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The direct one-step separation of polymer-grade C2H4 from complex light hydrocarbon mixtures has high industrial significance but is very challenging. Herein, an ethylene-adsorption-weakening strategy is applied for precise regulation of the pore geometry of four tailor-made metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with pillar-layered structures, dubbed TYUT-10/11/12/13. Based on its pore geometry design and functional group regulation, TYUT-12 exhibits exceptional selective adsorption selectivity toward C3H8, C3H6, C2H6, C2H2, and CO2 over C2H4; its C2H6/C2H4 adsorption selectivity reaches 4.56, surpassing the record value of 4.4 by Fe2(O2)(dobdc) (dobdc4− = 2,5-dioxido-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate). The weak π–π stacking binding affinity toward C2H4 in TYUT-12 is clearly demonstrated through a combination of neutron powder diffraction measurements and theoretical calculations. Breakthrough experiments demonstrate that C2H4 can be directly obtained from binary, ternary, quaternary, and six-component light hydrocarbon mixtures with over 99.95% purity.

The labor administrative penalties of a city are enforced by the city's labor security administrative department for any breaches of labor security laws, regulations, or norms. The severity of labor administrative penalties differs across cities; thus, this study aims to determine how a city's penalties affect the labor income share of enterprises. We conduct a practical investigation to examine the influence of labor administrative penalties imposed by cities on the internal income distribution structure of firms. This study utilizes theoretical analysis and data on labor administrative penalties in Chinese cities, as well as samples of A-share listed businesses in Shanghai and Shenzhen. From the perspective of the internal income distribution structure, we examine the labor income share of firms and discover that labor administrative penalties in cities significantly raise the labor income share of these enterprises. The share of labor income of enterprises registered in the city increases by 0.9707 % for each additional unit of cities' labor administrative penalties (i.e., for a one-time labor administrative penalty per 10,000 people). The conclusion remains valid even after excluding the endogeneity and robustness tests. Regional labor administrative penalties can enhance the internal management of enterprise quality by promoting transparency and deterring non-compliance. This, in turn, mitigates credit risk for enterprises by fostering stable labor relations. Enhancing the quality of internal control and mitigating credit risk can lead to an increase in the labor income share of firms. An analysis of heterogeneity shows that the impact of labor administrative penalties in cities on increasing the percentage of labor income varies. The impact is more pronounced for state-owned firms and enterprises with low levels of investment.

Carbon peaking and carbon neutralization trigger a technical revolution in energy & environment related fields. Development of new technologies for green energy production and storage, industrial energy saving and efficiency reinforcement, carbon capture, and pollutant gas treatment is in highly imperious demand. The emerging porous framework materials such as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs), owing to the permanent porosity, tremendous specific surface area, designable structure and customizable functionality, have shown great potential in major energy-consuming industrial processes, including sustainable energy gas catalytic conversion, energy-efficient industrial gas separation and storage. Herein, this manuscript presents a systematic review of porous framework materials for global and comprehensive energy & environment related applications, from a macroscopic and application perspective.

Titanium (Ti)-based metal-organic frameworks (Ti-MOFs) have attracted intensive research attention due to their low toxicity and high abundance of titanium. However, limited by the high reactivity of titanium species in the reaction system, the construction of Ti-MOFs still faces great challenges. Herein, we successfully introduced Ti into MOF-74 using a one-pot method. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) combined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy confirmed that the Ti­(IV) ions were uniformly inserted into the MOF-74 structure. Our scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS) analysis showed that the Ti content was up to 44% with good sample homogeneity. The adsorption selectivity of Ti0.44/Ni0.56-MOF-74 at 1.0 bar and 298 K for C2H2/C2H4 and C2H2/CO2 (50/50, v/v) mixtures was 4.9 and 6.8, respectively, which are higher than that of pristine Ni-MOF-74. The results of our breakthrough simulation experiments revealed that the adsorption and separation performances of Ti0.44/Ni0.56-MOF-74 were greatly improved. This study provided insights for the construction of Ti-based bimetallic MOFs used for the separation of light hydrocarbons.

Abstract Purification of ethylene (C2H4) as the most extensive and output chemical, from complex multi-components is of great significance but highly challenging. Herein we demonstrate that precise pore structure tuning by controlling the network hydrogen bonds in two highly-related porous coordination networks can shift the efficient C2H4 separation function from C2H2/C2H4/C2H6 ternary mixture to CO2/C2H2/C2H4/C2H6 quaternary mixture system. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that the different amino groups on the triazolate ligands resulted in the change of the hydrogen bonding in the host network, which led to changes in the pore shape and pore chemistry. Gas adsorption isotherms, adsorption kinetics and gas-loaded crystal structure analysis indicated that the coordination network Zn-fa-atz (2) weakened the affinity for three C2 hydrocarbons synchronously including C2H4 but enhanced the CO2 adsorption due to the optimized CO2-host interaction and the faster CO2 diffusion, leading to effective C2H4 production from the CO2/C2H2/C2H4/C2H6 mixture in one step based on the experimental and simulated breakthrough data. Moreover, it can be shaped into spherical pellets with maintained porosity and separation performance.

