic pathway gliomas (OPGs) is controversial. Therefore this study attempted to evaluate the effects of surgery and discuss prognostic factors related to the survival of children with symptomatic OPGs. Materials and Methods One-hundred twenty-five children diagnosed with OPGs underwent surgery in the Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital from 2003–2016. In this retrospective study, their demographics, clinical characteristics, treatments, and survival outcomes were investigated and summarized. Results Among the 125 patients, the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate and progression-free survival (PFS) rate were 84.1% and 70.6%, respectively. In the univariate analysis, patients who received postoperative radiotherapy (RT) after surgery had significantly better 5-year OS and PFS rates than patients who did not receive RT ( P < 0.001 for both comparisons), patients who were 3 years old had better PFS rates than younger patients ( P < 0.001), and patients with endocrinology symptoms had significantly worse PFS rates than patients with other symptoms ( P = 0.049). In the multiple regression analysis, postoperative treatment with RT and tumors with a lower pathologic grade were better predictors of OS. An age older than 3 years and postoperative treatment with RT were better predictors of PFS. Conclusions Surgery is safe and feasible for children with large volumes of OPGs and symptoms of functional impairment and obstructive hydrocephalus. Furthermore, adjuvant RT after surgery may significantly improve OS and PFS. The pathologic grade is an independent prognostic factor for OS, and the age at diagnosis is an independent prognostic factor for PFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present bioinformatics analysis was performed using a multi-step approach to identify a microRNA (miR)-mRNA regulatory network in Down syndrome. miR (GSE69210) and mRNA (GSE70573) data was downloaded and collected from the thymic tissues of both Down syndrome and karyotypically normal subjects and placed in a public repository. Then, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to screen for miRs and mRNAs associated with Down syndrome. Subsequently, differentially expressed miRs (DEmiRs) and mRNAs/differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified following screening and mapping to RNA data. Bidirectional hierarchical clustering analysis was then performed to distinguish DEmiRs and DEGs between Down syndrome samples and normal control samples. DEmiR targets were retrieved using the miRanda database and mapped to the mRNA module screen by WGCNA. A gene co-expression network was constructed and subjected to functional enrichment analysis. During WGCNA, a total of 6 miR modules and 20 mRNA modules associated with Down syndrome were identified. Following mapping of these miRs and mRNAs to the miR and mRNA modules screened using WGNCA, a total of 12 DEmiRs and 237 DEGs were collected. Following comparison with DEmiR targets retrieved from the miRanda database, a total of 255 DEmiR-DEG pairs, including 6 DEmiRs and 106 DEGs were obtained. At expression correlation coefficient >0.9, a total of 231 gene pairs were selected. These gene pairs were enriched in response to stress and response to stimuli following functional annotation and module division. An integrated analysis of miR and mRNA expression in the thymus in Down syndrome is reported in the present study. miR-30c, miR-145, miR-183 and their targets may serve important roles in the pathogenesis and development of complications in Down syndrome. However, further experimental studies are required to verify these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To establish some explicit, feasible, and reproducible predictors for CMS. Materials and methods: This study was a retrospective case study. Data were obtained from 82 patients with medulloblastoma at a single center, Beijing Tiantan Hospital. Based on medical records, we created two independent samples: the CMS group comprising 23 patients and the non-CMS group comprising 23 patients. Pre-operative imaging was studied by performing quantitative assessments of specific indicators. Results: The CMS group showed greater differences in pre-operative imaging data with the non-CMS group. The Aaxi/daxi ratio in pre-operative MR imaging captured in the axial plane was used to quantify the compression of the cerebellum and brainstem, and significant differences were observed between the CMS group and non-CMS group (p = 0.0002). In the sagittal plane, Dsag*dsag was used to quantify the area of the tumor that invaded the brainstem, and significant differences were observed between the two groups (p = 0.0003). In the coronal plane, Acor/dcor was used to quantify the compression of the upper functional brain region, and significant differences were noted between the two groups (p = 0.0219). Additionally, Evans' index was introduced to quantify the degree of hydrocephalus. The CMS group tended to show an increased Evans' index (p = 0.0027). Conclusion: Based on pre-operative imaging data, some reproducible predictors, such as Aaxi/daxi, Dsag*dsag, Acor/dcor, and Evans' index, were established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Intraosseous lipomas occurring within the skull are rare. Currently, the known locations include the frontal bone, parietal bone, temporal bone, and ethmoid bone. Thus far, we have found only 12 cases of