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Matching optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images is often challenged by intricate geometric distortion and nonlinear radiation differences, leading to insufficient and unevenly distributed corresponding points. To tackle this issue, we propose a lightweight deep convolutional network with inverted residuals for optical and SAR image matching. Initially, a fully convolutional neural network (FCNN) is designed to extract high-level and semantic features, robustly capturing universal characteristics between optical and SAR images, adept at handling geometric distortion and nonlinear radiation changes. Notably, we integrate a lightweight architecture with inverted residuals into FCNN to adeptly extract local and global contextual information, facilitating feature reuse and minimizing the loss of crucial features. Additionally, a vector-refined module is deployed to refine dense features, filtering out redundant information. Subsequently, a coarse-to-fine strategy is employed to further eliminate gross errors or incorrect matches. Finally, we evaluate the performance of the proposed network in optical and SAR image matching against manually-designed methods and state-of-the-art deep learning techniques. Experimental results demonstrate that our network significantly surpasses existing methods in terms of the number of correct matches and matching accuracy. Specifically, our proposed network achieves at least a 2.8 times increase in correct matches and an 18% improvement in matching accuracy compared to existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autophagy is a lysosome-dependent degradation pathway that regulates macrophage activation, differentiation, and polarization. Autophagy related 5 (Atg5) is a key protein involved in phagocytic membrane elongation in autophagic vesicles that forms a complex with Atg12 and Atg16L1. Alterations in Atg5 are related to both acute and chronic kidney diseases in experimental models. However, the role of macrophage-expressed Atg5 in acute kidney injury remains unclear. Methods: Using a myeloid cell-specific Atg5 knockout (MΦ atg5−/−) mouse, we established renal ischemia/reperfusion and unilateral ureteral obstruction models to evaluate the role of macrophage Atg5 in renal macrophage migration and fibrosis. Results: Based on changes in the serum urea nitrogen and creatinine levels, Atg5 deletion had a minimal effect on renal function in the early stages after mild injury; however, MΦ atg5−/− mice had reduced renal fibrosis and reduced macrophage recruitment after 4 weeks of ischemia/reperfusion injury and 2 weeks of unilateral ureteral obstruction injury. Atg5 deficiency impaired the CCL20-CCR6 axis after severe ischemic kidneys. Chemotactic responses of bone marrow-derived monocytes (BMDMs) from MΦ atg5−/− mice to CCL20 were significantly attenuated compared with those of wild-type BMDMs, and this might be caused by the inhibition of PI3K, AKT, and ERK1/2 activation. Conclusions: Our data indicate that Atg5 deficiency decreased macrophage migration by impairing the CCL20-CCR6 axis and inhibited M2 polarization, thereby improving kidney fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracranial epidermoid cyst is a rare pseudotumor of the nervous system, accounting for 0.2%-1.8% of all intracranial tumors. It is usually located in the cerebellopontine Angle or parasellar area, with insipid onset, slow growth and usually less than 2 cm in diameter. Giant epidermoid cysts that invade the bone have rarely been reported in the literature. Herein, we report a case of giant ECs extradural to the parietal bone, penetrating the skull and continuing to expand outward. In addition, a systematic search of four authoritative databases was conducted to collect the relevant reports of giant epidermoid cyst with diameter > 5cm for the first time, and to discuss the clinical and radiographic features of patients with giant epidermoid cyst and the influence of treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this communication, a grid frequency selective surface (GFSS) is developed for cross-band near-field mutual coupling suppression. The unit cell of the GFSS consists of a break metal strip and a parallel LC resonator. The GFSS realizes low-stop property at 1.7–2.4 GHz (B1 band) and high-pass property at 3.3–3.8 GHz (B2 band). The novel GFSS is applied in a 5G dual-band antenna array with one B1 band antenna and four B2 band antennas. The cross-band mutual coupling coefficients are reduced from −14 dB to lower than −35 dB at the B1 band. Meanwhile, the radiation patterns of the B2 band antenna element are not affected due to the nonscattering feature of the GFSS. The dual-band base-station antenna array prototype is fabricated and measured to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed design in cross-band mutual coupling reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Cerebral Contusion (CC) is one of the most serious injury types in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this study, the baseline data, imaging features and laboratory examinations of patients with CC were summarized and analyzed to develop and validate a prediction model of nomogram to evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients.Methods: A total of 426 patients with cerebral contusion (CC) admitted to the People's Hospital of Qinghai Province and Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2018 to January 2021 were included in this study, We randomly divided the cohort into a training cohort (n = 284) and a validation cohort (n = 142) with a ratio of 2:1.At Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) regression were used for screening high-risk factors affecting patient prognosis and development of the predictive model. The identification ability and clinical application value of the prediction model were analyzed through the analysis of receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).Results: Twelve independent prognostic factors, including age, Glasgow Coma Score (GCS), Basal cistern status, Midline shift (MLS), Third ventricle status, intracranial pressure (ICP) and CT grade of cerebral edema,etc., were selected by Lasso regression analysis and included in the nomogram. The model showed good predictive performance, with a C index of (0.87, 95% CI, 0.026-0.952) in the training cohort and (0.93, 95% CI, 0.032-0.965) in the validation cohort. Clinical decision curve analysis (DCA) also showed that the model brought high clinical benefits to patients.Conclusion: This study established a high accuracy of nomogram model to predict the prognosis of patients with CC, its low cost, easy to promote, is especially applicable in the acute environment, at the same time, CSF-glucose/lactate ratio(C-G/L), volume of contusion, and mean CT values of edema zone, which were included for the first time in this study, were independent predictors of poor prognosis in patients with CC. However, this model still has some limitations and deficiencies, which require large sample and multi-center prospective studies to verify and improve our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new algorithm for optimizing geometric energies and computing positively oriented simplicial mappings. Our major improvements over the state‐of‐the‐art are: (i) introduction of new energies for repairing inverted and collapsed simplices; (ii) adaptive partitioning of vertices into coordinate blocks with the blended local‐global strategy for more efficient optimization and (iii) introduction of the displacement norm for improving convergence criteria and for controlling block partitioning. Together these improvements form the basis for the Adaptive Block Coordinate Descent (ABCD) algorithm aimed at robust geometric optimization. ABCD achieves state‐of‐the‐art results in distortion minimization, even under hard positional constraints and highly distorted invalid initializations that contain thousands of collapsed and inverted elements. Starting with an invalid non‐injective initial map, ABCD behaves as a modified block coordinate descent up to the point where the current mapping is cleared of invalid simplices. Then, the algorithm converges rapidly into the chosen iterative solver. Our method is very general, fast‐converging and easily parallelizable. We show over a wide range of 2D and 3D problems that our algorithm is more robust than existing techniques for locally injective mapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct connection between coaxial cables and antenna radiators is one of the most popular and simplest approaches for antenna excitation. In dual-band shared-aperture antenna arrays that operate in higher and lower frequency bands, feeding coaxial cables of the higher band antenna array will inevitably introduce electromagnetic coupling in the lower band antenna arrays. The cross-band coupling will further lead to radiation pattern distortion, gain decrease, and impedance mismatching in the lower band antennas. Instead of using conventional straight coaxial cable feedings, this article proposes to decouple the unwanted cross-band coupling with a novel helical torsion coaxial cable design. The helical torsion feeding (HTF) coaxial cables are investigated from