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To deeply understand the negative impact of circumferential inlet distortion on the internal flow of the compressor, by using the unsteady force testing technique of a rotor blade surface under a rotating coordinate system, the pressure fluctuations on the rotor blade surface are successfully captured when the rotor blade rotates through the distortion region. Results show that the pressure on the suction surface increases and the inlet angle of attack decreases before the rotor blade enters the distorted region. The pressure difference between the pressure and suction surface is obviously enhanced, thereby sharply increasing the blade load and intensifying the flow separation, which is easy to induce instability. When the rotor blade rotates out of the distortion region, the pressure on the suction surface is still low; thus, the inlet angle of attack in this position is larger than before entering the distorted region. It also shows that the outlet of the distorted region is prone to trigger stall. In addition, the dynamic spectrum characteristics of unsteady forces on the blade surface demonstrate that the energy of the rotor frequency and its harmonics increases significantly and the energy of low frequency disturbance is enhanced when the rotor blade rotates through the distorted region. As a result, the vibration is more obvious in the distorted region, especially the energy of natural vibration frequency of the rotor blade is enhanced. When the compressor stalls, the vibration at the rotor blade root is intensified, which is significantly stronger than at the rotor blade tip. It provides support for evaluating the influence of stall and surge on the lifecycle of rotor blade when suffering from circumferential inlet distortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel acetyl acetonate (Ni(acac)2), a metal-organic compound, was directly dispersed in base oils alkylated naphthalene (AN-5), diisooctyl sebacate (DIOS), poly-α-olefin (PAO6), and mineral oil (liquid hydrocarbon mixtures:150 N) in the presence of commercial dispersant RF1151 (monoallyl poly(isobutylene succinimide). The tribological properties of the lubricants were tested with a four-ball friction and wear tester. The friction-induced in-situ formation of carbon films on rubbed steel surfaces under the catalysis of Ni(acac)2 was investigated, and the as-formed carbon films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that Ni(acac)2 added in the base oils can decompose to form metallic nickel to form nickel layer on the rubbed metal sub-surfaces and catalyze the degradation of the base oil molecules adsorbed to form carbon-based tribofilms. The carbon film formed from AN-5 with aromatic ring structure has a high degree of graphitization and the best friction-reducing and antiwear abilities, and those formed from PAO6 and 150 N with linear structure have a low degree of graphitization as well as good tribological properties. Under the lubrication of DIOS with Ni(acac)2, however, there is no carbon film formation while the tribological properties of the lubricant are relatively poor, due to the absence of the catalytic metallic nickel and nickel oxide layer on the rubbed metal sub-surface. Thanks to the catalytic effect of metallic nickel released from Ni(acac)2 for the degradation of various base oils with different molecular structure, the present approach could provide a rational pathway to tune the in-situ formation of carbon-based tribofilm on rubbed steel surfaces so as to effectively reduce the friction and wear of steel-steel sliding pair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syncollisional magmatism plays an important but underappreciated role in continental crust growth and maturation. However, the origin of syncollisional intermediate magmas in continental subduction zones is controversial, with some models suggesting they form by arc-related processes, and others indicating they form by later slab breakoff-induced melting. Diorite porphyry dikes intruding granitic gneiss in the Paleo-Tethyan Sulu ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) continental collisional orogen have inherited zircon grains with 206Pb/238U ages of ca. 749-238 Ma, and magmatic zircons with weighted mean ages of 216-215 Ma, falling within the well-constrained time range (ca. 235-208 Ma) tracking exhumation of the Sulu UHP rocks from UHP peak conditions to amphibolite facies; they are thus syncollisional. The dikes have high Cr (330-402 ppm), Ni (84.5-103 ppm), and Mg# (64-66) values, showing a mantle origin. The porphyries have relatively high Sm/Yb, Nb/Y, La/Yb, and Gd/Yb ratios, representing a classic signature of slab breakoff magmatism. Together with the arc-like traceelement patterns and enriched Sr-Nd isotope compositions, ages, and εHf(t) values (-19.5 to -17.0) of magmatic zircons and their tectonic setting, we propose a syncollisional slab breakoff model in which the melts were initially generated from asthenospheric upwelling in the gap created when the oceanic slab attached to the Yangtze craton detached underneath the North China craton during Late Triassic collision following Paleo-Tethys Ocean closure. The diorite porphyry dikes have consistent Sr-Nd isotope compositions and spatiotemporal relationships with the nearby Shidao gabbro-syenite-granite complex, for which the tectonic affinity is controversial. Thus, we argue that the diorite porphyries and Shidao complex were sourced from two cratons, including the enriched subcontinental lithospheric mantle of the North China craton, which interacted with abundant felsic melts derived from the sinking slab breaking away from the subducted crust of the Yangtze continental-ocean transitional margin. This study sheds new light on crustal recycling versus continental growth in collisional orogens and implies that considerable syncollisional intermediate magmas can be generated by slab breakoff in continental subduction zones, representing hybrid additions to continental growth that are different and more evolved than arc magmas and have a composition similar to that of the bulk continental crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ANSYS software is introduced to reproduce the in-line and staggered sphere packed bed model. To investigate the influence of model on the heat transfer and flow characteristics in the high temperature packed bed, numerical simulations of pore-level was used to numerically appreciate the changes of pressure drop, temperature and velocity. The simulation values qualitatively agree with the experimental result. The results show that the pressure drop in high temperature packed bed increases significantly. The pressure drop increases about 3200 Pa when the inlet velocity is 0.33-0.73 m/s. The model has significant influence on the average temperature of solid and gas phases. Compared with the in-line arrangement, the heat wave transfer is slower and the temperature is slightly higher by 20 K in the staggered model. The average velocity in the structured packed bed increases and decreases periodically. In staggered model, the velocity disturbance is more significant. These findings are helpful for understanding transport phenomena in packed beds as well as the design of high efficiency reactors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using first-principles calculations and crystal structure search methods, we found that many covalently bonded molecules such as H2, N2, CO2, NH3, H2O and CH4 may react with NaCl, a prototype ionic solid, and form stable compounds under pressure while retaining their molecular structure. These molecules, despite whether they are homonuclear or heteronuclear, polar or non-polar, small or large, do not show strong chemical interactions with surrounding Na and Cl ions. In contrast, the most stable molecule among all examples, N2, is found to transform into cyclo-N5− anions while reacting with NaCl under high pressures. It provides a new route to synthesize pentazolates, which are promising green energy materials with high energy density. Our work demonstrates a unique and universal hybridization propensity of covalently bonded molecules and solid compounds under pressure. This surprising miscibility suggests possible mixing regions between the molecular and rock layers in the interiors of large planets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the commonest malignant tumors of humans. Existing evidence has linked the poor prognosis of CRC with high expression of stromal antigen 3 (STAG3), but, the exact biological effect of STAG3 in CRC is still unclear. The aim of this research is to reveal the biological function and molecular mechanism of STAG3 in CRC. To investigate the differential expression of STAG3 in CRC tissues and cell lines compared to normal colon tissues and cell lines, Western blot (WB) and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) techniques were utilized. STAG3 N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification level were identified using m6A RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP). Additionally, the functional roles of methyltransferase-like protein 3 (METTL3) and insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) in CRC were explored by manipulating their levels via knockdown or overexpression. Cell proliferation was evaluated through Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) and clone formation experiments, while cell migration was assessed through wound healing experiments. Furthermore, cell apoptosis was detected using flow cytometry, and the protein expressions associated with proliferation and apoptosis were detected using WB. To identify the specific binding of target genes, RIP and pull-down assays were employed. Finally, the biological function of STAG3 in vivo was investigated through a xenotransplantation mouse tumor model. In CRC tissues and cell lines, STAG3 was up-regulated and accompanied