Search

Lithium-ion batteries represent a significant component of the field of energy storage, with a diverse range of applications in consumer electronics, portable devices, and numerous other fields. In view of the growing concerns about the safety of batteries, it is of the utmost importance to develop a sensor that is capable of accurately monitoring the internal temperature of lithium-ion batteries. External sensors are subject to the necessity for additional space and ancillary equipment. Moreover, external sensors cannot accurately measure internal battery temperature due to packaging material interference, causing a temperature discrepancy between the interior and surface. Consequently, this study presents an integrated temperature sensor within the battery, based on PT1000 resistance temperature detector (RTD). The sensor is integrated with the anode via a flexible printed circuit (FPC), simplifying the assembly process. The PT1000 RTD microsensor's temperature is linearly related to resistance (R = 3.71T + 1003.86). It measures about 15 °C temperature difference inside/outside the battery. On short-circuit, the battery's internal temperature rises to 27 °C in 10 s and 32 °C in 20 s, measured by the sensor. A battery with the PT1000 sensor retains 89.8% capacity under 2 C, similar to the normal battery. Furthermore, a PT1000 temperature array sensor was designed and employed to enable precise monitoring and localization of internal temperature variations.

Lone-pair expression is significantly influenced by geometric constraints in hybrid metal halides (HMHs). Two-dimensional (2D) HMHs possess reduced structural dimensionality, allowing for a wide range of off-center displacement of the metal center. However, the effect of lone-pair-induced off-center distortion on the geometric configuration of inorganic units, electronic properties, and exciton emissions in 2D HMHs remains unclear. In this study, 2D DMPMBr 4 (DMP = N , N '-dimethylpiperazine) HMHs of group 14 elements (M = Ge, Sn, and Pb) are developed, exhibiting pronounced stereochemical activity of n s 2 lone-pair electrons. Such 2D HMHs are chosen as a model system to demonstrate the influence of the stereochemical activity of n s 2 lone-pair electrons on the geometric configuration of inorganic units, electronic properties, and exciton emissions. The off-center distortion D is introduced to describe the degree of lone-pair expression in these HMHs, and a quantitative relationship between the D and FE/STE emissions is established. When the D is reduced to less than 0.24, the off-center distortion of the units is sufficiently suppressed to limit the lone-pair expression, facilitating the excitonic transition from the STE state to the FE state upon compression. Substituting metal cations with those having more inactive n s 2 lone-pair electrons exerts a similar effect to pressure in promoting the excitonic transitions in the DMPMBr 4 series. This study uncovers the relationship between the stereochemical activity of n s 2 lone-pair electrons and excitonic emissions, which could accelerate the development of HMHs with the desired optical properties.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that seriously threatens human health and affects the quality of life of patients. At present, pharmacotherapy is still the mainstream treatment for RA, but most methods have shortcomings, such as poor drug targeting, a low effective drug dosage at the inflammatory site, and high systemic toxicity. The combined application of drug-loaded nanobubbles and ultrasound technology provides a new technique for the treatment of RA. Low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) traces the transmission of drug-loaded nanobubbles in the body, and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) causes the nanobubbles to rupture to release drugs at the inflammatory site, thereby reducing their toxicity to normal tissues. In this study, a drug-loaded nanobubble delivery system (DEXsp@Liposomes/C 3 F 8 ) with ultrasonic response characteristics was successfully constructed, and its therapeutic effect was evaluated for the treatment of RA in vitro and in vivo . DEXsp@Liposomes/C 3 F 8 + LIFU had good biocompatibility and excellent ultrasound imaging ability. DEXsp@Liposomes/C 3 F 8 +HIFU distinctly increased the cellular uptake of DEXsp and significantly reduced the secretion of related inflammatory factors in RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, DEXsp@Liposomes/C 3 F 8 + HIFU effectively alleviated the symptoms of RA in model rats and significantly improved their exercise capacity. In conclusion, the prepared ultrasound-mediated DEXsp@Liposomes/C 3 F 8 system exhibits good imaging, monitoring and therapeutic effects, and the results of this study provide a new direction for the diagnosis and treatment of RA.

