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AIM: To explore the synergistic sensitization effect of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell culture supernatant (hUMSC-CM) combined with temozolomide (TMZ) on various glioma cell lines, and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: The hUMSC-CM was harvested using two different serum deprivation techniques at 24 and 48 h, and was converted into freeze-dried powder, which was then given to rat malignant glioma cell line RG-2, human astrocytoma cell line U251 and human glioblastoma cell line LN-428 at 5 concentrations (0, 1, 3, 6 and 9 g/L). The effectiveness and sensitivity of hUMSC-CM for inhibiting growth of glioma cells at 24, 48 and 72 h were assessed using CCK-8 assay. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining combined with CCK-8 assay was employed to evaluate the chemotherapy sensitivity of glioma cells after 48 h of treatment with TMZ at 6 concentrations (0, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 µmol/L). Two concentrations (3 and 9 g/L) of hUMSC-CM and 3 concentrations (50, 100 and 200 µmol/L) of TMZ were chosen for concurrent treatment of glioma cells to assess the proliferation and pathological alterations. TUNEL staining was utilized to detect apoptosis. Flow cytometry was utilized to analyze cell cycle modifications. The expression alterations of apoptosis-inducing proteins, cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-8 and cleaved PARP1, as well as autophagy-inducing proteins beclin-1 and LC3, were examined using Western blot to investigate the synergistic sensitization mechanism of hUMSC-CM combined with TMZ in vitro. RESULTS: The susceptibility of glioma cell lines to hUMSC-CM and TMZ varied, with RG-2 showing the highest sensitivity, followed by U251, and then LN-428. The inhibitory effect of hUMSC-CM (3 and 9 g/L) and TMZ (50, 100 and 200 µmol/L) combined treatment on glioma cells was significantly greater than that that of single-agent treatments (P<0. 05), demonstrating a dose- and concentration-dependent enhancement. Notably, the combination of 9 g/L hUMSC-CM (C9) with 50 µmol/L TMZ (T50) effectively suppressed glioma cell growth. CCK-8 assay indicated a significant reduction of cell viability in C9+T50 group compared with either C9 or T50 alone (P<0. 05). HE staining and TUNEL staining revealed pronounced morphological changes and significant apoptotic features in glioma cells treated with C9+T50. Flow cytometric analysis confirmed that C9+T50 induced cell cycle arrest in glioma cells. Furthermore, compared with control group, the levels of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-8, cleaved PARP1, beclin-1, and LC3-II/LC3-I were significantly elevated in the C9+T50-treated glioma cells (P<0. 01). CONCLUSION: (1) The concomitant administration of hUMSC-CM and TMZ exerts a broad inhibitory effect on glioma cells, with a synergistic sensitization observed across different cell lines. (2) The enhancement of glioma cell sensitivity to TMZ by hUMSC-CM may be attributed to the modulation of caspase-8/caspase-3/PARP1 signaling pathway and the induction of both apoptosis and autophagy in glioma cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable Li−Cl2 battery is a promising high energy density battery system. However, reasonable cycle life could only be achieved under low specific capacities due to the sluggish oxidation of LiCl to Cl2. Herein, we propose an amine‐functionalized covalent organic framework (COF) with catalytic activity, namely COF−NH2, that significantly decreases the oxidation barrier of LiCl and accelerates the oxidation kinetics of LiCl in Li−Cl2 cell. The resulting Li−Cl2 cell using COF−NH2 (Li−Cl2@COF−NH2) simultaneously exhibits low overpotential, ultrahigh discharge capacity up to 3500 mAh/g and a promoted utilization ratio of deposited LiCl at the first cycle (UR−LiCl) of 81.4 %, which is one of the highest reported values to date. Furthermore, the Li−Cl2@COF−NH2 cell could be stably cycled for over 200 cycles when operating at a capacity of 2000 mAh/g at −20 °C with a Coulombic efficiency (CE) of ≈100 % and a discharge plateau of 3.5 V. Our superior Li−Cl2 batteries enabled by organocatalyst enlighten an arena towards high‐energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable Li−Cl2 battery is a promising high energy density battery system. However, reasonable cycle life could only be achieved under low specific capacities due to the sluggish oxidation of LiCl to Cl2. Herein, we propose an amine‐functionalized covalent organic framework (COF) with catalytic activity, namely COF−NH2, that significantly decreases the oxidation barrier of LiCl and accelerates the oxidation kinetics of LiCl in Li−Cl2 cell. The resulting Li−Cl2 cell using COF−NH2 (Li−Cl2@COF−NH2) simultaneously exhibits low overpotential, ultrahigh discharge capacity up to 3500 mAh/g and a promoted utilization ratio of deposited LiCl at the first cycle (UR−LiCl) of 81.4 %, which is one of the highest reported values to date. Furthermore, the Li−Cl2@COF−NH2 cell could be stably cycled for over 200 cycles when operating at a capacity of 2000 mAh/g at −20 °C with a Coulombic efficiency (CE) of ≈100 % and a discharge plateau of 3.5 V. Our superior Li−Cl2 batteries enabled by organocatalyst enlighten an arena towards high‐energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-pass isothermal hot compression tests on four medium-Mn steels with different C and Al contents were conducted using a Gleeble-3500 thermal simulation machine at varying deformation temperatures (900–1150 °C) and strain rates (0.01–5 s−1). Based on friction correction theory, the friction of the test stress–strain data was corrected. On this basis, the Arrhenius constitutive model of experimental steels considering Al content and strain compensation and hot processing maps of different experimental steels at a strain of 0.9 were established. Moreover, the effects of C and Al contents on constitutive model parameters and hot processing performance were analyzed. The results revealed that the increase in C content changed the trend of the thermal deformation activation energy Q with the true strain. The Q value of 2C7Mn3Al increased by about 50 KJ/mol compared with 7Mn3Al at a true strain greater than 0.4. In contrast, increasing the Al content from 0 to 1.14 wt.% decreased the activation energy of thermal deformation in the true strain range of 0.4–0.9. Continuing to increase to 3.30 wt.% increased the Q of 7Mn3Al over 7Mn by about 65 KJ/mol over the full strain range. In comparison, 7Mn1Al exhibited the best hot processing performance under the deformation temperature of 975–1125 °C and strain rate of 0.2–5 s−1. This is due to the addition of C element reduces the δ-ferrite volume fraction, which leads to the precipitation of κ-carbides and causes the formation of microcracks; an increase in Al content from 0 to 1.14 wt.% reduces the austenite stability and improves the hot workability, but a continued increase in the content up to 3.30 wt.% results in the emergence of δ-ferrite in the microstructure, which slows down the austenite DRX and not conducive to the hot processing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic congestion not only has a great impact on people's travel, but also increases energy consumption and air pollution. The control analysis of the macroscopic traffic flow model considering the vehicle braking effect is particularly important, reflecting the impact on the actual traffic flow density wave, so as to better solve the actual traffic problems. In this paper, based on a speed difference optimization speed model, the micro–macro-variables are transformed into a high-order continuous traffic flow model. Then, a random function considering the physical correlation of random components is added to the high-order continuous traffic flow model to establish a random traffic flow model that can reflect the uncertain behavior of traffic flow acceleration or deceleration. Based on this stochastic traffic model, the existence of Hopf bifurcation and bifurcation control of the traffic flow system model considering stochastic characteristics are derived by using Hopf bifurcation theorem. By Chebyshev polynomial approximation method, the stochastic problem of the system is transformed into the bifurcation control problem of its equivalent deterministic system. A feedback controller is designed to delay the occurrence of Hopf bifurcation and control the amplitude of the limit cycle. Without changing the equilibrium point of the system, the complete elimination of Hopf bifurcation can be achieved by controlling the amplitude of the limit cycle. That is, the feedback controller is used to modify the bifurcation characteristics of the system, such as the bifurcation appearing at the equilibrium point in the control system moves forward, moves backward or disappears, so as to achieve the effect of preventing or alleviating traffic congestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Recovery of high‐purity tea saponin (TS), a promising non‐ionic surfactant with well‐documented properties, is one of the major challenges to broadening its industrial applications. In this study, an innovative and sustainable strategy for the highly‐efficient purification of TS was developed by using well‐designed highly‐porous polymeric adsorbents. RESULTS: The prepared Pp‐A with controllable macropores (~96 nm) and appropriate surface hydrophobic properties was found more favorable for achieving high adsorption efficiency towards TS/TS‐micelles. Kinetic results showed the adsorption follows the pseudo‐second‐order model (R2 = 0.9800), and the Langmuir model is more qualified to explicate the adsorption isotherms with Qe‐TS ~ 675 mg g−1. Thermodynamic studies revealed the monolayer adsorption of TS was an endothermic process that was conducted spontaneously. Interestingly, ethanol‐driven desorption (90% v/v ethanol) of TS was rapidly (< 30 min) complete due to the possible ethanol‐mediated disassembling of TS‐micelles. A possible mechanism that involves the interactions between the adsorbents and TS/TS‐micelles, the formation and disassembling of TS‐micelles was proposed to account for the highly efficient purification of TS. Afterwards, Pp‐A‐based adsorption method was developed to purify TS directly from industrial camellia oil production. Through selective adsorption, pre‐washing, and ethanol‐driven desorption, the applied Pp‐A enabled the direct isolation of high‐purity TS (~96%) with a recovery ratio > 90%. Notably, Pp‐A exhibited excellent operational stability and is of high potential for long‐term industrial application. CONCLUSION: Results ensured the practical feasibility of the prepared porous adsorbents in purifying TS, and the proposed methodology is a promising industrial‐scale purification strategy. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallic zinc (Zn) is considered as one of the most attractive anode materials for the post‐lithium metal battery systems owing to the high theoretical capacity, low cost, and intrinsic safety. However, the Zn dendrites and parasitic side reaction impede its application. Herein, we propose a new principle of regulating p‐band center of metal oxide protective coating to balance Zn adsorption energy and migration energy barrier for effective Zn deposition and stripping. Experimental results and theoretical calculations indicate that benefiting from the uniform zincophilic nucleation sites and fast Zn transport on indium tin oxide (ITO), highly stable and reversible Zn anode can be achieved. As a result, the I−Zn symmetrical cell achieves highly reversible Zn deposition/stripping with an extremely low overpotential of 9 mV and a superior lifespan over 4000 h. The Cu/I−Zn asymmetrical cell exhibits a long lifetime of over 4000 cycles with high average coulombic efficiency of 99.9 %. Furthermore, the assembled I−Zn/AC full cell exhibits an excellent lifetime for 70000 cycles with nearly 100 % capacity retention. This work provides a general strategy and new insight for the construction of efficient Zn anode protection layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallic zinc (Zn) is considered as one of the most attractive anode materials for the post‐lithium metal battery systems owing to the high theoretical capacity, low cost, and intrinsic safety. However, the Zn dendrites and parasitic side reaction impede its application. Herein, we propose a new principle of regulating p‐band center of metal oxide protective coating to balance Zn adsorption energy and migration energy barrier for effective Zn deposition and stripping. Experimental results and theoretical calculations indicate that benefiting from the uniform zincophilic nucleation sites and fast Zn transport on indium tin oxide (ITO), highly stable and reversible Zn anode can be achieved. As a result, the I−Zn symmetrical cell achieves highly reversible Zn deposition/stripping with an extremely low overpotential of 9 mV and a superior lifespan over 4000 h. The Cu/I−Zn asymmetrical cell exhibits a long lifetime of over 4000 cycles with high average coulombic efficiency of 99.9 %. Furthermore, the assembled I−Zn/AC full cell exhibits an excellent lifetime for 70000 cycles with nearly 100 % capacity retention. This work provides a general strategy and new insight for the construction of efficient Zn anode protection layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the formation encirclement problem of multiple quadrotors subjected to semi‐Markov jump switching topologies under consensus strategy. A target encirclement control algorithm is designed to achieve an enclosed formation, which drives autonomous quadrotors around the target so the target can't get away. Afterward, we propose a decentralized consensus‐based control protocol to realize the encirclement of the target quadrotor, where onboard miniature computers carry out all necessary computations. Notably, the quadrotor is modeled by a double integrator and the switching topology is described by a signed graph subjected to the semi‐Markov jump process. Whereafter, some criteria in the form of linear matrix inequalities are constructed based on the Lyapunov stability theory to achieve encirclement behavior. Ultimately, the proposed approach is verified by a comparison simulation and two flight experiments with three follower quadrotors enclosing a leader quadrotor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Healthy sperm viability, the core of male fertility, affects the sustainability of livestock breeding. Several studies have shown a strong link between male sperm motility and gut microbial regulation of the host metabolome, testicular function, and gut microbiota. However, few studies have examined the association between the gut microbiome, host metabolome, and testicular function. In this study, the microbiome and metabolome of adult sheep with significantly different sperm viabilities were analyzed. Our results confirm that gut microorganisms and metabolites differ significantly in sheep with different sperm viabilities and are strongly correlated among themselves and with sperm viability. Thus, our study provides new insights into weak spermatozoa in rams. A close association exists among testicular function, gut microbiota regulation, and organismal metabolism. In this study, serum and seminal plasma metabolomes, and the rumen microbiome of sheep with significant differences in sperm viability, were explored. Serum and seminal plasma metabolomes differed significantly between high-motility (HM) and low-motility (LM) groups of sheep, and 39 differential metabolites closely related to sperm motility in sheep were found in seminal plasma metabolomes, while 35 were found in serum samples. A 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed that the relative abundance of HM and LM rumen microorganisms, such as Ruminococcus and Quinella, was significantly higher in the HM group, whereas genera such as Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group and Lactobacillus were enriched in the mid-LM group. Serum hormone assays revealed that serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and MT levels were significantly lower in the LM group than in the HM group, whereas serum glucocorticoid (GC) levels were higher in the LM group than in the HM group, and they all affected sperm motility in sheep. Ruminococcus and other rumen microorganisms were positively correlated with sperm motility, whereas Lactobacillus was negatively correlated with FSH and GCs levels. Our findings suggest that rumen microbial activity can influence the host metabolism and hormone levels associated with fertility in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZBs) show promises for large‐scale energy storage. However, the zinc utilization rate (ZUR) is generally low due to side reactions in the aqueous electrolyte caused by the active water molecules. Here, we design a novel solvation structure in the electrolyte by introduction of sulfolane (SL). Theoretical calculations, molecular dynamics simulations and experimental tests show that SL remodels the primary solvation shell of Zn2+, which significantly reduces the side reactions of Zn anode and achieves high ZUR under large capacities. Specifically, the symmetric and asymmetric cells could achieve a maximum of ∼96 % ZUR at an areal capacity of 24 mAh cm−2. In a ZUR of ∼67 %, the developed Zn−V2O5 full cell can be stably cycled for 500 cycles with an energy density of 180 Wh kg−1 and Zn‐AC capacitor is stable for 5000 cycles. This electrolyte structural engineering strategy provides new insight into achieving high ZUR of Zn anodes for high performance AZBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZBs) show promises for large‐scale energy storage. However, the zinc utilization rate (ZUR) is generally low due to side reactions in the aqueous electrolyte caused by the active water molecules. Here, we design a novel solvation structure in the electrolyte by introduction of sulfolane (SL). Theoretical calculations, molecular dynamics simulations and experimental tests show that SL remodels the primary solvation shell of Zn2+, which significantly reduces the side reactions of Zn anode and achieves high ZUR under large capacities. Specifically, the symmetric and asymmetric cells could achieve a maximum of ∼96 % ZUR at an areal capacity of 24 mAh cm−2. In a ZUR of ∼67 %, the developed Zn−V2O5 full cell can be stably cycled for 500 cycles with an energy density of 180 Wh kg−1 and Zn‐AC capacitor is stable for 5000 cycles. This electrolyte structural engineering strategy provides new insight into achieving high ZUR of Zn anodes for high performance AZBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the association of changes in sleep behaviors from adolescence to young adulthood with the risk of overweight/obesity, and the reverse relationship. Data of 1978 participants was obtained from the 15- and 20-year follow-ups of the GINIplus and LISA birth cohorts. Insufficient sleep was defined as reported sleep duration <8 h for adolescents, <7 h for adults, and sleep difficulties as reported having sleeping difficulties. Logistic regression models were used to assess bidirectional associations of changes in insufficient sleep and sleep difficulties with overweight/obesity. The polygenic risk scores (PRS) for body mass index (BMI) was tested in a sub-sample (n = 918). Compared with sufficient sleep in both adolescence and young adulthood, insufficient sleep only in young adulthood was associated with an increased risk of overweight/obesity (odds ratio = 1.85, 95%confidence interval = [1.27–2.69]). Compared with no sleep difficulties at both time-points, only persistent sleep difficulties was associated