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Background: Accumulating evidences indicate that the specific alternative splicing (AS) events are linked to the occurrence and prognosis of gastric cancer (GC). Nevertheless, the impact of AS is still unclear and needed to further elucidation. Methods: The expression profile of GC and normal samples were downloaded from TCGA. AS events were achieved from SpliceSeq database. Cox regression together with LASSO analysis were employed to identify survival-associated AS events (SASEs) and calculate risk scores. PPI and pathway enrichment analysis were implemented to determine the function and pathways of these genes. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) analysis and Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves were used to evaluate the clinical significance of genes of SASEs. Q-PCR were applied to validate the hub genes on the survival prognosis in 47 GC samples. Drug sensitivity and immune cell infiltration analysis were conducted. Results: In total, 48 140 AS events in 10 610 genes from 361 GC and 31 normal samples were analyzed. Through univariate Cox regression, 855 SASEs in 763 genes were screened out. Further, these SASEs were analyzed by PPI and 17 hub genes were identified. Meanwhile, using Lasso and multivariate Cox regression analysis, 135 SASEs in 132 genes related to 7 AS forms were further screened and a GC prognostic model was constructed. K-M curves indicates that high-risk group has poorer prognosis. And the nomogram analysis on the basis of the multivariate Cox analysis was disclosed the interrelationships between 7 AS forms and clinical parameters in the model. Five key genes were then screened out by PPI analysis and Differential Expression Gene analysis based on TCGA and Combined-dataset, namely STAT3, RAD51B, SOCS2, POLE2 and TSR1. The expression levels of AS in STAT3, RAD51B, SOCS2, POLE2 and TSR1 were all significantly correlated with survival by qPCR verification. Nineteen drugs were sensitized to high-risk patients and eight immune cells showed significantly different infiltration between the STAD and normal groups. Conclusions: In this research, the prognostic model constructed by SASEs can be applied to predict the prognosis of GC patients and the selected key genes are expected to become new biomarkers and therapeutical targets for GC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To enhance the performance of hydrostatic bearings, graphene serves as a lubricant additive. Using the high thermal conductivity of graphene, the purpose of this study is to focus on the impact of graphene nano-lubricating oil hydrostatic bearing temperature rise at various speeds and eccentricities. Design/methodology/approach: The thermal conductivity of graphene nano-lubricating oil was calculated by molecular dynamics method and based on the viscosity–temperature effect, the coupled heat transfer finite element model of hydrostatic bearing was established; temperature rise of pure lubricating oil and graphene nano-lubricating oil hydrostatic bearing were analysed at different speed and eccentricity based on computational fluid dynamics method. Findings: With the increase of speed and eccentricity, the temperature rise of 0.2% graphene nano-lubricating oil bearings is lower than that of pure lubricating oil bearings; in addition with the increase of graphene mass fraction, the temperature rise of graphene nano-lubricating oil bearings is always higher than that of pure lubricating oil bearings, and the higher the speed, the more obvious the phenomenon. Originality/value: The effects of graphene as a lubricant additive on the thermal conductivity of nano-lubricating oil and the variation of the temperature rise of graphene nano-lubricating oil bearings compared to pure lubricating oil bearings were analysed by combining micro and macro methods. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-12-2023-0388 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of efficient and stable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts based on noble‐metal‐free materials is crucial for energy conversion and storage. In this work, it was demonstrated how polyoxometalate (POM)‐doped ZIF‐67 can be converted into a stable oxygen evolution electrocatalyst by chemical etching, cation exchange, and thermal annealing steps. Characterization by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy indicate that POM‐doped ZIF‐67 derived carbon‐supported metal oxides were synthesized. The resulting composite shows structural and compositional advantages which lead to low overpotential (306 mV at j=10 mA ⋅ cm−2) and long‐term stability under harsh OER conditions (1.0 M aqueous KOH). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TPE-IP was designed and synthesized by assembling tetraphenylethene (TPE) and imidazopyridine (IP) units, with weak push-pull molecular structure and propeller-like conformation, which were confirmed by fluorescence emission in various solvents and theoretical calculations. TPE-IP showed aggregation-induced enhanced emission (AIEE) activity due to the suppressed molecular motions in aggregated states. Interestingly, TPE-IP exhibited dual-band fluorescence emission in various solvents, deriving from localized and intramolecular charge transfer states. By grinding and heating, TPE-IP presented reversible mechanochromism, accompanied by a transition between deep blue and green fluorescence. Moreover, TPE-IP displayed high-contrast acidchromism, but with different responses to HCl, CF 3 COOH, and CH 3 COOH fuming. Meanwhile, the reversible acidchromism could be completed by HCl/CH 3 COOH and Et 3 N fuming, but not for CF 3 COOH and Et 3 N fuming. At last but not least, TPE-IP has the potential to be applied in the fields of anti-counterfeiting and information encryption. • TPE-IP shows reversible mechanochromism by grinding and heating. • TPE-IP shows reversible acidchromism by HCL/CH 3 COOH and Et 3 N fuming. • TPE-IP has different responses to HCL, CH 3 COOH and CF 3 COOH. • TPE-IP shows AIE activity. • The reusable erasable paper were constructed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A convenient Y(OTf)3-catalyzed cascade formal [4 + 2] cyclization approach for the formation of 1,4-benzoxazine scaffolds from benzoxazoles and propargyl alcohols through a ring-opening and regioselective ring-closure process has been developed. By using this mild and practical protocol, a broad range of aldehyde-containing 1,4-benzoxazine compounds were prepared in moderate to excellent yields with good functional group tolerance. Mechanistic studies indicated that an SN1 nucleophilic substitution of benzoxazole with a propargyl cation was involved in this transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• TGCP