Aim: To understand the regulatory roles of miR-1972 and GZMH in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and explore their potential as therapeutic biomarkers., Methods: In vitro verification of the regulation of malignant cell behavior by differential expression of miR-1972 in HCC cells. The GSE113996 dataset was studied using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and differential expressed genes respectively to identify the key prognostic gene GZMH and assess the effect of its differential expression on the prognosis of the patient. Finally, the regulation of GZMH expression by miR-1972 was verified, and the effect of their combination on HCC cell behavior was analyzed., Results: Inhibition of miR-1972 can reduce cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while overexpression of miR-1972 has the opposite effect in HCC cells. According to the data, a positive prognosis for HCC was linked with higher GZMH expression. Interestingly, miR-1972 was observed to reverse-regulate the expression of GZMH. Besides, the combined regulation of GZMH and miR-1972 has been discovered to affect the cell growth, invasive capacity, and migratory potential of HCC cells, especially the cell cycle arrest in the G2 phase., Conclusions: miR-1972 regulates the malignant behavior of HCC cells, especially cell proliferation, by regulating GZMH expression., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: To summarize the multiparameter MRI (mpMRI) features of prostatic malakoplakia., Methods: Eleven patients (median age 62 years; IQR 59-71 years) with pathologically confirmed prostatic malakoplakia were included in this study. MpMRI features of the lesions were retrospectively reviewed and summarized., Results: The Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) scores of the patients were 4 or 5, with a medium diameter of 3.7 cm (IQR 2.0-5.2 cm). All the lesions involved the peripheral zone, of which three cases (3/11, 27.3%) involved the transition zone simultaneously. A diffuse symmetrical distribution was found in five cases, a focal distribution in five cases, and a focal symmetrical distribution in one case. Both the surgical capsule and prostatic margin were bulged and compressed, but no signs of infiltration were found. Nearly all the lesions had moderate hypointensity on T2-weighted images and slightly higher signal intensity on T1-weighted images. Among the lesions, early enhancement occurred in all cases, prolonged enhancement occurred in eight cases, and ring enhancement persisted in one case. All lesions displayed periprostatic enhancement in the delayed phase., Conclusions: Lesions distributed diffusely and symmetrically in the peripheral zone with preserved surgical capsule and margin are characteristic features of malakoplakia as opposed to cancer, especially in those with slightly high T1 signal intensity and delayed periprostatic enhancement. Those locally distributed lesions with the above signs should also be suspected., Advances in Knowledge: Prostatic malakoplakia are more likely to distribute diffusely and symmetrically, with slightly high T1 signal intensity and delayed periprostatic enhancement., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Institute of Radiology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Carbon aerogel piezoresistive sensors (CAPSs), owing to their good thermal stability, self-constructed conductive network, and fast response to pressure, have attracted extensive attention in the field of flexible and wearable electronics in recent years. However, it is still a great challenge for CAPSs to monitor subtle deformations and achieve high-performance underwater piezoresistive sensing. Herein, a superhydrophobic and electrically conductive carbon aerogel composite (CAC) was fabricated by the combination of fluorination of carbon aerogels and decoration of fluorinated halloysite nanotubes (HNTs). Due to the exceptional light absorption and excellent photothermal conversion performance, CAC has a fast and accurate response to temperature with a high-temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of -1.06%/°C. The resistance of CAC exhibits a linear response toward compressive strain up to 80% with a high gauge factor of -1.24. Significantly, the CAC sensor can effectively detect tiny deformations, thanks to its excellent waterproof performance, and it enables stable output of sensing signals in an underwater environment. This work provides new insights into the development of superhydrophobic, multifunctional, and mechanically durable piezoresistive sensors with potential applications in underwater flexible electronics.

Background: To verify the validity of diagnosing initial caries on occlusal surface of permanent posterior teeth by laser fluorescence instrument DIAGNOdent pen., Methods: Patients from School of Stomatology in Wuhan University were selected and their posterior teeth were examined using DIAGNOdent pen and the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS II) by an experienced dentist. After teeth extraction, histological criteria were used to determine the severity of the lesions. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, the area under the curve (AUC), and correlation of DIAGNOdent pen and ICDAS II were analyzed compared with histological criteria. Examiners' agreement was measured., Results: The sensitivity range was 0.440-1 while that of specificity was 0.750-0.994. The accuracy and AUC were above 80% and 0.7 respectively. Consistency of examiners' kappa values of ICDAS II, DIAGNOdent pen, and histological criteria were ranged from 0.629 to 0.840., Conclusions: ICDAS II and DIAGNOdent pen can be effectively used in tandem or independently for the assessment of initial caries., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Abstract: Tumor metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer development, and targeting metabolic vulnerabilities has been proven to be an effective approach for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) treatment. Nevertheless, treatment failure inevitably occurs, largely due to cellular heterogeneity, which cannot be deciphered by traditional bulk sequencing techniques. By employing computational pipelines for single-cell RNA sequencing, we demonstrated that epithelial cells within the prostate are more metabolically active and plastic than stromal cells. Moreover, we identified that neuroendocrine (NE) cells tend to have high metabolic rates, which might explain the high demand for nutrients and energy exhibited by neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), one of the most lethal variants of prostate cancer (PCa). Additionally, we demonstrated through computational and experimental approaches that variation in mitochondrial activity is the greatest contributor to metabolic heterogeneity among both tumor cells and nontumor cells. These results establish a detailed metabolic landscape of PCa, highlight a potential mechanism of disease progression, and emphasize the importance of future studies on tumor heterogeneity and the tumor microenvironment from a metabolic perspective., (Copyright © 2024 Copyright: ©The Author(s)(2024).)

