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Highlights The SiO2 nanofiber membranes and MXene@c-MWCNT6:4 as one unit layer (SMC1) were bonded together with 5 wt% PVA solution. When the structural unit is increased to three layers, the resulting SMC3 has an average electromagnetic interference SET of 55.4 dB and a low thermal conductivity of 0.062 W m−1 K−1. SMCx exhibit stable electromagnetic interference shielding and excellent thermal insulation even in extreme heat and cold environment.

Summary: The role of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and triglyceride-glucose index (TyG index) in predicting all-cause and cause-specific mortalities remains elusive. This study included 384,420 adults from the Shanghai cohort and the UK Biobank (UKB) cohort. After multivariable adjustment in the Cox models, FPG ≥7.0 mmol/L or HbA1c ≥ 6.5% increased the risk of all-cause mortality, FPG ≥5.6 mmol/L or HbA1c ≥ 6.5% increased CVD-related mortality, and higher or lower TyG index increased all-cause and CVD-related mortalities in the Shanghai cohort; FPG ≥5.6 mmol/L, HbA1c ≥ 5.7%, TyG index

From the machining center (MC) user’s point of view, this paper, as the second report of a systematic study, proposes a practical approach to estimate the trajectory error of a circular arc interpolation cutter path produced by the NC linear acceleration/deceleration (Acc/Dec) processing to interpolation segment and the feed axis servo control for a target MC. A simple and convenient motion model is established for describing the behavior of the servo axes corresponding to a circular arc segment of any length processed by the linear Acc/Dec operation. Based on the model and a linearity assumption on the dynamics of servo system, an efficient simulation method is developed to precisely calculate the cutter path trajectory and the servo axis speed from the motion parameters commanded in NC program. The verification experiments have been performed on the target MC, in which the specially designed cutter paths were inspected by a cross grid measuring device, and the measured motion trajectories were compared and discussed with the ones simulated by using the same motion parameters, from different perspectives. The examination results sufficiently demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model and simulation method if the adopted feed rate is within the commonly used range at the production site. Therefore, as a useful tool, the approach provides a potential application possibility, i.e. beforehand estimating the influence of the NC Acc/Dec processing and the servo control on cutter path accuracy or judging the motion conditions for the machining purpose without performing an actual machining with the target MC. Moreover, a reverse compensation principle of the cutter path motion error based on the simulation results is presented and examined through an actual example. The result has proved the possibility of practical application of the principle and suggested the direction of future effort.

In order to solve the surface detection problems of low accuracy, low precision and inability to automate in the production process of late-model display panels, a little sample-based deep learning organic light-emitting diodes detection model SmartMuraDetection is proposed. First, aiming at the detection difficulty of low surface defect contrast, a gradient boundary enhancement algorithm module is designed to automatically identify and enhance defects and background gray difference. Then, the problem of insufficient little sample data sets is solved, Poisson fusion image enhancement module is designed for sample enhancement. Then, a TinyDetection model adapted to small-scale target detection is constructed to improve the detection accuracy of defects in small-scale targets. Finally, SEMUMaxMin quantization module is proposed as a post-processing module for the result images derived from network model reasoning, and accurate defect data is obtained by setting a threshold filter. The number of sample images in the experiment is 334. This study utilizes an organic light-emitting diodes detection model. The detection accuracy of surface defects can be improved by 85% compared with the traditional algorithm. The method in this paper is used for mass production evaluation in the actual display panel production site. The detection accuracy of surface defects reaches 96%, which can meet the mass production level of the detection equipment in this process section.

Accumulative alternating back extrusion was a potential fine-grain modification method. In this paper, it was an innovative attempt to develop high-performance magnesium alloy sheet by this process. Under the condition of 350 K, commercial AZ31 magnesium alloy was made into billet by accumulative alternating back extrusion, and then extruded into fine-grain magnesium alloy sheet. Through a systematic study of its microstructure and mechanical properties, the results showed that the initial state had an important influence on the evolution of the structure during extrusion. After accumulative alternating back extrusion to produce the billet, the grain size of the sheet obtained by extrusion was significantly refined, which was related to the accumulation of deformation and grain refinement during the alternating loading process. Grain refinement caused the proportion of dynamic recrystallization inside the sheet with 2 cycles of accumulative alternating back extrusion to drop to 27%. With the increase of extrusion cycles from 2 to 4, the high density of dislocations led to an increase in the proportion of dynamic recrystallization and finer grains. The texture changed from strong basal texture to weak bimodal texture. The results of uniaxial tensile test show that due to grain refinement and texture change, the yield strength was significantly reduced, and the plasticity was significantly improved. It was verified that accumulative alternating back extrusion was meaningful for subsequent processing, and it also provided scientific guidance for the development of fine-grained magnesium alloy sheet.

Key Points Question What exactly is the relationship between sleep duration and CCVD occurrence in Chinese community residents?

Rapid and accurate mapping of large-scale landslides is crucial for postdisaster prevention and risk analysis. This research introduces a new method named synthetic aperture radar (SAR) pixel-attention UNet (SPAUNet) to address the challenges of noise and information redundancy when utilizing SAR amplitude data for landslide detection. This process is based on constructing a UNet model and incorporating a pixel-attention mechanism. This study uses pre- and postdisaster SAR amplitude images as input data, generates seven pairs of dual-band combinations through registration, and inputs them into the model in sequence to automatically explore the best polarization amplitude combination, achieving rapid per-pixel mapping of large-scale landslides. Empirical analysis of landslide events in Milan and Papua New Guinea shows that SPAUNet outperforms the baseline models, improving the F1 score by 17% in Milan and 19% in Papua New Guinea. Moreover, this study emphasizes the importance of choosing the appropriate polarization combination for the region. The results indicate that SPAUNet, along with the appropriate polarization amplitude combination, improves the accuracy and reliability of landslide mapping, aiding disaster assessment and recovery work. This improvement holds significant implications for landslide disaster assessment and postdisaster recovery, providing a valuable direction for further enhancing landslide monitoring capabilities.

