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Oxide-supported copper-containing materials have attracted considerable research attention as promising candidates for acrolein formation. Nevertheless, the elucidation of the structure-performance relationships for these systems remains a scientific challenge. In this work, copper oxide clusters deposited on a high-surface-area silica support were synthesized via a deposition-precipitation approach and exhibited remarkable catalytic reactivity (up to 25.5% conversion and 66.8% selectivity) in the propylene-selective oxidation of acrolein at 300 °C. Aberration-corrected high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy combined with X-ray absorption fine structure measurements of the catalyst before and after the reaction confirmed the transformation of the small-sized copper oxide (CuO) clusters into cuprous oxide (Cu2O) clusters. With the aid of in situ X-ray diffraction and in situ dual beam Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (DB-FTIR), the allyl intermediate (CH2=CHCH2*) was clearly observed, along with the as-formed Cu2O species. The intermediate can react with oxygen atoms from neighboring Cu2O species to form acrolein during the catalytic process, and the small-sized Cu2O clusters play a crucial role in the generation of acrolein via the selective oxidation of propylene.

Background It has been known for years that the same genetic defects drive breast cancer formation, yet, the onset of breast cancer in different individuals among the same population differs greatly in their life spans with unknown mechanisms. Methods We used a MMTV-PyMT mouse model with different genetic backgrounds (FVB/NJ vs. C57BL/6J) to generate different cancer onset phenotypes, then profiled and analyzed the gene expression of three tumor stages in both Fvb.B6 and Fvb mice to explore the underlying mechanisms. Results We found that in contrast with the FVB/N-Tg (MMTV-PyMT) 634Mul mice (Fvb mice), mammary tumor initiation was significantly delayed and tumor progression was significantly suppressed in the Fvb.B6 mice (generated by crossing FVB/NJ with C57BL/6J mice). Transcriptome sequencing and analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes were enriched in immune-related pathways. Flow cytometry analysis showed a higher proportion of matured dendritic cells in the Fvb.B6 mice. The plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were significantly reduced in the Fvb.B6 mice. IL-6 also impaired the maturation of bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDCs) of the Fvb mice in vitro. Conclusion All these findings suggest that immunity levels (characterized by a reduced IL-6 level and intact DC maturation in Fvb.B6 mice) are the key factors affecting tumor onset in a murine mammary cancer model.

[Image: see text] Neuraminidase (NA) is an important target for current research on anti-influenza drugs. The acylhydrazone derivatives containing the −CONHN=CH– framework have been shown to have good NA inhibitory activity. In this paper, a series of novel acylhydrazone NA inhibitors (9a–9n) were designed and synthesized, and the inhibitory activities against NA were evaluated in vitro. The NA inhibition results showed that compound 9j has the most potent inhibitory activity (IC(50) = 0.6 μM) against NA, which is significantly lower than that of the positive control oseltamivir carboxylic acid (OSC) (IC(50) = 17.00 μM). Molecular docking analysis indicates that the acylhydrazone group plays an important role in compound 9j, which can bind well to the residues Arg371 and Arg292 in the S1 subsite of NA. The good potency of 9j may be also ascribed to the extending of morpholinyl ring into the 430-cavity. The results of this work may contribute to the development of more potent NA inhibitors to against mutant influenza viruses.

The anchor-free method based on key point detection has made great progress. However, the anchor-free method is too dependent on using a convolutional network to generate a rough heatmap. This is difficult to detect for objects with a large size variation and dense and overlapping objects. To solve this problem, first, we propose a mask attention mechanism for object detection methods and make full use of the advantages of the attention mechanism to improve the accuracy of network detection heatmap generation. Then, we designed an optimized fire model to reduce the size of the model. The fire model is an extension of grouped convolution. The fire model allows each group of convolutional network features to learn the same feature through purposeful grouping. In this paper, the mask attention mechanism uses object segmentation images to guide the generation of corner heatmaps. Our approach achieved an accuracy of 91.84% and a recall of 89.83% in the Tencent-100 K dataset. Compared with the popular object detection methods, the proposed method has advantages in model size and accuracy.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a unique head and neck cancer with highly aggressive and metastatic potential in which distant metastasis is the main reason for treatment failure. Till present, the underlying molecular mechanisms of NPC metastasis remains poorly understood. Here, we identified S100 calcium-binding protein A14 (S100A14) as a functional regulator suppressing NPC metastasis by inhibiting the NF-kB signaling pathway and reversing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). S100A14 was found to be downregulated in highly metastatic NPC cells and tissues. Immunohistochemical staining of 202 NPC samples revealed that lower S100A14 expression was significantly correlated with shorter patient overall survival (OS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). S100A14 was also found as an independent prognostic factor for favorable survival. Gain- and loss-of-function studies confirmed that S100A14 suppressed the in vitro and in vivo motility of NPC cells. Mechanistically, S100A14 promoted the ubiquitin-proteasome-mediated degradation of interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 (IRAK1) to suppress NPC cellular migration. Moreover, S100A14 and IRAK1 established a feedback loop that could be disrupted by the IRAK1 inhibitor T2457. Overall, our findings showed that the S100A14-IRAK1 feedback loop could be a promising therapeutic target for NPC metastasis.

