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Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients, leading to long-term physical, cognitive, and psychological impairments. Blood lactate and fibrinogen levels have emerged as potential biomarkers associated with tissue hypoperfusion and coagulation dysfunction, respectively. However, limited research has specifically focused on the significance of these biomarkers in pediatric TBI. This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of blood lactate and fibrinogen levels upon admission in pediatric patients with traumatic brain injury. Methods: The medical records of 80 children with a traumatic brain injury who were admitted from January 2017 to January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The two groups were compared according to whether the blood lactate in the admission arterial blood gas increased and the fibrinogen content in the coagulation function decreased. The clinical data of the children in the two groups were different, and then they were divided into a good prognosis group and a poor prognosis group according to the GOS prognostic score, and the differences in the clinical indicators of the two groups were compared. Results: Among the 80 patients, 33 had elevated blood lactate levels, 34 had decreased fibrinogen levels, and 29 had an unfavorable outcome (GOS < 4). Compared to the normal blood lactate group, there were no statistically significant differences in age, sex ratio, or platelet count in the elevated blood lactate group (P > 0.05). However, the elevated blood lactate group had lower Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores upon admission, higher blood lactate levels, lower fibrinogen levels, longer hospital stay, lower GOS scores, and a higher proportion of GOS < 4 (P < 0.05). Compared to the normal fibrinogen group, there were no statistically significant differences in age, sex ratio, or platelet count in the decreased fibrinogen group (P > 0.05). However, the decreased fibrinogen group had lower GCS scores upon admission, higher blood lactate levels, lower fibrinogen levels, longer hospital stays, lower GOS scores, and a higher proportion of GOS < 4 (P < 0.05). Compared to the favorable outcome group, there were no statistically significant differences in age, sex ratio, or platelet count in the unfavorable outcome group (P > 0.05). However, the unfavorable outcome group had lower GCS scores upon admission, higher blood lactate levels, lower fibrinogen levels, longer hospital stays, a higher incidence of pulmonary infection, a higher incidence of stress ulcers, and lower GOS scores (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The levels of blood lactate and fibrinogen may represent the severity of children with traumatic brain injury and may be risk factors for poor prognosis of children with traumatic brain injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical synthesis of 1H-indazoles via an intramolecular N(sp2)–H/N(sp3)–H coupling reaction at room temperature is first described. The transition metal-free electrochemical cyclization features the use of commercially available NH3 as the nitrogen source and a broad substrate scope, thus affording a wide range of substituted 1H-indazoles in moderate to good yields. Both the control experiments and mechanistic studies support the proposed reaction mechanism for this electrochemical cyclization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Diabetic neuropathic osteoarthropathy (DNOAP) is a rare and easily missed complication for diabetes that leads to increased morbidity and mortality. DNOAP is characterized by progressive destruction of bone and joint, but its pathogenesis remains elusive. We herein aimed to investigate the pathological features and pathogenesis of the cartilages damage in DNOAP patients. Methods. The articular cartilages of eight patients with DNOAP and eight normal controls were included. Masson staining and safranine O/fixed green staining (S-O) were used to observe the histopathological characteristics of cartilage. The ultrastructure and morphology of chondrocytes were detected by electron microscopy and toluidine blue staining. Chondrocytes were isolated from DNOAP group and control group. The expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand (RANKL), osteoprotegerin (OPG), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and Aggrecan protein was evaluated by western blot. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured using a 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) probe. The percentage of apoptotic cells was determined by flow cytometry (FCM). The chondrocytes were cultured with different glucose concentrations to observe the expression of RANKL and OPG. Results. Compared with the control group, the DNOAP group showed fewer chondrocytes, subchondral bone hyperplasia, and structural disorder, and a large number of osteoclasts formed in the subchondral bone area. Moreover, mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum swellings were observed in the DNOAP chondrocytes. The chromatin was partially broken and concentrated at the edge of nuclear membrane. The ROS fluorescence intensity of chondrocyte in DNOAP group was higher than that in normal control group (28.1 ± 2.3 vs. 11.9 ± 0.7 ; P < 0.05). The expression of RANKL, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 protein in DNOAP group was higher than that in normal control group, whereas OPG and Aggrecan protein were lower than that in normal control group (both P < 0.05). FCM showed that the apoptotic rate of chondrocyte in DNOAP group was higher than that in normal control group (P < 0.05). The RANKL/OPG ratio showed significant upward trend when the concentration of glucose was over than 15 mM. Conclusions. DNOAP patients tend to have severe destruction of articular cartilage and collapse of organelle structure including mitochondrion and endoplasm reticulum. Indicators of bone metabolism (RANKL and OPG) and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) play an important role in promoting the pathogenesis of DNOAP. The glucose concentration higher than 15 mM made the RANKL/OPG ratio change rapidly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the a priori regularity and symmetry of periodic traveling wave solutions to a class of weakly dispersive equations with cubic nonlinearity. We prove that any continuous periodic traveling wave solution of small amplitude is symmetric if it satisfies the reflection criterion proposed recently by Bruell and Pei. Moreover, we confirm that continuous periodic traveling waves with singular crests or troughs, which correspond to large‐amplitude waves, are also symmetric if some cancellation structure appears near the singular points or if the wave profile has only a single singular point per period. Included in the