Oxidative stress is a pivotal stimulating factor in neurocyte apoptosis and has been involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this study, we have demonstrated that the improvement in the motor disorder of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)/Pro-induced mice caused by b-Ecdysterone (b-Ecd) treatment is due to its antioxidant properties. Using open field, rotarod, and pole climbing tests, we have found that b-Ecd alleviates motor disorder in MPTP/Pro-induced mice and ultimately reduces the impairment of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Notably, these effects of b-Ecd were not observed in Nrf2-KO mice. In addition, b-Ecd significantly reduced the formation of ROS and the level of MDA, blocked the increase of LPO, and partially reversed the GSH/GSSG ratio in MPTP/Pro-induced WT mice; however, these results were also not observed in MPTP/Pro-induced Nrf2-KO mice. Mechanistically, b-Ecd enhanced the expression levels of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and GCLc, but not NQO1 (NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1) and GCLm expression. Interestingly, b-Ecd failed to increase the protein and mRNA levels of HO-1 and GCLc in Nrf2-KO mice, suggesting that b-Ecd attenuates oxidative stress through an Nrf2-dependent mechanism. Furthermore, b-Ecd promoted the expressions of PI3K/Akt phosphorylation (activity) and GSK-3b phosphorylation (inactivity). Conversely, administration of b-Ecd markedly decreased Fyn phosphorylation levels. Collectively, our findings suggest that b-Ecd focuses on Nrf2 in reducing MPTP/Pro-induced oxidative stress and subsequent motor deficits by inhibiting its nuclear export through PI3K/Akt/GSK-3b/Fyn pathway regulation. These further indicate that b-Ecd may be an absorbing therapeutic agent for PD.

Purposes Metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes have been extensively studied in recent years owing to their rich porosity as well as their uniform and adjustable pore size. Still, the preparation of ultra-thin and defect-free MOF membranes faces great challenges. Controlling the growth orientation of the MOF membranes helps reduce intergranular defects and optimize membrane thickness. Methods For the first time, an ultra-thin and oriented UTSA-280 MOF membrane is prepared on a porous substrate via a polydopamine (PDA) interface layer-mediation strategy. The PDA layer provides abundant adsorption and anchoring sites for UTSA-280 through multiple interactions with metal ions to facilitate the heterogeneous nucleation and growth of UTSA-280. Furthermore, the nucleation density and growth rate can be controlled through varying PDA deposition amounts to modulate the growth orientation of MOF crystals and membrane thickness. Findings Finally, a (202)-oriented UTSA-280 MOF membrane prepared under optimal conditions with a membrane thickness of 162 nm achieves H2 permeance up to 4 141.8 GPU and H2/CO2 separation selectivity of 18.5, far exceeding the Robeson upper bound in 2008.

Summary: Hippocampal pyramidal cells possess elaborate dendritic arbors with distinct domains that are targeted with input-specific synaptic sites. This synaptic arrangement is facilitated by synaptic cell-adhesion molecules that act as recognition elements to connect presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons. In this study, we investigate the organization of the synaptic recognition molecule latrophilin-2 at the surface of pyramidal neurons classified by spatial positioning and action potential firing patterns. Surveying two hippocampal neurons that highly express latrophilin-2, late-bursting CA1 pyramidal cells and early-bursting subiculum pyramidal cells, we found the molecule to be differentially positioned on their respective dendritic compartments. Investigating this latrophilin-2 positioning at the synaptic level, we found that the molecule is not present within either the pre- or postsynaptic terminal but rather is tightly coupled to synapses at a perisynaptic location. Together these findings indicate that hippocampal latrophilin-2 distribution patterning is cell-type specific, and requires multiple postsynaptic neurons for its synaptic localization.

Deregulation of cell cycles can result in a variety of cancers, including breast cancer (BC). In fact, abnormal regulation of cell cycle pathways is often observed in breast cancer, leading to malignant cell proliferation. CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) can block the G1 cell cycle through the cyclin D-cyclin dependent kinase 4/6-inhibitor of CDK4-retinoblastoma (cyclinD-CDK4/6-INK4-RB) pathway, thus blocking the proliferation of invasive cells, showing great therapeutic potential to inhibit the spread of BC. So far, three FDA-approved drugs have been shown to be effective in the management of advanced hormone receptor positive (HR+) BC: palbociclib, abemaciclib, and ribociclib. The combination strategy of CDK4/6i and endocrine therapy (ET) has become the standard therapeutic regimen and is increasingly applied to advanced BC patients. The present study aims to clarify whether CDK4/6i can also achieve a certain therapeutic effect on Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2+) BC. Studies of CDK4/6i are not limited to patients with estrogen receptor positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (ER+/HER2-) advanced BC, but have also expanded to other types of BC. Several pre-clinical and clinical trials have demonstrated the potential of CDK4/6i in treating HER2+ BC. Therefore, this review summarizes the current knowledge and recent findings on the use of CDK4/6i in this type of BC, and provides ideas for the discovery of new treatment modalities.

Nanoscale hierarchically porous metal–organic frameworks (NHP-MOFs) have received unprecedented attention in many fields owing to their integration of the strengths of nanoscale size (

BackgroundThe influenza virus poses a significant threat to global public health due to its high mutation rate. Continuous surveillance, development of new vaccines, and public health measures are crucial in managing and mitigating the impact of influenza outbreaks.MethodsNasal swabs were collected from individuals with influenza-like symptoms in Jining City during 2021-2022. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect influenza A viruses, followed by isolation using MDCK cells. Additionally, nucleic acid detection was performed to identify influenza A H1N1, seasonal H3N2, B/Victoria, and B/Yamagata strains. Whole-genome sequencing was conducted on 24 influenza virus strains, and subsequent analyses included characterization, phylogenetic construction, mutation analysis, and assessment of nucleotide diversity.ResultsA total of 1,543 throat swab samples were collected. The study revealed the dominance of the B/Victoria influenza virus in Jining during 2021-2022. Whole-genome sequencing showed co-prevalence of B/Victoria influenza viruses in the branches of Victoria clade 1A.3a.1 and Victoria clade 1A.3a.2, with a higher incidence observed in winter and spring. Comparative analysis demonstrated lower similarity in the HA, MP, and PB2 gene segments of the 24 sequenced influenza virus strains compared to the Northern Hemisphere vaccine strain B/Washington/02/2019. Mutations were identified in all antigenic epitopes of the HA protein at R133G, N150K, and N197D, and the 17-sequence antigenic epitopes exhibited more than 4 amino acid variation sites, resulting in antigenic drift. Moreover, one sequence had a D197N mutation in the NA protein, while seven sequences had a K338R mutation in the PA protein.ConclusionThis study highlights the predominant presence of B/Victoria influenza strain in Jining from 2021 to 2022. The analysis also identified amino acid site variations in the antigenic epitopes, contributing to antigenic drift.