Exploring cost-effective catalysts with high catalytic performance and long-term stability has always been a general concern for environment protection and energy conversion. Here, Au nanoparticles (NPs) embedded CuOx-CeO2 core/shell nanospheres (Au@CuOx-CeO2 CSNs) have been successfully prepared through a versatile one-pot method at ambient conditions. The spontaneous auto-redox reaction between HAuCl4 and Ce(OH)3 in aqueous solution triggered the self-assembly growth of micro-/ nanostructural Au@CuOx-CeO2 CSNs. Meanwhile, the CuOx clusters in Au@CuOx-CeO2 CSNs are capable of improving the anti-sintering ability of Au NPs and providing synergistic catalysis benefits. As a result, the confined Au NPs exhibited extraordinary thermal stability even at a harsh thermal condition up to 700 °C. In addition, before and after the severe calcination process, Au@CuOx-CeO2 CSNs can exhibit enhanced catalytic activity and excellent recyclability towards the hydrogenation of p-nitrophenol compared to previously reported nanocatalysts. The synergistic catalysis path between Au/CuOx/CeO2 triphasic interfaces was revealed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The CuOx clusters around the embedded Au NPs can provide moderate adsorption strength of p-nitrophenol, while the adjacent CeO2-supported Au NPs can facilitate the hydrogen dissociation to form H* species, which contributes to achieve the efficient reduction of p-nitrophenol. This study opens up new possibilities for developing high-efficient and sintering-resistant micro-/nanostructural nanocatalysts by exploiting multiphasic systems.

Neuraminidase (NA) is an important target in the development of anti-influenza virus drugs. Compounds containing 1,3, 4-oxadiazole heterocycles have good biological activity and have been proved to have wide applications in antibacterial and antiviral drugs. In this paper, a series of novel 1, 3, 4-oxadiazole neuraminidase inhibitors (6a-6l) were designed and synthesized and their inhibitory activities of NA was tested in vitro. The results displayed that compound 6d exerts the best inhibitory activity (IC

To obtain thermally stable copper-based catalysts with excellent catalytic performance in the selective propene (C3H6) oxidation reaction, amorphous silicon nitride (Si3N4) was selected to anchor active copper species using a deposition–precipitation approach followed by air calcination at different temperatures. We found that the thermal treatment temperature remarkably modified the reactivity of the copper catalyst, and the 800 °C-calcined 10 wt% Cu/Si3N4 showed superior catalytic activity with 24.0% propene conversion and 86.2% acrolein selectivity at 325 °C, featuring a turnover frequency as high as 80.6 h−1. With the help of transmission electron microscopy, X-ray absorption fine structure, and in situ X-ray diffraction, we have identified that the larger Cu2O species account for the highly efficient formation of acrolein at 325 °C. From the CO temperature-programmed reduction results, we have confirmed that the presence of surface copper hydroxyls (Cu–OH) was closely related to the acrolein selectivity, since they favored CO2 generation at the beginning of the reaction. Furthermore, surface copper hydroxyls can be effectively tuned by optimizing the air calcination temperature and thus improve the catalytic activity.

BackgroundAccumulating evidence has shown that dysregulated expression of microRNAs plays a key role in tumorigenesis. To explore the mechanisms of this we conducted this study.MethodsFive Gene Expression Omnibus datasets (GEO) datasets , GSE32960, GSE36682, GSE43039, GSE70970 and GSE118613 and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma data of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were analysis in this study.ResultsBy analyzing the microRNA expression profile of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in the five GEO datasets, we identified miR-150-5p as potential biomarker for patient survival. To explore the mechanisms of this, We examined the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma data of TCGA and found that miR-150-5p was correlated with high enrichment of tumor-infiltrating B cells, low enrichment of cancer-associated fibroblasts and down-regulated oncogenic pathways. miR-150-5p may also improve the immune response in the tumor microenvironment. These findings may explain how miR-150-5p improves outcome of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients including NPC. Additionally, the exosomal long non-coding RNA AC073130.1 was identified as a potential regulator of miR-150-5p. As miR-150-5p can also be released via exosomes, this study provides insight into the cross-talk of tumor cells and B cells in the tumor microenvironment via exosomal AC073130.1 and miR-150-5p. ConclusionMiR-150-5p improves outcome of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients by improving the immune response. There might be a cross-talk of tumor cells and B cells in the tumor microenvironment via exosomal AC073130.1 and miR-150-5p.