Hybrid metal halides represent a novel type of semiconductor light emitters with intriguing excitonic emission properties, including free exciton emission and self-trapped exciton emission. Achieving precise control over these two excitonic emissions in hybrid metal halides is highly desired yet remains challenging. Here, the complete transformation from intrinsically broadband self-trapped exciton emission to distinctively sharp free exciton emission in a quasi-one-dimensional hybrid metal halide (C 2 H 10 N 2 ) 8 [Pb 4 Br 18 ]·6Br with a ribbon width of n = 4, is successfully achieved based on high-pressure method. During compression, pressure-induced phonon hardening continuously reduces exciton-phonon coupling, therefore suppressing excitonic localization and quenching the original self-trapped exciton emission. Notably, further compression triggers excitonic delocalization to induce intense free exciton emission, accompanied with reduced carrier effective masses and improved charge distribution. Controlled high-pressure investigations indicate that the ribbon width of n > 2 is necessary to realize excitonic delocalization and generate free exciton emissions in similar quasi-one-dimensional hybrid metal halides. This work presents an important photophysical process of excitonic transitions from self-trapped exciton emission to free exciton emission in quasi-one-dimensional hybrid metal halides without chemical regulation, promoting the rational synthesis of hybrid metal halides with desired excitonic emissions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Nano-Pour point depressants have great potential to improve the low-temperature fluidity of waxy crude oil. This Review reviews the recent research progress of nano-pour point depressants in the field of crude oil pour point reduction. The effect and mechanism of nanocomposite pour point depressants are analyzed; the preparation, modification, and microstructure characterization of nanocomposite pour point depressants are introduced; the three main types of nano-pour point depressants, namely, silicon-based, carbon-based, and magnetic metal-based, are introduced; the results of the current research are outlined; and the challenges of the current research and possible directions of future research are also pointed out. The in-depth analysis of nano-pour point depressants and their potential to improve the low-temperature fluidity of waxy crude oil are reviewed in order to thoroughly analyze the mechanism of nano-pour point depressants and to prepare nano-pour point depressants that are more suitable for reducing crude oil coagulation., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Chiral 3D perovskites pose challenges compared to lower-dimensional variants due to limited chiral organic cation options. Here, we present a universal and controlled method for synthesizing chiral 3D lead halide perovskites using organic amines or alcohols as chiral templates. Introducing these templates to PbCl 2 in N , N -dimethylformamide (DMF) under acidic conditions induces the crystallization of R/S [DMA]PbCl 3 (DMA = dimethylamine). The resulting structure aligns with the templates used, stemming from the helical Pb 2 Cl 9 5- chain as verified by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Furthermore, the chiral perovskite exhibits absorption and circular dichroism (CD) signals in the high-energy band, enabling the circularly polarized light (CPL) detection in the UV spectrum. A CPL detector constructed by this chiral perovskite demonstrates excellent performance, boasting an anisotropy factor for photocurrent ( g Iph ) of 0.296. Our work not only introduces a novel and controllable method for crafting chiral perovskites but also opens new avenues for circularly polarized light detection.

Zero-dimensional (0D) hybrid metal halides (HMHs) have emerged as a promising platform for exploring excitation-dependent multicolor luminescent materials owing to their diverse crystal structures and chemical compositions. Nevertheless, understanding the mechanism behind excitation-dependent emissions (EDEs) in 0D HMHs and achieving precise modulation remains challenging. In this work, the delicate regulations on the EDE of 0D (DMEDABr)4SnBr3I3 (DMEDA: N, N'-dimethylethylenediamine) with mixed halogens are achieved under low temperature and high pressure, respectively. The inhomogeneous halogen occupation at the atomic scale leads to the formation of Br-rich and I-rich SnX6 (X = Br, I) octahedra, which act as distinct luminescent centers upon photoexcitation. At low temperatures, the narrowed photoluminescence spectra could distinguish the individual emissions from different luminescent centers, resulting in a pronounced EDE of (DMEDABr)4SnBr3I3. In addition, the contraction and distortion of the luminescent SnX6 (X = Br, I) centers at high pressure further result in different degrees of emission shifts, giving rise to the gradual emergence and disappearance of EDE. This work elucidates the underlying mechanism of EDE in 0D HMHs and highlights the crucial role of halogens in determining the optical properties of metal halides., (© 2024 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.)