M-MOF-74 (M=Co,Mg,Ni) material has excellent performance in CO2 capture, but the direct application of powdered MOF-74 material in practical industry will inevitably lead to problems such as heat/mass loss, fluid pressure drop, pipeline blockage, recovery difficulty and so on. In order to meet the requirements of “Double Carbon” goal and achieve efficient CO2 capture, a composite binder shaping process was developed. M-MOF-74 (M=Mg,Co,Ni) material was processed into spherical particles about 3 mm in size, and the mechanical strength, thermal stability, and CO2/N2 adsorption and separation performance of the granulated particles were tested. The results show that the mechanical strength of the shaped particles is 23~26 N, which can meet the industrial service life standard and has good thermal stability; the CO2 adsorption performance of the granulated particles decreases by less than 10%. The dynamic separation experiment of CO2/N2(15/85, volume ratio) mixture proved the excellent separation effect of the three granulated particles. The performance of these spherical adsorbents meets the standards of gas separation industry and can further reduce the energy consumption and operation cost in the process of CO2 capture. It is believed that this shaping method will greatly accelerate the commercialization of MOF.

Abstract Background The clustering of Big Four contributors to morbidity and mortality—alcohol misuse, smoking, poor diet, and physical inactivity—may further elevate chronic health risk, but there is limited information about their specific combinations and associated health risks for racial/ethnic minority groups. We aimed to examine patterns of clustering in risk behaviors for White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian American adults and their associations with diabetes and hypertension. As these behaviors may be socioeconomically-patterned, we also examined associations between clustering and socioeconomic status (SES). Methods Latent class analyses and multinomial and logistic regressions were conducted using a nationally-representative sample of United States (US) adults ages 40–70 (N = 35,322) from Waves 2 (2004–2005) and 3 (2012–2013) of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Obesity was used as a proxy for unhealthy diet. The outcomes were diabetes and hypertension. Results A relatively-healthy-lifestyle class was found only among White adults. Common patterns of unhealthy clustering were found across groups with some variations: the obese-inactive class among White, Black, and Hispanic adults (and the inactive class among Asian adults); the obese-inactive-smoking class among White, Black, and Hispanic adults; the smoking-risky-drinking class among White and Hispanic adults; and the smoking-risky-drinking-inactive class among Black and Asian adults. Positive associations of unhealthier clustering (having a greater number of risk behaviors) with lower SES (i.e., family income and education) and with health conditions were more consistent for Whites than for other groups. For racial minority groups, lower education than income was more consistently associated with unhealthy clusters. The associations between unhealthier clustering and diabetes and hypertension were less clear for Blacks and Asians than for Whites, with no significant association observed for Hispanics. Conclusion Concerted efforts to address clustered risk behaviors in most US adults, particularly in racial/ethnic minority groups given the high prevalence of unhealthy clustering, are warranted.

Solid adsorbents that simultaneously have high selectivity and uptake capacity are highly promising as alternatives to conventional cryogenic distillation of propene/propane (C3H6/C3H8) separation. Coordinatively unsaturated metal sites (CUS) plays a vital role in selective adsorption of olefins over paraffins. Ultrathin poly (triazine imide) (PTI) nanosheets can reach rapid gas adsorption equilibrium, due to its large surface-to-volume ratio. In this work, combining the advantages of the CUS and the PTI nanosheets, Li CUSs were introduced into the PTI nanosheets for C3H6/C3H8 separation. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrated the thermodynamic feasibility of incorporating Li CUSs into the PTI nanosheets. These highly exposed Li CUSs were predicted to have a higher adsorption affinity toward C3H6 than C3H8. Using the DFT-derived force field parameters, we further performed grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations to investigate C3H6/C3H8 adsorption on the Li–PTI complexes slit pore model with different pore widths (H). We found that the Li–PTI complexes display considerable C3H6/C3H8 selectivity (4.2–7.9) under relevant conditions. Moreover, the Li–PTI complexes slit pore have large C3H6 working capacities (1.5–4.0 mmol g−1), superior to those calculated for the most of adsorbent materials that have been reported. The Li–PTI complexes with slit pore architecture show potential as C3H6/C3H8 separation materials.

Colorectal cancer is a common malignancy, and the incidence and mortality rates continue to rise. An important factor in the emergence of inflammation-induced colorectal carcinogenesis is elevated cyclooxygenase-2. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) over-production is frequently equated with cyclooxygenase-2 gene over-expression. PGE2 can be assessed by measuring the level of prostaglandin’s main metabolite, PGE-M, in urine. Colorectal adenoma is a precancerous lesion that can lead to colorectal cancer. We conducted research to evaluate the association between urinary levels of the PGE-M and the risk of colorectal adenomas. In a western Chinese population, we identified 152 cases of adenoma and 152 controls patients without polyps. Adenoma cases were categorized into control, low-risk and high-risk groups. There was no significant change in PGE-M levels, between the control group and the low-risk adenoma group. In the high-risk group, the PGE-M levels were 23% higher than the control group. When compared to people with the lowest urine PGE-M levels (first quartile), people with greater urinary PGE-M levels had a higher chance of developing high-risk colorectal adenomas, with an adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) of 1.65 (0.76-3.57) in the fourth quartile group, (p= 0.013). We conclude urinary PGE-M is associated with the risk of developing high-risk adenomas. Urinary PGE-M level may be used as a non-invasive indicator for estimating cancer risk.