by m6A methylation. Additionally, the expression of METTL3 was found to be upregulated in CRC tissues. Knocking down METTL3 resulted in a decrease in both the m6A level and protein expression of STAG3, inhibited cell proliferation and migration while promoting apoptosis, which were restored through STAG3 overexpression. Furthermore, online prediction indicated the interaction between STAG3 mRNA and IGF2BP2 protein, which was further verified by RIP experiments. IGF2BP2 downregulation led to decreased STAG3 protein expression, cell proliferation, and migration, but increased apoptosis. However, these impacts were reversed by STAG3 overexpression. Finally, subcutaneous tumor experiments conducted in nude mice also confirmed that METTL3 regulated CRC progression through STAG3 in vivo. The METTL3/IGF2BP2/STAG3 axis affects CRC progression in an m6A modification-dependent manner. This may guide targeted therapy in CRC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the commonest malignant tumors of humans. Existing evidence has linked the poor prognosis of CRC with high expression of stromal antigen 3 (STAG3), but, the exact biological effect of STAG3 in CRC is still unclear. The aim of this research is to reveal the biological function and molecular mechanism of STAG3 in CRC. To investigate the differential expression of STAG3 in CRC tissues and cell lines compared to normal colon tissues and cell lines, Western blot (WB) and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) techniques were utilized. STAG3 N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification level were identified using m6A RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP). Additionally, the functional roles of methyltransferase-like protein 3 (METTL3) and insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) in CRC were explored by manipulating their levels via knockdown or overexpression. Cell proliferation was evaluated through Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) and clone formation experiments, while cell migration was assessed through wound healing experiments. Furthermore, cell apoptosis was detected using flow cytometry, and the protein expressions associated with proliferation and apoptosis were detected using WB. To identify the specific binding of target genes, RIP and pull-down assays were employed. Finally, the biological function of STAG3 in vivo was investigated through a xenotransplantation mouse tumor model. In CRC tissues and cell lines, STAG3 was up-regulated and accompanied by m6A methylation. Additionally, the expression of METTL3 was found to be upregulated in CRC tissues. Knocking down METTL3 resulted in a decrease in both the m6A level and protein expression of STAG3, inhibited cell proliferation and migration while promoting apoptosis, which were restored through STAG3 overexpression. Furthermore, online prediction indicated the interaction between STAG3 mRNA and IGF2BP2 protein, which was further verified by RIP experiments. IGF2BP2 downregulation led to decreased STAG3 protein expression, cell proliferation, and migration, but increased apoptosis. However, these impacts were reversed by STAG3 overexpression. Finally, subcutaneous tumor experiments conducted in nude mice also confirmed that METTL3 regulated CRC progression through STAG3 in vivo. The METTL3/IGF2BP2/STAG3 axis affects CRC progression in an m6A modification-dependent manner. This may guide targeted therapy in CRC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining the strategies of introducing larger heteroatom, regio-regular backbone and extended branching position of side-chain, we developed polymer semiconductors (PPCPD) with narrow band-gap to construct the photosensing layer of thin-film photodiodes and image arrays. The spectral response of the resulting organic photodiodes spans from the near ultra-violet to short-wavelength infrared region. The performance of these short-wavelength infrared photodiodes in 900–1200 nm range achieved a level competitive with that of indium gallium arsenide-based inorganic crystalline detectors, exhibiting a specific detectivity of 5.55×1012 Jones at 1.15 µm. High photodetectivity and quantum efficiency in photodiode with amorphous/nanocrystalline thin-films of 100–200 nm thickness enabled high pixel-density image arrays without pixel-level-patterning in the sensing layer. 1 × 256 linear diode arrays with 25 µm × 25 µm pixel pitch were achieved, enabling high pixel-density short-wavelength infrared imaging at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-wavelength afterglow has been a key issue in the investigation of afterglow materials. Herein, the orange/red (Sr/Ba)1−xCaxGe4−yO9:0.01Mn2+ is prepared by the introduction of vacancy induction and solid solution. The (Sr/Ba)Ge4O9:Mn2+ hardly possesses an afterglow phenomenon and exhibits only red/orange photo-luminescence (PL) attributed to the d–d transition of Mn2+, while samples with reduction of the Ge4+ content and with replacement by Ca2+ show bright afterglow emission with the peak located at about 612 nm/620 nm. The emerging broadband peak comes from charge transfer involving Mn2+ and nearby defect clusters and the bottom of the conduction band (CB). The introduction of V′′′′Ge creates a defective energy level above the valence band, but the ground state energy difference with Mn2+ is too large (>1 eV) to allow hole transfer, which was confirmed by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), spherical aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy (AC-STEM), charge differential density (CDD) analysis, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis, etc. With this achievement, we propose an original design strategy for long-wavelength afterglow and a more reasonable afterglow mechanism, which is of great importance for the investigation of long-wavelength afterglow materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, chemical action is generally determined by pH regulator and oxidant in the polishing slurry. In this paper, tungsten (W) polished by CMP was examined, and the material removal mechanism was discussed. The influence of pH values and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentrations on surface quality and material removal rate (MRR) were closely investigated. The MRR obtained from the CMP test indicates that the removal rate of W by the H2O2 oxidant reaches 34.10 μm/h under acidic pH conditions and the H2O2 oxidant improves the polishing rate of W. The obtained potentiodynamic polarization results show that the passivation layer formed under the H2O2 action cannot prevent the further corrosion of the slurry to the sample, but W can stably generate a tungsten trioxide (WO3) passivation layer under acidic conditions. XPS data confirm that the formation and dissolution of tungsten oxide passivation layers with different compositions are the main causes of these results. By analyzing the different morphologies (corrosion pits, grain boundaries, etc.) formed after tungsten chemical mechanical polishing (W-CMP), the deformation and removal mechanisms involved in the process are more deliberately exposed. This study enriches the understanding of the corrosion damage and material removal mechanisms of pure tungsten during CMP and contributes to the efficient and high-precision manufacturing of W components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BaZrSi3O9:Eu2+, Sm3+ (Em:525 nm) is prepared. The role played by the trivalent co‐doping ion Sm3+ in the afterglow and the type of trap are clarified. BaZrSi3O9:Eu2+, Sm3+ is found to produce Sm2+ during the excitation by X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure (XANES), etc., and it is thus proved that Sm3+ exists as an electron trap in the afterglow process. In the field of persistent phosphors activated by Eu2+ and Re3+ such as Sm3+ or Dy3+ having been widely utilized as emergency guide lights, clock faces, etc. for > 25 years, for the first time it is successfully observed that after excitation Re2+ is formed, transferring its electron to 5d band of Eu2+, returning to Re3+ by itself, where the decrease in Sm2+ coincides with the increase in Sm3+, and the two decay time τ1 and τ2 of PL (5D0→7F0) of Sm2+ coincides with the two evolution time of PL (5d→4f) of Eu2+. The behavior of electron transfer from Sm2+ to Eu2+ as a key of afterglow is detected. The detailed afterglow mechanism is proposed by analysis of thermoluminescence and defect reaction, which is very important for the in‐depth investigation of the long afterglow material and the further improvement of the mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most important themes of Wang Lü's painting theory are the "true self" and the "true thing." One reason this topic has not received sufficient attention is that the original text was altered. This article aims to correct and reinterpret the text. After textual research and interpretation, Wang Lü's paintings and painting theory have been reevaluated. This article also responds to some difficult topics such as the relationship between "form" (􁔶) and "meaning" (􁛣) and between "following" (􁕲) and "not following" (􄘩) the rules in Chinese painting theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ras‐association domain family 1A (RASSF1A) is one of the most methylated genes in lung cancer (LC). We investigate whether the high DNA methylation level of RASSF1A can relieve the resistance of RASSF1A to LC by inhibiting RASSF1A's transcription factor binding to RASSF1A. RASSF1A expression in tissues and cells was tested utilizing quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR), and Western blot. RASSF1A expression and RASSF1A methylation level in LC cells exposed to 5‐Aza‐dc were assessed by qRT‐PCR and quantitative methylation‐specific PCR. The association between CTCF and RASSF1A was assessed using hTFtarget, ChIP, and luciferase reporter gene analysis. The effects of 5‐Aza‐dc, CTCF, and RASSF1A on cell biological behaviors and epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT)‐related markers were assessed by cell function experiments and Western blot. Moreover, we constructed the xenograft tumor and pulmonary nodule metastasis models, and assessed tumor volume and weight. RASSF1A expression and pulmonary nodule metastasis were tested utilizing qRT‐PCR, Western blot, and H&E staining. RASSF1A was under‐expressed in LC tissues and cells. 