Abstract Rapid and eco‐friendly preparation of biomedical materials is significant for practical applications. This study proposes a simple two‐step method for preparing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)‐functionalized gauze dressings (Ag‐Q‐G) with antibacterial activity in a green and time‐efficient manner that requires

Abstract High‑efficiency electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials are of great importance for electronic equipment reliability, information security and human health. In this work, bidirectional aligned Ti3C2Tx@Fe3O4/CNF aerogels (BTFCA) were firstly assembled by bidirectional freezing and freeze-drying technique, and the BTFCA/epoxy nanocomposites with long-range aligned lamellar structures were then prepared by vacuum-assisted impregnation of epoxy resins. Benefitting from the successful construction of bidirectional aligned three-dimensional conductive networks and electromagnetic synergistic effect, when the mass fraction of Ti3C2Tx and Fe3O4 are 2.96 and 1.48 wt%, BTFCA/epoxy nanocomposites show outstanding EMI shielding effectiveness of 79 dB, about 10 times of that of blended Ti3C2Tx@Fe3O4/epoxy (8 dB) nanocomposites with the same loadings of Ti3C2Tx and Fe3O4. Meantime, the corresponding BTFCA/epoxy nanocomposites also present excellent thermal stability (T heat-resistance index of 198.7 °C) and mechanical properties (storage modulus of 9902.1 MPa, Young's modulus of 4.51 GPa and hardness of 0.34 GPa). Our fabricated BTFCA/epoxy nanocomposites would greatly expand the applications of MXene and epoxy resins in the fields of information security, aerospace and weapon manufacturing, etc.

Abstract Background Ribosome stalling on ermBL at the tenth codon (Asp) and mRNA stabilization are believed to be mechanisms by which erythromycin (Ery) induces ermB expression. Expression of ermB is also induced by 16-membered ring macrolides (tylosin, josamycin and spiramycin), but the mechanism underlying this induction is unknown. Methods We introduced premature termination codons, alanine-scanning mutagenesis and amino acid mutations in ermBL and ermBL2. Results In this paper, we demonstrated that 16-membered ring macrolides can induce ermB expression but not ermC expression. The truncated mutants of the ermB-coding sequence indicate that the regulatory regions of ermB whose expression is induced by Ery and 16-membered ring macrolides are different. We proved that translation of the N-terminal region of ermBL is key for the induction of ermB expression by Ery, spiramycin (Spi) and tylosin (Tyl). We also demonstrated that ermBL2 is critical for the induction of ermB expression by erythromycin but not by 16-membered ring macrolides. Conclusions The translation of ermBL and the RNA sequence of the C-terminus of ermBL are critical for the induction of ermB expression by Spi and Tyl.

From the machining center (MC) user’s point of view, the authors propose a practical approach to estimate the trajectory error of a linear interpolation cutter path produced by the linear acceleration/deceleration (Acc/Dec) processing for a target MC in this paper. Firstly, a simple and convenient motion model is established for describing the behavior of the servo axes corresponding to the linear Acc/Dec procession of a linear segment, which can be applied to any linear segment regardless of length. Based on the model and a linearity assumption on the dynamics of servo system, a simulation method is developed to precisely calculate the cutter path trajectory in detail together with the servo axis speed from the motion parameters commanded in NC program. The algorithm not only has a very simple structure but also demonstrates high efficiency in actual calculation. In order to confirm the effect of the approach, verification experiments have been performed on the target MC, in which specially designed cutter paths were inspected by a cross grid measuring device with high resolution in non-contact state. These measured trajectories are compared and discussed with the ones simulated under the same motion parameters, from different perspectives. The examination results sufficiently demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model and simulation method. Therefore, as a useful tool, the approach provides a potential application possibility, i.e. beforehand estimating the influence of the NC Acc/Dec processing on cutter path accuracy or judging the motion conditions for the machining purpose without performing an actual machining with the target MC.

Abstract Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with excellent flexibility and mechanical properties and outstanding thermal conductivity have become a hot topic of research in functional composites. In this study, the “sol–gel‐film conversion technique” is used to assemble polyetherimide‐functionalized Ti3C2Tx nanosheets (f‐Ti3C2Tx) with poly(p‐phenylene‐2,6‐benzobisoxazole) (PBO) nanofibers (PNFs), followed by dialysis and vacuum drying to prepare f‐Ti3C2Tx/PNF films with lamellar structures. When the loading of f‐Ti3C2Tx is 70 wt%, the f‐Ti3C2Tx/PNF film presents optimal comprehensive properties, with an EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of 35 dB and a specific SE/thickness ((SSE, SE/density)/t) of 8211 dB cm2/g, a tensile strength of 125.1 MPa, an in‐plane thermal conductivity coefficient (λ) of 5.82 W/(m K), and electrical conductivity of 1943 S/m. After repeated folding for 10,000 cycles, the EMI SE and the tensile strength of f‐Ti3C2Tx/PNFs films still remain 33.4 dB and 116.1 MPa, respectively. Additionally, the f‐Ti3C2Tx/PNF film also shows excellent thermal stability, flame retardancy, and structural stability. This would provide a novel method for the design and fabrication of multifunctional composite films and considerably expand the applications of MXene‐ and PNF‐based composites in the fields of EMI shielding and thermal management.