results as particular cases are periodic traveling waves with peak, cusp, or stump type singular structures. The argument and results also apply to dispersive equations with more general nonlinearity which is non‐smooth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate data used for dynamic energy simulation of buildings located in urban regions are usually collected in meteorological stations situated in rural areas, which do not accurately represent the urban microclimate (e.g., urban heat island effect), and this might affect the simulation accuracy. This paper aims at quantitatively evaluating the effects of heat island on a high-rise building's energy performance based on the microclimate simulation tool ENVI-met and the building energy simulation tool COMFIE. However, the computation of microclimate models is time consuming; it is not possible to simulate every day of a year in a reasonable time. This paper proposes a method that generates hourly "site-specific climate data" to avoid long microclimate simulation times. A coupling method of ENVI-met and COMFIE was developed for more precise building energy simulation, accounting for the heat island effect. It was applied to a high-rise building in Wuhan, China. The results showed that the yearly average urban heat island effect intensity at the height of 3 m was estimated to be 0.55 °C and decreased with height. Compared to the simulation considering the outdoor temperature variation with the height and orientation, using the original climate data collected in rural areas led to an overestimation of the heating load by around 5.8% and an underestimation of the cooling load by around 8.7%. Compared to the weather file at the height of 3 m near the north facade neglecting the temperature variation along the height, the heating load was overestimated by 8.2% and the cooling load was underestimated by 10.8%. The methods proposed in this paper can be used for the more precise application of urban building energy simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Of concern is the a priori symmetry of traveling wave solutions of a general class of nonlocal dispersive equations ut + (u2 + Lu)x = 0, where L is a Fourier multiplier operator with symbol m. Our analysis includes both homogeneous and inhomogeneous symbols. We characterize a large class of symbols m guaranteeing that periodic traveling wave solutions are symmetric under a mild assumption on the wave profle. In contrast with the classically imposed setting in the water wave problem which assumes traveling waves to have a unique crest and trough per period or a monotone structure near troughs, we formulate a refection criterion which does not presuppose a monotone structure on the wave profle. Thereby, the refection criterion enables us to treat a priori solutions with multiple crests of diferent size per period. Moreover, our result applies not only to smooth traveling wave solutions, but also to those with singular crests around which some cancellation structure appears, including in particular waves with peaks or cusps. The proof relies on a so-called touching lemma, which is related to a strong maximum principle for elliptic operators, and a weak form of the celebrated method of moving planes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For bidirectional CLLC resonant converters, synchronous rectification (SR) is a key technique that can reduce the conduction losses in rectifying side by replacing the diodes with the switches’ channel. However, existing methods suffer from either complex hardware, or incomplete and imprecise control effect. Aiming at solving these problems, this article proposes a digital sensorless SR algorithm based on the time-domain model under a hybrid modulation for CLLC converters. The proposed approach can precisely enable the SR drive action within almost the whole load range and without any additional hardware, e.g., antiparallel diode, SR IC, and high bandwidth sensor. Its implementation only needs to measure dc signals (e.g., the output current), rather than any high-frequency resonant signals. Additionally, the presented algorithm can be easily implemented on a digital controller. Finally, experiments have been performed on a prototype to verify the validity and applicability of the presented SR algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Rh(III)‐catalyzed C−H arylation reaction of N‐nitrosoanilines has been developed in which arylboronic acids were used as arylation reagents. It provides an efficient strategy for the synthesis of N‐nitroso‐[1,1′‐biphenyl]‐2‐amine, which is an important starting material for the synthesis of N‐hetero biaryl compounds, such as 2‐amine‐1,1′‐biphenyl, carbazole, phenanthridone. This protocol can be applied to various N‐alkyl substituted N‐nitrosoanilines and N‐nitrosoanilines with substituents on the phenyl ring. Arylboronic acids with both electron‐donating and electron‐withdrawing groups are tolerated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We improve the decay argument by Bona and Li (1997) [5] for solitary waves of general dispersive equations and illustrate it in the proof for the exponential decay of solitary waves to steady Degasperis-Procesi equation in the nonlocal formulation. In addition, we give a method which confirms the symmetry of solitary waves, including those of the maximum height. Finally, we discover how the symmetric structure is connected to the steady structure of solutions to the Degasperis-Procesi equation, and give a more intuitive proof for symmetric solutions to be traveling waves. The improved argument and new method above can be used for the decay rate of solitary waves to many other dispersive equations and will give new perspectives on symmetric solutions for general evolution equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An electrochemical sulfonylation reaction of styrenes was developed in which sodium arylsulfinates were used as sulfonylating reagents, a catalytic amount of KI was used as a redox mediator, and Bu4 NBF4 was used as the electrolyte. In addition to various styrenes, sodium arylsulfinates with either electron-donating or electron-withdrawing groups were tolerated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel electrochemical esterification of alkynes for the synthesis of esters was developed in which diols and their derivatives were used as the partners. This method is green as it is catalyst-free, oxidant-free, and additive-free and shows atom-economy. This is the first example of an electrochemical reaction via cleavage of carbon–carbon triple bonds. Meanwhile, this is also the first example of a carbon–carbon triple bond cleavage reaction of alkynes with diols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we give the complete classifications of isoparametric hypersurfaces in Randers space forms. By studying