BackgroundThe treatment options for cognitive impairments in Parkinson’s disease (PD) are limited. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation has been applied in various neurological diseases. However, the effect of intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) as a more developed repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation paradigm on cognitive dysfunction in PD remains largely unclear.ObjectiveOur aim was to explore the effect of acute iTBS on hippocampus-dependent memory in PD and the mechanism underlying it.MethodsDifferent blocks of iTBS protocols were applied to unilateral 6-hydroxidopamine-induced parkinsonian rats followed by the behavioral, electrophysiological and immunohistochemical analyses. The object-place recognition and hole-board test were used to assess hippocampus-dependent memory.ResultsSham-iTBS and 1 block-iTBS (300 stimuli) didn’t alter hippocampus-dependent memory, hippocampal theta rhythm and the density of c-Fos- and parvalbumin-positive neurons in the hippocampus and medial septum. 3 block-iTBS (900 stimuli) alleviated 6-hydroxidopamine-induced memory impairments, and increased the density of hippocampal c-Fos-positive neurons at 80 min post-stimulation but not 30 min compared to sham-iTBS. Interestingly, 3 block-iTBS first decreased and then increased normalized theta power during a period of 2 h following stimulation. Moreover, 3 block-iTBS decreased the density of parvalbumin-positive neurons in the medial septum at 30 min post-stimulation compared to sham-iTBS.ConclusionThe results indicate that multiple blocks of iTBS elicit dose and time-dependent effects on hippocampus-dependent memory in PD, which may be attributed to changes in c-Fos expression and the power of theta rhythm in the hippocampus.

BackgroundSugar sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes are a promising strategy to decrease SSB consumption, and their inequitable health impacts, while raising revenue to meet social objectives. In 2016, San Francisco passed a one cent per ounce tax on SSBs. This study compared SSB consumption in San Francisco to that in San José, before and after tax implementation in 2018.Methods & findingsA longitudinal panel of adults (n = 1,443) was surveyed from zip codes in San Francisco and San José, CA with higher densities of Black and Latino residents, racial/ethnic groups with higher SSB consumption in California. SSB consumption was measured at baseline (11/17-1/18), one- (11/18-1/19), and two-years (11/19-1/20) after the SSB tax was implemented in January 2018. Average daily SSB consumption (in ounces) was ascertained using the BevQ-15 instrument and modeled as both continuous and binary (high consumption: ≥6 oz (178 ml) versus low consumption: ConclusionsAverage SSB intake declined significantly in San Francisco post-tax, but the difference in differences between cities over time did not vary significantly. Likelihood of high SSB intake declined significantly more in San Francisco by year 2 and more so among low-income respondents.

Abstract Oxidative stress-induced dopaminergic neuronal loss and apoptosis play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD), and as a vital antioxidant protein, thioredoxin (Trx) exerts neuroprotection against PD. In this study, we investigated the effect of Schisanhenol (Sal), an active component from a traditional Chinese herb Schisandra rubriflora (Franch.), on MPP+-induced apoptosis and its association with thioredoxin-1 (Trx1) in SH-SY5Y cells. The protein levels of Trx1 and apoptosis-related proteins were detected by Western blot, the expression of Trx1 mRNA by real time qPCR, and apoptosis was detected by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Pretreatment with Sal (1 µM, 10 µM, and 50 µM) dose-dependently ameliorated MPP+-induced neuronal injury, confirmed by the improvement of the viability and morphological changes. Sal decreased the apoptosis rate of cells, suppressed the production of DNA ladder and sub-G1 peak, inhibited the Caspase-3 activity and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins. Sal enhanced the expression of Trx1 both in the protein and mRNA levels. However, the Trx1 inhibitor PX-12 suppressed the protective effects of Sal. In addition, Sal inhibited NF-κB translocation and activation. These results suggest that Sal has a protective effect against MPP+-induced apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells via up-regulation of Trx1 expression and suppression of ASK1-P38-NF-κB pathway.

Abstract Background Persistent synovial hyperplasia with inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis is one of the main pathogeneses of refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RRA). Photodynamic therapy (PDT) causes less trauma than steroid injections or arthroscopic synovectomy while providing stronger targeting and more durable curative effects. The aim of this trial was to evaluate the short-, medium-, and long-term clinical efficacy of PDT when applied as a treatment for RRA synovial hyperplasia and synovitis. Methods and analysis This protocol is for a single-center, randomized, double-blind, blank-controlled prospective trial. A sample of 126 RRA patients will be randomly divided into 3 groups: the control group, the “PDT once” group, and the “PDT twice” group, with 42 participants per group. The trial will be conducted by the Rheumatology and Immunology Department of the Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University. The Ultrasound Compound Score of Synovitis (UCSS) has been selected as the primary outcome measure. The secondary outcome measures include knee joint clinical assessments, ratio of relapse, duration of remission, Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28), inflammation indexes, serum concentrations of specific antibodies, and changes in articular structures as detected by X-ray scans in the 48th week. The improvement ratios of the UCSS at the 8th, 24th, and 48th weeks (compared with baseline) reflect short-, medium-, and long-term time frames, respectively. Ethics and dissemination The protocol was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, China (Approval No. granted by the ethics committee: NFZXYEC-2017-005) and then entered in the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry under registration number ChiCTR1800014918 (approval date: February 21, 2018). All procedures are in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations and with the Declaration of Helsinki by the World Medical Association (WMA). Any modifications of this protocol during execution will need additional approval from the Ethics Committee of our hospital. Trial registration number ChiCTR1800014918 .

Diuron (DU) abuse in weed removal and shipping pollution prevention always leads to pesticide residues and poses a risk to human health. In the current research, an innovative electrochemical sensor for DU detection was created using a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) that had been modified with chitosan-encapsulated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-CS) combined with nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (NGQDs). The NGQDs were prepared by high-temperature pyrolysis, and the MWCNTs-CS@NGQDs composite was further prepared by ultrasonic assembly. TEM, UV-Vis, and zeta potential tests were performed to investigate the morphology and properties of MWCNTs-CS@NGQDs. CV and EIS measurements revealed that the assembly of MWCNTs and CS improved the electron transfer ability and effective active area of MWCNTs. Moreover, the introduction of NGQDs further enhanced the detection sensitivity of the designed sensor. The MWCNTs-CS@NGQDs/GCE electrochemical sensor exhibited a wide linear range (0.08~12 μg mL−1), a low limit of detection (0.04 μg mL−1), and high sensitivity (31.62 μA (μg mL−1)−1 cm−2) for DU detection. Furthermore, the sensor demonstrated good anti-interference performance, reproducibility, and stability. This approach has been effectively employed to determine DU in actual samples, with recovery ranges of 99.4~104% in river water and 90.0~94.6% in soil. The developed electrochemical sensor is a useful tool to detect DU, which is expected to provide a convenient and easy analytical technique for the determination of various bioactive species.