Abstract With the rapid development of fifth-generation mobile communication technology and wearable electronic devices, electromagnetic interference and radiation pollution caused by electromagnetic waves have attracted worldwide attention. Therefore, the design and development of highly efficient EMI shielding materials are of great importance. In this work, the three-dimensional graphene oxide (GO) with regular honeycomb structure (GH) is firstly constructed by sacrificial template and freeze-drying methods. Then, the amino functionalized FeNi alloy particles (f-FeNi) are loaded on the GH skeleton followed by in-situ reduction to prepare rGH@FeNi aerogel. Finally, the rGH@FeNi/epoxy EMI shielding composites with regular honeycomb structure is obtained by vacuum-assisted impregnation of epoxy resin. Benefitting from the construction of regular honeycomb structure and electromagnetic synergistic effect, the rGH@FeNi/epoxy composites with a low rGH@FeNi mass fraction of 2.1 wt% (rGH and f-FeNi are 1.2 and 0.9 wt%, respectively) exhibit a high EMI shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) of 46 dB, which is 5.8 times of that (8 dB) for rGO/FeNi/epoxy composites with the same rGO/FeNi mass fraction. At the same time, the rGH@FeNi/epoxy composites also possess excellent thermal stability (heat-resistance index and temperature at the maximum decomposition rate are 179.1 and 389.0 °C respectively) and mechanical properties (storage modulus is 8296.2 MPa).

Abstract The development of lightweight and integration for electronics requires flexible films with high thermal conductivity and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding to overcome heat accumulation and electromagnetic radiation pollution. Herein, the hierarchical design and assembly strategy was adopted to fabricate hierarchically multifunctional polyimide composite films, with graphene oxide/expanded graphite (GO/EG) as the top thermally conductive and EMI shielding layer, Fe3O4/polyimide (Fe3O4/PI) as the middle EMI shielding enhancement layer and electrospun PI fibers as the substrate layer for mechanical improvement. PI composite films with 61.0 wt% of GO/EG and 23.8 wt% of Fe3O4/PI exhibits high in-plane thermal conductivity coefficient (95.40 W (m K)−1), excellent EMI shielding effectiveness (34.0 dB), good tensile strength (93.6 MPa) and fast electric-heating response (5 s). The test in the central processing unit verifies PI composite films present broad application prospects in electronics fields.

Neointimal hyperplasia and stent thrombosis remain issues with vascular stents. Here, the authors report on the development of a nitric oxide releasing hydrogel which allows for endothelialisation of the stent surface and prevents smooth muscle cell growth reducing hyperplasia and thrombosis in in vivo models.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are progressively becoming an in-demand material for both medical and life use due to their effective antimicrobial properties. The high surface area-to-volume ratio endows AgNPs with enhanced antibacterial capacity accompanied by inevitable cytotoxicity. Surface coating technique could precisely regulate the particle shape, aggregation, and Ag+ release pattern of AgNPs, by which the cytotoxicity could be significantly reduced. Various coating methods have been explored to shell AgNPs, but it remains a great challenge to precisely control the aggregation state of AgNPs and their shell thickness. Herein, we proposed a simple method to prepare a tunable polydopamine (pDA) coating shell on AgNPs just by tuning the reaction pH and temperature, yet we obtained high antibacterial property and excellent biocompatibility. SEM and TEM revealed that pDA coated AgNPs can form core-shell structures with different aggregation states and shell thickness. Both in vitro and in vivo antibacterial tests show that acid condition and heat-treatment lead to appropriate AgNPs cores and pDA shell structures, which endow Ti with sustained antibacterial properties and preferable cell compatibility. One month of implantation in an infected animal model demonstrated that the obtained surface could promote osteogenesis and inhibit inflammation due to its strong antibacterial properties. Therefore, this study provides a promising approach to fabricate biocompatible antibacterial surface.

Abstract With the widespread application of electronic communication technology, the resulting electromagnetic radiation pollution has been significantly increased. Metal matrix electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials have disadvantages such as high density, easy corrosion, difficult processing and high price, etc. Polymer matrix EMI shielding composites possess light weight, corrosion resistance and easy processing. However, the current polymer matrix composites present relatively low electrical conductivity and poor EMI shielding performance. This review firstly discusses the key concept, loss mechanism and test method of EMI shielding. Then the current development status of EMI shielding materials is summarized, and the research progress of polymer matrix EMI shielding composites with different structures is illustrated, especially for their preparation methods and evaluation. Finally, the corresponding key scientific and technical problems are proposed, and their development trend is also prospected.

Application of extracorporeal circuits and indwelling medical devices has saved many lives. However, it is accompanied with two major complications: thrombosis and infection. To address this issue, we apply therapeutic nitric oxide gas (NO) and antibacterial peptide for synergistically tailoring such devices for surface anti-thrombogenic and antifouling dual functions. Such functional surface is realized by stepwise conjugation of NO-generating compound of 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) chelated copper ions (Cu-DOTA) and dibenzylcyclooctyne- (DBCO-) modified antimicrobial peptide based on carbodiimide and click chemistry respectively. The integration of peptide and Cu-DOTA grants the modified surface the ability to not only efficiently inhibit bacterial growth, but also catalytically generate NO from endogenous s-nitrosothiols (RSNO) to reduce adhesion and activation of platelets, preventing the formation of thrombus. We envision that the stepwise synergistic modification strategy by using anticoagulant NO and antibacterial peptide would facilitate the surface multifunctional engineering of extracorporeal circuits and indwelling medical devices, with reduced clinical complications associated with thrombosis and infection.