the principal curvatures of anisotropic submanifolds in a Randers space (N, F) with the navigation data (h, W), we find that a Randers space form (N, F, dµBH) and the corresponding Riemannian space (N, h) have the same isoparametric hypersurfaces, but in general, their isoparametric functions are different. We give a necessary and sufficient condition for an isoparametric function of (N, h) to be isoparametric on (N, F, dµBH), from which we get some examples of isoparametric functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reported here is the development of a class of chiral spirosilabiindane scaffolds by Rh‐catalyzed asymmetric double hydrosilation, for the first time. Enantiopure SPSiOL (spirosilabiindane diol), a new type of chiral building block for the preparation of various chiral ligands and catalysts, was readily prepared on greater than 10 gram scale using this protocol. The potential of this new spirosilabiindane scaffold in asymmetric catalysis was preliminarily demonstrated by development of the corresponding monodentate phosphoramidite ligands (SPSiPhos), which were used in both a Rh‐catalyzed hydrogenation and a Pd‐catalyzed intramolecular carboamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reported here is the development of a class of chiral spirosilabiindane scaffolds by Rh‐catalyzed asymmetric double hydrosilation, for the first time. Enantiopure SPSiOL (spirosilabiindane diol), a new type of chiral building block for the preparation of various chiral ligands and catalysts, was readily prepared on greater than 10 gram scale using this protocol. The potential of this new spirosilabiindane scaffold in asymmetric catalysis was preliminarily demonstrated by development of the corresponding monodentate phosphoramidite ligands (SPSiPhos), which were used in both a Rh‐catalyzed hydrogenation and a Pd‐catalyzed intramolecular carboamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the initial-value problem for the bidirectional Whitham equation, a system which combines the full two-way dispersion relation from the incompressible Euler equations with a canonical shallow-water nonlinearity. We prove local well-posedness in classical Sobolev spaces, using a square-root type transformation to symmetrise the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies the Cauchy problem for systems of semi-linear wave equations on R3+1 with nonlinear terms satisfying the null conditions. We construct future global-in-time classical solutions with arbitrarily large initial energy. The choice of the large Cauchy initial data is inspired by Christodoulou's characteristic initial data in his work [ 2 ] on formation of black holes. The main innovation of the current work is that we discovered a relaxed energy ansatz which allows us to prove decay-in-time-estimate. Therefore, the new estimates can also be applied in studying the Cauchy problem for Einstein equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a stationary and axisymmetric spacetime, the vacuum Einstein field equations reduce to a single nonlinear PDE in two dimensions called the Ernst equation. By solving this equation with a Dirichlet boundary condition imposed along the disk, Neugebauer and Meinel in the 1990s famously derived an explicit expression for the spacetime metric corresponding to the Bardeen–Wagoner uniformly rotating disk of dust. In this paper, we consider a similar boundary value problem for a rotating disk in which a Neumann boundary condition is imposed along the disk instead of a Dirichlet condition. Using the integrable structure of the Ernst equation, we are able to reduce the problem to a Riemann–Hilbert problem on a genus one Riemann surface. By solving this Riemann–Hilbert problem in terms of theta functions, we obtain an explicit expression for the Ernst potential. Finally, a Riemann surface degeneration argument leads to an expression for the associated spacetime metric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Zinc Finger Protein 281 (ZNF281) was recently identified as a novel oncogene in several human carcinomas. However, the clinical significance of ZNF281 in colorectal cancer (CRC) and the molecular mechanisms by which ZNF281 promotes the growth and metastasis of CRC remain unknown. Methods: ZNF281 expression in CRC tissues was assessed, and the outcomes were analyzed to determine the clinical importance of ZNF281 expression. Cell Transwell assays and a wound healing assay were performed to assess the effects of ZNF281 on CRC cell migration and invasion in vitro. Western blotting was applied to analyze the potential mechanisms. Results: ZNF281 mRNA and protein levels were significantly increased in CRC tissues compared with normal colon tissues, and high ZNF281 expression was associated with advanced T stage, N stage, TNM stage and differentiation. Therefore, ZNF281 expression might be an independent prognostic indicator in CRC patients. Moreover, knockdown of ZNF281 expression suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Conclusion: Our study indicates that ZNF281 plays a critical role in the progression and metastasis of CRC and could represent a potential therapeutic target for CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sonchus species (Asteraceae) is a class of edible wild plant, with 50 known species widely distributed in Europe, Asia, and Africa. In recent years, researchers worldwide have studied the potential of this species as a crop for humans and animals. Sonchus species also has many pharmacological activities. Studies have been conducted to understand the applications of the genus, and their results indicated the potential utilization of Sonchus species. This review aimed to compile the scientific information in the literature on Sonchus species, including its potential nutrient, medicinal and feed uses, and to identify possible future applications of this plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incomplete building information in delivery and the lack of compatible tools for Operation and Maintenance (O & M) have hindered the development of the intelligent management of Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) systems. In fact, the information related to the O & M management of the MEP system conventionally comes from the completion documents in the forms of hard copies or unstructured digital files, making it hard to search for useful information in the “sea” of documents and drawings. Therefore, digitalization of information is an urgent task to facilitate the intelligent management of the MEP system. As a project deliverable, the as-built information model shall not only contain geometrical information and necessary construction-related data, but also built-in information useful for the intelligent O & M management. In the present study, based on the Building Information Modeling/Model (BIM) technology, a