Objective: Thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) is associated with matrix changes, biochemical changes, and inflammatory markers like interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β). However, the exact mechanism remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the role of IL-1β, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, smooth muscle cell apoptosis, and elastic fibre fracture in the development of TAD in a rat model. Methods: The TAD rat model was induced by β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN). TAD was investigated in 112 male Sprague–Dawley rats, which were equally divided into four groups of 28 rats (Control, BAPN, BAPN + IL-1β, and BAPN + IL-1β antibody). Systolic blood pressure, survival, and the development of TAD were measured after six weeks. Expression of IL-1β, MMP-2, and MMP-9 was measured by Western blot. Apoptosis, aortic elastin concentration, and biomechanical characteristics were measured by the TdT mediated dUTP nick end labelling assay, Victoria blue staining, and in vitro testing. Results: During six weeks, the mortality was 0% (0/28) in the control group, 53.6% (15/28) in the BAPN group (p

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) originates in the nasopharyngeal epithelium and has the highest metastatic rate among head and neck cancers. Distant metastasis is the main reason for treatment failure with the underlying mechanisms remaining unclear. By comparing the expression profiling of NPCs versus non-cancerous nasopharyngeal tissues, we found LACTB was highly expressed in the tumor tissues. We found that elevated expression of the LACTB protein in primary NPCs correlated with poorer patient survival. LACTB is known to be a serine protease and a ubiquitous mitochondrial protein localized in the intermembrane space. Its role in tumor biology remains controversial. We found that the different methylation pattern of LACTB promoter led to its differential expression in NPC cells. Overexpressing LACTB in NPC cells promoted their motility in vitro and metastasis in vivo. While knocking down LACTB reduced the metastasis capability of NPC cells. However, LACTB did not influence cellular proliferation. We further found the role of LACTB in promoting NPC metastasis depended on the activation of ERBB3/EGFR-ERK signaling, which in turn, affected the stability and the following acetylation of histone H3. These findings may shed light on unveiling the mechanisms of NPC metastasis.

To explore the clinical therapeutic effect of light and heat of moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis (KOA).A total of 216 patients with KOA were randomized into a traditional moxibustion group (72 cases, 8 cases dropped off), a moxibustion light group (72 cases, 9 cases dropped off) and a moxibustion heat group (72 cases, 10 cases dropped off).The special light-heat separation moxibustion cup was applied, the patients in the traditional moxibustion group received the treatment of moxibustion, the patients in the moxibustion light group received the treatment of moxibustion light and the patients in the moxibustion heat group received the treatment of moxibustion heat. The acupoint selection of the three groups was Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Dubi (ST 35) and Zusanli (ST 36), the treatment was given 20 min each time, 3 times a week, 4 weeks were required totally, and the follow-up surveys were made 4 and 8 weeks after treatment. The scores of Western Ontario and McMaster University osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) and visual analogue scale (VAS) were observed before treatment, after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, 4 and 8 weeks after treatment. The therapeutic effects were evaluated according to the criterion of patient global assessment (PGA) after 4 weeks of treatment and 8 weeks after treatment.Compared with before treatment, the pain scores, stiffness scores, physical function scores and total scores of WOMAC were reduced after 2, 4 weeks of treatment and 4 weeks after treatment in the three groups (The light and heat of moxibustion have therapeutic effect for KOA, and the therapeutic effect of moxibustion heat is superior to moxibustion light.