5‐Aza‐dc enhanced RASSF1A level and weakened RASSF1A methylation level in LC cells. RASSF1A silencing neutralized 5‐Aza‐dc‐mediated repressing effects on LC cell biological function and EMT. The loss of CTCF binding to RASSF1A in LC cells was associated with DNA methylation. The effect of 5‐Aza‐dc on RASSF1A level, LC cell malignant behaviors, and EMT‐related factors were strengthened by CTCF upregulation. RASSF1A overexpression suppressed LC tumor growth and pulmonary nodule metastasis in vivo. DNA methylation blocked the modulation of RASSF1A expression by CTCF and relieved the resistance of RASSF1A to LC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IRONMAN (IMA) is a family of small peptides which positively regulate plant responses under Fe deficiency. However, the molecular mechanism by which OsIMA1 and OsIMA2 regulate Fe homeostasis in rice is unclear. Here, we reveal that OsIMA1 and OsIMA2 interact with the potential Fe sensors, OsHRZ1 (HAEMERYTHRIN MOTIF-CONTAINING REALLY INTERESTING NEW GENE (RING) AND ZINC-FINGER PROTEIN 1) and OsHRZ2. OsIMA1 and OsIMA2 contain a conserved 17 amino acid C-terminal region which is responsible for the interactions with OsHRZ1 and OsHRZ2. Plants overexpressing OsIMA1 (OsIMA1ox) show increased Fe concentration in seeds and reduced fertility, as observed in the hrz1-2 loss-of-function mutant plants. Moreover, the expression patterns of Fe deficiency inducible genes in the OsIMA1ox plants are the same as those in hrz1-2. Co-expression assays suggest that OsHRZ1 and OsHRZ2 promote the degradation of OsIMA1 proteins. As the interaction partners of OsHRZ1, the OsPRI (POSITIVE REGULATOR OF IRON HOMEOSTASIS) proteins also interact with OsHRZ2. The conserved C-terminal region of four OsPRIs contributes to the interactions with OsHRZ1 and OsHRZ2. An artificial IMA (aIMA) derived from the C-terminal of OsPRI1 can be also degraded by OsHRZ1. Moreover, aIMA overexpressing rice plants accumulate more Fe without reduction of fertility. This work establishes the link between OsIMAs and OsHRZs, and develops a new strategy for Fe fortification in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment aimed to explore the effect of Chinese herbal medicine on growth performance, slaughter performance and antioxidant function of Hetian black chickens. A total of three hundred and fifty 35-day-old Hetian black chickens were selected, and randomly divided into five group, with five replicates in each group and 14 chickens in each replicate. The chickens in control group were fed with basic diet, chickens in antibiotics group were fed with basic diet supplement with 0.1% chlortetracycline premix, and chickens in group I, group II and group III were fed with basic diet supplement with 0.1%, 0.5% and 1.0% Chinese herbal medicine. The trial period was 77 d. The results showed that compared with control group and antibiotics group, the activity of SOD in serum of Hetian black chickens in group I was extremely increased (P<0.01), the activity of GSH-Px in serum of Hetian black chickens in group III was extremely increased (P<0.01). Compared with control group, T-AOC in serum of Hetian black chicken in group I was extremely increased (P<0.01). The study indicates that adding 1% Chinese herbal medicine to diet has better effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compound droplets are often used as microcontainers in biomedical, material encapsulation, and so on, and a good understanding of their free oscillatory behavior is essential for controllable product preparation. Herein, the free oscillatory deformation behavior of single-core compound droplet induced by shell deformation is studied computationally using the volume-of-fluid (VOF) method. The effects of the inner droplet diameter, the outer droplet initial deformation and physical properties are considered. The results show that outer droplet oscillation has obvious periodicity and damping attenuation mechanism, and the inner droplet has two oscillation forms: large-deformation forced oscillation and small-deformation free oscillation. The oscillation period is positively correlated with the inertial force, while the damped attenuation mechanism is dominated by the viscous force, and the presence of the inner droplet and the increase of its diameter will enhance the inertial and viscous forces of the outer droplet. The deformation degree of the inner and outer droplet is related to the energy transfer between the two and the initial interfacial energy, which is generally greater for the outer droplet than for the inner droplet, but the larger diameter ratio makes the opposite situation, and the critical value lies between the diameter ratio of 0.625–0.75. The obtained results will provide the possibility to control the morphological structure of the compound droplets after preparation. • The dynamics of the free oscillation of single-core compound droplet is studied. • Two forms of oscillation exist in the inner droplet. • The inner droplet has significant effect on the outer droplet oscillatory behavior. • The outer droplet deformation is affected by the inner drop diameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Asthma is a disease with airway hyperresponsive and airway inflammation. Platycodin D is a triterpenoid saponin extracted from Platycodon grandiflorus root, which has various pharmacological activities. The study mainly explored the effects of platycodin D3 (PD3) in airway remodeling and inflammation of asthma. Methods. The ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma mice were given PD3 (20 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg, and 80 mg/kg) in different groups. The asthma mice administrated with dexamethasone (DXM) were enrolled as the positive control group, and the normal control mice and asthma model mice separately received the same volume of saline. Mouse airway lung dynamic compliance (Cdyn) and total airway resistance (RL) were measured by the EMKA animal lung function analysis system. The inflammation factor levels were estimated by ELISA. Histopathological changes were tested by HE and PAS staining. The protein and phosphorylation levels of NF-κBp65, p38, ERK1/2, and JNK1/2 were detected by Western blot. Results. In asthmatic mice, PD3 enhanced the airway Cdyn and decreased RL to improve the airway hyperreactivity and alleviated the pathological injury of lung tissues. In addition, PD3 could reduce the infiltration of inflammatory cells in BALF and suppress the levels of eotaxin, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IFN-γ, and IgE. Furthermore, PD3 treatment inhibited the phosphorylation of NF-κBp65, p38, ERK1/2, and JNK1/2 proteins in asthma mice. Conclusion. PD3 treatment alleviated the airway remodeling and inflammation in asthmatic mice, which might be related to downregulating the phosphorylated proteins in the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain size plays an important role in affecting the physical properties of ceramics. In this work, the effects of pre-sintering grain size G 0 of BaFe 12 O 19 (BaM) on the microstructure and magnetic properties of hot-press sintered BaM thick films were studied. Results show that reducing G 0 in submicron scale leads to notable decreases in grain growth activation energy and final sintered grain size. Smaller G 0 makes BaM grains easier to be aligned by magnetic field before sintering and less magnetic domain walls in the sintered film. This increases the c -axis orientation, out-of-plane remanence ratio SQ (>0.9) and coercivity of sintered film. Moreover, the zero-field ferromagnetic resonance linewidth ΔH decreases 54% as G 0 reduces from 1 μm to 0.3 μm. This is attributed to the increased film uniformity with larger SQ and film density D rel at smaller G 0. The above findings enable better understanding on the role of G 0 in improving the magnetic properties of hot-press sintered BaM and other hexaferrite thick films for self-biased microwave devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • SDF-1α/CGRP-nHA/PDA/CMCS scaffold was constructed by 3D printing. • SDF-1α/CGRP-nHA/PDA/CMCS scaffold has 5-fold chemotaxis to rPDSC than factorless. • SDF-1α/CGRP-nHA/PDA/CMCS scaffold can promote the reactivation of bone inactivated. The repair of bone tumors is an urgent problem to be solved in clinical treatment. In this study, nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA), polydopamine (PDA) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) composite scaffolds loaded with stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were constructed by 3D printing. It was found that the chemotaxis of nHA/PDA/CMCS scaffold loaded with SDF-1α/CGRP factors to rat periosteal-derived stem cells (rPDSCs) was fivefold higher than that without factors loading, and the constructed scaffold had good biocompatibility and promoted the reactivation of bone inactivated by microwave thermal ablation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the intricate interplay of hydraulic coupling, creep damage, and permeability evolution mechanisms in phyllite, focusing on their relevance to tunnel engineering design and long-term stability in soft rock formations. To achieve this, conventional triaxial tests were conducted on saturated phyllite specimens under creep-seepage acoustic emission conditions. The results were systematically analyzed to unveil the inherent characteristics of creep deformation, seepage rate evolution, and damage progression in phyllite when subjected to stress–seepage coupling. Furthermore, a