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Stegosaurs are a minor but iconic clade of ornithischian dinosaurs, yet due to a poor fossil record, their early evolution is poorly understood. Here, we describe a new stegosaur, Baiyinosaurus baojiensis, gen. et sp. nov. from the Middle Jurassic Wangjiashan Formation of the Pingchuan District, Baiyin City, Gansu Province, China. The frontal of Baiyinosaurus possesses a unique characteristic among Stegosauria: it is wider than long and contributes to both the medial and anterior margins of the supratemporal fenestra. The character combinations of dorsal vertebrae of Baiyinosaurus are also different to other stegosaurs: its neural arches are not greatly elongated, its parapophyses are well developed, and its neural spines are axially expanded in lateral. The features of the frontal and vertebrae of Baiyinosaurus are reminiscent of basally branching thyreophorans, indicating that Baiyinosaurus is transitional in morphology between early thyreophorans and early-diverging stegosaurs. Systematic analysis shows that Baiyinosaurus is an early-diverging stegosaur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternating current polarization (ACP) has been demonstrated to enhance the performance of 1-3 piezoelectric single crystal composites (PSCCs), compared to direct current polarization (DCP). However, the scaling effect and temperature stability of PSCCs under different polarization modes, which are of significance to practical applications, have rarely been studied. Here, we compared and analyzed the thickness and temperature-dependent properties of PSCCs under ACP and DCP. The results indicated that ACP PSCCs have improved piezoelectric, electromechanical coupling, and dielectric properties. There were scaling effects for PSCCs with thickness below 400 μm. Compared to high-thickness PSCCs, the piezoelectric coefficient (d33), free dielectric constant ( ε 33 T ε 0 ) as well as thickness electromechanical coupling factor (kt) of low-thickness samples were inferior and the corresponding performance enhancements under ACP were also relatively low. In contrast, the clamped dielectric constant ( ε 33 S ε 0 ) did not show significant thickness correlation. As for temperature stability, all performances of PSCCs improved with increase in temperature and the performance enhancement with temperature change was not dependent on the polarization conditions. This work provides reference significance of selecting appropriate polarization for PSCCs, thus benefiting the design and preparation for transducers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondria perform an array of functions, many of which involve interactions with gene products encoded by the nucleus. These mitochondrial functions, particularly those involving energy production, can be expected to differ between sexes and across ages. Here, we measured mitochondrial effects on sex-and age-specific gene expression in parental and reciprocal F1 hybrids between allopatric populations of Tigriopus californicus with over 20% mitochondrial DNA divergence. Because the species lacks sex chromosomes, sex-biased mitochondrial effects are not confounded by the effects of sex chromosomes. Results revealed pervasive sex differences in mitochondrial effects, including effects on energetics and aging involving nuclear interactions throughout the genome. Using single-individual RNA sequencing, sex differences were found to explain more than 80% of the variance in gene expression. Males had higher expression of mitochondrial genes and mitochondrially targeted proteins (MTPs) involved in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), while females had elevated expression of non-OXPHOS MTPs, indicating strongly sex-dimorphic energy metabolism at the whole organism level. Comparison of reciprocal F1 hybrids allowed insights into the nature of mito-nuclear interactions, showing both mitochondrial effects on nuclear expression, and nuclear effects on mitochondrial expression. While based on a small set of crosses, sex-specific increases in mitochondrial expression with age were associated with longer life. Network analyses identified nuclear components of strong mito-nuclear interactions and found them to be sexually dimorphic. These results highlight the profound impact of mitochondria and mito-nuclear interactions on sex-and age-specific gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multifunctional mechanical model with both amplified illusion and cloaking properties is proposed. • The amplified function can make a small object to produce the same displacement distribution as a large object. • Intelligent control system with the detective and control functions is introduced. • Effectively broaden the effective frequency range of structure in 3300Hz×4400 Hz and 1200Hz×3100 Hz. • The cloaking characteristics of the structure are verified through theoretical, numerical and experimental analysis. Illusion device can make an object to produce a field distribution different from its own, offering potential applications in diverse fields. In this work, we propose a multifunctional metamaterial with intelligent control systems, which exhibits amplified illusion and cloaking characteristics for detecting or hiding objects over different frequency ranges. The amplification function allows a small object to generate the same displacement distribution as a larger object, while the cloaking function renders an object invisible and undetectable. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate the exceptional amplification and cloaking properties of the multifunctional configuration. In contrast to single-function structures like cloaking and focusing, which can only fulfill a specific function, designing a multifunctional structure capable of achieving two or more properties within a single configuration presents a significant challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, piezoelectric ceramics 0.125 Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3)O 3 -0.445PbZrO 3 -0.43PbTiO 3 + x mol% MnCO 3 (abbreviated as x Mn-PMN-PZT) were fabricated by the solid-state sintering method. The addition of MnCO 3 presented obvious changes in the phase structure, grain size, dielectric and piezoelectric performance. It was found that the doping of 2.5 mol% MnCO 3 can achieved the maximum mechanical quality factor Q m ∼1806 compared to the small Q m ∼96 for pure ceramics. Meanwhile, a moderate piezoelectric coefficient d 33 ∼ 260 pC/N and a high Curie temperature T c ∼325 °C were also achieved in 2.5Mn-PMN-PZT ceramics. These excellent properties were close to the hardening effect of MnCO 3 and the formation of defect dipoles in the MC-PMN-PZT ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer, one of the leading causes of death, usually commences and progresses as a result of a series of gene mutations and dysregulation of expression. With the development of clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 gene‐editing technology, it is possible to edit and then decode the functions of cancer‐related gene mutations, markedly advance the research of biological mechanisms and treatment of cancer. This review summarizes the mechanism and development of CRISPR/Cas9 gene‐editing technology in recent years and describes its potential application in cancer‐related research, such as the establishment of human tumor disease models, gene therapy and immunotherapy. The challenges and future development directions are highlighted to provide a reference for exploring pathological mechanisms and potential treatment protocols of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prion diseases are a group of transmissible neurodegenerative diseases primarily caused by the conformational conversion of prion protein (PrP) from α-helix-dominant cellular prion protein (PrPC) to β-sheet-rich pathological aggregated form of PrPSc in many mammalian species. Dogs exhibit resistance to prion diseases, but the mechanism behind the phenomenon remains poorly understood. Compared with human PrP and mouse PrP, dog PrP has two unique amino acid residues, Arg177 and Asp159. Because PrPC contains a low-complexity and intrinsically disordered region in its N-terminal domain, it undergoes liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) in vitro and forms protein condensates. However, little is known about whether these two unique residues modulate the formation