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Objective: To construct a prognostic model based on MR features and clinical data to evaluate the progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and objective response rate (ORR) of pancreatic cancer patients with hepatic metastases who received chemoimmunotherapy. Methods: 105 pancreatic cancer patients with hepatic metastases who received chemoimmunotherapy were assigned to the training set (n = 52), validation set (n = 22), and testing set (n = 31). Multi-lesion volume of interest were delineated, multi-sequence radiomics features were extracted, and the radiomics models for predicting PFS, OS and ORR were constructed, respectively. Clinical variables were extracted, and the clinical models for predicting PFS, OS and ORR were constructed, respectively. The nomogram was jointly constructed by radiomics model and clinical model. Result: The ORR exhibits no significant correlation with either PFS or OS. The area under the curve (AUC) of nomogram for predicting 6-month PFS reached 0.847 (0.737–0.957), 0.786 (0.566–1.000) and 0.864 (0.735–0.994) in the training set, validation set and testing set, respectively. The AUC of nomogram for predicting 1-year OS reached 0.770 (0.635–0.906), 0.743 (0.479–1.000) and 0.818 (0.630–1.000), respectively. The AUC of nomogram for predicting ORR reached 0.914 (0.828–1.00), 0.938 (0.840–1.00) and 0.846 (0.689–1.00), respectively. Conclusion: The prognostic models based on MR imaging features and clinical data are effective in predicting the PFS, OS and ORR of chemoimmunotherapy in pancreatic cancer patients with hepatic metastasis, and can be used to evaluate the prognosis of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is one of the common manifestations of diabetes population, and previous studies have shown that there is a correlation between depression and diabetes. This study was conducted retrospectively through the large National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to explore the risk of depression in different individuals with diabetes. We collected data on a total of 33,001 individuals in 5 cycles of NHANES and compared the incidence of depression in the individuals with diabetes, pre-diabetes or without diabetes groups after weighting. A weighted logistic review was used to assess the association between diabetes and depression at different BMI, sex, and age levels. Mediating analysis was used to assess the risk of depression in people with obesity-mediated diabetes. In addition, the non-linear relationship between BMI and depression at different factor levels was evaluated using restricted cubic strips (RCS). Diabetes was significantly associated with depression in obesity, especially for female (OR: 1.45, 95 % CI: 1.20–1.75, P < 0.001) and young (

Mechanical fault diagnosis is currently a highly trending topic, facing two significant challenges. Firstly, the acquisition of an ample number of fault samples proves to be difficult, thereby limiting access to sufficient data samples. Secondly, intricate and non-mathematically describable associations often exist among different faults. Most algorithms treat fault samples as isolated entities, consequently impacting the accuracy of fault diagnosis. This paper proposes a novel machine learning framework called Domain Graph Attention Neural Network (DGAT), which leverages the topological structure of graphs to effectively capture the interrelationships among fault samples. Additionally, this framework incorporates domain information during node updates to obtain richer embeddings, particularly in scenarios with limited available samples. It effectively overcomes the fixed receptive field limitation of the original Graph Attention Network (GAT). In order to validate the effectiveness of the model, we conducted extensive comparative experiments on diverse datasets, which demonstrated the superior performance of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of low voltage electrostatic field (LVEF, 2500 V, 0.2 mA) on oxidative denaturation of myofibrillar proteins (MPs) in repeatedly freeze–thaw (F-T, both 24 h) lamb was investigated in this study. F-T cycles intensified MP oxidative denaturation and structural destruction, with the influences becoming more severe after 1, 3, and 5 F-T cycles. The samples of the LVEF-assisted F-T cycles (LFT) exhibited lower carbonyl/dityrosine content, "r" value, and surface hydrophobicity, higher sulfhydryl content, solubility, Ca2+-ATPase activity, α-helix content, and fluorescence intensity under the identical F-T cycles (P < 0.05) in comparison with the common F-T cycles (CFT). Although the suppression of LVEF on protein oxidation decreased with the boost in the amount of F-T cycles, the effectiveness was still remarkable compared to samples without LVEF treatment. These original study findings would assist supply theoretical proof for the usage of LVEF in the freezing, storing, and transporting of frozen meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

G protein Gβγ subunits are key mediators of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling under physiological and pathological conditions; their inhibitors have been tested for the treatment of human disease. Conventional wisdom is that the Gβγ complex is activated and subsequently exerts its functions at the plasma membrane (PM). Recent studies have revealed non-canonical activation of Gβγ at intracellular organelles, where the Golgi apparatus is a major locale, via translocation or local activation. Golgi-localized Gβγ activates specific signaling cascades and regulates fundamental cell processes such as membrane trafficking, proliferation, and migration. More recent studies have shown that inhibiting Golgi-compartmentalized Gβγ signaling attenuates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and prostate tumorigenesis, indicating new therapeutic targets. We review novel activation mechanisms and non-canonical functions of Gβγ at the Golgi, and discuss potential therapeutic interventions by targeting Golgi-biased Gβγ-directed signaling. G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) activation induces Gβγ translocation from the plasma membrane to the Golgi, and Gγ subunits dictate translocation kinetics and efficiency. Gβγ can also be activated at the Golgi by Golgi-localized GPCRs. Free Gβγ at the Golgi activates the phospholipase C, protein kinase C, and protein kinase D (PLC–PKC–PKD) pathway and regulates several cellular processes. Golgi-localized Gβγ activates oncogenic mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) via phosphoinositide 3-kinase γ (PI3Kγ) and ADP-ribosylation factor 1 (ARF1) that may represent an important mechanism for MAPK hyperactivation in prostate cancer. Golgi-compartmentalized Gβγ-mediated signaling is a potential therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although graphitic carbon nitride is a promising photocatalyst in the field of energy conversion and environmental purification, the intrinsic properties like excitonic effects and sluggish charge transfer restrict further photocatalytic applications. To circumvent these limitations, the novel all-organic heterojunction photocatalysts were constructed by anchoring organic carbon dots (O-dots) on porous graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (O-dots/CNS). Results demonstrated that excitons can be effectively dissociated into electrons and holes at the interface of O-dots/CNS heterojunction, followed by holes injected to O-dots and electrons accumulated in CNS to realize efficient charge separation. Consequently, the O-dots/CNS with the optimized hydrogen (H 2) evolution performance could be reached 1564.5 μmol h−1g−1 under the visible light irradiation. This work not only presents new ideas for rational design