lipoma at the top of the forehead on the skull, and only 2 cases of recurrent intraosseous lipoma have been reported. The patient with intraosseous lipoma we have described was a 3-year-old boy, the youngest of the 12 known patients with intraosseous lipoma of the skull, and the patient had repeated relapses. Case Description We report the history of a 3-year-old boy with a giant intraosseous lipoma in his left frontal region when he came to our hospital for treatment. The head computed tomography scan showed a left frontal plate with an oval low density, and the boundary was clear. The lesion affected the normal appearance of the child. He had experienced varying degrees of recurrent growth after 2 operations. At the last follow-up examination, the appearance of the patient had improved greatly. Conclusions For large intraosseous lipomas occurring in the skull, owing to its special position and the tendency for repeated relapses to develop, extending the excision is an effective surgical approach. For swelling involving a wide range, surgery should involve specialists in craniofacial surgery. Highlights • Intraosseous lipoma of the skull is rare tumor, and no effective diagnosis and treatment standard is available. • In the present case, the youngest patient had a wide range of complications. • Extensive resection is the only possible radical treatment at present. • Recurrence after surgery could necessitate reoperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between ultrafiltration rate (UFR) and hemoglobin levels and erythropoietin (EPO) response in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). 225 MHD patients were divided into three groups according to the UFR: < 10 ml/h/kg, 10–13 ml/h/kg, and >13 ml/h/kg. Clinical parameters and prognosis were compared among the groups. Multiple linear correlation and regression analyses were conducted. SPSS 26.0 (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA) was used to analyze all statistics. The UFR < 10 ml/h/kg group was older than the other groups (p < 0.05). The UFR > 13 ml/h/kg group had the highest SpKt/V (p < 0.05), monthly EPO dose/weight (p < 0.001), and EPO resistance index (p < 0.001), as well as the lowest dry weight (p < 0.001), BMI (p < 0.001), hemoglobin (p < 0.001), hematocrit (p < 0.05), and red blood cell count (p < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that sex, dry weight, UFR, calcium, phosphorus, albumin, and C-reactive protein levels were associated with hemoglobin levels. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that a higher UFR was associated with lower hemoglobin levels, while male sex and higher levels of calcium and albumin were associated with higher hemoglobin levels. High UFR is associated with more severe anemia and EPO resistance in MHD. This study provides new insights into anemia management in patients undergoing hemodialysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological instability and growth orientation evolution during unidirectional solidification of Al–Zn alloys with different pulling speeds were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD) in scanning electron microscope (SEM). The experimental results show that, as the pulling speed increases, the primary dendrite spacing becomes smaller gradually and dendrite trunks incline to the heat flow direction perfectly in unidirectional solidified Al–9.8 wt%Zn and Al–89 wt%Zn alloys. However, regardless of the pulling speed in unidirectional solidified Al–Zn alloys under fixed thermal gradient, the regular dendrites with <100> directions of primary trunks and secondary arms in 9.8 wt% Zn composition are replaced by <110> dendrites of primary trunks and secondary arms in 89 wt% Zn composition. In unidirectional solidified Al–32 wt% Zn alloy, cellular, fractal seaweed, and stabilized seaweed structures were observed at high pulling speeds. At a high pulling speed of 1000 µm/s, seaweed structures transform to the columnar dendrites with <110> trunks and <100> arms. The above orientation evolution can be attributed to low anisotropy of solid-liquid interface energy and the seaweed structure is responsible for isotropy of {111} planes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Polysulfone membranes can be fabricated using Cyrene or gamma-valerolactone. • When a water coagulation bath is used, residual solvent stays trapped in membranes. • Coagulation baths of water and ethanol mixtures improve pore formation. • Effects of bath composition are explained by Hansen solubility parameters. • Novel dimpled membranes have reduced flux decline due to organic fouling. Even though membranes can lead to more environmentally sustainable separation processes, membrane casting typically involves toxic organic solvents. Recently, there has been increasing interest in substituting these toxic solvents for green solvents. In this study, polysulfone ultrafiltration membranes were fabricated by nonsolvent induced phase separation using two green, bio-derived solvents: Cyrene and gamma-valerolactone (GVL). The effect of coagulation bath composition was investigated, with water, ethanol, and water/ethanol mixtures tested as nonsolvents in the bath. Membranes were characterized and their performance was tested by dead-end filtration. For both Cyrene and GVL, using pure water in the coagulation bath resulted in membranes with residual solvent trapped inside. During dead-end filtration, these membranes were