of PrPC condensates. Here, using confocal microscopy, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching assays, thioflavin T binding assays, and transmission electron microscopy, we report that Arg177 and Asp159 from the dog PrP slow the LLPS of full-length human PrPC, shifting the equilibrium phase boundary to higher protein concentrations and inhibit amyloid formation of the human protein. In sharp contrast, His177 and Asn159 from the human PrP enhance the LLPS of full-length dog PrPC, shifting the equilibrium phase boundary to lower protein concentrations, and promote fibril formation of the canid protein. Collectively, these results demonstrate how LLPS and amyloid formation of PrP are inhibited by a single residue Arg177 or Asp159 associated with prion disease resistance, and how LLPS and fibril formation of PrP are promoted by a single residue His177 or Asn159. Therefore, Arg177/His177 and Asp159/Asn159 are key residues in modulating PrPC liquid-phase condensation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of Bolus of Six Drugs Including Rehmannia (Liuwei Dihuang pill) as an adjunct to metformin in the treatment of senile Type-2 diabetes mellitus and its influence on insulin resistance, inflammatory factors and blood glucose-related indexes. Methods: This is a Retrospective study. Eighty senile Type-2 diabetes mellitus admitted to Baoding Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2019 to December 2021 were enrolled and divided into two groups using the random number method. Patients in the control group were given oral metformin, while those in the observation group were treated with Bolus of six Drugs Including Rehmannia as an adjunct to metformin. The clinical efficacy, blood glucose-related indicators, insulin-related indicators, inflammatory factors-related indicators and adverse drug reactions were compared between the two groups. Results: The overall response in the observation group was higher than that in the control group(P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of FPG, 2hPG and HbA1 being more significantly lower in the observation group than that in the control group(P<0.05). Moreover, the levels of FINS, HOMA-IR and HOMA-IS were all significantly improved in the observation group than that the control group (P<0.05). HOMA-β levels in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8 in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Bolus of six Drugs Including Rehmannia as an adjunct to metformin is a regimen with satisfactory safety profile for the treatment of senile Type-2 diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For lead-based ceramics used in high-power devices, it is essential that they possess both a high mechanical quality factor (Q m) and a large piezoelectric coefficient (d 33). Unfortunately, Q m is inversely proportional to d 33 for piezoelectric ceramics, which the limits their actual application. If suitable acceptor and donor dopants can be added in piezoelectric ceramics, it is rational to achieve high Q m and large d 33 simultaneously. Herein, we tried to achieve both a high mechanical quality factor and large piezoelectric activity in 0.47 pb(Mg 1/2 Nb 2/3)O 3 -0.18PbZrO 3 -0.35PbTiO 3 (PMN-PZT) ceramics via Sm 2 O 3 and MnO 2 co-doing. A range of x Mn-2Sm-PMN-PZT ceramics were fabricated by the traditional sintering method. An optimal performance was attained in 4Mn-2Sm-PMN-PZT ceramics with Q m = 1720, d 33 = 450 pC/N, ε = 2720 and k p = 0.54. The high Q m is related to the presence of defect dipoles as a result of MnO 2 doping and the large piezoelectric activity is due to the doping of Sm 2 O 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spacer fabrics and their composites have great advantages of being excellent heat insulation materials because of their cavity structure characteristics. However, there are few researches on the thermal insulation of spacer fabric composites with different spacer shapes and geometric parameters. In this work, stitched spacer fabric composites filled with silica aerogel with rectangular, triangular and trapezoidal spacer shapes and their models were designed. The results of experiments and simulations show that the temperature distribution of spacer fabric composites has good consistency at high temperature. By analyzing the heat transfer results of composites with different geometric parameters, it was found that the length of the connecting layer between the top and bottom layers and the distance between two adjacent sutures in the top layer affect the minimum and maximum temperatures of the top surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phycocyanobilin (PCB) is widely used in healthcare, food processing, and cosmetics. Escherichia coli is the common engineered bacterium used to produce PCB. However, it still suffers from low production level, precursor deficiency, and low catalytic efficiency. In this study, a highly efficient PCB-producing strain was created. First, chassis strains and enzyme sources were screened, and copy numbers were optimized, affording a PCB titer of 9.1 mg/L. Most importantly, the rate-limiting steps of the PCB biosynthetic pathway were determined, and the supply of precursors necessary for PCB synthesis was increased from endogenous sources, affording a titer of 21.4 mg/L. Then, the key enzymes for PCB synthesis, HO1 and PcyA, were assembled into a multi-enzyme complex using the short peptide tag RIAD-RIDD, and 23.5 mg/L of PCB was obtained. Finally, the basic conditions for PCB fermentation were initially determined in 250 mL shake flasks and a 5-L bioreactor to obtain higher titers of PCB. The final titer of PCB reached 147.0 mg/L, which is the highest reported titer of PCB so far. This research provided the foundation for the industrial production of PCB and its derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tilianin is a flavonoid glycoside with potential applications in the prevention and treatment of myocardial infarction, but its specific targets and pharmacological mechanisms are unclear. Therefore, in this study, a reverse screening and molecular docking approach was used to predict the pharmacological targets and mechanisms of tilianin on myocardial infarction based on network pharmacology and experimental validation. Firstly, we screened various databases to obtain potential core targets of tilianin. Secondly, we used protein-protein interaction, gene ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and ClueGO to correlate the key targets before molecular docking of new target genes. Finally, the gene expression of tilianin in HL-1 cells was experimentally validated with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence. The result showed that tilianin may significantly modulate pro-inflammatory effects in the tumor necrosis factor-a signaling pathway, which activates and regulates various cellular activities. Molecular docking revealed that protein kinase B1, proto-oncogene cellular sarcoma, tumor necrosis factor-a, matrix metalloproteinase-9, nitric oxide synthetase 2, mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 and phosphatase and tensin homolog-induced kinase 1 may be the key targets for the systematic regulatory effect of tilianin against myocardial infarction. Finally, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence results showed that tilianin significantly influences the expression of the key genes in myocardial infarction. Using network bioinformatic analysis, molecular docking techniques, and experimental validation, we predicted and preliminarily validated potential target sites for tilianin. These findings provide a new perspective for further exploration of the mechanism of action of tilianin in myocardial infarction therapy. Meanwhile, this study provides an objective basis for further experimental studies in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is the underlying cause of many degenerative diseases, including autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP). In adRP, mutant rhodopsins accumulate and cause ER stress. This destabilizes wild-type rhodopsin and triggers photoreceptor cell degeneration. To reveal the mechanisms by which these mutant rhodopsins exert their dominant-negative effects, we established an in vivo fluorescence reporter system to monitor mutant and wild-type rhodopsin in Drosophila. By performing a genome-wide genetic screen, we found that PERK signaling