with a higher risk of overweight/obesity (2.15 [1.22–3.77]). The PRS for BMI was associated with overweight/obesity (1.41 [1.17–1.70]), but no significant gene-sleep interaction effect was observed. Reversely, only persistent overweight/obesity was associated with increased risks of insufficient sleep (1.81 [1.21–2.70]), and sleep difficulties (1.77 [1.18–2.66]), respectively. Insufficient sleep only presented a cross-sectional association with overweight/obesity in young adulthood, while long-term sleep difficulties from adolescence to young adulthood was associated with young adult overweight/obesity. Reversely, long-term overweight/obesity from adolescence to young adulthood was associated with insufficient sleep and sleep difficulties in young adulthood. • Insufficient sleep presented a cross-sectional association with overweight/obesity in young adulthood. • Persistent sleep difficulties from adolescence to young adulthood were associated with young adult overweight/obesity. • Reversely, persistent overweight/obesity was associated with young adult insufficient sleep and sleep difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores an integrated control technique for a dual-armed space robot that has captured a tumbling satellite. The compliant behavior for safe manipulation in-orbit is achieved using the external impedance at the target level. First, considering the control moment constraints imposed on the target body, a fast detumbling strategy is proposed using dynamic movement primitives method with normalized time. Following the capturing of a non-cooperative target, a coordinated hierarchical control scheme is developed with multi-arm space robotic dynamics modeling to direct the space robot in carrying out the pre-planned detumbling strategy. The proposed control scheme incorporates external impedance, internal force control and load sharing. Finally, numerical simulation with a sample case of two collaborative seven-degree-of-freedom space robotic arms capturing a tumbling target satellite verifies the viability and efficacy of the presented control strategy. • A dynamic movement primitives based detumbling strategy was derived. • Distinct load sharing policies were developed for sharing parts of the load among the dual-arm. • A coordinated hierarchical control scheme incorporated multiple subtasks was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: DOX-PLGA@CM employs the whole set of membrane molecules of a brain-homing metastatic breast cancer cell optimized through a natural selection process. Thus, the hetero and multivalent effects of these molecules greatly facilitate the nanoparticle crossing the blood-brain barrier. Attributed to the homotypic effect of the nanocarrier, DOX-PLGA@CM shows stronger anticancer efficacy than free DOX for its parenteral cells. DOX-PLGA@CM effectively reaches the metastatic tumor lesions in the brain, and slows down the progression of brain metastatic breast cancer.Early-stage brain metastasis of breast cancer (BMBC), due to the existence of an intact blood–brain barrier (BBB), is one of the deadliest neurologic complications. To improve the efficacy of chemotherapy for BMBC, a Trojan horse strategy-based nanocarrier has been developed by integrating the cell membrane of a brain-homing cancer cell and a polymeric drug depot. With the camouflage of a MDA-MB-231/Br cell membrane, doxorubicin-loaded poly (D, L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticle (DOX-PLGA@CM) shows enhanced cellular uptake and boosted killing potency for MDA-MB-231/Br cells. Furthermore, DOX-PLGA@CM is equipped with naturally selected molecules for BBB penetration, as evidenced by its boosted capacity in entering the brain of both healthy and early-stage BMBC mouse models. Consequently, DOX-PLGA@CM effectively reaches the metastatic tumor lesions in the brain, slows down cancer progression, reduces tumor burden, and extends the survival time for the BMBC animal. Furthermore, the simplicity and easy scale-up of the design opens a new window for the treatment of BMBC and other brain metastatic cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Baicalin (BA) is a major flavone from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and has showed significant curative effects in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. In the present study, we investigated the effects of BA on antineuroinflammation and related signaling cascade in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced BV-2 microglial model. The results showed that BA significantly attenuated inflammatory mediators (NO, iNOS, IL-1β, COX-2, and PGE2) and suppressed the expression of miR-155. More crucially, BA could regulate the expression of related proteins in Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation protein 88 (MyD88)/nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway and suppress the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family. In addition, molecular docking analysis indicated that BA binds to the amino acids Lie 63 and Tyr 65 of TLR4 by π - σ and π - π T-shaped interaction. Thus, BA suppressed the LPS-stimulated neuroinflammation in BV-2 microglia by blocking the TLR4-mediated signal transduction through TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB and MAPK pathways and inhibiting the miR-155 expression. Our findings demonstrated that BA could be a valuable therapeutic for the treatment of neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of aspirin in cardiovascular primary prevention remains controversial. Moreover, evidence for the potential benefits of aspirin in patients with high cardiovascular risk remains limited. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the role of low-dose aspirin in primary prevention. Methods: The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) from the date of inception to August 2021. The efficacy outcomes were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), myocardial infarction (MI), ischemic stroke (IS), all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular mortality, whereas safety outcomes were major bleeding, intracranial hemorrhage, and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Subgroup analyses were based on different cardiovascular risks and diabetes statuses. Pooled risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the fixed- and random-effects models, and trial sequential analysis (TSA) was conducted to determine the robustness of the results. Results: A total of 10 RCTs fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The use of aspirin was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of MACE (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.84–0.93), MI (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.78–0.95), and IS (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.76–0.93); however, aspirin also increased the risk of safety outcomes, i.e. major bleeding (RR 1.42, 95% CI 1.26–1.60), intracranial hemorrhage (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.11–1.59), and GI bleeding (RR 1.91, 95% CI 1.44–2.54). Subgroup analyses revealed that in the absence of a statistically significant interaction, a trend toward a net benefit of lower incidence of cardiovascular events (number needed to treat of MACE: high risk: 682 vs. low risk: 2191) and lesser risk of bleeding events (number needed to harm of major bleeding: high risk: 983 vs. low risk: 819) was seen in the subgroup of high cardiovascular risk. Meanwhile, the greater MACE reduction was also detected in the high-risk group of diabetes or nondiabetes patients. Furthermore, a post hoc subgroup analysis indicated a significant rate reduction in patients aged ≤ 70 years but not in patients aged > 70 years. TSA confirmed the benefit of aspirin for MACE up to a relative risk reduction of 10%. Conclusion: The current study demonstrated that the cardiovascular benefits of low-dose aspirin were equally balanced by major bleeding events. In addition, the potential beneficial effects might be seen in the population ≤ 70 years of age with high cardiovascular risk and no increased risk of bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Due to the accumulation of heavy metal compounds produced by the sintering process in steel industry, the catalysts used for low-temperature selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH 3 (NH 3 -SCR) might be seriously deactivated. In this work, the deactivation effect of PbCl 2 , Pb(NO 3) 2 , and PbSO 4 on Mn-Ce activated carbon supported catalyst for low-temperature NH 3 -SCR of NO was investigated and compared. Poisoned catalysts were provided by impregnating fresh catalysts with Pb(NO 3) 2 , PbSO 4 and PbCl 2 aqueous solutions, respectively. Deactivation could be observed on the poisoned samples, and the deactivation degree was following PbCl 2 > PbSO 4 > Pb(NO 3) 2. The catalytic activities of all samples were tested, and the physicochemical properties of fresh and poisoned catalysts were assessed. PbCl 2 caused the most severe deactivation of the catalyst, owing to its poor redox property and surface acidity. Cl- could also react with Mn active sites to form -O-Mn-Cl bonds, resulting in additional acid sites, although these newly generated sites were not reactive in NH 3 -SCR reaction process. PbSO 4 exhibited moderate poisoning effect due to the addition of SO 4 2-, which created new Brønsted acid sites, facilitating the NH 3 adsorption and NO reduction. Pb(NO 3) 2 had the least poisoning impact on the catalyst due to the NO 3 –, promoting the NH 3 activation. The in situ DRIFTS results revealed that NH 3 -SCR reaction over all samples was governed by Eley-Rideal (E-R) and Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) mechanism, and did not change due to the lead poisoning. Finally, a possible mechanistic model for different lead salts poisoning over Mn-Ce/AC catalyst