set of solutions including the automatic establishment of the logic chain for MEP systems, an equipment grouping and labeling scheme and an algorithm to transform BIM information to GIS map model, is proposed to digitalize and integrate the MEP-related information into the as-built model. Subsequently, a cross-platform O & M management system is developed using the MEP-related information in the as-built model to run routine O & M tasks and to effectively response to MEP-related emergencies. The developed system is applied to aid the O & M management of MEP engineering in a real project, showing that the developed system facilitates the intelligent O & M management and guarantees the security of the MEP system and its subsystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of mesogen-jacketed liquid crystalline polymers (MJLCPs) with polynorbornene as the main chain and cholesteryl mesogenic units at the ends of the side chain, PNb n Chol ( n = 1, 3, 5, which is the number of benzene rings in the rigid side-chain core), were prepared by ring-opening metathesis polymerization. The phase behaviors of the polymers were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, polarized light microscopy, and one-dimensional/two-dimensional X-ray scattering. The polymer with one benzene as the rigid core in the side chain shows only a smectic phase with interdigitated packing of cholesteryl units at low temperatures and is amorphous at high temperatures. While polymers containing three or five benzenes in the rigid side-chain core provide two different SmA phases at different temperatures, a smectic phase with double-layer-like packing of cholesteryl units at low temperatures and the smectic phase with interdigitated packing of cholesteryl units at high temperatures. The introduction of cholesteryl to MJLCPs can fabricate precisely controlled sub-10 nm scale ordered structures that can be maintained at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to progress towards more energy efficient buildings, vertical ground coupled heat pumps are a promising solution. Optimisation of both the design and operation of boreholes heat exchangers is a key factor to reduce energy consumption of such systems. This requires a fast evaluation of the thermal response factor of the ground heat exchanger, particularly if it contains numerous boreholes and operates for multiple years. To overcome this challenge, this article reports a new global model combining the finite line source (FLS) model, the two-dimensional (2D) heat conduction equation, and a newly developed three-points method. The borehole field is sorted in increasing distance categories, each being simulated with varying timesteps. The 2D heat conduction equation is used to determine: 1) when the detailed calculation needs to be performed; and 2) the growth of the timestep. A three-points method avoiding double integration of the temperature profiles is proposed to evaluate the borehole wall temperature. The global model calculation time and accuracy were evaluated. The thermal response factor calculation for a square field of 26 × 26 boreholes for one simulated year took 4 s, showing a calculation time reduction factor of around 1,000,000, and relative errors smaller than 2 % compared to the original FLS model with superposition principle. For 20 simulated years, the proposed model took only 1 min. It is appropriate for various boreholes configurations. Its features such as accuracy, speed and load-independency are essential for its integration into building energy simulation tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel palladium-catalyzed C-7 selective CH carbonylation of indolines with carbon monoxide for an expedient synthesis of pyrroloquinazolinediones, a structural motif with great potential in biologically active compounds, has been developed. Oxidation of the pyrroloquinazolinedione with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano- p-benzoquinone (DDQ) could easily afford the corresponding indole-based derivative in excellent yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One major reason for the failure of advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment is the occurrence of chemoresistance to fluoropyrimidine (FU)-based chemotherapy. Various reports showed that ectopic expression and function of microRNAs (miRNAs) played key roles to mediate apoptosis at the post-transcriptional level. To further explore the possible mechanisms, we evaluated the prognostic effect of miR-218 in patients with CRC receiving 5-FU-based treatment and investigated the proapoptotic role of miR-218 in vitro. Primary tumour specimens and adjacent non-tumour sites were used to determine miR-218 expression distribution and explore its potential prognostic value in response to 5-FU-based treatment in patients with CRC. HCT116 and HT29 cells were transfected with precursor miR-218 or negative control, followed by assays to investigate its influence on apoptosis, cell proliferation and pathways involved in molecular mechanisms of chemoresistance to 5-FU. Results showed that high miR-218 expression was associated with positive response to firstline 5-FU treatment in CRC patients. MiR-218 promoted apoptosis, inhibited cell proliferation and caused cell cycle arrest in CRC cells by suppressing BIRC5 expression. Furthermore, miR-218 enhanced 5-FU cytotoxicity in CRC cells by suppressing the 5-FU targeted enzyme, thymidylate synthase (TS). In conclusion, we demonstrated that high miR-218 expression had a positive prognostic value in 5-FU-based treatments for CRC patients and discovered a novel mechanism mediated by miR-218 to promote apoptosis and to function synergistically with 5-FU to promote chemosensitivity by suppressing BIRC5 and TS in CRC. These suggest the unique potential of miR-218 as a novel candidate for developing miR-218-based therapeutic strategies in CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel Pd-catalyzed direct C(sp3)–H carbonylationof alkylamines for the synthesis of γ-lactams and γ-aminoacids has been developed, in which TEMPO was used as the crucial soleoxidant. The synthetic prospect was demonstrated by the concise totalsynthesis of rac-Pregbalin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to isolate rabbit adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and explore the potential of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the chondrogenic differentiation of ADSCs, thereby potentially providing a new approach for the repair and regeneration of cartilage injury. Rabbit ADSCs were isolated and characterized by induction towards adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages in vitro. The isolated ADSCs were also cultured with or without 10% PRP. Immunofluorescence staining, toluidine blue staining and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used