Background: Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain tumor linked to significant angiogenesis and poor prognosis. Anti-angiogenic therapies with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) inhibition have been investigated as an alternative glioblastoma treatment. However, little is known about the effect of VEGFR2 blockade on glioblastoma cells per se., Methods: VEGFR2 expression data in glioma patients were retrieved from the public database TCGA. VEGFR2 intervention was implemented by using its selective inhibitor Ki8751 or shRNA. Mitochondrial biogenesis of glioblastoma cells was assessed by immunofluorescence imaging, mass spectrometry, and western blot analysis., Results: VEGFR2 expression was higher in glioma patients with higher malignancy (grade III and IV). VEGFR2 inhibition hampered glioblastoma cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis. Mass spectrometry and immunofluorescence imaging showed that the anti-glioblastoma effects of VEGFR2 blockade involved mitochondrial biogenesis, as evidenced by the increases of mitochondrial protein expression, mitochondria mass, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, all of which play important roles in tumor cell apoptosis, growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest and cell senescence. Furthermore, VEGFR2 inhibition exaggerated mitochondrial biogenesis by decreased phosphorylation of AKT and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1α), which mobilized PGC1α into the nucleus, increased mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) expression, and subsequently enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis., Conclusions: VEGFR2 blockade inhibits glioblastoma progression via AKT-PGC1α-TFAM-mitochondria biogenesis signaling cascade, suggesting that VEGFR2 intervention might bring additive therapeutic values to anti-glioblastoma therapy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Although DHFR gene amplification has long been known as a major mechanism for methotrexate (MTX) resistance in cancer, the early changes and detailed development of the resistance are not yet fully understood., Methods: We performed genomic, transcriptional and proteomic analyses of human colon cancer cells with sequentially increasing levels of MTX-resistance., Results: The genomic amplification evolved in three phases (pre-amplification, homogenously staining region (HSR) and extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA)). We confirm that genomic amplification and increased expression of DHFR, with formation of HSRs and especially ecDNAs, is the major driver of resistance. However, DHFR did not play a detectable role in the early phase. In the late phase (ecDNA), increase in FAM151B protein level may also have an important role by decreasing sensitivity to MTX. In addition, although MSH3 and ZFYVE16 may be subject to different posttranscriptional regulations and therefore protein expressions are decreased in ecDNA stages compared to HSR stages, they still play important roles in MTX resistance., Conclusion: The study provides a detailed evolutionary trajectory of MTX-resistance and identifies new targets, especially ecDNAs, which could help to prevent drug resistance. It also presents a proof-of-principal approach which could be applied to other cancer drug resistance studies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: A prospective observational study was modified to assess the efficacy of surgery alone for the treatment of locally advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma., (la-Oscc) Materials and Methods: This prospective, single-institution, single-arm study involved 174 patients who underwent major surgery for LA-OSCC. Participating patients did not receive postoperative radiation. After initial curative treatment, patients were routinely monitored via clinical examination and imaging. The follow-up period was 3-70 months. Tumour recurrence and death were considered as the Clinical End Point in Research., Results: The 5-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and locoregional control rates for 174 patients were 66.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 59.8 to 73.6), 66.1% (95% CI, 59.2 to 73.0), and 82.4% (95% CI, 76.5 to 88.3), respectively., Conclusion: A study of patients with LA-OSCC treated with surgery alone may have the optimal therapeutic impact for LA-OSCC, as evidenced by solid data for our next RCT trial. This conclusion still needs to be validated in higher-level RCTs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Structural dimensionality and electronic dimensionality play a crucial role in determining the type of excitonic emission in hybrid metal halides (HMHs). It is important but challenging to achieve free exciton (FE) emission in zero-dimensional (0D) HMHs based on the control over the electronic dimensionality. In this work, a quasi-0D HMH (C 7 H 15 N 2 Br) 2 PbBr 4 with localized electronic dimensionality is prepared as a prototype model. With increasing pressure onto (C 7 H 15 N 2 Br) 2 PbBr 4 , the broad and weak self-trapped exciton (STE) emission at ambient conditions is considerably enhanced before 3.6 GPa, which originates from more distorted [PbBr 4 ] 2- seesaw units upon compression. Notably, a narrow FE emission in (C 7 H 15 N 2 Br) 2 PbBr 4 appears at 3.6 GPa, and then this FE emission is gradually strengthened up to 8.4 GPa. High pressure structural characterizations reveal that anisotropic contraction of (C 7 H 15 N 2 Br) 2 PbBr 4 results in a noticeable reduction in the distance between adjacent [PbBr 4 ] 2- seesaw units, as well as an obvious enhancement of crystal stiffness. Consequently, the electronic connectivity in (C 7 H 15 N 2 Br) 2 PbBr 4 is sufficiently promoted above 3.6 GPa, which is also supported with theoretical calculations. The elevation of electronic connectivity and enhanced stiffness together lead to pressure-induced FE emission and subsequent emission enhancement in quasi-0D (C 7 H 15 N 2 Br) 2 PbBr 4 ., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Two dimensional (2D) hybrid metal halides (HMHs) usually exhibit free excitonic (FE) emission, and self-trapped