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Sludge refers to the solid waste produced after sewage treatment. Unreasonable disposal of sludge can cause environmental pollution. Nonetheless, the sludge contains large amounts of silica‐aluminate, which has pozzolanic activity by treatment, and the sludge can be used as a sustainable building material. The previous studies have recommended that it is reasonable to produce geopolymers, that is, a green low‐carbon cementitious material with excellent mechanical and durability properties, from sludge. This article provides an overview of recent advancements in the study of sludge‐based geopolymer. It delves into the mechanisms behind alkali‐activated geopolymer, examines the feasibility of preparing geopolymer from sludge, and discusses various preparation methods. Additionally, it elaborates on the impact of incorporating different auxiliary materials on sludge‐based geopolymer. The comprehensive performance of sludge‐based geopolymer, encompassing mechanical properties, durability, and setting time, is thoroughly summarized. An environmental assessment is conducted, evaluating heavy metal leaching and the lifecycle of sludge‐based geopolymer. Finally, we briefly discuss some problems in the current research and development trends in the future on sludge‐based geopolymer. The aim of this article is to provide comprehensive support and guidance for both the research and practical engineering applications of sludge‐based geopolymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) from construction and demolition waste (CDW) is a sustainable solution to protect the fragile natural environment and save the diminishing natural resources. The current study was aimed at exploring the impact resistance and mechanical properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) affected by hooked-end steel fiber (HF) and crimped steel fiber (CF). Fifteen concrete mixtures considering different RCA substitution ratio, steel fiber dosage, and steel fiber shapes were designed. Meanwhile, a statistical analysis method-based Weibull distribution was introduced to evaluate the variations of impact test results, presented using a reliability function. Lastly, the microstructural morphologies of interfacial transition zones at the cement paste/aggregate and cement paste/fiber interfaces were observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The experimental results showed that the impact resistance and mechanical properties mildly decreased with the increase in substitution ratio of RCA, whereas they conclusively increased with the increase in steel fiber content. Steel fiber recycled aggregate concrete (SFRAC) with 1.5% steel fiber content had the best impact resistance, and its initial cracking times and final failure times were 3.25–4.75 and 8.78–29.08 times those of plain RAC, respectively. HF has better impact resistance than CF. The SEM observations of microstructures indicated that the hardened cement paste of natural aggregate concrete (NAC) was more compact than that of RAC. Steel fiber had a better connection with the cement paste interface than that of aggregate and cement paste owing to better thermal conductivity. This research could be a guide for SFRAC as a structural material in practical engineering, steering the construction industry toward the circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recently proposed restricted phase space thermodynamics is shown to be applicable to a large class of higher dimensional higher curvature gravity models coupled to Maxwell field, which are known as black hole scan models and are labeled by the spacetime dimension d and the highest order k of the Lanczos-Lovelock densities appearing in the action. Three typical example cases with (d , k) = (5 , 1) , (5 , 2) and (6 , 2) are chosen as example cases and studied in some detail. These cases are representatives of Einstein-Hilbert, Chern-Simons and Born-Infield like gravity models. Our study indicates that the Einstein-Hilbert and Born-Infield like gravity models have similar thermodynamic behaviors, e.g., the existence of isocharge T − S phase transitions with the same critical exponents, the existence of isovoltage T − S transitions and the Hawking-Page like transitions, and the similar high temperature asymptotic behaviors for the isocharge heat capacities, etc. However, the Chern-Simons like (5 , 2) -model behaves quite differently. Neither isocharge nor isovoltage T − S transitions could occur and no Hawking-Page like transition is allowed. This seems to indicate that the Einstein-Hilbert and Born-Infield like models belong to the same universality class while the Chern-Simons like models do not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermodynamics for Kerr-AdS black hole in four dimensions is revisited using the recently proposed restricted phase space formalism, which includes the central charge C of the dual CFT and the chemical potential μ , but excludes the pressure and the conjugate volume, as thermodynamic variables. The Euler relation holds automatically, and the first order homogeneity of the mass and the zeroth order homogeneity of the intensive variables are made explicit. Thermodynamic processes involving each pair of conjugate variables are studied in some detail, with emphasis on the scaling properties of the equations of states. It turns out that the thermodynamic behavior of the Kerr-AdS black hole is very similar to that of the RN-AdS black hole studied earlier. In particular, it is found that, there is a first order supercritical phase equilibrium in the T - S processes at fixed nonvanishing angular momentum, while at vanishing angular momentum or at fixed angular velocities, there is always a non-equilibrium transition from a small unstable black hole state to a large stable black hole state. Moreover, there is a Hawking–Page phase transition in the μ - C processes. Due to the complicatedness of the Kerr metric, the exact critical point and the Hawking–Page temperature are worked out explicitly only in the slow rotating limit, however the characteristic thermodynamic properties do not rely on the slow rotating approximation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an environmentally friendly superhydrophobic surface for concrete (S-concrete) with excellent mechanical robustness and anti-corrosion performances was put forward. By introducing geopolymer material, a novel inorganic gelling material act as binders to enhance the stability of the S-concrete, the suspension based on stearic acid (STA) modified by micro diatomaceous earth (DE) and nano alumina (Al 2 O 3) were intensely attached to the substrate. The structure morphologies, chemical compositions, surface wetting behavior of this S-concrete were systematically investigated by SEM, XRD, FT-IR and wettability measurements. The results showed that the S-concrete coating was successfully constructed by achieving a desirable static contact angle of 159.1° and a small slide angle 4.5°. The S-concrete features Cassie-Baxter phase contacts, liquids repellency, anti-fouling and self-cleaning properties. The S-concrete exhibited excellent resistance to chloride corrosion, which was reduced by about 2 orders of magnitude compared to ordinary concrete. What is more, this S-concrete coating showed remarkable robustness against sandpaper abrasion and tape-peeling, while retaining its superhydrophobicity even suffering 200 abrasion cycles and 60 tape-peeling. The improved durable mechanical robustness and interfacial bonding force can be attributed to the cross-linked three-dimensional hierarchical structures formed by the combination of geopolymer material and embedded DE/Al 2 O 3 @STA micro-nanoparticles. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, in order to precisely evaluated the retrofitting effectiveness of the Aramid Fiber Reinforced Plastic (AFRP) sheet on the blast response of reinforced concrete (RC) slab, a refined non-linear finite element model is proposed for simulating of the structural response of RC slab strengthened with AFRP under blast loads. The complicated material models are applied in the simulation considering the high strain rate effects of the materials as well as the dynamic interfacial behavior between AFRP and concrete. Also, a appropriate erosion criterion technique is specially applied to capture the fracture and material separation process during the detonation of the explosive. At first, the numerical model of an actual laboratory sample of a conventional RC slab subjected to blast loads was simulated and verified using available experimental results. Then with the calibrated model, numerical simulations of RC slabs strengthened with AFRP to blast loadings are carried out. The numerical results of strengthened and non-strengthened RC slab (i.e., conventional slab) are compared to investigate the retrofitting effectiveness of AFRP on blast-resistant performance of RC slabs. In addition, a comprehensive investigation on the blast responses of FRP-strengthened RC slabs affected by these parameters, i.e. different AFRP layer, FRP type, strengthening mode, FRP bond strength and TNT mass, are also reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a precise match between the high temperature (D + 2) -dimensional Tangherlini-AdS black hole and the low temperature quantum phonon gas in D -dimensional nonmetallic crystals residing in (D + 1) -dimensional flat spacetime. The