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Although parathyroid bone disease is rarely seen nowadays, skeletal manifestation can be the first sign of hyperparathyroidism (HPT) in some clinical practice. Nevertheless, the diagnosis of HPT is often overlooked. We describe three cases of multiple brown tumors (BT) in which bone pain and destruction were the first symptoms that masqueraded as a malignancy. However, according to the results of bone scan and targeted single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT), we considered BTs as the diagnosis in all of three cases. The final diagnoses were confirmed by laboratory tests and post-parathyroidectomy pathology. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is significantly elevated in primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) as we know. However, such elevation is virtually never seen in malignancies. Diffuse or multiple foci of tracer uptakes in the bone scan were always seen in bone metastasis, multiple myeloma, and other bone neoplasm. When patients visited nuclear medicine for first consultation without biochemical results, radiological evidence from planar bone scan and targeted SPECT/CT can help in distinguishing the skeletal diseases. Lytic bone lesions with sclerosis, intra-focal or ectopic ossification and calcification, fluid–fluid level, and distribution of the lesions may be helpful in the differential diagnosis in these reported cases. In conclusion, when patients present with multiple foci of uptake on bone scan, targeted SPECT/CT is acquired for suspicious lesions, which can increase the diagnostic sensitivity and reduce unnecessary interventions and treatment. Moreover, BTs should be always kept in differential diagnosis of multiple lesions without a conclusive primary tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Routine data are increasingly used in randomised controlled trials evaluating healthcare interventions. They can aid participant identification, outcome assessment, and intervention delivery. Randomised implementation trials evaluate the effect of implementation strategies on implementation outcomes. Implementation strategies, such as reminders, are used to increase the uptake of evidence-based interventions into practice, while implementation outcomes, such as adoption, are key measures of the implementation process. The use of routine data in effectiveness trials has been explored; however, there are no reviews on implementation trials. We therefore aimed to describe how routine data have been used in randomised implementation trials and the design characteristics of these trials. Methods: We searched MEDLINE (Ovid) and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from Jan 2000 to Dec 2021 and manually searched protocols from trial registers. We included implementation trials and type II and type III hybrid effectiveness-implementation trials conducted using routine data. We extracted quantitative and qualitative data and narratively synthesised findings. Results: From 4206 titles, we included 80 trials, of which 22.5% targeted implementation of evidence-based clinical guidelines. Multicomponent implementation strategies were more commonly evaluated (70.0%) than single strategies. Most trials assessed adoption as the primary outcome (65.0%). The majority of trials extracted data from electronic health records (EHRs) (62.5%), and 91.3% used routine data for outcome ascertainment. Reported reasons for using routine data were increasing efficiency, assessing outcomes, reducing research burden, improving quality of care, identifying study samples, confirming findings, and assessing representativeness. Data quality, the EHR system, research governance, and external factors such as government policy could act either as facilitators or barriers. Conclusions: Adherence to guidance on designing and reporting implementation studies, and specifically to harmonise the language used in describing implementation strategies and implementation outcomes, would aid identification of studies and data extraction. Routine healthcare data are widely used for participant identification, outcome assessment and intervention delivery. Researchers should familiarise themselves with the barriers and facilitators to using routine data, and efforts could be made to improve data quality to overcome some of the barriers. Registration: PROSPERO CRD42022292321. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and DNA mismatch repair (MMR) are considered predictive biomarkers for immunotherapy in cervical cancer. However, their expression in primary tumors and metastases does not always match affecting the course of treatment. We investigated the consistency of their expression in primary and matched recurrent/metastatic lesions from patients with cervical cancer. Methods: Primary and matched recurrent/metastatic specimens from patients with recurrent cervical cancer (n = 194) were stained for PD-L1 and MMR (MLHI, MSH6, MSH2, and PMS2) using immunohistochemistry. The degree of consistency of PD-L1 and MMR expression in these lesions was analyzed. Results: The inconsistency rate of PD-L1 expression in primary and recurrent/metastatic lesions was 33.0%, and it varied between the recurrence sites. Positive PD-L1 rate in primary lesions was lower (15.4%) than that in recurrent/metastatic lesions (30.4%). The discordance rate of MMR expression between primary and recurrent/metastatic lesions was 4.1%. Conclusion: We conclude that to use PD-L1 as a predictive biomarker for immunotherapy, analysis of both metastatic and primary lesions may be required. High consistency rate of MMR expression between primary and metastatic lesions suggests that testing primary lesions alone can be sufficient for guiding the course of therapy, thereby solving the difficulty of obtaining recurrent/metastatic specimens in clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, first, using a dataset for China's financial balance sheets we construct the sector-level macro-financial networks. Second, we analyse the statistical features and the dynamic changes of our macro-financial networks. Third, we conduct financial contagion simulations to identify the specific prominent sectors that can generate potential system-wide losses, and measure the resiliencies of different sectors to sector-specific financial shocks. The results uncover certain crucial propagation and contagion mechanisms of systemic risk in China's macro-financial system. In addition, we find that the statistical features of the networks are closely associated with the losses incurred under the inter-sectoral financial contagion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical mixing of monofunctional noble metal catalysts, such as Pt/C or Ru/IrO 2 , increases the commercial cost and stability risk of electrodes. Therefore, it is desirable to develop a multifunctional electrocatalyst for zinc-air batteries and integrated electrolytic devices. To develop an effective way to fabricate high-performance multifunctional electrocatalysts by modifying advanced nanostructures, a coaxial electrospinning approach with in-situ synthesis and subsequent carbonization was used to construct a highly integrated three-function catalyst composed of graphitic carbon-encapsulated cobalt nanoparticles embedded into one-dimensional (1D) porous hollow carbon nanofibers (CoNC-HCNFs). Under the synergistic effect of the active material and the advanced nanostructure, the as-prepared CoNC-HCNFs demonstrated an operating overpotential of 186 mV (10 mA cm−2) for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), a half-wave potential of 0.83 V (vs. RHE at 10 mA cm−2) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and a potential of 1.58 V (10 mA cm−2) for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). With their exceptional multifunctional activities, two CoNC–HCNF-based aqueous zinc-air batteries (ZABs) in series could drive an alkaline water electrolyzer for splitting water. Furthermore, due to the superior mechanical flexibility and rechargeability of the solid-state ZAB, it has great application prospects in powering portable and wearable electronics. This research is expected to offer inspiration for the development of other excellent MOF-based hollow carbon nanofibers and to enable them to be adopted more widely in electrochemical energy conversion and energy storage. [Display omitted] • Porous hollow carbon nanofibers embedded with Co nanoparticles were fabricated. • The hollow structure was prepared via coaxial electrospinning and hydrolyzation. • The CoNC-HCNFs catalysts exhibit the multifunctional activity of ORR, OER and HER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Endoscopic resection (ER) is an effective treatment method for gastric submucosal tumors (G-SMTs), but endoscopic resection failure requires emergency surgery. The purpose of this study was to assess potential risk factors for endoscopic resection failure. Methods: A total of 1041 patients with G-SMT undergoing endoscopic resection were enrolled. Twenty-five patients in whom endoscopic resection failed, requiring a transition to surgery midway through the operation, were included in the failed group, and 1016 patients who received successful endoscopic resection were included in the successful endoscopic resection group. Baseline and lesion characteristics were recorded, and the differences in tumor characteristics and risk factors for