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Epoxy acrylate is produced by esterifying epoxy resin and acrylic acid through a ring-opening reaction. This process is highly exothermic and can be challenging to control gel formation. The thermal hazards of epoxy acrylate preparation were evaluated in this study by investigating the ring-opening esterification reaction between acrylic acid (AA) and bisphenol A epoxy resin (E-51) catalyzed by triethylamine (TEA). The heat release during the reaction process was analyzed using a reaction calorimeter (RC1mx) to simulate industrial conditions. Increasing the TEA catalyst content from 0.3 to 1.0 mass% resulted in a significant rise in reaction conversion from 75.35 ± 0.10% to 98.44 ± 0.10%. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and accelerating rate calorimeter (ARC) were used to examine the thermal runaway process during epoxy acrylate synthesis. Increasing the TEA content from 0.3 to 1.0 mass% decreased the initial reaction temperature from 60.16 ± 0.62 to 45.33 ± 0.40 °C and the critical temperature of side reactions from 153.71 ± 1.51 to 117.85 ± 1.19 °C. The severity of the runaway was classified as medium at process temperatures of 80–110 °C. This study highlights the importance of considering reaction conditions to prevent uncontrolled reactions during epoxy acrylate synthesis, providing valuable insights for industrial epoxy acrylate preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) is a sustainable alternative that reduces emissions of volatile organic compounds, enhances coating and adhesion properties, and has a wide range of applications in bio-based composites. However, the industrial-scale production of ESO through the Prilezhaev reaction presents challenges in terms of temperature regulation and the potential for uncontrolled thermal reactions. This study aimed to investigate the thermal hazards associated with ESO production using hydrogen peroxide. We analyzed the reaction mechanism and exothermic behavior using dynamic differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), accelerated calorimetry (ARC), reaction calorimetry (RClmx), and in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Our findings demonstrated that the addition of sulfuric acid and formic acid raised the onset decomposition temperature of hydrogen peroxide. We also identified two exothermic phases (epoxidation of the double bond and degradation of the organic matter) and observed a rapid increase in temperature and pressure, posing a safety risk. Formic acid formation and epoxidation of the double bond were the main steps of the reaction mechanism, and the exothermic behavior stems mainly from the latter. We assessed the thermal hazard level using a risk matrix and the Stoessel criterion, which highlighted the high risk of thermal runaway without proper cooling and temperature control. This paper offers practical guidance for mitigating these risks in the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the Prileschajet reaction, formic acid (FA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were selected as the oxidants and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) as the catalyst to establish the reaction model. Initially, the reaction mechanism of the system was explained by investigating the process conditions of soybean oil (SBO), and the results showed that the two-phase (oil–water) reaction system was similar to the quasi-homogeneous system. Consequently, a mathematical model of quasi-homogeneous system was established to describe the epoxidation process of SBO. Although the rate constants indicated that the formation of PFA was a decisive step of the whole system, PFA still exists as an intermediate in the system. Furthermore, the activation energy of PFA decomposition indicated the temperature sensitivity of PFA, making it prone to easy decomposition. This strongly suggests that the decomposition of PFA and its subsequent consequences are not to be treated as negligible phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-Cov-2 infection, which has caused the COVID-19 global pandemic, triggers cellular senescence. In this study, we investigate the role of the SARS-COV-2 spike protein (S-protein) in regulating the senescence of RPE cells. The results showed that administration or overexpression of S-protein in ARPE-19 decreased cell proliferation with cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase. S-protein increased SA-β-Gal positive ARPE-19 cells with high expression of P53 and P21, senescence-associated inflammatory factors (e.g., IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, ICAM, and VEGF), and ROS. Elimination of ROS by N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) or knocking down p21 by siRNA diminished S-protein-induced ARPE cell senescence. Both administrated and overexpressed S-protein colocalize with the ER and upregulate ER-stress-associated BIP, CHOP, ATF3, and ATF6 expression. S-protein induced P65 protein nuclear translocation. Inhibition of NF-κB by bay-11-7082 reduced S-protein-mediated expression of senescence-associated factors. Moreover, the intravitreal injection of S-protein upregulates senescence-associated inflammatory factors in the zebrafish retina. In conclusions, the S-protein of SARS-Cov-2 induces cellular senescence of ARPE-19 cells in vitro and the expression of senescence-associated cytokines in zebrafish retina in vivo likely by activating ER stress, ROS, and NF-κb. These results may uncover a potential association between SARS-cov-2 infection and development of AMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the production process of oil and gas wells, the migration of solid particles, such as mud and sand, often leads to screen pipe clogging, resulting in production reduction or even shutdown. Controlled plasma pulse plugging removal technology is a new physical method for unplugging. Plasma, generated by the electrical explosion of the wire, then triggers a shock wave, which can