plays a key role in maintaining rhodopsin homeostasis by attenuating IRE1 activities. Degradation of wild-type rhodopsin is mediated by selective autophagy of ER, which is induced by uncontrolled IRE1/XBP1 signaling and insufficient proteasome activities. Moreover, upregulation of PERK signaling prevents autophagy and suppresses retinal degeneration in the adRP model. These findings establish a pathological role for autophagy in this neurodegenerative condition and indicate that promoting PERK activity could be used to treat ER stress-related neuropathies, including adRP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar modified by H3PO4 treatment can be used to purify malodorous gases during bio-drying of sludge, but the current understanding of multicomponent adsorption of malodorous gases through biochar is limited. This study examined the adsorption mechanism of mixed malodorous gases including toluene and ammonia (NH3) on two kinds of biochar modified via H3PO4 pretreatment before and after pyrolysis. The biochar obtained by H3PO4 pretreatment of biomass before pyrolysis (C550) preferred to adsorb NH3 whether in the single or the dual system. In contrast, the biochar obtained by H3PO4 reprocessing after pyrolysis of biomass (C350-550) tended to adsorb toluene in the dual system but was more efficient in absorbing NH3 in the single system. The pseudo-secondorder kinetic model indicated the synergistic adsorption between NH3 and toluene for all biochar samples. In-situ DRIFTS of C350-550 during adsorption demonstrated the formation of amino functional groups caused by NH3 chemical adsorption with -OH (or -COOH) in the dual system. These increases in basic groups on C350-550 could enhance the surface zero potential point of C350-550, thereby improving the non-polarity of C350-550 and benefit the adsorption of weak polar toluene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the pipeline with guide vanes was taken as the research object, the flow noise was studied based on the hybrid calculation method, then the acoustic-structure coupling method was introduced to study the vibration and radiation noise, and then explored the best position of the guide vanes. Based on the pipeline experimental platform and improved experimental methods, it was found that the guide vanes had a better noise reduction effect on the elbows; based on that, a simulation study was carried out on the elbow with guide vanes, and the mechanism of the guide vanes on the velocity field and pulsating pressure of the pipeline was explored. Finally, the noise reduction effect at different positions of the guide vanes under different flow speeds was studied. The results indicated that the guide vane at the middle of the elbow had the best effect on improving the flow field and reducing noise in the working conditions studied in this article, providing a calculation basis for the design of the guide vane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present, analyze, and test a novel low-complexity time-stepping finite element method for natural convection problems utilizing a time filter (TF). First, via a TF to postprocess the solutions of backward Euler (BE) schemes, we make a minimally intrusive modification to the existing codes to improve the time accuracy by one order. This also provides, at no extra complexity, an estimate of the temporal error, which is easy to construct a novel adaptive algorithm. Additionally, the TF can remove the overdamping of the BE scheme while remaining unconditionally energy stable. Hence, this paper addresses the question, how can one improve the time accuracy without increasing computational and cognitive complexity? Then long time stability and error estimates of BE plus time filter (BETF) with constant time stepsize are proved. Moreover, we construct adaptive algorithms by extending the approach to variable time stepsize, and we extend the methods to higher order algorithms. Finally, numerical tests confirm the convergence rates of our method and validate the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a potential substitute for fatty acids, common low-cost oils could be used to produce acetyl-CoA derivatives, which meet the needs of low-cost industrial production. However, oils are hydrophobic macromolecules and cannot be directly transported into cells. In this study, caveolin was expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to absorb exogenous oils. The expression of caveolin fused with green fluorescent protein showed that caveolin mediated the formation of microvesicles in S. cerevisiae and the addition of 5,6-carboxyfluorescein showed that caveolae had the ability to transport exogenous substances into cells. The intracellular and extracellular triacylglycerol levels were then detected after the addition of soybean oil pre-stained with Nile Red, which proved that caveolae had the ability to absorb the exogenous oils. Lastly, caveolin for oils absorption and lipase from Bacillus pumilus for oil hydrolysis were co-expressed in the naringenin-producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain, resulting in naringenin production increasing from 222 mg/g DCW (dry cell weight) (231 mg/L) to 269 mg/g DCW (241 mg/L). These results suggested that the caveolin-mediated transporter independent oil transport system would provide a promising strategy for the transport of hydrophobic substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitochondrial quality control of lung epithelial cells is disturbed during sepsis, which contributes to abnormal mitochondrial function and acute lung injury. Melatonin is one of the primary hormones secreted by the pineal gland, displaying favorable antioxidative actions in sepsis and cardiopulmonary disease. However, the potential roles and molecular basis of melatonin in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated lung epithelial cells have not been explored and reported. Herein, we investigated whether melatonin could protect against sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI) and LPS-treated lung epithelial cells through the mitochondrial quality control as well as its possible molecular targets. Wild type and Sirt3 knockout mice were intratracheally instilled with LPS for 12 h to construct an in vivo acute lung injury model. Both A549 lung epithelial cells and primary alveolar type II (AT-II) cells were used to explore the possible roles of melatonin in vitro by incubating with small interfering RNA against Sirt3. To determine the involvement of the melatonin receptor, cells and mice were treated with si Mtnr1b and luzindole. Melatonin pretreatment significantly inhibited pathological injury, inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in LPS-treated lung tissues and LPS-treated lung epithelial cells. Furthermore, melatonin also shifted the dynamic course of mitochondria from fission to fusion, inhibited mitophagy and fatty acid oxidation in LPS-treated lung epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo. However, SIRT3 inhibition abolished the protective roles of melatonin in acute lung injury. Mechanistically, we found that melatonin increased the activity and expression of SIRT3, which further promoted the deacetylation of SOD2 at K122 and K68. More importantly, melatonin exerted pulmonary protection by activating MTNR1B but not MTNR1A during ALI. Collectively, melatonin could preserve the mitochondrial quality control of lung epithelial cells through the deacetylation of SOD2 in a SIRT3-dependent manner, which eventually alleviated sepsis-induced injury, inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Thus, melatonin may serve as a promising candidate against ALI in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: CircN4BP2L2 was previously identified to be significantly decreased in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and was associated with disease progression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of plasma circN4BP2L2 using the unifying model of type I and type II EOC.Methods: A total of 540 plasma samples were obtained from 180 EOC patients, 180 benign ovarian cyst patients, and 180 healthy volunteers. CircN4BP2L2 was assessed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cancer antigen 125 (CA125) and human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Receiver operating curve (ROC), the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity were estimated.Results: Low level of circN4BP2L2 was associated with advanced tumor stage (p < 0.01) in type I EOC. Decreased circN4BP2L2 was associated with lymph node metastasis (LNM) (p = 0.04) in type II EOC. The expression level of circN4BP2L2 in type I was similar to that in type II. CircN4BP2L2 could significantly separate type I or type II from benign or normal cohort (p < 0.01). Early-stage type I or type II EOC vs. benign or normal cohort could also be distinguished by circN4BP2L2 (p < 0.01).Conclusion: CircN4BP2L2 might serve as a promising diagnostic biomarker for both type I and type II EOC. The diagnostic safety for circN4BP2L2 in early-stage type I or type II EOC is also acceptable. Further large-scale well-designed studies are warranted to investigate whether circN4BP2L2 is specific for all histologic subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade, clinical trials using various poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors on patients with ovarian cancer have shown promising results. The introduction of PARP inhibitors has changed the treatment landscape and improved outcomes for patients with ovarian cancer. Fuzuloparib, developed by Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., is a novel orally available small molecule PARP inhibitor. By introducing the trifluoromethyl group into chemical structure, fuzuloparib exhibits higher stability and lower inter-individual variability than other PARP inhibitors. Several clinical trials (FZOCUS series and others) have been carried out to assess the efficacy and safety of fuzuloparib through different lines of treatments for advanced or recurrent ovarian cancer in both treatment and maintenance. Here, we present the most recent data from these studies, discuss current progress and potential future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: So far, little evidence is available for the comprehensive comparison of endoscopic submucosal tunnel dissection (ESTD) with endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for the treatment of superficial neoplasia at esophagogastric junction (EGJ). Methods: EGJ superficial neoplasia patients with ESTD treatment between January, 2021 and August, 2020 were retrospectively reviewed and individually matched at 1:1 ratio with those with ESD treatment according to lesion size, specimen area and lesion location, forming ESTD and ESD group, respectively. A sample size of 17 patients was collected for each group. Treatment outcomes including resection time, specimen area, and resection speed as well as occurrence of complications were evaluated. Results: Compared with ESD group, ESTD group got shorter resection time (111.00 ± 11.70 min for ESD group vs. 71.59 ± 6.18 min for ESTD group, p = 0.008) and faster section speed (0.23 ± 0.03 cm2/min for ESD group vs. 0.37 ± 0.06 cm2/min for ESTD group, p = 0.012). No complication was found to occur in ESTD group, while 1 patient with MP damage and 1 with delayed bleeding was found in ESD group. Conclusion: For the treatment of EGJ superficial neoplasia, ESTD is a safer and more effective and reliable endoscopic technique compared with ESD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoscopic papillectomy (EP) is an effective treatment for ampullary lesions but technically challenging because of anatomical specificities concerning the high rate of adverse events. Bleeding is one of the most feared complications and can be potentially life-threatening. To study the risk factors for bleeding after EP are presented with the goal of establishing preventive measures. A total of 173 consecutive patients with ampullary lesions undergone EP from January 2006 to October 2020 were enrolled in this study. They were divided into a bleeding group and a non-bleeding group depending on whether postoperative bleeding occurred. Related factors were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistics regression. Postoperative bleeding was experienced in 33 patients (19.07%). Multivariate analysis also identified intraoperative bleeding (OR: 4.38, 95% CI: 1.87–11.15, p =.001) and endoscopic closure (OR: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.10–0.58, p =.001) as independent factors significantly associated with bleeding after EP. Lesion size (≥3 cm) was shown as an independent factor significantly associated with intraoperative bleeding (OR: 4.25, 95% CI: 1.21–16.44, p =.028). This retrospective evaluation found that endoscopic closure was associated with reduced risk and intraoperative bleeding with increased risk of bleeding after EP. Lesion size may indirectly influence the risk of postoperative bleeding by increasing the risk of intraoperative bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of piezoelectric ceramics with large piezoelectric coefficient (d 33), high Curie temperature (T c) and high mechanical quality factor (Q m) is still a key challenge for practical application for high-power device. Herein, a series of Sm3+ and Mn2+ ions co-doped 0.15Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O 3 -(0.85-x)PbZrO 3 -xPbTiO 3 ceramics were prepared by the solid-state sintering method. The optimum piezoelectric properties were achieved at x = 0.435 mol% with a large d 33 ∼ 450 pC/N and a high Q m ∼ 1968 near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB), and with high T c ∼ 296 °C. The origin of this excellent piezoelectric properties was explained by the phase structure, piezoelectric and dielectric analysis. The composition near MPB region and the appearance of defect dipoles leaded to final excellent piezoelectric properties, and made a harmonization between d 33 , T c and Q m. This work demonstrated a rational strategy to obtain large d 33 , high T c and high Q m for high-power piezoceramics. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the discrete-element model (DEM) of asphalt pavement is established to discuss the effects of temperature changes of interlaminar bonding layer on mechanical responses of asphalt pavement in different seasons. Calculated and test results indicate that the temperature within the depth range of 0-5 cm in asphalt pavement is obviously affected by ambient temperature. The heat is accumulated within the pavement depth range of 2-5 cm, greatly affecting the interlaminar bonding state. In addition, lower temperature in winter increases the continuity of asphalt pavement layers, reducing the compressive stress in upper layer. In addition, higher temperature in summer weakens the interlaminar bond, increasing the horizontal tensile stress in upper layer and at the interlaminar interface. Further, lower interlaminar bonding strength increases the maximum shear stress at the interlaminar interfaces between asphalt pavement layers, as well as at the interface between asphalt mortar and aggregate. As the pavement depth is increased, the horizontal shear stress is increased. Finally, the high temperature increases the tensile strain near the bottom of upper layer. The displacement directions of more aggregate particles move vertically downward at low temperature, but move to two lateral sides at high temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the pharmacological effect of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription Danxiong particles (TDX105) and its mechanism of action. Methods: The active compound and targets of TDX105 were investigated via network pharmacology. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were enriched, and protein-protein interaction network (PPI) was constructed. A network of 'components-targets-pathways' was developed with Cytoscape 3.8.0 software, while the formation of molecular docking analysis was conducted using Autodock vina software. Results: There were 304 compounds and 482 targets identified in total. Genes with degree = mean node values were selected as the crucial targets, and string database was to be combined to 64 targets identified with cytoscape so as to draw a protein interaction map. A total of 137 pathways were enriched from 64 targets involving mainly 10 pathways, for example, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, pathways in cancer, human cytomegalovirus infection and focal adhesion. Then, compound-target and compoundtarget-pathways were constructed using cytoscape (3.8.0). Finally, the five most active compounds, viz, quercetin, myricetin, luteolin, ellagic acid and kaempferol, and the top ten targets AKT1, GAPDH, TP53, ALB, EGFR, MAPK3, JUN, MAPK1, SRC and ESR1 were selected for molecular docking. These targets and compounds had strong interactions through a combination of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic forces. Conclusion: The mechanism of action of TDX105 has been successfully explained using the combination of network pharmacology and molecular docking. This may offer a solid foundation to the clinical use of TDX105, and further strengthen the prospects of its development for clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to simulate the casting process of a typical aluminum alloy, a 3 D entity model for a pouring system was used for numerical analysis of the filling and solidification process with ProCAST software. A comprehensive analysis including the change of temperature field, the velocity of filling, the solid phase as well as the location of casting defect, showed that the defects such as shrinkage (cavity) porosity can be reduced effectively with an increase in the mold preheating temperature and the number of vents. This simulation also serves as a theoretical reference for the sake of facilitating casting quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the classical ensemble model, we systematically investigate strong-field nonsequential double ionization (NSDI) of Mg by intense elliptically polarized laser pulses with different wavelengths. Different from the noble atoms, NSDI occurs for Mg driven by elliptically and circularly polarized laser fields. Our results show that in elliptically and circularly polarized laser fields, the NSDI yield is sharply suppressed as the wavelength increases. Interestingly, the correlated behavior in the electron momentum spectra depends sensitively on the wavelengths. The corresponding electron dynamics is revealed by back tracing the classical trajectory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore vocal responses to pitch perturbation on the flat, rising, and falling contour made of sequences of level tones in Taiwanese Southern Min. Twenty-two native speakers produced nine disyllabic words (flat: high-high, mid-mid, and low-low tone sequences; rising: mid-high, low-high, and low-mid tone sequences; falling: high-mid, high-low, and mid-low tone sequences). Pitch-shift stimuli (200 ms) appeared at either 100 ms (the beginning of the first syllable) or 400 ms (the beginning of the second syllable) after vocal onset. The participants were asked to ignore the pitch perturbation that appeared via auditory feedback. We found their compensation decreased when both syllables had identical level tones (i.e., the flat contour) but was particularly large when the overall contour was falling. Furthermore, pitch compensation at 100 ms was smaller than at 400 ms for the falling contour, but not for the flat and rising contours. Our results suggest that less susceptibility to pitch perturbation in the initial speech planning process is conditioned by the velocity of overall pitch contour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) is a term used for a variety of disorders defined by abnormal cardiac impulse formation and by abnormal propagation from the heart’s sinoatrial node. In this study, we present a case from a Chinese family in which two closely related individuals had the symptoms and electrocardiographic evidence of SSS. We hypothesized that multiple individuals affected by the disease in the family was an indication of its genetic predisposition, and thus performed high-throughput sequencing for the participants from the family to detect potential disease-associated variants. One of the potential variants that was identified was a KCNG2 gene variant (NC_000018.9: g.77624068_77624079del). Further bioinformatic analysis showed that the observed variant may be a pathogenic mutation. The results of protein-protein docking and whole cell patch-clamp measurements implied that the deletion variant in KCNG2 could affect its binding the KV2.1 protein, and finally affect the function of Kv channel, which is an important determinant in regulation of heartbeat. Therefore, we inferred that the variable KCNG2 gene may affect the function of Kv channel by changing the binding conformation of KCNG2 and KV2.1 proteins and then adversely affect propagation from the sinoatrial node and cardiac impulse formation by changing the action potential repolarization of heart cells. In summary, our findings suggested that the dominant KCNG2 deletion variant in the examined Chinese family with SSS may be a potential disease-associated variant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the prognosis of patients with blunt trauma-mediated cyclodialysis cleft and lens subluxation treated by dual capsular tension rings (CTRs) with different preoperative intraocular pressures (IOPs). Methods: Twenty-five patients with cyclodialysis cleft and lens subluxation after blunt trauma were recruited in this study. They were categorized into the low IOP group (IOP < 10 mmHg) and normal IOP group (between 10 mm and 21 mmHg). A modified CTR (MCTR) or CTR was sutured into the ciliary sulcus, and another MCTR or CTR was implanted in the capsular bag. The prognosis outcome measurements, including BCVA (LogMAR), IOP, UBM, and macular character on OCT, were collected during the regular outpatient follow-up after surgery until the recovery of cyclodialysis cleft was found. Measures of cyclodialysis cleft recovery included successful IOP control (defined as an IOP within 10–21 mmHg), confirmation of cleft closure on UBM, and confirmation of IOL centration under slit-lamp examination. Follow-up period or recovery time was regarded as the duration between discharge from the hospital after the operation and the recovery of cyclodialysis cleft. The longest follow-up period was 1 year. Results: Cyclodialysis cleft was successfully treated in 21/25 eyes, whereas lens subluxation was treated effectively in all 25 eyes. CTRs and IOLs were stable in all eyes. BCVA (P < 0.001) and IOP (P < 0.001) were significantly improved after surgery. The primary surgical complication included reversible IOP spike in seven eyes. Postoperative BCVA was found to have correlation with the preoperative IOP (P = 0.016), maculopathy (P = 0.002,), and trauma duration (P = 0.046). Worse BCVA (P = 0.037) and more severe grade of maculopathy (P = 0.030) were observed in the low IOP group (14 eyes). In contrast, a better prognosis and greater probability of IOP spike (P = 0.021) were observed in the normal IOP group (11 eyes). Conclusion: Timely and proper intervention for traumatic cyclodialysis cleft associated with lens subluxation is essential. Lower preoperative IOP is associated with worse prognosis and prolonged recovery time, while caution should be taken in IOP spike monitoring in patients with normal preoperative IOP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal sulfides have emerged as promising materials in supercapacitor. In this work, we firstly developed an interface-induced superassembly approach to fabricate NiSx and CoSx nanoparticles, which based on ordered mesoporous carbon-graphene aerogel composites for supercapacitor electrodes. The obtained multi-component superassembled nanoparticles-carbon matrix composites have controllable 3D porous structure of multi-stage composite. The two-dimensional graphene interlaced to form a 3D framework with large sponge-like pores, and then the graphene surface was loaded with mesoporous carbon with mesoporous pore size and vertical orientation. The composites display high specific capacitance of 958.1 Fg-1 at 0.1 Ag-1. The capacitance retains about 97.3% after 3000 charging-discharging cycles at 2 Ag-1. These results indicate that the obtained OMC-GA-Ni3S2/Co4S3 is a promising material for electrochemical capacitors, which providing new technical methods and ideas for the research of new energy and analytical sensor materials in the fields of energy storage, photocatalysis, point-of-care testing devices and other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the underwater sonar or similar devices where the high pressure field is required, the concentrating and black hole like structures have important applications in harvesting energy systems of elastic waves. In this work, a new kind of active elastic metamaterials with cavities and an acoustic concentrator are presented. By the feedback control gain of piezoelectric diaphragms, we can obtain both the controllable