The anchor-free method based on key point detection has made great progress. However, the anchor-free method is too dependent on using a convolutional network to generate a rough heat map. This is difficult to detect for objects with a large size variation and dense and overlapping objects. To solve this problem, first, we propose a mask attention mechanism for object detection methods. And make full use of the advantages of the attention mechanism to improve the accuracy of network detection heat map generation. Then, we designed an optimized fire model to reduce the size of the model. The fire model is an extension of grouped convolution. The fire model allows each group of convolutional network features to learn the same feature through purposeful grouping. In this paper, the mask attention mechanism uses object segmentation images to guide the generation of corner heat maps. Our approach achieved an accuracy of 91.84% and a recall 89.83% in the Tencent-100K dataset. Compared with the popular object detection methods, the proposed method has advantages in model size and accuracy.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the difference of efficacy between moxibustion (experimental group) and local diclofenac sodium gel (control group) in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA).MethodsA multicenter, double-blinded, double-placebo, randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in this research. 144 participants with knee osteoarthritis were randomly divided into two groups according to 1:1 ratio. The participants in the experimental group were treated with active Moxibustion plus placebo gel, whereas the control group was given diclofenac sodium gel plus placebo moxibustion. Moxibustion treatment was administrated at 3 acupoints (EX-LE4, ST35, ST36) for 4 weeks in 12 sessions. The entire trial cycle lasted 13 weeks, including 1 week at baseline, 4 weeks at treatment and 8 weeks at follow-up. Diclofenac sodium gel or placebo gel at a dose of 4 g per knee were applied three times per day for 4 weeks. The primary outcome measures were the changes in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Secondary outcome measures included changes in other subscales of WOMAC (pain, stiffness and function), visual analogue scale (VAS) and participant overall assessment (PGA).ResultsThe analysis showed that both the experimental group and the control group at 2 weeks, 4weeks, 8weeks and 12 weeks were statistically significant compared with baseline (P 0.05). At 8 weeks, WOMAC total score (95% CI, 4.3 [0.5 to 8.1], P=0.03), pain score (95% CI, 1.0 [0.2 to 1.9], P=0.02) and functional score (95% CI, 3.0 [0.1 to 5.8], P=0.04) the control group are better than the experimental group (P < 0.05). At 12 weeks, there were no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). ConclusionsDuring the treatment, moxibustion has the same therapeutic effect as local diclofenac sodium gel, which can alleviate the pain of KOA participants to different degrees, rigidity and dysfunction. The therapeutic effect of it can basically maintained until 2 months after treatment. Local diclofenac sodium gel was superior to moxibustion in relieving knee pain and knee dysfunction at 8 weeks.Trial registration number Clinical Trials.gov, NCT02769572.Date of trial registration May 2016＃These authors contributed equally to this work.

Objectives Our goal was to examine whether interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) originates locally and its possible relationship with matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), apoptosis, elastin fibres and biomechanics in aortic dissecting aneurysms (DAs). Methods Aortic DAs were induced in 24 rats with β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN); another 12 rats without BAPN were designated as controls. Then IL-1β levels were measured both in the circulation and in local aortic specimens. The expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and Victoria blue and TUNEL staining were also detected. Biomechanical parameters such as the elasticity modulus were used to detect the biomechanical changes in the aortic wall. The correlation of IL-1β, MMP-2, MMP-9, apoptosis and biomechanical properties was analysed. Results Seventeen rats (17/24, 71%) in the BAPN-treated group died of DA rupture. IL-1β levels were dramatically increased in the DA specimens but not in the circulation. Victoria blue staining confirmed the formation of the DA and the reduction of elastin content after induction by BAPN. The extent of apoptosis in the aortic media was dramatically higher in rats with BAPN-induced DA than that in the control group and that in rats treated with BAPN but without DA. MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels were significantly increased in BAPN-treated rats compared to the controls, but no statistical significance was found between rats with and without DA. There were significant differences in biomechanical parameters, such as the elasticity modulus. Among the 3 groups, IL-1β was positively correlated with MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels and with the elasticity modulus but not with apoptosis. Conclusions Local IL-1β might participate in the formation of aortic DA through the upregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and the breakage of elastin fibres, which finally weakens the biomechanical properties of the aortic wall.

As green growth is considered an effective method to save energy and reduce emissions, the questions of how to achieve it and which factors drive green growth have become hot topic. Although there are some studies on the factors impacting the achievement of green growth, they are limited in quantity. Moreover, most of them are primarily focused on specific influencing factors, such as political factors, environmental regulation (ER), technological innovation (TI), and so on; while there is little discussion of the interaction effects in an integrated methodological framework. Accordingly, this paper develops an integrated model to investigate the relationships among ER, TI and regional green growth performance (RGGP). The model is tested using empirical data on 30 provincial administrative regions in China during 2011–2012 by employing structural equation modeling (SEM) approach that can effectively investigate the relationships between observed and latent variables and the relationships among latent variables simultaneously. The hypothesis H 1 of this paper is not confirmed, and the results show that ER has a significant negative effect on RGGP. Both the hypotheses H 2 and H 3 are confirmed, namely, ER significantly positively influences TI, and TI has a positive impact on RGGP. This finding provides empirical evidence to support the Porter Hypothesis that properly designed ER may positively affect RGGP through motivating TI. According to the results of hypotheses H 1 , H 2 and H 3 , we find that ER couldn’t directly promote RGGP, but RGGP will be positively impacted by TI driven ER. The finding supports the view of ecological modernization theory that green growth practices may be promoted by TI driven ER, but whether ER can bring green growth practices is uncertain. Furthermore, the finding indicates that TI is a bridge for linking ER and RGGP. Based on our findings, we present some important implications that can be useful for policy-makers and enterprise managers to promote green growth practices in China.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is relatively sensitive to ionizing radiation, and radiotherapy is the main treatment modality for non-metastatic NPC. Radiation therapy generates overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can cause DNA damage and induce apoptosis in tumors, thereby killing the malignant cells. Although dietary antioxidant supplementation reduces oxidative stress and promotes tumor progression, the effects of antioxidants on the NPC cells upon radiation have not been reported. In the present study, we showed that antioxidants (β-Carotene, NAC, GSH) played an anti-apoptotic role in response to radiation via decreasing ROS production and inhibiting MAPK pathway in NPC cells. Based on that, we conclude that the use of supplemental antioxidants during radiotherapy should be avoided because of the possibility of tumor protection and reduced treatment efficacy.