was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To automatically and quantitatively evaluate the venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) in cerebral ischemic tissues and explore its value in predicting prognosis. A retrospective study was conducted on 48 AIS patients hospitalized in our hospital from 2015–2018. Based on quantitative susceptibility mapping and perfusion-weighted imaging, this paper measured the cerebral SvO2 in hypoperfusion tissues and its change after intraarterial rt-PA treatment. The cerebral SvO2 in different hypoperfusion regions between the favorable and unfavorable clinical outcome groups was analyzed using an independent t-test. Relationships between cerebral SvO2 and clinical scores were determined using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The receiver operating characteristic process was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of cerebral SvO2 in predicting unfavorable clinical outcomes. Cerebral SvO2 in hypoperfusion (Tmax > 4 and 6 s) was significantly different between the two groups at follow-up (p < 0.05). Cerebral SvO2 and its changes before and after treatment were negatively correlated with clinical scores. The positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy, and area under the curve of the cerebral SvO2 were higher than those predicted by the ischemic core. Therefore, the cerebral SvO2 of hypoperfusion regions was a stronger imaging predictor of unfavorable clinical outcomes after stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mammals, β-defensins have been reported to play pivotal roles in sperm protection and fertilization. However, the function and mechanism of porcine β-defensin 129 (pBD129) in the sperm remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that pBD129 is a glycosylated protein and broadly exists in accessory sex glands and coats the sperm surface. We inhibited the pBD129 protein on the sperm surface with an anti-pBD129 antibody and found that sperm motility was not significantly affected; however, sperm acrosome integrity and tyrosine phosphorylation levels increased significantly with time (p < 0.05) during capacitation. These changes were accompanied by an increase in sperm Ca2+ influx, resulting in a significantly reduced in vitro fertilization cleavage rate (p < 0.05). Further investigation revealed that treatment with recombinant pBD129 markedly restored the sperm motility in semen contaminated with Escherichia coli. The results suggest that pBD129 is not only associated with poor sperm motility after genital tract infection but can also protect the spermatozoa from premature capacitation, which may be beneficial for semen preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the quantitative distribution of cerebral venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) based on quantitative sensitivity mapping (QSM) and determined its prognostic value in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). A retrospective study was conducted on 39 hospitalized patients. Reconstructed QSM was used to calculate the cerebral SvO2 of each region of interest (ROI) in the ischemic hemisphere. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland–Altman analysis were conducted to define the best resolution of the distribution map. The correlation between the cerebral SvO2 in hypoxic regions (SvO2ROI < 0.7) and clinical scores was obtained by Spearman and power analysis. The associations between cerebral SvO2 and unfavorable prognosis were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Excellent agreement was found between the cerebral SvO2 in hypoxic regions with a resolution of 7.18 × 7.18 × 1.6 mm3 and asymmetrically prominent cortical veins regions (ICC: 0.879 (admission), ICC: 0.906 (discharge)). The cerebral SvO2 was significantly negative with clinical scores (all |r| > 0.3). The cerebral SvO2 and its changes at discharge were significantly associated with an unfavorable prognosis (OR: 0.812 and 0.866). Therefore, the cerebral SvO2 in hypoxic regions measured by the quantitative distribution map can be used as an indicator for evaluating the early prognosis of AIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The error of the formula caused by those assumptions may have little effect on low gravity dams but can cause significant deviations for high dams from the nature of dam-reservoir interaction during earthquakes. It is well known that dam-reservoir interaction under earthquake forces is very complicated due to various influencing factors. Although the proposed Westergaard correction formula cannot give the exact solution of the hydrodynamic pressure on a gravity dam, the main affecting factors (e.g., dam body's elasticity, dam height) have been considered. Conclusions There are many complicated affecting factors to be considered in the analysis of gravity dam-reservoir water interaction problems. [Extracted from the article]

Symbiotic plants achieve partitioning of shared resources by chemical nutrient niche separation to escape competition. Understanding whether the nitrogen(N) nutrient acquisition strategies of ephemeral plants are influenced by temperature and moisture can facilitate the elucidation of plant coexistence strategies in desert ecosystems under environmental change. This study aimed to see whether changes in temperature and moisture affected the preferential uptake of different N chemotypes by ephemerals. In this study, four dominant ephemerals in the Gurbantunggut Desert, Eremopyrum orientale , Erodium oxyrhinchum , Centaurea pulchella , and Lappula patula , were selected for controlled experiments in indoor pots. We conducted a short-term 15N follow-up experiment on potted treatments by setting two temperature gradients (low temperature(T1): 15 °C during the day and 5 °C at night; high temperature(T2): 25 °C during the day and 15 °C at night) and three moisture gradients (drought treatment(W1): soil moisture content of 2%; normal moisture treatment(W2): soil moisture content of 8%; wet treatment(W3): soil moisture content of 14%). Results Four ephemerals preferentially absorbed 15N-NH 4 at low temperature treatment (T1), with a contribution ranging from 17.33% to 55.11%. The greatest uptake rate of 15N-NH 4 was at the low temperature-normal moisture treatment (T1W2), and the fastest N uptake rate among the four plants could reach 13.84 μg·h–1, while at the high temperature-drought treatment (T2W1), the uptake was the smallest. However, plants showed the greatest preference for 15N-NO 3 uptake at the high temperature treatment, with contributions ranging from 16.09% to 54.06%. The uptake rate of 15N-NO 3 was greatest at the high temperature-wet treatment (T2W3), where the fastest N uptake rate among the four plants could reach 12.48 μg·h–1, and the smallest rate of 15N-NO 3 at the low temperature-drought treatment (T1W1). The four ephemerals could also absorb organic N, 15N-Glycine, especially at the low temperatures. The results showed that the four plants exhibited "Plasticity" in the uptake of the three N forms under different hydrothermal conditions. The effect of temperature and moisture interaction is more reflective of the N acquisition pattern of ephemeral plants in the desert. In low temperature environments, the uptake preference of ephemerals for N forms was mainly regulated by water, while in high temperature environments, the uptake of N forms by ephemerals was mainly regulated by temperature. • Under different hydrothermal conditions, four ephemeral plants showed "Plasticity" in the uptake of three N forms, with the most preferred uptake of N-NH 4 + at the low temperatures and N-NO 3 - at the high temperatures. • In low temperature environments, the uptake preference of ephemerals for N forms was mainly regulated by water, while in high temperature environments, the uptake of N forms by ephemerals was mainly regulated by temperature. • The effect of temperature factor on plant N uptake rate was greater than that of the moisture factor, and further analysis showed that the interaction between temperature and moisture had a greater effect on plant N uptake rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

93W–4.6Ni–2.1Fe–0.3Co alloys reinforced by ZrC particles were prepared by the two-step sintering method in this article. The conventional sintering process conducted at a temperature of 1485 °C resulted in the formation of microvoids between the larger dispersed particles and the matrix, thereby leading to a degradation in the tensile property (959 MPa/11.5%). Through controlling the sintering temperature at 1440 °C, a dispersion-strengthened tungsten heavy alloys (WHAs) with excellent comprehensive tensile properties (974 MPa/27.0%) was obtained, mainly attributed to the synergistic effect of homogeneous dispersion strengthening and grain boundary purification. Under high compressive strain rates, dispersion-strengthened WHA demonstrates a superior yield strength compared to WHA, suggesting that dispersion-strengthened WHAs have potential applications in the armour-piercing field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine magnetic anomalies are of great significance to plate tectonics and geodynamics. However, the presence of magmatic disturbances does not allow a straightforward interpretation of marine magnetic anomalies. Therefore, we proposed an anisotropic elliptical directional filter to extract marine magnetic anomalies under magmatic disturbances. Synthetic marine magnetic anomaly models are built considering the magnetic layers of oceanic crust and upper mantle. The influence of magmatic disturbances of seamounts and magmatic intrusions and transform faults is investigated. The synthetic models and actual marine magnetic anomalies are used to investigate the effects of extracting marine magnetic anomalies. The results show that marine magnetic anomalies were effectively