model based on GCTTKs can identify therapeutic effect of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. • TAP1 is the most critical gene in the TGCP model. • TAP1 is a synergistic enhancement target for oxaliplatin and PDL1 inhibitors. Given the intricate molecular complexities and heterogeneity inherent in T-cell immunotherapy of gastric cancer (GC), elucidative T-cell-related biomarkers were imperative needed for facilitating the prediction of GC patient prognosis and identify potential synergistic therapeutic targets. We conducted COX regression analysis in TISIDB, TCGA-STAD, and GEO databases to identify 19 GC T-cell-mediated sensitivity tumor killing (TTK) genes (key GCTTKs). Based on key GCTTKs, we constructed two TTK patterns and analyzed their metabolic pathways, mutation features, clinical data distribution, immune cell infiltration, and prognosis. LASSO regression was performed to develop a T-cell-mediated GC Prognosis (TGCP) model. We validated the TGCP model in GC patients. TAP1 was further selected for investigation of its biological functions and molecular mechanisms. We assessed the potential of TAP1 as a promising therapeutic target for GC using Patient-derived organoids (PDOs)-derived xenografts (PDOXs) models of GC. The TTK patterns display notable disparities. The TGCP model showcases its proficiency in predicting immune response efficacy, effectively distinguishes immunotherapy difference GC patients. Our findings find further confirmation in PDOX models, affirming TAP1 can enhance immunotherapy facilitated by PDL1 inhibitors. Furthermore, Oxaliplatin, by promoting TAP1 expression, augments PDL1 expression, thereby enhancing the efficacy of immunotherapy. We constructed a TGCP model, which demonstrates satisfactory predictive accuracy. Out of 9 prognostic genes, TAP1 was validated as a synergistic target for Oxaliplatin and PDL1 inhibitors, offering a genetic-level explanation for the synergy observed in GC treatment involving Oxaliplatin in combination with PDL1 inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The role of the Immunoglobulin Superfamily (IgSF) as adhesion molecules in orchestrating inflammation is pivotal, yet its specific involvement in gastric cancer (GC) remains unknown. We analyzed IgSF components and discerned conspicuously elevated VCAM1 expression in GC, correlating with a poor prognosis. Remarkably, VCAM1 enhances GC cell proliferation and migration by activating AKT-mTOR signaling. Moreover, lactate in the tumor microenvironment (TME) promotes dynamic lactylation of H3K18 (H3K18la), leading to transcriptional activation of VCAM1 in GC cells. Furthermore, VCAM1 actively mediates intercellular communication in the TME. AKT-mTOR-mediated CXCL1 expression is increased by VCAM1, facilitating the recruitment of human GC-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hGC-MSCs), thereby fostering immunesuppression and accelerating cancer progression. In summary, H3K18 lactylation upregulated VCAM1 transcription, which activated AKT-mTOR signaling, and promoted tumor cell proliferation, EMT Transition and tumor metastasis. VCAM1 upregulated CXCL1 expression by AKT-mTOR pathway, so as to facilitate hGC-MSCs and M2 macrophage recruitment and infiltration. These findings provide novel therapeutic targets for GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to understand the changes in the characteristics of the brain network in the state of driving fatigue and to reveal the pattern of functional connectivity between brain regions when fatigue occurs. This paper proposes a method for the detection of driving fatigue based on electroencephalogram (EEG) signals using a phase lag index graph attention network (PLI-GAT). Phase synchronization between EEG signals is a key attribute for establishing communication links among different regions of the brain, and so, the PLI is used to construct a functional brain network reflecting the relationship between EEG signals from different channels. Multi-channel EEG time–frequency features are then modeled as graph data, and the driving fatigue monitoring model is trained using a GAT. Compared with traditional graph neural networks, the GAT applies an aggregation operation to adjacent EEG channel features through the attention mechanism. This enables the adaptive assignment of different neighbor weights, which greatly improves the expressiveness of the graph neural network model. The proposed method is validated on the publicly available SEED-VIG dataset, and the accuracy of fatigue state recognition is found to reach 85.53%. The results show that the functional connectivity among different channels is significantly enhanced in the fatigue state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study on novel physical properties of structural ceramics or ceramic composites could make them more conducive to be function‐ and structure‐integrated materials. Herein, titanium nitride‐alumina (TiN–Al2O3) duplex ceramics were prepared and the dielectric spectra of the ceramics were studied from 10 MHz to 1 GHz. Negative permittivity appeared when TiN content exceeded 40 wt% due to the induced plasmonic state of massive delocalized electrons in connected TiN grain networks. Meanwhile, alternating current conduction behaviors of the duplex ceramics were discussed with percolation theory. Furthermore, the analysis of reactance by equivalent circuit models indicated that negative permittivity ceramics exhibited inductive character. This work realized negative dielectric behaviors in TiN–Al2O3 duplex ceramics and would promote the study of electromagnetic functionalization in wave shielding or attenuation for structural ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Host and guest materials were easily prepared on a large scale. • The new doping system showed long-lived TADF and RTP lifetimes. • The persistent TADF, unimolecular and aggregated RTP were simultaneously found. • The doping systems presents temperature responsive dynamic afterglow. • High-level data encryption and dynamic anti-counterfeiting pattern were constructed. Designing persistent dual-band afterglow materials with thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) contributed to solving the problems of homogenization and singularity in long afterglow materials. Here, six aryl acetonitrile (CBM) and aryl dicyanoaniline (AMBT) derivatives, used as host and guest materials respectively, were successfully designed and synthesized based on the isomerization effect. Among of them, 0.1 % m-CBM/p-AMBT showed the longest dual-band TADF (540 ms) and RTP lifetimes (721 ms), as well as persistent afterglow over 8 s, whose fluorescence (Φ FL), TADF (Φ T) and RTP (Φ P) quantum yields were 0.11, 0.06 and 0.22 in