match is realized by use of the recently proposed restricted phase space formalism for black hole thermodynamics, and the result can be viewed as a novel contribution to the AdS/CMT correspondence on a quantitative level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The effect of rGO oxygen concentration on the durability of cement mortar is studied. • Both GO and rGO are beneficial to promote the hydration rate of C 3 A, C 3 S. • Moderately reduced rGO is more beneficial to increase CSH and CH contents in composites compared to GO. • Moderately reduced rGO/cement-mortar composites exhibit high erosion resistance. • The mechanism of rGO enhancing the corrosion resistance had been summarized. Graphene materials have been extensively explored and successfully used to improve the properties of cement-based composites. However, current studies mainly focus on optimizing additional amounts and dispersion modes of graphene. The influence of other parameters, such as graphene crystallinity, size, and oxygen-containing functional group level, on the performance of cement mortar composite is not fully understood. Therefore, in this study, a series of reduced graphene oxides (rGO) with different oxygen concentrations were synthesized by controlling two parameters, namely, different concentrations of l -Vitamin C (10, 20, 50, and 70 wt%) and different reduction times (15, 30, 45, and 60 min), and added to the cement-mortar composite at the same dosage. The effect of rGO with different oxygen concentrations on the durability and microstructure of the composites was investigated. The durability results revealed that rGO with mild oxygen group level (i.e., prepared by 50 % l -Vitamin C reduction for 30 min) can remarkably enhance the durability of cement mortar composite material. Adding 0.1 wt% rGO with mild oxygen concentration to the cement mortar caused the initial water absorption and secondary water absorption to decrease by 44.75 % and 31.95 %, respectively, compared with ordinary cement mortar. This enables rGO/cement-mortar composites to have outstanding resistance in harsh erosive environments (i.e., high concentrations of CO 2) because rGO promotes the cement hydration reaction and generates more hydration products. Meanwhile, the mild oxygen acid groups on the surface of the rGO act as a neutralizer in a strong alkaline medium, resulting in the formation of calcium carbonate precipitation, which further improves the compactness of the matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the effect of electrical conductivity of nanomaterials on the space charge accumulation in low density polyethylene (LDPE), doped and dedoped polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers with the same diameter and different conductivity were prepared and added into LDPE. The PANI nanofibers and nanocomposites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscope, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The space charge distribution, direct current (DC) conductivity and DC breakdown strength of the nanocomposites were measured. The addition of either PANI nanofibers enhanced the crystallization, improved the space charge distribution and reduced the conductivity of LDPE. Doped PANI nanofibers had higher conductivity and could more effectively suppress space charge accumulation than dedoped PANI nanofibers. However, doped PANI nanofibers reduced the DC breakdown strength of PANI/LDPE nanocomposites. Overall, dedoped PANI nanofibers were superior for DC dielectric properties of LDPE. • Doped and dedoped PANI nanofibers have the same diameter but different conductivity. • Doped PANI could better improve space charge distribution than dedoped PANI. • Doped PANI would reduce the conductivity and breakdown strength. • Dedoped PANI could reduce the conductivity and increase the breakdown strength. • Dedoped PANI/LDPE nanocomposites could better improve DC electrical characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-thrombogenicity and rapid endothelialisation are prerequisites for the use of closure devices of intra-atrial communications in order to reduce the risk of cerebral embolism. The purpose of this study was therefore to assess the effect of bioactive coatings on biocompatibility of Nitinol coils designed for the closure of intra-atrial communications. Nitinol coils (n=10, each) and flat Nitinol bands (n=3, each) were treated by basic coating with poly(amino-p-xylylene-co-p-xylylene) and then coated with either heparin, r-hirudin or fibronectin. Anti-thrombogenicity was studied in vitro in a dynamic model with whole blood by partial thromboplastin time (PTT), platelet binding and thrombin generation, respectively, and cytotoxicity by hemolysis. Endothelialisation was studied on Nitinol bands with human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVEC) by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2yl)-2,5-triphenyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay and immnuofluorescence analysis of Ki67, vinculin, fibronectin and von Willebrand Factor. Uncoated or coated devices did not influence hemolysis and PTT. r-Hirudin (but not heparin) and fibronectin coating showed lower platelet binding than uncoated Nitinol (p<0.005, respectively). Heparin and r-hirudin coating reduced thrombin formation (p<0.05 versus Nitinol, respectively). HUVEC adhesion, proliferation, and matrix formation decreased in the order: fibronectin coating>uncoated Nitinol>r-hirudin coating>heparin coating>basic coating. MTT assay corroborated these findings. In conclusion, r-hirudin and fibronectin coating, by causing no acute cytotoxicity, decreasing thrombogenicity and increasing endothelialisation improve in vitro biocompatibility of Nitinol devices designed for the closure of intra-atrial communications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), has been recognized as a transient phenotype with few cardiometabolic diseases; however, little is known regarding the development of hypertension in subjects with an absence of cardiometabolic abnormalities and general obesity evaluated by body mass index (BMI) or abdominal obesity evaluated by waist circumference (WC). Methods: A total of 4764 participants were enrolled from the China Health and Nutrition Survey and followed up from 2009 to 2015, whose fasting blood samples were collected in 2009. Obesity was classified as abdominal obesity (WC ≥ 90 cm in men and ≥ 80 cm in women) and general obesity (BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m2). Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between MHO and prehypertension (120 < SBP < 140 mmHg or 80 < DBP < 90 mmHg) and hypertension (SBP ≥ 140 or DBP ≥ 90 mmHg). The age- and sex-specific impacts were further analyzed. Results: There were 412 (37.9%) participants with prehypertension and 446 (41.0%) participants with hypertension and metabolically healthy abdominal obesity (MHAO). The participants with the MHAO phenotype had significantly higher risks of prehypertension [odds ratio (OR) = 1.89 (1.51–2.36), p < 0.001] and hypertension [OR = 2.58 (2.02–3.30), p < 0.001] than those metabolically healthy but without abdominal obesity. Similar associations were observed in the subjects with metabolically healthy general obesity (MHGO) phenotype, particularly those aged under 64 years. Men with the MHAO phenotype seemed to have higher risks of prehypertension [2.42 (1.52–3.86) in men vs. 1.76 (1.36–2.29) in women] and hypertension [3.80 (2.38–6.06) in men vs. 2.22 (1.64-3.00) in women] than women, when compared with those metabolically healthy but without abdominal obesity. Conclusion: The MHO phenotype, regardless of the presence of general or abdominal obesity, showed a worse effect on the development of prehypertension and hypertension, particularly in young adults. Abdominal adiposity with a healthy metabolic state is significantly associated with incident hypertension in both men and women. These findings can guide the establishment of risk-stratified obesity treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) is a crucial regulator of mitochondrial dynamics, the overactivation of which can lead to cardiovascular disease. Multiple distinct posttranscriptional modifications of Drp1 have been reported, among which S-nitrosylation was recently introduced. However, the detailed regulatory mechanism of S-nitrosylation of Drp1 (SNO-Drp1) in cardiac microvascular dysfunction in diabetes remains elusive. The present study revealed that mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinase 4 (MAP4K4) was consistently upregulated in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) and promoted SNO-Drp1 in cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs), which in turn led to mitochondrial dysfunction and cardiac microvascular disorder. Further studies confirmed that MAP4K4 promoted SNO-Drp1 at human C644 (mouse C650) by inhibiting glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) expression, through which MAP4K4 stimulated endothelial ferroptosis in diabetes. In contrast, inhibition of MAP4K4 via DMX-5804 significantly reduced endothelial ferroptosis, alleviated cardiac microvascular dysfunction and improved cardiac dysfunction in db/db mice by reducing SNO-Drp1. In parallel, the C650A mutation in mice abolished SNO-Drp1 and the role of Drp1 in promoting cardiac microvascular disorder and cardiac dysfunction. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that MAP4K4 plays an important role in endothelial dysfunction in DCM and reveal that SNO-Drp1 and ferroptosis activation may act as downstream targets, representing potential therapeutic targets for DCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The hybrid use of fibers on mechanical properties of RAC was studied. • The use of hybrid steel and polypropylene fibers showed an excellent coupling effect. • The optimal content of 1.5% steel and 0.9% polypropylene fibers was recommended. The use of recycled aggregates in structural concrete is a sustainable solution to reduce the exploitation of natural resources and the harmful environmental effects of concrete waste. The present study aimed to improve the mechanical performance of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) by incorporating hybrid steel and polypropylene fibers. Sixteen concrete mixtures with different volume fractions of steel and polypropylene fibers were tested. Mechanical properties were studied by conducting the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength and flexural toughness as well as impact resistance. Additionally, the microstructures of interfacial transition zone (ITZ) at aggregate/cement paste and fiber/cement paste were investigated through the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results indicated that the incorporation of polypropylene fibers resulted in a minor change in compressive strength of RAC. Whereas, the steel fibers significantly increased compressive and flexural ductility and impact resistance especially in the mixtures made with hybrid steel and polypropylene fibers. The use of hybrid steel and polypropylene fibers exhibited an excellent coupling effect on the mechanical properties of RAC that was better than steel fiber and polypropylene fiber. Among all the mixtures with different volume fractions of steel fibers and polypropylene fibers, the hybrid fiber reinforced RAC specimen containing 1.5% steel fibers and 0.9% polypropylene fibers exhibited the best mechanical properties. SEM investigations showed that the incorporation of fibers into RAC could not only make an overall improvement in the density and uniformity of cement paste, but also improved the microstructures of ITZ. Moreover, the bonding between steel fiber and cement paste was found to be tight, and the interfacial zone was integral and dense. These observations provide insight into the benefits of different fiber reinforcement systems to the mechanical performance of RAC which is considered to have poorer quality compared with natural aggregates concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric pulse–assisted machining (EPAM) can improve the quality of the machined surface, lower the machining stress on the material, and increase the material's machinability. It offers a useful machining technique for working hard and difficult-to-machine metals with little plasticity. To account for this, this paper reviews experiments of EPAM using the electroplasticity effects (EPE) of metals and describes the use of electroplasticity in terms of plastic forming machining and cutting machining, and it also depicts the processes and benefits of EPAM. The experimental results show that the partial stress reduction during EPAM is up to 70%, the roughness is decreased by 40%, the work-hardening is reduced by 44%, and the material's machinability is partially improved. Various hypotheses have been pioneered by academics regarding the electroplasticity effect's mechanism, and they have all undergone experimental testing. Most academics today think that there are various mechanisms involved in electroplasticity, and that certain metals have various mechanistic effects. The paper gives theoretical suggestions for the use and further development of electroplasticity by summarizing the current processes of electroplasticity in terms of thermal and athermal effects. The thermal effect is the Joule heating effect. Other athermal effects include the electron wind effect, skin effect, pinch effect, magnetostrictive effect, de-pinning effect, and vibration effect. A summary diagram of the application and mechanism effects of EPE in processing is also included in the script. Finally, the article summarizes EPE, provides a constructive outlook on the future development of EPAM, and reveals the current problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important raw material for additive manufacturing (AM), the performance of powder is one of the key factors affecting the final product. Although, existing preparation methods have been maturely applied to AM powder. However, conventional methods cannot meet the urgent needs of AM for high-performance powder. Especially in terms of powder sphericity, particle size distribution, and purity, it is difficult to obtain powder with balanced performance by conventional methods. In view of this, external field–enabled atomization is an effective alternative method. In recent years, a large number of studies have explored the application of external field–enabled atomization in powder preparation. These studies demonstrate the great potential of external field–enabled atomization technology represented by electrospray and ultrasonic atomization for the preparation of high-performance AM powder. However, there is still a lack of systematic discussion to establish the relationship between external field–enabled atomization and AM powder. Therefore, this paper makes a comprehensive and systematic review of the research progress in the field of powder preparation by external field–enabled atomization. Firstly, the influence of powder properties on parts is analyzed from the perspective of AM. Some conventional methods of powder preparation are introduced, and their shortcomings are pointed out. Secondly, the mechanism, equipment, and process parameters of external field–enabled atomization are comprehensively summarized. It is proved that external field–enabled atomization is applicable to the preparation of high-performance powder. Finally, the main challenges of external field–enabled atomization in the field of powder preparation are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diet has long been recognized as an important modifiable risk factor for hypertension. Herein, our research goal was to decipher the association of healthy eating index-2015 (HEI-2015) with hypertension, and to explore potential gender differences. Methods: We collected the cross-sectional data of 42,391 participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2018. The association of HEI-2015 with hypertension was estimated using weighted multivariate logistic regression, with restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression being adopted to examine the nonlinearity of this association in both genders, and the stability of the results were examined by sensitivity analysis. We also performed subgroup analysis to detect potential difference in the link between HEI-2015 and hypertension stratified by several confounding factors. Results: After eliminating potential confounding bias, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for hypertension across higher HEI-2015 quartiles were 0.93 (0.85–1.03), 0.84 (0.77–0.93), and 0.78 (0.72–0.86) compared to the lowest quartile, respectively. HEI-2015 was nonlinearly and inversely associated with hypertension in all participants. The gender-specific RCS curves presented a U-shaped correlation in males, while showed a linear and inverse correlation in females. Besides, subgroup analyses showed a lower risk of hypertension in participants who were females, younger than 40 years, Whites, obese, and diabetic patients. Conclusions: We determined a nonlinear and inverse association between HEI-2015 and hypertension in the US general population, and revealed a remarkable gender difference when adhering to a HEI-2015 diet for preventing hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermodynamics of charged topological black holes (TBHs) with different horizon geometries in d -dimensional Einstein-Maxwell and 4-dimensional conformal gravities is revisited using the restricted phase space formalism. The concept of subsystems for black holes is introduced, which enables a precise description for the thermodynamic behaviors of (non-compact) black holes with infinitely large horizon area. The concrete behaviors can be different for TBHs in the same underlying theory but with different horizon geometries, or for those with the same horizon geometry but from different underlying theories. The high and low temperature limits of the TBHs are also considered, and the high temperature limits behave universally as low temperature phonon gases. Finally, using the concept of subsystems, some conceptual issues in the description for thermal fluctuations in black hole systems are clarified, and the relative thermal fluctuations for finite subsystems are also analyzed in some detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reduce the manufacturing cost of foamed ceramics and expand the application scope of industrial solid waste, in this study, a new type of environment-friendly foamed ceramics was prepared using direct high-temperature foaming with waste silicomanganese slag (SMS) and fly ash (FA) as raw materials and silicon carbide (SiC) as a foaming agent. The influence of SMS content, SiC content, and sintering temperature on the characteristics and microstructure of the specimen were explored. More concretely, the compressive