In this paper, based on MSC Simufact.Forming v16.0 simulation software, the process parameters in the multi-pass spinning production of deep cylinders with a large diameter–thickness ratio are optimized, and the ten-pass spinning process of a deep cylinder with a diameter of 500 mm, thickness of 2 mm and depth of 700 mm is realized. By controlling the four process parameters of mandrel speed, feed rate, spinning wheel fillet radius and spinning wheel angle of attack, the influence of the four process parameters on the spinning force and the wall thickness deviation of the formed workpiece is studied. The results show that the radial spinning force and tangential spinning force are at their minimum when the mandrel speed, feed rate, spinning wheel fillet radius and spinning wheel angle of attack are 500 rpm, 1 mm/rev, 6 mm and 35°, respectively. At these setup conditions, the spinning efficiency is the highest and the workpiece is not prone to defects. The wall thickness deviation of the workpiece will decrease with the increase in the mandrel speed; with the increase in the feed rate, the radius of the round corner and spinning wheel angle of attack, the wall thickness deviation increases first and then decreases.

Separation of ethylene from C2 ternary mixture with high working capacity is a challenging task. Here, the authors report a Th-azole framework (Azole-Th-1) for highly efficient purification of ethylene from C2H4/C2H6 and C2H4/C2H2/C2H6 mixtures, respectively.

Let θ≥0 and p· be a variable exponent, and we introduce a new class of function spaces Lp·,θ in a probabilistic setting which unifies and generalizes the variable Lebesgue spaces with θ=0 and grand Lebesgue spaces with p·≡p and θ=1. Based on the new spaces, we introduce a kind of Hardy-type spaces, grand martingale Hardy spaces with variable exponents, via the martingale operators. The atomic decompositions and John-Nirenberg theorem shall be discussed in these new Hardy spaces.

In this paper, we introduce the generalized grand Morrey spaces in the framework of probability space setting in the spirit of the martingale theory and grand Morrey spaces. The Doob maximal inequalities on the generalized grand Morrey spaces are provided. Moreover, we present the boundedness of fractional integral operators for regular martingales in this new framework.

SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global health disaster with millions of death worldwide, and the substantial proportion of asymptomatic carriers poses a huge threat to public health. The long-term antibody responses and neutralization activity during natural asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection are unknown. In this study, we used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and neutralization assay with purified SARS-CoV-2S and N proteins to study the antibody responses of 156 individuals with natural asymptomatic infection. We found robust antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in 156 patients from 6 to 12 months. Although the antibody responses gradually decreased, S-IgG was more stable than N-IgG. S-IgG was still detected in 79% of naturally infected individuals after 12 months of infection. Moderate to potent neutralization activities were also observed in 98.74% of patients 6 months after infection. However, this proportion decreased at 8-month (46.15%) and 10-month (39.11%) after infection, respectively. Only 23.72% of patients displayed potent neutralization activity at 12 months. This study strongly supports the long-term presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in individuals with natural asymptomatic infection, although the magnitude of the antibody responses started to cripple 6 months after infection.

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related tumor. The role of EBV-encoding miR-BART22 is still unclear in NPC. This study aimed to identify the detailed mechanisms by which EBV-miR-BART22 functions as a tumor-promoting factor and evaluate the action of cinobufotalin in treating EBV-miR-BART22-overexpressing NPC cells. Methods: Using real-time PCR, western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and In situ hybridization, we detected the expression of miR-BART22 and MAP2K4 in tissues and cells, as well as evaluated their clinical relevance in NPC patients. The effects of miR-BART22 on cell metastasis, stemness and DDP chemoresistance were examined by sphere formation assay, side population analysis, transwell, boyden, in vivo xenograft tumor mouse model et al. Western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, luciferase reporter assay, ChIP, EMSA and Co-IP assay et al. were performed to explore the detailed molecular mechanism of EBV-miR-BART22 in NPC. Finally, we estimated the effects and molecular basis of Cinobufotalin on EBV-miR-BART22-overexpressing NPC cells in vitro and in vivo assays. Findings: We observed that EBV-miR-BART22 not only promoted tumor stemness and metastasis, but also enhanced the resistance to Cisplatin (DDP) in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic analysis indicated that EBV-miR-BART22 directly targeted the MAP2K4 and upregulated non-muscle myosin heavy chain IIA (MYH9) expression by PI3K/AKT/c-Jun-induced transcription. Further, MYH9 interacted with glycogen synthase 3β(GSK3β) protein and induced its ubiquitin degradation by activating PI3K/AKT/c-Jun-induced ubiquitin transcription and the latter combined with increased TRAF6 E3 ligase, which further bound to GSK3β protein. Reductions in the GSK3β protein thus promoted β-catenin expression and nuclear translocation, which induced tumor stemness and the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signals. Furthermore, we observed that cinobufotalin, a new chemically synthesized compound, significantly suppressed EBV-miR-BART22-induced DDP chemoresistance by upregulating MAP2K4 to suppress MYH9/GSK3β/β-catenin and its downstream tumor stemness and EMT signals in NPC. Finally, clinical data revealed that increased miR-BART22 and reduced MAP2K4 expression caused the poor prognoses of NPC patients. Interpretation: Our study provides a novel mechanism that cinobufotalin reversed the DDP chemoresistance and EMT induced by EBV-miR-BART22 in NPC. Keywords: EBV-miR-BART22, Cinobufotalin, DDP chemoresistance, Stemness, NPC