sequence. More interestingly, some doping systems constructed by CBM and AMBT series compounds showed persistent triple-band emissions composed of TADF, unimolecular and aggregated AMBT series compounds. What's more, Φ FL , Φ T and Φ P of 1 % o-AMBT@PMMA film were up to 0.17, 0.17, 0.23 in turn, with TADF, RTP and afterglow lifetimes of 606 ms, 727 ms, and 10 s respectively. TADF and RTP emission of CBM/AMBT series doping systems was attributed to host sensitized guest emission. Besides, the comparison displayed AMBT series compounds had bigger intensity ratios between TADF and RTP emission in PMMA films compared to in CBM series compounds. Finally, a series of data encryption were successfully constructed based on different afterglow lifetimes of the doping systems, and a dynamic anti-counterfeiting pattern was prepared by using different temperature responses of TADF and RTP emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Okra is a widely accepted vegetable in subtropical and tropical regions due to the good palatability. However, the polysaccharide compositions remain unclear. In this work, the water extract of okra pod was prepared and the leading polysaccharide fraction was purified. The precise structural characteristics were identified. It was a polysaccharide “rhamnogalacturonan” as shown below, and the structure was different to previously reported rhamnogalacturonans. The hypoglycemic effect of rhamnogalacturonan was determined in vivo . By comparing with streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice group, the high-dose group showed decreased blood glucose level and glucose tolerance. The body weight of all groups were not significantly different. The results indicated that the rhamnogalacturonan was responsible for the hypoglycemic effect of okra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Okra were stored for 19 days at 25 °C and nuclear magnetic resonnance spectroscopy was used to monitor the changes of metabolite levels. Seventeen metabolites were identified and their relative levels were analysed by principal component analysis. The first principal components were isoleucine, fatty acids, γ-aminobutyrate, glutamine, asparagine, unsaturated lipids, choline, phosphocholine and cinnamic acid. Decreases of glucose and sucrose levels were responsible for the quality reduction. Accumulation of cinnamic acid was involved in the lignification of okra tissue in the late storage period. Amino acids and γ-aminobutyrate levels increased during storage, which indicated the degradation of proteins. Increased electrolyte leakage and chlorophyll loss were also observed. The results indicated that NMR technique could be a good choice for metabolomic analysis of okra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Banana is a tropical fruit widely accepted by people over the world. Its chemical composition is critical for its organoleptic properties and nutritional value. In this work, the metabolite changes during postharvest senescence were investigated using NMR spectroscopy. The 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic information revealed the primary and secondary metabolites in banana fruit, including organic acids, amino acids, carbohydrates and phenolics. Bananas at five senescence stages showed similar chemical profiles, but the levels of the individual compounds varied to a large extent. The principal metabolites responsible for postharvest senescence of banana were valine, alanine, aspartic acid, choline, acetate, glucose, malic acid, gallic acid and dopamine. At stage V, ethanol was present due to the conversion of glucose. Salsolinol was generated due to the conversion of dopamine. This was a characteristic marker for the postharvest senescence of banana fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freak waves can cause serious damage to offshore structures because of their characteristics of high peak energy, short duration, and great contingency. In this study, the slamming pressure characteristics of a typical floating wind turbine under freak waves are studied by numerical simulation and experiment. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is used to establish the numerical tank. The experimental test of a typical float wind turbine is implemented at Jiangsu University of Science and Technology. The numerical model of a floating wind turbine system is modified based on an experimental test. The slamming characteristics of a floating wind turbine under the freak wave are studied using the modified numerical model. The combined wave focusing model and the push pedal wave-making theory are adopted to simulate the freak wave. Results show that the slamming pressure of a floating wind turbine under a freak wave is much larger than that under a conventional random wave with the same significant wave height. Meanwhile, the evident phenomenon of double-peak slamming is observed in the wave slamming of the floating wind turbine. The impact period at different locations varies although the floating wind turbine is a monolithic structure. • The slamming characteristics of a floating wind turbine under the freak wave are studied by using CFD tools. • The wave focusing model and the push pedal wave-making theory are combined to simulate the freak waves. • The high-order responses are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sevoflurane is the most widely used inhaled anesthetic. Environmental enrichment (EE) can reverse sevoflurane-induced learning and memory impairment in young mice. However, the mechanism by which EE elicits this effect is unclear. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) regulatory pathway plays a critical role in the regulation of inflammation in central nervous system diseases. In this study, we investigated whether EE attenuates sevoflurane-induced learning and memory disability via the PPAR signaling pathway. Six-day-old mice were treated with 3% sevoflurane for 2 hours daily from postnatal day 6 (P6) to P8. Then, the mice were treated with EE. The effects of sevoflurane on learning and memory function, PPAR-γ expression in the brain, and the numbers of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling-positive cells and 5-bromodeoxyuridine-positive cells in the hippocampus were determined. Sevoflurane induced neuronal apoptosis and neurogenesis inhibition, which may impair learning and memory in young mice. Furthermore, sevoflurane downregulated PPAR-γ expression. Both EE and the PPAR-γ agonist, rosiglitazone, attenuated sevoflurane-induced neuronal apoptosis, neurogenesis inhibition, and learning and memory impairment. Our findings suggest that EE ameliorated sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity and learning and memory impairment through the PPAR-γ signaling pathway. PPAR-γ may be a potential therapeutic target for preventing or treating sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The use of low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) to increase antibody production. [•] Daily ultrasound increase up to 35% in antibody production in shake flask. [•] A scaled-up wave-bag configuration increased antibody production by 25% with sonication. [•] Physical effects of LIPUS increase cell permeability and thus enhance cell metabolism. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recent progress on catalytic nitrene transfer reactions with hydroxylamine derivatives as prevalent precursors is summarized in this highlight. The salient features of these N–O derived nitrene transfer reagents are that they are readily available, bench-stable, and can be facilely activated by a range of transition metal-catalysts under mild conditions. The application of these reagents in transition metal-catalysis has led to many new amidation or amination reactions, such as C–H insertions and aziridination of olefins. These reagents have also been applied in difunctionalisation of unsaturated bonds, dearomative amination of indoles, and formation of N–X bonds. Moreover, the recent achievements in photocatalysis and enzyme catalysis further emphasize the importance of these appealing reagents. This highlight provides an overview of these reactions reported in recent years. Challenges and potential opportunities for future developments are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Reducing production costs for fermentation-based drugs (e.g., antibiotics) is crucial for the long-term sustainability of healthcare. In this study, we propose a novel low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) stimulation scheme using a nominal frequency of 1.5 MHz with a 20% duty cycle (200 μs ultrasound on and 800 μs ultrasound off) to increase production of fermentation-based drugs. We chose Penicillium brevicompactum as a model system to demonstrate the performance of our LIPUS system. Penicillium brevicompactum can produce mycophenolic acid (MPA), an immunosuppressive agent commonly used to prevent rejection after organ transplantation. We have stimulated Penicillium brevicompactum in 50 mL shake flasks using LIPUS during its fermentation. After a series of screening experiments to optimize ultrasound parameters (e.g., ultrasound intensities, treatment duration and treatment frequency per day), it was concluded that ultrasound stimulation can increase MPA production by as much as 60% when treated eight times a day for 10-min durations at an intensity (spatial peak temporal average) of 200 mW/cm2. These findings elucidate a new approach to reduce the cost of producing fermentation-based drugs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The distributions of ATP and reducing equivalents were estimated with the aid of a pre-constructed bionetwork describing the growth characteristics of Corynebacterium glutamicum cultivated in a pH-auxostat. Results showed that the specific growth rate (μ) imposed different degrees of influences on both ATP and reducing equivalents. The ATP generated from the TCA cycle increased about 33% as μ was raised from 0.23 to 0.45 h−1, while the ATP obtained from the EMP pathway decreased from 32.90 to 2.12% over the same growth span. In contrast, the reducing equivalents contributed from both the TCA cycle and the EMP pathway varied slightly. The ATP obtained through glucose utilization was insufficient to balance the microbial demands. As a result, the transformation among amino acids to compensate the ATP requirement was noticed. To enhance product resolution from an amino acid mix, metabolic nodes at AKG, PYR, PEP, and RU5P have been identified and could be considered concurrently as the potential nodes for manipulating metabolic flows in C. glutamicum. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Three new carbazole isomers were designed and synthesized. • The isomers show high-contrast RTP and mechanochromism. • The isomers show time-dependent RTP by host–guest doping. • The isomers show unusual anti-Kasha behaviors. • Lo-CzAD and Lp-CzAD simultaneously show RTP and TADF emission in PPh 3 matrix. To explore the intrinsic mechanism of pure organic room temperature and clustering-induced phosphorescence and investigate mechanochromism and structural-function relationships, here, 4-(2-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)-2-amino-6-methoxypyridine-3,5-dicarbonitrile (Lo-CzAD), 4-(3-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)-2-amino-6-methoxypyridine-3,5-dicarbonitrile (Lm-CzAD), and 4-(4-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)-2-amino-6-methoxypyridine-3,5-dicarbonitrile (Lp-CzAD) were designed and synthesized by choosing self-made carbazole and 3, 5-dicyanopyridine (DCP) unit as electron acceptor and electron donor in sequence. Compared with crystals Lm-CzAD and Lp-CzAD, crystal Lo-CzAD shows better room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) performance, with RTP lifetimes of 187.16 ms, as well as afterglows 1s, which are attributed to twisted carbazole unit and donor–acceptor (D-A) molecular conformation, big crystal density and spin orbit coupling constant ξ (S 1 → T 1 and S 1 → T 2), as well as intermolecular H type stacking and small ξ (S 0 → T 1). By choosing urea and PPh 3 as host materials and tuning doping ratio, four doping systems were successfully constructed, significantly improving RTP performance of Lo-CzAD and Lp-CzAD, as well as showing different fluorescence and RTP. The lifetimes and afterglows of pure organic Urea/Lo-CzAD and Urea/Lp-CzAD systems are up to 478.42 ms, 5 s, 261.66 ms and 4.5 s in turn. Moreover, Lo-CzAD and Lp-CzAD show time-dependent RTP in doping systems due to monomer and aggregate dispersion, as well as clustering-induced phosphorescence. Based on the different luminescent properties, multiple information encryptions were successfully constructed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activation of molecular hydrogen is a key process in catalysis. Here, we demonstrate how polyoxometalate (POM)‐based heterogeneous compounds functionalized with Platinum particles activate H2 by synergism between a hydrogen spillover mechanism and electron‐proton transfer by the POM. This interplay facilitates the selective catalytic reduction of olefins and nitroarenes with high functional group tolerance. A family of polyoxotungstates covalently functionalized with boronic acids is reported. In the solid‐state, the compounds are held together by non‐covalent interactions (π–π stacking and hydrogen bonding). The resulting heterogeneous nanoscale particles form stable colloidal dispersions in acetonitrile and can be surface‐functionalized with platinum nanoparticles by in situ photoreduction. The resulting materials show excellent catalytic activity in hydrogenation of olefins and nitrobenzene derivatives under mild conditions (1 bar H2 and room temperature). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activation of molecular hydrogen is a key process in catalysis. Here, we demonstrate how polyoxometalate (POM)‐based heterogeneous compounds functionalized with Platinum particles activate H2 by synergism between a hydrogen spillover mechanism and electron‐proton transfer by the POM. This interplay facilitates the selective catalytic reduction of olefins and nitroarenes with high functional group tolerance. A family of polyoxotungstates covalently functionalized with boronic acids is reported. In the solid‐state, the compounds are held together by non‐covalent interactions (π–π stacking and hydrogen bonding). The resulting heterogeneous nanoscale particles form stable colloidal dispersions in acetonitrile and can be surface‐functionalized with platinum nanoparticles by in situ photoreduction. The resulting materials show excellent catalytic activity in hydrogenation of olefins and nitrobenzene derivatives under mild conditions (1 bar H2 and room temperature). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike common orange fruit, Citrus reticulata Blanco ‘Chachiensis’ (CRB) is usually served as traditional herbal medicine and function food. It is an abundant source of bioactive polysaccharides which contribute to the health benefits of CRB. However, the structure information of polysaccharides still remains unknown. In this work, the leading polysaccharide (CRBP) was purified from CRB peel. The structure was identified by nuclear magnetic resonnance spectroscopy. The backbone was (1 → 4)-α-D-galacturonan, while the branch was α-L-Ara f -(1 → 5)-α-L-Ara f -(1 → . The molecular weight was calculated to be 55.4 kDa. The proposed structure was drawed as below. The cell assays indicated that CRBP was not toxic to macrophage cells, and could promote the NO production significantly in a dose-dependent manner. These results demonstrated that CRBP was a good candidate for functional food development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is a cancer of the gastrointestinal tract that is highly malignant and has poor prognosis. Circular RNAs are a class of nonclassical RNA molecules that have been determined to be involved in GC malignancy in various ways. However, the underlying function and mechanism of circTDRD3 in gastric cancer remain largely unknown. Methods: We analyzed circTDRD3 expression in databases and verified the findings in GC cell lines and tissue specimens. A series of functional gene overexpression and knockdown assays in vivo and in vitro were carried out to investigate the role of circTDRD3 in proliferation and metastasis. Here, we revealed the role of the miR-891b/ITGA2 axis by analyzing bioinformatics datasets. Furthermore, we performed dual-luciferase, fluorescence in situ hybridization, RNA pull-down, and functional rescue experiments to examine the relationships between circTDRD3 and its interacting molecules. Western blot confirmed the positive regulatory role of circTDRD3 in the AKT signaling pathway. A promoting effect of ATF4 on circTDRD3 was determined through chromatin immunoprecipitation. Results: CircTDRD3 was significantly overexpressed in GC tissues compared with adjacent benign tissue, and its expression level was positively correlated with tumor volume and lymph node metastasis. CircTDRD3 promoted GC cell proliferation and migration in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circTDRD3 exerted a tumor-promoting effect by regulating the miR-891b/ITGA2 axis and AKT signaling pathway in a positive feedback manner mediated by the transcription factor ATF4. Conclusions: ATF4-mediated circTDRD3 overexpression modulates the proliferation and metastasis of GC cells through the miR-891b/ITGA2 axis in a positive feedback manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel copper‐catalyzed successive C−Cbond formations on indoles and pyrrole approach for the direct synthesis of hydroxyl substituted N‐H carbazoles is described. The current process represents an atom‐economical method for the preparation of both symmetric and unsymmetric densely substituted and hydroxyl containing N‐H carbazoles from easily accessible starting materials without the need for expensive metals and harsh reaction conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccination is a safe and effective approach to prevent deadly diseases. To increase vaccine production, we propose that a mechanical stimulation can enhance protein production. In order to prove this hypothesis, Sf9 insect cells were used to evaluate the increase in the expression of a fusion protein from hepatitis B virus (HBV S1/S2). We discovered that the ultrasound stimulation at a frequency of 1.5 MHz, intensity of 60 mW/cm2, for a duration of 10 minutes per day increased HBV S1/S2 by 27%. We further derived a model for transport through a cell membrane under the effect of ultrasound waves, tested the key assumptions of the model through a molecular dynamics simulation package, NAMD (Nanoscale Molecular Dynamics program) and utilized CHARMM force field in a steered molecular dynamics environment. The results show that ultrasound waves can increase cell permeability, which, in turn, can enhance nutrient / waste exchange thus leading to enhanced vaccine production. This finding is very meaningful in either shortening vaccine production time, or increasing the yield of proteins for use as vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type II alveolar epithelial cell (AECII) apoptosis is one of the most vital causes of sepsis-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Recent evidence has proved that bone mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (BMSC-exos) can effectively reduce sepsis-induced ARDS. However, the function and molecular mechanism of BMSC-exos in sepsis-induced AECII apoptosis remain to be elucidated. In the present study, a more significant number of AECII apoptosis, high mitochondrial fission p-Drp1 protein levels, and low levels of mitochondrial biogenesis-related PGC1α, Tfam, and Nrf1 proteins accompanied with ATP content depression were confirmed in AECIIs in response to sepsis. Surprisingly, BMSC-exos successfully recovered mitochondrial biogenesis, including the upregulated expression of PGC1α, Tfam, Nrf1 proteins, and ATP contents, and prohibited p-Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission by promoting Nrf2 expression. However, the aforementioned BMSC-exo reversal of mitochondrial dysfunction in AECIIs can be blocked by Nrf2 inhibitor