remove the plugging. In this paper, the performance of controllable plasma pulse plugging removal technology is evaluated by simulating the plugging state of the downhole screen through laboratory experiments. The test results of screen plate unplugging effect evaluation fully show that the plasma pulse decongestion technology can carry out effective decongestion, can effectively reduce the pressure behind the clogging zone and increase the flow rate of the clogging zone, and is suitable for different screen plate blockage states such as mild, moderate and severe. Thus, this technology has a good application prospect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pores and fissures in loaded rock masses are the main channels for underground flow, and may cause serious accidents during the development of groundwater resources. This work presents an efficient method for analyzing the microstructure of the loaded rock mass using fractal theory and computed tomography (CT) scanning. A relation between the microstructure features of the sandstone porosity, fractal dimension, and loading stress is developed using an image identification technique. The results demonstrate that the distribution trends of sandstone samples' slice porosities in the xz- and yz-directions are nearly identical, and the distribution in the xy-direction differs significantly from those in xz- and yz-directions. The total and connected porosities increase with the increase of stress, and the change can be fitted to straight lines. The fractal dimensions of the pores change significantly with stress or loading stress in the xy-direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pores and fissures in loaded rock masses are the main channels for underground flow, and may cause serious accidents during the development of groundwater resources. This work presents an efficient method for analyzing the microstructure of the loaded rock mass using fractal theory and computed tomography (CT) scanning. A relation between the microstructure features of the sandstone porosity, fractal dimension, and loading stress is developed using an image identification technique. The results demonstrate that the distribution trends of sandstone samples' slice porosities in the xz- and yz-directions are nearly identical, and the distribution in the xy-direction differs significantly from those in xz- and yz-directions. The total and connected porosities increase with the increase of stress, and the change can be fitted to straight lines. The fractal dimensions of the pores change significantly with stress or loading stress in the xy-direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have established that the selection of gas extraction borehole parameters is crucial for the effectiveness of gas extraction. To more accurately determine the reasonable extraction radius of gas extraction boreholes in the coal seam, this study was based on the actual occurrence conditions of the coal body. A coal-seam gas-seepage model, considering dynamic changes in permeability under gas–solid coupling conditions, was constructed. It was combined with FLAC3D numerical simulations to develop a borehole extraction model closer to the field's natural needs. The study revealed the influence of borehole diameter and spacing on gas extraction, obtained the radius of effect of borehole extraction, and optimized the gas extraction borehole parameters based on data simulation experiments. Multiple sets of experimental results indicated that the optimal parameters are a borehole diameter of φ = 113 mm and a borehole spacing of 5 m. Applying these parameters in on-site tests at the 14,303 working faces of a particular mine significantly improved gas extraction efficiency, with a 29.7% increase in gas extraction concentration. This verified the accuracy of the simulation results and provides a scientific basis for cost reduction and efficiency enhancement in wellbore mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epoxidation process of soybean oil (SBO) and peracid produced by 50 wt% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and formic acid (FA) was studied with sulfuric acid (H2SO4) as a catalyst. Three reaction parameters, including reaction temperature, FA-to-SBO ratio, and H2O2-to-SBO ratio, were investigated, along with the combined effect on oxirane value (OV). Based on response surface methodology (RSM), the Box-Behnken design (BBD) was used to optimize the process parameters. According to the results, the calculated OV (7.34%) and the experimental OV (7.31%) were signifi cantly in agreement. The product was confi rmed as epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) by IR and NMR characterization methods. These results demonstrated the reliability of RSM to optimize the SBO reaction to produce ESO with high oxygen content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of 0.01% atropine eye drops in preventing myopia shift and myopia onset in premyopic children. A prospective, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled, and crossover trial was conducted over 13 months. Sixty premyopic children aged 6–12 years with cycloplegic spherical equivalent refraction (SER) > − 0.75 D and ≤ + 0.50 D in both eyes were assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive one drop of 0.01% atropine or placebo once nightly for 6 months (period 1), followed by a 1-month recovery period. Then, the 0.01% atropine group was crossed over to the placebo group, and the latter was crossed over to the 0.01% atropine group for another 6 months (period 2). The primary outcomes were changes in SER and axial length (AL), and the secondary outcomes were the proportion of myopia onset (SER ≤ − 0.75D) and fast myopic shift (change in SER ≤ − 0.25D) in the two periods. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) model performed a statistically significant treatment effect of 0.01% atropine compared with placebo (pSER = 0.02, pAL < 0.001), with a mean SER and AL difference of 0.20D (− 0.15 ± 0.26D vs. − 0.34 ± 0.34D) and 0.11 mm (0.17 ± 0.11 mm vs. 0.28 ± 0.14 mm) in period 1, and 0.17D (− 0.18 ± 0.24D vs. − 0.34 ± 0.31D) and 0.10 mm (0.15 ± 0.15 mm vs. 0.24 ± 0.11 mm) in period 2. The GEE model showed that the proportion of myopia onset (p = 0.004) and fast myopic shift (p = 0.009) was significantly lower in the 0.01% atropine group than that in the placebo group. The period effect was not statistically significant (all p > 0.05). A total of 0.01% atropine significantly prevented myopic shift, axial elongation, and myopia onset in premyopic schoolchildren in central Mainland China. Conclusion: Within the limits of only two consecutive 6-month observation period, 0.01% atropine eye drops effectively prevented myopic shift, axial elongation, and myopia onset in premyopic children. Trial registration: This trial was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Registration number: ChiCTR2000034760). Registered 18 July 2020. What is Known: • Minimal studies on interventions for pre-myopia, despite the International Myopia Institute stating that preventing myopia is an "even more valuable target" for science and practice than reducing progression after onset. What is New: • A total of 0.01% atropine eye drops may safely and effectively reduce the proportion of myopia onset and fast myopic shift in premyopic schoolchildren. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glabridin is a prenylated isoflavonoid with considerable anticancer property. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have evolved as regulators of many cellular signaling pathways in prostate cancer (PC). However, the role of ROS signaling in the anticancer activity of glabridin has not been investigated. Here, we attempted to evaluate the effect of glabridin on PC and the involvement of ROS signaling. Intracellular ROS and mitochondrial ROS (mitoROS) production in PC cell lines, DU‐145 and LNCaP, were measured by H2DCFDA and MitoSOX Red staining, respectively. MTT assay was used to analyze the cellular viability. EdU staining assay was conducted to analyze the cell proliferation. To analyze apoptotic rate, TUNEL assay was performed. Caspase‐3 activity was detected to reflect cell apoptosis. Western blot was carried out to detect the expression levels of Akt and p‐Akt. We found that intracellular ROS and mitoROS levels were dose‐dependently upregulated after glabridin treatment in both DU‐145 and LNCaP cells, which was reversed by the treatment of ROS inhibitor, N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine (NAC). Glabridin inhibited the cell viability and reduced the number of EdU‐positive DU‐145 and LNCaP cells, which were respectively proved by MTT assay and EdU staining assay. Glabridin promoted cell death with increased apoptotic rate and caspase‐3 activity in DU‐145 and LNCaP cells. The effects of glabridin on cell proliferation and apoptosis were reversed by NAC. Moreover, glabridin suppressed the ratio of p‐Akt/Akt, while NAC mitigated the decreased p‐Akt/Akt ratio. In addition, the effects of glabridin on cell proliferation and apoptosis were also attenuated by Akt activator, SC79. Collectively, our results demonstrated that glabridin suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis in PC cells via regulating ROS‐mediated PI3K/Akt pathway. These findings suggested that glabridin might hold a promising prospective as a therapeutic agent against PC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of beddings varies greatly in shale reservoirs. The influence of beddings on hydraulic fracture propagation has often been studied using simplified geological models, i.e., uniformly distributed bedding models. However, the propagation processes of hydraulic fractures in shale reservoirs with complicated distributed beddings remains unclear. In this research, an outcrop-data-based bedding model of a continental shale formation in the Ordos Basin, China, is built. A mathematical model for fracture propagation is built using the discrete element method and is then verified by a hydraulic fracturing experiment. Reservoir-scale simulations are employed to investigate the influence of geological factors and engineering factors on fracture geometry. The study finds that beddings have significant inhibitory effects on fracture height growth; hydraulic fractures have difficulty in breaking through zones with densely distributed beddings. If a hydraulic fracture encounters a bedding plane with a larger aperture, it is more likely to be captured and expand along the weak interface. High vertical stress difference and a high fluid injection rate can promote the vertical penetration of hydraulic fractures through beddings and activate the bedding system to yield a complex fracture network. Increments in fluid viscosity can increase the resistance of fracture propagation, thereby reducing fracture complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to identify the increased value of integrating computed tomography (CT) radiomics analysis with the radiologists' diagnosis and clinical factors to preoperatively diagnose cervical lymph node metastasis (LNM) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients. Methods: A total of 178 PTC patients were randomly divided into a training (n = 125) and a test cohort (n = 53) with a 7:3 ratio. A total of 2553 radiomic features were extracted from noncontrast, arterial contrast-enhanced and venous contrast-enhanced CT images of each patient. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC) were used for feature selection. Logistic regression was employed to build clinical–radiological, radiomics and combined models. A nomogram was developed by combining the radiomics features, CT-reported lymph node status and clinical factors. Results: The radiomics model showed a predictive performance similar to that of the clinical–radiological model, with similar areas under the curve (AUC) and accuracy (ACC). The combined model showed an optimal predictive performance in both the training (AUC, 0.868; ACC, 86.83%) and test cohorts (AUC, 0.878; ACC, 83.02%). Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the combined model has good clinical application value. Conclusions: Embedding CT radiomics into the clinical diagnostic process improved the diagnostic accuracy. The developed nomogram provides a potential noninvasive tool for LNM evaluation in PTC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The driving concept of students' sports training involves a unique activity that is often tightly correlated to students' efficiency and varies with the momentum of sports training. Supervised learning is one of the smart methods with positive results in the fields of classification techniques. Due to the excessive currency unit associated with sports, sports forecasting is a growing area that must be well predicted. Therefore, in this paper, sports training based on the supervised learning (STSLM) model has been proposed to evaluate and predict student sports efficiency. STSLM models are based on various variables, such as traditional student ratings, performance, and efficiency. The emphasis is on the efficiency of students predicting sports outcomes. STSLM defines evaluation methods, information sources, effective models for testing students' sports training, and unique challenges to forecast sports outcomes. The experimental results have been performed. The suggested STSLM model enhances the efficiency ratio of 96.3%, injury prevention level of 98.2%, fitness level of 95.5%, evaluation ratio of 98.8%, and training optimization ratio of 97.2% compared to other existing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease is a common chronic disease that affects a large number of people. In the real world, however, Parkinson's disease can result in a loss of physical performance, which is classified as a movement disorder by clinicians. Parkinson's disease is currently diagnosed primarily through clinical symptoms, which are highly dependent on clinician experience. As a result, there is a need for effective early detection methods. Traditional machine learning algorithms filter out many inherently relevant features in the process of dimensionality reduction and feature classification, lowering the classification model's performance. To solve this problem and ensure high correlation between features while reducing dimensionality to achieve the goal of improving classification performance, this paper proposes a recurrent neural network classification model based on self attention and motion perception. Using a combination of self-attention mechanism and recurrent neural network, as well as wearable inertial sensors, the model classifies and trains the five brain area features extracted from MRI and DTI images (cerebral gray matter, white matter, cerebrospinal fluid density, and so on). Clinical and exercise data can be combined to produce characteristic parameters that can be used to describe movement sluggishness. The experimental results show that the model proposed in this paper improves the recognition performance of Parkinson's disease, which is better than the compared methods by 2.45% to 12.07%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sports injuries will have an impact on the consistency and systemicity of the training process, as well as athlete training and performance improvement. Many talented athletes have had their careers cut short due to sports injuries. Preventing sports injuries is the best way for basketball players to reduce sports injuries. Many coaches and athletes on sports teams, on the other hand, are unaware of the importance of sports injury prevention. They only realize that the body's sports functions are abnormal when it suffers from sports injuries. As a result, this paper proposes a gray theory neural network-based athlete injury prediction model. First, from the standpoint of a single model, the improved unequal interval model is used to predict sports injury by optimizing the unequal interval model in gray theory. The findings show that it is a good predictor of sports injuries, but it is a poor predictor of the average number of injuries. Following that, in order to overcome the shortcomings of a single model, a gray neural network combination model was used. A combination model of the unequal time interval model and BP neural network was determined and established. The prediction effect is significantly improved by combining the gray neural network mapping model and the coupling model to predict the two characteristics of sports injuries. Finally, simulation experiments show that the proposed method is effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of motor skills is an essential course item for college students. Many college teachers try to introduce the flipped classroom mode into the teaching of motor skills. However, the influence of this mode on the learning effect of college students' motor skills is uncertain. This paper builds a research model on the basis of literature review. This model is used to analyze the influence factors of flipped classroom on the learning effect of college students' motor skills. Through questionnaire survey and empirical analysis, we verified the research hypothesis of each factor. The results show that video technical action display, video feedback of students' technical action, and teaching interaction have a significant positive impact on the learning effect of college students' motor skills in the flipped classroom, while video theory teaching has no significant impact. This study expands the application of flipped classroom in the field of motor skills and enriches the relevant literature of flipped classroom mode. Based on the findings of this study, we make the following recommendations: (1) teachers can use the way of video recording to display technical actions of motor skills, (2) students can use video feedback to communicate with the teacher about the learning of motor skills, and (3) flipped classroom needs to pay attention to the