Abstract In order to ensure the operational reliability and information security of sophisticated electronic components and to protect human health, efficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials are required to attenuate electromagnetic wave energy. In this work, the cellulose solution is obtained by dissolving cotton through hydrogen bond driving self-assembly using sodium hydroxide (NaOH)/urea solution, and cellulose aerogels (CA) are prepared by gelation and freeze-drying. Then, the cellulose carbon aerogel@reduced graphene oxide aerogels (CCA@rGO) are prepared by vacuum impregnation, freeze-drying followed by thermal annealing, and finally, the CCA@rGO/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) EMI shielding composites are prepared by backfilling with PDMS. Owing to skin-core structure of CCA@rGO, the complete three-dimensional (3D) double-layer conductive network can be successfully constructed. When the loading of CCA@rGO is 3.05 wt%, CCA@rGO/PDMS EMI shielding composites have an excellent EMI shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) of 51 dB, which is 3.9 times higher than that of the co-blended CCA/rGO/PDMS EMI shielding composites (13 dB) with the same loading of fillers. At this time, the CCA@rGO/PDMS EMI shielding composites have excellent thermal stability (T HRI of 178.3 °C) and good thermal conductivity coefficient (λ of 0.65 W m-1 K-1). Excellent comprehensive performance makes CCA@rGO/PDMS EMI shielding composites great prospect for applications in lightweight, flexible EMI shielding composites. Graphic abstract

Mice have genetic and physiological similarities with humans and a well-characterized genetic background that is easy to manipulate. Murine models have become the most favored, robust mammalian systems for experimental analyses of biological processes and disease conditions due to their low cost, rapid reproduction, a wealth of mouse strains with defined genetic conditions (both native ones as well as ones established experimentally), and high reproducibility with respect to that which can be done in experimental studies. In this review, we focus on murine models for liver, an organ with renown regenerative capacity and the organ most central to systemic, complex metabolic and physiological functions for mammalian hosts. Establishment of murine models has been achieved for all aspects of studies of normal liver, liver diseases, liver injuries, and regenerative repair mechanisms. We summarize key information on current mouse systems that partially model facets of clinical scenarios, particularly those associated with drug-induced acute or chronic liver injuries, dietary related, non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD), hepatitis virus infectious chronic liver diseases, and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). In addition, we also include mouse models that are suitable for studying liver cancers (e.g., hepatocellular carcinomas), the aging process (senescence, apoptosis), and various types of liver injuries and regenerative processes associated with them.

Accurate quantification of the contributions of climatic and anthropogenic factors to the variation in NPP is critical for elucidating the relevant driving mechanisms. In this study, the spatiotemporal variation in net primary productivity (NPP) in China during 2000–2020, the interactive effects of climatic and anthropogenic factors on NPP and the optimal characteristics of driving forces were explored. Our results indicate that NPP had obvious spatial differentiation, an overall increasing trend was identified and this trend will continue in the future for more than half of the pixels. Land use and Land cover and precipitation were the main factors regulating NPP variation at both the national scale and the sub-region scale, except in southwest China, which was dominated by altitude and temperature. Moreover, an interactive effect between each pair of factors was observed and the effect of any pair of driving factors was greater than that of any single factor, manifested as either bivariate enhancement or nonlinear enhancement. Furthermore, the responses and optimal characteristics of NPP concerning driving forces were diverse. The findings provide a critical understanding of the impacts of driving forces on NPP and could help to create optimal conditions for vegetation growth to mitigate and adapt to climate changes.

Sonneratia apetala Francis Buchanan-Hamilton (Sonneratiaceae, Myrtales), is a woody species with high adaptability and seed production capacity. S. apetala is widely cultivated worldwide as the main species for mangrove construction. However, the study of diseases affecting S. apetala is limitted, with only a few fungal pathogens being recorded. Cryphonectriaceae (Diaporthales) species are the main pathogens of plants. They can cause canker diseases to several trees and thereby seriously threaten the health of the hosts. These pathogens include Cryphonectria parasitica (Cryphonectriaceae) causing chestnut blight on Castanea ( Rigling and Prospero 2017 ) and Cytospora chrysosperma (Cytosporaceae) causing polar and willow canker to Populus and Salix ( Wang et al. 2015 ). Therefore, the timely detection of of Cryphonectriaceae canker pathogens on S. apetala is extremely important for protecting the mangrove forests.Two diaporthalean fungi, Celoporthe guangdongensis and Cytospora rhizophorae have been reported for the first time to cause canker on the branches of S. apetala. C. guangdongensis is significantly pathogenic and C. rhizophorae is saprophytic on S. apetala.

Thrombosis and infections are the two major complications associated with extracorporeal circuits and indwelling medical devices, leading to significant mortality in clinic. To address this issue, here, we report a biomimetic surface engineering strategy by the integration of mussel-inspired adhesive peptide, with bio-orthogonal click chemistry, to tailor the surface functionalities of tubing and catheters. Inspired by mussel adhesive foot protein, a bioclickable peptide mimic (DOPA)4-azide-based structure is designed and grafted on an aminated tubing robustly based on catechol-amine chemistry. Then, the dibenzylcyclooctyne (DBCO) modified nitric oxide generating species of 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) chelated copper ions and the DBCO-modified antimicrobial peptide (DBCO-AMP) are clicked onto the grafted surfaces via bio-orthogonal reaction. The combination of the robustly grafted AMP and Cu-DOTA endows the modified tubing with durable antimicrobial properties and ability in long-term catalytically generating NO from endogenous s-nitrosothiols to resist adhesion/activation of platelets, thus preventing the formation of thrombosis. Overall, this biomimetic surface engineering technology provides a promising solution for multicomponent surface functionalization and the surface bioengineering of biomedical devices with enhanced clinical performance.

Titanium and its alloys are dominant material for orthopedic/dental implants due to their stable chemical properties and good biocompatibility. However, aseptic loosening and peri-implant infection remain problems that may lead to implant removal eventually. The ideal orthopedic implant should possess both osteogenic and antibacterial properties and do proper assistance to in situ inflammatory cells for anti-microbe and tissue repair. Recent advances in surface modification have provided various strategies to procure the harmonious relationship between implant and its microenvironment. In this review, we provide an overview of the latest strategies to endow titanium implants with bio-function and anti-infection properties. We state the methods they use to preparing these efficient surfaces and offer further insight into the interaction between these devices and the local biological environment. Finally, we discuss the unmet needs and current challenges in the development of ideal materials for bone implantation.