The anchor-free method based on key point detection has made great progress. However, the anchor-free method is too dependent on using a convolutional network to generate a rough heat map. It is difficult for the network to detect objects whose shape changes greatly, and small objects are difficult to detect. In order to solve this problem, first of all, we use the most advanced mask attention mechanism algorithm in the network to increase the accuracy of the thermodynamic generation of network detection. Then, We also designed an optimized fire model to reduce the size of the model. The masking mechanism optimizes the feature map of the network to enhance the detection capability in network space and improve the accuracy of heatmaps generation. Our approach achieved an accuracy of 91.84% and a recall 89.83% in the Tencent-100K dataset. Our approach is also competitive with the most advanced approach.

Pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS) is a rare congenital disease which results in hypopituitarism. Patients with PSIS often exhibit short stature due to their deficiency of growth hormone (GH).Here, we present two rare cases of adults males with PSIS, in which the patients were of normal height and did not take any GH supplements. Sterility and multiple hormone deficiencies including GH were seen in both of them. Through whole exome sequencing of their DNA, we found novel mutations they shared, three in MUC4 (c.7815GT, c.3548CT, c.3399CG) and one in NBPF10 (c.536CA).The present cases suggest that there are exceptions in GH deficient patients where a select few can attain normal heights without GH therapy. Genetic screening can be a predictor for prognoses of rare types of hypopituitarism.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has the highest metastatic rate among head and neck cancers, with its underlying mechanism not yet fully unveiled. High- versus low-metastasis, NPC cell lines have been established. The footpad-popliteal lymph node metastasis model and other in vivo models have been stably used to study NPC metastasis. The histological appearance and the expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers might be helpful in selecting high-risk NPC patients for developing post-treatment metastasis. Tested EMT markers and their protein expression levels that correlate with patient disease-free survival in large patient cohorts include E-cadherin, N-cadherin, CD44, Twist, Snail, and Cyclin D1. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection can trigger NPC metastasis from multiple angles via multiple signaling pathways. High endothelial venules are commonly seen in NPC tissues, with their role in NPC metastasis requiring clarification. The molecules that promote and inhibit NPC metastasis are introduced, with a focus on cytokines SPINK6, serglycin, interleukin 8 (IL8), Wnt family member 5A (WNT5A), and chemokine C-C motif ligand 2 (CCL2). Two videos showing NPC cells with and without SPINK6 knocked down are presented. Future directions for studying NPC metastasis are also discussed.

The use of constructed wetlands in combination with microbial fuel cells (CW-MFC) to treat saline wastewater may enhance electricity production by increasing the ionic strength, reducing internal resistance and stimulating microbes to accelerate electron transfer. In this study, salinity did not significantly inhibit the removal of TP and COD, but TN and NH4+-N removal efficiencies during saline wastewater treatment (ST) were significantly lower than during non-saline wastewater treatment (NT). However, salinity significantly increased the power density (16.4 mW m−2 in ST and 3.9 mW m−2 in NT, a 4-fold enhancement) by increasing the electron transfer rate and reducing internal resistance (140.29 Ω in ST and 415.21 Ω in NT). The peptides in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) acted as electron shuttles to promote the migration of electrons and protons in ST. From start-up to stable operation, though the microorganisms in ST were reduced in diversity relative to NT, the proportion of electrochemically active bacteria (EAB), such as Ochrobactrum, significantly increased (p

La(2)Zr(2)O(7) powder was prepared with combustion method with La(2)O(3), Zr(NO(3))(4) and glycine as raw materials. La(2)Zr(2)O(7) powders were characterized with ICP-AES, EDAX, XRD, IR and TG-DTA techniques, respectively. Effects of heat treatment temperature on the XRD spectra and IR spectra of La(2)Zr(2)O(7) powders were studied. The X-ray diffraction pattern of La(2)Zr(2)O(7) powder after heat treatment at 600 ℃ has one diffraction peak, and the diffraction peak is quite broad, therefore, the crystal structure of the La(2)Zr(2)O(7) powder is semi-crystal structure. With the increase of heat treatment temperature, diffraction peaks become gradually sharp and increase. The crystal structure of the La(2)Zr(2)O(7) powders after heat treatment in 750～800 ℃ are pyrochlore structure. Analysis results of IR spectra of La(2)Zr(2)O(7) powders after heat treatment in 650～750 ℃ show that the crystal structure of the La(2)Zr(2)O(7) powders after heat treatment at 750 ℃ is pyrochlore structure, and the analysis results of XRD and IR are the same. Analysis results of TG-DTG of La(2)Zr(2)O(7) powders show that the crystal structure of the La(2)Zr(2)O(7) powders are stability in 120～1 600 ℃.