excitonic (STE) emission can also be achieved by adopting appropriate halogens and organic cations. Recently, significant efforts have been made to modulate and then clarify the transformation and connection between these two types of excitonic emissions in 2D HMHs. In this study, intriguing pressure-tuned transitions between FE emission and STE emission are observed in 2D (C 7 H 7 N 2 ) 2 PbCl 4 . In contrast, only FE emissions with tunable emission energies are observed in 2D (C 7 H 7 N 2 ) 2 PbBr 4 which possesses a similar structure with (C 7 H 7 N 2 ) 2 PbCl 4 under compression. Such distinct halide-dependent optical responses under pressure are experimentally revealed to arise from the intricate interplay among several factors in these HMHs, including the stiffness of the structure, the Coulomb force between the organic cations and the inorganic octahedra, and the magnitude of inorganic octahedral distortion. These high-pressure optical explorations can unravel the underlying interrelationship between the crystal structure and excitonic emission in 2D HMHs., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Hypertension has become one of the most pathogenic diseases in the world., Objective: This paper summarizes and analyzes the acupuncture point combinations and treatment principles of acupuncture for hypertension in a systematic way by means of big data mining., Methods: The literature for this paper was obtained from CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed and PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Ovid databases. Thedata were collected to obtain combinations of acupoints with strong associations through association rule analysis, complex networks for screening to obtain core acupoint nuclei, and cluster analysis to derive treatment principles., Results: A total of 127 acupuncture prescriptions involving 66 acupoints were included in this study. Tai-chong (LR3), Qu-chi (LI11), Zu-san-li (ST36), Feng-chi (GB20), and He-gu (LI4) were the most commonly used acupoints. The large intestine meridian was the preferred meridian, and most of the extremity acupoints, especially the lower extremities, were selected clinically. The association rule reveals that Qu-chi (LI11) and Zu-san-li (ST36) are the dominant combination acupoints. 3 core association points obtained after complex network analysis, the 1st association, Bai-hui (DU20), Tai-xi (KI3), Gan-shu (BL18), Shen-shu (BL23); The 2nd association, Qu-chi (LI11), He-gu (LI4), San-yin-jiao (SP6), Zu-san-li (ST36), Feng-chi (GB20), Tai-chong (LR3); The 3rd association, Qi-hai (RN6), Guan-yuan (RN4), Zhong-wan (RN12), Zhao-hai (KI6), Tai-yang (EX-HN5), Lie-que (LU7), Yang-ling-quan (GB34), Xing-jian (LR2), Yin-ling-quan (SP9). Cluster analysis yielded the treatment principles of nourishing Yin and submerging Yang, pacifying the liver and submerging Yang, tonifying Qi and Blood, and calming the mind and restoring the pulse, improving clinical outcomes., Conclusion: By means of big data mining, we can provide reference for acupuncture point grouping and selection for clinical acupuncture treatment of hypertension.

Mine dust pollution poses a hindrance to achieving green and climate-smart mining. This paper uses weather forecast data and mine production intensity data as model inputs to develop a novel model for forecasting daily dust concentration values in open pit mines by employing and integrating multiple machine learning techniques. The results show that the forecast model exhibits high accuracy, with a Pearson correlation coefficient exceeding 0.87. The PM2.5 forecast model performs best, followed by the total suspended particle and PM10 models. The inclusion of production intensity significantly enhances model performance. Total column water vapor exerts the most significant impact on the model's predictive performance, while the impacts of rock production and coal production are also notable. The proposed daily forecast model leverages production intensity data to predict future dust concentrations accurately. This tool offers valuable insights for optimizing mine design parameters, enabling informed decisions based on real-time forecasts. It effectively prevents severe pollution in the mining area while maximizing the use of natural meteorological conditions for effective dust removal and diffusion., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Room-temperature phosphorescence has received much attention owing to its potential applications in information encryption and bioelectronics. However, the preparation of full-color single-component-derived phosphorescent materials remains a challenge. Herein, a facile in situ confining strategy is proposed to achieve full-color phosphorescent carbon dots (CDs) through rapid microwave-assisted carbonization of citric acid in NaOH. By tuning the mass ratio of citric acid and NaOH, the obtained CDs exhibit tunable phosphorescence wavelengths ranging from 483 to 635 nm and alterable lifetimes from 58 to 389 ms with a synthesis yield of up to 83.7% (>30 g per synthesis). Theoretical calculations and experimental results confirm that the formation of high-density ionic bonds between cations and CDs leads to efficient afterglow emission via the dissociation of CD arrangement, and the evolution of the aggregation state of CDs results in redshifted phosphorescence. These findings provide a strategy for the synthesis of new insights into achieving and manipulating room-temperature phosphorescent CDs, and prospect their applications in labeling and information encryption., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Advanced antibacterial technologies are needed to counter the rapid emergence of drug-resistant bacteria. Image-guided therapy is one of the most promising strategies for efficiently and accurately curing bacterial infections. Herein, a chemiluminescence (CL)-dynamic/guided antibacteria (CDGA) with multiple reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capacity and chemiexcited near-infrared emission has been designed for the precise theranostics of bacterial infection by employing near-infrared emissive carbon nanodots (CDs) and peroxalate as CL fuels. Mechanistically, hydrogen