permeability model for representative volume element (RVE) was developed based on meso-mechanics principles, considering the distinctive attributes of low-permeability non-Darcy’s flow in rock. Consequently, a novel relationship between effective damage and permeability was established. We determined that seepage pressure induces three key effects on the creep damage mechanism of phyllite samples: (1) It adds to the existing stress through the superposition of osmotic pressure and axial load, (2) it induces tensile expansion stress because of pore water pressure, and (3) it softens the fracture surfaces to some extent. More importantly, this study validates the relationship between effective damage and permeability through the fitting of creep and damage parameters, which were obtained from the test results, and it reveals a square relationship between subsequent damage and permeability under stress conditions. The findings of this study provide a robust theoretical foundation for comprehending the evolution of damage and permeability characteristics during the creep process of rock under seepage conditions. We obtained essential insights and quantitative analyses for comprehending the damage mechanisms in rock creep under hydraulic coupling, which has significant implications for tunnel engineering and long-term rock stability assessments in soft rock environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compound droplets are usually taken as microcontainers for biomedical and material encapsulation applications in which a good understanding of the free oscillatory deformation and breakup behavior is essential. In this work, the dynamics of free oscillatory deformation and breakup of a single-core compound droplet with an initial ellipsoidal shell was investigated numerically using the volume-of-fluid method. The effects of droplet diameter and the outer droplet initial deformation parameter are considered. Four outcomes are identified: oscillatory deformation, separation, separation breakup, and breakup. The evolution of the kinetic energy and pressure field of the compound droplet for the four typical outcomes is also analyzed in detail. A clear boundary exists between the first and the latter three outcomes (initial deformation parameters of 0.600–0.773), while the critical factor for the latter three outcomes is the inner and outer droplet diameter ratio. The oscillatory deformation is characterized by the inner and outer droplet undergoing a finite deformation and subsequent oscillatory behavior, with the maximum deformation of the inner and outer droplets being related to the energy transfer between the two, and the outer droplet being a periodic decaying oscillation, while the inner droplet is a large deformation oscillation interspersed with a small deformation oscillation. Separation, separation breakup, and breakup are characterized by breakup at the inner or outer interface during deformation; separation and breakup times are largely dependent on droplet diameter and the initial deformation parameter of the outer droplet; and the neck width at separation is also analyzed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was to investigate the effect of compound Chinese herbal medicine on growth performance, immune performance and antibody level of Hetian black chickens. A total of 350 35-day-old Hetian black chickens were randomly divided into five groups with five replicates in each group and 14 chickens in each replicate. The chickens in group I were fed with a basal diet, the chickens in group II were fed with a basal diet adding 0.1% aureomycin, chickens in group III, group IV and group V were fed with a basal diet supplemented with 0.1%, 0.5% and 1.0% compound Chinese herbal medicine, respectively. The test period was 77 d. The results showed that thymus index, spleen index and bursa of fabricius index of chickens in group III, group IV and group V were significantly higher than those in group I (P<0.05). The content of IgA, IgG and IgM in serum of chickens in group III, group IV and group V were extremely higher than those in group I ( P<0.01), and the content of IgA was extremely higher than that in group II (P<0.01). The content of IgG in group V was significantly higher than that in group II (P<0.05), and the content of IgM in group IV and group V was extremely higher than that in group II (P<0.01). The titer of ND antibody of NDV of chickens in group III, group IV and group V was extremely higher than that in group I (P<0.01). The titer of IB antibody of chickens in group III, group IV and group V was significantly higher than that in group I (P<0.05). The experiment indicates that adding compound Chinese herbal medicine in diet of Hetian black chickens can increase the content of serum IgA, IgM and IgG, increase thymus index, spleen index and bursa index, and increase Nd antibody titer of Newcastle disease and IB antibody titer of chicken infectious bronchitis. The effect of adding 0.5% compound Chinese herbal medicine is the most suitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intestinal microbiota community is a fundamental component of the human body and plays a significant regulatory role in maintaining overall health and in the management disease states.The intestinal microbiota-gut-brain axis represents a vital connection in the cognitive regulation of the central nervous system by the intestinal microbiota.The impact of intestinal microbiota on cognitive function is hypothesized to manifest through both the nervous system and circulatory system. Imbalances in intestinal microbiota during the perioperative period could potentially contribute to perioperative neurocognitive dysfunction. This article concentrates on a review of existing literature to explore the potential influence of intestinal microbiota on brain and cognitive functions via the nervous and circulatory systems.Additionally, it summarizes recent findings on the impact of perioperative intestinal dysbacteriosis on perioperative neurocognitive dysfunction and suggests novel approaches for prevention and treatment of this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long noncoding RNA (LncRNA) is closely associated with the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). The chip data and clinical information of GSE104364 and GSE151021 were downloaded by GEOquery. Limma and Kaplan–Meier analysis were performed. Lnc-S100B-2 was obtained, and high expression of Lnc-S100B-2 was predicted to be associated with a lower survival rate. Online software was adopted to predict downstream regulatory genes, and miR-331-3p and Mixed Lineage Leukemia Translocated to 10 (MLLT10) were screened and verified. After silencing Lnc-S100B-2 and MLLT10, the proliferative activity of CRC cells decreased, and the apoptosis rate increased. At the gene and protein levels, the expressions of PCNA, Ki67, and Bcl-2 were decreased in the sh-Lnc-S100B-2 group, sh-MLLT10 group, and sh-Lnc-S100B-2 + sh-MLLT10 group, while the expressions of cleaved caspase 3, caspase 9, and Bax were increased. In vivo, the volume and mass of the tumor decreased in the sh-Lnc-S100B-2 + sh-MLLT10 group. Proliferation and apoptosis-related index (PCNA, Ki67, cleaved caspase 3, caspase 9, Bax, and Bcl-2) expression level was also altered. Meanwhile, the infiltration of immune cells (CD3 (-), CD16 (+), and CD11b (+) cells) decreased. The expressions of epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) related indicators (E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Vimentin, β-catenin, Snail, and Slug) were changed. E-cadherin and β-catenin were increased in the sh-Lnc-S100B-2 + sh-MLLT10 group, while N-cadherin, vimentin, snail, and slug were decreased. In conclusion, our study found that the expression of Lnc-S100B-2 was dysregulated in CRC. Lnc-S100B-2 could affect cell apoptosis and the microenvironment of CRC through regulating MLLT10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunodeficient murine models are usually used as the preclinical models of osteosarcoma. Such models do not effectively simulate the process of tumorigenesis and metastasis. Establishing a suitable animal model for understanding the mechanism of osteosarcoma and the clinical translation is indispensable. The UMR-106 cell suspension was injected into the marrow cavity of Balb/C nude mice. Tumor masses were harvested from nude mice and sectioned. The tumor fragments were transplanted into the marrow cavities of SD rats immunosuppressed with cyclosporine A. Through muti-rounds selection in SD rats, we constructed orthotopic osteosarcoma animal models using rats with intact immune systems. The primary tumor cells were cultured in-vitro to obtain the immune-tolerant cell line. VX2 tumor fragments were transplanted into the distal femur and parosteal radius of New Zealand white rabbit to construct orthotopic osteosarcoma animal models in rabbits. The rate of tumor formation in SD rats (P1 generation) was 30%. After four rounds of selection and six rounds of acclimatization in SD rats with intact immune systems, we obtained immune-tolerant cell lines and established the orthotopic osteosarcoma model of the distal femur in SD rats. Micro-CT images confirmed tumor-driven osteolysis and the bone destruction process. Moreover, the orthotopic model was also established in New Zealand white rabbits by implanting VX2 tumor fragments into rabbit radii and femurs. We constructed orthotopic osteosarcoma animal models in rats with intact immune systems through muti-rounds in-vivo selection and the rabbit osteosarcoma model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PhoPR two-component system, a highly conserved system in corynebacteria and mycobacteria, is involved in the cellular response to environmental stress. When analysing the transcriptomic data of Corynebacterium glutamicum strains under different dissolved oxygen (DO) levels, PhoPR was found to be the most responsive two-component