photocatalytic reaction system from exciton and charge carrier, but also broaden the applications of this new kind of organic dots in the field of energy conversion. [Display omitted] • An all-organic heterojunction is constructed by carbon nitride and organic dots. • The exciton can be dissociated at the interface of all-organic heterojunction. • The heterojunction catalyst remarkably enhances photocatalytic H 2 evolution. • A possible photocatalytic mechanism is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater contains dye or pharmaceuticals could imply severe environmental impacts due to their toxicity to ecosystems and, consequently, the generation of human health risks. In this work, the orange peel biochar was prepared through pyrolysis, and then Mg/Al-layered double hydroxide (Mg/Al-LDHs) was grown on the surface of the biochar (BC@Mg/Al-LDHs) by hydrothermal method. The material was characterised by SEM, TEM, XRD, XPS and other techniques. The adsorption performance, adsorption isotherms, kinetics and thermodynamics of BC@Mg/Al-LDHs on methylene blue (MB) or tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) were investigated. The results showed that the maximum adsorption capacity of BC@Mg/Al-LDHs for MB and TC were 75.98 and 29.08 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption equilibrium was reached within 30 minutes, and removal percent was 93.99 and 62.06% for MB and TC, respectively. The obtained results investigate that the prepared BC@Mg/Al-LDHs materials for a broad range of applications in dye and pharmaceuticals separation from the water environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, a dual regulation strategy to construct nitrogen vacancies-modified and metal-free group-intercalated g-C 3 N 4 (NP–CN) photocatalyst is proposed. The nitrogen vacancies in the planes of NP-CN could adjust the band-gap of CN, while the metal-free group intercalated between layers act as electron transport channels for fast charge carrier separation. The nitrogen vacancies as well as metal-free group intercalate significantly increase the photocatalytic performance in H 2 evolution and dye degradation. The photocatalytic H 2 evolution rate and apparent first-order rate constant for RhB removal of NP-CN24 is 22 and 7.3 times higher than that CN, respectively. This work provides a facile approach to design and synthesize new modification of CN photocatalyst via nitrogen vacancies and metal-free group intercalation to simultaneously improve the activity in the photocatalytic application field. • Nitrogen vacancies-modified and metal-free group-intercalated g-C 3 N 4 (NP–CN) is prepared. • NP-CN shows high activity and stability in photocatalytic H 2 evolution and dye degradation. • The photocatalytic H 2 evolution activity of NP-CN is 22 time that of the pristine g-C 3 N 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a consistent non-Gaussian Bayesian filter for which the system state is a continuous function. The distributions of the true system states, and those of the system and observation noises, are only assumed Lebesgue integrable with no prior constraints on what function classes they fall within. This type of filter has significant merits in both theory and practice, in that it is able to ameliorate the curse of dimensionality present in the particle filter, a popular non-Gaussian Bayesian filter for which the system state is parameterized by discrete particles and corresponding weights. We first propose a new type of statistics, called the generalized logarithmic moments. Together with the power moments, they are used to form a density surrogate, parameterized as an analytic function, to approximate the true system state. The map from the parameters of the proposed density surrogate to both the power moments and the generalized logarithmic moments is proved to be a diffeomorphism, establishing the fact that there exists a unique density surrogate which satisfies both moment conditions. This diffeomorphism also allows us to use gradient methods to treat the convex optimization problem in determining the parameters. Last but not least, simulation results reveal the advantage of using both sets of moments for estimating mixtures of complicated types of functions. A robot localization simulation is also given, as an engineering application to validate the proposed filtering scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Low-voltage electrostatic field (LVEF) is directly used to assist frozen lamb meat to storage. • LVEF enhances frozen force at −12 °C achieving the same inhibition of the oxidative denaturation of protein as conventional frozen. • During 90–––150 d, the effect of LVEF assisting frozen storage at −9 °C disappears. The effect of low-voltage electrostatic field (LVEF) assisted −9 °C (LVEF-9) and −12 °C (LVEF-12) frozen, non-LVEF-assisted −9 °C (NLVEF-9) and −12 °C (NLVEF-12) frozen, and conventional frozen (CF-18, −18 °C) storage on the muscle microstructure and the oxidative denaturation of the lamb protein during the subsequent frozen storage process after finishing initial freezing was investigated. Compared with NLVEF-9, LVEF-9, and NLVEF-12, LVEF-12 maintained the better integrity of muscle microstructure, demonstrated by smaller holes, more complete Z-line and M-line, and no significant difference with CF-18 (P > 0.05). Furthermore, LVEF-12 effectively inhibited protein oxidative denaturation as shown by the lower carbonyl content, surface hydrophobicity, and higher total/active sulfhydryl groups and Ca2+-ATPase activity. Moreover, LVEF-12 effectively maintained the integrity of the secondary and tertiary structure of proteins, reduced cross-linking aggregation of proteins, and sustained better functional properties, as shown by higher α -helix content, fluorescence intensity, protein solubility, and lower R-value, disulfide bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work analyzes dynamic responses of a healthy plant under optimal switching data-injection attacks on sensors and develops countermeasures from the vantage point of optimal control. This is approached in a cyber-physical system setting, where the attacker can inject false data into a selected subset of sensors to maximize the quadratic cost of states and the energy consumption of the controller at a minimal effort. A 0–1 integer program is formulated, through which the adversary finds an optimal sequence of sets of sensors to attack at optimal switching instants. Specifically, the number of compromised sensors per instant is kept fixed, yet their locations can be dynamic. Leveraging the embedded transformation and mathematical programming, an analytical solution is obtained, which includes an algebraic switching condition determining the optimal sequence of attack locations (compromised sensor sets), along with an optimal state-feedback-based data-injection law. To thwart the adversary, however, a resilient control approach is put forward for stabilizing the compromised system under arbitrary switching attacks constructed based on a set of state-feedback laws, each of which corresponds to a compromised sensor set. Finally, an application using power generators in a cyber-enabled smart grid is provided to corroborate the effectiveness of the resilient control scheme and the practical merits of the theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is to design a fully distributed event-triggered control policy with intermittent communication to reach leader-follower consensus of vehicular platoons with nonzero leader's input and actuator uncertainties. The time-dependent event-triggered condition in a fully distributed manner is proposed for checking the necessary data transmission time. Meanwhile, a distributed control law based on estimated state is developed when the event-triggered condition is violated, which ensures the platoon can reach bounded consensus with an exponential convergence rate. Compared with existing related results, the fully distributed event-triggered mechanism is independent of any global information or leader's information. Moreover, Zeno behavior can be strictly ruled out for each vehicle. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed event-triggered control policy is validated by numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nitride with tailored atomic structure has recently attracted considerable attention, however, the fast carrier recombination and incomplete visible light absorption great limited the practical application. Here, novel intramolecular synergetic effects of in-plane and interlayer dual regulation on sandworm-like graphitic carbon nitride (CN-NiC) was constructed for promoting the photocatalytic performance. Benefiting from the visible light band tail resulted from the extended π-conjugated system from carbon bridged doping, CN-NiC possesses expanded visible absorption range, and reduces the bandgap. More importantly, the Ni intercalation acts as an electron transport channel between the interlayer to reinforce the transfer of charge carriers. With this unique molecular structure, the optimized CN-NiC2 photocatalyst exhibits a high photocatalytic performance with 23.9 and 11.1-fold improvement as much as that of CN for H 2 evolution and RhB degradation, respectively. In addition, the photocatalytic performance remains stable after several times cycles. This research provides an idea to obtain atomic structure tailored CN-based photocatalyst for high efficiency photocatalytic application. [Display omitted] • In-plane C doping and interlayer Ni modified sandworm-like carbon nitride were synthesized. • The synergetic effects improve the light absorption and accelerate carrier separation. • CN-NiC2 shows impressive photocatalytic activity for H 2 evolution and removing dye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This work investigated the role of the freezing-thawing-aging sequence. • The alternating electric field contribute to the improvement of meat quality. • Freezing prior to aging promotes conversion of immobile water to free water. • Alternating electric field assistance reduces the space between muscle fibers. Alternating electric field (AEF) technology was used during freezing-thawing-aging (FA) of beef aged for 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7 days. Color, lipid oxidation, purge loss, cooking loss, tenderness, and T 2 relaxation time were determined for frozen-thawed-aged beef with AEF (AEF + FA) or without AEF (FA) and compared to aged only (OA) controls. FA increased purge loss, cooking loss, shear force values and lipid oxidation (P < 0.05) but decreased a* values compared with AEF + FA treatment. It also exacerbated the spaces between muscle fibers and contributed to the transformation of immobile water to free water. AEF served to maintain meat quality by reducing purge loss, cooking loss and increasing meat tenderness and maintaining color and lipid oxidation only in steak that was frozen before aging. This most likely occurred due to AEF increasing the speed of freezing and thawing and by reducing the space between muscle fibers compared to FA alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this work, a poly(N -isopropylacrylamide) polymer (PNIPAAm) was prepared via the photoinduced reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization using Ru(bpy) 3 Cl 2 ·6H 2 O as photoinitiator. The design and spontaneous assembly of thiol-functionalized DNA-Thiol/PNIPAAm polymeric capsule (DNAsomes) by water-in-oil Pickering emulsion method and effective response with small molecules (Sybr green and phenanthrene) were described. The intermediate product, DNA-Thiol/PNIPAAm conjugates and DNAsomes were characterized by using 1H NMR, dynamic light scattering (DLS), SEM, TEM and UV–vis methods. The obtained results indicated that DNA-Thiol/PNIPAAm constructs assembled in a Pickering emulsion could produce DNA-based spherical DNAsomes with typically 3.3–267.7 μm in diameter. The DNAsomes showed a vesicle formation approximately 2 μm in diameter, resulting in phenanthrene molecule intercalating with DNAsomes. The phenomenon indicated that the DNA-Thiol/PNIPAAm conjugates may have potential applications in recognition polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon molecules. The membrane of the DNAsomes could effective response toward small molecules such as Sybr green or phenanthrene, and DNAsomes has release capability of protein (BSA) under reductive agent glutathione (GSH). Our results highlight the potential of integrating aspects of supramolecular and polymer chemistry into the design and construction of DNA-polymeric capsule, guest molecule encapsulation, control delivery of drugs, recognition organic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon molecules and gene-directed capsule synthesis. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • PNIPAAm was prepared via a photoinduced reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) method. • DNAsomes was spontaneous self-assemblied by water-in-oil Pickering emulsion. • DNAsomes could effective response toward small molecules (Sybr green or phenanthrene). • DNAsomes has release capability of protein (BSA) under reductive agent GSH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneous semiconductor photocatalysis has been considered as a cost-effective alternative for the eliminating hazardous pollutants and generating sustainable energy. Graphene, a 2D allotrope of carbon, has received significant attentions due to its outstanding properties. In this work, a highly efficient visible-light-driven ternary heterostructure semiconductor RGO/Ag2O/Ag2WO4 (RGAAW) Ag-based photocatalyst was prepared and its photocatalytic activity was evaluated by photodegradation of methylene orange (MO). The morphology, structure and optical absorption properties of the as-prepared RGAAW were characterized by SEM, XRD, XPS, FT-IR and UV−vis DRS, respectively. The obtained result was found that the as-prepared RGAAW exhibited the excellent photocatalytic activity, which was almost 11.5 and 7 times as high as those of individual Ag2O and Ag2WO4, respectively. The enhancement of photocatalytic performance could be attributed to the reduced graphene oxide sheets can function as an electron collector and transporter to lengthen the lifetime of the charge carriers. Moreover, the as-prepared RGAAW showed excellent stability toward the photodegradation of methyl orange (MO). The possible mechanism of photocatalytic activity enhancement was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • pH played a significant role for PMT degradation in O 3 /PMS process. • SO 4 − and OH were identified as the major reactive radicals. • k · O H , P M T and k SO 4 · - , P M T were determined via competition kinetics and radical steady-state assumption. • A kinetic model was established to predict the degradation of PMT. Abstract The enhancement performance, mechanisms and kinetic study of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) towards ozonation via prometon (PMT) degradation have been comprehensively investigated via the semi-continuous experiments in the present study. The removal of PMT (>97.34%) and the pseudo-first-order rate constant (k = 0.6095 min−1) were achieved after 7 min reaction with 7.5 mg min−1 O 3 and 100 mg L−1 PMS at pH 6.5. Meanwhile, the PMT degradation performance was systematically evaluated in terms of inlet O 3 concentration, PMS dose, solution pH, water matrix species and etc. It was notable that pH played a significant role on the PMT degradation efficiency in O 3 /PMS process, especially under the