strength, pore morphology, bulk density, and crystalline composition of the foamed ceramics were discussed. The foaming mechanism was also further analyzed. The results showed that including 20% SMS significantly reduced the melt's viscosity and stimulated bubble expansion. This, in turn, facilitated the creation of a porous structure. Moreover, it was noted that samples containing 20% SMS exhibited an anorthite phase when sintered at 1110 °C, resulting in enhanced compressive strength. The bulk density and compressive strength of the foamed ceramics decreased with an increase in the sintering temperature and SiC content. This trend was primarily attributed to the higher total porosity and the insufficient support of the pore wall to the matrix. The best all-around performance was achieved with 20 wt% SMS, 80 wt% FA as raw material, SiC addition of 1.0 wt%, and a sintering temperature of 1100 °C. Under these conditions, the compressive strength, bulk density, and total porosity of the foamed ceramics were 8.09 MPa, 0.57 g/cm3, and 71.04%, respectively. Taken together, the outstanding porous structure and mechanical properties of this foamed ceramic make it suitable for use as insulation or for building partition materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alamandine (Ala), a ligand of Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor, member D (MrgD), alleviates angiotensin II (AngII)-induced cardiac hypertrophy. However, the specific physiological and pathological role of MrgD is not yet elucidated. Here, we found that MrgD expression increased under various pathological conditions. Then, MrgD knockdown prevented AngII-induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis via inactivating Gαi-mediacted downstream signaling pathways, including the phosphorylation of p38 (p-P38), while MrgD overexpression induced pathological cardiac remodeling. Next, Ala, like silencing MrgD, exerted its cardioprotective effects by inhibiting Ang II-induced nuclear import of MrgD. MrgD interacted with p-P38 and promoted its entry into the nucleus under Ang II stimulation. Our results indicated that Ala was a blocking ligand of MrgD that inhibited downstream signaling pathway, which unveiled the promising cardioprotective effect of silencing MrgD expression on alleviating cardiac remodeling. 1vKXCZb4BaEYhFYZUPiv-d Video Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benefiting from their minimally or noninvasive nature, thermal therapies are becoming increasingly important in tumor treatment, in which real-time monitoring of in vivo temperature based on ultrasonic imaging has shown great promise. In this work, an improved dynamic frame selection algorithm and a modified adaptive filtering method were combined with a thermal expansion model, and in vivo temperature monitoring with improved accuracy was achieved. The ultimate aim being the use of thermometry in the thermal treatment of hypertension, experiments targeting the perirenal fat of living pigs were carried out, in which microwaves were applied as a heat source at different power levels. By comparing the echo shift of the ultrasound (US) and the temperature—sensed via a thermocouple—a constant temperature evaluation coefficient was determined. As the tissue was raised to 6.4, 9.8, and 19.3 °C above its base temperature, the root-mean-square evaluation error (ɛrms) was about 0.3, 0.5, and 0.8 °C, respectively. High precision and a high signal-to-noise ratio can help US thermometry play a more important role in monitoring the application of thermal therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perirenal fat plays a key role in sustaining pathological high blood pressure. We aim to investigate the efficacy of intervention for perirenal fat mediated by focused power ultrasound (FPU) on primary hypertension. Methods: A multicenter, randomized, sham-controlled, double-blinded trial will be implemented in 200 participants with mild to moderate hypertension. All enrolled participants will be randomly allocated to perirenal fat modification (PFM) intervention using FPU or sham-procedure at a ratio of 1:1 and will be followed up at 24 h, 14 days, 30 days, and 90 days after the intervention. The primary endpoint is changes in office systolic blood pressure (SBP) at 30 days compared with baseline. The secondary endpoints include the changes in office SBP from baseline to 90 days, changes in 24-h mean SBP from baseline to 30 days and 90 days, and changes in heart rate from baseline to 30 days. Safety endpoint is defined as any severe adverse events related to the intervention. Discussion: The present study is the first to use noninvasive FPU to intervene in perirenal fat to achieve the goal of reducing blood pressure for patients with essential hypertension. Our study is expected to provide a new treatment strategy to control high blood pressure. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT05049096. Registered on September 7, 2021. Protocol version: Version 1.3.1, data 23 August 2021. Sponsor: Prof. Xiangqing Kong is the principal investigator of this trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroptosis is a newly identified form of regulated cell death that is driven by iron overload and uncontrolled lipid peroxidation, but the role of ferroptosis in cardiac microvascular dysfunction remains unclear. Isorhapontigenin (ISO) is an analog of resveratrol and possesses strong antioxidant capacity and cardiovascular protective effects. Moreover, ISO has been shown to alleviate iron-induced oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation in mitochondria. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the benefits of ISO treatment on cardiac microvascular dysfunction in diabetes mellitus and the possible mechanisms involved, with a focus on ferroptosis and mitochondria. Our data revealed that ISO treatment improved microvascular density and perfusion in db/db mice by mitigating vascular structural damage, normalizing nitric oxide (NO) production via eNOS activation, and enhancing angiogenetic ability via VEGFR2 phosphorylation. PRDX2 was identified as a downstream target of ISO, and endothelial-specific overexpression of PRDX2 exerted effects on the cardiac microvascular function that were similar to those of ISO treatment. In addition, PRDX2 mediated the inhibitive effects of ISO treatment on ferroptosis by suppressing oxidative stress, iron overload and lipid peroxidation. Further study suggested that mitochondrial dynamics and dysfunction contributed to ferroptosis, and ISO treatment or PRDX2 overexpression attenuated mitochondrial dysfunction via MFN2-dependent mitochondrial dynamics. Moreover, MFN2 overexpression suppressed the mitochondrial translocation of ACSL4, ultimately inhibiting mitochondrial-derived ferroptosis. In contrast, enhancing mitochondrial-derived ferroptosis via ACSL4 abolished the protective effects of ISO treatment on cardiac microcirculation. Taken together, the results of the present work demonstrated the beneficial effects of ISO treatment on cardiac microvascular protection in diabetes mellitus by suppressing mitochondrial-derived ferroptosis through PRDX2-MFN2-ACSL4 pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reinforced concrete (RC) structural members subjected to blast loading behave differently as compared to the same subjected to quasi-static loading. Numerical studies are conducted to study the influence of weights and positions of explosive charges, locations, widths and depths of initial cracks, and longitudinal reinforcement ratios on the dynamic behavior of simply supported RC beam with initial cracks (pre-cracked RC beam) under air blast loading. Results show that, compared with the perfect beams, the pre-cracked RC beams present themselves with an increase in the maximum deflection of mid-span, the maximum vertical velocity of mid-span node, effective stresses of concrete in compressive zone of the pre-cracked RC beam, and axial stresses of longitudinal reinforcement in tensile zone of the pre-cracked RC beam. Due to stress concentration of pre-cracked sections under air blast loading, the presence of initial cracks at the mid-span (or the end) of the pre-cracked RC beam could cause the failure of the pre-cracked RC beam prematurely at the cracked sections and where the blast loading begin to be loaded. Moreover, a crack on the surface of compression zone of the pre-cracked RC beam has a larger influence than that on the surface of tensile zone. The damage generated by blast loading effects is limited to a local area, and the dynamic behavior of the pre-cracked RC beam is not sensitive to the width and depth of initial cracks to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal laminated composites are widely used in industrial and commercial applications due to their excellent overall performance. In this study, the copper/graphene-aluminum-copper/graphene (Cu/Gr-Al-Cu/Gr) laminated composites were prepared by ingenious hot pressing design. Raman, optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), van der Pauw (vdP), and X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD) were used to investigate the graphene status, interface bonding, diffusion layer thickness, electrical conductivity, Miller indices and secondary phases, respectively. The results demonstrate that the Cu-Al interfaces in the Cu/Gr-Al-Cu/Gr composites were free of pores, cracks and other defects and bonded well. The number of graphene layers was varied by regulating the thickness of the Cu/Gr layer, with the Cu/Gr foils fabricated by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The electrical conductivity of the composite was significantly improved by the induced high-quality interfaces Cu/Gr structure. The increased number of graphene layers is beneficial for enhancing the electrical conductivity of the Cu/Gr-Al-Cu/Gr composite, and the highest conductivity improved by 20.5% compared to that of raw Al. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the development of a novel bio-inspired composite sandwich panel (BCSP) with fiber metal laminate (FML) face sheets and a dual core to improve the low-velocity impact behavior based on the woodpecker's head layout as a design template. The dynamic response of BCSP under impact load is simulated and analyzed by ABAQUS/Explicit software and compared with that of the composite sandwich panel (CSP) with a single foam core. The impact behavior of BCSP affected by these parameters, i.e., a different face sheet thickness, rubber core thickness and foam core height, was also reported. The results show that BCSP has superior impact resistance compared to CSP, with a lower damage area and smaller deformation, while carrying a higher impact load. Concurrently, BCSP is not highly restricted to any particular region when dealing with stress distributions. Compared to CSP, the bottom skin maximum stress value of BCSP is significantly reduced by 2.4–6.3 times at all considered impact energy levels. It is also found that the impact efficiency index of BCSP is 4.86 times higher than that of CSP under the same impact energy, indicating that the former can resist the impact load more effectively than the latter in terms of overall performance. Furthermore, the impact resistance of the BCSP improved with the increase in face sheet thickness and rubber core thickness. Additionally, the height of the foam core has a notable effect on the energy absorption, while it does not play a significant role in impact load. From an economic viewpoint, the height of the foam core retrofitted with 20 mm is reasonable. The results acquired from the current investigation can provide certain theoretical reference to the use of the bio-inspired composite sandwich panel in the engineering protection field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A Cu/EHEA composite was successfully fabricated via solid–liquid bonding. • Good metallurgical interface bonding was achieved by the element mutual diffusion. • The interface of Cu/EHEA composites possessed an excellent bonding strength. • An increase in hardness on the Cu side was associated with the formation of precipitates. In the present work, a layered composite consisting of pure copper (Cu) and AlCoCrFeNi 2.1 eutectic high entropy alloy (EHEA) was fabricated via solid/liquid bonding. The results demonstrated that the interface of Cu/EHEA layered composites had a good bonding strength. The element diffusion and mechanical property of the interface were analyzed. In the diffusion layer, no crack defects were formed. The interface microhardness was about 210 HV. The tensile strength of the Cu/EHEA composite was ∼ 150 MPa, indicating that the interface strength was higher than that of pure Cu. The layered Cu/EHEA composite is a promising candidate with the excellent comprehensive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal strain imaging (TSI) uses echo shifts in ultrasonic B-scan images to estimate changes in temperature which is of great values for thermotherapies. However, for in vivo applications, it is difficult to overcome the artifacts and errors arising from physiological motions. Here, a respiration separated TSI (RS-TSI) method is proposed, which can be considered as carrying out TSI in each of the exhalation and inhalation phases and then combining the results. Normalized cross correlation (NXcorr) coefficient between RF images along the timeline are used to extract the respiratory frequency, after which reference frames are selected to identify the exhalation and inhalation phases, and the two phases are divided quasi-periodically. RF images belonging to both phases are selected by applying NXcorr thresholds, and motion compensation together with a second frame selection helps to obtain two finely matched image sequences. After TSI calculations for each phase, the two processes are merged into one through extrapolation and interphase averaging. Compared to TSI based on dynamic frame selection (DFS), RS-TSI ensures that frames are selected during both the exhalation and inhalation phases while setting the frame selection range according to the respiratory frequency helps to improve motion compensation. The temporal intervals of TSI output are approximately half that employing DFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Elevated monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio (MHR) is relevant to higher all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with coronary artery disease and other comorbidities. However, the predictive values of MHR for mortality in the general population have been underutilized. This study investigated the association of MHR with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the adult population of the United States. Methods: This study included 34,335 participants (≥20 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2014 that were grouped according to MHR tertiles. Kaplan-Meier plots and long-rank tests were employed to investigate differences in survival among the groups. Moreover, the relationship of MHR with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality was further explored using multivariate Cox regression and restricted cubic spline analysis. Results: During the average follow-up of 93.5 ± 56 months, 4310 (12.6%) participants died, with 754 (2.2%) deaths attributed to cardiovascular diseases. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed statistically obvious differences in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among the MHR tertiles (log-rank test: all P < 0.001). In multi-adjusted models, participants in the highest tertile of MHR had an increased risk of all-cause (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10–1.29) and cardiovascular mortality (HR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.17–1.77), compared to those in the lowest tertile. Furthermore, the restricted cubic spline curve indicated that MHR had a non-linear association with all-cause mortality (P < 0.001), and the inflection point of MHR was 0.006. Each 2-fold change in MHR exhibited a 32% decrease (HR = 0.68, 95%CI 0.58–0.82) and a 20% increase (HR = 1.20, 95%CI 1.13–1.27) in the risk of all-cause mortality on the left and right flanks of the inflection point, respectively. Additionally, the risk of cardiovascular mortality increased by 21% per 2-fold change in MHR (HR = 1.21, 95%CI 1.07–1.36) in a linear manner. Conclusions: MHR was significantly related to all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the general population independent of established risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Aortic valve calcification is more prevalent in chronic kidney disease accompanied by hypercalcemia. Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC)-related modular calcium binding 1 (SMOC1) is a regulator of BMP2 signalling, but the role of SMOC1 in aortic valve calcification under different conditions has not been studied. This study aimed to investigate the roles of SMOC1 in aortic valve calcification under normal and high calcium conditions, focusing on the effects on aortic valve interstitial cells (AVICs). Methods and results SMOC1 was expressed by aortic valve endothelial cells and secreted into the extracellular matrix in non-calcific valves and downregulated in calcific aortic valves. In vitro studies demonstrated that HUVEC secreted SMOC1 could enter the cytoplasm of AVICs. Overexpression of SMOC1 attenuated warfarin-induced AVIC calcification but promoted high calcium/phosphate or vitamin D-induced AVIC and aortic valve calcification by regulating BMP2 signalling both in vitro and in vivo. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed that SMOC1 binds to BMP receptor II (BMPR-II) and inhibits BMP2-induced phosphorylation of p38 (p-p38) via amino acids 372–383 of its EF-hand calcium-binding domain. Inhibition of p-p38 by the p38 inhibitor SB203580 blocked the effects of SMOC1 on BMP2 signalling and AVIC calcification induced by high calcium/phosphate medium. In high-calcium-treated AVICs, SMOC1 lost its ability to bind to BMPR-II, but not to caveolin-1, promoting p-p38 and cell apoptosis due to increased expression of BMPR-II and enhanced endocytosis. Conclusions These observations support that SMOC1 works as a dual-directional modulator of AVIC calcification by regulating p38-dependent BMP2 signalling transduction according to different extracellular calcium concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertension, a prevalent global cardiovascular disease, affects approximately 45.4 % of adults worldwide. Despite advances in therapy, hypertension continues to pose a significant health risk due to inadequate management. It has been established that excessive adiposity contributes majorly to hypertension, accounting for 65 to 75 % of primary cases. Fat depots can be categorised into subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue based on anatomical and physiological characteristics. The metabolic impact and the risk of hypertension are determined more significantly by visceral fat. Perirenal adipose tissue (PRAT), a viscera enveloping the kidney, is known for its superior vascularisation and abundant innervation. Although traditionally deemed as a mechanical support tissue, recent studies have indicated its contributing potential to hypertension. Hypertensive patients tend to have increased PRAT thickness compared to those without, and there is a positive correlation between PRAT thickness and elevated systolic blood pressure. This review encapsulates the anatomical characteristics and biogenesis of PRAT. We provide an overview of the potential mechanisms where PRAT may modulate blood pressure, including physical compression, paracrine effects, and neurogenic regulation. PRAT has become a promising target for hypertension management, and continuous effort is required to further explore the underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the influence of various nanomaterials on the mechanical performance and durability of sludge-based geopolymer. In terms of overall strength, it was evident that nanosilica (NS), when introduced at the same doping level, exhibited the most significant enhancement in mechanical properties, surpassing nano-calcium carbonate (NCC) and graphene nanoparticles (GNPs). For instance, the addition of 2% NS resulted in a remarkable increase of up to 108.2% in compressive strength and 69.9% in flexural strength. Furthermore, the early reaction rate of sludge-based geopolymers was positively affected by the incorporation of NS, NCC, and GNPs. After 28 days, thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that the mass loss for the reference sample and geopolymers enhanced with NS, NCC, and GNPs was approximately 15.06%, 14.78%, 14.85%, and 14.95%, respectively. Regarding durability, the sludge-based geopolymers displayed enhanced resistance to sulfate erosion and freeze-thaw cycles. This improvement was attributed to the ability of nanomaterials to fill pores and promote hydration reactions, resulting in a denser matrix. This paper delves into the influence of nanomaterials on the gel microstructure and gel micromechanical properties, shedding light on the mechanisms responsible for the enhanced mechanical and durability properties. It also presents a comparative analysis of results at different doping levels, offering a promising solution for waste treatment and carbon emission reduction, while making a compelling case for practical engineering applications. • First study of mechanical and durability properties of nanomodified sludge-based geopolymers. • Nanomodified sludge-based geopolymers can be used for practical engineering applications. • The mechanical properties of nanomodified sludge-based geopolymers depend on factors such as gel strength, pore filling and chemical bonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is an important health burden due to its increasing prevalence and lack of available approaches. Osteogenic transdifferentiation of aortic valve interstitial cells (AVICs) contributes to valve calcification. SRY-related HMG-box transcription factor 5 (SOX5) is essential for cartilage development. Whether SOX5 is involved in AVIC calcification has not been determined. This study aimed to explore the role of SOX5 in warfarin-induced AVIC calcification. Immunostaining showed decreased SOX5 in human calcific AV and warfarin induced mouse calcific AV tissues compared with human noncalcific AV and control mouse AV tissues. In calcific human AVICs (hAVICs) and porcine AVICS (pAVICs), both knockdown and overexpression of SOX5 inhibited calcium deposition and osteogenic marker gene expression. Protein expression assays and ChIP assays showed that overexpression of SOX5 led to increased recruitment of SOX5 to the SOX9 promoter and resulted in increased mRNA and protein expression of SOX9. Coimmunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence showed that SOX5 binds to SOX9 with its HMG domain in nucleus. Blue Native PAGE showed overexpression of SOX5 led to multimeric complex formation of SOX5 and resulted in decreased binding of SOX5 to SOX9 similar to the results of knockdown of SOX5. Further ChIP and western blotting assays showed that both knockdown and overexpression of SOX5 resulted in SOX9 initiating transcription of anti-calcific gene LRP6 in warfarin-treated pAVICs. Knockdown of LRP6 rescues the anti-calcification effect of SOX5 overexpression. We found that both loss and gain of function of SOX5 lead to the same phenotype: decreased warfarin induced calcification. The stoichiometry of SOX5 is crucial for cooperation with SOX9, SOX9 nuclear localization and subsequent binding of SOX9 to LRP6 promoter. These results suggest that SOX5 is a potential target for the development of anti-calcification therapy. [Display omitted] • SOX5 is involved during the pathogenesis of aortic valve calcification. • Up or down-regulation of SOX5 protects valve interstitial cell from calcification. • The interaction of SOX5 with SOX9 plays a key role in aortic valve calcification. • Formation of SOX5 complex provides new insights of SOX transcription factors. • SOX5 might be a potential target for the development of anti-calcification therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive production of visceral adipose is a major risk factor of many diseases. Inhibiting the adipogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) will be an efficient way to block adipose production. We illuminated POU class 2 homeobox associating factor 1 (POU2AF1) may promote MSCs adipogenesis by histone deacetylases 1 (HDAC1) signalling. Human retroperitoneal adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from overweight and control groups of patients. IncRNA microarray was used to identified gene expression levels. Adenovirus transduction and cellular small-interfering RNA transfection were used to achieve overexpression and interference of POU2AF1 or HDAC1. Adipogenesis was identified by Oil-red O staining, triglycende, cholesterol assay, real-time PCR and Western Blot. POU2AF1 expression was upregulated in retroperitoneal adipose tissue of overweight patients, and increased during adipogenesis. Overexpression of POU2AF1 promoted spontaneous adipogenesis without adipogenic treatment. Silencing of endogenous POU2AF1 in MSCs inhibited adipogenesis. Overexpression of POU2AF1 alleviated the translocation of HDAC1 to the nucleus. The mRNA level of HDAC1 was also reduced. Co-transfection of Ad-POU2AF1 and Ad-HDAC1 partially reversed the promotion effect of POU2AF1 overexpression in MSCs spontaneous adipogenic differentiation. POU2AF1 involves in the natural differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. Overexpression or silencing POU2AF1 could effectively induce or inhibit the adipogenesis by HDAC1 signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia‐induced cardiac fibrosis is an important pathological process in cardiovascular disorders. This study aimed to determine whether low‐intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS), a novel and safe apparatus, could alleviate hypoxia‐induced cardiac fibrosis, and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Hypoxia (1% O2) and transverse aortic constriction (TAC) were performed on neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts and mice to induce cardiac fibrosis, respectively. LIPUS irradiation was applied for 20 minutes every 6 hours for a total of 2 times in vitro, and every 2 days from 1 week before surgery to 4 weeks after surgery in vivo. We found that LIPUS dose‐dependently attenuated hypoxia‐induced cardiac fibroblast phenotypic conversion in vitro, and ameliorated TAC‐induced cardiac fibrosis in vivo. Hypoxia significantly upregulated the nuclear protein expression of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) and DNA methyltransferase 3a (DNMT3a). LIPUS pre‐treatment reversed the elevated expression of HIF‐1α, and DNMT3a. Further experiments revealed that HIF‐1α stabilizer dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG) hindered the anti‐fibrotic effect of LIPUS, and hampered LIPUS‐mediated downregulation of DNMT3a. DNMT3a small interfering RNA (siRNA) prevented hypoxia‐induced cardiac fibrosis. Results also showed that the mechanosensitive protein‐TWIK‐related arachidonic acid‐activated K+ channel (TRAAK) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was downregulated in hypoxia‐induced cardiac fibroblasts, and TAC‐induced hearts. TRAAK siRNA impeded LIPUS‐mediated anti‐fibrotic effect and downregulation of HIF‐1α and DNMT3a. Above results indicated that LIPUS could prevent prolonged hypoxia‐induced cardiac fibrosis through TRAAK‐mediated HIF‐1α/DNMT3a signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ostium secundum atrial septal defect (osASD) is one of the most commonly occurring cardiac malformations. Although some embryological pathways have been elucidated, the molecular etiologies of ASD are not fully understood. Previous microarray analysis in our laboratory identified differentially expressed genes between osASD and normal right auricular myocardium. Of the 1056 differentially expressed genes, 14 genes were related to apoptosis: eight pro-apoptotic genes were up-regulated and six anti-apoptotic genes were down-regulated in ASD patients. In the current study, we utilized semi-quantitative