system to DO changes. Here, we systematically investigated the expression of PhoPR in response to different DO levels and its impact on genes related to global regulation and energy metabolism. Using Green fluorescent protein as a reporter, we confirmed that PhoPR was significantly upregulated upon decrease of DO. Through real-time quantitative PCR and electrophoretic mobility shift assay, we found that the effector protein PhoP directly activated glxR (encoding a global regulator), pfk and gapA (encoding the glycolytic enzymes) and ctaD (encoding cytochrome c in the electron transport chain), while downregulated aceE and gltA (encoding the TCA cycle enzymes). Overexpression of phoP or phoR resulted in a decreased intracellular NAD+/NADH ratio and increased intracellular ATP level, consistent with the gene expression changes regulated by PhoP. These results reveal the PhoPR system respond to oxygen deficiency and is responsible for the regulation of pathways involved in the sustainability of the energy levels required under low oxygen conditions. Our findings in this study not only provide new insights into the adaptation pathways of C. glutamicum in response to low oxygen conditions but also identify new possible genetic targets for the construction of the new cell factories aimed toward industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity, diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia are well-established risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and have been associated with exposure to persistent organic pollutants. However, studies have been lacking as regards effects of non-persistent pesticides on CVD risk factors. Here, we investigated whether background chronic exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and multiclass pesticides were associated with the prevalence of these CVD risk factors in 502 Belgian and 487 Luxembourgish adults aged 18–69 years from the Nutrition, environment and cardiovascular health (NESCAV) study 2007–2013. We used hair analysis to evaluate the chronic internal exposure to three PCBs, seven organochlorine pesticides (OCs) and 18 non-persistent pesticides. We found positive associations of obesity with hexachlorobenzene (HCB), β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) and chlorpyrifos, diabetes with pentachlorophenol (PCP), fipronil and fipronil sulfone, hypertension with PCB180 and chlorpyrifos, and dyslipidemia with diflufenican and oxadiazon, among others. However, we also found some inverse associations, such as obesity with PCP, diabetes with γ-HCH, hypertension with diflufenican, and dyslipidemia with chlorpyrifos. These results add to the existing evidence that OC exposure may contribute to the development of CVDs. Additionally, the present study revealed associations between CVD risk factors and chronic environmental exposure to currently used pesticides such as organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticides. [Display omitted] • Hair analysis reveals associations between pollutant exposure and CVD risk factors. • Obesity was associated with both persistent and non-persistent pesticide exposure. • Diabetes was related to γ-HCH, PCP, PNP, fipronil, fipronil sulfone and oxadiazon. • Hypertension was associated with chlorpyrifos, fipronil, oxadiazon and diflufenican. • Dyslipidemia was related to chlorpyrifos, Cl 2 CA, trifluralin and diflufenican. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three isostructural lanthanide metal–organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs), {[Ln(L)(H2O)2]·H2O}n (M-Ln, Ln = Eu/Tb/Dy), were prepared with a flexible 3,5-(4-carboxybenzyloxy) benzoic acid (H3L) ligand and lanthanide ions by a solvothermal method. M-Ln are two-dimensional (2D) grid layer-stacking frameworks. M-Eu exhibits excellent chemical stabilities against organic solvents and shows strong luminescence. The experimental results indicated that M-Eu could be used as an ideal fluorescent probe to detect nitrobenzene (NB) in different solvents with a lower detection limit. M-Eu can also be used as a pH sensor because of its superior water stability. Furthermore, M-Eu and M-Tb show unique strong luminescence properties with high absolute quantum yields. The quantum yields can even reach up to 11.8% and 60.5%, respectively. Simultaneously, various kinds of heterometallic doped M-Eu x Tb 1−x MOFs were acquired by tuning the ratios of Eu3+/Tb3+ ions, showing the unique color changes from red, orange-red, orange, orange-yellow, light yellow, yellow to green. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1/PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER (NRT1/PTR) family (NPF) members are essential transporters for many substrates in plants, including nitrate, hormones, peptides, and secondary metabolites. Here, we report the global characterization of NPF in the important oil crop Brassica napus, including that for phylogeny, gene/protein structures, duplications, and expression patterns. Results: A total of 199 B. napus (BnaNPFs) NPF-coding genes were identified. Phylogenetic analyses categorized these genes into 11 subfamilies, including three new ones. Sequence feature analysis revealed that members of each subfamily contain conserved gene and protein structures. Many hormone−/abiotic stress-responsive cis-acting elements and transcription factor binding sites were identified in BnaNPF promoter regions. Chromosome distribution analysis indicated that BnaNPFs within a subfamily tend to cluster on one chromosome. Syntenic relationship analysis showed that allotetraploid creation by its ancestors (Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea) (57.89%) and small-scale duplication events (39.85%) contributed to rapid BnaNPF expansion in B. napus. A genome-wide spatiotemporal expression survey showed that NPF genes of each Arabidopsis and B. napus subfamily have preferential expression patterns across developmental stages, most of them are expressed in a few organs. RNA-seq analysis showed that many BnaNPFs (32.66%) have wide exogenous hormone-inductive profiles, suggesting important hormone-mediated patterns in diverse bioprocesses. Homologs in a clade or branch within a given subfamily have conserved organ/spatiotemporal and hormone-inductive profiles, indicating functional conservation during evolution. qRT-PCR-based comparative expression analysis of the 12 BnaNPFs in the NPF2–1 subfamily between high- and low-glucosinolate (GLS) content B. napus varieties revealed that homologs of AtNPF2.9 (BnaNPF2.12, BnaNPF2.13, and BnaNPF2.14), AtNPF2.10 (BnaNPF2.19 and BnaNPF2.20), and AtNPF2.11 (BnaNPF2.26 and BnaNPF2.28) might be involved in GLS transport. qRT-PCR further confirmed the hormone-responsive expression profiles of these putative GLS transporter genes. Conclusion: We identified 199 B. napus BnaNPFs; these were divided into 11 subfamilies. Allopolyploidy and small-scale duplication events contributed to the immense expansion of BnaNPFs in B. napus. The BnaNPFs had preferential expression patterns in different tissues/organs and wide hormone-induced expression profiles. Four BnaNPFs in the NPF2–1 subfamily may be involved in GLS transport. Our results provide an abundant gene resource for further functional analysis of BnaNPFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serpentine interconnects, as an integral part of island-bridge layouts, enable extremely large reversible deformation under the action of mechanical loads and are thus widely used in the emerging new field of stretchable electronics. In this paper, the lateral-torsional buckling is analytically studied for a simplified S-shaped serpentine structure that consists of five straight components rigidly connected at point joints. Simple analytic scaling laws between the dimensionless critical buckling load and the aspect ratio of the serpentine structure are newly derived and uniformly expressed in terms of generalized hypergeometric series for various types of boundary conditions, which can serve as the benchmark of numerical simulations. These scaling laws, fully verified by finite element analysis, may well capture the implied connection between stretching- and compression-induced buckling, the strong dependence of buckling modes on end conditions, and the monotonic/asymptotic properties of the critical load with respect to the aspect ratio of serpentine structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade, chemical‐fuel‐driven processes have been integrated with synthetic self‐assembled systems, in which both the formation and properties can be carefully controlled. This strategy can drive systems far away from equilibrium, tailor the lifetime window of transient self‐assembled systems, thus holding promise for future smart, adaptive, self‐regulated, and life‐like systems. By judging whether the building blocks or transient self‐assembled systems participate in the fuel‐to‐waste conversion, the reported systems can be divided into two classes: dissipative self‐assembly and self‐assembly under dissipative conditions. Among these systems, the utilization of macromolecular building blocks to design non‐equilibrium self‐assemblied systems is becoming common. Macromolecular systems capable of dissipating energy with a programmed time domain have found widespread application, and have therefore been an active field of scientific inquiry. This Minireview aims to highlight the recent progress and opportunities of chemical‐fuel‐driven assembly in macromolecules. We envision that chemical‐fuel‐driven approach will play an increasingly important role in polymer science in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exotic Haiyangsuo complex is structurally part of the Sulu belt but its contact relationship with surrounding Sulu gneisses is unexposed and therefore unknown, making its affinity uncertain. It comprises gneisses with in-source leucosomes that host minor metabasite bodies; both are cut by leucogranite dikes. In this