ML385. Finally, BMSC-exos ameliorated the mortality rate, AECII apoptosis, inflammatory cytokine storm including HMGB1 and IL-6, and pathological lung damage in sepsis mice, which also could be prevented by ML385. These findings reveal a new mechanism of BMSC-exos in reversing mitochondrial dysfunction to alleviate AECII apoptosis, which may provide novel strategies for preventing and treating sepsis-induced ARDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ablation dynamics of a standard geological sample induced using a nanosecond laser was recorded using a high time-resolved pump-probe shadowgraph. During the early shock wave formation, multiple asymmetric spikes within one laser pulse result in multiple shock waves which swell and fuse. Observations of the multilayer structure inside the ablation plume showed that the intensity of the plasma luminescence gradually decreased with an increase in the delay time. The ablation plume perturbs the air at supersonic speed, forming shock waves with compressible discontinuity sweeping through the gas, changing its pressure, density, and fluid velocity. Based on the classic Riemannian problem, a theoretical model was used to simulate the dynamics of the pressure, velocity, and density inside the ablation plume. The Taylor–Sedov theory was used to deduce the transient velocity, pressure, and temperature of the shock wave. The radius, velocity, pressure, and temperature of the shock wave reach 587.4 μm, 2852.9 m/s, 265.8 MPa, and 27 874.6 K, respectively, when the National Institute of Standards and Technology standard reference material 614 is ablated at 80 ns using a 17 mJ laser pulse at atmospheric pressure. The structure of the multilayer ablation plume may alter the volatilization and agglomeration of different elements, resulting in elemental fractionation during the laser sampling for laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural polymer-based hydrogels have been wildly used in electronic skin, health monitoring and human motion sensing. However, the construction of hydrogel with excellent mechanical strength and electrical conductivity totally using natural polymers still faces many challenges. In this paper, gelatin and oxidized sodium carboxymethylcellulose were used to synthesize a double-network hydrogel through the dynamic Schiff base bonds. Then, the mechanical strength of the hydrogel was further enhanced by immersing it in an ammonium sulfate solution based on the Hofmeister effect between gelatin and salt. Finally, the gelatin/oxidized sodium carboxymethylcellulose hydrogel exhibited high tensile properties (614 %), tensile fracture strength (2.6 MPa), excellent compressive fracture strength (64 MPa), and compressive toughness (4.28 MJ/m3). Also, the electrical conductivity reached 3.94 S/m. The hydrogel after salt soaked was fabricated as strain sensors, which could accurately monitor the movement of many joints in the human body, such as fingers, wrists, elbows, neck, and throat. Therefore, the designed hydrogel fully originated from natural polymers and has great application potential in motion detection and information recording. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous carbon is widely used in energy storage and environmental protection due to its well-developed pore structure, large specific surface area, low cost and excellent chemical/thermal stability. However, the hydrophobic surface of pure carbon materials can limit the performance of carbon materials. Non-metallic heteroatom doping is an effective strategy to improve the performance of carbon materials efficiently. In particular, nitrogen-phosphorus co-doped porous carbon (N/P–C) has received much attention in the past few years. When N/P–C is applied in the field of energy storage and adsorption, its internal micropores are the main part contributing to the active sites, mesopores and macropores mainly play the role of transport channels and storage reservoirs, respectively; therefore, the hierarchical pore structure combining both micropores, mesopores and macropores can significantly enhance the electrochemical and adsorption properties of N/P–C. In addition, the hydrophobic surface of pure carbon materials can limit the performance of carbon materials. In contrast, the doping of N and P heteroatoms introduces a large number of functional groups on the surface of the carbon material and improves the surface wettability of the carbon material, in addition to enhancing the electrical conductivity and providing more active sites, thus further improving the performance of the N/P–C. In this review, dopants and preparation methods for synthesis N/P–C are summarized in recent years. And the mechanism of nitrogen (N)-phosphorus (P) co-doping for performance enhancement is also discussed. Then, we discuss in detail the applications of N/P–C in the fields of supercapacitors (SCs), metal-ion hybrid capacitors (HC), metal-ion batteries, fuel cells, adsorption, etc. Finally, the potential and challenges of N/P–C for applications in energy storage/conversion and adsorption are discussed. [Display omitted] • Dopant species and strategies for the preparation of N/P–C are systematically summarized. • N/P–C for versatile applications were carefully analyzed. • The heteroatom doping enhancement mechanisms were discussed. • The challenges and the future outlook were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: FOXO1 is downregulated in a number of cancers. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, we report that the expression of miR-370 was upregulated in gastric cancer cell lines and gastric cancer tissues. Overexpression of miR-370 in gastric cancer cells promoted the cell proliferation and anchorage-independent growth, while silencing of miR-370 showed opposite effects. miR-370-induced proliferation was correlated with the downregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, p27Kip1 and p21Cip1, and the upregulation of the cell cycle regulator cyclin D1. Furthermore, we identified that FOXO1 is the functional target of miR-370. Restored expression of FOXO1 together with miR-370 strongly abrogated miR-370-induced cell proliferation. Taken together, our results revealed a novel mechanism of FOXO1 suppression mediated by miR-370 in gastric cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The effects of different NaCl concentrations, nitrogen sources, carbon sources, and carbon to nitrogen molar ratios on biomass accumulation and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production were studied in batch cultures of the marine photosynthetic bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum P5 under aerobic-dark conditions. The results show that the accumulation of PHB in strain P5 is a growth-associated