RT-PCR, electron microscopy, TUNEL and flow cytometry to further understand the role of apoptosis in the atrium of osASD patients. RT-PCR results confirmed differential expression data from previous microarray studies. Additionally, while apoptosis was detected in the right auricular myocardium of all osASD patients, it was absent in controls. These data suggested apoptosis may play an important role in the pathogenesis of osASD or possibly occurs as a consequence of volume overload and hemodynamic changes in right atrium of osASD patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this work, a hollow brick wall structure was introduced into the preparation of AlCoCrFeNi 2.1 EHEA to realize a skeleton structure by taking advantage of the good castability of eutectic high entropy alloys (EHEAs) and high cooling rate of selective laser melting (SLM). The effects of processing parameters on eutectic microstructure and mechanical properties of SLM-ed AlCoCrFeNi 2.1 EHEA skeletons were investigated. With increasing volume energy density (VED), the microstructure along the building direction evolved from cellular structure to the coexistence of cellular and lamellar structures. The phases in the SLM-ed AlCoCrFeNi 2.1 EHEA skeletons contained BCC/B2 and FCC phases. Under the VED of 137.25 J/mm3, SLM-ed skeletons with hollow brick wall structures had a compressive strength of 241.2 ± 4.2 MPa. The mechanical properties from tensile tests exhibited a yield strength of 1349.4 ± 12.4 MPa and an ultimate tensile strength of 1529.5 ± 12.8 MPa. The superior performance of the selective laser melting method was attributed to fine grain strengthening, dislocations strengthening, and heterogeneous structure of FCC and BCC/B2. This work provides possibilities for microstructure design and performance improvement of EHEAs and expands the avenue for developing advanced high-strength lightweight structural and energy-absorbing alloys. • High-strength AlCoCrFeNi 2.1 EHEA with a novel porous hollow brick wall structure was prepared by selective laser melting (SLM). • With increasing volume energy density (VED) values, the microstructure of printed skeletons evolved from cellular structure to the coexistence of cellular and lamellar structure. • The SLM-ed EHEA skeletons exhibited an excellent yield strength of 1349.4 MPa, attributing to fine grain strengthening, dislocations strengthening as well as heterogeneous structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-drug strategy targeting adipocyte differentiation is critical for alleviating visceral obesity and its related diseases. However, whether and how low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) could be used for inhibiting visceral adipocyte differentiation is not fully understood. In this study, we aim to investigate the effect and associated mechanism of LIPUS on primary visceral preadipocyte differentiation and explore its potential role for clinical visceral obesity management. The preadipocytes were daily exposed to LIPUS (0.5 MHz, 1.2 MPa) for 10 min. Adipogenic differentiation was estimated by the formation of lipid droplets and the levels of adipogenic transcriptional factors and representative markers. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) member proteins and histone acetylation-related molecules were measured by western blotting. LIPUS stimulation with an average acoustic pressure of 1.2 MPa led to a prominent inhibition of adipogenic differentiation and expression of adipogenic markers. As a mechanism, LIPUS treatment increased the nuclear levels of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) and decreased the acetylation of histone 3 and histone 4. Meanwhile, the inhibition of the HDAC1 could block the inhibitory effect of LIPUS on adipogenic differentiation via increasing AcH3 and AcH4 levels. Our study may provide an ultrasound-based promising strategy for clinical visceral obesity control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the effect of cluster of differentiation (CD47) downregulation on autophagy in hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-treated H9c2 cardiomyocytes. H9c2 cells were maintained in normoxic conditions (95% air, 5% CO2, 37°C) without CD47 antibodies, Si-CD47 or chloroquine (CQ) treatment; H9c2 cells in the H/R group were subjected to 24 h of hypoxia (1% O2, 94% N2, 5% CO2, 37°C) followed by 12 h of reoxygenation (95% air, 5% CO2, 37°C). All assays were controlled, triplicated and repeated on three separately initiated cultures. The biochemical parameters in the medium supernatant were measured to evaluate the oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes. The Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate assay was used to detect the apoptotic rate in the H9c2 cells. Transmission electron microscope, immunofluorescent staining and western blot analysis were performed to detect the effect of the CD47 antibody on autophagic flux in H/R-treated H9c2 cardiomyocytes. The cardiomyocytic oxidative stress and apoptotic rate decreased and autophagic clearance increased after CD47 downregulation. H/R triggered cell autophagy, autophagosome accumulation and apoptosis in H9c2 cell lines. However, these effects can be attenuated by CD47 downregulation. This study demonstrates its clinical implications in ischemia/reperfusion injury treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aberrant increase in angiogenesis contributes to the progression of malignant solid tumors. An alternative anti-angiogenesis therapy is critical for cancer, since the current anti-angiogenesis drugs lack specificity for tumor cells. In the present study, the effects and mechanisms of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human microvascular endothelial cells (HMECs) were investigated, and the therapeutic potential of this technology was assessed. HUVECs and HMECs were treated with LIPUS (0.5 MHz; 210 mW/cm2) for 1 min and cultured for 24 h. Flow cytometry and Cell Counting Kit-8 assays demonstrated that LIPUS treatment at a dose of 210 mW/cm2 promoted apoptosis and decreased the viability in HUVECs and HMECs. Real-time cell analysis also revealed that LIPUS did not affect the proliferation or migration of HUVECs. An endothelial cell tube formation assay indicated that LIPUS treatment inhibited the angiogenic ability of HUVECs and HMECs. Furthermore, LIPUS increased the protein levels of the apoptosis-associated cleaved Caspase-3 and decreased the B-cell lymphoma-2 levels. LIPUS increased the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and the levels of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-associated markers, including activating transcription factor-4 (ATF-4) and phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α). The p38 inhibitor SB203580 reversed the pro-apoptotic and anti-angiogenic effects of LIPUS in cells. Finally, inhibition of p38 decreased the LIPUS-induced elevation of p-eIF2α and ATF-4 levels. Taken together, these results suggested that LIPUS promoted apoptosis and inhibited angiogenesis in human endothelial cells via the activation of p38 MAPK-mediated ER stress signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Arterial stiffness indices measured by pulse wave velocity and pulse wave analysis have been widely studied in different populations. Only a few small studies have been reported regarding these two measurement methods. Therefore, the aim of our study was to compare the arterial stiffness indices measured by pulse wave velocity and pulse wave analysis in a randomly selected Chinese population. Methods: A total of 4285 subjects were recruited from Gaoyou County, Jiangsu Province, China. There were 2017 (47.1%) participants with hypertension. Pulse wave velocity was assessed by using a VP-1000 Automatic Arteriosclerosis Measurement System. Large artery elasticity and small artery elasticity were measured by pulse wave analysis with an HDI/PulseWave CR-2000 Research CardioVascular Profiling System using the modified Windkessel model. Results: Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, large artery elasticity and small artery elasticity were all significantly associated with the Framingham risk score (r = 0.588, −0.387, −0.448; p <.001). Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity was correlated with both large artery elasticity (r = −0.486, p <.001) and small artery elasticity (r = −0.455, p <.001). In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity [0.834, 95% confidence interval (0.821–0.845)] had a significantly larger area under the curve than both large artery elasticity [0.701, (0.684–0.715)] and small artery elasticity [0.696, (0.678–0.709)]. Conclusion: Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity is significantly correlated with both large artery elasticity and small artery elasticity. The brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity measurement has a better predictive value for hypertension than the large artery elasticity and small artery elasticity measurements. What is new? We investigated the associations between brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, large artery elasticity and small artery elasticity and compared the values of these indices for predicting hypertension for the first time in a randomly selected large population. What is relevant? Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity was closely associated with large artery elasticity and small artery elasticity. The brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity measurement was a sensitive test for predicting hypertension in the study population when compared to large artery elasticity and small artery elasticity readings. Summary: The present study confirms that brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity is significantly correlated with small and large arterial compliance and is a superior method of diagnosing hypertension compared to large artery elasticity and small artery elasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B‐cell lymphoma 6 (Bcl6) functions as a sequence‐specific transcriptional repressor and negative regulator of many signaling proteins. The effects of Bcl6 on cardiomyocyte injury are not clear. This study was designed to determine whether Bcl6 affects hypoxia‐induced cardiomyocyte injury and, if so, to identify the underlying mechanism. To meet this aim, cardiomyocytes were exposed to hypoxia and Bcl6 siRNA was used to silence Bcl6 in cardiomyocytes. Bcl6 knockdown under physiological conditions caused increased oxidative stress, apoptosis, and expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines. Increased inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and apoptosis were observed after cells were exposed to hypoxia for 24 h. Bcl6 knockdown aggravated cardiomyocyte injury when exposed to hypoxia. Bcl6 knockdown increased P38 activation without affecting JNK and ERK phosphorylation levels. Treatment with a P38 inhibitor reversed the Bcl6 silencing‐induced deteriorating phenotype, as evidenced by reduced inflammatory response, improved oxidative stress response, and increased cell viability. The results indicate that Bcl6 knockdown causes cardiomyocyte injury at baseline conditions and aggravates cardiomyocyte hypoxia injury via activating the P38 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this study, we investigated whether hydralazine could reduce renal ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Renal I/R was induced by a 70-min occlusion of the bilateral renal arteries and a 24-h reperfusion, which was confirmed by the increased the mortality, the levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), blood creatinine (Cr), renal tissue NO and the visible histological damage of the kidneys. Apoptosis was evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Furthermore, the serum levels of malonaldehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were significantly elevated in renal I/R group, while the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels were suppressed. However, intragastric pretreatment with hydralazine at doses of 7.5–30 mg/kg before renal I/R significantly limited the increase in mortality, BUN, Cr, oxidative stress, inflammatory factors, histological damage and apoptosis in the kidneys. In addition, hydralazine also increased p-AKT, Bcl-2 expression and decreased iNOS, Bax, cleaved caspase-3 expression in the kidneys. In conclusion, hydralazine reduced renal I/R injury probably via inhibiting NO production by iNOS/NO pathway, inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammatory response and apoptosis by a mitochondrial-dependent pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • IL-29 inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation and the bone-resorbing activity of mature osteoclasts. • This inhibitory effect of IL-29 is mediated via activation of JNK and STAT, and suppression of NF-κB and NFATc1. • IL-29 shows an anti-osteoclastogenesis ability and is likely important in bone resorption. Abstract Interleukin (IL)-29 is known to modulate immune functions of monocytes or macrophages. In this study, we investigated the effect and its underlying mechanism of IL-29 on receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis using murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7 cells and bone-marrow-derived monocyte/macrophage precursor cells (BMMs), and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In response to human recombinant IL-29, cell viability and apoptosis were assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry; the osteoclast formation and activity by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining and pit formation assay, respectively; the expression and activation of molecules that associated with osteoclastogenesis by real time-PCR, immunoblotting or immunofluorescent analysis. IL-28 receptor α (IL-28Rα), a specific receptor of IL-29 was expressed on RAW264.7 cells. Although IL-29 did not affect the viability and apoptosis of RAW264.7 cells, it inhibited multinucleated cells in the differentiation of osteoclastogenesis, the bone-resorbing activity of mature osteoclasts and osteoclastic specific genes expression including TRAP, cathepsin K (CTSK), nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1), C-Fos and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9). This inhibitory effect of IL-29 was confirmed on BMMs and PBMCs and mediated via IL-28Rα through the activation of Stat1 and 3 and the suppression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and NFATc1 nuclear translocation in RAW264.7 cells. In conclusion, IL-29 inhibited osteoclastogenesis via activation of STAT signaling pathway, prevention of NF-κB activation and NFATc1 translocation, and suppression of downstream osteoclastogenic genes expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference 1 Li M. Effect of focused power ultrasound-mediated perirenal fat modification on primary hypertension: protocol of a multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, sham-controlled study. B Correction: BMC Trials 24, 221 (2023) b B https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-023-07249-5 b Following publication of the original article [[1]], we have been informed of a sample size calculation error. [Extracted from the article]

Parametric studies are performed to investigate the influence of the weight and position of explosive charges, reinforcement lengths of steel plates, and reinforcement methods, such as pasting steel plate on the bottom of reinforced concrete T-shaped (RCTS) beam, pasting steel plate on both sides of web plate, pasting U-shaped steel plate on the web of RCTS beam, fully packaged the beam with steel plate and pasting steel plate on the top and bottom of RCTS beam, on the dynamic behavior of the RCTS beam under blasting load by numerical simulation method. Numerical results show that the failure modes of the RCTS beam are closely related to the weight and position of explosive charges. With the increase of explosive charges, the deformation modes of the beam are changed from elastic deformation to tension bending deformation, and finally the flexural shear failure is occurred. With the height increase of vertical direction of explosion, the failure patterns of the beam are changed from bending shear to tensile bending. Changing the explosion positions from the mid-span to the end of the beam, the damage positions are also changed with the moving of explosive. The damage modes of the beam and the positions, where the cracks are formed, have a strong dependence on the position and the weight of explosive charges due to the local effect of blasting load. Compared with the ordinary RCTS beam, the initiation time of cracks of the RCTS beam strengthened with steel plates is delayed and the growth speed of the cracks is also significantly reduced. The crack distributions of the beam strengthened with steel plates are mainly concentrated on the reinforced area. Moreover, the number of the formed cracks is also reduced and the compressive stresses of concrete in the compression zone of the beam strengthened with steel plates are lowered down. Among the reinforcement methods in the present study, the best reinforcement method to improve anti-explosion performances of the beams is the beam strengthened with steel plates on the top and bottom of it. The optimal size of reinforcement length of steel plate is about 80 cm by comparing the different reinforcement lengths of steel plates in the same explosion case. To some extend, this study could provide some basis for evaluating anti-explosion performances and scheme design of structural strengthening of the beam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Altered microRNA (miRNA, miR) expression has been related to many disease processes; however, the miRNA expression signature in calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is unclear. In this study, microarrays were used to determine the miRNA expression signature of tissue samples from healthy individuals (n=4) and patients with CAVD (n=4). TargetScan, PITA, and microRNAorg 3-way databases were used to predict the potential target genes. DIANA-miRPath was used to incorporate the aberrant miRNAs into gene pathways. miRNA microarrays identified 92 differentially expressed miRNAs in CAVD tissues. The principal component analysis (PCA) of these samples and the unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis based on the 92 aberrantly expressed miRNAs noted that miRNA expression could be categorized into two well-defined clusters that corresponded to healthy control and CAVD. Bioinformatic analysis showed the miRNA targets and potential molecular pathways. Collectively, our study reported the miRNA expression signature in CAVD and may provide potential therapeutic targets for CAVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]