extracted by the elliptical directional filter. The power spectrum of the marine magnetic anomalies is anisotropic and is distributed in a narrow zone in the direction perpendicular to the strike of the marine magnetic anomalies. In contrast, the power spectrum of the magnetic anomalies of magmatic disturbances such as seamounts and magmatic intrusions is radially isotropic. Transform faults offset marine magnetic anomalies and cause the power spectrum to scatter in the direction parallel to the strike of the marine magnetic anomalies. Residual magnetic anomalies derived from the original magnetic anomalies subtracting the extracted magnetic anomalies enabled the separation of the magnetic anomalies of magmatic disturbances. If transform faults existed, the magnetic anomalies of the transform faults were also able to be separated by the residual magnetic anomalies. The application of the elliptical directional filter in the West Caroline Basin improved the continuity of the magnetic stripes and delineated three anomalous zones with magmatic disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine magnetic anomalies play an essential role in plate tectonics and geodynamics. The conventional method to identify marine magnetic anomalies is to visually compare synthetic and observed magnetic anomaly profiles, and there is usually no quantitative evaluation for the identification results. Therefore, we developed the sliding window curve similarity (SWCS) method to objectively identify marine magnetic anomalies and quantitatively evaluate the identification results. The synthetic model tests and practical applications show that the SWCS method is feasible and effective in identifying fast-spreading marine magnetic anomalies. The applications of the SWCS method show that the theoretical windows using combined polarity chrons can improve the accuracy of identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation growth is affected by both climate changes and human activities. In this study, we investigated the vegetation growth response to climate change (precipitation and temperature) and human activities in nine subregions and for nine vegetation types in China from 1982 to 2015. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the RESTREND method based on a multiple linear regression model were employed to this end. An overall increasing trend in the NDVI was observed in recent decades, and the fastest increases were identified in southern China (TrendNDVI = +0.0190) and evergreen broad-leaved forests (TrendNDVI = +0.0152). For >66% of China, vegetation is more sensitive to temperature and less sensitive to precipitation based on the regression coefficients. The water demand for vegetative growth increased significantly from 1999 to 2015 with global warming, especially in parts of the temperate zone. We defined a relative change in the residual trend to quantify the impact of human activities on vegetation. RESTREND NDVI / NDVI in two periods (P1, 1982–1998 and P2, 1999–2015) markedly increased, indicating that human activities play a key role in the reversal of land degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic membranes, as a combination of heterogeneous advanced oxidation and membrane technology reaction systems, have important application prospects in the treatment of dyes and other organics. In practical applications, it is still challenging to construct catalytic membranes with excellent removal efficiency and fouling mitigation. Herein, molybdenum disulfide-iron oxyhydroxide (MoS2-FeOOH) was fabricated using iron oxide and MoS2 nanoflakes, which were synthesized by the hydrothermal method. Furthermore, by changing the concentration of MoS2-FeOOH, the MoS2-FeOOH/polyethersulfone (PES) composite ultrafiltration membrane was obtained with improved hydrophilicity, permeability, and antifouling capacity. The pure water flux of the composite membrane reached 385.3 L/(m2·h), which was 1.7 times that of the blank PES membrane. Compared with the blank membrane, with the increase of MoS2-FeOOH content, the MoS2-FeOOH/PES composite membranes had better adsorption capacity and catalytic performance, and the membrane with 3.0% MoS2-FeOOH content (M4) could be achieved at a 60.2% methylene blue (MB) degradation rate. In addition, the membrane flux recovery ratio (FRR) of the composite membrane also increased from 25.6% of blank PES membrane (M0) to more than 70% after two cycles of bovine serum albumin (BSA) filtration and hydraulic cleaning. The membrane with 2.25% MoS2-FeOOH content (M3) had the best antifouling performance, with the largest FRR and the smallest irreversible ratio (Rir). Catalytic self-cleaning of the composite membrane M3 recovered 95% of the initial flux with 0.1 mol/L H2O2 cleaning. The MoS2-FeOOH/PES composite membranes with the functions of excellent rejection and antifouling capacity have a good prospect in the treatment of printing and dyeing wastewater composed of soluble dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The3D object detection of LiDAR point cloud data has generated widespread discussion and implementation in recent years. In this paper, we concentrate on exploring the sampling method of point-based 3D object detection in autonomous driving scenarios, a process which attempts to reduce expenditure by reaching sufficient accuracy using fewer selected points. FPS (farthest point sampling), the most used sampling method, works poorly in small sampling size cases, and, limited by the massive points, some newly proposed sampling methods using deep learning are not suitable for autonomous driving scenarios. To address these issues, we propose the learned sampling network (LSNet), a single-stage 3D object detection network containing an LS module that can sample important points through deep learning. This advanced approach can sample points with a task-specific focus while also being differentiable. Additionally, the LS module is streamlined for computational efficiency and transferability to replace more primitive sampling methods in other point-based networks. To reduce the issue of the high repetition rates of sampled points, a sampling loss algorithm was developed. The LS module was validated with the KITTI dataset and outperformed the other sampling methods, such as FPS and F-FPS (FPS based on feature distance). Finally, LSNet achieves acceptable accuracy with only 128 sampled points and shows promising results when the number of sampled points is small, yielding up to a 60% improvement against competing methods with eight sampled points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, a walnut oil (WO) emulsion was prepared with WO as the core material and sodium caseinate and maltodextrin as the wall materials. The effects of spray drying (SD) and freeze drying (FD) on the structure and quality of WO microcapsules were compared, and the role of WO microcapsules as a substitute for commercial creamer in coffee was investigated. The results demonstrated that the WO microcapsules prepared by the SD method had dense microstructure, spherical particles, no oil drop aggregation, small particle size, good fluidity, an embedding rate of up to 93.60%, an unsaturated fatty acid content of 87.00%, and no significant difference in thermal stability or stability of the restored emulsion compared with FD. The freeze-dried WO microcapsules have irregular structure, porous surface structure, high oil content on the surface, 76.84% embedding rate, some accumulation of droplets, large grain size, and poor fluidity. The electronic nose and electronic tongue results reveal that the microcapsules prepared by the two methods have similar flavor when applied to coffee. The spray-dried WO microcapsules are prepared with a flavor closer to that of commercial creams. In summary, microcapsules prepared by SD are superior to FD and are promising for industrial production; further, the nondairy creamer based on WO has great potential for coffee application. • Spray-dried microcapsules have better mobility, stability and encapsulation rate than freeze-dried microcapsules. • Use of walnut oil as a fat substitute in non-dairy creamers. • Spray-dried walnut oil non-dairy creamer applied to coffee has a good flavor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly synergistic catalyst Pt/Nb 2 W 3 O 14 enables precise coordination of the adsorption and activation of the secondary C–O bond, simultaneously triggers subsequent hydrogenation, resulting in an ultrahigh activity in glycerol hydrogenolysis to produce 1,3-PDO (596.4 mg g cat −1 h−1), tripling the recorded productivity that was previously reported of these Pt-W based catalysts. [Display omitted] • The Nb 2 W 3 O 14 can promote the dispersion and reduction of Pt nanoparticles. • Pt/Nb 2 W 3 O 14 can coordinate C–O bond activation and subsequent hydrogenation. • Pt/Nb 2 W 3 O 14 results in an ultrahigh activity of 1,3-PDO productivity. Glycerol hydrogenolysis to 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) is of significance in promoting the biomass valorization. To achieve the efficient conversion, the selective activation of the secondary C–O bonds in the glycerol is vital. In this work, we comparatively investigated the catalytic performances of Pt/Nb 2 W 3 O 14 catalyst for glycerol hydrogenolysis controlled at the reacting conditions of 140 °C and 40 bar. Compared to Pt/WO 3 and Pt/NbO x , the space–time yield (STY) of 1,3-PDO over Pt/Nb 2 W 3 O 14 catalyst can be improved by a factor of 13, reaching 596.4 mg g cat −1 h−1. The cation ordering of Nb and W on atomic-scale were fully synergized their unique advantages, showing preferential adsorption of the secondary C–O bond under in-situ DRIFTS tracking. The prepared Nb 2 W 3 O 14 is a tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) type complex oxides which can effectively promote the dispersion and reduction of Pt