to detect type II collagen (Col II) and aggrecan (AGC) expression. Col II immunofluorescence staining and toluidine blue staining indicated that following induction by autologous PRP, ADSCs manifested Col II and AGC expression. The expression of Col II and AGC mRNA was significantly upregulated in the PRP-treated cells when compared with that in control cells. Autologous PRP produced by laboratory centrifugation was able to promote the chondrogenic differentiation of rabbit ADSCs in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem of the deformation of the shape of pump bush, the relationship between temperature and bush shape, the way to refine the shape of bush and the factors that influence the shrinkage of bush were investigated. The temperature field of the bush was simulated through Finite Element Analysis by combining the temperature field and the structure field. The results show that the more differences between the vulcanization temperature and working temperature, the greater deformation of the bushing, the deformation of head is small, while the deformation of waist is large. By reducing the size of waist could ease the influence of temperature change, thus the size accuracy of the pump bush is refined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior to this work, the existence of crustal materials older than 4.0 Ga has not been reported from the North China Craton (NCC) – one of the few global terrains where crustal rocks from ∼3.8 Ga have been identified. Here we report the first occurrence of a xenocrystic zircon with a207Pb/206Pb age of 4174 ± 48 Ma, from the Anshan–Benxi Archaean supracrustal greenstone belt, based on laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry. The 4.17 Ga zircon xenocryst is hosted within ∼2523 ± 12 Ma massive fine-grained amphibolites which were subsequently metamorphosed at ∼2481 ± 19 Ma. The xenocryst age is ca. 350 million years, older than the oldest zircon previously identified in the NCC, and is consistent with prior zircon Lu–Hf isotopic studies. Documentation of 4.17 Ga xenocrystal zircon not only provided a geochronological record of the oldest known crustal materials in the NCC, but also identified the geologic environment for further search for the rocks that formed during Earth’s earliest recorded evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted bulk-rock geochemical and zircon U–Pb–Hf isotope analyses of gneissic granites from the northern Jiamusi Massif, in order to investigate their sources, petrogenesis, and geodynamic significance. Zircons contain fine-scale oscillatory zoning with high Th/U ratios (0.12–0.80), indicative of a magmatic origin. U–Pb dating indicates that they formed during the middle Permian (264 ± 4.2 Ma to 268.6 ± 0.81 Ma), and contain a 531 Ma inherited zircon core. The gneissic granites have high contents of K2O + Na2O and Al2O3, and low MgO and CaO. With A/CNK ratios of 1.01–1.11, they are classified as peraluminous calc-alkaline to alkaline S-type syn-collisional granites. Enriched in large ion lithophile elements such as K, Rb, Ba, and Th, they are depleted in high field strength elements such as Nb, Ta, and Ti. Bulk-rock geochemical analyses display moderately negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu*) of 0.36–0.52, and (La/Yb)Nratios of 13.24–29.51.In situHf analyses of zircon gave ϵHf(t) values of –0.1 to –3.2 and crustal average model ages () of 1.35–1.4 Ga. These data suggest that the gneissic granites formed by partial melting of Mesoproterozoic continental crust during a middle Permian collisional event. Hf isotopes indicate the substantial presence of Mesoproterozoic juvenile crust in the northern Jiamusi Massif, derived from depleted mantle that underwent crustal contamination at 1.4–1.35 Ga. The Jiamusi Massif provides a local record of the assimilation and subsequent rifting of the Rodinia–Gondwana supercontinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ewing sarcomas/peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors ( ES/ pPNET) are extremely rare in the vulva. A review of the literature reveals only 14 previously reported possible cases. Here we reported a case of primary extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma ( EES) of the vulva in a 37-year-old woman. Characteristic histologic features of ES/ pPNET were present in this case, including a monomorphic population of small round blue cells with cytoplasmic glycogen confirmed by periodic acid- Schiff, membrane staining with CD99 and nuclear staining with FLI-1. After surgery, the patient was found to have pulmonary metastasis and then received six cycles of polychemotherapy. She is still alive with stable disease after 1 year of follow up. Our findings underline the crucial role of immunohistochemical techniques in the differential diagnosis of small round cell tumors in these unusual locations. We also give a summary about the clinical and pathological features of the primary ES/ pPNET in the vulva reported previously in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant cetuximab, capecitabine, and radiotherapy for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Methods: Sixty-three eligible patients were selectively enrolled in this study. Neoadjuvant treatment consisted of cetuximab and capecitabine for 6 weeks and radiotherapy for 5 weeks. Surgical resection was performed 6-8 weeks after the completion of neoadjuvant treatment. KRAS mutation statuses were analyzed retrospectively after the cetuximab treatment. All the patients underwent a standardized postoperative follow-up for at least 3 years. Results: A pathological complete response (pCR) was achieved in eight patients (12.7 %). Overall down-staging was found in 49 patients (77.8 %). The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate and overall survival (OS) rate was 76.2 % and 81.0 %, respectively. The most common adverse events during neoadjuvant treatment were acneiform skin rash (82.5 %), radiodermatitis (46.0 %), and diarrhea (36.5 %). KRAS mutations were detected in 19 of 63 (31.2 %) tumors. The down-staging rate in patients with KRAS wild-type (WT) was significantly higher than patients with KRAS mutation ( P = 0.020). There was no significant difference in the pCR rate, 3-year DFS rate or 3-year OS rate between KRAS WT patients and KRAS-mutated patients. Conclusion: Neoadjuvant treatment with cetuximab and capecitabine-based chemoradiotherapy is safe and well tolerated. The pCR rate, 3-year DFS rate and OS rate are not superior to the rate of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy using two or more cytotoxic agents. The KRAS WT is highly associated with tumor down-staging to cetuximab plus capecitabine-based CRT in patients with LARC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive understanding of gene function and the production of site-specific genetically