effective bulk modulus and density within a wide frequency range. Based on the coordinate transformation method and by the feedback control on the periodic arrangement of acoustic cavities, an acoustic concentrator with multilayered alternative homogeneous materials can be achieved. Numerical results show that the acoustic wave is perfectly limited within the core region of the concentrator, which can enhance the acoustic energy. These characteristics with the tunable effective bulk modulus and density within a very wide frequency range are expected to be helpful for the design of practical acoustic concentrators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electromechanical coupling coefficient (k t) of piezoelectric composite is the core indicator for medical ultrasonic, nondestructive testing and underwater acoustic transducers applications. Generally, the k t of piezoelectric composite is susceptible to be interfered by its structure parameter and spurious modes. In this work, we figured out the effect of the polymer on the vibration mode by fixing the size of the piezoelectric rod and changing the content of different softness polymer. The spurious modes were related with resonant standing wave caused by classical Bragg scattering in periodic structures. The propagation of spurious mode vibration can be cut off by soft polymer. The maximum k t of 69% was obtained at a Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 (PZT4) ceramic volume fraction of 24.5%. The k t was 5% ∼ 10% higher than that of other reported PZT4 ceramic composites and comparable to PZT5 ceramic composites. This work presented a paradigm for vibration modes modulation by changing the polymers ratio, which providing ideas for excellent performance acoustic transducer designing. [Display omitted] • By fixing the volume fraction and thickness of the piezoelectric phase, the thickness vibration resonance peak was basically unchanged. Along with increase of soft polymer, the frequency of the lateral vibration shifted and was close to the thickness vibration. And with the further increase of soft polymer, the propagate of transverse vibration could be cut off. • A high k t of 69% was achieved at a low ceramic volume fraction of 24.5%, which was 5 ∼ 10% higher than other reported PZT4 composites and comparable to other reported PZT5 composites, even larger PZT5 volume fraction composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Highly selective β-addition of α-fluoro nitroalkane compounds to allenoates. • Cheap DBU used as catalyst. • Operationally simple. An efficient DBU-catalyzed β-addition of α-fluoro nitroalkane compounds to allenoates has been developed. Both γ-substituted and -unsubstituted allenoates participated in the reaction, giving a series of the β-addition products bearing a stereogenic carbon-fluorine structural unit in very good yields. The practicability of the method was also demonstrated. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are more stable than linear RNA molecules, which makes them promising diagnostic biomarkers for diseases. By circRNA-sequencing analysis, we previously found that circN4BP2L2 was significantly decreased in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) tissues, and was predictive of disease progression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of plasma circN4BP2L2 in EOC.Methods: Three hundred seventy-eight plasma samples were acquired prior to surgery. Samples were obtained from 126 EOC patients, 126 benign ovarian cyst patients, and 126 healthy volunteers. CircN4BP2L2 was assessed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cancer antigen 125 (CA125) and human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). EOC cells were transfected with small interference RNAs (siRNAs) and cell proliferation, migration, invasion, cell cycle and cell apoptosis were performed to assess the effect of circN4BP2L2 in EOC. Receiver operating curve (ROC), the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity were estimated.Results: Plasma circN4BP2L2 was significantly downregulated in EOC patients. Decreased circN4BP2L2 was significantly associated with advanced tumor stage, worse histological grade, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis in EOC. CircN4BP2L2 inhibited tumor cell migration and invasion in vitro. CircN4BP2L2 could significantly separate EOC from benign (AUC = 0.82, P <  0.01) or normal (AUC = 0.90, P <  0.01) cohort. Early stage EOC vs benign (AUC = 0.81, P <  0.01) or normal (AUC = 0.90, P <  0.01) cohort could also be distinguished by circN4BP2L2. In discrimination between EOC cohort and benign or normal cohort, circN4BP2L2 performed equally well in both pre- and post-menopausal women. The combination of circN4BP2L2, CA125 and HE4 showed high sensitivity and specificity in detecting EOC cases.Conclusions: Plasma circN4BP2L2 is significantly downregulated in EOC and might serve as a promising novel diagnostic biomarker for EOC patients, especially in early stage EOC cases. CircN4BP2L2 might act as an adjunct to CA125 and HE4 in detecting EOC. Further large-scale studies are warranted to verify our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Marital status has emerged as an important influence on several cancer outcomes, but its role in medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) remains unclear. This study was to explore the effects of marital status on the prognosis of MTC patients and to determine whether its effects vary by age. Patients and methods: We retrospectively extracted 1344 eligible patients diagnosed with MTC between 2004 and 2015 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Based on the marital status, we divided those patients into married and unmarried groups. We compared the difference in overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) between married and unmarried via the Kaplan-Meier analysis. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional models were performed to identify the prognostic factors of OS and CSS. Results: There were 1344 MTC eligible patients in a total of which 883 (65.7%) were married and 461 (34.3%) were unmarried. The comparison observed between married and unmarried patients was as follows: male (45.2% vs. 28.0%), age (=52 years) (55.9% vs. 44.6%), White (86.7% vs. 78.7%), and undergo surgery (97.7% vs. 93.3%). Multivariate analysis revealed unmarried status as a risk factor independently associated with worse OS (HR: 2.15, 95% CI: 1.59-2.92) rate and CSS (HR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.17-2.47) rate. In a further analysis stratified by age, there was no significant difference in OS and CSS between married and unmarried patients younger than 52 years. For the remaining group with 52 years old and higher, unmarried patients showed significantly higher risk of OS and CSS than married patients at all stages of the pathology except M1 stage. Conclusion: Married patients with MTC have a better prognosis than unmarried ones. Age can affect the association between marital status and the survival of MTC, and married elders may benefit more than youngers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cloaking invisibility is a novel technique that prevents the object from being detected in the background field. The development of new artificial materials and structures promotes the emergence of new achievements in cloaking research. In this work, a broadband square cloaking configuration of elastic wave metamaterial plate is designed and fabricated by the external active control system. The approximate parameters of the flexural wave cloak can be obtained by the coordinate transformation and achieved by alternating layers of the Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and piezoelectric (PZT) patches. With the introduction of active control systems, the square cloak has a wide effective frequency range. The simulation and experimental results show that the square cloak of flexural waves exhibits a good invisible performance in the frequency region of 500–2200 Hz. Compared to the structure without active control systems, the frequency region 2200–2750 Hz is extended for the active cloak. The design and fabrication of the broadband cloak is wished to be helpful during the practical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Intervertebral disc is responsible for absorbing and transmitting mechanical compression. Under physiological