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Background: Vitamin C (VitC) has been proposed as a potential anti-cancer agent for prolonging progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, VitC has only been shown to be effective for some patients, and the mechanism in those who have benefitted from it remains unknown. We aimed to explore whether gene expression could predict IVC benefit for patients with NSCLC. Methods: H1299 and PC9 cells were treated with VitC and high-throughput sequencing was used for screening differential genes. Data from the Kaplan-Meier Plotter and the Human Protein Atlas databases were used for analysis of patient prognoses. In a retrospective study, 153 NSCLC patients from our Cancer Center were selected and divided into a control group (n = 81) and VitC group (n = 72) for immunohistochemical staining and prognosis analysis. Results: As a result, ZNF507, DLX4, and DDIT4 were found to be upregulated, and SERPINB7, TMEM158 and SERPINE1 downregulated in NSCLC cell lines following VitC treatment. Combined patient data from the cohort analysis and online databases revealed that the downregulated genes, but not upregulated genes, presented an unfavorable prognostic predictor of OS in NSCLC patients. Further analysis showed that the combined three genes were more efficient at predicting survival than individually (AUC=0.77, 95%CI, 0.63-0.90). Moreover, high expression of SERPINB7, TMEM158, and SERPINE1 in resected tumour- tissues before VitC treatment was found to be associated with prolonged OS in patients with NSCLC who were treated with VitC. Conclusion: Overall, these data revealed that SERPINB7, TMEM158, and SERPINE1 formed a novel NSCLC prognosis gene set and could serve as a potential therapeutic target as well as predictive factor for VitC treatment in patients with NSCLC. Trial registration: Retrospectively registered (No: 2/2021-PRE-48) on July 13, 2021.

Since the implementation of landscape conservation of the green heart area in the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Metropolitan Region, the landscape structure and pattern have changed significantly. The ecosystem service functions in the area have been improved, but the status of ecohydrological and water quality and service functions (EHWQSFs) is still unclear. To clarify the status of EHWQSFs and their driving factors influenced by landscape conservation, this study analysed landscape changes using remote sensing image data from 1998, 2008, and 2018 and the changes and their spatial characteristics using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and spatial analysis methods. The results showed that the dominant land types in the area were forestland and cropland from 1998 to 2018; the area of forestland and construction land expanded and that of cropland decreased year by year; the annual average surface runoff volume rose, and the annual average actual evapotranspiration and soil water content fell from 1998 to 2008 and rose from 2008 to 2018; and all pollutant indicators decreased significantly after 2008. The areas with higher surface runoff were mainly concentrated in the central and southern regions, those with higher evapotranspiration were in the northwestern and southwestern regions, those with higher soil water content were in the northern region, and those with higher sediment and nitrogen and phosphorus pollutant contents were in the central and southeastern regions. The results showed that land use, land cover and meteorological factors were the most significant drivers on EHWQSFs and illustrated that EHWQSFs in the area decreased after 1998. There was a significant improvement after 2008 and the area currently has a good status. This study not only provides insights into land use, land cover and meteorological factors that have significant impacts on EHWQSFs but also highlights that the landscape conservation of the area can improve ecosystem service functions.

The internet era has provided a wealth of data sources for landscape assessment by updating the methods of information exchange in public. Landscape assessment using internet discourse and computer language can provide guidance for the rational use of landscape and the scientific management of scenic areas. By taking the internet discourse of travels and reviews about Mountain Qinxiu as research objects, this study extracted the landscape assessment objects and analyze the sentiment responds of landscape using LSTM recurrent neural network. And the sentiment characteristics were analyzed by the sentiment-heat IPA quadrant. According to the results of the study, the public’s landscape assessment is both discrete and convergent. The landscape assessment of Mountain Qinxiu is mainly positive; There is no regular correlation between the landscape thermal index and the landscape sentiment assessment; The sentiment scores of landscape elements indicates that the plant landscapes and meteorological landscapes are natural landscape elements with high recognition, while the cultural features, buildings, and landscapes in human landscape elements are attractions with potential for development. The sentiment scores of attractions indicates that the botanical landscapes are natural attractions with high recognition, and the architectural and garden landscapes in humanistic attractions are attractions with potential for development. It can be found that the sentiment-based landscape assessment of Mountain Qingxiu using LSTM and internet discourse can effectively complement traditional methods of landscape assessment and provide a better opportunity for the public to participate in the management of landscapes.

In this study, well-defined poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) with a bisalkyne end-group was synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization using 2-(2-(ethylthiocarbonothioylthio)-2-methylpropanoyl-oxy)ethyl 3,5-bis(prop-2-ynyloxy) benzoate (EMEB) as the chain transfer agent. The molecular weight and polydispersity index of polymer was determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The linear increase in molecular weight with conversion, unimodal, and almost symmetrical peak in GPC trace together with low polydispersity indicated the controlled polymerization process of NIPAM mediated by EMEB. Subsequently, the Cu(I)-catalyzed [3 + 2] Huisgen cycloaddition between the end-group of polymer and azide derivatives was carried out to produce PNIPAM, in which the bisfunctional end-group was modified with phenyl, octyl, amido, and hydroxyl groups. After completing the click reaction, the structure of the polymer was characterized carefully by Fourier transform infrared spec...