Abstract Background Type 2 diabetes is a major public health problem with considerable personal and societal costs. Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are associated with a number of serious and chronic health problems in adulthood, but these experiences have not been adequately studied in relation to diabetes in a US national sample. The association between ACE and poor health can be partially explained by greater risky health behaviors (RHB) such as smoking, heavy alcohol use, or obesity. Few studies have examined ACE in relation to adult onset Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) taking into account the role of RHB. Using longitudinal data from a representative US population sample followed over 30 years, this study examines the impact of ACE on the risk of diabetes onset. Methods Data from the 1982 to 2012 waves of the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth were analyzed, spanning ages 14 to 56. Bivariate and discrete-time survival models were used to assess the relationships between ACE and RHB including smoking, alcohol use, and obesity, and subsequent onset of diabetes. Results T2DM was reported by almost 10% of participants. Over 30% of women and 21% of men reported 2+ ACE events. Women reporting 2–3 or 4+ ACE events were more likely to develop diabetes with the mean number of ACE events being greater in those with diabetes compared to without (1.28 vs.1.05, p

The flue gas from fossil fuel power plants is a long-term stable and concentrated emission source of CO2, and it is imperative to reduce its emission. Adsorbents have played a pivotal role in reducing CO2 emissions in recent years, but the presence of water vapor in flue gas poses a challenge to the stability of adsorbents. In this study, ZIF-94, one of the ZIF adsorbents, showed good CO2 uptake (53.30 cm3/g), and the calculated CO2/N2 (15:85, v/v) selectivity was 54.12 at 298 K. Because of its excellent structural and performance stability under humid conditions, the CO2/N2 mixture was still well-separated on ZIF-94 with a separation time of 30.4 min when the relative humidity was as high as 99.2%, which was similar to the separation time of the dry gas experiments (33.2 min). These results pointed to the enormous potential applications of ZIF-94 for CO2/N2 separation under high humidity conditions in industrial settings.

Objective: Sneddon's syndrome is a rare non-inflammatory arteriopathy affecting small and medium-sized arteries, characterized by a generalized livedo reticularis and recurrent transient ischemic attack or ischemic stroke. Hemorrhagic stroke was reported in limited cases, but microbleeds and superficial siderosis were rarely issued. We aimed to investigate the hemorrhagic imaging features of Sneddon's syndrome and explore the possible mechanism and clinical relevance.Methods: Clinical data and cerebral MR imaging including T2* sequence of seven consecutive patients with Sneddon's syndrome were reviewed.Results: The most common neurological manifestations were cognitive impairment and stroke attack (71.4%), followed by seizures and movement disorder (28.6%). Cerebral microbleeds were detected in six patients on T2* sequence, all of them presented with cortical microbleeds, only one of them with microbleeds in basal ganglion. More than five microbleeds were observed in four of these six patients. The majority of the microbleeds were predominantly cortical restricted and especially located in the cortical watersheds. Multiple superficial siderosis were identified mainly involving cortical watersheds in five cases. Significant cerebral atrophy with prominent secondary white matter hyperintensities in bilateral cortical watersheds were also observed. Abnormal tortuous and multiple focal occlusion of bilateral distal MCA were shown in one patient by DSA. No stenosis of proximal segment of cerebral arteries was detected in all the patients.Conclusions: This is the first report illustrating abundant cortical microbleeds and superficial siderosis mainly involved the anterior and posterior cortical watersheds in Sneddon's syndrome. The surprisingly identical topographic distribution of hemorrhagic lesions and the obvious atrophy suggest cerebral atrophy might be secondary to the microangiopathy related hemorrhagic lesions and further contribute to the neurological deficit, especially the early cognitive decline in Sneddon syndrome.

Propeller is the crucial component of the fixed-wing aircraft. It provides thrust for fixed-wing aircrafts and has a great influence on the aerodynamic performance and carrying capacity of fixed-wing aircraft. For motor-driven micro-sized fixed-wing transport aircraft, the propeller needs to cooperate well with the motor to achieve high propulsion efficiency. In order to obtain the optimal design of propeller, experimental and numerical investigation was carried out and compared with three kinds of propeller. The tailor-designed propeller was proposed under specific conditions. Tailor-designed propeller better fits with the motor in the flight of the aircraft, improving the efficiency of the propellers, and increasing the carrying capacity of the aircraft. According to the characteristics and working conditions of the aircraft and the working characteristics of the motor obtained from the experiment, the aerodynamic shape of the propeller is initially designed based on the leaf theory and Betz conditions, then the parameters are continuously adjusted based on the numerical simulation results, and the results with the best performance are selected as the final result. Comparing the numerical simulation results and experimental results of tailor-made propellers and existing propellers under design conditions, the results show that, with the same power absorbed by the motor, the tailor-made propeller can provide greater thrust. The increase in thrust means that the aircraft can overcome greater resistance and generate greater lift, which improves the carrying capacity of aircraft. Numerical simulation and test flight methods were used to explore the impact of thrust improvement on aircraft lift and carrying capacity.