resection failure of G-SMT were analyzed. Sensitivity analysis was performed to detect the stability of the indicator. Results: Of the 1041cases included, there were 25 cases (2.4%) of failed endoscopic resection. Binary logistic analysis showed that the independent risk factors included tumors originating from deep muscularis propria(OR = 14.42, 95% CI 4.47–46.52), size > 3 cm (OR = 7.75, 95% CI 2.64–22.70), exophytic growth pattern (OR = 4.98, 95% CI 1.62–15.29), endoscopist with less experience (OR = 5.99, 95% CI 1.07–12.19), and irregular borders (OR = 4.13, 95% CI 1.40–12.19). The stable risk factors were tumors size, tumor origin and growth pattern according to sensitivity analysis. Conclusions: Tumors originating from the deep muscularis propria, tumor size > 3 cm, endoscopists with less experience, an exophytic growth pattern, and irregular boundaries were found to be independent risk factors for endoscopic resection failure. To reduce the risk of endoscopic resection failure, physicians should carefully evaluate G-SMT characteristics preoperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While a high density of nano twins can effectively enhance alloys, it also leads to a significant reduction in ductility, similar to other nanostructures. In this work, a deformation strategy combining cold rolling and warm rolling has been employed on a nanotwinned Fe-25Mn-0.5C steel to improve ductility. A high density of nano twins was introduced in the coarse-grained matrix first by cold rolling for high strength. Subsequent warm rolling at 500 °C sheared the large nano twin bundles, resulting in a mixed microstructure consisting of nano twins and more randomly oriented refined grains. Planar slipping of dislocations, instead of twinning, dominates the tensile processes, which brings strong pile-up and continuous work-hardening. Compared with the cold-rolled counterpart with full nano twins, the one with a mixed microstructure exhibits three times higher tensile elongation (21.3 % vs. 5.6 %) while maintaining similar tensile strengths (about 1440 MPa). The evolution of microstructures and the underlying strengthening mechanisms of the mixed microstructure were extensively discussed. Additionally, a cold-rolled and statically annealed sample was also included for comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning force fields (MLFFs) have gained popularity in recent years as they provide a cost-effective alternative to ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Despite a small error on the test set, MLFFs inherently suffer from generalization and robustness issues during MD simulations. To alleviate these issues, we propose global force metrics and fine-grained metrics from element and conformation aspects to systematically measure MLFFs for every atom and every conformation of molecules. We selected three state-of-the-art MLFFs (ET, NequIP, and ViSNet) and comprehensively evaluated on aspirin, Ac-Ala3-NHMe, and Chignolin MD datasets with the number of atoms ranging from 21 to 166. Driven by the trained MLFFs on these molecules, we performed MD simulations from different initial conformations, analyzed the relationship between the force metrics and the stability of simulation trajectories, and investigated the reason for collapsed simulations. Finally, the performance of MLFFs and the stability of MD simulations can be further improved guided by the proposed force metrics for model training, specifically training MLFF models with these force metrics as loss functions, fine-tuning by reweighting samples in the original dataset, and continued training by recruiting additional unexplored data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new nonequiatomic Co 70 Ni 20 V 10 and Co 65 Ni 20 V 15 medium entropy alloys were designed to investigate the synergistic strengthening effects of the dislocation slip, hexagonal close-packed (HCP) martensitic transformation, chemical short-range order (CSRO), and chemical medium-range order (CMRO), using X-ray diffraction, backscattered electron, electron channeling contrast imaging, electron backscattered diffraction, and transmission electron microscope. The results showed the Co 65 Ni 20 V 15 alloy presented an abnormally higher strain-hardening rate than the Co 70 Ni 20 V 10 alloy in the range of 5∼30 % strain, although the Co 70 Ni 20 V 10 alloy possessed higher dislocation density with extra HCP martensitic transformation strengthening. This abnormality could be attributed to the profound CSRO and CMRO strengthening in the Co 65 Ni 20 V 15 alloy with more large-sized V atoms, which was evidently observed by a high-resolution transmission electron microscope. It is expected that the strength of the CoNiV medium entropy alloys could be further enhanced via synthetically tuning the CSRO and CMRO effects, together with other strengthening mechanisms. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Serum LOC553103 could serve as a non-specific biomarker for early diagnosis of pan-cancer. • High-level serum LOC553103 after therapy is associated with poor prognosis in cancer patients. • LOC553103 is a globally predictive biomarker for solid tumors. • LOC553103 functions as a tumor propellant in pan-cancer. Circulating DNAs or RNAs in body liquid have emerged as useful and highly potential biomarkers for noninvasive diagnostic application. Our previous study had shown that LOC553103 was an oncogenic lncRNA, however, a systematic evaluation of LOC553103 as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for pan-cancer has not yet been demonstrated. The expression data of LOC553103 were obtained from the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, respectively. The serum LOC553103 had a high diagnostic performance among the 15 types of human solid cancer. The relative AUC of serum LOC553103 in cancer patients ranged from 0.826 to 0.966 compared to that in healthy subjects. Furthermore, high serum level of LOC553103 was closely related to advanced tumor pathological stages. Serum level of LOC553103 declined significantly in patients after therapy. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of TCGA data revealed that the LOC553103 was negatively correlated with survival and was a globally predictive biomarker for solid tumors. Additionally, we evaluated the oncogenic function of LOC553103 in various tumor cells, in vitro. We concluded that circulating LOC553103 could serve as useful non-specific diagnostic biomarker for pan-cancer and prediction of treatment efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the pathological findings and survival outcomes of patients with 2009 FIGO stage IA–IIA2 cervical cancer between groups with adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) using the Chinese Cervical Cancer Clinical (FOUR‐C) study database. Methods: Patients from 2004 to 2018 with cervical ADC and SCC who underwent radical hysterectomy were identified through the FOUR‐C database. Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to balance baseline clinicopathological characteristics. The Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression analysis were used to evaluate the prognostic effect of ADC on the 5‐year overall survival (OS). Results: We identified 1611 (9.8%) patients with ADC and 14 894 (90.2%) patients with SCC. Compared with SCC, ADC was significantly associated with an increased risk of death (odds ratio [OR] 1.40, 95% CI 1.12–1.74) and disease progression (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.14–1.57). ADC had a greater propensity for lymph node metastasis, uterine corpus invasion, perineural invasion, and ovarian metastases than SCC (P < 0.05). After 1:2 PSM, significant differences were still observed between these two histology subtypes (OS: OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.10–1.86; DFS: OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.19–1.76). The subgroup analysis further showed a worse prognosis for patients with ADC than for patients with SCC among patients with any of the high‐ or intermediate‐ risk factors (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.21–2.12), but no significant differences were observed for the patients with no risk factors (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.32–1.58). Conclusion: ADC is an independent prognostic factor for shorter survival in surgically treated patients with cervical cancer presenting intermediate‐ or high‐risk factors but does not affect survival outcomes in patients without any risk factors. Synopsis: Differences in survival between patients with ADC and SCC were observed in the high‐ or intermediate‐risk factor subgroups, but not in the no‐risk‐factor subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avoiding quench cracks and controlling the formation process of NiAl precipitates are essential to regulate the microstructure and pseudoelastic properties of Fe–Mn–Al–Ni shape memory alloys (SMAs). In this study, we investigated the effect of 1.5 at.