teaching interaction between teachers and students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-frequency measurements can provide much more new insights for drillstring dynamics compared to traditional instruments, leading to a new realm of understanding of drillstring behaviors in great detail than before. In this paper, data acquisition tools with high-frequency sample rates and the data processing are introduced. Based on high-frequency data, progress of drilling dynamics is summarized, including new understandings of low-frequency drillstring dynamics, high-frequency torsional oscillations (HFTOs), and high-frequency axial oscillations (HFAOs) and new findings for the coupling of vibrations and motions, as well as models and simulation methods to deeply comprehend high-frequency dynamics of drillstring. High-frequency measurements have been used for enabling drillers to improve drill performance, especially for field decision making, BHA selection, and bit design, usually through the ways of minimizing vibrations to obtain high-efficient drilling conditions, the high-frequency response near bit can also be used for lithology identification during drilling. Though there still exists a gap between research perspective and drilling practice, the industry of high-frequency measurements has gotten off a good start, which has huge potential to avoid nonproductive time thereupon reducing drilling cost in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Numerous studies have identified impaired decision making (DM) under both ambiguity and risk in adult patients with schizophrenia. However, the assessment of DM in patients with adolescent-onset schizophrenia (AOS) has been challenging as a result of the instability and heterogeneity of manifestations. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and Game of Dice Task (GDT), which are frequently used to evaluate DM respectively under ambiguity and risk, are sensitive to adolescents and neuropsychiatric patients. Our research intended to examine the performance of DM in a relatively large sample of patients with AOS using the above-mentioned two tasks. We also aimed to take a closer look at the relationship between DM and symptom severity of schizophrenia. Methods: We compared the performance of DM in 71 patients with AOS and 53 well-matched healthy controls using IGT for DM under ambiguity and GDT for DM under risk through net scores, total scores and feedback ration. Neuropsychological tests were conducted in all participants. Clinical symptoms were evaluated by using Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in 71 patients with AOS. Pearson's correlation revealed the relationship among total score of DM and clinical and neuropsychological data. Results: Compared to healthy controls, patients with AOS failed to show learning effect and had a significant difference on the 5th block in IGT and conducted more disadvantageous choices as well as exhibited worse negative feedback rate in GDT. Apart from DM impairment under risk, diminished DM abilities under ambiguity were found related to poor executive function in AOS in the present study. Conclusions: Our findings unveiled the abnormal pattern of DM in AOS, mainly reflected under the risky condition, extending the knowledge on the performance of DM under ambiguity and risk in AOS. Inefficient DM under risk may account for the lagging impulse control and the combined effects of developmental disease. In addition, our study demonstrated that the performance on IGT was related to executive function in AOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory demyelination and axonal injury of the optic nerve are hallmarks of optic neuritis (ON), which often occurs in multiple sclerosis and is a major cause of visual disturbance in young adults. Although a high dose of corticosteroids can promote visual recovery, it cannot prevent permanent neuronal damage. Novel and effective therapies are thus required. Given the recently defined capacity of matrine (MAT), a quinolizidine alkaloid derived from the herb Radix Sophorae flavescens, in immunomodulation and neuroprotection, we tested in this study the effect of matrine on rats with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an animal model of multiple sclerosis. MAT administration, started at disease onset, significantly suppressed optic nerve infiltration and demyelination, with reduced numbers of Iba1+ macrophages/microglia and CD4+ T cells, compared to those from vehicle-treated rats. Increased expression of neurofilaments, an axon marker, reduced numbers of apoptosis in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Moreover, MAT treatment promoted Akt phosphorylation and shifted the Bcl-2/Bax ratio back towards an antiapoptotic one, which could be a mechanism for its therapeutic effect in the ON model. Taken as a whole, our results demonstrate that MAT attenuated inflammation, demyelination and axonal loss in the optic nerve, and protected RGCs from inflammation-induced cell death. MAT may therefore have potential as a novel treatment for this disease that may result in blindness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We, the Editors and Publisher of the journal Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine, and Biotechnology, have retracted the following article: Wencui Wan, Weiwei Wan, Yang Long, Qiuming Li, Xuemin Jin, Guangming Wan, Fengyan Zhang & Yong Lv. (2020). Physcion 8-O-β-glucopyranoside exerts protective roles in high glucose-induced diabetic retinopathy via regulating lncRNA NORAD/miR-125/STAT3 signalling. Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine, and Biotechnology, 48(1), 463–472, DOI: Since publication, concerns have been raised about the integrity of the data in the article. When approached for an explanation, the authors checked their data and confirmed there are fundamental errors associated with the figures presented. In addition, the corresponding author of the article, Qiuming, has informed us they were not aware of the submission made under their name. The authors have agreed to the retraction of this article, and we have also informed the institution about the authorship issues related to this article. We have been informed in our decision-making by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retractions. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as 'Retracted'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wick action is the key factor in understanding the salt weathering of porous materials. In this study, concrete discs were partially exposed to Na2SO4 solution to simulate the wick action in concrete. We evaluated the effects of the relative humidity (RH), solution concentration, and pore structures (different water to cement ratios) on the solution transport mechanism based on the water evaporation rate. Interestingly, we found that lower RH and larger W/C ratio accelerated evaporation, but the higher concentration of the solution slowed it down. The micro-analyzer results of NMR and XRD confirmed that the formation of ettringite and gypsum due to chemical sulfate attack blocked the pores in the concrete, resulting in a decrease in water evaporation. Na2SO4 crystallization distress was not detected in the concrete. Therefore, the solution transport process in the concrete discs could not be described by wick action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objective: Although lots of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to be involved in carcinogenesis, the functions of numerous of lncRNAs remain unknown. Bioinformatics online database showed that lncRNA LOC100132707 was highly expressed in metastatic melanoma tissues, and its expression predicted a lower overall survival rate in melanoma patients. However, LOC100132707 function in uveal melanoma (UM) progression still remains unclear. In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the role and molecular mechanisms underlying LOC100132707 in UM. Methods: RT-PCR was used to detect the levels of LOC100132707 in UM cells. Cell migration, invasion and tumorigenesis were tested by using the transwell chamber assay and in vivo assay. Results: LOC100132707 expression in metastatic UM cell line MM28 was significantly higher than that of the non-metastatic UM cell lines, MP38, MP46 and MP65, as well as the expressions of LOC100132707-related genes, including XRN1, PARP14, JAK2, DDX60, BUB1 and SAMD9L. LOC100132707 downregulation significantly repressed cell migration and invasion abilities, whereas overexpressing JAK2 rescued these effects. Consistently, upregulation of LOC100132707 induced significant increases in cell migration and invasion abilities via upregulating JAK2. In addition, silencing of LOC100132707 significantly repressed the in vivo tumor formation ability in UM cells. Conclusion: This study reveals that silence of LOC100132707 represses the migration of UM via downregulating JAK2. The LOC100132707/JAK2 axis might serve as a potent target for the prevention and treatment of UM metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

aimed to determine the biological significance of lncRNA growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (GAS5) in UM. Methods: The expression levels of GAS5 and microRNA-21 (miR-21) in UM tissues and cells were detected by qRT-PCR analysis. CCK-8 assay was performed to investigate the viability of UM cells after cell transfections, and the migration and invasion of UM cells were determined by transwell assay. The protein expression levels were detected by Western blot assay. The relationship between miR-21 and GAS5 in UM cells was confirmed by bioinformatics prediction and luciferase report assay. Results: Our experiments demonstrated that GAS5 was markedly downregulated in UM cells and clinical specimens. Overexpression of GAS5 inhibited, whereas knockdown of GAS5 promoted the viability, migration, and invasion of UM cells. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process of UM cells was also suppressed by upregulating of GAS5 and enhanced by downregulating of GAS5. Additionally, as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA), GAS5 directly binded to the oncogenic miR-21 in UM cells, and overexpression of miR-21 attenuated the EMT-suppressing effect of GAS5. Conclusion: Taken together, our findings suggest that GAS5/miR-21 axis is implicated in the pathogenesis of UM and might serve as a potential therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work has investigated the value of computed tomography (CT) features in the diagnosis of papillary thyroid tumors in the incidental thyroid nodules (ITNs). In the 82 enrolled patients, 101 thyroid nodules were incidentally found by the neck CT scanning, among which 49 were histologically confirmed to be papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) while the other 52 were nodular goiter (NG). The tumor location, size, shape, tiny calcification, cystic change, and signs of an irregular ring, marginal defects, and enhanced blurring were all depicted by CT features. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were employed to identify independent predictors of PTC. The univariate analysis of PTC and NG showed that four CT features were statistically significant, including tiny calcification and signs of an irregular ring, marginal defects, and enhanced blurring. Furthermore, the multivariate logistic regression model indicated that signs of an irregular ring, marginal defects, and enhanced blurring were strongly correlated with PTC, of which the odds ratio (OR) was 27.374 (95% CI: 5.871∼127.636), 28.587 (95% CI: 4.139∼197.460), and 4.315 (95% CI: 0.858∼21.694), respectively. In the predictive model of PTC, the value of sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and Youden index was 87.8%, 94.2%, 91.1%, and 0.82 with a likelihood ratio of 15.1. Therefore, the signs of an irregular ring, marginal defects, and enhanced blurring may be helpful in the diagnosis of PTC in incidentally found thyroid