neutral and alkaline conditions. The mechanism of the synergistic effect was subsequently explored by the radical scavengers and electron paramagnetic resonance experiments, confirming that both OH and SO 4 − were the dominant reactive radicals in O 3 /PMS process. In addition, the second-order rate constants of PMT with OH and SO 4 − were determined to be 1.9 × 109 M−1 s−1 and 1.7 × 109 M−1 s−1 via competition kinetics for the first time. Moreover, the plausible degradation pathways of PMT were elucidated based on the seventeen transformation by-products detected. Furthermore, a modified kinetic model was put forward to quantify the relative contribution of OH and SO 4 −, in order to accurately predict the degradation rate of PMT in O 3 /PMS process. This investigation could provide a promising alternative in developing more efficient O 3 -based advanced oxidation process and supply a feasible approach for water decontamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of colloidal Ag3PO4 sphere loaded onto multi-walled carbon nanotube (CAPS-MWCNT) photocatalysts containing different mass ratio of MWCNT for the removal of RhB and phenol from waste water were synthesized. The photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. By SEM and TEM test, the obtained Ag3PO4 form precipitated and colloidal method present different structure morphology and this showed an important effect on the photocatalytic activity. The CAPS-MWCNT photocatalysts were applied to the removal of Rhodamine B (RhB) and phenol from waste water; and the results indicated that CAPS-MWCNT sample can exhibit the high adsorption and photodegradation efficiency under visible light irradiation. For RhB, the removal efficiency of CAPS-MWCNT-4 reaches 99.8% within 50 min, of which adsorption efficiency is 76.5% within the former 30 min; for phenol, the removal efficiency of CAPS-MWCNT-4 reaches 90.6% within 110 min, of which adsorption efficiency is 14.2% within the former 30 min. The experiment results show that CAPS-MWCNT-4 has the highest removal efficiency for RhB while it presents an excellent reusability for removing phenol from waste water. The present work illustrates a new train for the design and synthesis of stable and high efficiency catalysts, applicable for the removal of various organic pollutants by adsorption and photodegradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anterograde cell surface transport of nascent G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) en route from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) through the Golgi apparatus represents a crucial checkpoint to control the amount of the receptors at the functional destination and the strength of receptor activation‐elicited cellular responses. However, as compared with extensively studied internalization and recycling processes, the molecular mechanisms of cell surface trafficking of GPCRs are relatively less defined. Here, we will review the current advances in understanding the ER‐Golgi‐cell surface transport of GPCRs and use angiotensin II type 1 receptor as a representative GPCR to discuss emerging roles of receptor‐interacting proteins and specific motifs embedded within the receptors in controlling the forward traffic of GPCRs along the biosynthetic pathway. As compared with internalization and recycling, anterograde cell surface transport of nascent G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) en route from the endoplasmic reticulum through the Golgi apparatus remains poorly understood. Here, we will review the current understanding of the cell surface trafficking of the GPCR superfamily and use AT1R as an example to discuss emerging roles of receptor‐interacting proteins and specific motifs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Catalytic reduction of toxic 4‑nitrophenol to 4‑aminophenol and dye wastewater treatment over rapid, convenient gold nanoparticles or laccase decorated hybrid vesicles catalysts has attracted much attention. In current work, a stable building block was designed with inorganic gold nanoparticles and nano-conjugates; and a hybrid giant vesicles (AuNPs@vesicles) was self-assembled by using Pickering emulsion method. The vesicles were characterized by SEM, TEM, UV–vis and DLS measurements. The results showed that a temperature-responsive multifunctional building block based on BSA-PNIPAAm and gold nanoparticles was obtained. DLS results also indicated that the length of chains on the surface of AuNPs could change shorter with increasing of temperature (>32 °C) and also obtain an average diameter to ~190 nm. A substrate-rich (high concentration of 4‑nitrophenol) microenvironment can be created around AuNPs, which can dramatically accelerate the interfacial AuNPs-catalyzed reactions. The AuNPs@vesicles as catalyst in the presence of freshly prepared NaBH 4 has excellent catalytic performance for reduction of 4‑nitrophenol (almost 100%). After laccase was capsulated into AuNPs@vesicles, the obtained active hybrid laccase⊂AuNPs@vesicles demonstrated high catalytic decolouration efficiency (>98.5%, nearly 2.3 times higher than that of free laccase) and excellent reusability. The possible mechanisms of reduction of 4‑nitrophenol and dye decolouration was proposed. These novel giant vesicles could provide some new opportunities in wastewater treatment, bottom-up synthetic biology, bioinspired microstorage/microreactor and drug/gene delivery. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) self-assembled vesicles were synthesized. • AuNPs@vesicles has excellent catalytic activity for reduction of p-nitrophenol. • Laccase was capsulated into AuNPs@vesicles and used for degradation of congo red. • The preparation was very simple, rapid and environmentally friendly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the ability of renal blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) MRI metrics to predict post-operative renal function.Methods: We studied 152 patients who underwent laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) and renal MRI examination including BOLD. Short-term and long-term renal function was evaluated using the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) derived from renal scintigraphy. Renal function decline was assessed as the absolute decline (AD), percentage decline (PD) and optimal renal function preservation (OP). T2* values were analysed in the renal cortex and medulla ipsilateral and contralateral to the tumour. Clinical characteristics and imaging metrics were evaluated using univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses. Risk factors obtained using BOLD metrics (determined by multivariate regression) were then combined and compared with RENAL scores to predict OP.Results: Increasing warm ischaemia time (WIT), resected and ischaemic volume (RAIV), larger tumour size, higher RENAL score and lower preoperative GFR were short-term risk factors for AD, while increasing WIT and lower preoperative GFR were significant for long-term outcomes. Increasing WIT, RAIV, lower T2* value in the cortex and higher T2* value in the medulla on the ipsilateral side were short-term risk factors for PD, while all of the above factors (except WIT and RAIV) were significant for long-term outcomes. The performance of the combination of T2* values in the cortex and medulla on the ipsilateral side to tumour in predicting OP was better than RENAL score (AUC 0.762 vs 0.634, p = 0.013).Conclusions: Renal BOLD-MRI metrics could provide useful information to the clinician in predicting post-operative renal function outcomes.Key Points: • Renal fMRI metrics may be useful for prediction of renal functional outcomes and merit further study. • Renal fMRI metrics may reflect degree of baseline disease and ability to tolerate warm ischaemia. • Combination of T2* values was better than RENAL score for predicting OP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated a simple and low‐cost method for synthesizing graphene nanosheet/chitosan (GNS/CS) composites. The method involved (1) exfoliating graphite to prepare graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) using environment‐friendly ultrasonic energy and intercalating techniques, (2) preparing a high‐concentration GNS/CS dispersion from a mixture of GICs and CS, and (3) producing GNS/CS composites with varying GNS levels by adding the GNS/CS dispersion to CS. By incorporating 0.6 wt% GNS into a CS matrix, the mechanical and electrochemical properties of the resultant GNS/CS composite were markedly improved. Maximum enhancements of 29% and 39% in the elastic modulus and hardness of CS, respectively, were obtained. Furthermore, GNS/CS redox peak currents increased sevenfold relative to a CS‐modified electrode. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:4217–4223, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A generative adversarial network SDGAN is proposed for low-dose CT image reconstruction. • The conformer-based generator introduces attention-dependent latent codes. • The dual-scale discriminator works from both patch and pixel views. • The spatial deformable fusion module exploits intra-slice structural information. • Clinical reading and quantitative experiments demonstrate the potential of SDGAN. X-ray computed tomography (CT) is one of the most commonly used medical imaging technologies for the evaluation of many diseases. Full-dose imaging for CT ensures the image quality but usually raises concerns about the potential health risks of radiation exposure, especially for cancer patients. The conflict between reducing the radiation exposure and remaining diagnostic performance can be addressed effectively via reconstructing the low-dose CT (L-CT) to the high-quality full-dose CT (F-CT) ones. In this paper, we propose a Spatial Deformable Generative Adversarial Network (SDGAN) to achieve efficient L-CT reconstruction and analysis. SDGAN consists of three modules: the conformer-based generator, the dual-scale discriminator and the spatial deformable fusion module (SDFM). A sequence of consecutive L-CT slices is first fed into the conformer-based generator with the dual-scale discriminator to generate F-CT images. These estimated F-CT images are then fed into SDFM, which fully explores the inter- and intra-slice spatial information, to synthesize the final F-CT images with high quality. Experimental results show that the proposed SDGAN achieves the state-of-the-art performances on commonly used metrics and satisfies the reconstruction needs for clinical standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-Gaussian Bayesian filtering is a core problem in stochastic filtering. The difficulty of the problem lies in parameterizing the state estimates. However the existing methods are not able to treat it well. We propose to use power moments to obtain a parametrization. Unlike the existing parametric estimation methods, our proposed algorithm does not require prior knowledge about the state to be estimated, e.g. the number of modes and the feasible classes of function. Moreover, the proposed algorithm is not required to store massive parameters during filtering as the existing nonparametric Bayesian filters, e.g. the particle filter. The parameters of the proposed parametrization can also be determined by a convex optimization scheme with moments constraints, to which the solution is proved to exist and be unique. A necessary and sufficient condition for all the power moments of the density estimate to exist and be finite is provided. The errors of power moments are analyzed for the density estimate being either light-tailed or heavy-tailed. Error upper bounds of the density estimate for the one-step prediction are proposed. Simulation results on different types of density functions of the state are given, including the heavy-tailed densities, to validate the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This work investigated the role of the freezing-thawing-aging sequence. • The alternating electric field contributes to the maintenance of microstructure. • The freezing-thawing-aging sequence damages the microstructure and protein structure. • The alternating electric field reduces the degree of protein fragmentation. The current study investigates the influence of alternating electric field (AEF)-assisted freezing-thawing-aging sequence on the muscle microstructure and myofibrillar protein characteristics. Three treatments were used for longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle: only aging (OA), freezing-thawing-aging sequence (FA) and AEF-assisted freezing-thawing-aging sequence (EA). Compared with the FA and EA groups, the OA group showed considerably fewer cracks between muscle fibers and maintained the integrity of the Z-line as observed using scanning and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Furthermore, the EA treatment effectively decreased myofibrillar fragmentation, myofibrillar protein aggregation, and protein oxidation, as shown by the myofibrillar fragmentation index, turbidity, and total sulfhydryl concentration. Analysis of surface hydrophobicity and the Fourier transform infrared, UV absorption, and fluorescence spectrums indicated that AEF minimized the alterations of protein secondary and tertiary structure alterations during aging after freezing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined expression and potential functions of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) in human skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We show that IGF2BP1 mRNA and protein expression levels were upregulated in established (A431 line) and primary human skin SCC cells. Its expression was also increased in human skin SCC tissues, as compared to the normal skin tissues. In skin SCC cells, IGF2BP1 silencing or CRISPR/Cas9 knockout decreased levels of IGF2BP1-stablized mRNAs, including IGF2 , CD44 , Gli1 and Myc . Furthermore, skin SCC cell survival and proliferation were inhibited by IGF2BP1 silencing/knockout. Conversely, forced over-expression of IGF2BP1 further promoted A431 cell survival and proliferation. Furthermore, siRNA-mediated knockdown of IGF2BP1-bound long non-coding RNA THOR (“ Lnc-THOR ”) similarly depleted IGF2BP1-dependent mRNAs, causing inhibition on A431 cell survival and proliferation. In vivo , IGF2BP1 silencing or knockout inhibited A431 tumor xenograft growth in mice. Together, we conclude that IGF2BP1 over-expression in skin SCC cells is essential for cell growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The construction of inorganic‐protein hybrid microcapsules by using bovine serum albumin, metal ion clusters, and poly (N‐isopropylacrylamide) nanoconjugates as building blocks is presented. These microcapsules have robust membranes, which can keep their spherical morphology. They support interfacial catalytic activity by the ion clusters on their surface, and can be used as a platform to immobilize enzyme on the interface of oil/water to increase the diversity and efficiency of catalysis. These microcapsules also act as a container to make materials away from bacteria when existing silver clusters on the membrane. The obtained results highlight the construction of these microcompartments. These novel microcompartments can provide some new opportunities in bottom‐up synthetic biology, bioinspired microstorage/ microreactor, and drug/gene delivery in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the utility of MR R2*-mapping and the optimal time-point for assessing the response of pulmonary metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) to anti-angiogenic targeted therapy (aATT).Materials and Methods: The exploration-sample group and the validation-sample group consisted of 22 and 16 patients. The parameters of MR R2*-mapping, including the R2* value at each time-point (R2*base, R2*1cyc and R2*2cyc) and change between different time-points (R2*(1cyc-base)/base, R2*(2cyc-base)/base and R2*(2cyc-1cyc)/1cyc), were evaluated with a receiver-operating-characteristic analysis, and a cut-off value derived from the clinical outcome was applied to the Kaplan-Meier method to assess the value of R2* mapping and Response-Evaluation-Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) during treatment evaluation.Results: The inter-, intra-observer agreements and inter-scan consistency were excellent (p > 0.80). For the exploration-sample group, the areas under the curve for the parameters of MR R2* mapping were 0.55, 0.60, 0.83, 0.64, 0.88 and 0.83 for R2*base, R2*1cyc, R2*2cyc, R2*(1cyc-base)/base, R2*(2cyc-base)/base and R2*(2cyc-1cyc)/1cyc. For the validation-sample, R2*(2cyc-base)/base better predicted progression-free survival (p = 0.03) than RECIST and other R2* mapping parameters with a lower p value.Conclusion: Assessing aATT outcome based on changes in the R2* value between baseline and second treatment is more accurate than assessment at other time-points and assessment based on the RECIST.Key Points: • The inter-scan consistency of R2*-mapping in pulmonary mRCC are excellent. • The intra-/inter-observer agreement of R2* mapping in pulmonary mRCC are excellent. • Using changes in R2* value between baseline/after second-treatment is better than RECIST. • The choice of baseline/after second treatment is better than other time-points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design and fabrication of outstanding adsorbents for treating organic pollutants in wastewater following green chemistry principles remain huge challenging. In this paper, a biomass cellulose aerogel@ZIF-8 (CA@ZIF-8) based on bamboo leaves cellulose aerogel (CA) was controllable synthesized and used for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution. CA was prepared from bamboo leaves by NaOH/ urea low temperature dissolution method and freeze-drying method, and then ZIF-8 was grown in situ on its surface, successfully preparing CA@ZIF-8 composite with three-dimensional porous structure. The tests of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the structures of materials, and the related results showed that arsenic was successfully adsorbed by the prepared CA@ZIF-8. The influences of pH (2−12), contact time (5–180 min), temperature (298 K, 308 K, 318 K) and other factors on MB adsorption quantity were studied in the adsorption experiments, and the maximum adsorption capacity was about 90.18 mg/g at 298 K. The adsorption thermodynamics showed that the adsorption process of CA@ZIF-8 to MB was spontaneous and decreased with the increase of temperature. The possible adsorption mechanism was also suggested. The CA@ZIF-8 exhibited good reusability that the removal of MB remained above 77.25 % after 5 cycles. The above results show that CA@ZIF-8 is a economically and proficient suitable material for removing MB from wastewater. [Display omitted] • The absorbent using cellulose aerogel and ZIF-8(CA@ZIF-8) was synthesized. • The different physical effects of methylene blue on adsorption process were examined. • The CA@ZIF-8 presented a maximum adsorption capacity of 90.18 mg/g. • This absorbent has considered as a proficient and environmentally friendly material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the renal function preservation between laparoscopic radio frequency ablation assisted tumor enucleation and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. Methods: Data were analyzed from 246 patients who underwent laparoscopic radio frequency ablation assisted tumor enucleation and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for solitary cT1a renal cell carcinoma from January 2013 to July 2015. To reduce the intergroup difference, we used a 1:1 propensity matching analysis. The functional renal parenchyma volume preservation were measured preoperative and 12 months after surgery. The total renal function recovery and spilt GFR was compared. Multivariable logistic analysis was used for predictive factors for renal function decline. Results: After 1:1 propensity matching, each group including 100 patients. Patients in the laparoscopic radio frequency ablation assisted tumor enucleation had a smaller decrease in estimate glomerular filtration rate at 1 day (−7.88 vs −20.01%, p < 0.001), 3 months (−2.31 vs −10.39%, p < 0.001), 6 months (−2.16 vs −7.99%, p = 0.015), 12 months (−3.26 vs −8.03%, p = 0.012) and latest test (−3.24 vs −8.02%, p = 0.040), also had better functional renal parenchyma volume preservation (89.19 vs 84.27%, p < 0.001), lower decrease of the spilt glomerular filtration rate (−9.41 vs −17.13%, p < 0.001) at 12 months. The functional renal parenchyma volume preservation, warm ischemia time and baseline renal function were the important independent factors in determining long-term functional recovery. Conclusions: The laparoscopic radio frequency ablation assisted tumor enucleation technology has unique advantage and potential in preserving renal parenchyma without ischemia damage compared to conventional laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, and had a better outcome, thus we recommend this technique in selected T1a patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic technology has been widely studied because of using solar energy to degrade pollutants with high efficiency. However, rapid recombination of the photogenerated charges results in low efficiency and instability. In this study, a novel MIL-101(Fe)/Bi 2 WO 6 heterojunction with high efficient for degradation of organic pollutants from wastewater under visible-light irradiation was synthesized. A 1O 2 dominant Fenton assisted photocatalytic system was constructed by superimposing the photo-fenton effect of MIL-101(Fe) itself. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of MIL-101(Fe)/Bi 2 WO 6 -3% heterojunction under visible light irradiation is 10.0 times that of Bi 2 WO 6. Specifically, the designed MIL-101(Fe)/Bi 2 WO 6 photocatalyst showed excellent organic degradation performance under visible light. The results of this work not only supply a novel angle to the design and develop Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts but also identify its vital application value in the field of environmental remediation. [Display omitted] • MIL-101(Fe)/Bi 2 WO 6 Z-scheme heterojunction was delicately designed. • Efficiently photodegradation of RhB and TC was achieved over MIL-101(Fe)/Bi 2 WO 6. • The possible degradation pathways and degradation mechanism were proposed. • MIL-101(Fe)/Bi 2 WO 6 possessed good reusability and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the application of hierarchical Bi 2 WO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 heterojunction in photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants and reduction of Cr (VI). The activity of all samples is comprehensively estimated by Cr (VI) reduction and RhB degradation under visible light. The results show the Bi 2 WO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 composite with matched energy band structure can promote carrier migration and visible light absorption. The photocatalytic performance of Bi 2 WO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 heterojunction for Cr (VI) reduction and RhB degradation is much better than that of original Bi 2 WO 6 and ZnIn 2 S 4. In particular, the photocatalytic efficiency of BW/ZIS-0.2 (Bi 2 WO 6 loading of 20 wt%) is about 7.50 times that of the original ZnIn 2 S 4 and dozens of times that of Bi 2 WO 6. This is due to