Objective A Rhesus monkey model was employed to study the radioprotective effects of a Toll-like receptor 5 agonist, CBLB502, against 7.0Gy whole-body irradiation of 60Co gamma-rays. Methods Thirty animals were assigned to a placebo treatment group, a WR-2721 positive control group, and three CBLB502 treatment groups (n=6 animals/group). Each animal was irradiated with 7.0Gy 60Co γ and given CBLB502 at 2.5, 10 and 40μg/kg, respectively in treatment groups, or WR-2721 at 30mg/kg, or physiological saline 0.3ml/kg for the placebo treatment group. The treatment was given once by intramuscular injection 30 min before irradiation. All irradiated animals received symptomatic treatment based on same guidelines. General observation, peripheral blood tests, hemopoietic progenitor cell colony-counting, and histopathological examination were performed. Results We found that 10 or 40μg/kg CBLB502 treatment resulted in 100% survival, while the survival rate was 33% in placebo treatment group. Hematopoietic recovery in the WR-2721 treatment group was marginally superior to the irradiation control group. Nadirs of peripheral white cell and platelet counts of animals treated with 40μg/kg of CBLB502 were significantly higher than those of the placebo treatment group (P

The CO preferential oxidation reaction (PROX) is particularly well suited for hydrogen purification for proton exchange membrane fuel cell applications. In this work, the mechanism of CO-PROX catalyzed by Cu n Pt (n = 3–12) clusters has been studied by density functional theory calculations. The calculated results indicate that the most favored adsorption site of H2 for all clusters is on the Pt sites, and O2 prefers to bind on Cu sites and CO bind on Pt sites. The lowest energy barrier for hydrogen dissociation is 0.02 eV. Smaller H–Pt bond length of Cu n PtH2 corresponds to larger H–H bond length. CO-PROX occurs via the main intermediates of COOH and OH. Cu6Pt is proposed as the most effective catalyst for CO-PROX. To understand the high catalytic activity of Cu n Pt clusters, the nature of the interaction between adsorbate and substrate is also analyzed by detailed electronic local density of states. These findings enrich applications of Cu-based materials to the field of high-activity catalysts.

Introduction: Thoracic Aortic Dissection (TAD) are associated with matrix changes and biochemical changes in the aortic wall. Several studies proved a relationship between inflammatory markers, in example IL-1s, and these matrix changes. However, the exact mechanism is yet still unknown. Therefore, we investigated the role of IL-1s, MMP-2, MMP-9, smooth muscle cell (SMC) apoptosis and elastic fiber fracture in the development of TAD in rat. Methods: TAD was investigated in 96 male Sprague-Dawley rats which were divided in 4 groups equally (Control, BAPN, BAPN IL-1s and BAPN IL-1s antibody). Rats were monitored for 6 weeks in which systolic blood pressure, survival and the development of TAD were measured. After termination aortic tissue was harvested. Expression of IL-1s, MMP-2 and MMP-9 was measured by western blot. Apoptosis was measured by TUNEL assay and aorta elastin concentration by Victoria blue staining. Additionally, biomechanical characteristics were measured in-vitro. Results: Blood pressures were equal between groups. Mortality differed significantly between groups (control 0%, BAPN; 54.2%, BAPN IL-1s 75% and BAPN anti-IL-1s 37.5%), as was the occurrence of TAD (control 0%, BAPN 45.8, BAPN IL- 75%, anti-IL-1s 37.5%). Aneurysm diameters varied between groups (control 1.13±0.05mm, BAPN 3.48±0.42mm, BAPN IL-1s 5.33±0.42mm, BAPN anti-IL-1s 2.4±0.35mm). Relative elastin area to the total vascular wall significantly differed between groups (control 6.53±0.58%, BAPN 3.47±0.50%, BAPN IL1s 2.98±0.57%, BAPN anti-IL-1s 3.87±.058%) Conclusion: In this study IL-1s may have led to increased formation of TAD. On the contrary anti-IL-1s therapy significantly reduced death in rats, which may be explained by a reduction in the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and degradation the aortic wall matrix. These results can be seen as the basis for selective drug treatment of TAD. Funding Statement: This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of 15 China (81200225) and Talent Development Fund of Shanghai(2017038) Declaration of Interests: "None declared." Ethics Approval Statement: All the procedures on the rats were approved by the Ethics Committee for Animal Experimentation and conducted according to the Guidelines for Animal Experimentation of our institutes.