modified mutants are two major goals of genetic engineering in the post-genomic era. Although site-specific recombination systems have been powerful tools for genome manipulation of many organisms, they have not yet been established for use in the manipulation of the silkworm Bombyx mori genome. In this study, we achieved site-specific excision of a target gene at predefined chromosomal sites in the silkworm using a FLP/FRT site-specific recombination system. We first constructed two stable transgenic target silkworm strains that both contain a single copy of the transgene construct comprising a target gene expression cassette flanked by FRT sites. Using pre-blastoderm microinjection of a FLP recombinase helper expression vector, 32 G3 site-specific recombinant transgenic individuals were isolated from five of 143 broods. The average frequency of FLP recombinase-mediated site-specific excision in the two target strains genome was approximately 3.5%. This study shows that it is feasible to achieve site-specific recombination in silkworms using the FLP/FRT system. We conclude that the FLP/FRT system is a useful tool for genome manipulation in the silkworm. Furthermore, this is the first reported use of the FLP/FRT system for the genetic manipulation of a lepidopteran genome and thus provides a useful reference for the establishment of genome manipulation technologies in other lepidopteran species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), equine infectious anaemia virus (EIAV) belongs to the lentivirus genus. The first successful lentiviral vaccine was developed for EIAV. Thus, EIAV may serve as a valuable model for HIV vaccine research. EIAV glycoprotein 45 (gp45) plays a similar role to gp41 in HIV by mediating virus-host membrane fusion. The gp45 ectodomain was constructed according to the structure of HIV gp41, with removal of the disulfide-bond loop region. The protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and crystallized following purification. However, most of the crystals grew as aggregates and could not be used for data collection. By extensively screening hundreds of crystals, a 2.7 Å resolution data set was collected from a single crystal. The crystal belonged to space group P63, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 46.84, c = 101.61 Å, α = β = 90, γ = 120°. Molecular replacement was performed using the coordinates of various lengths of HIV gp41 as search models. A long bent helix was identified and a well defined electron-density map around the long helix was obtained. This primary model provided the starting point for further refinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A new heteropolysaccharide with a molecular weight of 1.94×104 Da, HEPF1, was isolated from the fruiting bodies of Hericium erinaceus. It is composed of fucose, galactose and glucose in the ratio of 1:4:1, as well as a minor proportion of 3-O-methyl rhamnose. Sugar analyses, methylation analysis, together with 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy established that HEPF1 has a (1→6)-linked α-d-galactopyranosyl backbone with branches that are composed of fucose attached to O-2; it also contains 6-O-substituted-β-d-oligoglucosyl units and a minor terminal 3-O-methyl rhamnose residue. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Herein, we first report an electrochemical methodology for the site-selective alkylation of azobenzenes with (thio)xanthenes in the absence of any transition metal catalyst or external oxidant. A variety of groups are compatible with this electrochemical alkylation, which furnishes the products in moderate to good yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An electrochemical oxidation-induced amination of simple alkylarenes with sulfoximines as a nitrogen source and 5,6-dimethyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazole as a catalyst under mild conditions was developed. This protocol represents a rare example of benzylic C–H functionalization of alkylarenes that involves the electrochemical generation of N-center radical, providing access to a range of corresponding aminated products in moderate to good yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has emerged as a potential novel biomarker to predict molecular residual disease (MRD) in lung cancer after definitive treatment. Herein, we investigated the value of ctDNA in prognosing risk of relapse and monitoring the effect of adjuvant therapy in surgical non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We enrolled 58 NSCLC patients in a real-world setting, and 58 tumor tissues and 325 plasma samples were analyzed. Tumor tissues and plasma samples were subjected to targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) of 1021 cancer-related and ultra-deep targeted NGS covering 338 genes, respectively. Results: ctDNA was detected in 31.0% of cases at the first postoperative time, which was associated with advanced tumor stage, T stage and KEAP1 or GRIN2A mutations in tissues. ctDNA positivity at landmark and longitudinal indicated the shorter disease-free survival. For patients with ctDNA positivity at the first postoperative time, regardless of adjuvant therapy, all patients who were persistently ctDNA positive during postoperative surveillance had disease recurrence. Among the patients who were ctDNA negative, only two patients (15.4%, 2/13) receiving adjuvant therapy relapsed, while one patient (50.0%, 1/2) without adjuvant therapy relapsed. For the first postoperative ctDNA negative patients, the recurrence rate of patients with adjuvant therapy was and higher than without adjuvant therapy (22.6% [7/31] vs. 11.1% [1/9]). The patients who became ctDNA positive may also benefit from intervention therapy. Conclusion: Postoperative ctDNA is a prognostic marker, and ctDNA-detection may facilitate personalized adjuvant therapy, and applying adjuvant therapy to the patients with detectable ctDNA could bring clinical benefits for them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the increasing interest in China's development assistance for health (DAH) in African countries, little is known regarding the distribution and determinants of China's DAH project allocation among the principle subdivisions (provinces & states) within African countries. Methods: We mapped the distribution of China's DAH projects in 670 principle subdivisions of 50 African countries during 2006–2015 using web-based information. The political, demographic, health and socioeconomic indicators of DAH allocation were analyzed using conditional logistic regression models. The national capital city and political leader's birth place were selected as the main political indicators, and health indicators were selected according to different fields of the DAH projects. Results: China's DAH projects (mainly China medical teams [CMTs], hospitals and anti-malaria