process. Strain P5 had maximum biomass and PHB accumulation at 2%-3% NaCl, suggesting that the bacterium can maintain growth and potentially produce PHB at natural seawater salinity. In the nitrogen source test, the maximum biomass accumulation (8.10±0.09 g/L) and PHB production (1.11±0.13 g/L and 14.62%±2.2 of the cell dry weight) were observed when peptone and ammonium chloride were used as the sole nitrogen source. NH-N was better for PHB production than other nitrogen sources. In the carbon source test, the maximum biomass concentration (7.65±0.05 g/L) was obtained with malic acid as the sole carbon source, whereas the maximum yield of PHB (5.03±0.18 g/L and 66.93%±1.69% of the cell dry weight) was obtained with sodium pyruvate as the sole carbon source. In the carbon to nitrogen ratios test, sodium pyruvate and ammonium chloride were selected as the carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. The best carbon to nitrogen molar ratio for biomass accumulation (8.77±0.58 g/L) and PHB production (6.07±0.25 g/L and 69.25%±2.05% of the cell dry weight) was 25. The results provide valuable data on the production of PHB by R. sulfidophilum P5 and further studies are on-going for best cell growth and PHB yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the current situation of solid waste resource utilization and the introduction of exterior wall insulation limit policy, this paper proposes a new type of assembled fly ash foam concrete structure for rural areas. After that, a 1:3 scaled specimen model was designed for the proposed static test with three actuators loaded synchronously, and the seismic performance of each floor of the structure was investigated by hysteresis curves, skeleton curves, ductility coefficients, equivalent damping ratios, and stiffness degradation curves, and compared with that of ordinary concrete structures. Finally, ABAQUS was used to establish the structural model with different porosity, and the effects of different porosity on the seismic performance of the structure were determined by comparing the results of tests and finite elements. The results show that the peak load of the assembled new fly ash foam concrete structure model is 84.9 kN, the ultimate displacement is 49.5 mm, the equivalent damping ratio is increased by 24.0 %, and the ductility coefficient is 2.15 compared with that of the ordinary concrete structure, with the increase of the pore rate, the damage location is mainly concentrated from the surface of the specimen to the corners of the doors and windows. The pore rate of 0.101 can simultaneously meet the requirements of structural lighting, economy, and load-bearing capacity. The proposal of an assembled new fly ash foam concrete structure enriches the structural form and lays the foundation for the design and application of this structure in the future. • Performance of Prefabricated New Fly Ash foam Concrete Structure(PNFS) is proposed. • A 1 : 3 scaled PNFS model is designed, and a quasi-static test is carried out on the model. • Two horizontal seismic defenses are obtained for precast and cast-in-place elements. • The concept of three vertical seismic defenses is proposed. • Optimal hole ratio for assembled new fly ash foam concrete structure is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the designs of carbon nanomaterials are indispensable to fulfill the growing demand for high energy and power density of energy storage devices. Heteroatom-doped (such as B, N, O, P, S, etc) porous carbon has great potential in the application of supercapacitor (SC) electrode materials. Nitrogen-doped carbon (N-C) has displayed superior properties in SC applications, which has attracted the attention of researchers. Due to the synergistic effect between N and S atoms, the nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon (N/S-C) shows superior electrochemical properties compared to the nitrogen single-doped porous carbon. Therefore, the development of N/S-C as SC electrode is of great importance. In recent years, the literature on the study of N-C for SC applications has been very extensive, however, there are a limited number of review articles on N/S-C. This manuscript represents future research directions, recent developments in the preparation of N/S-C and its application in SC. Herein, the preparation and dimension structure of N/S-C were summarized. Finally, the electrochemical properties including specific capacitance (C F), energy density (ED) and power density (PD) are critically reviewed when these N/S-C are used as SC electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavonoids have been documented to have good antioxidant activities in vitro . However, reports on the cellular antioxidant activities of flavonoid C -glycosides are very limited. In this work, an apigenin C -glycoside was purified from Artocarpus heterophyllus by column chromatography and was identified to be 2″- O - β -D-xylosylvitexin by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The cellular antioxidant activity and anticancer activity of 2″- O - β -D-xylosylvitexin were evaluated for the first time. The quantitative structure-activity relationship was analysed by molecular modeling. Apigenin presented an unexpected cellular antioxidation behaviour. It had an antioxidant activity at low concentration and a prooxidant activity at high concentration, whereas 2″- O - β -D-xylosylvitexin showed a dose-dependent cellular antioxidant activity. It indicated that C-glycosidation improved the cellular antioxidation performance of apigenin and eliminated the prooxidant effect. The ortho -dihydroxyl at C -3′/ C -4′ and C -3 hydroxyl in the flavonoid skeleton play important roles in the antioxidation behaviour. The cell proliferation assay revealed a low cytotoxicity of 2″- O - β -D-xylosylvitexin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylated flavonoids are an important type of natural flavonoid derivative with potentially multiple health benefits; among other things, they have improved bioavailability compared with flavonoid precursors. Flavonoids have been documented to have broad bioactivities, such as anticancer, immunomodulation, and antioxidant activities, that can be elevated, to a certain extent, by methylation. Understanding the structure, bioactivity, and bioavailability of methylated flavonoids, therefore, is an interesting topic with broad potential applications. Though methylated flavonoids are widely present in plants, their levels are usually low. Because developing efficient techniques to produce these chemicals would likely be beneficial, we provide an overview of their chemical and biological synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With impending demand for sustainable development, construction wastes as