A number of types of stem cells have been shown to be effective in wound repair. In the present study the effect of homeobox A4 (HOXA4) overexpression by human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUMSCs) on full‑thickness skin repair was evaluated. Isolated hUMSCs were transfected with a lentivirus expressing HOXA4 and cultured for 21 days. Expression of the epidermal cell‑specific markers, cytokeratins 14 and 18, was detected by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Full‑thickness skin defects (1.5 cm x 1.5 cm) were made on the backs of 45 nude mice, which were randomly divided into the following three treatment groups: Collagen membrane with lenti‑HOXA4 hUMSC seed cells; collagen membrane with lentivirus expressing green fluorescent protein; and collagen membrane alone. On days 7, 14 and 21 following transplantation, tissue samples were harvested and examined by histology and western blot analysis. Flow cytometry showed that the transfection efficiency was 95.41% at a multiplicity of infection of 100, and that the lenti‑HOXA4 hUMSCs differentiated into epidermal cells, expressing cytokeratins 14 and 18. In addition, re‑epithelialization of wounds treated with lenti‑HOXA4 hUMSCs was significantly greater than that in the control groups in the first week. By week three the epidermis was significantly thicker in the lenti‑HOXA4 group than the control groups. Thus, transplantation of hUMSCs modified with Ad‑HOXA4 promoted wound healing.

To study the therapeutic effect of rhSCF early administration on rhesus monkeys with severe acute radiation sickness(ARS).Twelve adult monkeys totally exposed to 7.0 Gy6 animals treated with rhSCF all survived, while 2 in irradiated controls survived on 40 day after radiation. rhSCF treatment promoted hematopoiesis recovery significantly, increased the nadir of white blood cells, neutrophils and platelets, and simplified supportive care in ARS rhesus monkeys.RhSCF injection soon after TBI taken shows an significant therapeutic efficiency on rhesus monkeys with severe acute radiation sickness.

Using the CO oxidation as a chemical probe, we perform a comprehensive ab initio study of catalytic activities of subnanometer AlPt n ( n = 1–3) clusters. A Langmuir–Hinshelwood (LH) mechanism is proposed, which offers insights into the fundamental mechanism for CO oxidation on nanosized AlPt n clusters. It is shown that mixing two different metals (Al and Pt) can have beneficial effects on the catalytic activity. The alloyed AlPt 2 cluster is proposed as the best effective nanocatalyst.

Pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS) is a rare congenital defect manifesting with varying degrees of pituitary hormone deficiency. The signs and symptoms of PSIS during the neonatal period and infancy are often overlooked and therefore diagnosis is delayed. The typical manifestations of PSIS can be detected by magnetic resonance imaging. Several genes in the Wnt, Notch and Shh signalling pathways related to hypothalamic-pituitary development, such as PIT1, PROP1, LHX3/LHX4, PROKR2, OTX2, TGIF and HESX1, have been found to be associated with PSIS. Nevertheless, the aetiology in the majority of cases still remains unknown. In the present review, we provide an overview of clinical features of PSIS and summarise our current understanding of the underlying pathogenic mechanisms for this rare syndrome. Furthermore, we propose future research directions that may help our understanding of the aetiology of PSIS.

The controlled-release tablets of sasanquasaponin (SQS) were prepared by using SQS, broomcorn-stalk and lactose as the main drug and accessories. The effect of the particle size of broomcorn-stalk on release rate was studied. Kinetics equation of the controlled-release tablets of SQS releasing SQS was fitted. The thermal stability and wet stability of the controlled-release tablets of SQS were investigated. The controlled-release tablet of SQS was characterized by infrared absorption spectrum (IR) techniques. The releasing rate of the controlled-release tablets of SQS were controlled by controlling the particle size of broomcorn-stalk. Release speeds of the controlled-release tablets of SQS releasing SQS were constant. The thermal stability and wet stability of the controlled-release tablets of SQS were good. The chemical bonds were formed among SQS, broomcorn-stalk and lactose.

The controlled-release tablets of sasanquasaponin (SQS) were prepared by using SQS, cornstalk and chitosan as the main drug and accessories. The effect of the particle size of cornstalk on release rate was studied. The thermal stability and wet stability of the controlled-release tablets of SQS were investigated. The controlled-release tablet of SQS was characterized by IR techniques. The releasing rate of the controlled-release tablets of SQS are controlled by controlling the particle size of cornstalk. The thermal stability and wet stability of the controlled-release tablets of SQS are good. The chemical bonds are formed among SQS, cornstalk and chitosan.

he controlled-release tablets of sasanquasaponin (SQS) were prepared by using SQS, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, ethylcellulose and lactose as the main drug, skeleton material and fillers, respectively. The effects of the dosage of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose and ethylcellulose on release rate were studied. The release rate curve of the data of the prescription of the controlled-release tablets of SQS were fitted as zero order, one order and Higuchi equation. The release rate of the controlled-release tablets of SQS were controlled by controlling the dosage of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose and ethylcellulose. The influence of the dosage of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose on release rate of the controlled-release tablets of SQS was the biggest factor. The prescription of the controlled-release tablets of SQS contains in each piece: SQS 200mg, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose 40mg, ethylcellulose 30mg, lactose 30mg. The controlled-release tablets of SQS release SQS by slowness and constant in 12h.