nodules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, microRNA‐20b‐3p (miR‐20b‐3p) has been found to play an essential role in human diseases; we aimed to investigate the effect of miR‐20b‐3p on the progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR). The DR rat models were established by streptozotocin injection and treated with miR‐20b‐3p mimics, silenced, or overexpressed thioredoxin‐interacting protein (TXNIP). Afterward, the expression of miR‐20b‐3p and TXNIP, visual function, inflammatory factors, microvascular injury, vascular permeability, cell apoptosis, and angiogenesis in rats' retinal tissues were assessed. The target relation between miR‐20b‐3p and TXNIP was confirmed by dual luciferase reporter gene assay. MiR‐20b‐3p was poorly expressed while TXNIP was highly expressed in DR rats' retinal tissues. Elevated miR‐20b‐3p and inhibited TXNIP promoted the visual function, and restricted the inflammatory reaction, microvascular injury, vascular permeability, cell apoptosis, and angiogenesis in DR rats, thereby decelerating the development of DR. Furthermore, TXNIP was targeted by miR‐20b‐3p. We have found in this study that elevated miR‐20b‐3p could repress the levels of inflammatory factors by inhibiting TXNIP, thus attenuating the pathology of retina in DR rats, which provided new candidates for DR treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the effect of decorin on oxidative stress and apoptosis of human lens epithelial (HLE) cells under high glucose condition. Methods: HLE cell line (HLEB3) was incubated in normal glucose (5.5 mM) or high glucose (60 mM) medium. Decorin (50 nM) was applied 2 hours before high glucose medium was added. Apoptosis detection was executed by flow cytometry and western blotting (analysis of bcl-2 and bax). Oxidative stress level was measured by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione peroxidase (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation, the expression of p22phox of HLE cells and human lens anterior capsules were detected by western blotting. Small interfering RNA transfection to p22phox and p38 MAPK was also carried out on HLEB3. Results: High glucose caused HLE cells oxidative stress and apoptosis exhibiting the increase of apoptotic cells and ROS production and decrease of bcl-2/bax ratio, GSH/GSSG ration and SOD activity. P22phox and phospho-p38 MAPK were upregulated in high glucose treated HLEB3 cells. Knocking down p22phox or p38 by siRNAs can reduce high glucose induced cell apoptosis and oxidative stress level. Silencing p22phox by siRNA can downregulate the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK. Decorin can inhibit the apoptosis, oxidative stress level and the induction of p22phox and phospho-p38 of HLEB3 induced by high glucose. Furthermore, the expression of p22phox and p38 were found significantly increased in lens anterior capsules of diabetic cataract patients compared to that of normal age-related cataract patients. Conclusions: Results showed that p22phox-p38 pathway may be participated in high glucose induced lens epithelial cell injury, decorin may inhibit the high glucose induced apoptosis and oxidative stress injury by suppressing this pathway in part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corneal neovascularization (CRNV) is a prevalence eye disorder that affects the transparency and refraction properties of eyes. To explore the correlation between the level of Angiotensin II (Ang II) and corneal angiogenesis, the rat model of CRNV was established using alkali-burn, while the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were stimulated using VEGF to induce the CRNV cells in vitro. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and RNA pull-down were performed to validate the relationship between MIAT and miR-1246. The expression of MIAT and Ang II was increased, while miR-1246 was decreased in CRNV rat model. VEGF stimulation significantly promoted cell proliferation and migration of HUVECs, knockdown of MIAT dramatically reversed the effects of VEGF, while cells co-transfected with miR-1246 inhibitor obviously abolished the effect of VEGF+si-MIAT, however, enalaprilat abolished the effects of VEGF+si-MIAT+miR-1246 inhibitor. MIAT directly regulated the expression of miR-1246. In conclusion, VEGF stimulation promoted cell proliferation and migration of HUVECs mainly through regulating MIAT/miR-1246/ACE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu(In, Ga)Se2 solar cells are the representative of high efficient thin-film solar cell with energy conversion efficiency of over 22%. However, nowadays, top electrodes of solar cells gradually become the performance limitation for optimized devices. The Al-doped ZnO thin film is widely used as a transparent top electrode in Cu(In, Ga)Se2, but there are still some techniques and electrical property issues. In this letter, we establish a ZnO/Ag/ZnO:Al multilayer top electrode, composed of ZnO nanorod arrays, Ag nanoparticles, and ZnO:Al thin films. Such multilayer top electrode was applied on Cu(In, Ga)Se2 thin-film solar cells and the devices yield a higher efficiency from 6.79% to 8.52%. Importantly, we also propose that the enhanced electronic carrier concentration in such ZnO/Ag/ZnO:Al top electrode aids the performance of solar cells. Therefore, well-designed ZnO-based top electrodes offer the opportunity to remove the bottleneck of improving the solar cell efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this study, we aimed at investigating the association between glutathione- S-transferase (GSTM1 and GSTT1) deletion genotypes and susceptibility to non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). We hope our findings may contribute to the understanding NAION pathogenesis and provide some clues for the prevention and treatment of optic diseases. The NAION group contains 113 subjects (33 males and 80 females, mean age 55.3 ± 9.8). And 98 subjects were enrolled in the control group (32 males and 66 females, mean age 56.7 ± 