centers) were mostly allocated to the western and eastern coasts of Africa, although CMTs were also dispatched to northern Africa. National capital cities were significantly associated with the allocation of China's DAH projects (P < 0.001). Anti-malaria centers were more likely to be allocated to principle subdivisions with larger populations (OR = 1.35), and CMTs were allocated to subdivisions with high population densities (OR = 79.01). No health-related indicators were identified to affect project allocation except for the facility delivery rate and under-five mortality rate, which were associated with hospital allocation. We also found an association between CMT allocation and the use of artemisinin-based combination therapy in children. Conclusions: Allocation of China's DAH projects is strongly affected by political and demographic factors. Implementation of China's new DAH projects should target health and socio-economic indicators and impact metrics in scaling up tailored and cost-effective programs in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two types of turquoise, including homogeneous Cu-rich turquoise and oscillatory zoned turquoiseplanerite series, are recognized in association with quartz-barite veins hosted by Cambrian carbonaceous slates from western Hubei Province of China. Combined fluid inclusion and Raman micro-spectroscopic data reveal that turquoise-bearing barite-quartz veins contain three types of fluid inclusions (pure CH4-N2, carbonic-aqueous, and aqueous), suggesting the responsible fluid is of carbonic-aqueous composition with low oxygen fugacity. Pressure-corrected homogenization temperatures in quartz and barite show a range from 325 to 485 °C and 186 to 391 °C, respectively. Carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen isotopic data suggest that the mineral-forming fluids have a mixed metamorphic-organic affinity, in which the fluids have δ18O and δD values of 15.0 to 18.8‰ and –111 to –93‰, respectively. Generally, the formation of quartz-barite-turquoise veins could be triggered by prior metamorphic devolatilization, followed by the interaction of fluids with country rocks enriched in carbonaceous material, which resulted in the leaching of Cu, Fe, P, and Al from chalcopyrite, pyrite, magnetite, monazite, xenotime, apatite, feldspar, and muscovite in the wall rocks. Decomposition of the organic matter in the carbonaceous slates, caused by regional metamorphism and deformation, could also promote the concentration and transportation of necessary metals for the turquoise. Thus, we propose a new model and suggest that the turquoise gem deposits in western Hubei Province of China belong to the non-magmatic hydrothermal vein type deposit, not the previously proposed supergene origin. The turquoise-forming fluids were characterized by the coexistence of two immiscible fluids of non-magmatic affinity (i.e., moderate to high-temperature and low-salinity aqueous fluid and pure CH4-N2 fluid formed by interaction with carbonaceous slates). The bluish green homogeneous turquoise in the metamorphic quartz-barite-turquoise veins evolved toward the turquoise-planerite solid solution series as the metal-leaching capability of the aqueous fluids decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unique plant-derived cyclic peptides family exhibiting various key biological activities has great possibility for anticancer therapy. In this study, we investigated the effects of orbitides isolated from flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) on the growth of SGC-7901 cancer cells and the potential mechanism. Results showed that flaxseed orbitides killed off cancer cells by inducing apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, which was confirmed by the appearance of nuclear shrinkage and DNA fragmentation, and the inhibitory effect was stronger than that of pure orbitide [1–9-NαC]-linusorb B2 or [1–9-NαC]-linusorb B3. Besides, the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway-related protein cytochrome C (Cyt C) was released from mitochondria to cytosol, associated with the activation of caspases 9 and 3, and the cleavage of PARP. Taken together, these results indicated that flaxseed orbitides induced apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway, releasing Cyt C, increasing Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and elevating the expression of cleaved caspase 9 and 3 in SGC-7901 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alignment is indispensable for the foot and ankle function, especially in the hindfoot alignment. In the preoperative planning of patients with varus or valgus deformity, the precise measurement of the hindfoot alignment is important. A new method of photographing and measuring hindfoot alignment based on X-ray was proposed in this study, and it was applied in the assessment of flatfoot. Methods: This study included 28 patients (40 feet) with flatfeet and 20 volunteers (40 feet) from January to December 2018. The hindfoot alignment shooting stand independently designed by our department was used to take hindfoot alignment X-rays at 10 degree, 15 degree, 20 degree, 25 degree, and 30 degree. We measured the modified tibio-hindfoot angle (THA) at the standard hindfoot aligment position (shooting at 20 degree) and evaluated consistency with the van Dijk method and the modified van Dijk method. In addition, we observed the visibility of the tibiotalar joint space from all imaging data at five projection angles and evaluated the consistency of the modified THA method at different projection angles. The angle of hindfoot valgus of flatfoot patients was measured using the modified THA method. Results: The mean THA in the standard hindfoot aligment view in normal people was significantly different among the three evaluation methods (P <.001). The results from the modified THA method were significantly larger than those from the Van Dijk method (P <.001) and modified Van Dijk method (P <.001). There was no significant difference between the results of the modified THA method and the weightbearing CT (P =.605), and the intra- and intergroup consistency were the highest in the modified THA group. The tibiotalar space in the normal group was visible in all cases at 10 degree, 15 degree, and 20 degree; visible in some cases at 25 degree; and not visible in all cases at 30 degree. In the flatfoot group, the tibiotalar space was visible in all cases at 10 degree, visible in some cases at 15 degree and 20 degree, and not visible in all cases at 25 degree and 30 degree. In the normal group, the modified THA was 4.84 ± 1.81 degree at 10 degree, 4.96 ± 1.77 degree at 15 degree, and 4.94 ± 2.04 degree at 20 degree. No significant differences were found among the three groups (P =.616). In the flatfoot group, the modified THA of 18 feet, which was visible at 10 degree, 15 degree and 