conditions, the peripheral annulus fibrosus (AF) cells are subjected to different magnitudes of transverse mechanical stretch depending on the swelling of the central nucleus pulposus tissue. However, the biological behavior of AF cells under mechanical stretch is not well studied. Objective. This study was performed to study the effects of mechanical tension on AF cell senescence and the potential signaling transduction pathway. Methods. Rat AF cells were made to experience different magnitudes of mechanical stretch (2% elongation and 20% elongation for 4 hours every day at 1 Hz) in a 10-day experiment period. The inhibitor RKI-1447 of the Rho-associated coiled-coil–containing protein kinases (ROCK) was added along with culture medium to investigate its role. Cell proliferation, cell cycle, telomerase activity, and expression of senescence markers (p16 and p53) were analyzed. Results. We found that 20% elongation significantly decreased cell proliferation, promoted G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, decreased telomerase activity, and upregulated mRNA/protein expression of p16 and p53. Moreover, the inhibitor RKI-1447 partly resisted effects of 20% elongation on these parameters of cell senescence. Conclusion. High mechanical stretch obviously induces AF cell senescence through the RhoA/ROCK pathway. This study provides us a deeper understanding on the AF cell's behavior under mechanical stretch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impaired mitochondrial function can lead to senescence and the ageing phenotype. Theory predicts degenerative ageing phenotypes and mitochondrial pathologies may occur more frequently in males due to the matrilineal inheritance pattern of mitochondrial DNA observed in most eukaryotes. Here, we estimated the sex-specific longevity for parental and reciprocal F1 hybrid crosses for inbred lines derived from two allopatric Tigriopus californicus populations with over 20% mitochondrial DNA divergence. T. californicus lacks sex chromosomes allowing for more direct testing of mitochondrial function in sex-specific ageing. To better understand the ageing mechanism, we estimated two age-related phenotypes (mtDNA content and 8-hydroxy-20-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) DNA damage) at two time points in the lifespan. Sex differences in lifespan depended on the mitochondrial and nuclear backgrounds, including differences between reciprocal F1 crosses which have different mitochondrial haplotypes on a 50: 50 nuclear background, with nuclear contributions coming from alternative parents. Young females showed the highest mtDNA content which decreased with age, while DNA damage in males increased with age and exceed that of females 56 days after hatching. The adult sex ratio was male-biased and was attributed to complex mitonuclear interactions. Results thus demonstrate that sex differences in ageing depend on mitonuclear interactions in the absence of sex chromosomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Gastric schwannoma (GS) is not well clinically recognized and surgical resection (SR) remains the mainstay of treatment. Recently, endoscopic resection (ER) appears to be a safe and effective alternative. However, its comparative outcomes with SR is lacking. Our aim was to first compare clinical outcomes and costs between ER and SR in the management of GSs. Methods: A total of 46 consecutive patients with GSs who underwent ER (n = 16) or SR (n = 30) in our large tertiary center between July 2007 and Oct 2018 were included. Clinicopathologic features, clinical outcomes, medical costs and follow-up were retrospectively reviewed and compared between two groups. Results: Baseline characteristics are comparable except for a smaller tumor size in ER group (22.9 vs 41.0 mm, p = 0.002). Complete resection was achieved in 87.5% of patients with ER and 100% of patients with SR (p = 0.116). The ER group had a significant shorter operative time (91.6 vs 128.2 min), less blood loss (16.9 vs 62.7 mL) and lower operation cost (21,054.4 vs 30,843.4 RMB) than SR group (all p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in adverse events (12.5% vs 10%, p = 0.812) and length of postoperative hospital stay (8.3 vs 8.2 days, p = 0.945). During a long-term follow-up of mean 37.4 months (range 6–140 months), no residue, recurrence or metastasis was observed in both groups. Conclusions: Compared with SR, ER has the similar safety and efficacy in the management of GSs, but contributes to a shorter operation time and lower medical costs. ER may be considered as the first-line treatment, especially for patients with GSs smaller than 30 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To establish a new and easy‐to‐use risk‐scoring predictive model to help identify high‐risk patients with multiple synchronous gastric neoplasms (MSGN), including early gastric cancer (EGC) and gastric dysplasia (GD), before initial endoscopic resection (ER). Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 1361 patients with EGC or GD who had undergone ER from November 2006 to September 2019. The patients were randomly divided into the training (n = 681) and validation cohorts (n = 680). In the training phase a prediction score was constructed to assess the independent predictors of MSGN based on multivariate logistic regression analysis. The performance of the prediction model was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the Hosmer‐Lemeshow test. Results: Of the 1361 patients, 122 (9.0%) had MSGN. Three predictors for MSGN were scored and weighted, as follows: elderly male (≥65 y; three points), a family history of gastric cancer (two points) and surface redness (two points). Accordingly, patients were divided into the low (risk score, 0‐3 points) or high‐risk groups (risk score, 4‐7 points). In the validation cohort, the incidence of MSGN in the low‐risk and high‐risk groups were 6.1% and 32.0%, respectively (P < 0.001). Our predictive risk‐scoring model showed good discrimination (the area under the ROC curve [AUROC] 0.719, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.634‐0.794, P < 0.001) and calibration ability (Hosmer‐Lemeshow test, χ2 = 6.539, P = 0.587) in the validation group. Conclusion: This risk‐scoring model has a good performance in predicting MSGN before the initial ER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid characterization of chemical analogues in potentially toxic complex matrix was essential for prevention of accidental poisoning. On the basis of the fragment ions possessed not only the same retention times (RT) but the same drift times (DT) on liquid chromatography-ion mobility-mass spectrometry (LC-IM-MS), an alternating frames (AF)-data independent acquisition (DIA) was utilized for simultaneous detection and rapid match of precursor/product ions with a fast switch of low/high collision energy (CE). A diagnostic ions guided 2D-locating strategy was developed for identification of chemical analogues in potentially toxic herbal medicines using LC-IM-MS. Firstly, the 2D-locations (RT, DT) of diagnostic ions were screened from high-fragment IM-MS frames according to their m/z. Then, the correlated precursor ions were extracted from the complex background interference in low-fragment IM-MS frames based on diagnostic ions' 2D-locations. Finally, the remained ions were characterized using double-bond equivalent analysis combined with MS/MS fragment interpretation. Totally, 236 diterpene alkaloids including eight compounds with potential new esterification types were characterized in processed lateral roots of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. Moreover, the LC-IM-MS distribution regularities of diterpene alkaloids with various chemical structure types were further investigated and discussed. This study presented an innovative idea for revealing the chemical basis related to the toxicities of potentially poisonous herbal medicines to ensure the medication safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of hot working die steel was designed by using JMatPro, and high-temperature oxidation tests were carried out in the ambient atmosphere at 600 °C and 700 °C. The heat treatment process and oxidation mechanism of the designed 4Cr4Mo2NiMnSiV steel were studied in detail. XRD, SEM and EDS were used to analyze the crystallographic phases, surface and cross-section morphologies of the oxide films. The results show that the main phases