10.2). The individuals involved in the study were matched by gender and age to obtain two homogenous groups. GSTM1− and GSTT1− genotype and the combined genotype were investigated. The genotype distributions in NAION patients were compared with those in the controls. Significantly altered intraocular pressure (IOP) and cup-to-disc ratio (CDR) was detected between NAION patients and controls. An increased risk of NAION was observed among individuals with GSTM1− ( P < 0.001). No significant difference was confirmed for GSTT1− ( P = 0.290). Individuals with GSTM1−/GSTT1− have a higher susceptibility to NAION ( P < 0.001); the GSTM1−/GSTT1+ genotype also had a significantly higher frequency in patients than in controls ( P = 0.004). But the genotype of GSTM1+/GSTT1− seems to have no connection with NAION ( P = 0.476). In conclusion, in this study, we confirmed the connection between NAION and GSTM1− genotype. But no significant association was observed between GSTT1− genotype and NAION susceptibility. In further analysis regarding combined genotype, a trend of protective effect was detected for GSTT1+ genotype. It is indicated by our result that oxidative compounds might play an important part in the pathogenesis of NAION. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile colloidal synthesis of CuInGaSe (CIGS) nanocrystals was successfully performed using a simple heating method. These nanocrystals were prepared by employing glycerol as a main solvent and oleylamine (OLA) as a complexing agent. X-ray diffraction showed that CuInSe with a chalcopyrite structure was formed by using a volume content of OLA as small as ~30 %. No variation was found in the compound phase between samples synthesized in a mixed solvent with 30 % OLA and in 100 % OLA-added solvent. Transmission election microscopy confirmed the crystal structure and showed a particle sizes below 20 nm. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) confirmed the chemical composition of these samples. And UV-Vis spectroscopy investigated the band gap of CIGS nanoinks. Furthermore, we used this method to prepare CIGS nanocrystals with different band gap energies by varying the In/Ga ratio of the reactants. Therefore, this green and economic route proposed has the potential for large-scale synthesis of CIGS nanocrystals, which is beneficial to low-cost photovoltaic application. Graphical abstract: XRD patterns and TEM images of CuInSe nanocrystals, obtained for samples synthesized with pure OLA and with mixed solvent.[Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Omentin, a new discovered adipokine, is implicated to inhibit inflammation. Inflammation is one important mechanism of diabetic retinopathy (DR). The purpose of this work was to evaluate serum and vitreous concentrations of omentin-1 in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods. This study enrolled 204 diabetic patients (60 without DR, 49 with NPDR, and 95 with PDR) and 65 control subjects. Results. Serum and vitreous omentin-1 levels in PDR patients were markedly decreased compared with those in the other three groups. NPDR patients showed reduced vitreous omentin-1 compared with patients without DR. In addition, control subjects had significantly higher levels of serum and vitreous omentin-1 compared with diabetic patients without DR, NPDR patients, and PDR patients. In addition, serum/vitreous omentin-1 ratio was positively correlated with the development and severity of DR. Conclusion. Serum and vitreous omentin-1 levels, as well as serum/vitreous omentin-1 ratio, are correlated with the presence and severity of DR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High quality Ga-doped ZnO thin films for use as energy efficient glazing coatings were deposited onto glass substrates by low cost single source aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) of zinc and gallium acetylacetonates (in methanol) at a temperature of 350 °C. The effect of Ga content ranging from 0.4 at% to 6.1 at% on the structural and functional properties of ZnO films was investigated. Highly c-axis oriented films are easily formed in the case of pure ZnO with hexagonal (002) surfaces observed. This texture is gradually weakened in 0.4 at% to 3.0 at% Ga doped samples, and the deposit morphology is transformed to granular particles, irregular platelets, agglomerated particles and wedge-like structures, respectively, which may result from retarded grain boundary growth and increasing exposed non-(002) surfaces. Further gallium addition to 4.3 at% suppresses the grain growth and deteriorates the system crystallinity, with a concomitant change to a (102) preferential orientation in the heavily 6.1 at% Ga doped sample. The ZnO:Ga coatings exhibit high carrier concentration (up to 4.22 × 1020 cm−3) and limited carrier mobility (＜5 cm2 V−1 s−1), and the minimum resistivity value obtained is 1.16 × 10−2Ω cm. Due to their large band gaps (3.14–3.42 eV) and favourable carrier numbers, high visible transmittance (83.4–85.3%) and infrared reflection (up to 48.9% at 2500 nm) are observed in these films, which is one of the best AACVD ZnO reported for low emissivity application and close to the optical requirements for commercial energy saving glazing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High quality ZnO nanowires (NWs) were grown on a graphene layer by a hydrothermal method. The ZnO NWs revealed higher uniform surface morphology and better structural properties than ZnO NWs grown on SiO2/Si substrate. A low dark current metal–semiconductor–metal photodetector based on ZnO NWs with Au Schottky contact has also been fabricated. The photodetector displays a low dark current of 1.53 nA at 1 V bias and a large UV-to-visible rejection ratio (up to four orders), which are significantly improved compared to conventional ZnO NW photodetectors. The improvement in UV detection performance is attributed to the existence of a surface plasmon at the interface of the ZnO and the graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]