study, we determine the timing and petrogenesis of leucosomes and leucogranites and assess the tectonic affinity of the complex based on data from gneisses and metabasites. Most zircon from gneisses and leucosomes has oscillatory-zoned cores with CL-bright overgrowth rims, but some has CL-dark cores or mantles between cores and rims. CL-dark and bright zircon yield weighted mean ages of ca. 1817-1812 Ma. CL-dark zircon has flat heavy rare earth element (HREE) patterns and crystallization temperatures of 829-875 °C, suggesting metamorphic growth, whereas rims have steep HREE patterns but a similar range of crystallization temperatures, suggesting growth from anatectic melt; eHf (t = 1813 Ma) of -18.3 to -10.8 indicates a North China Craton source. Magmatic zircon from metabasites yields ages of ca. 825 Ma, similar to those of scattered metabasite occurrences in the North China Craton. Paleoproterozoic zircon cores were scavenged during magma ascent. By contrast, zircon cores from the leucogranites yield concordant dates of 776- 701 Ma, consistent with protolith ages in the Sulu belt, whereas overgrowth mantles and rims yield weighted mean ages of ca. 220 Ma and 162 Ma, respectively. Both mantles and rims host multiphase solid inclusions, representing former melt, suggesting anatexis and crystallization of zircon first during initial decompression and then during orogenic collapse of the Sulu belt; whole-rock Nd and Sr isotope compositions implicate the Sulu belt gneisses as the source of these melts. Our interpretation of these data is that the Haiyangsuo complex has an early geologic history similar to the Jiaobei terrane from the southeastern part of the North China Craton and was incorporated into the Sulu belt during Triassic collision of the Yangtze and North China Cratons. The two stages of melting relate to Upper Triassic early exhumation and Upper Jurassic late-stage orogenic collapse, during which the leucogranite magma was derived from a source similar to one elsewhere in the Sulu belt such as the subducted Yangtze Craton and not the North China Craton. This shows that during continental collisions, crust from the upper plate may be dragged into the subduction channel, deformed, and subsequently exhumed in association with partial melting of the crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 3 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted to investigate the interaction between carbonate alkalinity and dietary α‐ketoglutarate (AKG) levels on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity and ammonia metabolization of Songpu mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio Songpu). Each diet (0%, 1% AKG) was randomly allotted to 0 mmol/L, 15 mmol/L, 30 mmol/L carbonate alkalinity groups with three replicate aquaria. The weight gain rate (WGR) significantly increased in the 1% AKG group and significantly decreased with increasing carbonate alkalinity (p <.05). Crude ash was significantly affected by the interaction between carbonate alkalinity and dietary AKG levels and significantly increased in the 1% AKG group (p <.05). A significant interaction between carbonate alkalinity and dietary AKG levels on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in hepatopancreas was observed (p <.05). The increasing carbonate alkalinities significantly decreased SOD activities in the hepatopancreas and foregut, catalase (CAT) activities in the hepatopancreas, foregut, midgut and hindgut and glutathione (GSH) contents in the hepatopancreas and foregut (p <.05). Despite AKG addition, the blood ammonia content still increased with increasing carbonate alkalinities. The gene expressions of AQP3, Rhag, Rhcg2 and Na+/K+‐ATPase (NKA) in the gills and glutamine synthase (GS) in the brain were significantly upregulated with increasing carbonate alkalinities (p <.05). In the 1% AKG group, GS gene expression significantly upregulated in the brains, whereas AQP3, Rhag, Rhcg2 and NKA gene expressions significantly downregulated in the gills (p <.05). In summary, the 1% AKG addition can enhance the gene expression of ammonia metabolization and improve the antioxidant capacity of Songpu mirror carp with chronic carbonate alkalinity stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pneumatic gravity compensation system is typically nonlinear in behavior. It is difficult to establish an accurate mathematical model for it, and it is particularly difficult to realize high-precision pressure control. A pneumatic gravity compensation system driven by a frictionless cylinder is built. Considering that the traditional model-free adaptive control is slow for pseudo-gradient identification, an improved model-free adaptive control is proposed to predict the changes in the pseudo gradient and accelerate the process of pseudo gradient identification. The static and dynamic gravity compensation of the pneumatic gravity compensation system is realized. Finally, the experimental results show that the steady-error of step response of the improved model-free adaptive controller is less than 200 Pa, and the rise time is approximately 13 seconds. The sinusoidal tracking error (0.04 Hz) is approximately 1.94 KPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A transaminase from P. fluorescens (Pf -TA) has been identified and expressed. • Pf -TA shows good temperature and pH stability. • Pf -TA catalyzes the synthesis of L-phosphinotricin from PPO using E. coli whole cells. • Up to 500 mM PPO can be used with L-alanine as amine donor. • 75% isolated yield of L-PPT with 99.9% ee was achieved. L-Phosphinotricin (L-PPT) is an active compound of a broad-spectrum herbicide used worldwide. Asymmetric synthesis of L-PPT from 4-(hydroxy(methyl)phosphoryl)-2-oxobutanoic acid (PPO) using transaminase is of great significance due to the 100% theoretical yield and high enantioselectivity. In this study, a new transaminase from Pseudomonas fluorescens ZJB09-108 (named as Pf -TA) was cloned and expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3). The amino acid sequence analysis showed that the maximum sequence identity of Pf -TA with other transaminases is 74%. This recombinant Pf -TA exhibited a good temperature stability and pH stability. The K m and k cat of Pf -TA toward PPO were 34.02 mmol L−1 and 11.3 s−1, respectively. After optimization of the L-PPT biosynthesis catalyzed by whole-cells of E. coli harboring transaminase, >99% yield of L-PPT with 99.9% of enantiomeric excess was attained at a PPO concentration of 100 mM. High yield of L-PPT (79%) with 99.9% enantiomeric excess was achieved at high PPO concentration of 500 mM as well. These results suggested the recombinant transaminase is a potential candidate for the biosynthesis of L-PPT from PPO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intratumoral IL-12 gene therapy in an HCC-hu-PBL-NOD/SCID mouse model. Materials and methods: The HCC murine model was generated in NOD/SCID mice, and mice with grafted tumors were injected intraperitoneally with 2 × 107 human peripheral blood lymphocytes 14 days after modeling. After 4 days, mice were randomly divided into the 9597/IL-12 group, the 9597/plasmid group and the PBS group. The changes of tumor volume were measured and mouse peripheral blood was sampled post-treatment for ELISA and CBA analyses, and the grafted tumors were collected 28 days post-treatment for immunohistochemistry, ELISA, CBA and detection of cell cycle and apoptosis. Results: The tumor volume was smaller in the 9597/IL-12 group than in the 9597/plasmid and PBS groups on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 post-treatment (P < 0.05). Higher IL-12 levels were detected in the peripheral blood and the supernatants of grafted tumor homogenates in the 9597/IL-12 group than in the 9597/plasmid and PBS groups 7, 14, 21 and 28 days post-treatment (P < 0.05). IHC revealed higher counts of CD3+T cells, CD4+T helper cells, IFN-γ Th1 cells+ and S-100 protein positive dentric cells and lower MVD in the 9597/IL-12 group than in the 9597/plasmid and PBS groups (P < 0.05). Flow cytometry showed a significantly higher proportion of HCC cells at the G0/G1 phase and a significantly lower proportion of HCC cells at the S phase in the 9597/IL-12 group than in the PBS group (P < 0.05) and a greater apoptotic rate of HCC cells in the 9597/IL-12 group than in the 9597/plasmid and PBS groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Intratumoral IL-12 gene therapy may inhibit tumorigenesis with mild adverse effects in a HCC-hu-PBL-NOD/SCID murine model through inhibiting angiogenesis, arresting cells in G0/G1 phase and inducing apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Emerging evidence has shown that lipid metabolism plays important roles in the occurrence and progression of CRC. The identification of potential biomarkers for CRC progression is critical for precise diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the potential lipid markers in relation to CRC progression. The plasma of patients with stage I/II CRC (n = 20) and stage III/IV CRC (n = 20) was collected. Lipidomic screening was performed by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. After multivariate data analysis, including orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis, determination of the fold change, and the Mann–Whitney U test, eight lipid species with altered levels with p < 0.05 and fold change greater than 2 were selected as potential lipid biomarkers. Compared with patients with early-stage CRC, patients with advanced-stage CRC showed significantly higher levels of cholesteryl ester (20:4) and some triglycerides with a saturated fatty acid chain and a lower level of fatty acid ester of hydroxy fatty acid 27:1 (9:0-18:1) in plasma. Furthermore, the receiver operating characteristic including these potential lipid biomarkers yielded a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 80% for separation of early-stage CRC patients from advanced-stage CRC patients. In