Integration of two or more biomolecules with synergetic and complementary effects on a material surface can help to obtain multi-functions for various biomedical applications. However, the amounts of biomolecules integrated and their physiological functions are compromised due to the limited surface anchoring sites. Herein, we propose a novel concept of film engineering strategy “from surface to bulk synergetic modification”. This new concept is realized by employing the surface amine groups of plasma polymerized allylamine (PPAm) film for grafting a molecule e.g., thrombin inhibitor, bivalirudin (BVLD), meanwhile its bulk amine groups is used as a universal depot for storing and releasing therapeutic nitric oxide (NO) gas as supplement to the functions of BVLD. It is demonstrated that such a “from surface to bulk synergetic modification” film engineering can impart the modified-substrates with anti-platelet and anti-coagulant dual functions, giving rise to a highly endothelium-mimetic thromboresistant property. We believe that our research provides a very promising strategy to deliver multifunctional surface versatilely that require NO release in combination with other properties, which will find broad biomedical applications in blood-contacting devices, and et al. Moreover, it also provides a brand-new film engineering strategy for tailoring surface multi-functionalities of a wide range of materials. Keywords: Surface chemistry, Amine-bearing coating, Synergic modification, Biomolecule grafting, Nitric oxide loading

Accumulating evidence has proved that autophagy serves as a tumor promoter in formed malignancies, and the autophagy-related prognostic signatures have been constructed as clinical tools to predict prognosis in many high-mortality cancers. Autophagy-related genes have participated in the development and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the understanding of their prognostic value is limited. Thereafter, LIMMA and survival analysis were conducted in both ICGC and TCGA databases and a total of 10 hub autophagy-related genes, namely, NPC1, CDKN2A, RPTOR, SPHK1, HGS, BIRC5, SPNS1, BAK1, ATIC, and MAPK3, were collected. Then, GO, KEGG, correlation, consensus, and PCA analyses were utilized to reveal their potential targeted role in HCC treatment. Single-cell RNA-seq of cancer stem cells also indicated that there was a positive correlation between these genes and stemness. In parallel, we applied univariate, LASSO, and multivariate regression analyses to study the autophagy-related genes and finally proposed that ATIC and BIRC5 were the valuable prognostic indicators of HCC. The signature based on ATIC and BIRC5 exhibited moderate power for predicting the survival of HCC in the ICGC cohort, and its efficacy was further validated in the TCGA cohort. Taken together, we suggested that 10 aforementioned hub genes are promising therapeutic targets of HCC and the ATIC/BIRC5 prognostic signature is a practical prognostic indicator for HCC patients.

Cell transplantation has been proposed as a promising therapeutic strategy for curing the diseases requiring tissue repairing and functional restoration. A preclinical method to systematically evaluate the fates of donor cells in recipients, spatially and temporally, is demanded for judging therapeutic potentials for the particularly designed cell transplantation. Yet, the dynamic cell tracking methodology for tracing transplanted cells in vivo is still at its early phase. Here, we created a practical protocol for dynamically tracking cell via a three-dimensional (3D) technique which enabled us to localize, quantify, and overall evaluate the transplanted hepatocytes within a liver failure mouse model. First, the capacity of 3D bioluminescence imaging for quantifying transplanted hepatocytes was defined. Images obtained from the 3D bioluminescence imaging module were then combined with the CT scanner to reconstruct structure images of host mice. With those reconstructed images, precise locations of transplanted hepatocytes in the liver of the recipient were dynamically monitored. Immunohistochemistry staining of transplanted cells, and the serology assay of liver panel of the host mice were applied to verify the successful engraftment of donor cells in the host livers. Our protocol was practical for evaluating the engraftment efficiency of donor cells at their preclinical phases, which is also applicable as a referable standard for studying the fates of other transplanted cells, such as stem cell-derived cell types, during preclinical studies with cell transplantation therapy.

BackgroundCancer becomes the leading cause of premature death in China. Primary objective of this study was to determine the major risk factors especially glucose intolerance for cancer prophylaxis.MethodsA cluster sampling method was applied to enroll 10,657 community-based adults aged 15-92 years in Shanghai, China in 2013. A structured questionnaire and physical examination were applied in baseline survey. Prediabetes was diagnosed using 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. After excluding 1433 subjects including 224 diagnosed with cancer before and 1 year after baseline survey, the remaining 9,224 subjects were followed-up to December 31, 2020.ResultsA total of 502 new cancer cases were diagnosed. The cancer incidence was 10.29, 9.20, and 5.95/1,000 person-years in diabetes patients, those with prediabetes, and healthy participants, respectively (p

BackgroundFunctions of miRNAs involved in tumorigenesis are well reported, yet, their roles in normal cell lineage commitment remain ambiguous. Here, we investigated a specific “transcription factor (TF)-miRNA-Target” regulatory network during the lineage maturation of biliary tree stem cells (BTSCs) into adult hepatocytes (hAHeps).MethodBioinformatic analysis was conducted based on our RNA-seq and microRNA-seq datasets with four human hepatic-lineage cell lines, including hBTSCs, hepatic stem cells (hHpSCs), hepatoblasts (hHBs), and hAHeps. Short time-series expression miner (STEM) analysis was performed to reveal the time-dependent dynamically changed miRNAs and mRNAs. GO and KEGG analyses were applied to reveal the potential function of key miRNAs and mRNAs. Then, the miRDB, miRTarBase, TargetScan, miRWalk, and DIANA-microT-CDS databases were adopted to predict the potential targets of miRNAs while the TransmiR v2.0 database was used to obtain the experimentally supported TFs that regulate miRNAs. The TCGA, Kaplan–Meier Plotter, and human protein atlas (HPA) databases and more than 10 sequencing data, including bulk RNA-seq, microRNA-seq, and scRNA-seq data related to hepatic development or lineage reprogramming, were obtained from both our or other published studies for validation.ResultsSTEM analysis showed that during the maturation from hBTSCs to hAHeps, 52 miRNAs were downwardly expressed and 928 mRNA were upwardly expressed. Enrichment analyses revealed that those 52 miRNAs acted as pluripotency regulators for stem cells and participated in various novel signaling pathways, including PI3K/AKT, MAPK, and etc., while 928 mRNAs played important roles in liver-functional metabolism. With an extensive sorting of those key miRNAs and mRNAs based on the target prediction results, 23 genes were obtained which not only functioned as the targets of 17 miRNAs but were considered critical for the hepatic lineage commitment. A “TF-miRNA-Target” regulatory network for hepatic lineage commitment was therefore established and had been well validated by various datasets. The network revealed that the PI3K/AKT pathway was gradually suppressed during the hepatic commitment.ConclusionA total of 17 miRNAs act as suppressors during hepatic maturation mainly by regulating 23 targets and modulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. The regulatory network uncovers possible signatures and guidelines enabling us to identify or obtain the functional hepatocytes for future study.