20 degree, was 13.58 ± 3.57 degree at 10 degree, 13.62 ± 3.83 degree at 15 degree and 13.38 ± 4.06 degree at 20 degree. There were no significant differences among the three groups (P =.425). Conclusions: The modified THA evaluation method is simple to use and has high inter- and intragroup consistency. It can be used to evaluate hindfoot alignment. For patients with flatfeet, the 10 degree position view and modified THA measurement can be used to evaluate hindfoot valgus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysaccharides are a major class of biomacromolecules. Their bioactivities depend on chemical structure, which includes monosaccharide composition, linkages below sugar residues, and solution conformation. Many researchers report that chemical modifications of polysaccharides lead to a significantly increase in the structural diversity, promoting bioactivity and even add new bioactivities, including antioxidant and anti-tumor properties as well as anticoagulant and immunoregulatory activities. This paper reviews the recent progress of chemical modification of polysaccharides, including i) the common synthetic methods of chemical modification; ii) their structural characterization; iii) their bioactivities; and iv) the structure activity relationships of these modified polysaccharides. This review also suggests future directions for researchers and new applications for chemically modified polysaccharide derivatives in the pharmaceutical and food industries. • Chemically modified polysaccharides of the past two decades of online review research. • These generalizations are better for people to understand the research status of chemical modified polysaccharides. • This review suggests future directions and new applications for researchers and in the pharmaceutical and food industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mild, visible-light-induced, regioselective cascade sulfonylation-cyclization of 1,5-dienes with sulfonyl chlorides through the intermolecular radical addition/cyclization of alkenes C(sp2)-H was developed. This procedure proceeds well and affords a mild and efficient route to a range of monosulfonylated pyrrolin-2-ones at room temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A unique electrochemical four-component reaction of terminal alkynes, (thio)xanthenes, nitriles, and water has been established in the absence of any catalyst or external oxidant. This electrochemical reaction features high atom economy and mild conditions, affording oxazole derivatives in moderate to good yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reaction tolerates multiple substituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthetic utility of the method is demonstrated by its application in the synthesis of racemic pregabalin (IVa). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with decay and symmetry properties of solitary-wave solutions to a nonlocal shallow-water wave model. An exponential decay result for supercritical solitary-wave solutions is given. Moreover, it is shown that all such solitary-wave solutions are symmetric and monotone on either side of the crest. The proof is based on the method of moving planes. Furthermore, a close relation between symmetric and traveling-wave solutions is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report a rare catalyst-free electrochemical cross-coupling of benzylic C–H bonds with organotrifluoroborates, which readily proceeds at room temperature and provides a unique protocol for forging C(sp3)–C(sp3), C(sp3)–C(sp2) and C(sp3)–C(sp) bonds. In particular, this work discloses the dual role of organotrifluoroborates serving both as a coupling partner and an electrolyte in C(sp3)–H functionalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of this study is to examine the application value of two‐dimensional (2D) and high‐definition live (HDlive) flow combined with spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) in diagnosing fetal total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC). Methods: Seventeen cases of fetal TAPVC were diagnosed using 2D and HDlive Flow combined with STIC. These cases were then retrospectively analyzed to examine the value of using 2D and HDlive Flow combined with STIC in the diagnosis of TAPVC. Results: 2D and HDlive Flow combined with STIC detected 13 cases of supracardiac TAPVC (two isolated cases, seven cases with right atrial isomerism (RAI), four cases with other complex malformations), one case of isolated intra‐cardiac TAPVC, and three cases of cardiac TAPVC (two isolated cases and one case with complex congenital heart anomaly). Small left atrium (LA), the absence of PVs drainage into the LA and the increased retroatrial distance between LA and the descending aorta (DAo) were significant signs that should raise the suspicion of fetal TAPVC. HDlive Flow combined with STIC can dynamically display the TAPVC which may assit the prenatal diagnosis of TAPVC. Conclusion: 2D and HDlive Flow combined with STIC can assit the diagnosis of fetal TAPVC abnormalities and has important clinical value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bidirectional CLLC resonant converter has distinguished potential in battery chargers and energy storage systems for its advantages in soft switching and bidirectional power flow capability. However, traditional CLLC converters generally adopt symmetrical design to maintain bidirectional symmetrical characteristics, which means the secondary LC network is designed to be equal to the primary LC network after reflection. The symmetrical design is only suitable for voltage grade matching scenarios where a wide voltage range is not required, such as CLLC-type dc transformers. Whereas in the field of bidirectional chargers, due to the wide voltage range of battery, there are significant differences in the characteristics required between charging and discharging mode, which makes symmetrical design no longer applicable. To cope with this issue, this paper proposes a novel design methodology of CLLC based on parameter equivalent and time domain model. With the parameter equivalent principle, the CLLC resonant tank with arbitrary parameters is investigated to satisfy the requirements of wide voltage range for bidirectional charger application. Compared with the symmetrical design, the proposed method can meet the requirements of bidirectional gain within preset frequency range and guarantee the achievement of zero-voltage switching under required load conditions with the minimum reactive power. In addition, the area product capacity of the magnetic part of the CLLC resonant tank is minimized based on the parameter equivalent principle. Finally, experiments have been performed on a 1 kW prototype to confirm the validity and feasibility of the proposed design methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]