peroxide generated in the bacterial microenvironment can trigger the chemically initiated electron exchange between CDs and energy-riched intermediate originated from the oxidized peroxalate, enabling bacterial induced inflammation imaging. Meanwhile, type I/II photochemical ROS production and type III ultrafast charge transfer from CDs under the self-illumination can inhibit the bacteria proliferation efficiently. The potential clinical utility of CDGA is further demonstrated in bacteria infected mice trauma model. The self-illuminating CDGA exhibits an excellent in vivo imaging quality in early detecting wound infections and internal inflammation caused by bacteria, and further are proven as efficient broad-spectrum antibacterial nanomedicines without drug-resistance, whose sterilizing rate is up to 99.99%., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: The basicranial region lacks definite boundaries and includes various anatomical units. We developed a novel concept of the posterior oral anatomical complex (POAC) to identify these anatomical units in the basicranial region. OSCC with POAC involvement is termed posterior oral squamous cell carcinoma (POSCC) with poor prognosis. The principal aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of anatomy unit resection surgery (AUSR) on patients with POSCC., Methods: A total of 120 POSCC patients who underwent radical surgical treatment were recruited for this study. These POSCC patients were treated with conventional surgery or AUSR. According to the extent of primary tumor resection in the AUSR group, the lateral basicranial surgical approach can be subdivided into four types: face-lateral approach I, face-lateral approach II, face-median approach or face-median and face-lateral combined approach. Facial nerve function was evaluated according to the House-Brackmann Facial Nerve Grading System., Results: The overall survival rate was 62.5% and 37.5% in the AURS group and conventional group (hazard ratio: 0.59; p < 0.0001), respectively. The disease-free survival rate was 62.5% and 34.3% in the AURS group and conventional group (hazard ratio: 0.43; p = 0.0008), respectively. The local disease control rate in the AURS group (71.4%) was significantly better than that in the conventional group (34.4%) in present study (p < 0.0001). Compared to the conventional group, all the patients undergoing AURS were classified as T4 stage and presented with more lymph node metastasis (71.4%). A total of 20 patients (face-lateral approach I and face-lateral combined approach) were temporarily disconnected from the temporofacial branch of the facial nerve. Fifteen patients exhibited slight paresis, and five patients presented with moderate or severe paresis. The survival rate of zygomatic arch disconnection was 94.6% (54 of 56 patients)., Conclusion: This lateral basicranial surgical approach based on AUSR improves the survival rate and enhances the local control rate while also preserving a good prognosis without damaging the nerve and zygomatic bone. This surgical approach based on AUSR provides a novel and effective surgical treatment to address POSCC with better prognosis, especially for patients without metastatic lymph nodes., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory immune-mediated disease that can lead to synovitis, cartilage destruction, and even joint damage. Dexamethasone (DEX) is a commonly used agent for RA therapy on inflammation manage. However, the traditional administering DEX is hampered by low efficiency and obvious adverse effects. Therefore, in order to efficiently deliver DEX to RA inflamed joints and overcome existing deficiencies, we developed transdermal formation dextran sulfate (DS) modified DEX-loaded flexible liposome hydrogel (DS-FLs/DEX hydrogel), validated their transdermal efficiency, evaluated its ability to target activated macrophages, and its anti-inflammatory effect. The DS-FLs/DEX exhibited excellent biocompatibility, sustainable drug release, and high uptake by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages. Furthermore, the DS-FLs/DEX hydrogel showed desired skin permeation as compared with regular liposome hydrogel (DS-RLs/DEX hydrogel) due to its good deformability. In vivo, when used the AIA rats as RA model, the DS-FLs/DEX hydrogel can effectively penetrate and accumulate in inflamed joints, significantly improve joint swelling in RA rats, and reduce the destructive effect of RA on bone. Importantly, the expression of inflammatory cytokines in joints was inhibited and the system toxicity did not activate under DS-FLs/DEX hydrogel treatment. Overall, these data revealed that the dextran sulfate (DS) modified DEX-loaded flexible liposome hydrogel (DS-FLs/DEX hydrogel) can prove to be an excellent drug delivery vehicle against RA.

Chemiluminescence (CL), as one class of luminescence driven by chemical reaction, exhibits obvious temperature-dependence in its light emission process. Herein, temperature-dependent CL emission of carbon nanodots (CDs) in the chemical reaction of peroxalate and hydrogen peroxide is demonstrated and temperature imaging based on the temperature-dependent CL has been established for the first time. In detail, the temperature-dependent CL emission of CDs in the chemical reaction of peroxalate and hydrogen peroxide is observed, and the linear relationship between the CL intensity and temperature is demonstrated in both the CL solution and film, enabling their applications in temperature sensing and imaging capabilities. The increase of the CL emission with temperature can be attributed to the accelerated electron exchange between the CDs and intermediate generated in the peroxalate system. Meter-scale chemiluminescent CD films have been constructed. The CL sensor based on the films presents a high spatial resolution of 0.4 mm and an outstanding sensitivity of 0.08 °C -1 , which is amongst the best values for the thermographic luminophores. With the unique temperature response and flexible properties, non-planar, meter-scale and sensitive palm temperature imaging has been achieved. These findings present new opportunities for designing CL-based temperature probes and thermography.