Abstract Background Robotic-assisted surgery, a developed technology, is becoming more and more accepted by surgeons. However, the comparison between robotic-assisted total gastrectomy (RATG) and conventional laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy (LATG) for advanced gastric cancer (AGC) is seldom reported, or usually the sample sizes reported are small. The current research was designed to compare the short-term outcomes of RATG and LATG with D2 lymphadenectomy for AGC in a mono-institution from China. Methods A total of 205 patients from June 2015 to October 2018 were included in this study. Among them, 106 patients underwent LATG, and 99 patients underwent RATG. The patients’ clinicopathological characteristics, surgical performance and short-term outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. Results The clinicopathological characteristics showed no difference between the LATG group and the RATG group. However, compared with the LATG group, the operation time was longer (P = 0.000), and the operative blood loss (P = 0.000) and the volume of abdominal drainage was less (P = 0.000) in the RATG group. Moreover, the RATG took less time to remove abdominal drainage tube than LATG (P = 0.000). The plasma levels of CRP at 72 h post-operation was lower (P = 0.000), and the number of retrieved lymph nodes was more (P = 0.000) in the RATG group. Nevertheless, the postoperative length of stay (P = 0.890), the time to first flatus (P = 0.448), the postoperative complication (P = 0.915) and the visual analogue pain score at 24 h post-operation (P = 0.457) were comparable between the two groups. Conclusions RATG with D2 lymphadenectomy shows safety and feasibility for AGC and could be served as an alternative treatment for AGC in the future.

Abstract Endothelium can secrete vasoactive mediators and produce specific extracellular matrix, which contribute jointly to the thromboresistance and regulation of vascular cell behaviors. From a bionic point of view, introducing endothelium‐like functions onto cardiovascular stents represents the most effective means to improve hemocompatibility and reduce late stent restenosis. However, current surface strategies for vascular stents still have limitations, like the lack of multifunctionality, especially the monotony in endothelial‐mimic functions. Herein, a layer‐by‐layer grafting strategy to create endothelium‐like dual‐functional surface on cardiovascular scaffolds is reported. Typically, a nitric oxide (NO, vasoactive mediator)‐generating compound and an endothelial polysaccharide matrix molecule hyaluronan (HA) are sequentially immobilized on allylamine‐plasma‐deposited stents through aqueous amidation. In this case, the stents could be well‐engineered with dual endothelial functions capable of remote and close‐range regulation of the vascular microenvironment. The synergy of NO and endothelial glycocalyx molecules leads to efficient antithrombosis, smooth muscle cell (SMC) inhibition, and perfect endothelial cell (EC)‐compatibility of the stents in vitro. Moreover, the dual‐functional stents show efficient antithrombogenesis ex vivo, rapid endothelialization, and long‐term prevention of restenosis in vivo. Therefore, this study will provide new solutions for not only multicomponent surface functionalization but also the bioengineering of endothelium‐mimic vascular scaffolds with improved clinical outcomes.

Stenting is currently the major therapeutic treatment for cardiovascular diseases. However, the nonbiogenic metal stents are inclined to trigger a cascade of cellular and molecular events including inflammatory response, thrombogenic reactions, smooth muscle cell hyperproliferation accompanied by the delayed arterial healing, and poor reendothelialization, thus leading to restenosis along with late stent thrombosis. To address prevalence critical problems, we present an endothelium-mimicking coating capable of rapid regeneration of a competently functioning new endothelial layer on stents through a stepwise metal (copper)-catechol-(amine) (MCA) surface chemistry strategy, leading to combinatorial endothelium-like functions with glutathione peroxidase-like catalytic activity and surface heparinization. Apart from the stable nitric oxide (NO) generating rate at the physiological level (2.2×10−10 mol/cm2/min lasting for 60 days), this proposed strategy could also generate abundant amine groups for allowing a high heparin conjugation efficacy up to ∼1 μg/cm2, which is considerably higher than most of the conventional heparinized surfaces. The resultant coating could create an ideal microenvironment for bringing in enhanced anti-thrombogenicity, anti-inflammation, anti-proliferation of smooth muscle cells, re-endothelialization by regulating relevant gene expressions, hence preventing restenosis in vivo. We envision that the stepwise MCA coating strategy would facilitate the surface endothelium-mimicking engineering of vascular stents and be therefore helpful in the clinic to reduce complications associated with stenosis.