either impermeable (in the case of GVL) or had very low bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection (in the case of Cyrene). Concentrations of ∼ 50–75 v% ethanol in the coagulation bath led to improved solvent removal and better pore formation, as indicated by scanning electron microscopy. These membranes also had higher flux and rejection. For example, membranes cast using Cyrene with a 65:35 volumetric ratio of ethanol:water in the coagulation bath achieved 70.1 L/m2/h water flux at 2.41 bar and 96.7 % BSA rejection. Additionally, the effect of humidity on membranes cast using GVL was investigated. Membranes cast under moderate humidity had novel surface morphologies with porous dimples ∼ 1 µm wide. Overall, these results show that Cyrene and GVL are promising solvents for preparing polysulfone ultrafiltration membranes. The work highlights the importance of relating membrane properties to casting conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depressive disorder is a mental health disorder caused by the dysfunction of nerve regeneration, neuroendocrine and neurobiochemistry, which frequently results in cognitive impairments and disorder. Evidence has shown that resveratrol offers benefits for the treatment of depressive disorder. In the present study, the therapeutic effects of resveratrol were investigated and the potential mechanisms mediated by resveratrol were analyzed in hippocampal neuron cells. The anti‑oxidative stress and anti‑inflammatory properties of resveratrol were also examined in vitro and in vivo. The results revealed that resveratrol administration inhibited the inflammation in hippocampal neuron cells induced by ouabain. Oxidative stress in the hippocampal neuron cells was ameliorated by resveratrol treatment in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the apoptosis of hippocampal neuron cells was inhibited by the upregulation of anti‑apoptotic genes, including P53, B‑cell lymphoma‑2 (Bcl‑2) and Bcl‑2‑associated death promoter, and the downregulation of the cleaved caspase‑3 and caspase‑9. The analysis of the mechanism revealed that that resveratrol treatment suppressed the apoptosis of hippocampal neuron cells through the NETRIN1‑mediated extracellular signal‑regulated kinase/cAMP signal transduction pathway. The results of the in vivo assay showed that resveratrol treatment led to improvements in cognitive competence, learning memory ability and anxiety in a mouse model of depressive disorder induced by ouabain. In conclusion, these results indicated that resveratrol treatment had protective effects against oxidative stress and neuroinflammatory pathogenesis through the NETRIN1‑mediated extracellular signal‑regulated kinase/cAMP signal transduction pathway, suggesting that resveratrol treatment may be a potential antidepressant agent for the treatment of depressive disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current world energy crisis and increasing environmental concerns over global climate change from combusting fossil fuel are driving researchers into a new route to produce fuels via sustainable resource to meet the demands of human. In recent years, deoxygenation as an alternative method has been applied in the production of hydrocarbon fuels, particularly via the deoxygenation of fatty acids and triglycerides from seed oils and fats, producing hydrocarbon fuels entirely fungible with fossil fuels. The deoxygenation of biobased feedstock to fuel-like hydrocarbons is critically reviewed in this article. The review mainly discusses the use of feedstock, innovation of catalysts, and the reaction mechanism involved in the production of hydrocarbon fuels via deoxygenation progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activation of the STAT5 transcription factor downstream of the Interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) induces expression of Foxp3 , a critical step in the differentiation of regulatory T (Treg) cells. Due to the pleiotropic effects of IL-2R signaling, it is unclear how STAT5 acts directly on the Foxp3 locus to promote its expression. Here, we report that IL-2 – STAT5 signaling converged on an enhancer (CNS0) during Foxp3 induction. CNS0 facilitated the IL-2 dependent CD25+Foxp3– precursor to Treg cell transition in the thymus. Its deficiency resulted in impaired Treg cell generation in neonates, which was partially mitigated with age. While the thymic Treg cell paucity caused by CNS0 deficiency did not result in autoimmunity on its own, it exacerbated autoimmune manifestations caused by disruption of the Aire gene. Thus, CNS0 enhancer activity ensures robust Treg cell differentiation early in postnatal life and cooperatively with other tolerance mechanisms minimizes autoimmunity. [Display omitted] • CNS0 is an IL-2/STAT5-response element, active during Treg cell development • CNS0 is required for efficient Foxp3 induction in response to IL-2 signaling • Lack of CNS0 results in an activated and clonally expanded Treg cell population • In an autoimmune prone background, lack of CNS0 exacerbates pathology IL-2 coordinates with other environmental cues to induce Foxp3 expression during Treg cell development, a critical step in establishing immune tolerance. In this issue of Immunity, Dikiy et al. identify an enhancer responsible for IL-2 dependent Foxp3 induction and reveal its important role in buffering autoimmune pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]