the close interface contact brought by the core-shell structure, the improvement of electron transport by heterojunction and the enhancement of visible light absorption. This work will inspire people to develop efficient photocatalysts through the design of core-shell heterostructures. [Display omitted] • Bi 2 WO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 hierarchical heterojunction was delicately designed. • Efficiently photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) is achieved over Bi 2 WO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4. • The highest photo-catalytic degradation rate of removing RhB could be reached to 97.26%. • This study shows broad application prospects for the pollution removal by photocatalysis method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel MRI contrast agent, hyaluronic acid gadolinium complex (HA-Gd-DTPA) nanospheres, is prepared by the synthesis of hyaluronic acid gadolinium complexes and their assembly. The physicochemical properties are characterized, and the lymphatic targeting in vitro and in vivo are also evaluated. The results show that the HA-Gd-DTPA nanospheres with suitable and stable physicochemical properties could be used for in vivo lymphatic targeting studies. Furthermore, the HA-Gd-DTPA nanospheres have obviously higher relaxation efficiency and MRI contrast between blood vessel and lymph vessel in rabbit than that of Magnevist. Thus, the novel MRI contrast agent can be taken up selectively by lymphatic system and used as a potential MRI contrast agents in lymphatic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diffusion can enhance Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) when donors or acceptors diffuse distances that are similar to the distances separating them during the donor's excited state lifetime. Lanthanide donors remain in the excited state for milliseconds, which makes them useful for time-resolved FRET applications but also allows time for diffusion to enhance energy transfer. Here we show that diffusion dramatically enhances FRET between membrane proteins labeled with lanthanide donors. This phenomenon complicates interpretation of experiments that use long-lived donors to infer association or proximity of mobile membrane proteins, but also offers a method of monitoring diffusion in membrane domains in real time in living cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new probe based on oxadiazole derivative (OXD) containing Schiff base moiety was synthesised as fluorescence turn-on sensor S1 . Furthermore, its fluorescents spectra (FS) result demonstrate that S1 selectively senses bivalent lead ion (Pb) in HEPES buffer solution (10 mM, pH = 7.0,DMF-HO, 9:1, v/ v), so S1 was a viable candidate as fluorescent receptor for a new Pb sensor. And the results of fluorescent spectral titration showed this sensor formed 1:1complex with Pb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, biochar has attracted extensive attention in improving the activity of photocatalysts. The surface functional groups of biochar could accelerate the electron transfer in the process of photocatalytic performance. Herein, in this work, different proportions of Bi 2 WO 6 /biochar (BW/BC) photocatalytic composites were prepared using a simple hydrothermal method and applied for removing of Rhedamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation. Moreover, the morphology and structure of the as-prepared photocatalytic composites were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, UV–vis DRS, the transient photocurrent response and PL spectra. The results showed that photocatalytic composites with flower-like 3D hierarchical superstructures containing the plentiful nanosheets were obtained, which could rapid interfacial charge transfer and efficiently separate electron-hole pairs, and thereby significantly enhanced charge carrier separation and the photocatalytic activity. It was found that BW/BC-5 has the highest photo-catalytic activity and more than 94.9% of the RhB solution were degraded. Furthermore, the kinetic rate of BW/BC-5 composite photocatalyst was 5.27 times more than the pure BW. The •O 2 − part played a huge role in the process of photocatalytic reaction. The mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic activity for BW/BC composite was showed. The result indicated that construction of photocatalytic composites combining Bi 2 WO 6 semiconductor and biochar conductive carbon material is a high efficient way to increase the photocatalytic activity for environmental protection. [Display omitted] • A novel strategy to synthesize an easy photocatalyst (Bi 2 WO 6 /biochar). • The highest photo-catalytic activity of Bi 2 WO 6 /biochar could be reached to 94.9%. • This study shows broad application prospects for the dyes degradation by photocatalysis method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a polyurethane (PU) was prepared from polyether polyols, isophorone diisocyanate and 2-[4-(,-hydroxyethyl)-aminophenyl-azo]-6-nitrobenzothiazole. The Tg and Td (5% mass loss) are 112°C and 273°C, respectively. The refractive index, transmission loss and Sellmyer coefficients of PU were investigated. Polymeric 1 × 2 digital optical switch (DOS) and 2 × 2 Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) thermo-optic switches based on PU as waveguide at the infrared communication wavelength 1.55 μm were designed and simulated. Simulation results showed that the power consumption of 1 × 2 DOS is only 0.60 mW; and the response times of 1 × 2 and MZI switches are 9 ms and 2.5 ms, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The absorbent using rape straw biochar fiber, Fe 3 O 4 and β-CD was synthesized. • The different physical effects of Ibuprofen on adsorption process were examined. • The Ibuprofen removal rate remained at approximately 73.56 % after five cycles. • This absorbent has considered as a proficient and environmentally friendly material. Wastewater containing pharmaceuticals can be bioaccumulated, posing a potential risk to drinking water, human health, and ecosystems. In order to make the adsorption process more suitable for actual application, rape straw biomass fiber (treated by an acidified sodium chlorite solution, 5%) and Fe 3 O 4 embedded β-CD to prepare a novel adsorbent (RSBCDF), which was used for the removal of ibuprofen (IBP) from aqueous solution. The RSBCDF was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and zeta potential measurements. The synthesized adsorbent was studied with regard to IBP removal percent under different adsorption conditions such as varying initial pH levels (4–10), initial ibuprofen concentrations (20−160 mg/L), contact time (5−150 min), and the dosage of adsorbent (10−100 mg) via batch adsorption experiments. The adsorption kinetics, thermodynamics, and isotherms were also investigated. The IBP adsorption behaviour followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Freundlich isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacity obtained for ibuprofen was 48.29 mg/g. The values of Gibbs free energy change were negative (-2.58∼-3.56KJ/mol), suggesting that the process of ibuprofen adsorption onto adsorbent was spontaneous. The positive value of standard enthalpy change (12.09 kJ/mol) indicated that the adsorption process was endothermic. The obtained results prove that RSBCDF is a proficient and economically suitable material for removing IBP from water environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physiological functions of heterotrimeric G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are dictated by their intracellular trafficking and precise targeting to the functional destinations. Over the past decades, most studies on the trafficking of GPCRs have focused on the events involved in