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious disease frequently accompanied by anxiety and depression. Few studies have focused on anxiety and depression for mild COPD patients in China. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors for anxiety and depression among patients with mild COPD in urban communities. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 275 mild COPD patients was conducted in 6 communities randomly sampled from Pudong New Area of Shanghai, China, in 2016. Data on socioeconomic factors and health conditions were acquired through a face-to-face interview as well as a physical examination. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) and EQ-5D visual analogue (EQ-5Dvas) were applied to evaluate their mental health and quality of life, respectively. Logistic regression model was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and their 95% confidential intervals (CI) for risk factors associated with anxiety or depression. Results Among 275 subjects, 8.1% had anxiety and 13.4% had depression. Logistic regression analysis indicated that female patients were more likely to suffer from anxiety than male patients (aOR = 6.41, 95% CI:1.73-23.80). Poor health status (EQ-5Dvas score

Abstract Background “Jiedu Huayu” (JDHY) granules are traditional Chinese herbal compounds that have been used to treat severe liver injury for many years. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the safety of JDHY granules. Methods Subchronic toxicity was tested in male and female rats that were orally administered three different doses (80, 100, and 130 g/kg/d) of JDHY for 13 weeks. Clinical signs, bodyweight, food consumption, hematological and biochemical parameters, organ coefficients, and histological changes were observed during the study. Results There were no significant changes in toxicity observed in either sex at any dose of JDHY granules treatment. Conclusions These results suggest that repeated oral administration of JDHY granules at dosage levels of ≤130 g/kg/d can be considered safe.

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In recent hobbing, the technologies of dry cutting have been developed in an attempt to improve the working environmental and prevent global environmental pollution. In this study, we investigated wear behavior (tool life), crater wear and finished surface roughness of various coated cutting tools when hardness of work material was changed by heat treatment in dry hobbing. Experiments were conducted by simulating hobbing by fly tool cutting on a milling machine. The results helped clarify the following points: (1) When the hardness of workpiece material SCM415 was changed to HB131, HB144 and HB161, the tool life obtained with all of the four kinds of coated cutting tools used in this experiment in the cases of cutting HB131 (annealing) and HB161 (as rolled) work materials is longer than the case of cutting HB144 (normalizing) work material. Especially AlCrSiN-coated tool is effective. (2) For various coated tools, the crater wear tends to decrease in the order of cutting HB144, HB131 and HB161 work materials, and when cutting HB161 work material with AlCrSiN-coated tool, the crater wear is small. (3) Even if the hardness of the workpiece is changed, the finished surface roughness is as small as 1 μm when cutting with the AlCrSiN-coated tool compared to other coated tools. (4) From the viewpoints of tool life, crater wearand finished surface roughness comprehensively, AlCrSiN-coated tool is effective when the hardness of the work material is changed.

From the machining center (MC) user’s point of view, the author proposes a practical approach to estimating the trajectory errors of a circular arc interpolation cutter path produced by the NC servo characteristics for a target MC in this paper. Firstly, a simple and convenient acceleration/deceleration procedure model is given for describing the behavior of the servo axes in an interpolation motion of circular arc segments. This model contains two parameters whose value is necessary to be identified by experiments. The first is the time constant of the servo axes and its value can be easily determined from the radius reduction in circular motion trajectories corresponding to different radius and feed rate. The second is a timing parameter to define the time interval of the acceleration and the deceleration procedures between two interpolation segments, and its value can be readily identified from a measured trajectory of two circular arc cutter path. Based on the model and an assumption, in which the motion of each segment is independently performed, a concise and efficient simulation algorithm to calculate a cutter path trajectory composed of many circular arc segments in detail is developed. Comparison results of the simulated cutter path trajectories with the measured ones and the contours of work pieces machined under the same motion condition sufficiently demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed approach. Therefore, as a useful tool, the approach is applicable to beforehand estimating the influence of the NC acceleration/deceleration motions on cutter path accuracy or judging the motion conditions for the machining purpose without performing an actual machining test with the machining center.

To describe the cell-dendrite transition (CDT) during directional solidification, a new simplified scaling law is proposed and verified by quantitative phase field simulations. This scaling law bears clear physical foundation with consideration of the overall effects of primary spacing, pulling velocity, and thermal gradient on the onset of sidebranches. The analysis results show that the exponent parameters in this simplified scaling law vary within different systems, which mediates the discrepancy of exponent parameters in previous experiments. The scaling law also presents an explanation for the destabilizing mechanism of thermal gradient in sidebranching dynamics.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common organic pollutants with great carcinogenic threaten, and metal/PAH-contaminated environments represent one of the most difficult remedial challenges. In this work, Sphingobium yanoikuyae SJTF8 was isolated and identified with great and stable PAH-degrading efficiency even under stress conditions. It could utilize typical PAHs (naphthalene, phenanthrene, and anthracene) and heterocyclic and halogenated aromatic compounds (dibenzothiophene and 9-bromophenanthrene) as the sole carbon source. It could degrade over 98% of 500 mg/L phenanthrene in 4 days, and the cis-3,4-dihydrophenanthrene-3,4-diol was the first-step intermediate. Notably, strain SJTF8 showed great tolerance to heavy metals and acidic pH. Supplements of 0.30 mM of Cu2+, 1.15 mM of Zn2+, and 0.01 mM of Cd2+ had little effect on its cell growth and phenanthrene degradation; phenanthrene of 250 mg/L could still be degraded completely in 48 h. Further, the whole genome sequence of S. yanoikuyae SJTF8 was obtained, and three plasmids were found. The potential genes participating in stress-tolerance and PAH-degradation were annotated and were found mostly distributed in plasmids 1 and 2. Elimination of plasmid 2 resulted in the loss of the PAH-degradation ability. On the basis of genome mining results, the possible degrading pathway and the metabolites of S. yanoikuyae SJTF8 to phenanthrene were predicted.

5'-Phosphodiesterase (5'-PDE) catalyzes the hydrolysis of ribonucleic acid to obtain a mixture of ribonucleotides, such as 5'-guanosine monophosphate and 5'-adenosine monophosphate. In this study, a 5'-PDE was newly isolated and purified from Aspergillus fumigatus. Following purification, this enzyme exhibited a specific activity of 1036.76 U/mg protein, a molecular weight of 9.5 kDa, and an optimal temperature and pH for enzyme activity of 60°C and 5.0, respectively. However, its activity was partially inhibited by Fe3+, Cu2+, and Zn2+, but slightly improved by the presence of K+ and Na+. Additionally, chemical-modification experiments were also applied to investigate the structural information of 5'-PDE, in which the residues containing carboxyl and imidazole groups were essential for enzyme activity based on their localization in the 5'-PDE active site. Furthermore, purified 5'-PDE could specifically catalyze the synthesis of ribonucleotides with a Vmax 0.71 mmol/mg·min and a KM of 13.60 mg/mL.