all, this is the first report showing that the levels of triglycerides, the major contents of lipid droplets, increase in plasma of advanced-stage CRC patients compared with early-stage CRC patients. These data indicate that lipid droplets may be target organelles for the study of CRC progression and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalyst deactivation and regeneration during CO 2 reforming of bio-oil were researched in this paper. The results of XRD, TG and SEM analyses showed that the catalyst deactivation was a combination of carbon deposition and sintering. There were amorphous carbon and filamentous carbon on the catalyst surface, but amorphous carbon was the main carbon product, which was the main reason for the catalyst deactivation. The activity and stability of steam regeneration catalyst is superior to that of CO 2 and air regeneration catalyst, but steam regeneration process will consume much quantity of steam, which can be increased production cost. Air regeneration method is easy to sinter the center of catalyst. CO 2 regeneration process not only produces useful gases (C + CO 2 = 2CO), but also makes good use of greenhouse gases, which has an industrial application prospect. However, with the cycle of catalyst increasing, the activity and stability catalyst will decrease gradually during the CO 2 reforming process. • Catalyst deactivation is a combination of carbon deposition and sintering in CO 2 reforming process. • Steam regeneration is superior to that of other methods, but it will increase production cost. • CO 2 regeneration not only produces useful gases, but makes good use of greenhouse gases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Two series of twisted bipolar poly(2,7-carbazole) derivatives, namely PCz-37RSOs and PCz-28SOs, were synthesized by introducing electron-deficient 2,8-dioctyl- dibenzothiophene- S,S -dioxide-3,7-diyl (37RSO) and dibenzothiophene- S,S – dioxide −2,8-diyl (28SO) unit into poly(9-heptadecanyl-2,7-carbazole) (PCz) backbone, respectively. The incorporation of electron-withdrawing 37RSO and 28SO into PCz backbone decreased effective conjugation length, and further restrained charge transfer effect existed in dipolar system, simultaneously, the balanced charge carrier injection/transportation were realized due to the eletrophilicity of SO unit. Consequently, the resulting polymers showed hypsochromic shift and narrowed emission spectra regarding to PCz-37SOs that contains linear SO unit in main chain, and exhibited balanced hole/electron fluxes with respect to PCz in the range of 0–10 V. The single-layer devices based on resulting bipolar polymers exhibited excellent electroluminescent spectra stability in the current densities from 100 to 400 mA cm−2, and displayed deep blue electroluminescence spectra with the Commission Internationale de L' Eclairage (CIE) of (0.16, 0.07) for PCz-37RSO5 and (0.16, 0.09) for PCz-28SO5. The superior device performance was achieved with the maximum luminous efficiency (LE max) of 2.69 cd A−1 for PCz-28SO20 , which obviously outperformed that of 0.24 cd A−1 for PCz. These results indicated that twisted molecular structure design is a promising strategy for efficient deep blue light-emitting polymers. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Two series of twisted bipolar poly(2,7-carbazole) derivatives were designed and synthesized. • Twisted structure greatly decreases intramolecular charge transfer and results in the deep blue emission with CIE y < 0.1. • PCz-28SO20 exhibits a maximum luminous efficiency of 2.69 cd A−1, which obviously outperforms that of 0.24 cd A−1 for PCz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our previous work, a two-plasmid CRISPR/Cas9 system was constructed for genome editing in Corynebacterium glutamicum. To increase the transformation efficiency and simplify the plasmid curing steps, an all-in-one CRISPR/Cas9 system was constructed for efficient genome editing. In addition, to research proteolysis during the production of recombinant proteins and generate a host for enhanced expression of recombinant proteins, the system was used to delete three genes, clpC, porB, and mepA in C. glutamicum CGMCC1.15647, which encoded the Clp protease subunit ClpC, anion selective channel protein B, and metallopeptidase A, respectively. After the evaluation of different plasmids and hosts, small ubiquitin-like modifier-N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (SUMO-NT-proBNP), an important protein used for the diagnosis of mild heart failure was successfully expressed in the triple mutant ΔclpCΔporBΔmepA, which exhibit threefold higher levels of protein expression compared with the wild-type. In conclusion, we created a simplified CRISPR tool for genome editing in C. glutamicum, provided a method to generate a host for enhanced expression of recombinant proteins and successfully expressed SUMO-NT-proBNP in C. glutamicum. This tool and method will greatly facilitate genetic engineering and metabolic optimization of this important platform organism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract With the ability to host anions or neutral drugs, layered double hydroxide (LDH) are hot spots in the field of biomaterials. Intensive works so far only have focused on their application in surface modification or injectable medicine. Yet, little literatures report the potential of LDH as bone implants. In the present study, four types of LDH (Mg Al, Mg Fe, Zn Al and Zn Fe) were prepared via a coprecipitation method. Our results showed that the synthetic LDH powders can be pressed into discs in the absence of binder. The discs can maintain their shape after immersed in culture medium for 10 days, not including Mg Al LDH disc. The elastic modulus of all discs was between 9 and 35 GPa, which was close to cortical bone (5–23 GPa). Zn Al LDH and Zn Fe LDH showed higher cytotoxicity than Mg Al LDH and Mg Fe LDH whether in the form of suspension or extract. Furthermore, even up to 10 mg/mL, the extract of Mg Al LDH and Mg Fe LDH showed no cytotoxicity, while cells were totally died in the extract of Zn Al LDH and Zn Fe LDH. Compared with cells, bacterial showed an even lower tolerance concentration to Zn Al LDH and Zn Fe LDH. This study indicates that Mg-containing LDH show better cytotocompatibility, while Zn-containing LDH show better antibacterial property. With proper elastic modulus and controllable biological effect, LDH are promising to be used as bone implants. Highlights • Mg Al LDH, Mg Fe LDH, Zn Al LDH and Zn Fe LDH are prepared at pH 10. • Pressed Mg Al LDH disc is collapsed when immersed in solution. • The elastic modulus of all the pressed discs is in nature bone range. • Zn-containing LDH show higher toxicity to cells and bacteria than Mg-containing LDH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the photocorrosion of CdS nanorod arrays (CdS NRAs), we have designed a simple and facile treatment method of in-situ hydrogenation to fabricate CdS@SnS/SnO 2 heterostructure on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass, which is a highly photostable hydrogenated CdS-based film photocatalyst (CdS NRAs-H 2 ). Over a 25-h long time irradiation, the total photocatalytic hydrogen production of hydrogenated CdS NRAs is almost 2.0 times higher than that of un-hydrogenated CdS NRAs. Moreover, the average hydrogen production rate of CdS NRAs-H 2 can steadily maintain at 23.75 μmol cm −2 h −1 with 102% of retention rate after 5 reaction cycles, while they are only 6.13 μmol cm −2 h −1 with 30% of retention rate for un-hydrogenated common CdS NRAs. The photocatalytic mechanism on enhanced activity and stability for hydrogenated CdS NRAs photocatalyst is also investigated and discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triclosan (TCS) is an antibacterial agent that is commonly used in personal care products. Because of its sediment-binding properties, TCS exposure presents a potential threat to sediment-dwelling aquatic organisms. Currently our knowledge of the fate and effects of sediment-associated TCS in aquatic systems is limited. To understand the impact of sediment-associated TCS, we used microcosms to assess effects of TCS exposure on a diverse range of organisms selected to mimic a subtropical community, with an exposure period of 28 days. We included the oligochaete freshwater worm Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri to evaluate the interaction between sediment-associated TCS and sediment-dwelling organisms, including potential loss of TCS from the sediment due to biological activity and bioaccumulation. Benthic macroinvertebrate presence significantly increased the TCS levels from 0.013 ± 0.007 μg/L to 0.613 ± 0.030 μg/L in the overlying water through biological activity, posing a potential additional risk to pelagic species, but it did not result in a significant reduction of the sediment concentration. Furthermore, worms accumulated TCS with estimated Biota-Sediment-Accumulation-Factors (BSAFs) ranging between 0.38–3.55. Other than for algae, TCS at environmental concentrations did not affect the survival of the introduced organisms, including the L. hoffmeisteri . Our results demonstrate that, although TCS at currently detected maximum concentration may not have observable toxic effects on the benthic macroinvertebrates in the short term, it can lead to bioaccumulation in worms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As we previously reported, the presence of preoperative metabolic syndrome can predict the significant risk of gastric cancer mortality. As a further extension, we evaluated the prediction of three lipid derivatives generated from triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC and LDLC) at baseline for postoperative gastric cancer mortality by prospectively analysing 3012 patients. The three lipid derivatives included the ratio of TC minus HDLC to HDLC known as atherogenic index (AI), the ratio of TG to HDLC abbreviated as THR and the ratio of LDLC to HDLC abbreviated as LHR.Methods: Gastric cancer patients who received gastrectomy between January 2000 and December 2010 were consecutively recruited from Fujian Cancer Hospital. Follow-up assessment was implemented annually before December 2015.Results: Finally, there were 1331 deaths from gastric cancer and 1681 survivors, with a median follow-up time of 44.05 months. 