nanoparticles. Such strong interaction between Nb 2 W 3 O 14 and Pt can coordinate the precise adsorption and activation of the secondary C–O bond, simultaneously triggering subsequent hydrogenation. Pt/Nb 2 W 3 O 14 affords an ultrahigh activity in glycerol hydrogenolysis to produce 1,3-PDO, tripling the record productivity that was previously reported of these Pt-W based catalysts. This study reported the development of highly synergistic catalyst based on efficient and selective activation of the secondary C–O bond, which can be extended to catalyst design for other biomass valorization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blockchain heralds the dawn of decentralized applications that coordinate proper computations without requiring prior trust. Existing blockchain solutions, however, are incapable of dealing with intensive validation. Duplicated execution results in limited throughput and unacceptably high costs. Furthermore, the absence of secure incentive mechanisms derives undesired dilemmas among rational verifiers. In this work, we present Lever-FS, a practical blockchain validation framework that makes intensive validation cost-efficient and incentive-compatible among rational verifiers. It is faster than previous constructions since full-fledged scalability is achieved over optimistic execution, dispute resolution, and backbone confirmation of every potential workload. Lever-FS first curtails the scale of each validation to a single node and introduces novel challenge-response games between potential adversaries and rational participants, optimistically optimizing validation redundancy according to the practical adversarial capability confronted. When there is a rich and stubborn adversary, the backstop protocol is then activated to resolve intricate disputes via a threshold voting supported by concurrent redundant executions. Throughout the game, compelling incentive design efficiently transfers the adversary's budget to proliferated task rewards for subsequent executions, therefore allowing the user to lever sufficient endorsements for the correct verdict with minimum expense. In addition, fair incentive distribution mechanisms are designed to circumvent the well-known Verifier's Dilemma. Finally, we accelerate Lever-FS with sharding to enable scale-out backbone confirmation, seamless workload balancing, and optimized unanimous assertion across multiple independent validation instances. Experiments reveal that Lever-FS significantly improves the throughput while lowering expenses of intensive validation with a slight tradeoff in latency. Compared to state-of-the-art alternatives, it removes their brittle reliance on altruism, dense interactions, or massive computational power. It is also robust to conceivable attacks on validation and performs distinguishable ability to purify Byzantine participants. • Enabling fair, scalable, and cost-efficient intensive validation on blockchain. • Adaptive challenge-based protocol serves fast validation with optimal redundancy. • Redundant-executed backstop in parallel offers robust efficient dispute resolution. • No trust or altruism reliance due to compatible incentive distribution mechanisms. • Speed by a sharding-based framework with workload balancing and unanimous assertion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amine‐functionalized covalent organic framework with catalytic activity is demonstrated to significantly decrease the oxidation barrier and accelerate the oxidation kinetics of LiCl in a rechargeable Li‐Cl2 battery. The developed battery exhibits low overpotential and ultrahigh discharge capacity with good stability in a wide temperature range, as reported by Wei Chen, Shenxiang Zhang et al. in their Research Article (e202315931)...By Yan Xu; Mingming Wang; Muhammad Sajid; Yahan Meng; Zehui Xie; Lidong Sun; Jian Jin; Wei Chen and Shenxiang ZhangReported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author [Extracted from the article]

An amine‐functionalized covalent organic framework with catalytic activity is demonstrated to significantly decrease the oxidation barrier and accelerate the oxidation kinetics of LiCl in a rechargeable Li‐Cl2 battery. The developed battery exhibits low overpotential and ultrahigh discharge capacity with good stability in a wide temperature range, as reported by Wei Chen, Shenxiang Zhang et al. in their Research Article (e202315931)...By Yan Xu; Mingming Wang; Muhammad Sajid; Yahan Meng; Zehui Xie; Lidong Sun; Jian Jin; Wei Chen and Shenxiang ZhangReported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author [Extracted from the article]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common diagnosed cancers around the world. The poor prognosis and high fatality caused by metastasis are still the challenges for clinical treatment. Therefore, it is promising to clarify the detailed molecular mechanism of CRC metastasis. Accumulating evidences indicate that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in cancer progression including CRC. In this study, the function of lncRNA UCA1 was investigated. UCA1 was confirmed to be highly expressed in colorectal cancer. Moreover, the UCA1 expression level was positively related to tumor stages. Silencing UCA1 showed inhibitory effect on cell proliferation and metastasis. Both UCA1 and NOTCH3 were validated as direct targets of miR-185. Silencing UCA1 repressed NOTCH3 expression through the miR-185 sponge. NOTCH3 was found to be highly expressed in CRC patients and positively related to UCA1 expression. Furthermore, HES5 was verified as a transcription factor of UCA1, which induced UCA1 expression. In conclusion, UCA1 is a direct target of HES5. UCA1 promotes CRC metastasis through regulating the miR-185/NOTCH3 axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The micro-environment of spermatogenesis is important for the improvement of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Therefore, developing a co-culture system may be valuable to improve the rate of IVF. In this study, we aimed to investigate the secretions of testicular sertoli cells (SCs) to find whether it can improve the micro-environment of IVF, by which promote the efficiency of fertilization in mice. The results showed that the motility of sperms in CCSCF group (sperms co-culture with SCs) was significantly promoted and the rate of fertilization were significantly increased compared with the CTR group (control group: sperms not co-culture with SCs). Moreover, we found that the estrogen concentrations, the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and the phosphorylation of AMPK in sperms were higher in the CCSCF group than in CTR group. In all, our results indicated that SCs co-cultured with sperms can improve the motility of sperms, E2 secreted by SCs can increase Ca2+ level in the intracellular and the level of phosphorylation of AMPK through Ca-MKKβ in sperms. • The SCs co-culture with sperms to improve the micro-environment of IVF, by which promote the efficiency of fertilization. • SCs co-cultured with sperms may promote the motility of sperms. • E2 secreted by SCs increase the level of phosphorylation of AMPK through Ca-MKKβ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It was well-documented that extended high-frequency (EHF, above 8 kHz) hearing test could be more sensitive comparing with the conventional measurement on frequency below 8 kHz, regarding the early prediction of auditory damage in certain population. However, hardly any age-specific thresholds of EHF in population with normal hearing ability were observed. This study aims to monitor the age-dependent hearing thresholds at EHF (from 9 to 20 kHz) in healthy hearing population. Methods: A total of 162 healthy participants (from 21 to 70 years) with normal conventional pure tone audiograms were recruited and separated into five groups by age. Conventional pure tone average was performed with frequencies from 0.25 to 8 kHz under air conduction and from 0.25 to 4 kHz under bone conduction. EHF audiometry from 9 to 20 kHz was determined under air conduction. Results: The effects of aging on hearing were evident at frequencies above 4 kHz. The hearing thresholds of EHF were less than 26 dB HL before 30 years-olds. Hearing abilities in EHF were deteriorated starting from the 31 ~ 40 group and were most obvious in the 51 ~ 60 group and the 61 ~ 70 group with the maximum thresholds of 75 dB HL. Sensitivity of EHF was inversely proportional to the frequency within each age group, and to age among groups. Subjects under 30 years old were totally responsive up to 16 kHz, and 52.2% could respond to 20 kHz. Meanwhile, no responsiveness was recorded to 20 kHz in the 51 ~ 60 group and even to 18 kHz in the 61 ~ 70 group. No gender differences in hearing threshold was observed within each age group, except an obvious decline at frequencies of 4, 6, 8, and 9 kHz in male participants of the 41 ~ 50 group. Conclusions: Hearing thresholds at EHF from 9 to 20 kHz were more sensitive than at frequencies below 8 kHz for hearing measurement, and aging inversely affected hearing ability at EHF in healthy population. Hearing thresholds at EHF deteriorated with age and raising frequency, while the upper frequency limit decreased with aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Laminin alpha 4 (LAMA4) is widely distributed in the basement membranes of various tissues. It can regulate cancer cell proliferation and migration. We investigated the effects of LAMA4 in gastric cancer (GC). Methods. LAMA4 expression patterns were analyzed in GC using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), and UALCAN. Correlations between LAMA4 expression and clinicopathological characteristics were evaluated using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The survival analysis was examined using the Kaplan-Meier plotter and GEPIA and ascertained by multivariate