Accidental or intentional irradiation causes incidents involving acute radiation syndrome (ARS) victims. Thus, it is urgent to search for effective radioprotectors with no or low toxicity. Recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO) is a megakaryocyte colony-stimulating factor. We have demonstrated previously that early administration of rhTPO soon after irradiation promotes survival of lethal dose irradiated mice. To evaluate the therapeutic effect of rhTPO short-term injection soon after radiation in nonhuman primates exposed to a high dose of gamma ray, rhesus monkeys received subcutaneously of early rhTPO 10 μg/kg injection at 0.5 and 24 h after or WR2721 30 mg/kg intramuscularly administration at 0.5 h before total body irradiated (TBI) with a 7 Gy gamma dose. Survival was monitored and hematopoiesis was evaluated at 40 d following early treatment. rhTPO short-term early injection (0.5 and 24 h) after 7 Gy TBI induced 100.0% survival versus 33.3% in irradiated controls, while 83.3% in WR2721 protected monkeys. rhTPO early treatment significantly promoted hematopoiesis recovery and apparently improved the quality of life, and additionally simplified supportive care in ARS rhesus monkeys. According to the survival and hematopoiesis of irradiated nonhuman primates, radioprotection of rhTPO short-term injection soon after TBI is better than WR2721 administration at 0.5 h before TBI. Thus short-term injection of rhTPO soon after irradiation might be chosen as a first-line therapeutic strategy in the treatment of accidental acute radiation victims.

In the current study, the finite element analysis was used to simulate the change in electric field intensity due to the change of needle diameter and length, receiving distance，voltage and the spacing between needles located in a row. The resulting conclusion could be used to guide the design and manufacture of electrospinning machines at industrial scale.

Practical teaching is an important part of computer education, and the innovative ability is the key to train the applied undergraduate talents. To take an active part in competitions is an effective way to improve the innovative ability of students. The computer competitions can promote the reform of the computer education. The effect of scientific and technical competition activities on the student innovative and practical ability training was studied, and the mode of competition-driven based innovative spirit and ability cultivation for undergraduate were analyzed and summarized systematically in this paper.

The wireless remote monitoring system developed in this paper is mainly to real-time monitor the safety information of the oilfield. Through researching on the technologies of GPRS, J2ME and the role of safety monitoring system, the technical scheme design, the system composition and the monitoring software of the oilfield wireless remote monitoring system were put forward. This system mainly were mainly composed by remote monitoring terminals on spots and servers at monitoring center, which monitor and control all kinds of safety information of the oilfield. This system plays an important role in the safety of oilfield production.

Background For the female population in Asia, systematic investigation on alterations of cyclin D1 in breast carcinoma is rare, and correlation between cyclin D1 expression with clinicopathological parameters, survival rate, and other prognostic marker associated with cell cycle is unclear. Methods Expression of cyclin D1 protein, Ki-67, pRb, and p53 was determined by immunohistochemistry in 18 cases of early breast carcinomas and 80 cases of invasive ductal carcinomas. Genetic alteration of cyclin D1 gene and overexpression of cyclin D1 mRNA were detected by Southern blot and RT-PCR, respectively. Results Expression of cyclin D1 is negative in usual ductal hyperplasia (UDH) and atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH). However, in 52.0% (51/98) of all breast carcinomas, positive expression of cyclin D1 was observed. Five-year survival rate of the patients with positive expression of cyclin D1 (52.7%) is significantly lower than the cases with negative expression of cyclin D1 (72.1%). Positive rate of cyclin D1 protein in invasive ductal carcinoma (52.5%) is slightly higher than overexpression rate (40.8%) of cyclin D1 mRNA but significantly higher than amplification rate of cyclin D1 gene (18.4%). Expression of cyclin D1 is correlated with Ki-67 expression, but not correlated with pRb and p53 expression. Conclusions Positive expression of cyclin D1 could serve as a poor prognostic marker for Chinese patients with breast carcinoma independent of nodal metastasis and clinical stage. Expression of cyclin D1 protein is affected more directly by overexpression of cyclin D1 mRNA rather than cyclin D1 gene amplification. The cooperation between pRb and p53 with cyclin D1 protein in the carcinogenesis of breast carcinoma is not supported by the results.