3012 patients were evenly randomized into the derivation group and the validation group, and both groups were well balanced at baseline. Overall adjusted estimates in the derivation group were statistically significant for three lipid derivatives (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.20, 1.17 and 1.19 for AI, THR and LHR, respectively, all P < 0.001), and were reproducible in the validation group. The risk prediction of three lipid derivatives was more obvious in males than females, in patients with tumor-node-metastasis stage I-II than stage III-IV, in patients with intestinal-type than diffuse-type gastric cancer, in patients with normal weight than obesity, and in patients without hypertension than with hypertension, especially for AI and LHR, and all results were reproducible. Calibration and discrimination statistics showed good reclassification performance and predictive accuracy when separately adding three lipid derivatives to baseline risk model. A prognostic nomogram was accordingly built based on significant attributes to facilitate risk assessment, with a good prediction capability.Conclusions: Our results indicate that preoperative lipid derivatives, especially AI and LHR, are powerful predictors of postoperative gastric cancer mortality, with more obvious prediction in patients of male gender or with tumor-node-metastasis stage I-II or intestinal-type gastric cancer, and in the absence of obesity or hypertension before gastrectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family stability is considered the cornerstone of children's happiness and health. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between family stability and the positive development of orphans in kinship care in China. Based on cross‐sectional data related to orphans from LZ City, Sichuan Province, in 2020, the study conducted multiple linear regression model to analyse the relationship between family stability and other family variables and the positive development of orphans in kinship care. The results indicate that family stability is significantly related to the positive development of orphans. Orphans raised in families with married guardians and stable income tend to develop better. Further analysis, grouped by sex and age, revealed that boys are more prone to behaviour problems, while girls are more susceptible to family stability. The growth of younger orphans is associated with family economic stability, while older orphans are more influenced by the guardian's marriage. These findings provide evidence for differences in orphan development from the perspective of family stability. The evidence suggests that policymakers and stakeholders need to pay closer attention to the overall situation of kinship care families. It also provides useful enlightenment for the formulation of precise assistance policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen isotope retention of tungsten in nuclear fusion reactors is one of the hot research issues all along. In this paper, tungsten samples in different rolled surfaces were polished by mechanical processing, subsequently subjected to D 2 + irradiation and thermal desorption. To better understand the experimental observations, this study also performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and investigated the effects of temperature, grain number, grain boundary density, and crystal orientation on hydrogen retention. It is found that the grain number and grain boundary density of rolled tungsten increase successively in RD/TD, RD/ND, and TD/ND surfaces. The RD/ND surface exhibits the best hydrogen radiation resistance, whereas the TD/ND surface is unsatisfactory. MD simulations further indicate that hydrogen retention is more obvious with the increase of grain density in tungsten, and hydrogen atoms are more easily enriched at the grain boundaries. With the increase in temperature, the retention of hydrogen atoms in monocrystalline/polycrystalline tungsten decreases significantly. The average implantation depth of H atoms is deepest along the <111> and <112> crystalline directions, which reveals that hydrogen retention is dependent on the crystal orientations. The good agreement between the experimental data and simulation results reveals that grain boundaries play an important role in hydrogen retention. [Display omitted] • The hydrogen retention behavior is studied in W samples with different rolled surfaces. • RD/ND surface has the best hydrogen resistance, while the TD/ND surface is undesirable. • The hydrogen retention behavior depends on temperature, grain size, grain boundary density and orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A semi-empirical model is proposed to predict the sound absorption of an acoustical unit consisting of a rigid-porous material layer with a perforated facing under the normal incidence at high sound pressure levels (SPLs) of pure tones. The nonlinearity of the perforated facing and the porous material, and the interference between them are considered in the model. The sound absorptive performance of the acoustical unit is tested at different incident SPLs and in three typical configurations: 1) when the perforated panel (PP) directly contacts with the porous layer, 2) when the PP is separated from the porous layer by an air gap and 3) when an air cavity is set between the porous material and the hard backing wall. The test results agree well with the corresponding theoretical predictions. Moreover, the results show that the interference effect is correlated to the width of the air gap between the PP and the porous layer, which alters not only the linear acoustic impedance but also the nonlinear acoustic impedance of the unit and hence its sound absorptive properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is the common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Platinum-based chemotherapy is the cornerstone of treatment for lung cancer. Platinum sensitivity is a major possibility for effective cancer treatment. In this study, several potential biomarkers were identified for evaluating and predicting the response to platinum-based chemotherapy. LC–MS-based metabolomics was performed on plasma samples from 43 lung cancer patients with different chemotherapy efficacy. By combing multivariate statistical analysis, pathway analysis with correlation analysis, 8 potential biomarkers were significantly associated with platinum chemotherapy response. Moreover, a prediction model with these biomarkers involved in citric acid cycle, glutamate metabolism and amino acid metabolism, showed 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity for predicting chemotherapy response in a validation set. Interestingly, 2-hydroxyglutaric acid (2-HG) as an oncometabolite accumulated in lung cancer was remarkably elevated in the partial response (PR) patients. Collectively, our findings implicated that metabolomics can serve as a potential tool to select lung cancer patients that are more likely to benefit from the platinum-based treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asymmetrical five ring fused compounds based on S,S-dioxide benzothiophene, 9,9-dioctylfluorene[2,3-b]benzo[d]thiophene-S,S-dioxide(BTOF) and N-(2-decyltetradecyl)carbazole[2,3-b]benzo[d]thiophene-S,S-dioxide (BTOCz) were synthesized and characterized. BTOF and BTOCz were readily soluble in common organic solvents and exhibited high thermal stability with the melting points (Tms) of 119 °C and 150 °C, and thermal decomposition temperatures (Tds) of 280 °C and 338 °C, respectively. The highest occupied molecular orbital energy levels (HOMOs), the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy levels (LUMOs) and the band gaps (Egs) of BTOF and BTOCz were −6.11, −2.66 and 3.45 eV, −5.86, −2.52 and 3.34 eV, respectively. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of BTOF and BTOCz were peaked at 404 and 420 nm in film, and the photoluminescence quantum yields (QPLs) were 30% and 10% in toluene solution, respectively. BTOF and BTOCz showed strong intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) character, relatively high QPLs and deeper HOMO and LUMO levels compared with compounds BTF and BTCz. Compared with the symmetrical seven ring fused compounds FBTO and CzBTO, the asymmetrical five ring fused compounds BTOF and BTOCz showed relatively shallow HOMO levels, which can facilitate hole injection, and therefore, could be potential construction units in organic semiconductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinic application of magnesium is mainly impeded by its poor corrosion resistance and implants with localized drug delivery attract tremendous interest. Here, Mg/Al layered double hydroxide (Mg-Al LDH) film was in situ prepared on AZ31 alloy by a hydrothermal process, and further calcined to form metastable mixed oxides, also named Mg/Al layered double oxide (LDO). Finally, immersing in 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) solution, Mg/Al LDO would revert to Mg/Al LDH via a memory effect, and be loaded with 5-FU (#LDO-5FU). Comparing to AZ31 alloy, the corrosion resistance of the as-prepared #LDO-5FU sample was enhanced. The amount of released 5-FU from #LDO-5FU sample was ∼993 ng/cm 2 . The proliferation of human cholangiocarcinoma cell (RBE) was effectively inhibited on the surface of #LDO-5FU sample owing to the release of 5-FU. This work broadens the application of calcined LDH and provides a new strategy in the field of surface modification of magnesium alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]