Cox analysis. Genetic alterations and DNA methylation of LAMA4 were analyzed using cBioPortal and MethSurv. LinkedOmics was applied to identify coexpressed genes of LAMA4. The association between LAMA4 and infiltration of immune cells was explored using Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) and GEPIA. Results. LAMA4 was highly expressed in GC, and its upregulation significantly correlated with T classification (P = 0.040). LAMA4 expression was an independent risk factor for overall survival (OS, P = 0.033). Patients with genetic alterations of LAMA4 showed a significantly better disease-free survival (DFS, P = 0.022). Ten CpG sites of LAMA4 were significantly associated with prognosis in GC. The functions of LAMA4 and coexpression genes were mainly involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) receptor interaction. LAMA4 expression significantly correlated with infiltration of macrophages (P < 0.001), CD4+ T cells (P < 0.001), and dendritic cells (P < 0.001). Furthermore, LAMA4 expression was significantly associated with markers of M2 and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Conclusion. LAMA4 expression was linked to GC prognosis and immune cell infiltration, indicating its potential use as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel photoactive porous material of GR/FeMIL-101 based on FeMIL-101 metal organic frameworks (MOFs) was successfully synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method. The structural and photoelectric properties of the GR/FeMIL-101 was analyzed by XRD, SEM, TEM, TGA, XPS, UV–vis DRS, FT-IR, PL and EIS methods. The photocatalytic performance for the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol with GR/FeMIL-101 as catalysts was evaluated under visible light irradiation. The results showed that the GR/FeMIL-101 nanohybrid had better photocatalytic performance than both of FeMIL-101 and the pristine MIL-101. It was further found that the incorporation of Fe and MIL-101 caused valence fluctuations of Fe3+/Fe2+ which improved the absorption of visible-light and increased the separation efficiency of photogenerated charges. In addition, the combination of FeMIL-101 and GR could further promote the transfer rate of the photoelectrons. The mechanism of the reaction revealed that ·O2− was the dominating active specie in this reaction through active species trapping experiments. Fe doped MIL-101/GR nanohybrid was successfully synthesized as an efficient photocatalyst for selective oxidation of alcohols under visible-light and shown a best conversion of 50%. Analyses revealed that Fe was successfully doped into the MIL-101, valence fluctuation of Fe2+/Fe3+ not only improved the visible-light absorption but also increased the separation rate of photoexcited carriers. Graphene further improved the transportation rate of electron (e-). Subsequently, the possible photocatalytic mechanism for the selective oxidation of alcohols was proposed. It was proved that superoxide radicals (·O2-) was the main active species when the reaction was performed under Oxygen atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recently discovered "Trim‐Away" mechanism opens a new window for fast and selective degradation of endogenous proteins. However, the in vivo and clinical application of this approach is hindered by the requirement of special skills and equipment needed for the intracellular delivery of antibodies. Here, an antibody conjugated polymer nanogel system, nanogel‐facilitated protein intracellular specific degradation (Nano‐ERASER), for intracellular delivery and release of antibody, and degradation of a specific endogenous protein is developed. After being delivered into cells, the antibody is released and forms a complex with its target protein, and subsequently binds to the Fc receptor of Tripartite motif 21 (TRIM21). The resulting complex of target protein/antibody/TRIM21 is then degraded by the proteasome. The efficacy of Nano‐ERASER is validated by depleting GFP protein in a GFP expressing cell line. Furthermore, Nano‐ERASER successfully degrades the coatomer protein complex ζ1, a vital protein for cancer cells, and kills those cells while sparing normal cells. Benefitting from its convenience and targeted delivery merit, Nano‐ERASER technique is promising in providing a reliable tool for endogenous protein function study as well as paves the way for novel antibody‐based Trim‐Away therapeutic modalities for cancer and other diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High scientific value areas on celestial bodies such as the Moon and Mars are often located in hazardous terrains. To achieve safe landing exploration, a novel planning method is proposed, which can ensure that the planned trajectory maintains a user-specified distance from obstacles, thus reducing potential collision risk induced by factors such as the body size and model uncertainties. Firstly, the basic model of the trajectory optimization problem and its convexification version is given. The obstacles are modeled as polynomial functions, based on which the "if-then" obstacle avoidance logic explicitly considering the safe distance, is described as a sum of squares constraint. This constraint formulation applies to any obstacle described by a finite number of polynomials, independent of the specific expression of the polynomials (reflecting the shape of the obstacle). Subsequently, the convexification process for the obstacle avoidance constraint is given. Finally, the sequential sum of squares programming problem for the obstacle avoidance trajectory is established, which boils down to a series of semidefinite programming problems. Simulation results show that the closest distance between the planned trajectory and obstacles strictly satisfies the specified distance constraint, and the trajectory could avoid non-convex obstacles. With the promising convergence properties of underlying convex optimization algorithms, advanced autonomous obstacle avoidance guidance schemes are expected to be formed based on the proposed trajectory planning method. • Mars/Moon landings cannot ignore unknown and hazardous surface environments. • The trajectory obtained by traditional avoidance methods is too close to obstacles. • The safe distance constraint can be described as a sum of squares constraint. • The proposed planning method applies to any obstacle described by polynomials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human granulosa cells in different stages are essential for maintaining normal ovarian function, and granulosa cell defect is the main cause of ovarian dysfunction. To address this problem, it is necessary to induce functional granulosa cells at different stages in vitro. In this study, we established a reprogramming method to induce early‐ and late‐stage granulosa cells with different steroidogenic abilities. We used an AMH‐fluorescence‐reporter system to screen candidate factors for cellular reprogramming and generated human induced granulosa‐like cells (hiGC) by overexpressing FOXL2 and NR5A1. AMH‐EGFP+ hiGC resembled human cumulus cells in transcriptome profiling and secreted high levels of oestrogen and progesterone, similar to late‐stage granulosa cells at antral or preovulatory stage. Moreover, we identified CD55 as a cell surface marker that can be used to isolate early‐stage granulosa cells. CD55+ AMH‐EGFP‐ hiGC secreted high levels of oestrogen but low levels of progesterone, and their transcriptome profiles were more similar to early‐stage granulosa cells. More importantly, CD55+ hiGC transplantation alleviated polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in a mouse model. Therefore, hiGC provides a cellular model to study the developmental program of human granulosa cells and has potential to treat PCOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel V–N microalloying method is adopted to produce pipeline steels using a two‐stage thermomechanical controlled processing involving relaxation process and accelerated cooling. The main objective of the current work is to study the novel practice in terms of microstructure, mechanical properties, and strain‐hardening behavior. The microstructure of the experimental steels consists of polygonal ferrite (PF), quasi‐polygonal ferrite (QF), acicular ferrite (AF), and granular bainite (GB). Mechanical properties including strength, ductility, and low‐temperature toughness of V–N microalloyed steels meet the requirements of X80 pipeline steels. Yield strength, tensile strength, total elongation, and −20 °C impact energy are 639 MPa, 761 MPa, 21.0%, and 283 J when the volume fraction of PF is 9.1%, and 603 MPa, 724 MPa, 24.1%, and 214 J when the volume fraction of PF increases to 30.4%. The V–N microalloyed steels exhibit high strain‐hardening ability, and the values of strain‐hardening exponent are 0.12 and 0.11 based on Hollomon analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable aqueous manganese‐based batteries have been attracting significant attention owing to their advantages of low cost, high safety, and ease of manufacturing, which are promising attributes for grid‐scale energy storage applications. However, most traditional manganese‐based batteries with solid‐state conversion and intercalation reactions suffer from low capacity and poor long‐term cycling stability. The recent novel storage mechanism based on cathode Mn2+/MnO2 deposition/stripping chemistry has fundamentally tackled these issues, enabling a new generation of manganese‐based batteries with superior electrochemical performance. Here, the recent advances in aqueous manganese‐based batteries with the Mn2+/MnO2 deposition/stripping chemistry are reviewed. A summary of the development of manganese‐based batteries with different storage mechanisms is provided and new opportunities for the emerging Mn2+/MnO2 chemistry in the latest generation are