equivalent circuit analysis and full-wave simulation. The analysis results demonstrate that the HTF coaxial cable possesses open-circuit characteristic in the operation band of the lower band antenna. Through this design, the cross-band coupling is effectively suppressed at 0.69 GHz. The effectiveness of the approach is then demonstrated in a dual-band shared-aperture antenna array. Both the simulated and measured results validate the proposed design. The proposed decoupling method will find applications in compact multiband 5G MIMO antenna array developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: We previously discovered that tumor suppressor candidate 3 (TUSC3) was overexpressed and predicted worse prognosis in colon cancer patients. However, the mechanisms of upregulation of TUSC3 in colon cancer remained unclear. Methods: MiR‐873‐5p was predicted and identified as the regulator of TUSC3 via online programs and luciferase reporter assays. The roles of miR‐873‐5p in regulating colon cancer cell proliferation, colony formation, and invasion were evaluated in vitro. Animal studies were performed to investigate the effects of miR‐873‐5p on proliferation and lung metastasis. Moreover, the miR‐873‐5p/TUSC3 related signaling pathway and the prognostic value of combining miR‐873‐5p and TUSC3 for colon cancer patients were also explored. Results: Here, we identified miR‐873‐5p as a novel regulator of TUSC3 in colon cancer. Functionally, ectopic expression or silencing of miR‐873‐5p, respectively, inhibited or promoted colon cancer cells proliferation, colony formation, and invasion, as well as prevented or enhanced the metastasis of colon cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Molecularly, miR‐873‐5p functioned as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting the TUSC3/AKT pathway. Overexpression or silencing of TUSC3 could partially reverse the effects of the overexpression or repression of miR‐873‐5p on colon cancer progression caused by activation of the AKT pathway. Clinically, low miR‐873‐5p expression predicted poor survival in colon cancer patients, especially combined with high TUSC3 expression. Conclusions: We identified miR‐873‐5p as a tumor suppressor, which acts by directly repressing TUSC3 in colon cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dual-band dual-polarized base station antenna array is developed for fifth generation (5G) applications. Low-profile characteristic, high isolations, and shared-aperture are realized by introducing a frequency-selective surface (FSS) between radiators operating in the 0.69–0.96 GHz (B1) and 3.5–4.9 GHz (B2) bands. The dual-polarized B1-band antenna has a low-profile height of $0.12~\lambda _{L}$ ($\lambda _{L}$ is the wavelength at the center frequency of B1). As for the B2 band, a $2 \times 2$ dual-polarized array sharing the same aperture with the B1-band antenna is developed for the sub-6 GHz band. Severe mutual coupling between B1- and B2-band antennas is reduced by the FSS. High port isolation (> 25 dB) between B1- and B2-band antennas is achieved. A prototype consisting of one B1-band antenna and a $2 \times 2$ B2-band antenna array is fabricated. Measured results show that the proposed dual-band dual-polarized array achieves 32.7% and 33.3% bandwidth in the B1 and B2 bands, respectively. Measured results also demonstrate that the proposed array offers stable radiation patterns, high gains, and high cross-polarization discriminations (XPD > 20 dB) across the two frequency bands. These attractive features make this array an ideal candidate for future 5G massive MIMO base station antenna developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Increasing scientific evidence suggests that human equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (hENT1) may be a powerful predictor of survival in patients with pancreatic cancer treated with adjuvant gemcitabine-based chemotherapy after operative resection, but many existing studies have yielded inconclusive results. Objective: This meta-analysis aims to assess the prognostic role of hENT1 in predicting survival in patients with pancreatic cancer treated with gemcitabine. Methods: An extensive literature search for relevant studies was conducted on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and CBM databases from their inception through May 1, 2013. This meta-analysis was performed using the STATA 12.0 software. The crude hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated. Results: Eleven clinical studies were included in this meta-analysis with a total of 851 pancreatic cancer patients, including 478 patients in the high hENT1 expression group and 373 patients in the low hENT1 expression group. Our meta-analysis revealed that high hENT1 expression was associated with improved overall survival (OS) of pancreatic cancer patients (HR=2.61, 95% CI=2.02-3.34). Pancreatic cancer patients with high hENT1 expression also had a longer disease-free survival (DFS) than those with low hENT1 expression (HR=2.62, 95% CI=1.94-3.54). Further, high hENT1 mRNA showed significant association with improved OS and DFS of pancreatic cancer patients (HR=2.65, 95% CI=1.75-4.00; HR=3.29, 95% CI=1.85-5.84; respectively). Conclusion: In conclusion, our meta-analysis suggests that high hENT1 expression may be associated with improved OS and DFS of pancreatic cancer patients treated with gemcitabine. Detection of hENT1 expression may be a promising biomarker for gemcitabine response and prognosis in pancreatic cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A new silver tantalate photocatalyst, Ag1.4K0.6Ta4O11, has been synthesized. [•] The Ag nanoparticles on the surface enhance absorption in the visible region. [•] The photocatalytic activity of this material is also enhanced by doping with a few % of La3+. [•] The photocatalytic activity of La-Ag1.4K0.6Ta4O11 is higher than that of P25 TiO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] High purity and robust KNbO3 nanocubes have been synthesized. [•] N-doping enhances the photocatalytic activity of KNbO3 under visible light. [•] The band gap of KNbO3 decreases from 3.13 to 2.76eV as a result of N-doping. [•] Rates of photodegradation of organic pollutants and water splitting are higher than those of TiO2 P25. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposed method acquires subsurface-scattering parameters of heterogeneous translucent materials. It directly obtains dense per-surface-point scattering parameters from observations under cross-polarized spherical-gradient illumination of curved surfaces. This method does not require explicit fitting of observed scattering profiles. A variety of heterogeneous translucent objects illustrate its validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of two superplasticizers (SPs) with various equivalent (eq.) alkali contents (i.e., with 0.00009% and 4.1% of Na2Oeq, respectively) on the development of an alkali-silica reaction (ASR) was investigated through the use of multilevel assessment. This testing protocol showed promising results for evaluating concrete damage due to ASRs based on mechanical and microscopical testing protocols, specifically the stiffness damage test (SDT) and the damage rating index (DRI). Concrete specimens that incorporated the aforementioned SPs and distinct reactive aggregates (coarse and fine) were manufactured and then stored in conditions that enabled ASR development and were monitored over time. Upon reaching the desired expansion levels of this study, the concrete specimens were prepared for the multilevel assessment. The results show that the SP-incorporated concrete specimens with lower and higher alkali content yielded lower and higher deterioration results, respectively. This clearly confirms that while SP-incorporated concrete that contains SPs with a higher alkali content could increase the risk of ASR deterioration, those SPs with a very low amount of alkali content could act as a mitigation strategy against ASRs. Finally, an investigation into the influence of distinct SPs on the chemical composition of an ASR gel was conducted, which confirmed that the SP with a higher alkali content had the highest potential for further deterioration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Formation mechanism of "brick-like" Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 /MoO 3 heterojunction is investigated. • Inner electric field built at interface is beneficial for Z-scheme path of electron. • H 2 O 2 acts as oxidant in Fenton reaction and e - scavenger in photocatalytic reaction. • k is 0.107 min−1 in photo-Fenton reaction, 170 times higher than photocatalysis. • 1140% of extra efficiency is yielded by coupling Fenton reaction and photocatalysis. Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 /MoO 3 heterojunction was prepared by a grinding-calcination method, and they displayed rapid degradation performance in photo-Fenton reaction. [Display omitted] The photo-Fenton reaction consisted of photocatalytic reaction and heterogeneous Fenton reaction is an effective technique for pollutant degradation, because the degradation rate is faster than individual reactions. In this work, Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 /MoO 3 heterojunction was prepared via a grinding-calcination method. Work function measurement indicated that the inner electric field was build at the interface between Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 and MoO 3 , leading to a Z-scheme electron (e -) transfer pathway, and this result was supported by the radical quenching experiment and band structure analysis. In photo-Fenton reaction, the degradation rate was 57 and 170 times higher than those in heterogeneous Fenton reaction and photocatalytic reaction, respectively. This improvement was because H 2 O 2 not only served as an oxidant in heterogeneous Fenton reaction, but also acted as scavenger of e - in photocatalytic reaction. Synergistic effect was established between heterogeneous Fenton reaction and Z-scheme photocatalytic process via H 2 O 2 as a medium, and 1140% extra degradation efficiency was yielded by coupling these two reactions together. Besides high activity, 92.6% of degradation efficiency was remained after the 5th cycle, indicating an outstanding recyclability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) is an important cause of poor prognosis in patients with cerebral contusions. The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the high-risk factors of PTE by summarizing and analyzing the baseline data, laboratory examination, and imaging features of patients with a cerebral contusion, and then developing a Nomogram prediction model and validating it. This study included 457 patients diagnosed with cerebral contusion who met the inclusion criteria from November 2016 to November 2019 at the Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital. All patients were assessed for seizure activity seven days after injury. Univariate analysis was used to determine the risk factors for PTE. Significant risk factors in univariate analysis were selected for binary logistic regression analysis. P < 0.05 was statistically significant. Based on the binary logistic regression analysis results, the prediction scoring system of PTE is established by Nomogram, and the line chart model is drawn. Finally, external validation was performed on 457 participants to assess its performance. Univariate and binary logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS software, and the independent predictors significantly associated with PTE were screened as Contusion site, Chronic alcohol use, Contusion volume, Skull fracture, Subdural hematoma (SDH), Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score, and Non late post-traumatic seizure (Non-LPTS). Based on this, a Nomogram model was developed. The prediction accuracy of our scoring system was C-index = 98.29%. The confidence interval of the C-index was 97.28% ~ 99.30%. Internal validation showed that the calibration plot of this model was close to the ideal line. This study developed and verified a highly accurate Nomogram model, which can be used to individualize PTE prediction in patients with a cerebral contusion. It can identify individuals at high risk of PTE and help us pay attention to prevention in advance. The model has a low cost and is easy to be popularized in the clinic. This model still has some limitations and deficiencies, which need to be verified and improved by future large-sample and multicenter prospective studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of the current study was to explore radiographic predictors for recurrence of lumbar symptoms after prioritized cervical surgery in patients with tandem spinal stenosis (TSS).Methods: The current retrospective cohort study included 74 patients with TSS, who underwent prioritized cervical surgery. Based on presence or absence of improvement in lower limb symptoms, patients were grouped into improved and non-improved groups. Medical records and radiological parameters including age, sex, body mass index, cervical and lumbar parameters were analyzed. In improved group, patients were divided into relapsed and non-relapsed groups based on recurrence in lower limb symptoms.Results: Lumbar symptoms improved in 70.1% (n = 52) of patients. Comparison between the improved and non-improved group showed that there were no statistically significant differences in cervical parameters while comparisons between the relapsed and non-relapsed groups showed significant differences in redundant nerve roots (RNRs) (p = 0.029), narrow segment (p = 0.042) and lumbar stenosis index (LSI) (p = 0.003). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, LSI > 10 (p = 0.016) was independently associated with recurrence of lumbar symptoms.Conclusions: Finding of the current study indicated that LSI > 10 was associated with recurrence of lumbar symptoms in TSS patients following cervical surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large amount of research has been conducted on the reuse of construction and demolition waste (CDW) in concrete. Yet, CDW may display pre-existing damage which raises concerns on its use. In this work, coarse recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) is reclaimed from distinct members of an alkali-silica reaction (ASR) affected overpass. RCA mixtures incorporating 50 and 100% replacement are then manufactured and stored in conditions enabling further ASR development. Mechanical (Stiffness Damage Test- SDT) and microscopic (Damage Rating Index- DRI) analyses are conducted at a fixed "secondary" induced expansion. Results indicate that the overall damage of ASR-affected RCA mixtures is different from conventional concrete and depends upon the "past" RCA condition. Furthermore, the DRI can capture the "past" and "secondary" expansion while the SDT simply detects the "secondary" distress. Finally, an adapted DRI version is proposed to better evaluate and distinguish "past" and "secondary" damage in ASR-affected recycled concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problems such as low light, similar background colors, and noisy image acquisition often occur when collecting images of lunar surface obstacles. Given these problems, this study focuses on the AD-Census algorithm. In the original Census algorithm, in the bit string calculated with the central pixel point, the bit string will be affected by the noise that the central point is subjected to. The effect of noise results in errors and mismatching. We introduce an improved algorithm to calculate the average window pixel for solving the problem of being susceptible to the central pixel value and improve the accuracy of the algorithm. Experiments have proven that the object contour in the grayscale map of disparity obtained by the improved algorithm is more apparent, and the edge part of the image is significantly improved, which is more in line with the real scene. In addition, because the traditional Census algorithm matches the window size in a fixed rectangle, it is difficult to obtain a suitable window in the image range of different textures, affecting the timeliness of the algorithm. An improvement idea of area growth adaptive window matching is proposed. The improved Census algorithm is applied to the AD-Census algorithm. The results show that the improved AD-Census algorithm has been shown to have an average run time of 5.3% and better matching compared to the traditional AD-Census algorithm for all tested image sets. Finally, the improved algorithm is applied to the simulation environment, and the experimental results show that the obstacles in the image can be effectively detected. The improved algorithm has important practical application value and is important to improve the feasibility and reliability of obstacle detection in lunar exploration projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to clarify functional outcomes of facet joint distraction (FJD) and identify specific risk factors for excessive FJD during single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). This study retrospectively analyzed 100 patients who underwent single-level ACDF for CSM from January 2016 to May 2020. Anteroposterior and lateral radiographs were obtained before surgery and 12 months after surgery. Radiographic parameters including anterior intervertebral height (AIH), posterior intervertebral height, facet joint gap, cage posterior depth (CPD), upper vertebral length, cervical segmental Cobb angle (CSCA), C2–C7 Cobb angle, and C2–C7 sagittal vertical axis were analyzed. Functional outcomes were evaluated using the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association Score, visual analog scale (VAS), and Neck Disability Index (NDI). Comparison between the appropriate FJD and excessive FJD groups showed statistically significant differences in the NDI, VAS, CPD, and ΔAIH (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that independent factors associated with excessive FJD were as follows: a ΔAIH > 2.28 mm (odds ratio [OR] = 6.792, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.885–24.470, P = 0.003), CPD > 12.45 mm (OR = 5.876, 95% CI = 1.828–18.895, P = 0.003), and post-CSCA < 0° (OR = 6.251, 95% CI = 1.275–30.633, P = 0.024). Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for the multilevel logistic regression model produced an area under the curve of 0.783 (P < 0.001). Patients with an FJD of >0.905 mm had worse NDI and VAS pain scores, but not a poorer modified Japanese Orthopedic Association Score recovery rate. Our findings suggested that a ΔAIH > 2.28 mm, CPD > 12.45 mm, and post-CSCA < 0° were independent risk factors for excessive FJD after single-level ACDF for CSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare magnetic resonance (MR) short T1 inversion recovery (STIR) sequence with MR T2-weighted (T2W) sequence for detecting increased signal intensity (ISI) and assessing outcomes of ISI in cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). Data of patients with CSM who showed ISI on MR imaging and had undergone cervical spine surgery were retrospectively reviewed. STIR and T2W images were examined to assess signal intensity ratio (SIR), length and grading of the ISI, maximal spinal cord compression, canal narrowing ratio, and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy. The patients were divided into good and poor groups based on their outcomes. χ2 tests and variance analysis were used to assess intergroup differences. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for poor outcomes, and receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted to detect prognostic effects. SIR and ISI lengths were significantly different between the STIR and T2 images. In the univariate logistic regression analysis, age, diabetes, SIR T2 , SIR STIR , and ISI STIR grading were significant factors. Accordingly, in the multivariate logistic regression analysis, age, diabetes, SIR T2 , and SIR STIR were included in the model. Among patients with diabetes, we observed a significant difference between SIR T2 and SIR STIR. The STIR sequence demonstrated superior capability to the T2W sequence in detecting ISI; however, there was no obvious difference in predicted outcomes. STIR sequence has a better prognostic value than T2W sequence in patients with diabetes who have CSM. ISI grading based on the STIR sequence may be a clinically valuable indicator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It remains a substantial challenge to balance treatment efficacy and toxicity in geriatric patients with multiple myeloma (MM), primarily due to the dynamic nature of frailty. Here, we conducted a prospective study to evaluate the feasibility and benefits of dynamic frailty-tailored therapy (DynaFiT) in elderly patients. Patients with newly diagnosed MM (aged ≥ 65 years) received eight induction cycles of bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (daratumumab was recommended for frail patients), with treatment intensity adjusted according to longitudinal changes in the frailty category (IMWG-FI) at each cycle. Of 90 patients, 33 (37%), 16 (18%), and 41 (45%) were fit, intermediate fit, and frail at baseline, respectively. Of 75 patients who had geriatric assessment at least twice, 28 (37%) experienced frailty category changes at least once. At analysis, 15/26 (58%) frail patients improved (27% became fit and 31% became intermediate fit), 4/15 (27%) intermediate fit patients either improved or deteriorated (two for each), and 6/30 (20%) fit patients deteriorated. During induction, 34/90 (38%) patients discontinued treatment, including 10/33 (30%) fit, 4/16 (25%) intermediate fit, and 20/41 (49%) frail; 14/40 (35%) frail patients discontinued treatment within the first two cycles, mainly because of non-hematologic toxicity (mostly infections). For fit, intermediate-fit, and frail patients, the overall response rate was 100%, 93%, and 73%, respectively; one-year overall survival was 90%, 75%, and 54%, respectively. Therefore, the individualized DynaFiT is feasible and promising for heterogeneous elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design: Retrospective cohort. Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the potential of utilizing the MRI-based vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score as a predictive tool for pedicle screw loosening (PSL) in patients who have undergone pedicle screw fixation and to identify risk factors associated with VBQ scores. Methods: One hundred and sixteen patients who had undergone pedicle screw fixation between December 2019 and January 2021 and had more than a year of follow-up were divided into two groups of PSL and non-PSL. The radiological and clinical parameters investigated were age, gender, body mass index, the VBQ score, length of fusion and the DXA T-score. Results: Of the 116 patients included in the study, 22 patients developed pedicle screw loosening after surgery (18.97%). VBQ score of PSL group was higher than the non-PSL group (3.61 ± 0.63 vs. 2. 86 ± 0.43, p < 0.001). According to logistic regression, PSL was independently linked with a higher VBQ score (OR = 3.555, 95% confidence interval [1.620–7.802], p < 0.005). The AUC of predicting screw loosening was 0.774 (p < 0.001) for VBQ score, and the best threshold was 3.055 (sensitivity, 81.8%; specificity, 71.3%). High VBQ score was associated with age (r (114) = 0.29, p = 0.002), while it was not negatively correlated with T-scores of each part. Conclusion: VBQ score is an independent predictor of pedicle screw loosening, with higher scores indicating a greater risk. Our results showed that older patients and women had higher VBQ scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Fenton reaction, catalyst surface were served as pollutant adsorption sites and H 2 O 2 active sites simultaneously, and this was not beneficial for full exploitation of catalyst surface. Herein, FeS 2 /MoS 2 @SiO 2 nanoreactor with FeS 2 /MoS 2 nanoparticles encapsulated inside the mesoporous SiO 2 capsule were prepared, where pollutants were mainly adsorbed on mesoporous SiO 2 shell, and H 2 O 2 were activated on FeS 2 /MoS 2 surface. In Fenton reaction, the H 2 O 2 activation efficiency of FeS 2 /MoS 2 @SiO 2 were 3.1 times higher than that of FeS 2 /MoS 2. Mechanism study indicated a large amount of •OH were generated inside the capsule, and this was favorable for their conversion to 1O 2 and •O 2 -, whose lifetimes were much longer than that of •OH. Owing to the far transmission distance of 1O 2 and •O 2 -, the opportunity for their attack on the pollutants enriched on mesoporous SiO 2 shell was increased, leading to an enhanced H 2 O 2 activation efficiency and tetracycline degradation performance. Moreover, the protective functions of mesoporous SiO 2 shell were also exploited. The metal leaching was reduced, the anti-interference property toward anions and large organic molecules were enhanced, and the stability was improved. The results of this research explored the advantages of nanoreactor and provided a new insight to improve H 2 O 2 activation efficiency in Fenton reaction. [Display omitted] • Adsorption and activation sites are separated, leading to their maximum exploitation. • TC are enriched on SiO 2 shell, adsorption of FeS 2 /MoS 2 @SiO 2 is higher than FeS 2 /MoS 2. • 28.1% of H 2 O 2 is activated to ROSs in FeS 2 /MoS 2 @SiO 2 , 3.1 times higher than FeS 2 /MoS 2. • O 2 – and 1O 2 came from •OH are the main ROSs due to long life and transfer distance. • Anti-interference property and stability are good due to protection from SiO 2 shell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagnosis and treatment of tandem stenosis have been widely discussed. However, studies on concurrent cervical and thoracic spinal stenosis are rare in the literature. This study was aimed to investigate the risk factors for thoracic spinal stenosis (TSS) in patients with cervical spinal stenosis (CSS). This retrospective cohort study assessed the risk factors for TSS in 162 patients who were diagnosed with CSS. Patients were divided into TSS (n = 45) and non-TSS (n = 117) groups. We retrospectively analyzed clinical characteristics and radiographic parameters including age, gender, body mass index, ossification of the cervical posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLLc), hypertrophy of cervical ligamentum flavum (HLFc), cervical stenosis segments, and cervical sagittal parameters. Cervical sagittal parameters were measured on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging including C2-7 Cobb angle, cervical tilt, T1 slope, thoracic inlet angle (TIA), C2–C7 sagittal vertical axis (C2–C7), and cervical curvature. Two groups showed significant differences in ossification of the cervical posterior longitudinal ligament, HLFc, cervical stenosis segments, and TIA. The receiver operating characteristic curves demonstrated that the optimal threshold for TIA was 68.25. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, OPLLc (odds ratio [OR] = 4.403, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.782–10.880, P = 0.001), HLFc (OR = 4.849, 95% CI = 1.995–11.782, P < 0.001), and TIA >68.25 degrees (OR = 2.555, 95% CI = 1.044–6.251, P = 0.040) were independent risk factors for TSS. Moreover, the multiindex receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrated that the area under the curve for predicted probability was 0.799 (P < 0.001). Routine thoracic magnetic resonance imaging assessment is strongly recommended in CSS patients with OPLLc, HLFc, and enlarged TIA to screen for neglected but vital thoracic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The AlGaN photocathode with a superlattice emission layer was grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. The existence of the superlattice structure was confirmed using a transmission electron microscope, and its optical and electrical properties were measured. The results showed that the introduction of a superlattice emission layer can reduce the transmittance and reflectance at 275 nm and improve the absorption of incident light. In particular, the Hall measurement results indicate that the introduction of a superlattice structure can significantly increase the concentration of holes in the AlGaN photocathode material. The activation experiment demonstrated that the photocurrent of the AlGaN photocathode subassembly with a superlattice structure increased significantly after Cs/O activation and that it showed better photoemission performance. The increase in the incident light absorption to produce more photoelectrons, the enhancement of photoelectron transport capacity by the polarized electric field generated by the superlattice structure, and the reduction in the surface barrier caused by the higher hole concentration were responsible for the significant improvement in photoemission performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can result in irreversible sensory and motor disability with no effective treatment currently. After SCI, infiltrated macrophages accumulate in epicenter through destructed blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB). Further, great majority of macrophages are preferentially polarized to M1 phenotype, with only a few transient M2 phenotype. The purpose of this study was to explore roles of vascular endothelial cells in microglia/macrophages polarization and the underlying mechanism. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to pretreat BV2 microglia and RAW264.7 macrophages followed by administration of conditioned medium from microvascular endothelial cell line bEnd.3 cells (ECM). Analyses were then performed to determine the effects of exosomes on microglia/macrophages polarization and mitochondrial function. The findings demonstrated that administration of ECM shifted microglia/macrophages towards M2 polarization, ameliorated mitochondrial impairment, and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in vitro. Notably, administration of GW4869, an exosomal secretion inhibitor, significantly reversed these observed benefits. Further results revealed that exosomes derived from bEnd.3 cells (Exos) promote motor rehabilitation and M2 polarization of microglia/macrophages in vivo. Ubiquitin-specific protease 13 (USP13) was shown to be significantly enriched in BV2 microglia treated with Exos. USP13 binds to, deubiquitinates and stabilizes the NF-κB inhibitor alpha (IκBα), thus regulating microglia/macrophages polarization. Administration of the selective IκBα inhibitor betulinic acid (BA) inhibited the beneficial effect of Exos in vivo. These findings uncovered the potential mechanism underlying the communications between vascular endothelial cells and microglia/macrophages after SCI. In addition, this study indicates exosomes might be a promising therapeutic strategy for SCI treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Transcatheter aortic valve implantation ( TAVI) is an effective percutaneous treatment for high-risk patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis. However, TAVI is rendered less effective in patients with noncalcified aortic valve disease because noncalcified aortic valves lack an anchor site for the implanted stent, causing the stent to relocate to an unexpected position. In this study, we developed an improved TAVI with a snare loop-assisted device, and evaluated the feasibility and safety of this strategy in noncalcified aortic valve disease. Materials and methods The balloon-expandable valve stent made of cobalt-chromium alloy was cut into a cylindrically shaped mesh configuration. The prosthetic valve was made of bovine pericardium. Ten healthy sheep (six males and four females with an average weight of 27·8 ± 1·18 kg) were selected to undergo transcatheter implantation of valved stents using the snare loop-assisted device. Aortic angiography and colour Doppler echocardiography were applied to assess the function of artificial valves immediately and 3 months after the operation. Results The snare loop-assisted TAVI was successfully implanted in all 10 sheep. The aortogram showed that the valve stent was fixed in the expected position. Among these 10 sheep, nine sheep survived for more than 3 months normally and one sheep died of infective endocarditis 1 week after the operation. Ultrasound and aortogram in the 3 months after operation showed proper positions of the prosthetic valves without stenosis and other apparent complications, and normal coronary artery openings. Conclusions The snare loop-assisted TAVI approach can reduce stent shifting during valve stent implantation and improve the success rate of the TAVI in those with noncalcified aortic valves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Double-yolk egg-like" Fe 3 O 4 /PBA@PPy nanoreactor is synthesized, where the confinement effect from the cavity, the protective effect from the PPy shell, and the magnetic property were successful integrated together. Therefore, it displayed the high degradation efficiency, low leaching, and rapid separation in Fenton-like reaction. [Display omitted] • k of Fe 3 O 4 /PBA@PPy-10 was 0.38 L·min·mol−1, 5.1 times than that of reference Fe 3 O 4 /PBA-10 in Fenton-like reaction. • The concentration of leached cobalt ions was reduced from 1.47 mg/L to 0.174 mg/L by the protective function from the PPy shell. • 84.5% of the degradation efficiency of the 1st cycle was still maintained after 4 cycles. • The core of Fe 3 O 4 make sure the catalyst can be rapidly separated by a magnet. • Mechanism of Fenton-like reaction is revealed in detail. Peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based Fenton-like reaction is an effective technique for the pollutant degradation, and the Co-based metal organic frameworks displayed the excellent activity for the PMS activation. Nevertheless, how to further improve the catalytic activity, suppress the leaching of toxic cobalt ions, and realize the rapid separation were still challenges for practical application. In this work, a novel solution was proposed: encapsulating Fe 3 O 4 and Prussian blue analogue (PBA) into the polypyrrole (PPy) shell and constructing a "double-yolk egg-like" Fe 3 O 4 /PBA@PPy as a nanoreactor. In Fe 3 O 4 /PBA@PPy-10, the catalytic performance was remarkably enhanced with the help of confinement effect, and the degradation rate (0.38 L·min·mol−1) was 5.1 times than that of reference Fe 3 O 4 /PBA-10 (0.074 L·min·mol−1). In addition, the concentration of leached cobalt ions was reduced to only 0.174 mg/L by the protective function from the PPy shell. Moreover, the nanoreactor could be magnetically separated from the reaction solution due to the encapsulation of Fe 3 O 4 nanospheres, and 84.5% of activity still preserved after the 4th cycle. The main active species involved in Fe 3 O 4 /PBA@PPy-10 system was 1O 2 , while that in reference Fe 3 O 4 /PBA-10 system was OH. Electron spin resonance analysis and radical trapping experiment revealed that the different catalytic mechanisms were attributed to the confinement effect inside the hollow cavity. This work not only presents a feasible way to prepare rarely-reported double-yolk egg-like nanoreactor, but also provides a new insight to solve the bottlenecks in Fenton-like reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most traditional methods have difficulty detecting landslide boundary accurately, and the existing methods based on deep learning often lead to insufficient training or overfitting due to insufficient samples. An end-to-end, semi-supervised adversarial network, which fully considers spectral and topographic features derived using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry, is proposed to extract landslides by semantic segmentation to address the abovementioned problem. In the generative network, a generator similar to pix2pix is introduced into the proposed adversarial nets to learn semantic features from UAV-photogrammetry-derived data by semi-supervised operation and a confrontational strategy to reduce the requirement of the number of labeled samples. In the discriminative network, DeepLabv3+ is improved by inserting multilevel skip connection architecture with upsampling operation to obtain the contextual information and retain the boundary information of landslides at all levels, and a topographic convolutional neural network is proposed to be inserted into the encoder to concatenate topographic features together with spectral features. Then, transfer learning with the pre-trained parameters and weights, shared with pix2pix and DeepLabv3+, is used to perform landslide extraction training and validation. In our experiments, the UAV-photogrammetry-derived data of a typical landslide located at Meilong gully in China are collected to test the proposed method. The experimental results show that our method can accurately detect the area of a landslide and achieve satisfactiory results based on several indicators including the Precision, Recall, F1 score, and mIoU, which are 13.07%, 15.65%, 16.96%, and 18.23% higher than those of the DeepLabV3+. Compared with state-of-the-art methods such as U-Net, PSPNet, and pix2pix, the