endocytosis and recycling. By contrast, the molecular mechanisms underlying anterograde transport of newly synthesized GPCRs from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the cell surface have only now begun to be revealed. In this review we discuss current advances in understanding the role of Ras-like GTPases, specifically the Rab and Sar1/ARF subfamilies, in regulating cell-surface transport of GPCRs en route from the ER and the Golgi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Three Rab GTPases, Rab1, Rab2 and Rab6, are involved in protein transport between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi. Whereas Rab1 regulates the anterograde ER-to-Golgi transport, Rab2 and Rab6 coordinate the retrograde Golgi-to-ER transport. We have previously demonstrated that Rab1 differentially modulates the export trafficking of distinct G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). In this report, we determined the role of Rab2 and Rab6 in the cell-surface expression and signaling of α2B-adrenergic (α2B-AR), β2-AR and angiotensin II type 1 receptors (AT1R). Expression of the GTP-bound mutant Rab2Q65L significantly attenuated the cell-surface expression of both α2B-AR and β2-AR, whereas the GTP-bound mutant Rab6Q72L selectively inhibited the transport of β2-AR, but not α2B-AR. Similar results were obtained by siRNA-mediated selective knockdown of endogenous Rab2 and Rab6. Consistently, Rab2Q65L and Rab2 siRNA inhibited α2B-AR and β2-AR signaling measured as ERK1/2 activation and cAMP production, respectively, whereas Rab6Q72L and Rab6 siRNA reduced signaling of β2-AR, but not α2B-AR. Similar to the β2-AR, AT1R expression at the cell surface and AT1R-promoted inositol phosphate accumulation were inhibited by Rab6Q72L. Furthermore, the nucleotide-free mutant Rab6N126I selectively attenuated the cell-surface expression of β2-AR and AT1R, but not α2B-AR. These data demonstrate that Rab2 and Rab6 differentially influence anterograde transport and signaling of GPCRs. These data also provide the first evidence indicating that Rab6-coordinated retrograde transport selectively modulates intracellular trafficking and signaling of GPCRs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article presents a study conducted in China that explores the treatment satisfaction of individuals with type 2 diabetes who were treated with dulaglutide, a medication used to lower blood sugar levels. The study found that participants reported high levels of satisfaction with dulaglutide, indicating that it may be a beneficial treatment option for individuals with type 2 diabetes in the Chinese population. Factors such as longer treatment duration, lower HbA1c levels, weight loss, absence of adverse events, and the convenience and ease of use of the medication were associated with higher treatment satisfaction. The study suggests that high treatment satisfaction may lead to improved adherence and better clinical outcomes for individuals with type 2 diabetes. [Extracted from the article]

"Smart" polymeric microcapsules with excellent permeability of membranes have drawn considerable attention in scientific and industrial research such as drug delivery carriers, microreactors, and artificial organelles. In this work, hybrid hollow polymeric microcapsules (HPs) containing redox-active gold-sulfide bond were prepared with bovine serum albumin, inorganic metal cluster (AuNCs), and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) conjugates by using Pickering emulsion method. HPs were transferred from water-in-oil to water-in-water by adding PEGbis(N-succinimidylsuccinate). To achieve redox-responsive membrane, the Au-S bond units incorporated into the microcapsules' membranes, allowed us to explore the effects of a new stimuli, that is, the redox Au-S bond breaking on the microcapsules' membranes. The permeability of these hybrid hollow polymeric microcapsules could be sensitively tuned via adding environment-friendly hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), resulting from a fast fracture of Au-S bond. Meanwhile, AuNCs and conjugates could depart from the microcapsules, and enhance the permeability of the membrane. Based on the excellent permeability of the membrane, phosphatase was encapsuled into HPs and p-nitrophenyl phosphate as a substrate. After adding 1 × 10−2 and 1 × 10−4 M H2O2, the catalytic efficiency was nearly 4.06 and 2.22 times higher than that of HPs in the absence of H2O2, respectively. Hence, the unique redox-responsive HPs have potential applications in biocatalytic reaction, drug delivery, and materials as well as in bioscience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes genetic and physical interactions between Caenorhabditis elegans SEL-10, a member of Cdc4p family of proteins, and SEL12, a C. elegans presenilin. Information on Alzheimer's disease (AD); Materials and methods; Results and discussion.

• Superior tensile properties of WAAM 6061 Al achieved via IFSP and T6 treatment. • High fatigue performance due to elimination of defects by WAAM + IFSP hybrid technique. • Systematic investigation of microstructure evolution after T6 treatment. Interlayer friction stir processing (IFSP) has been proved to be an effective method for addressing metallurgical defects and modifying the microstructure of 6061 aluminum alloy produced by wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM). In this study, the effect of T6 post-heat-treatment on the microstructure, tensile properties and fatigue behavior were systematically investigated. The results show that the WAAM + IFSP-T6 component has excellent mechanical properties matching wrought counterparts, despite the abnormal grain growth in the stir zone, but there are no defects and a large number of nanometer β'' phases precipitate within the grains in the component. The mechanical properties of WAAM + IFSP-T6 component are isotropic, and the average yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, elongation and fatigue strength are 314 MPa, 336 MPa, 13% and 127 MPa, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To differentiate high-grade from low-grade clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) using diffusion-relaxation correlation spectroscopic imaging (DR-CSI) spectra in an equal separating analysis. Methods Eighty patients with 86 pathologically confirmed ccRCCs who underwent DR-CSI were enrolled. Two radiologists delineated the region of interest. The spectrum was derived based on DR-CSI and was further segmented into multiple equal subregions from 2*2 to 9*9. The agreement between the 2 radiologists was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Logistic regression was used to establish the regression model for differentiation, and 5-fold cross-validation was used to evaluate its accuracy. McNemar's test was used to compare the diagnostic performance between equipartition models and the traditional parameters, including the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and T2 value. Results The inter-reader agreement decreased as the divisions in the equipartition model increased (overall ICC ranged from 0.859 to 0.920). The accuracy increased from the 2*2 to 9*9 equipartition model (0.68 for 2*2, 0.69 for 3*3 and 4*4, 0.70 for 5*5, 0.71 for 6*6, 0.78 for 7*7, and 0.75 for 8*8 and 9*9). The equipartition models with divisions >7*7 were significantly better than ADC and T2 (vs ADC: P  = .002-.008; vs T2: P  = .001-.004). Conclusions The equipartition method has the potential to analyse the DR-CSI spectrum and discriminate between low-grade and high-grade ccRCC. Advances in knowledge The evaluation of DR-CSI relies on prior knowledge, and how to assess the spectrum derived from DR-CSI without prior knowledge has not been well studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]