A photothermal nanoconfinement reactor (PNCR) system is proposed and demonstrated by using hollow carbon nanospheres (HCNs) to enhance the performance of the chemical reaction. Under light irradiation, the local temperature of the HCN inner void space was much higher than the bulk solution temperature because the confined space concentrates heat and inhibits heat loss. Using the temperature-sensitive model reaction, peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation to oxidize micropollutant, it is shown that the degradation rate of sulfamethoxazole in the PNCR system is 7.1 times of that without nanoconfinement. It is further discovered that the high-quality local heat inside the nanoconfined space shifted the model reaction from an otherwise non-radical pathway to a radical-based pathway. This work provides an interesting strategy to produce a locally high temperature, which has a wide range of applications to energy and environmental fields., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Some head and neck cancer surgeons found that many patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC) without postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) also have a good prognosis. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of PORT on survival in patients with LA-HNSCC., Methods: A case-match cohort analysis was performed at two institutions on patients with LA-HNSCC. Patients who received surgery alone were case-matched 1: 1 with patients treated by surgery plus PORT based on pT, pN, tumor subsite etc. RESULTS: 114 patients were matched into 57 pairs, with a median follow-up period of 40.2 months. No difference in overall survival (OS, HR 0.88; 95% CI 0.50-1.58; P = 0.79) or disease-specific survival (DFS, 0.86; 95% CI 0.50-1.50; P = 0.76) was observed with no PORT., Conclusions: PORT isn't necessary for patients with LA-HNSCC who are treated for the first time as long as the head and neck cancer surgeon adhere to appropriate surgical concepts. The indications of PORT for patients with LA-HNSCC need to be further discussed., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Aiming at the time-varying bounded uncertainty in the mechanical system and the problem of excessive control gain caused by the "worst case", a robust control with tunable parameters that can be used to compensate for the uncertainty is proposed. The proposed control can guarantee that the system has uniform boundedness and uniform ultimate boundedness. Besides, the fuzzy set theory is used to describe the uncertainty to avoid introducing any IF-THEN fuzzy logic rules or probability theory. Based on the non-cooperative game theory, the parameters of the proposed control are optimized. We treat mutually independent parameters to be optimized as players, then design performance indexes for each parameter as its cost function, and solve the optimal result by the definition of Nash equilibrium. Finally, taking the trajectory tracking control of omnidirectional mobile platform as an example, the feasibility of the optimization method and the effectiveness of the control are verified by comparing with the other two control methods., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The genus Bambusa belongs to the subtribe Bambusinae and the subfamily Bambusoideae. The subgenera of Bambusa has not been satisfactorily circumscribed, and this remains a major taxonomic issue. Simultaneously, genera such as Dendrocalamus and Gigantochloa have not been confidently assigned to Bambusa. Here, the phylogenetic relationships among subgenera were investigated using five chloroplast DNA markers (rpl32-trnL, rpl16, matK, rbcL, and trnH-psbA) for a sample of 50 ingroup and 16 outgroup species. A total of 186 key morphological descriptors were studied for the 50 ingroup species. The results indicated that five chloroplast DNA markers were possible to distinguish Bambusa species from other species and divide them into several clusters. Phylogenetic analyses conducted using morphological descriptors and a combined marker (rpl32-trnL+rpl16) revealed three and five distinct lineages, respectively, among the currently recognized Bambusa species. The branching pattern of the dendrogram was not completely consistent with the classical taxonomic classification of Bambusa. In addition, not all varieties and cultivars were clustered with McClure classifications. As the maximum parsimony topology and morphological analyses were inconsistent, some clustering results overlapped. Overall, the results obtained here do not support the current classification of the Bambusa subgenera., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Interfacial evaporation has recently received great interest from both academia and industry to harvest fresh water from seawater, due to its low cost, sustainability and high efficiency. However, state-of-the-art solar absorbers usually face several issues such as weak corrosion resistance, salt accumulation and hence poor long-term evaporation stability. Herein, a hydrophobic and porous carbon nanofiber (HPCNF) is prepared by combination of the porogen sublimation and fluorination. The HPCNF possessing a macro/meso porous structure exhibits large contact angles (as high as 145°), strong light absorption and outstanding photo-thermal conversion performance. When the HPCNF is used as the solar absorber, the evaporation rate and efficiency can reach up to 1.43 kg m -2 h -1 and 87.5% under one sunlight irradiation, respectively. More importantly, the outstanding water proof endows the absorber with superior corrosion resistance and salt rejection performance, and hence the interfacial evaporation can maintain a long-term stability and proceed in a variety of complex conditions. The HPCNFs based interfacial evaporation provides a new avenue to the high efficiency solar steam generation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Wearable lower limb hydraulic exoskeletons can be used to augment the human performance in heavy load transportation. Nonlinear and walking phase-dependent dynamics make the lower limb hydraulic exoskeleton become difficult to be modeled. This paper presents a generalized multiphase dynamic modeling method in which the dynamic model of each walking phase can all be solved based on a general higher dimensional dynamic model and different holonomic constraints. Compared to traditional lower limb exoskeleton modeling methods where the modeling of each walking phase is done independently, the proposed method is simple and applicable to arbitrary walking phases, especially for double leg support phase (closed-chain dynamics). Based on the established dynamic models, MIMO adaptive robust cascade force controllers (ARCFC) are designed both for double leg support phase and single leg support phase to effectively address high-order nonlinearities and various modeling uncertainties in hydraulic exoskeletons. An additional torque allocation method is proposed to deal with the overactuated characteristic in double leg support. Comparative simulations are conducted to verify the excellent human-machine interaction force control performance of the proposed scheme., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Shan Chen et al.)