proposed adversarial nets considering multidimensional information such as topographic factors can perform better and significantly improve the accuracy of landslide extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vanishing white matter (VWM) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by childhood ataxia with central hypomyelination. Adult-onset VWM should be considered as a differential diagnosis for suspected cases of multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: Targeted region sequencing (TRS) and Sanger sequencing validation were performed to identify and validate the likely pathogenic mutations in a family with VWM. Results: The main clinical manifestations of the proband included decreased vision and sleepiness accompanied by atrophy of the corpus callosum, affected inner rim of the corpus callosum, decreased apparent diffusion coefficient value or persistent hyperintensity-diffusion-weighted imaging, atrophied optic nerve, and no recordable visual evoked potentials. Due to the slow development and atypical VWM image features, MS was initially suspected. After prednisone was administered, the patient's condition did not improve significantly, and other diseases were considered. The TRS and Sanger sequencing identified compound heterozygous mutations of EIF2B3 in the proband; c.965C > G /p.Ala322Gly in exon 8 and c.130G > A/p.Glu44Lys in exon 2 were missense mutations inherited from the mother and father, respectively. The proband's oldest brother had the same compound heterozygous mutations but showed no symptoms. Conclusion: This is the first report of adult-onset VWM in a Chinese family. Initially, MS was suspected, and genetic testing confirmed the diagnosis of VWM. This study may further broaden the clinical spectrum of EIF2B3, thus providing a foundation for further research on the pathogenesis and genetic therapy for VWM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A pilot-scale submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR) for the treatment of real municipal wastewater was operated in this study under various sludge retention time (SRT) in order to verify the correlations of fluorescent dissolved organic matter (DOM) with membrane fouling. The fluorescent DOM determined by three-dimensional excitation–emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy and the trans-membrane pressure (TMP) under different SRT operation were investigated, and the correlations between them were analyzed. The results showed that the variations of fluorescent DOM (Peaks B and C) in the sludge supernatants correlated well with the variations of EEM spectra signal of bound extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) even though they were different in nature, i.e., the bound EPS were found to be more non-biodegradable than DOM. The fluorescent intensity (FI) variations of Peaks A and B in the EEM spectra of DOM were closely related to the TMP increase rate (membrane fouling) in the MBR, suggesting that they might be used to monitor the DOM variations and to indicate MBR performance. Through the EEM spectra analysis, it was confirmed in this work that the DOM in the sludge supernatants was not only originated from the bound EPS but also from the influent wastewater. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

By taking advantage of in-situ generated H 2 O 2 , Z-scheme Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 /Ag/Ag 3 PO 4 heterojunction displayed outstanding degradation performance. [Display omitted] • Internal-electric-field is built at interface, resulting in a Z-scheme routine of e - • k of Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 /Ag/Ag 3 PO 4 is 254 and 7.0 times than those of Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 and Ag 3 PO 4. • H 2 O 2 is activated on Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 for •OH, avoiding quenching effect on h + and e - • k is improved by 1.7 times via turning waste (H 2 O 2) into wealth (•OH) • 91.2% of removal efficiency is remained after 5 runs, while that of Ag 3 PO 4 is 68.1% Ag 3 PO 4 -based photocatalysts have been deeply studied in environmental remediation; however, two problems limited their further application: photocorrosion and quenching effect by in-situ generated H 2 O 2. To addressed these two questions simultaneously, Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 was coupled with Ag 3 PO 4 to construct Z-scheme Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 /Ag/Ag 3 PO 4 heterojunction driven by internal-electric-field. The rhodamine B degradation rate of heterojunction was 254 and 7.0 times higher than those of Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 and Ag 3 PO 4 , respectively. The outstanding photoactivity was due to the high visible-light harvest, low interface resistance, high separation efficiency of charge carriers, long lifetime of hole (h +) and electron (e -), well-preserved oxidation potential of h +, and especially photocatalytic produced H 2 O 2 inside the system. The in-situ generated H 2 O 2 was fully activated to be •OH on the Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 surface via a Fenton reaction, leading to the elimination of quenching effect on h + and e -, and generation of more •OH. Additionally, in Z-scheme heterojunction, e - transferred from Ag 3 PO 4 to Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 , avoiding the accumulation on Ag 3 PO 4 surface, and hence suppressing the photocorrosion. As a result, 91.2% of degradation efficiency remained after 5 cycles. This paper provides a new method to simultaneously increase the degradation rate by utilizing the in-situ generated H 2 O 2 and improve the stability of Ag 3 PO 4 via constructing a Z-scheme heterojunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was aimed to develop a novel combination therapeutic strategy of gene therapy and immunotherapy for efficiently treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). To achieve that goal, the polyethylene glycol-modified poly (2-(N,N-dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate) (PEG-PDMAEMA)-based nanoparticles loaded with protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 6 (PTPN6) (NP-PTPN6) was developed first followed by conjugation with anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies (aPD-L1) atezolizumab (aPD-L1NP-PTPN6). Importantly, the aPD-L1 was conjugated on the surface of NP-PTPN6 by the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-cleavable linkage PLGLAG. Therefore, the aPD-L1 would be completely released once the aPD-L1NP-PTPN6 was entrapped into tumour tissues as demonstrated by the release assay. Tumour targeting assay demonstrated the aPD-L1NP-PTPN6 have high affinity to CRC cells and resulted in excellent tumour targeting drug delivery efficacy. Additionally, anti-tumour effect evaluation revealed that the aPD-L1NP-PTPN6 has greater ability to inhibit the growth, invasion and migration of CRC cells and finally led to longer survival time of tumour-bearing mice than other treatments. Further mechanisms studies demonstrated that treatment of CRC cells with aPD-L1NP-PTPN6 contributed to significant suppression of the MAPK/ERK signalling pathway. Besides, it was further demonstrated that treating CRC with aPD-L1NP-PTPN6 resulted in up-regulation of NK cells and T cells percentage within the tumour tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • New horizontal turbo air classifier with improved flow field distribution. • The DPM model can well predict the cut size of the classifier. • Optimization of operational variables by response surface methodology. • Classification accuracy index K = 1.55 is obtained for the target cut size of 20 μm. A new horizontal turbo air classifier equipped with two inclined air inlets has been introduced. The flow field and classification performance of the classifier have been investigated using CFD method and response surface methodology (RSM). Simulation results show that the flow field is composed of the primary swirling flow and the secondary upward washing air, and the uniformly distributed swirling flow occupies the classifying chamber. The tangential gas velocity reaches the maximum value on the outer surface of the rotor cage, generating strong centrifugal force for the particle classification. The discrete phase model (DPM) can predict the cut sizes, but cannot present the fish-hook phenomenon. The desirable experimental condition by targeting the cut size of 20 μm and minimizing the classifying accuracy index is, rotor speed of 1373.6 rpm, primary air volume flow rate of 261.8 m3/h and secondary air volume flow rate of 42.4 m3/h. The corresponding fine and coarse fraction loss are less than 1.42% and 7.24%, respectively. This study provides a new strategy to design the horizontal turbo air classifier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In heart transplantation, donor hearts inevitably suffer from ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, which leads to primary graft dysfunction and affects patients' survival rate. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been reported to attenuate myocardial I/R injury via their paracrine effects, which can be enhanced by hypoxic preconditioning. We hypothesized that the donor heart preservation with hypoxic conditioned medium (CdM) derived from BMSCs would improve post-transplant graft function. Methods: Normoxic or hypoxic CdM were isolated from rat BMSCs cultured under normoxic (20% O2) or hypoxic (1% O2) condition. Donor hearts were explanted; stored in cardioplegic solution supplemented with either a medium (vehicle), normoxic CdM (N-CdM), or hypoxic CdM (H-CdM); and then heterotopically transplanted. Antibody arrays were performed to compare the differences between hypoxic and normoxic CdM. Results: After heart transplantation, the donor heart preservation with normoxic CdM was associated with a shorter time to return of spontaneous contraction and left ventricular systolic diameter, lower histopathological scores, higher ejection fraction, and fractional shortening of the transplanted hearts. The cardioprotective effects may be associated with the inhibition of apoptosis and inflammation, as reflected by less TUNEL-positive cells and lower levels of plasma proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α) and cardiac troponin I in the N-CdM group compared with the vehicle group. These therapeutic effects can be further enhanced by hypoxic preconditioning. Antibody arrays revealed that nine proteins were significantly increased in hypoxic CdM compared with normoxic CdM. Furthermore, compared with vehicle and N-CdM groups, the protein levels of PI3K and p-Akt/Akt ratio in the transplanted hearts significantly increased in the H-CdM group. However, no significant difference was found in the phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad3 for the donor hearts among the three groups. Conclusions: Our results indicate that the cardioplegic solution-enriched with hypoxic CdM can be a novel and promising preservation solution for donor hearts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of tumors. By performing gene chip analysis, we predicted that Hh signaling might regulate multiple downstream pathways in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods: In this study, the potential role of the Hh pathway in refractory AML, and the impact of Hh expression on clinical prognosis were examined. We also investigated the role of the Hh inhibitor NVP-LDE225 in reversing drug resistance of refractory primary AML cells in vitro and the roles of multiple drug-resistant HL60/Adriamycin-resistant cells in vitro and in vivo (in a xenograft mouse model). Finally, we explored the underlying mechanisms. Results: Hh pathway was highly active in chemotherapy-resistant AML cells; by contrast, activation was less pronounced in chemosensitive cells and non-refractory primary cells. Strong activation of this pathway was associated with higher recurrence rates and poorer relapse-free and overall survival. NVP-LDE225 inhibited MRP1 protein expression, increased intracellular accumulation of Adriamycin, and reversed chemotherapeutic resistance. These effects were likely mediated through inhibition of the IGF-1R/Akt/MRP1 pathway. In the AML xenograft mouse model, NVP-LDE225 plus Adriamycin resulted in marked tumor regression. Conclusion: These findings suggest that targeting the Hh pathway might be a therapeutic avenue for overcoming MDR resistance and preventing refractory AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The wetting mechanism of surfactant temperature on bituminous coal was studied at the molecular level. • Experiment phenomena and simulation results confirm each other. • Analyzed the relationship between functional group and AES solution temperature. • Increasing the AES solution temperature can improve the wettability of the solution on the bituminous coal. Current studies on coal dust wettability seem to lack consideration of the effect of surfactant temperature. Therefore, the dust reduction mechanism of the thermal spray injected from the roadheader is still unclear. In this research, the effects of Fatty alcohol ether sulfate (AES) solutions at four temperatures (298, 308, 318, and 328 K) on the wettability of bituminous coal were investigated by experimental combined with molecular dynamics simulations. Through contact angle and settling experiments, our findings demonstrated that raising the temperature enhanced the wettability of AES surfactant solution on bituminous coal. Furthermore, the infrared spectrum (FTIR) experiment revealed that raising the AES solution temperature improves the hydrophilicity of bituminous coal. On the microscopic scale, the Water-AES-Coal system was established based on COMPASS II force field, and the molecular dynamics simulations were performed to study the water and AES molecules adsorption on the coal at different temperatures. The simulation results showed that as the temperature increased, the interaction and the thickness of adsorption layer between AES and coal molecules increased with temperature. Additionally, the water molecules' diffusion coefficient increases with the increase of simulated temperature, reaching 5.6 × 10−9 m2/s at 328 K, thus accelerating the movement of water molecules toward coal molecules which enhanced the surfactant wetting performance. Based on the experiments and simulation results, the wettability of the four temperature AES surfactants on bituminous coal was 328 K > 318 K > 308 K > 298 K. The results of the study provide a theoretical basis for guiding the use of surfactants to increase coal dust wetting under different water temperature conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low dielectric constant (ε r ∼ 3–4) for semiconducting polymers has been a major cause for their poor performance compared with the inorganic semiconductors, which possess high dielectric constants above 10. This study aimed to increase the electronic/atomic dielectric constant at high frequencies (i.e., ε r∞ ) for semiconducting polymers. A new design strategy was proposed based on the electric field-induced tautomeric structures in conjugated fluorescein. To achieve this goal, fluorescein monopotassium salt-containing random copolymers were synthesized with 50 and 75 mol.% functionality. To reduce the strong electrostatic attraction between the K + cation and the phenolate anion, 18-crown-6 ether was complexed with K + in the fluorescein copolymers. A relatively high ε r∞ of ∼5.5 and high electron mobility of 0.153 cm 2 /(V·s) were achieved for the 75 mol.% fluorescein K + /18C6 copolymer. The high electron mobility could be attributed to the relatively high static dielectric constant (ε rs ∼ 9 at 1 Hz) of the sample. The fluorescein monopotassium salt copolymers behaved as n -type semiconductors with an optical band gap around 2.26 eV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sufficient generation of H 2 O 2 played an essential role in boosting self-sufficient heterogeneous Fenton reaction. Herein, the dual H 2 O 2 production paths were designed to maximize the yield over H 2 O 2 -etched MoS 2 /FeS 2 Z-scheme heterojunction, whose surface was modified with abundant –OH groups and sulfur vacancies (SVs). Mechanism studies revealed that H 2 O 2 was generated via two-step single-electron reduction by electrons on conduction band, where H 2 O 2 production was significantly improved by the internal hole-scavenging effect from –OH groups. Additionally, electrons surrounding SVs served as another sites for H 2 O 2 production via one-step two-electron reduction even in darkness. H 2 O 2 yield in neutral aqueous solution reached 1.5 mM/g/h without external hole scavenger. Tetracycline and rhodamine B were effectively degraded under light or in darkness. The degradation performance was even comparable to the heterogeneous Fenton reaction. This work provides new insights for the design of self-sufficient heterogeneous Fenton system with exceptional degradation performance. [Display omitted] • E-MoS 2 /FeS 2 with abundant -OH groups and SVs is prepared via surface engineering. • H 2 O 2 yield is largely improved by the internal h+-scavenging effect from –OH groups. • e - surrounding SVs serve as another sites for H 2 O 2 production even in darkness. • In-situ H 2 O 2 yield reaches 1.5 mM/g/h, and it is enough for following Fenton reaction. • Pollutant can be degraded within 25 or 60 min under actual sunlight or in darkness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Our aim was to evaluate whether visceral adiposity index (VAI) could predict the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in different genders and to compare the predictive ability between VAI and other fatness indices. Methods: Four thousand seventy-eight participants including 1,817 men and 2,261 women, aged 18 and older and free of T2D at baseline were enrolled in 2010 and followed up for 4 years. New cases of T2D were identified via the annual medical examination. Cox regression analysis was used to assess the association between VAI and incidence of T2D. Receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curves (AUC) were applied to compare the prediction ability of T2D between VAI and other fatness indices. Results: During the 4-year follow- up, 153 (8.42%) of 1,817 men and 88 (3.89%) of 2,261 women developed T2D. The multivariable-adjusted hazards ratios for developing T2D in the highest tertile of VAI scores were 2.854 (95% CI 1.815-4.487) in men and 3.551 (95% CI 1.586-7.955) in women. The AUC of VAI was not higher than that of other fatness indices. Conclusions: VAI could predict the risk of T2D among Chinese adults, especially in women. However, the prediction ability of T2D risk for VAI was not higher than that of the other fatness indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the main cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Its poor prognosis is mainly ascribed to high recurrence rate. Identifying novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets would be vital for HCC management. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is a class of RNA with various roles in tumorigenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance and functions of lncRNA-small nucleolar RNA host gene 1 (SNHG1) in HCC. In this study, we found SNHG1 was upregulated in HCC tissues in comparison with adjacent liver tissues in both publicly available microarray data and our own cohort. High SNHG1 expression was correlated with large tumor size, poor differentiation, and aggressive BCLC stage. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated that high SNHG1 expression predicts poor prognosis of HCC patients. Gain-of-function and loss-of function experiments showed that SNHG1 promotes HCC cells proliferation, cell cycle progression, and inhibits HCC cells apoptosis. Further experiments revealed that SNHG1 promotes HCC cells proliferation through inhibiting p53 and p53-target genes expression. Collectively, our results demonstrated the clinical prognostic significance and roles of SNHG1 in HCC, and suggested that SNHG1 may be considered as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a common neurodegenerative disease, is characterised by the deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that Aβ causes neuronal damage and mitochondrial dysfunction. Herein, we evaluated the neuroprotective effect of sodium butyrate (NaB) against Aβ induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells. The results revealed that 3 mM of NaB promoted the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which exert a neuroprotective effect by activating G protein-coupled receptors. Moreover, NaB could significantly improve mitochondrial dysfunction caused by Aβ. In conclusion, NaB protected PC12 cells from Aβ-induced cell damage, highlighting the potential of NaB in AD treatment. [Display omitted] • NaB promotes the expression of ACE and BDNF by activating the G protein-coupled receptor 109A. • NaB exerts a positive effect on mitochondrial dysfunction caused by Aβ. • NaB has potential efficacy in the treatment and intervention of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Fenton-like reaction, peroxymonosulfate (PMS) could be activated by either transition metals or graphitized carbon. These two activation paths had their own advantages and disadvantages. To simultaneously increase the PMS activation efficiency and degradation performance, lower the metal leaching, and improve the environmental adaption; herein, a yolk@shell nanoreactor was designed, where Kirkendall effect induced abundant hollow CoO nanoparticles were encapsulated inside a Co, N atoms co-doped graphitized carbon (Co-N-GC) shell. Because of the full exploitation of active sites on yolk@shell nanoreactor, nearly 100% of PMS activation efficiency was realized and 80.0% of tetracycline (TC) (50 mg/L) was degraded within 40 min. Under the protection of Co-N-GC shell, TC were effectively degraded over the full pH range or in the presence of various inorganic anions, and the leached Co2+ was only 0.462 mg/L even after 5 cycles. This study provided a new vision to improve the Fenton-like reaction using yolk@shell nanoreactor. In the reaction, PMS firstly adsorbed onto the CoN 4 sites on the Co-N-GC shell surface and then activated to be 1O 2. Part of PMS were diffused into the cavity via the porous shell, and activated to be SO 4 •- and •OH on the hollow CoO nanoparticles surface. TC was degraded via both radical path (SO 4 •- and •OH) and non-radical path (1O 2), in which 1O 2 was the primary reactive species, leading to outstanding environmental adaption. [Display omitted] • Co, N atoms are co-doped in GC shell, and CoO yolks are hollowed by Kirkendall effect. • PMS activation efficiency is 95.8% by fully exploiting active sites of CoO@Co-N-GC. • On CoN 4 site, PMS donates e - and main species 1O 2 is formed via SO 5 •- as intermediate. • CoO@Co-N-GC effectively works under full pH values or various anions. • Leached Co2+ is 0.462 mg/L after 5th run, completely meeting China Emission Standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal mines face a significant situation with regard to dust control. Numerical simulation was used in this paper to study the distribution of dust of different particle sizes in a specific case, as well as the influence of changing the supply airflow velocity on the dust distribution. The findings demonstrate that the airflow primarily migrates from the return air side to the air inlet side and the exit, with the intensity of the airflow decreasing as the distance increases. The amount of dust is high in the area with a strong airflow and low in other areas, and dust of different particle sizes is separated gradually. Increasing the supply air velocity has a greater effect on large dust particles than on small dust particles under the conditions and air speed range studied in this paper. Reasonable reduction of the supply air velocity can effectively reduce the amount of suspended dust. [Display omitted] • Dust of different particle sizes will be separated in the airflow. • The airflow intensity on the return side is higher than that on the inlet side. • Proper reduction in the airspeed is conducive to dedust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of soluble comb polyphenylenes (PPs) were synthesized by Suzuki coupling polycondensation from AB macromonomers. After post ‐ polymerization treatment, the comb PPs have a good symmetric single ‐ peak shape in the GPC curves with reasonable polydispersity indexes ranging from 1.15 to 1.74. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Marek''s disease virus (MDV) is an oncogenic herpesvirus that causes a disease in chickens characterized by tumor formation and immunosuppression. In this paper, we identified differentially expressed proteins in the bursa of Fabricius of chickens infected with the highly virulent MDV strain RB1B, using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis on samples from time points coinciding with MDV life-cycle phases. By MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometer, 26 proteins were identified, including 8 persistently up-regulated, four persistently down-regulated, 12 with fluctuating regulation, and 2 with significant differential expression but with no match in the published fowl databases. Database queries confirmed that these proteins were mainly associated with tumor biology, protein folding, signal transduction, immunology, cell proliferation and apoptosis. Interestingly, most stress and immune-associated proteins, such as apolipoprotein A-1, were significantly down-regulated, but tumor-associated proteins were significantly increased at 14 days post-infection (d.p.i), and at 21 d.p.i. These findings provide a basis for further studies to elucidate the role of these proteins in MDV-host interaction. This could lead to a better understanding of MDV infection mechanisms that cause immune suppression, and trigger tumor formation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Most 3D CityGML building models in street-view maps (e.g., Google, Baidu) lack texture information, which is generally used to reconstruct real-scene 3D models by photogrammetric techniques, such as unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mapping. However, due to its simplified building model and inaccurate location information, the commonly used photogrammetric method using a single data source cannot satisfy the requirement of texture mapping for the CityGML building model. Furthermore, a single data source usually suffers from several problems, such as object occlusion. We proposed a novel approach to achieve CityGML building model texture mapping by multiview coplanar extraction from UAV remotely sensed or terrestrial images to alleviate these problems. We utilized a deep convolutional neural network to filter out object occlusion (e.g., pedestrians, vehicles, and trees) and obtain building-texture distribution. Point-line-based features are extracted to characterize multiview coplanar textures in 2D space under the constraint of a homography matrix, and geometric topology is subsequently conducted to optimize the boundary of textures by using a strategy combining Hough-transform and iterative least-squares methods. Experimental results show that the proposed approach enables texture mapping for building façades to use 2D terrestrial images without the requirement of exterior orientation information; that is, different from the photogrammetric method, a collinear equation is not an essential part to capture texture information. In addition, the proposed approach can significantly eliminate blurred and distorted textures of building models, so it is suitable for automatic and rapid texture updates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]