%V addition on the quench sensitivity of Fe–Mn–Al–Ni SMAs and the precipitation behavior of NiAl precipitates in air-cooled Fe–Mn–Al–Ni–V SMAs. It is found that the V addition significantly inhibits the precipitation process of non-transforming γ-phase. Polycrystalline sample of bamboo structure was prepared by abnormal grain growth and tested by incremental strain cycling tensile test at room temperature. The polycrystalline Fe–Mn–Al–Ni–V SMAs obtain fully reversible thermoelastic martensitic transformation without quenching, which also prevents the formation of quenching cracks. Single crystal samples were further prepared by directional recrystallization. High number-density and relatively large-size coherent β-NiAl precipitates were obtained to strengthen the matrix in the single crystal without aging, resulting in large stress hysteresis and irrecoverable strain. After aging Fe–Mn–Al–Ni–V single crystal for 3 h at 200 °C, both the stress hysteresis and irrecoverable strain decreased, thereby achieving good pseudoelasticity in Fe–Mn–Al–Ni–V SMAs. • V suppresses the formation of γ phase that is unfavorable for pseudoelasticity. • FeMnAlNiV alloy can achieve good pseudoelasticity without quenching. • FeMnAlNiV alloy can avoid the generation of quenching cracks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEAs) with Al possess excellent strength but low elongation. Low ductility is generally induced by the formation of brittle phases after long-term heat treatment. Here, we demonstrate a new strategy to optimize strength-ductility in RHEAs through cold rolling-annealing treatments. The Zr 35 Ti 30 Nb 20 Al 10 Ta 5 RHEA was cold rolled followed by annealing. A high tensile yield strength of ∼997 MPa with an elongation of ∼20% was obtained. Several factors together optimize the mechanical properties. First, the high-density dislocation entanglements introduced by cold rolling and short-time annealing are beneficial to uniform strain hardening and ductility. Second, short-term annealing can prevent the generation of the brittle LAVES phase in Al-containing RHEAs. Third, the B2 nanoprecipitates are dispersed in the BCC matrix phase, strengthening the alloys. Fourth, the fine grain size induced by cold rolling and short annealing times contributes to the strength. • Zr 35 Ti 30 Nb 20 Al 10 Ta 5 RHEA with excellent strength and ductility was prepared via cold rolling-annealing technology. • A high tensile yield strength of 997 MPa with an elongation of 20% was obtained. • Cold rolling-annealing can avoid the formation of brittle LAVES phase. • Adjustment of dislocation morphology and grain size by cold rolling-annealing can optimize mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Comprehensive land surface characterizations of two major Canadian urban areas, the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa-Gatineau, are described. • The intra-urban surface temperature variations are analyzed with information on land cover fraction, land use and its historic changes, population density. • The intra-city seasonal temperature variations are presented and analyzed. Abstract The surface fabric of urbanized areas, (i.e. its constituent land covers and land uses) plays an essential role in the generation of the urban/rural temperature differences, i.e. the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. Land surface information, derived from satellite imagery, and complementary information such as demographics can be used as the basis for an understanding of the atmospheric and surface thermal variations within cities. The results of comprehensive land surface characterizations of two major Canadian urban areas, the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa-Gatineau, are described. Spatial information, including land cover fraction maps, land use and its historic changes, population density maps are compared with intra-urban surface temperature variations derived from satellite thermal imagery. Three aspects of the impacts of land cover and land use on urban land thermal characteristics are addressed, namely, (a) the relationships between surface temperature and subpixel land cover and population density (b) intra-city seasonal temperature variations and (c) the intensification of the urban heat island effect due to urban built-up land growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The effects of strain on the ionic conductivity of rare-earth substituted CeO 2 have been extensively studied, but the results have been inconsistent and focused upon the 'optimised' conductors such as Gd or Sm substituted CeO 2 where defect association is minimised. By thermally annealing epitaxial films deposited by pulsed laser deposition, we varied the strain systematically, whilst avoiding any influence from interfacial or grain boundary effects. The activation energy of the in-plane conductivity was found to increase with increasing compressive biaxial strain, which was quantitatively in excellent agreement with previous computational and experimental studies. These results provide a much needed quantitative consensus on the effects of lattice strain on ionic transport. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the change in the activation energy for Yb-substituted CeO 2 is around three times that for Gd or La substitutions for the same applied strain, indicating the important role played by defect association. These results have significant implications for ionic transport at reduced or ambient temperatures, where changes in conductivity due to strain may be several orders of magnitude larger for 'non-optimised' conductors compared with 'optimised' conductors. We rationalise our results by considering the defect-defect interactions in these materials and through force-field calculations. Graphical abstract Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To identify the potential risk factors for multiantibiotic-resistant infections and provide sufficient evidence for multiantibiotic resistance prevention and control. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of all patients in pediatric orthopedics, pediatric heart surgery, and pediatric general surgery at a level 3, grade A children's hospital from January to December 2016. The clinical laboratory information monitoring system and the medical record system were used to collect patient information regarding age, surgery type, preoperative length of stay, admission season, incision type, preoperative infection, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative use of invasive equipment, duration of catheter drainage, and timepoint of intraoperative prophylactic antibiotics administration. We used logistic univariate and multivariate regression analysis to analyze the potential risk factors for multiantibiotic-resistant infections among pediatric surgical patients. SPSS 21.0 and Excel software packages were used for the statistical analysis. Results: In total, 2,973 patients met the inclusion criteria: 1,247 patients in pediatric orthopedics, 1,089 patients in pediatric heart surgery, and 637 patients in pediatric general surgery. At the end of the study, 113 patients were multiantibiotic-resistant infection cases; the rate of multiantibiotic-resistant infections was 3.80%, and the detection rate was 84.79%. Multivariate analysis indicated that the multiantibiotic-resistant infection cases were influenced by age, department, admission season, incision type, preoperative infection, and duration of catheter drainage. Conclusions: Age, department, admission season, incision type, preoperative infection, and duration of catheter drainage may provide possible evidence for prevention and control strategies of multiantibiotic-resistant infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract The higher fluoroacidity of molten salts, the relatively low coordination number of Zr-F and U-F, the higher conversion rate and the average reaction rate of UF 4 to UF 6. Highlights • The fluorination of UF 4 by F 2 in LiF-NaF-KF (FLiNaK), FLiNaK-ThF 4 and KF-ZrF 4 was carried out and compared. • The coordination structures of U(IV) in FLiNaK with various content of ZrF 4 were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. • The higher fluoroacidity of molten salts, the lower the coordination number of U-F, the higher the conversion rate and the average reaction rate. Abstract The fluorination of UF 4 by F 2 in LiF-NaF-KF(46.5-11.5-42 mol%, FLiNaK), FLiNaK-ThF 4 (88.0–12.0 mol.%) and KF-ZrF 4 (58–42 mol%, FKZr) at 550 °C was investigated, and the results indicated the conversion rate of UF 4 to UF 6 was different in FLiNaK with the other two molten salts. Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to study the influence of the fluoroacidity on the coordination structure of Zr (IV) and U(IV) in FLiNaK with various contents of ZrF 4. The results indicated that the concentration of free F− decreased and the molten salt became more acidic with the increase of ZrF 4 content. The main Zr(IV) complex present changed from ZrF 7 3−, ZrF 6 2− to ZrF 5 − as the U(IV) complex changed from UF 8 4− or UF 7 3− to UF 6 2−. The fluorination of UF 4 in FLiNaK with various fluoroacidity suggested that a higher fluoroacidity of molten salts resulted in relatively low coordination numbers of Zr-F and U-F, a higher conversion rate and average reaction rate of UF 4 to UF 6 , and less corrosive of the structural material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hill-type musculotendon models are most commonly used in biomechanical simulations for their computational efficacy and efficiency. But these models are generally built for maximally-activated muscles and linearly scale muscle properties when applied to submaximal conditions. However, the precondition of this scaling, which is muscle activation and properties are independent each other, has been proven unreal in many studies. Actually, the maximal activation condition is not ubiquitous for muscles in vivo, so it is necessary to adapt the linear scaling approach to improve the model practicability.Objective: This paper aimed at proposing two improved Hill-type musculotendon models that are better suited for submaximal conditions.Method: These two models were built by including the activation-force-length coupling and their biological accuracy and computation speed were evaluated by a series of benchmark simulations.Results: Compared to experimental measurements, the percent root mean square errors of forces calculated by the two AFLC models were less than 13.98% and 13.81% respectively. However, the average running time of the second AFLC model was nearly 17 times that of the first one with only a little improvement in accuracy.Conclusion: The two AFLC models were validated more accurate than the common Hill-type model in submaximally activated conditions and the first one was recommended in the construction of upper-layer musculoskeletal models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Exploding molybdenum metal foil into NF 3 at 350℃ gave a tan and stable enough substance MoF 3 for studying the separation of molybdenum from LiF-BeF 2 -ZrF 4 -UF 4 simulated fuel molten salt. • The reaction of MoF 3 with NF 3 in the molten salt only occurred at lower temperature 570℃, however, NF 3 reacted with UF 4 until the temperature was increased to 650℃ or above. • The temperature had an important influence on the reaction rate and the conversion rate of NF 3 with MoF 3 , which increased from 0.09 g·h−1 at 570℃ to 0.16 g·h−1 at 600℃ and 75 % at 570℃ to 97 % at 600℃, respectively. • 99Mo could be high yield separation to ∼ 98 % and largely devoided of U contamination. Molybdenum-99 (99Mo) is one of the most important radionuclides for nuclear medicine. This isotope of molybdenum is mainly produced as a result of fission and decay processes occurring in nuclear reactors. Molten salt reactors (MSRs), a unique reactor with the fuel dissolved in a molten salt, have attracted attention as a source of 99Mo. In this work, the feasibility of fluoride volatility process as a potential technique for selective extraction of trace amount of 99Mo from fuel salt in the form of volatile MoF 6 by nitrogen trifluoride (NF 3) is illustrated. The results showed that in the case of using LiF-BeF 2 -ZrF 4 -UF 4 -MoF 3 (64.4–29.7–5.0–0.5–0.4 mol.%) molten salt as the simulated fuel salt, MoF 3 reacted with NF 3 to form MoF 6 at or above 570℃, while the conversion of UF 4 to volatile UF 6 required higher temperatures (≥650℃), when both exposed to 20 % NF 3 /Ar mixture. Based on above "cold" experiments, fluoride volatility process in LiF-BeF 2 -ZrF 4 molten salt containing irradiated UF 4 was carried out, and the extraction rate of 99Mo was determined by detecting the change of its γ activity in the molten salt. The results indicated that 99Mo could be extracted from the molten salt containing a quantity of uranium with the extraction rate of 98 % under current experimental conditions, and the content of uranium in collected 99Mo product was only 0.9 wt%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between the Yanshanian Movement, destruction of the North China Craton (NCC), and subduction of the western Pacific plate is crucial to reconstructing the middle-late Mesozoic tectonic evolution of the eastern Asian continent and margin. The Yanshanian Movement was a globally important change in crustal tectonics during the Middle-Late Jurassic. Previous research has systematically studied the formation and evolution of the Yanshanian Movement, focusing on the timing and location of tectonic movements, and the sedimentary and volcanic strata. However, the question of whether the tectonic activity occurred globally, and the characteristics of the Yanshanian Movement remain debated. The main argument is that if a tectonic movement can only be characterized by a regional or local disconformity, and if the tectonic movement occurred in an intracontinental setting, with extensive deformation but with no disconformity despite volcanic eruptions and magmatic intrusions, accompanied by changes in crustal structure and composition, should it be defined as a tectonic event or process? This question requires further analysis. The main aim of this study is to distinguish whether the Yanshanian Movement is a local feature of the eastern Asian continent, or a global tectonic event related to subduction of the Pacific Plate. In this paper, based on previous research, we discuss the spatial and temporal evolution of the Yanshanian Movement, the controlling tectonic mechanisms, and its relationship to the reactivation and destruction of the NCC and the subduction of the western Paleo-Pacific slab. We emphasize that the Yanshanian Movement in the Middle-Late Jurassic is distinct from the lithospheric thinning responsible for Early Cretaceous extension and magmatism related to the destruction of the NCC. The various tectonic stages were constrained by different dynamics and tectonic settings, or by different tectonic events and processes. Therefore, it is possible that the deformation and reactivation of the NCC contributed to its destruction, in addition to lithospheric thinning. Finally, we discuss whether the Yanshanian Movement was associated with the destruction of the NCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical satellite imagery is often contaminated by the persistent presence of clouds and atmospheric haze. Without an effective method for removing this contamination, most optical remote sensing applications are less reliable. In this research, a methodology has been developed to fully automate and improve the Haze Optimized Transformation (HOT)-based haze removal. The method is referred to as AutoHOT and characterized with three notable features: a fully automated HOT process, a novel HOT image post-processing tool and a class-based HOT radiometric adjustment method. The performances of AutoHOT in haze detection and compensation were evaluated through three experiments with one Landsat-5 TM, one Landsat-7 ETM+ and eight Landsat-8 OLI scenes that encompass diverse landscapes and atmospheric haze conditions. The first experiment confirms that AutoHOT is robust and effective for haze detection. The average overall, user’s and producer’s accuracies of AutoHOT in haze detection can reach 96.4%, 97.6% and 97.5%, respectively. The second and third experiments demonstrate that AutoHOT can not only accurately characterize the haze intensities but also improve dehazed results, especially for brighter targets, compared to traditional HOT radiometric adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary zinc-air batteries (ZABs) with a free-standing and flexible air electrode integrated with distinguished bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts are crucial for achieving better performance. Herein, benefitting from the rational design and simple synthesis, a highly controlled design can be achieved for the first showing of the synthesis of Co 3 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3 NAs@CNFs with a unique hierarchical nanostructure, consisting of randomly distributed zero-dimensional (0D) Co 3 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles embedded in two-dimensional (2D) MOF derived nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon flake nanoarrays grown on three-dimensional (3D) microporous network with interconnected conductive one-dimensional (1D) carbon nanofibers from carbonized electrospinning polymer nanofiber film (PMNFs). Under the synergy of 3D hierarchical porous nanostructure and abundant accessible active sites, Co 3 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3 NAs@CNFs is endowed with excellent bifunctional electrocatalytic activities like those of commercial Pt/C and RuO 2 , respectively. Rechargeable aqueous ZABs based on Co 3 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3 NAs@CNFs as air electrodes outperform their counterparts based on Pt/C and RuO 2 loaded carbon nanofibers (CNFs) as air electrodes, with a maximum power density of 246 mW cm−2 and excellent cycling stability with no increased polarization even after 40 h. And the assembled flexible solid-state ZABs with Co 3 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3 NAs@CNFs also display superior performance and bendability. [Display omitted] • The unique 0D/2D/3D hierarchical architecture prepared by facile pyrolysis process. • The Co 3 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3 NAs@CNFs toward binder-free self-supported air cathodes for ZABs. • Both the assembled aqueous and solid-state ZABs exhibit excellent performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe-30Mn-6Si belongs to a multi-functional material and is one of the most attractive alloys for use in engineering applications, such as pipe joints, repairing bone defects in load-bearing areas, etc. The present work focuses on the effect of face-centered cubic (FCC) grain size on the FCC → hexagonal close-packed (HCP) martensitic transformation and mechanical properties of the Fe-30Mn-6Si biodegradable alloy (BA). The specimens which were fully recrystallized with different FCC grain sizes ranging from 8.2 to 15.0 μm were obtained by different annealing treatments following rolling. According to the results, Hall-Petch relationship of the Fe-30Mn-6Si BA was fitted as: σ y = 58.9 MPa + 1080.4 MPa•μm1/2 d γ –1/2. The ultra-high