Objective: To explore the clinical efficacy of HiPorfin photodynamic therapy for advanced esophageal cancer and evaluate its impact on survival. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 32 patients with advanced obstructive esophageal cancer at our institution from September 2013 to December 2016. HiPorfin was infused as the photosensitizer at a dose of 5 mg/kg, and after 48 hours, 630-nm laser irradiation was subsequently performed through an optical fiber that passed through the biopsy channel of a flexible endoscope. Results: The effectiveness rate was 78.1% (25/32), and the significant efficacy rate was 56.3% (18/32). The dysphagia score decreased from 3.43 ± 0.73 to 1.79 ± 0.53 ( P < .05). There was no grade 3 or more toxicity. The median overall survival was estimated to be 16 months. Univariate analysis showed higher overall survival with a Karnofsky Performance Status score ≥80 compared with a Karnofsky Performance Status score

This study was aimed to evaluate the potential function of circ-0001946 in the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) and the related regulatory mechanism. First, the expression levels of circRNA_0001946 and microRNA-135a-5p (miR-135a-5p) in normal and CRC tissues were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). In addition, cell proliferation was assessed by the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, cell migration and invasion were evaluated by Transwell assays, and the cell cycle patterns were determined by flow cytometry. The relationship between the expression levels of circ_0001946 and miR-135a-5p was determined by dual-luciferase reporter assays. Our data showed that the expression of circ_0001946 was upregulated in CRC tissues, which was negatively correlated with tumor size, histologic grade, lymphatic metastasis, and TMN stage, and patients with circ_0001946 overexpression were more likely to have a poor prognosis. In addition, in vitro experiments showed that silencing circ_0001946 inhibited the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway and markedly suppressed CRC cell growth, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, we discovered that the transfection of miR-135a-5p mimics could reverse the antitumor effects of circRNA_0001946 downregulation. To summarize, this study revealed that circRNA_0001946 might act as a tumor promoter by activating the miR-135a-5p/EMT axis and may be a promising treatment target for CRC.

Abstract The development of new materials for separating ethylene (C2H4) from ethane (C2H6) by adsorption is of great importance in the petrochemical industry, but remains very challenging owing to their close molecular sizes and physical properties. Using isoreticular chemistry in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) enables the precise design and construction of target materials with suitable aperture sizes and functional sites for gas separations. Herein, it is described that fine‐tuning of pore size and π‐complexation simultaneously in microporous copper(I)‐chelated MOFs can remarkably boost the C2H4/C2H6 adsorption selectivity. The judicious choice of organic linkers with a different number of carboxyl groups in the UiO‐66 framework not only allows the fine tuning of the pore size but also immobilizes copper(I) ions onto the framework. The tailor‐made adsorbent, CuI@UiO‐66‐(COOH)2, thus possesses the optimal pore window size and chelated Cu(I) ions to form π‐complexation with C2H4 molecules. It can rapidly adsorb C2H4 driven by the strong π‐complexation interactions, while effectively reducing C2H6 uptake due to the selective size‐sieving. Therefore, this material exhibits an ultrahigh C2H4/C2H6 selectivity (80.8), outperforming most previously described benchmark materials. The exceptional separation performance of CuI@UiO‐66‐(COOH)2 is validated by breakthrough experiments for 50/50 v/v C2H4/C2H6 mixtures under ambient conditions.

Two-dimensional materials show great potential for membrane technologies, but their disordered channels hinder their molecular sieving performance. Here, Wang, Gogotsi and colleagues design a MXene membrane with ordered nanochannels that exhibits an excellent H2/CO2 gas separation performance.

We derive explicit solutions to the perpetual American cancellable standard put and call options in an extension of the Black–Merton–Scholes model. It is assumed that the contracts are cancelled at the last hitting times for the underlying asset price process of some constant upper or lower levels which are not stopping times with respect to the observable filtration. We show that the optimal exercise times are the first times at which the asset price reaches some lower or upper constant levels. The proof is based on the reduction of the original optimal stopping problems to the associated free-boundary problems and the solution of the latter problems by means of the smooth-fit conditions.

For homeostasis, lingual taste papilla organs require regulation of epithelial cell survival and renewal, with sustained innervation and stromal interactions. To investigate a role for Hedgehog/GLI signaling in adult taste organs we used a panel of conditional mouse models to manipulate GLI activity within epithelial cells of the fungiform and circumvallate papillae. Hedgehog signaling suppression rapidly led to taste bud loss, papilla disruption, and decreased proliferation in domains of papilla epithelium that contribute to taste cells. Hedgehog responding cells were eliminated from the epithelium but retained in the papilla stromal core. Despite papilla disruption and loss of taste buds that are a major source of Hedgehog ligand, innervation to taste papillae was maintained, and not misdirected, even after prolonged GLI blockade. Further, vimentin-positive fibroblasts remained in the papilla core. However, retained innervation and stromal cells were not sufficient to maintain taste bud cells in the context of compromised epithelial Hedgehog signaling. Importantly taste organ disruption after GLI blockade was reversible in papillae that retained some taste bud cell remnants where reactivation of Hedgehog signaling led to regeneration of papilla epithelium and taste buds. Therefore, taste bud progenitors were either retained during epithelial GLI blockade or readily repopulated during recovery, and were poised to regenerate taste buds once Hedgehog signaling was restored, with innervation and papilla connective tissue elements in place. Our data argue that Hedgehog signaling is essential for adult tongue tissue maintenance and that taste papilla epithelial cells represent the key targets for physiologic Hedgehog-dependent regulation of taste organ homeostasis. Because disruption of GLI transcriptional activity in taste papilla epithelium is sufficient to drive taste organ loss, similar to pharmacologic Hedgehog pathway inhibition, the findings suggest that taste alterations in cancer patients using systemic Hedgehog pathway inhibitors result principally from interruption of signaling activity in taste papillae.

Pulps were sampled from three major points of a deinking pulping line and classified as fibers fraction, fines fraction, and aqueous phase, respectively, then extracted with tetrahydrofuran (THF) or methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). Sticky contaminants in the extractives were examined by GC-MS analysis. The results showed that the contaminants can be grouped as adhesive substances, wood extractives, lignin-derivatives, and other organic acids, of which the adhesive substances were accounted as the major component. Contents of sticky components in each group and their removal were further evaluated according to the related unit operation. Adhesives remaining in fibers and fines fractions were removed by the post-flotation. Wood extractives and degraded residual lignins were also released to some extent from pulp fibers during heat-dispersing, and then removed during the post-flotation.