Interlacer is the key part of interlacing technology that is adopted to improve the cohesion between loose multifilaments. Aimed at finding the interlacers with better performance, the present research designed five interlacers that can be classified into round type and cornered type. These five interlacers are different in cross-sectional shapes of yarn channel but are the same in the cross-sectional area. The evaluation of the performance of the interlacer includes the number and the strength of the tangles of the interlaced yarn it produces. Experiments are carried out at various supplied air pressures, yarn speeds and feed ratios. It was found that the interlacer with round cross-sectional shape of yarn channel is capable of producing an interlaced yarn with a large number of tangles and the cornered cross-sectional shape is effective in improving the strength of tangles. Among these five interlacers, the interlacer with an elliptical or an inverse-triangular shape has the best processing performance

This paper presents tool life (flank wear) and crater wear of four kinds of coated high-speed steel tools and finished surface roughness in hobbing under the conditions of considering environment. Experiments were conducted by simulating hobbing by fly tool cutting on a milling machine. As a consequence, the following results were obtained. (1) Under the condition of 1-thread hob, TiN- and AlCrSiN-coated tools showed the longest tool life among the four kinds of coated tools in dry and with MQL system. Under the condition of 3-thread hob, TiSiN-coated tool is effective in dry, and TiAlN- and AlCrSiN-coated tools are suitable with MQL system. (2) The crater wear of TiN-coated tool is smallest in other coated tools tested both in dry and with MQL system under the condition of 1-thread hob. TiAlN-, TiSiN- and AlCrSiN-coated tools are effective, and it was suggested that the crater wear is protected by the deposited metal under the condition of 3-thread hob. (3) The finished surface roughness, which was obtained with almost of coated tools tested at the end of cutting with MQL system both under the conditions of 1- and 3-thead hobs, is smaller than that obtained by dry. (4) From the viewpoints of tool life, crater wear and finished surface roughness, AlCrSiN-coated tool is suitable for hobbing with MQL system.

This paper deals with the effect of minimal quantity lubrication (MQL) on tool life (flank wear), crater wear of various coated high-speed steel tools and finished surface roughness in hobbing. Experiments were conducted by simulation hobbing by fly tool cutting on a milling machine. The results are summarized as follows. (1) When changing the kinds of coating films, a TiAlN-coated tool showed the longest tool life. Tool lives of almost of the tested coated tools obtained with MQL system are longer than those obtained by dry cutting, and the wear reduction effect by MQL was recognized. Especially, an AlCrSiN-coated tool showed the tool life more than twice compared with dry cutting. (2) It is assumed that the crater wear is caused by the delamination of the coting film, and the crater wear in the case of MQL occurs earlier than that in dry cutting. Both in dry cutting and MQL, the crater wear does not appear on the AlCrSiN-coated tool, which is effective for the crater wear. (3) In all of tested coated tools, the finished surface roughness obtained with MQL is smaller than that obtained by dry cutting. When using TiAlN- and AlCrSiN-coated tools, the surface roughness reduction effect by MQL is large. The TiAlN-coated tool showed the smallest surface roughness of the four kinds of coated tools. (4) From the viewpoints of tool life, crater wear and finished surface roughness, TiAlN- and AlCrSiN-coated tools are suitable for MQL system.

This paper proposes a practical approach to evaluating form deviation of surface of revolution based on the coordinate measurement data of discrete points. In this approach, the generating line of a surface of revolution to be inspected is represented approximately by the combination of straight line and circular arc segments under the condition of satisfying the pre-specified approximation accuracy. The form deviation of a measured point is calculated relative to its corresponding straight line or circular arc segment along the approximate generating line, and thus no specific calculation to compensate the influence of probe radius to the measured data is necessary. The localization errors of the inspected contour surface are evaluated using the minimum zone criterion or the least squares criterion to achieve the correct form deviation of the whole contour. Because it is guaranteed that the difference between the deviation definitions for a measured point, one relative to the original contour and the other to the approximate contour, is not larger than the value of the approximate accuracy pre-specified in the restructure operation of the generating line, the evaluation precision of the form deviation for the contour surface is sufficiently reliable. The effectiveness and the efficiency of the approach are verified with a practical evaluation example to a surface of revolution. Moreover, a weighting calculation taking into consideration of the distribution density of measured points is introduced for the least squares criterion in order to obtain a rational evaluation result for the measured points with non-uniform distribution on the inspected surface.

BACKGROUND: Dietary factors play an important role in glycemic control in diabetic patients. However, little is known about their effects among Chinese diabetic patients, whose diets are typically abundant in fiber and high in glycemic index (GI) values. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: 934 patients with type 2 diabetes and 918 healthy volunteers from Pudong New Area, Shanghai, China, were interviewed during the period of Oct-Dec, 2006 to elicit demographic characteristics and lifestyle factors. Dietary habits were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements, bio-specimen collection and biochemical assays were conducted at the interview according to a standard protocol. In this population, diabetic patients consumed lower levels of energy and macronutrients but had higher levels of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycolated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), triglyceride and body mass index than healthy adults. While the average consumption levels of the nutrients among diabetic patients did not vary along duration of the disease, the average levels of FPG and HbA1c increased with increasing duration. Regardless of diabetes duration, HbA1c level was observed lower in patients having a higher fiber or lower GI intake. Compared with those with the lowest tertile intake of fiber, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for poor glycemic control reduced from 0.75 (95%CI: 0.54-1.06) to 0.51 (95%CI: 0.34-0.75) with increasing tertile intake (P for trend