K value (1080.4 MPa•μm1/2) indicates that the Fe-30Mn-6Si BA may exhibit ultra-high strength in ultra-fine grain structure. Remarkably, the Fe-30Mn-6Si BA annealed at 900 °C for 5 min overcame the strength-ductility trade-off which resulted in the higher yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and fracture elongation than the alloy annealed at 1000 °C for 5 min despite with a smaller grain size. In addition, compared to Mg- and Zn-based BAs, the Fe-30Mn-6Si BA exhibits superior mechanical properties. • The Fe-30Mn-6Si Biodegradable alloy (BA) exhibits an ultra-high K value (1080.4 MPa•μm1/2). • The Fe-30Mn-6Si BA can also overcome the strength-ductility trade-off via grain refinement. • Compared to Mg- and Zn-based BAs, the Fe-30Mn-6Si BA exhibits superior mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The recovery of uranium from FLiBe-ZrF 4 molten-salt containing irradiated UF 4 and ThF 4 by the fluoride volatility process (FVP) was carried out. The radioactivity detection method was applied for in-situ monitoring of the FVP. • The FVP was monitored by detecting the change of the γ activities of key nuclides in the molten salt and the NaF adsorber. • The overall process γ decontamination factors (DFs) of 95Zr, 103Ru, 132Te, 140La,140Ba, 141Ce, 143Ce and 233Pa were greater than 105∼106. • 239Np could be co-separated and recovered with uranium by fluorination from the fuel salt. • The separated 233Pa from the molten salt in the fluorination-sorption step could be trapped in the NaF trap, resulting in a high γ DF in the uranium product. The recovery of uranium from FLiBe-ZrF 4 (LiF-BeF 2 -ZrF 4 : 65–30–5 mol%) molten-salt containing irradiated UF 4 and ThF 4 by the fluoride volatility process (FVP) was carried out. Gamma radiography was applied for in-situ monitoring of the fluorination and desorption steps successfully. The results confirmed that it was feasible to monitor the FVP by detecting the changes of the γ activities of key nuclides in the molten salt and the NaF adsorber. The behavior and distribution of actinides and fission products in each unit of the FVP were investigated by the determination of their activities with the γ-ray spectroscopy. The results indicated the conversion and volatilization rate of UF 4 was greater than 99.8%. And the recovery yield of uranium was approximately 80% in two cold traps. A small amount of uranium remained in the molten salt, others was found in the NaF trap and the NaF adsorber. In addition, small amounts of uranium were also found in the off-gas, in the desorption step. As for 95Zr, 140La, 140Ba, 141Ce, 143Ce and 233Pa, existing as nonvolatile fluorides, remained in the fluorinated salt with the overall process gamma (γ) decontamination factors (DFs) in the UF 6 product greater than 105∼106. Meanwhile, 99Mo, 131I and 239Np existing as volatile fluorides, were found in the UF 6 product, NaF absorber and off-gas with the overall process γ DFs in the UF 6 product less than 10. In the case of 103Ru and 132Te also existing as volatile fluorides, the overall process γ DFs in the UF 6 product still reached approximately 105∼106 due to their separation from the UF 6 product by the NaF adsorber. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A simple yet effective sol gel strategy to form Gd 2 O 3 -Ni/CNT hybrids. • Gd 2 O 3 -Ni/CNT endows excellent ORR performance. • Superior property is resulted from the electronic reconfiguration of Gd 2 O 3 and Ni. • The as-prepared electrode exhibits high power density and capacity in ZAB. A 3D nano-aerogel electrocatalyst is produced based on metal Ni combined with Gd 2 O 3 species through a facile hydrogel route. The synthetic method hinges on the fabrication of oxidized carbon nanotubes (OCNTs) crosslinked poly (vinyl alcohol) to form hydrogel, which permits effective catch of highly active Gd 2 O 3 /Ni particles after pyrolysis. The designed Gd 2 O 3 -Ni heterostructure on carbon nanotubes (Gd 2 O 3 -Ni/CNT) is highly efficient for oxygen reduction electrocatalysis. It is found that the half-wave potential (E 1/2) of Gd 2 O 3 -Ni/CNT is nearly 190 mV positive than that of Ni/CNT and even surpasses the commercial Pt/C. The superior performance is resulted from the electronic reconfiguration between Gd 2 O 3 and Ni in the heterostructure, which further optimized the adsorption of intermediates to balance the binding of OOH* and OH* on the surface of Gd 2 O 3 -Ni and break the OOH*–OH* scaling relation. Finally, the assembled zinc-air battery with Gd 2 O 3 -Ni/CNT as electrocatalyst achieves high capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global temperature gradually decreased from the Cretaceous Santonian to Campanian, while angiosperms evolved rapidly and gradually became dominant. The Songliao Basin, NE China, contains abundant fossil palynomorphs from the Santonian to Campanian age. A thorough investigation of fossil palynomorphs in borehole ZKY2-1 of the SW Songliao Basin was performed, reconstructing the vegetation and paleoclimate transition from the Santonian–earliest Campanian (lower Nenjiang Formation) to the late Campanian (Sifangtai Formation). Eighty form-genera from borehole ZKY2-1 have been identified. Three palynomorph assemblages were identified: the Schizaeoisporites–Cyathidites–Inaperturopollenites assemblage, Schizaeoisporites–Classopollis–Retitricolporites assemblage, and Schizaeoisporites–Aquilapollenites–Tricolporopollenits assemblage, from bottom to top. Based on palynological analysis from ZKY2-1 and other boreholes in the Songliao Basin, angiosperm pollen proportion in the Sifangtai Formation is significantly higher than in the lower Nenjiang Formation, indicating rapid angiosperm spread from late Santonian to Campanian. Palynological records indicate relatively humid climate during this period; the content of cool palynological types increased from the lower Nenjiang Formation to the Sifangtai Formation, suggesting a transition from warm to cool climate during the late Santonian–earliest Campanian to the late Campanian. The new palynological evidence from the Songliao Basin reveals a global cooling on land and sea during the late Santonian–Campanian period. This climate change may further promote angiosperm spread during the Late Cretaceous period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroptosis is recently discovered programmed cell death, induced by cellular ferrous ion bursts and subsequent Fenton reactions. The iron source in tumor cells is limited due to tightly controlled iron metabolism. Since hierarchical iron architecture is rarely considered in ferroptosis cancer treatment, multilayer Fe2O3 architectures (UF@PPDF NPs) are developed by modulating ultra‐small γ‐Fe2O3 nanocrystal assemblies, and further conjugating cancer cell targeting folic acid (FA), chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (Dox). Hierarchically assembled γ‐Fe2O3 nanocrystal facilitates switchable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), much enhanced ferroptosis efficiency, and very high second near‐infrared (NIR‐II) photothermal conversion. For MRI, UF@PPDF nanoparticles (NPs) enables clearly visualized tissues in terms of size and compactness, with dynamic T2‐T1 imaging switching. UF@PPDF NPs exhibits highly efficient photothermal therapy (PTT) upon NIR‐II irradiation, together with controlled release of ferric ions and Dox, thus achieving PTT‐chemotherapy‐ferroptosis trifunctional synergistic cancer therapy for tumor ablation. RNA sequencing analyses of differentially expressed genes implies a multifaceted role for this therapy in cancer cell signaling. Cellular respiration and electron transport are significantly upregulated, while the epigenetic pathways, including chromatin modification and RNA transcription activity are severely downregulated, with an overall effect of cellular apoptosis. Thus, γ‐Fe2O3 architectures provide new possibility for highly efficient deep tumor treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Triptolide induced nephrotoxicity in rats and the toxicity targeted the proximal tubule. [•] Triptolide caused an alteration of the tight junction complex in the proximal tubule. [•] Triptolide induced alterations in the barrier and permeability characteristics of the proximal tubule epithelium. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The mechanical properties of copper nanowires irradiated with energetic ions have been investigated by using molecular dynamics simulations. The Cu ions with energies ranging from 0.2 to 8.0keV are used in our simulation, and both the elastic properties and yields under tension and compression are analyzed. The results show that two kinds of defects, namely point defects and stacking faults, appear in the irradiated nanowires depending on the incident ion energy. The Young modulus is significantly reduced by the ion irradiation, and the reduction magnitude depends on the vacancy number, which is determined by the ion energy. Moreover, the irradiated nanowires yield at a smaller strain, compared with the unirradiated nanowire. The mechanism for these changes are also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) over-expression is frequently associated with human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and involved in tumor proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis and resistance to apoptosis. In the present study, the effects of triptolide on COX-2 expression in A549 cells were investigated and triptolide was found to inhibit TNF-α-induced COX-2 expression. In our further studies, it was found that triptolide decreased the half-life of COX-2 mRNA dramatically and that it inhibited 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) fluorescence reporter gene activity. Meanwhile, triptolide inhibited the HuR shuttling from nucleus to cytoplasm. After triptolide treatment, decreased COX-2 mRNA in pull-down experiments with anti-HuR antibodies was observed, indicating that the decreased cytoplasmic HuR is responsible for the decreased COX-2 mRNA. Taken together, our results provided evidence for the first time that triptolide inhibited COX-2 expression by COX-2 mRNA stability modulation and post-transcriptional regulation. These results provide a novel mechanism of action for triptolide which may be important in the treatment of lung cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Rheology of slurry significantly influenced the grindability, fine grinding performance and energy consumption of industrial minerals in wet grinding. The solid concentration, particle size, temperature and the dispersant, which affected the rheological characteristics of pyrite slurry and the biooxidation process were investigated in this study. This research aimed at the wet grinding process improved by the control of slurry rheology and getting a biocompatible dispersant. The results revealed that the viscosity increased with the solid concentration, which was in agreement with the Chong model. There was a critical concentration (40wt.%) that led to the flow behavior of slurry transformed from Newtonian fluids to shear-thinning non-Newtonian fluids which fitted to the Casson model. It was also found that the apparent viscosity of slurry increased with the decrease of the particle size and the temperature at high solid concentration. Sodium Hexametaphosphate (SH) was selected experimentally as an effective dispersant for the mineral slurry. The appropriate concentration of SH was also determined at the range from 0.005wt.% to 0.05wt.%. The addition of dispersants could reduce the viscosity and yield stress, increase the zeta potential (ζ) of suspension pronouncedly. No negative effects on the growth rate of microorganisms and the pyrite biooxidation were observed. Therefore, dispersant separation and recovery process could be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Deltamethrin degradation was assessed by measuring deltamethrin reduction with GC–MS and UV–Vis spectrophotometry following incubation of various concentrations (4.96–24.80μM) of deltamethrin with α-chymotrypsin from bovine pancreas. The retention times of crude products of deltamethrin metabolic reactions were 37.968min, 37.415min, 36.490min, and 35.895min. The UV–Vis spectrophotometric peak absorbance of deltamethrin was at 264nm, and the peak absorbance of deltamethrin metabolic products were at 250nm and 296nm, respectively. Michaelis–Menten metabolic rate constants (V max and K m) were calculated by nonlinear regression for chymotrypsin using GraphPad Prism 4.0, the V max was 97.97±26.57nmol/L/min and K m was 7.84±3.83μM. The larvicidal bioassay tests indicated that the mixture from the degradation reaction showed LC50 increased significantly (P <0.05). This is the first report demonstrating deltamethrin metabolism by chymotrypsin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Compressive performance of spirally confined fibre-reinforced LWAC was investigated. • Crack propagation, peak stress, peak strain, and ductility of the column were discussed. • Carbon fibres enhanced the ductility of LWAC to a greater extent than polypropylene fibres. • Identical volumetric fraction of the two fibres were optimum to improve the ductility of confined LWAC. • A confinement model applicable to hybrid fibre-reinforced LWAC columns was proposed. To investigate the compressive performance of fibre-reinforced concrete columns, 20 circular columns with a consistent size of Φ 250 × 750 mm were tested, considering different concrete types, steel spiral spacing, fibre types, and volumetric fibre fractions. Polypropylene fibres prevented the initial cracking and premature spalling of the cover more obviously than carbon fibres. The compressive strength of spirally confined lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) was improved to 1.45 times the unconfined strength, and the fibre-reinforced LWAC exhibited a greater enhancement in the compressive strength provided by the confining pressure than the plain LWAC. The incorporation of both single carbon fibres and hybrid carbon–polypropylene fibres enhanced the ductility of LWAC columns, while the polypropylene fibres exhibited an insignificant influence on the compressive properties of LWAC. Identical volumetric fractions of the two fibres contributed more significantly to the ductility of LWAC. Concerning the improved peak strain and residual strength, a confinement model of fibre-reinforced LWAC that accounted for the superposition of individual confinement effects, including lateral reinforcement and fibres, was proposed and compared with the experimental results. The predictions exhibited better agreement with the experimental curves than the existing typical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The hydrolysis of a model carbapenem, 1-aza-bicyclo[3,2,1]hept-2-ent-7-one, has been investigated using density functional theory method at both B3LYP/6-31G(d) and B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level. The geometries, energies and frequencies of all the stationary points were calculated in detail. Different possible reaction mechanisms have been proposed. The outcomes show that both in the non-assisted mechanism and the water-assisted mechanism, the concerted pathway a is preferred. However, the energy barrier of water-assisted mechanism is much lower than that of non-assisted mechanism. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Alkaline agents have an appeal for enhanced oil recovery because of their low cost and favorable performance. In this paper, sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) are used as the alkaline chemicals, at the same Na2O content, to investigate the oil/water interfacial reactions between the Daqing crude oil and the alkaline solutions. Moreover, oleic acid or the mixture of ethyl acetate and phthalic acid diethyl ester were added into the crude oil, respectively, to facilitate the direct observation of the interfacial reactions and to compare the functional effectiveness of alkalis. The results showed that: Na2CO3 reacted slowly and partly with the acid components in crude oil, while NaOH did it very fast and completely. Interestingly, Na2CO3 is better than NaOH in lowering the oil/water interfacial tension (IFT), due to its buffer effect. These help the optimum formulation design of flooding alkali, which should also be of great importance for tertiary oil recovery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The complete sequence of ribosomal protein L39 has been cloned from deltamethrin-resistant strain of Culex pipiens pallens (DR1 strain). Quantitative RT-PCR analysis indicated that the RPL39 transcription level was 23.4 times higher in DR1 strain than in susceptible strain at 4th instar larvae. The RPL39 expression was also found to be consistently higher throughout the life cycle of DR1 strain. A protein of predicted size 17kDa has been detected by Western blotting in RPL39-transfected mosquito C6/36 cells. These RPL39-transfected cells also showed enhanced deltamethrin resistance compared to plasmid vector-transfected cells as determined by methyl tritiated thymidine (3H-TdR) incorporation. These results indicate that RPL39 is expressed at higher levels in DR1 strain, and may confer some insecticide resistance in Cx. pipiens pallens. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Stem cell factor (SCF) is overexpressed by neurons following brain injury as well as by glioma cells; however, its role in gliomagenesis remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that SCF directly activates brain microvascular endothelial cells (ECs) in vitro and induces a potent angiogenic response in vivo. Primary human gliomas express SCF in a grade-dependent manner and induce normal neurons to express SCF in brain regions infiltrated by glioma cells, areas that colocalize with prominent angiogenesis. Downregulation of SCF inhibits tumor-mediated angiogenesis and glioma growth in vivo, whereas overexpression of SCF is associated with shorter survival in patients with malignant gliomas. Thus, the SCF/c-Kit pathway plays an important role in tumor- and normal host cell-induced angiogenesis within the brain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this work, we propose a new optimization algorithm for the development of multiparameter crossover equations of state (MC EOS), which incorporates the asymptotic scaling laws near the critical point. This algorithm is based on stepwise regression, which reduces the intercorrelations among the functional terms in the equation and enables the incorporation of the universal crossover formulation into the development of equations of state. The EOS developed is optimized in structure and gives correct prediction of caloric properties in the immediate vicinity of the critical point. For the determination of the linear, analytical coefficients and the non-linear crossover parameters in the crossover EOS for a given fluid, both linear and non-linear optimization procedures are used. By applying this algorithm we have developed a wide-range crossover equation of state (EOS) for carbon dioxide in the form of dimensionless Helmholtz energy. The derived MC EOS contains only 26 functional terms, and gives excellent descriptions of experimental data over a wide-range of states. Compared to the extremely accurate standard reference equation of state of Span and Wagner (SW EOS), the MC EOS yields a very good description of thermodynamic surfaces away from the critical point. In one-phase region, the MC EOS represents the experimental values of density with an average absolute deviation (AAD) of about 0.1%, and pressure with an AAD of about 0.3%. However, unlike the SW EOS, the MC EOS reproduces the well-established scaling laws behavior in the asymptotic critical region as T → T c. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In previous work, we developed the crossover SAFT–VR equation of state (SAFT–VRX) for pure fluids by following the crossover approach proposed by Kiselev. The SAFT–VRX equation was shown to be very accurate in the prediction of PVT and phase behaviour for both non-associating and associating fluids. In particular, simple expressions for the potential model parameters for the n-alkane homologous series were developed, allowing the prediction of the thermodynamic properties without fitting to experimental data. In this work, we have applied the SAFT–VRX equation to binary mixtures of short-chain n-alkanes, using the prescriptions for the model parameters developed previously to determine the pure fluid parameters. The SAFT–VRX equation is found to accurately predict the gas–liquid critical locus and vapor–liquid equilibrium data for the systems studied without fitting to binary experimental mixture data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Engineering equations of state (EOS) deal with the majority of fluids of interest in process and equipment design in the chemical industries. Accuracy and universality are two desirable features the engineering EOS require, however, both of them cannot be simultaneously obtained without some degree of compromise. Therefore a simultaneous optimization algorithm is proposed to develop an accurate but compact engineering EOS for wide range of fluids with one single functional form. The algorithm is based on a simulated annealing method, and operates on different fluids at the same time to achieve the best average results. A 14-term EOS is developed based on this algorithm that has good accuracy for selected non-polar and polar fluids. The resulting equation is compared with two different 12-term EOS developed by Span and Wagner, one for polar fluids, the other for non-polar fluids. The new 14-term EOS also gives good predictions for some associating fluids such as alcohols and water. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Neural stem/progenitor cell (NSPC) migration toward sites of damaged central nervous system (CNS) tissue may represent an adaptive response for the purpose of limiting and/or repairing damage. Little is known of the mechanisms responsible for this migratory response. We constructed a cDNA library of injured mouse forebrain using subtractive suppression hybridization (SSH) to identify genes that were selectively upregulated in the injured hemisphere. We demonstrate that stem cell factor (SCF) mRNA and protein are highly induced in neurons within the zone of injured brain. Additionally, the SCF receptor c-kit is expressed on NSPCs in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we demonstrate that recombinant SCF induces potent NSPC migration in vitro and in vivo through the activation of c-kit on NSPCs. These data suggest that the SCF/c-kit pathway is involved in the migration of NSPCs to sites of brain injury and that SCF may prove useful for inducing progenitor cell recruitment to specific areas of the CNS for cell-based therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to systematically evaluate diagnostic performance of four-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) in the localization of hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands (HPGs) in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT). We calculated the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), and diagnostic odds ratios (DOR) of 4D-CT on a per-lesion level, as well as pooled sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) on a per-patient level with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Additionally, we plotted summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves and evaluated the areas under the curves (AUC). A total of 16 studies were included in the analysis. Their pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, and DOR of 4D-CT on per-lesion level were 75% (95%CI: 66–82%), 85% (95%CI: 50–97%), 4.9 (95%CI: 1.1–21.3), 0.30 (95%CI: 0.19–0.45), and 17 (95%CI: 3–100), respectively, with an AUC of 81% (95%CI: 77–84%). We also observed heterogeneity in sensitivity (I2 = 79%) and specificity (I2 = 94.7%), and obtained a pooled sensitivity of 81% (95%CI: 70–90%) with heterogeneity of 81.9% (p < 0.001) and PPV of 91% (95%CI: 82–98%) with heterogeneity of 80.8% (p < 0.001), based on a per-patient level. Overall, 4D-CT showed moderate sensitivity and specificity for preoperative localization of HPG(s) in patients with pHPT. The diagnostic performance may improve with 4D-CT's promotion to first-line use on a lesion-based level, further research is needed to confirm the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the reverse transformation of ε -martensite located inside nanotwin lamellae has been introduced to improve the ductility of a high-strength Fe–Mn–C steel with a high density of nanotwins. The steel was designed to have a low stacking-fault energy (SFE, 17.8 mJ/m2) to introduce high density of nanotwins through pre-deformation. Meanwhile, the fine ε -martensite was also obtained in nanotwin lamellae. The steel was strengthened significantly, with an increase in yield strength from 357 to 1275 MPa by the introduction of nanotwins. A subsequent intermediate annealing was applied to control the reverse phase transformation from ε -martensite to austenite to enhance the deformation ability of the nanotwinned steel (rising tensile elongation from 5 to 16%). The nanotwins with a width of 32 nm on average were stable during the heat treatment. The high strength was retained because the size of the austenite transformed from ε -martensite was restrained by the stable nanotwins. This strategy holds promise and can be widely applied to alloys with low SFE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, and life-threatening lung disease for which treatment options are limited. Glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) is a triterpenoid with multiple biological effects, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties. Herein, inhalable milk-derived extracellular vesicles (mEVs) encapsulating GA (mEVs@GA) were screened and evaluated for IPF treatment. The results indicated that the loading efficiency of GA in mEVs@GA was 8.65%. Therapeutic effects of inhalable mEVs@GA were investigated in vitro and in vivo. The mEVs@GA demonstrated superior anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-stimulated MHS cells. Furthermore, repeated noninvasive inhalation delivery of mEVs@GA in bleomycin-induced IPF mice could decrease the levels of transforming growth factors β1 (TGF-β1), Smad3 and inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α. The mEVs@GA effectively diminished the development of fibrosis and improved pulmonary function in the IPF mice model at a quarter of the dose compared with the pirfenidone oral administration group. Additionally, compared to pirfenidone-loaded mEVs, mEVs@GA demonstrated superior efficacy at the same drug concentration in the pharmacodynamic study. Overall, inhaled mEVs@GA have the potential to serve as an effective therapeutic option in the treatment of IPF. Glycyrrhetinic acid (GA)-loaded milk-derived extracellular vesicles (mEVs) were successfully constructed and inhaled by bleomycin-induced mice, resulting in successful improvement of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cretaceous Period is a vital time interval in deciphering the evolutionary history of the Neo-Tethys Ocean and the convergence of different plates and blocks across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. A detailed stratigraphic framework and paleogeographic patterns are the basis for understanding the evolution of the Neo-Tethys Ocean and the formation of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Here, the Cretaceous stratigraphy, biota, paleogeography, and major geological events in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are analyzed to establish an integrative stratigraphic framework, reconstruct the paleogeography during the Cretaceous Period, and decode the history of the major geological events. The Cretaceous rocks of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding area are predominantly marine deposits, with a small amount of interbedded marine-terrestrial and terrestrial conponents. The Indus-Yarlung Tsangpo Suture Zone was responsible for the deposition of deep marine sediments dominated by ophiolite suites and radiolarian silicalite. To the south, the Tethys Himalayas and Indus Basin received