highlighted. Then, the current understanding of the Mn2+/MnO2 charge storage mechanism and its potential in manganese‐based batteries for large‐scale energy storage applications is presented. Moreover, insights into opportunities and future directions for manganese‐based batteries with the Mn2+/MnO2 chemistry are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of an integrated boronate affinity adsorbent-based adsorption-assisted lactose-to-lactulose isomerization and simultaneous purification strategy with the yield of pure lactulose (purity >95%) up to ∼72% and recovery ratio > 90%. [Display omitted] • Adsorption-assisted isomerization strategy based on boronate-affinity is provided. • One-step production and isolation of high-purity lactulose is achieved concurrently. • Lactose-to-lactulose isomerization equilibrium is much enhanced up to >80% • The highest yield of pure lactulose up to ∼72% is gained with recovery ratio >90% • Excellent operational stability of the strategy favors its sustainable applications. High-purity lactulose is mandatory for its medical uses and food applications. This work developed an efficient lab-scale strategy for the synthesis of high-purity lactulose by combining lactose-to-lactulose isomerization with simultaneous recovery of lactulose, which was conducted concurrently and semi-continuously in a boronate affinity adsorbent-packed column. The first step covers the boronate affinity adsorbent-based adsorption-assisted lactose-to-lactulose isomerization. Under optimized conditions, in situ selectively binding of the newly formed lactulose onto the boronate affinity adsorbent enables a much-enhanced lactulose yield up to 80.20% with the lowest byproducts yield of 6.30%. Afterward, over 90% of the adsorbed lactulose can be recovered through sequential desorption with purity >98%. The net outcome of the applied strategy was the yield of high-purity lactulose up to 72.31%, the highest value ever reported. Moreover, the packed column displayed excellent operational stability. The encouraging results validate the high potential of this approach in the sustainable production of high-purity lactulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A hydrothermal-coupled calcination method is used to prepare highly-dispersed WS 2 NSs. • WS 2 NSs can be assembled on tourmaline in a kilogram yield with a very low cost. • DFT calculations confirm the increased S v is benefited for the improved photocatalytic activity. • T-220 displayes improved photocatalytic RhB degradation rate compared with pristine WS 2. Tungsten disulfide (WS 2) has attracted much attention in photocatalysis due to the excellent visible light harvesting and charge transfer kinetics, yet practical applications have been severely limited by the restacking property. In this work, a novel WS 2 /tourmaline composite was fabricated by coupling hydrothermal and calcination methods. The highly dispersed WS 2 nanosheets homogeneously deposited on the tourmaline surface were revealed by electron microscopy, with sufficient exposure of the photocatalytic sites to enhance the migration efficiency of interfacial electrons. The armadillo-like WS 2 /tourmaline composite exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity for rhodamine B (RhB), with a degradation efficiency of 89.4 % after 150 min irradiation, while only 30.4 % was achieved by the pure WS 2 microspheres. Electron paramagnetic resonance and density functional theory (DFT) calculations showed that the WS 2 /tourmaline composites with more sulfur vacancies preferred to produce sufficient reactive species for photocatalytic RhB degradation. In addition, photogenerated holes (h+) play a more important role in the degradation process of RhB than superoxide radicals (·O 2 –) and hydroxyl radicals (·OH), as confirmed by radical quenching experiments. This work presents a new option for the low-cost preparation of high-performance 2D materials via mineral assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining how to grasp a non-cooperative target by applying a space robot is still a challenging issue, especially when the target is tumbling in space. This paper presents an optimal grasp planning strategy for a kinematically redundant space manipulator to capture an arbitrarily rotating target, such as a dysfunctional satellite or a piece of space debris. The kinematics and dynamics of the non-cooperative target and the space robotic system are first introduced, which lays the foundation for constructing the grasp planning strategy. Subsequently, an optimal grasping time and the target's terminal motion states are determined with consideration of the robotic capability, the target's motion and the grasping direction. Furthermore, the joint trajectories are parametrized with the quintic Bézier curve, and the direct kinematics equations are employed to overcome the dynamics singularity issue. The grasp planner of the space robot is then transformed into a multi-constraint, multi-objective nonlinear optimization problem solved by an improved real-coded genetic algorithm (RGA). The proposed grasp planning scheme is immune to the singularity issue and generates an optimal robotic configuration for post-capture manipulation. Simulation results are presented for capturing a tumbling target using a seven-degree-of-freedom kinematically redundant manipulator mounted on a free-floating spacecraft, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: MYH14 gene mutations have been suggested to be associated with nonsyndromic/syndromic sensorineural hearing loss. It has been reported that mutations in MYH14 can result in autosomal dominant nonsyndromic deafness-4A (DFNA4). Methods: In this study, we examined a four-generation Han Chinese family with nonsyndromic hearing loss. Targeted next-generation sequencing of deafness genes was employed to identify the pathogenic variant. Sanger sequencing and PCR-RFLP analysis were performed in affected members of this family and 200 normal controls to further confirm the mutation. Results: Four members of this family were diagnosed as nonsyndromic bilateral sensorineural hearing loss with postlingual onset and progressive impairment. A novel missense variant, c.5417C > A (p.A1806D), in MYH14 in the tail domain of NMH II C was successfully identified as the pathogenic cause in three affected individuals. The family member II-5 was suggested to have noise-induced deafness. Conclusion: In this study, a novel missense mutation, c.5417C > A (p.A1806D), in MYH14 that led to postlingual nonsyndromic autosomal dominant SNHL were identified. The findings broadened the phenotype spectrum of MYH14 and highlighted the combined application of gene capture and Sanger sequencing is an efficient approach to screen pathogenic variants associated with genetic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apple is the most widely planted fruit in the world and is popular in consumers because of its rich nutritional value. In this study, the portable near‐infrared (NIR) transmittance spectroscopy coupled with temperature compensation and chemometric algorithms was applied to detect the storage quality of apples. The postharvest quality of apples including soluble solids content (SSC), vitamin C (VC), titratable acid (TA), and firmness was evaluated, and the portable spectrometer was used to obtain near‐infrared transmittance spectra of apples in the wavelength range of 590–1,200 nm. Mixed temperature compensation method (MTC) was used to reduce the influence of temperature on the models and to improve the adaptability of the models. Then, variable selection methods, such as uninformative variable elimination (UVE), competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), and successive projections algorithm (SPA), were developed to improve the performance of the models by determining characteristic variables and reducing redundancy. Comparing the full spectral models with the models established on variables selected by different variable selection methods, the CARS combined with partial least squares (PLS) showed the best performance with prediction correlation coefficient (Rp) and residual predictive deviation (RPD) values of 0.9236, 2.604 for SSC; 0.8684, 2.002 for TA; 0.8922, 2.087 for VC; and 0.8207, 1.992 for firmness, respectively. Results showed that NIR transmittance spectroscopy was feasible to detect postharvest quality of apples during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. To evaluate the impact of PIK3CA mutation status on clinical outcomes of HR+ breast cancer treated with PI3K inhibitors. Methods. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in online databases from inception to December 31, 2019. The main characteristics and prognostic data of each eligible study were extracted. The odds ratio (OR) for the overall response rate (ORR) and hazard ratio (HR) for progression-free survival (PFS) were estimated using the fixed-effects Mantel-Haenszel model. Results. A total of 8 studies involving 2670 patients were included for analysis. Overall, the clinical outcomes of PI3K inhibitors were significantly influenced by PIK3CA mutation status in HR+ breast cancer. After the treatment of PI3K inhibitors, HR+ breast cancer patients with PIK3CA mutations presented better ORR (PIK3CA-mutated group: OR = 1.98 [95% CI, 1.46 to 2.70]; PIK3CA wild-type group: OR = 1.09 [95% CI, 0.78 to 1.53]) and better PFS (PIK3CA-mutated group: HR = 0.65 [95% CI, 0.55 to 0.76]; PIK3CA wild-type group: HR = 0.87 [95% CI, 0.70 to 1.09]). No publication bias was detected for ORR and PFS in our analysis. Conclusion. In this meta-analysis, it suggests that the association between clinical outcomes of PI3K inhibitors and PIK3CA mutation status is dramatic. PIK3CA mutations were a favorable factor in the clinical outcomes of HR+ breast cancer treated with PI3K inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]