recycled aggregate (RA) to produce recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) is inevitable. However, RA makes adverse effect on performance of RAC. To enhance its performance, the supplementary cementitious materials (SCM), including ground granulated blast furnace slag, red mud, and glass powder, were used to partially substitute cement. In this investigation, the plain cement concrete and mineral-admixture concrete with four replacement ratios of RA were poured. For each mixture, the compressive strength, dynamic elastic modulus, and resistivity were determined; Besides, chloride penetration test was conducted in a tidal cycling simulation device, in which specimens with dimension of 100 × 100 × 400 mm3 were used to explore the effect of drying-wetting time ratios R D/W on chloride diffusion. It was found concrete with 50% RA exhibits improved compressive strength and equivalent chloride resistance through 25% SCM addition. Concrete containing 100% RA achieves equivalent or even superior chloride resistance to control group as SCM added by 45%. With the increase of R D/W , the diffusion of chloride is more serious. Considering the inhomogeneity of concrete pores, a double-porosity transport model solution was derived based on Fick's second law. Combined with test results, a time-dependent model was then established to predict chloride concentration in concrete containing RA and SCM. Furthermore, an analytical solution of cumulative chloride content diffused into concrete was derived to quantify chloride permeability. Subsequently, a linear correlation between chloride permeability and resistivity is confirmed. This investigation will encourage the use of RA in marine engineering, thereby leading to a more sustainable and cleaner production. [Display omitted] • Properties of concrete with recycled aggregate and mineral admixture were studied. • Effect of elevation in tidal zone on chloride diffusion was explored experimentally. • A double-porosity transport model solution was derived based on Fick's second law. • An analytical solution of cumulative content of chloride was derived and applied. • A linear correlation between chloride permeability and resistivity was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a Lagrangian integral technique and Lagrangian particle-tracking technique, a numerical model was developed to simulate the underwater transport of oil from a deepwater spill. This model comprises two submodels: a plume dynamics model and an advection-diffusion model. The former is used to simulate the stages dominated by the initial jet momentum and plume buoyancy of the spilled oil, while the latter is used to simulate the stage dominated by the ambient current and turbulence. The model validity was verified through comparisons of the model predictions with experimental data from several laboratory flume experiments and a field experiment. To demonstrate the capability of the model further, it was applied to the simulation of a hypothetical oil spill occurring at the seabed of a deepwater oil/gas field in the South China Sea. The results of the simulation would be useful for contingency planning with regard to the emergency response to an underwater oil spill. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on Lagrangian integral technique and Lagrangian particle-tracking technique, a numerical model is developed to simulate the underwater transport and fate of oil spilled from deepwater. This model consists of two submodels: the plume dynamics model and advection–diffusion model. The former is used to simulate the stages dominated by initial jet momentum and plume buoyancy of the spilled oil while the latter is used to simulate the stage dominated by ambient current and turbulence. The model validity is verified through comparing model predictions with data observed from a field experiment. The model is applied to simulating a hypothetical oil spill taking place at the seabed of a deepwater oil/gas field in the South China Sea, wherein the fate of spilled oil within the first 48 h after spill starts is investigated in terms of the oil budget and its underwater distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the application of Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS) technology to improve the metabolic activity of microorganisms. In this study we showed that LIPUS improves bio-ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass. We determined specific LIPUS conditions to increase the metabolic activity of both the cellulose degrading fungus, Trichoderma reesei Rut C-30 and the ethanol producing yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. LIPUS conditions of 1.5 MHz, 20% duty cycle, 80 mW/cm2 intensity, 5 min exposure and 12 exposures per day were found to improve the activity of the organisms the most. These LIPUS treatment conditions increased cellulase production by T. reesei by 16 ± 6%. The same LIPUS treatment conditions induced a 31 ± 10% increase in ethanol production by S. cerevisiae which implies a cumulative improvement of 52 ± 16% in lignocellulosic bio-ethanol production with LIPUS. This observation shows a new potential for LIPUS in the improvement of lignocellulosic bioethanol production to make it a sustainable energy source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mulberry leaf is a newly accepted vegetable for daily diet. It tastes good and has multiple health benefits, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the chemicals responsible for these health benefits remain unveiled. Prenylated phenolics are characteristic bioactive compounds in mulberry leaf, which are recognized as good antioxidants. In this work, moracin N was purified from mulberry leaf. It showed better antioxidant activities than resveratrol. The EC 50 value of cellular antioxidant activity was 24.92 μM, and the IC 50 value against DPPH radical was 40.00 μM. The prenyl group rendered the molecule more membrane affinity which improved the bioavailability. The furan ring was critical for the antioxidant behaviour. The cell viability test revealed that moracin N had a good safety. These results pointed out that moracin N contributed to the antioxidant activity of mulberry leaf. • Moracin N showed good cellular antioxidant activities. • Moracin N had a high cell uptake. • The furan ring in moracin N was critical for the antioxidant behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retraction of 'Non-matrix matched calibration of element contents in stainless steel by using nanosecond and femtosecond laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry' by Jiuling Meng et al., J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2019, DOI: 10.1039/c8ja00443a. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]