In this study, a novel vinyl polymer containing 2,4,5-triphenylimidazole side groups was synthesized through conventional radical polymerization, which possesses the characteristic of temperature-dependent absorbance in the near-ultraviolet (UV) spectral region. The linear dependence of UV absorbance on temperature was confirmed for the polymer both in solid state and in solution by experiment and also supported by the results of theoretical investigation. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012

The self-assembly of organic 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN) into hierarchical architectures, such as microfibers, microrods, and sheaflike structures, in solution was successfully achieved by reprecipitation method with the assistance of thermoresponsive diblock copolymer poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide)-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PDMA-b-PNIPAM). It was found that the morphology modification can be readily controlled by varying the polymer concentrations. The optical absorption and fluorescence emission properties of the as-prepared PAN architectures were investigated. Time-dependent spectra of the precipitating solution for sheaflike structures formation were measured to monitor the self-assembly process of PAN molecules. The results showed that the PAN microstructures exhibited intense fluorescence emission, indicating an unusual aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) phenomenon for PAN, which have great potential for future use in optoelectronic microdevices.

Numerous landslides have occurred during the construction of the Three Gorges Reservoir of the Yangtze River. Although the underlying causal factor of these landslides was heavy rainfall, the construction process was the trigger of some of them. We report here a systematic study aimed at reconstructing the geological history of an ancient landslide and, based on our results, an evaluation of the role of the history on current landslide stability. Data from detailed field surveys and the studies on geological dating revealed that the Baiyian landslide was composed of five structural parts of different geological ages, such as a sliding belt, disturbed rocks, ancient colluvium, alluvium of the Yangtze River and slope wash. The succession of ancient climates, terraces and tectonic processes in the study area were examined from 300 ka ago. The evolutionary history of the Baiyian ancient landslide can be divided into five distinct stages: development, occurrence, deposition, collapse and disintegration. Some parts of the ancient landslide are currently prone to instability due to the combination effects of heavy rainfall and construction of the reservoir.

On April 9, 2000, a super-large landslide (3 x 10(8) m(3)) occurred along Zhamu Creek, southeast Tibet. As a result, a landslide dam formed and the Yigong River was blocked. A channelized diversion was constructed for prevention of overtopping. Two months later on June 10, a catastrophic flood resulting from the failure of the landslide dam caused a serious loss of property. This is the second of landslide occasion dam formation and flooding occurrence at the same site since 1900.

Although abdominal wall masses are commonly observed in clinical practice, traumatic breast transposal appearing as an abdominal wall mass is a rare event. The unique phenomenon of a post-traumatic breast growing healthily in the abdominal wall has never previously been reported. The current study presents the case of a 40-year-old female who developed an unusually transposed, but healthy mammary gland in the right upper abdominal wall following a severe pedestrian traffic accident. In that accident, the powerful impact of the car caused multiple right-sided rib fractures, lung injuries and a protruding mass on the right abdominal wall. This sudden onset protruding mass was indicated to be breast tissue by computed tomography imaging and ultrasound scanning. The transposed mammary gland was resected and a pathological examination confirmed that it consisted of normal breast tissue. In this case, the force of the car caused no significant damage or necrosis to the right breast, but instead was sufficient to shift the mammary gland to the abdomen, where it grew healthily 6 months in its new location. This case highlights the capability of the mammary gland to withstand a powerful impact and survive. Moreover, it advances our knowledge of how mammary tissues respond to severe blunt-force impacts.

In recent years, new progress has been made in research of tumor markers. And namely tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS), cytokeratin 19-fragments (CYFRA21-1) and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (STNFR) are new tumor markers that have been used in clinical application. The aim of this study is to determine and compare the diagnostic value of 4 kinds of tumor markers, TPS, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), CYFRA21-1 and STNFR in patients with lung cancer.The serum levels of TPS, CEA, CYFRA21-1 and STNFR were determined in 72 patients with lung cancer, 54 patients with pulmonary benign diseases and 32 healthy adults by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The levels of the four tumor markers in lung cancer group were significantly higher than those in benign disease group (P0.005) and healthy control group (P0.001). Among the four markers, STNFR had the highest sensitivity (81.9%), CYFRA21-1 had the highest specificity (91.5%) and TPS had the highest accuracy (83.5%).TPS, CYFRA21-1 and STNFR can be used as very useful and sensitive tumor markers in the diagnosis of lung cancer, in which CYFRA21-1 may be the most useful tumor marker for clinical application.

In this study, a self-assembly technique assisted with thermoresponsive diblock copolymer poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide)-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PDMA-b-PNIPAM) is developed to fabricate crystalline microtubes of 2-(4′-((4′-vinylbenzyl)oxyl)phenyl)-4,5-diphenylimidazole (VPD). The as-prepared VPD microtubes are identified to have a hollow tubular structure with a rectangular cross section. All the obtained microtubes under optimal conditions have a uniform size of 220 nm in diameter, 20 nm in wall thickness, and 4.5 μm in length. Additionally, the length of the VPD microtubes can be readily controlled by adjusting the concentration of VPD. Furthermore, the VPD microtubes exhibit interesting size-dependent optical properties, of which the UV-vis absorption band shows an obvious red shift compared to that of the monomer. These results should be significant in triphenylimidazole derivative crystallization and their potential applications in optoelectronic devices.