marine sediments of varying depths and lithology; to the north, the Xigaze and Ladakh forearc basins are also filled with marine sediments. The Lhasa Block, Karakorum Block, western Tarim Basin, and West Burma block consist of shallow marine, interbedded marine-terrestrial, and terrestrial sediments. The Qiangtang Basin and other areas are dominated by terrestrial sedimentation. The Cretaceous strata of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas are widely distributed and diversified, with abundant foraminifera, calcareous nannofossils, radiolarians, ammonites, bivalves, and palynomorphs. On the basis of integrated lithostratigraphic, biostratigraphic, geochronologic, and chemostratigraphic analyses, we proposed herein a comprehensive stratigraphic framework for the Cretaceous Period of the eastern Neo-Tethys. By analyzing the Cretaceous biota of different biogeographic zones from eastern Neo-Tethys and its surrounding areas, we reconstructed the paleobiogeography of different periods of eastern Neo-Tethys. The Cretaceous paleogeographic evolution of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas can be divided into three phases: (1) gradual breakup of the Indian Plate from the Australia-Antarctica continent and the early collision phase of the Lhasa-Qiangtang blocks (145–125 Ma); (2) northward drift of the Indian Plate and the collision phase of the Lhasa-Qiangtang blocks (125–100 Ma); (3) rapid northward drift of the Indian Plate, formation of the Tarim-Tajik-Karakorum Bay, and early uplift of the Gangdise Mountains (100–66 Ma). The Indus-Tethys Himalayan biota underwent a transition from the cold-water type in the high latitudes of the southern hemisphere to the warm-water type near the equator from the Early Cretaceous to the Mid-Cretaceous. The biodiversity and abundance of the eastern Neo-Tethys Ocean increased gradually in the Early Cretaceous, peaking in the Mid-Cretaceous, and decreased sharply during the late Late Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian). Along with the northward drift of the Indian Plate and subduction of the Neo-Tethys, the eastern Neo-Tethys and its surrounding areas experienced a series of major geological events, including the formation of the large igneous province, oceanic anoxia events, and mass extinction, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the abundant literature on limnic Cretaceous ostracode faunas, the database on mid-Late Cretaceous taxa is still scarce. The Songliao Basin in northeastern China preserves a diverse assemblage of ostracode fossils from the Santonian–Campanian Nenjiang and Sifangtai formations. This rather unique material is of major importance to comprehend Early to mid-Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Campanian) limnic ostracode faunas and therefore the evolution of Late Cretaceous basins in China. A study of this fauna was conducted to detail the taxonomy of ostracode species from members 1 and 2 of the Nenjiang and Sifangtai formations in the Songliao Basin. Well-preserved specimens of 14 ostracode species were recovered from samples of the ZKY2-1 well in southwestern Songliao Basin: Scabriculocypris liaukhenensis Liu in Netchaeva et al., 1959, Ilyocyprimorpha netchaevae Su in Netchaeva et al., 1959, Cypridea acclinia Netchaeva in Netchaeva et al., 1959, Cypridea cavernosa Galeeva, 1955, Cypridea gracile Netchaeva in Netchaeva et al., 1959, Cypridea lepida Ye in DOFEAD, 1976, Cypridea squalida Sou in Netchaeva et al., 1959, Fabaeformiscandona? Disjuncta (Hao in Hao et al., 1974), Lycopterocypris profunda Lübimova, 1956, Mongolocypris magna (Hou, 1958), Mongolocypris tera (Su in Netchaeva et al., 1959), Talicypridea obliquecostae (Szczechura and Błaszyk, 1970), Talicypridea reticulata (Szczechura, 1978) and Renicypris renalata (Su in Hao et al., 1974). Four of the species identified received emended descriptions and diagnoses. Other important results include the first discussion on sexual dimorphism in Cypridea acclinia and Fabaeformiscandona? disjuncta, the first study on the ontogeny of Ilyocyprimorpha netchaevae, and the reassignment of Cypridea liaukhenensis to the genus Scabriculocypris. Several species recorded herein are also found in other continental far-eastern Asian basins, while genera range from worldwide to far-eastern Asian distribution; these results support strong affinities among faunas of Mongolia, China, and Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fluorination between NF 3 and UF 4 was investigated using in-line Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and occurred only when the temperature was above 723 K. The temperature had a significant effect on the average reaction rate and the utilization rate of NF 3. The average fluorination rate increased from 1.97 to 3.45 gU•h−1 and the utilization of NF 3 increased from 10.5%–22.5 % in the range of 723 K to 873 K. The calculated rate constant increased from 1.6×10−2 to 3.1×10−2 min−1 and the activation energy of the reaction was 22.56 kJ/mol. • The fluorination of UF 4 by NF 3 at different temperatures was investigated using inline FTIR. • The temperature had a significant effect on the average reaction rate and the utilization rate of NF 3. • Between 723 K and 873 K, the average fluorination rate increased from 1.97 to 3.45 gU•h−1 and the utilization of NF 3 increased from 10.5%–22.5%. • The calculated rate constant of the fluorination increased from 1.6 × 10−2 to 3.1 × 10−2 min−1, and the activation energy of the reaction was 22.56 kJ/mol. The fluorination of UF 4 by NF 3 at different temperatures was investigated using in-line Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results indicated that the fluorination between NF 3 and UF 4 occurred only when the temperature was above 723 K, and the temperature had a significant effect on the average reaction rate and the utilization rate of NF 3. The in-line FTIR spectrum analysis and thermodynamic calculation indicated that UF 4 was converted to UF 6 with the following reaction mechanism: 2/3NF 3 (g) + UF 4 (s) = UF 6 (g) + 1/3N 2 (g). The conversion rate of UF 4 to UF 6 increased from 1.53 to 2.68 gU h−1 and the utilization rate of NF 3 increased from 10.5%–22.5 % when the reaction temperature increased from 723 K to 873 K. The calculated rate constant increased from 1.6 × 10−2 to 3.1 × 10−2 min−1 in the range of 723 K to 873 K, and the activation energy of the reaction was 22.56 kJ/mol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indirubin is the main component of the traditional Chinese medicine Indigo naturalis (IN), a potent agonist of aryl hydrocarbon receptors (AhRs). In China, IN is used to treat psoriasis and ulcerative colitis, and indirubin is used for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukaemia. However, IN and indirubin have adverse reactions, such as abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and intussusception, and their specific mechanism is unclear. The purpose of our research was to determine the specific mechanism underlying the adverse effects of IN and indirubin. By tracking the modifications in guinea pigs after the intragastric administration of indirubin for 28 days. The results demonstrate that indirubin could accelerate bowel movements and decrease intestinal acetylcholinesterase (AchE) expression. Experiments with NCM460 cells revealed that indirubin significantly reduced the expression of AchE, and the AchE levels were increased after the silencing of AhR and re-exposure to indirubin. This study showed that the inhibition of AchE expression by indirubin plays a key role in the occurrence of adverse reactions to indirubin and that the underlying mechanism is related to AhR-mediated AchE downregulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Whether thoracic paravertebral block (PVB) is useful in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG) remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of bilateral PVB combined with general anesthesia (GA) in patients undergoing OPCABG. Methods: This feasibility study assessed 60 patients scheduled for OPCABG at the Qingdao Municipal Hospital in 2016–2017. Patients were randomly assigned to receive nerve stimulator-guided bilateral PVB combined with GA (PVB + GA) or GA alone (n = 30/group). Patients were asked to rate rest and cough pain hourly after the surgery. The primary endpoint was the visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score within 48 h postoperatively. Secondary endpoints were rescue analgesia and morphine consumption, fentanyl dose within 48 h postoperatively, as well as operative time, time to extubation, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, hospital stay and other postoperative adverse events. Results: Both rest and cough pains were lower in the PVB + GA group at 12, 24, 36, and 48 h after surgery compared with the GA group. There were fewer patients who needed rescue analgesia in the PVB + GA group at 12 and 24 h than in the GA group. Morphine consumptions at 24 and 48 h were lower in the PVB + GA group compared with the GA group. Time to extubation (P = 0.035) and ICU stay (P = 0.028) were shorter in the PVB + GA group compared with the GA group. AEs showed no differences between the two groups. Conclusions: Nerve stimulator-guided bilateral thoracic PVB combined with GA in OPCABG is associated with a reduced rescue analgesia and morphine consumption, compared to GA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]