Rho family GTPases are critical regulators of many important cellular processes and the dysregulation of their activities is implicated in a variety of human diseases including oncogenesis and propagation of malignancy. The traditional methods, such as "pull-down" or two-hybrid procedures, are poorly suited to dynamically evaluate the activity of Rho GTPases, especially in living mammalian cells. To provide a novel alternative approach to analyzing Rho GTPase-associated signaling pathways in vivo, we developed a series of bioluminescent biosensors based on the genetically engineered firefly luciferase. These split-luciferase-based biosensors enable non-invasive visualization and quantification of the activity of Rho GTPases in living subjects. The strategy is to reasonably split the gene of firefly luciferase protein into two inactive fragments and then respectively fuse the two fragments to Rho GTPase and the GTPase-binding domain (GBD) of the specific effector. Upon Rho GTPase interacting with the binding domain in a GTP-dependent manner, these two luciferase fragments are brought into close proximity, leading to luciferase reconstitution and photon production in the presence of the substrate. Using these bimolecular luminescence complementation (BiLC) biosensors, we successfully visualized and quantified the activities of the three best characterized Rho GTPases by measuring the luminescence in living cells. We also experimentally investigated the sensitivity of these Rho GTPase biosensors to upstream regulatory proteins and extracellular ligands without lysing cells and doing labor-intensive works. By virtue of the unique functional characteristics of bioluminescence imaging, the BiLC-based biosensors provide an enormous potential for in vivo imaging of Rho GTPase signaling pathways and high-throughput screening of therapeutic drugs targeted to Rho GTPases and (or) upstream molecules in the near future.

Mitochondrial genomes have maintained some bacterial features despite their residence within eukaryotic cells for approximately two billion years. One of these features is the frequent presence of polycistronic operons. In land plants, however, it has been shown that all sequenced vascular plant chondromes lack large polycistronic operons while bryophyte chondromes have many of them. In this study, we provide the completely sequenced mitochondrial genome of a lycophyte, from Huperzia squarrosa, which is a member of the sister group to all other vascular plants. The genome, at a size of 413,530 base pairs, contains 66 genes and 32 group II introns. In addition, it has 69 pseudogene fragments for 24 of the 40 protein- and rRNA-coding genes. It represents the most archaic form of mitochondrial genomes of all vascular plants. In particular, it has one large conserved gene cluster containing up to 10 ribosomal protein genes, which likely represents a polycistronic operon but has been disrupted and greatly reduced in the chondromes of other vascular plants. It also has the least rearranged gene order in comparison to the chondromes of other vascular plants. The genome is ancestral in vascular plants in several other aspects: the gene content resembling those of charophytes and most bryophytes, all introns being cis-spliced, a low level of RNA editing, and lack of foreign DNA of chloroplast or nuclear origin.

Early land plant mitochondrial genomes captured important changes of mitochondrial genome evolution when plants colonized land. The chondromes of seed plants show several derived characteristics, e.g., large genome size variation, rapid intra-genomic rearrangement, abundant introns, and highly variable levels of RNA editing. On the other hand, the chondromes of charophytic algae are still largely ancestral in these aspects, resembling those of early eukaryotes. When the transition happened has been a long-standing question in studies of mitochondrial genome evolution. Here we report complete mitochondrial genome sequences from an early-diverging liverwort, Treubia lacunosa, and a late-evolving moss, Anomodon rugelii. The two genomes, 151,983 and 104,239 base pairs in size respectively, contain standard sets of protein coding genes for respiration and protein synthesis, as well as nearly full sets of rRNA and tRNA genes found in the chondromes of the liverworts Marchantia polymorpha and Pleurozia purpurea and the moss Physcomitrella patens. The gene orders of these two chondromes are identical to those of the other liverworts and moss. Their intron contents, with all cis-spliced group I or group II introns, are also similar to those in the previously sequenced liverwort and moss chondromes. These five chondromes plus the two from the hornworts Phaeoceros laevis and Megaceros aenigmaticus for the first time allowed comprehensive comparative analyses of structure and organization of mitochondrial genomes both within and across the three major lineages of bryophytes. These analyses led to the conclusion that the mitochondrial genome experienced dynamic evolution in genome size, gene content, intron acquisition, gene order, and RNA editing during the origins of land plants and their major clades. However, evolution of this organellar genome has remained rather conservative since the origin and initial radiation of early land plants, except within vascular plants.

In this paper, with the help of some new atomic decomposition theorems, several Φ-moment Banach space valued martingale inequalities associated with concave functions in the context of Lorentz spaces are deduced. Our results are closely related with the geometrical properties of the underlying Banach spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional model comparison procedure selects nested structured models by evaluating the feasibility of the equality constraints that differentiate the models. We propose instead to evaluate model close match, using the distance between two models, either as important supplementary information or as a criterion for nested model comparison. Based on MacCallum, Browne and Cai (2006) and the results of Vuong (1989) and Yuan, Hayashi and Bentler (2007), we develop a reasonable cutoff value and some ADF-like tests for inference on model closeness. Simulation studies show that several of our proposed tests have robust and desirable performance in spite of severe nonnormality when sample size is as large as 150. Consequently, a two-stage procedure which combines the traditional nested model comparison and the additional inferential information regarding model close match is further suggested to improve the typical practice of model modification.

In the traditional model comparison procedure, two nested structural models are hypothesized to be equal under some constraints, e.g., equality constraints. A strict null hypothesis is then evaluated by statistical tests to decide on the acceptance or rejection of the restrictions that differentiate the models. We propose instead to evaluate model close match, using the distance between two models in terms of the Kullback-Leibler (1951) Information Criterion, either as important supplementary information or as a criterion for nested structured model comparison. Based on the results of Vuong (1989) and Yuan, Hayashi and Bentler (2005), we develop some ADF-like generalized RMSEA tests for inference on model closeness. Simulation studies show that our proposed tests have robust and desirable performance in spite of severe nonnormality across several examples when sample size is as large as 150, and its relevance to educational research is shown with models for some TOEFL data. Consequently, a two-stage procedure which combines the traditional nested model comparison and the additional inferential information regarding model close match is further suggested to improve the typical practice of structured model modification.