in the 4Cr4Mo2NiMnSiV steel were γ and α + δ. During the high-temperature oxidation, oxidation of the Fe outer layer and Cr inner layer occurred. After oxidation at 600°C, the surface oxidation layer comprised a monolayer with an uneven morphology. The surface oxide film had two layers after oxidation at 700°C. The outer oxide layer mainly contained Fe2O3 and Fe3O4, while the inner oxide layer mainly contained Cr2O3. The microstructure was relatively regular and had a significant effect on the protection of the metallic matrix. When oxidized, the 4Cr4Mo2NiMnSiV alloy steel easily formed protective layers, such as Cr2O3 and SiO2, so that the test steel had excellent oxidation resistance at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stegosaurs are a major clade of ornithischian dinosaurs, yet because of their fragmentary fossil record, their interrelationships and early evolution are poorly understood. Here, we describe a new stegosaur, Bashanosaurus primitivus, gen. et sp. nov., and some other indeterminate stegosaur materials. We provide new U-Pb detrital zircon ages for horizons bounding the holotypic quarry in the Lower Member of the Shaximiao Formation, Yunyang, Chongqing Municipality, China, which indicate a Middle Jurassic (Bajocian) age. Bashanosaurus represents the earliest record of stegosaurs in Asia and one of the earliest records of this clade in the world. The dorsal vertebrae, scapula, coracoid, femur, and plates of Bashanosaurus primitivus possess several unique characters among Stegosauria, including the elevation of the parapophyses of dorsal vertebrae on stalks at the base of the transverse processes, a flared distal end of the scapula, and a small acromial process. Among armored dinosaurs (thyreophorans), these features are reminiscent of the basally branching taxon Scelidosaurus, indicating that Bashanosaurus possesses a unique mosaic of plesiomorphic thyreophoran and derived stegosaur features. Phylogenetic analysis shows that Bashanosaurus primitivus is the earliest-diverging stegosaur, along with Chungkingosaurus, from the Upper Member of the Shaximiao Formation, consistent with the early age of the taxon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate theoretically in this work the existence of dual Fano resonances in a silicon nanodimer, which result from the strong coupling between the magnetic dipole in one nanocylinder and the electric dipole in another. It is shown that the intensities of the Fano resonances can be controlled by changing the polarization of the incident light, and the wavelengths of the resonances can be shifted by varying the separation of nanocylinders. And a broadband scattering response is also presented. These results concerning the ohmic loss-less, easily fabricated silicon nanodimer may have promising applications in wave filters, solar cells, biosensing, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile and effective synthesis of H2 or D2 from Pd/C catalyzed hydrolysis of B2pin2 has first been developed. Among them, B2pin2 is frequently used for borylation reaction, and has rarely been used for hydrogen evolution. The kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) and tandem reaction for diphenylacetylene and norbornene hydrogenation have confirmed both two H atoms of H2 gas are provided from H2O. This is contrary to other boron compounds hydrolysis (including NH3BH3, NaBH4), which generates H2 with only one H atom provided by water and the other one by boron compounds. Note that the hydrolysis of B2pin2 in D2O also provides an easy and useful synthesis of D2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Up to 50% of the adult human sinoatrial node (SAN) is composed of dense connective tissue. Cardiac diseases including heart failure (HF) may increase fibrosis within the SAN pacemaker complex, leading to impaired automaticity and conduction of electric activity to the atria. Unlike the role of cardiac fibroblasts in pathologic fibrotic remodeling and tissue repair, nothing is known about fibroblasts that maintain the inherently fibrotic SAN environment.Methods: Intact SAN pacemaker complex was dissected from cardioplegically arrested explanted nonfailing hearts (non-HF; n=22; 48.7±3.1 years of age) and human failing hearts (n=16; 54.9±2.6 years of age). Connective tissue content was quantified from Masson trichrome-stained head-center and center-tail SAN sections. Expression of extracellular matrix proteins, including collagens 1 and 3A1, CILP1 (cartilage intermediate layer protein 1), and POSTN (periostin), and fibroblast and myofibroblast numbers were quantified by in situ and in vitro immunolabeling. Fibroblasts from the central intramural SAN pacemaker compartment (≈10×5×2 mm3) and right atria were isolated, cultured, passaged once, and treated ± transforming growth factor β1 and subjected to comprehensive high-throughput next-generation sequencing of whole transcriptome, microRNA, and proteomic analyses.Results: Intranodal fibrotic content was significantly higher in SAN pacemaker complex from HF versus non-HF hearts (57.7±2.6% versus 44.0±1.2%; P<0.0001). Proliferating phosphorylated histone 3+/vimentin+/CD31- (cluster of differentiation 31) fibroblasts were higher in HF SAN. Vimentin+/α-smooth muscle actin+/CD31- myofibroblasts along with increased interstitial POSTN expression were found only in HF SAN. RNA sequencing and proteomic analyses identified unique differences in mRNA, long noncoding RNA, microRNA, and proteomic profiles between non-HF and HF SAN and right atria fibroblasts and transforming growth factor β1-induced myofibroblasts. Specifically, proteins and signaling pathways associated with extracellular matrix flexibility, stiffness, focal adhesion, and metabolism were altered in HF SAN fibroblasts compared with non-HF SAN.Conclusions: This study revealed increased SAN-specific fibrosis with presence of myofibroblasts, CILP1, and POSTN-positive interstitial fibrosis only in HF versus non-HF human hearts. Comprehensive proteotranscriptomic profiles of SAN fibroblasts identified upregulation of genes and proteins promoting stiffer SAN extracellular matrix in HF hearts. Fibroblast-specific profiles generated by our proteotranscriptomic analyses of the human SAN provide a comprehensive framework for future studies to investigate the role of SAN-specific fibrosis in cardiac rhythm regulation and arrhythmias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freezing damage is one of the main diseases of tunnels in cold regions. Water storage behind the lining is a necessary condition for freezing damage. Compared with the previous condition of uniform water storage behind the lining, this paper explores the influence of water storage and frost heave at different positions on tunnel structure in cold regions. Based on the theory of thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling. The finite element model of tunnel surrounding rock in cold area under different positions and different water content is established and compared by using COMSOL software, the mechanical characteristics of tunnel lining under different water storage positions behind the lining are studied, and the influence of frost heave at different positions on tunnel structure is explored. The numerical simulation results show that no matter where the local water storage area is located, the area with the largest frost heave force is located in the lining structure, close to the surrounding rock. Different local water storage positions will also have different influences on the tunnel structure. In the same water storage area, the frost heave force will increase with the decrease of temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we describe an R package named JMcmprsk, for joint modelling of longitudinal and survival data with competing risks. The package in its current version implements two joint models of longitudinal and survival data proposed to handle competing risks survival data together with continuous and ordinal longitudinal outcomes respectively (Elashoff et al., 2008; Li et al., 2010). The corresponding R implementations are further illustrated with real examples. The package also provides simulation functions to simulate datasets for joint modelling with continuous or ordinal outcomes under the competing risks scenario, which provide useful tools to validate and evaluate new joint modelling methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]