Objective: This study investigates the effects of COMTval158met gene polymorphism on maternal anxiety and pain during delivery and on the analgesic and anxiety efficacy of dexmedetomidine during delivery., Methods: Sixty-one pregnant women, who were hospitalized in our hospital from January to November of 2016 were recruited and randomly divided into two groups, F and D groups. The pregnant women in the F group were given labor analgesia with ropivacaine combined with fentanyl. The pregnant women in the D group were given labor analgesia with ropivacaine combined with dexmedetomidine. Before and after labor analgesia, the genotype of COMT in the blood from two groups was detected, and the situation of labor anxiety and analgesia was analyzed. Then, the relationship between labor anxiety, analgesia, and COMT polymorphism was analyzed., Results: In the 61 pregnant women, there were 30 women of wild homozygotes (GG) of COMT, 22 women of mutant heterozygotes (GA), and nine women of mutant homozygotes (AA), the mutation rate of allele A was 23.77%. The anxiety status score, anxiety trait score, and pain score in the AA genotype were significantly higher than those in the GG and GA genotype (p < 0.05). There was a significant difference in the efficacy of GG and AA genotypes between groups D and F for treating labor anxiety (p < 0.05), the efficacy of group D was better than that of group F in treating delivery anxiety, there was no significant difference in anxiety scores between the two groups in GA genotypes (p > 0.05); there was no significant difference in pain between group D and F in GG, GA, and AA genotypes (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in pain and anxiety scores between the three genotypes in group D (p > 0.05), there was significant difference in pain scores among the three genotypes in group F (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in anxiety (p > 0.05)., Conclusions: The mutation of the COMTval158met gene leads to increased anxiety and pain during childbirth. The effect of dexmedetomidine on the anxiety of GG and AA genotypes is better than that of fentanyl, and the mutation of the COMTval158met gene has no impact on dexmedetomidine effect., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Cytoprotective autophagy induces tumor cell apoptosis or autophagic programmed cell death. Autophagy and apoptosis are implicated in the pathogenesis of lung cancer, especially lung adenocarcinoma. 3-Hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase type 2 (BDH2), a rate-limiting catalyzer in the regulation of intracellular iron metabolism and siderophore biogenesis, has been shown to be a tumor suppressor through promotion of cell apoptosis and autophagy. However, the biological role of BDH2 on lung adenocarcinoma cell apoptosis and autophagy remains unclear. Data from Western blot and qRT-PCR showed that BDH2 was down-regulated in lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549, NCI-H1975, PC9) compared to normal human lung cells (BEAS-2B). Functional assays demonstrated that pcDNA-mediated over-expression of BDH2 reduced cell viability of lung adenocarcinoma cells, and repressed the proliferation. Cell apoptosis of lung adenocarcinoma was promoted by BDH2 over-expression with up-regulation of Bax and cleaved caspase-3. Over-expression of BDH2 reduced protein expression of p62 in lung adenocarcinoma cells, enhanced LC3 and Beclin-1. Phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR in lung adenocarcinoma cells were reduced by BDH2 over-expression. In conclusion, BDH2 functioned as a tumor suppressor in lung adenocarcinoma through promotion of Akt/mTOR-mediated cell apoptosis and autophagy.

Folate-aminocaproic acid-doxorubicin (FA-AMA-hyd-DOX) was firstly synthesized by our group. It was indicated that FA-AMA-hyd-DOX was pH-responsive, and had strong cytotoxicity on a folate receptor overexpressing cell line (KB cells) in vitro. The aim of our study was to further explore the potential use of FA-AMA-hyd-DOX as a new therapeutic drug for breast cancer. The cellular uptake and the antiproliferative activity of the FA-AMA-hyd-DOX in MDA-MB-231 cells were measured. Compared with DOX, FA-AMA-hyd-DOX exhibited higher targeting ability and cytotoxicity to FR-positive tumor cells. Subsequently, the tissue distribution of FA-AMA-hyd-DOX was studied, and the result confirmed that DOX modified by FA can effectively increase the selectivity of drugs in vivo. After determining the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of FA-AMA-hyd-DOX in MDA-MB-231 tumor-bearing nude mice, the antitumor effects and the in vivo safety of FA-AMA-hyd-DOX were systematically evaluated. The data showed that FA-AMA-hyd-DOX could effectively increase the dose of DOX tolerated by tumor-bearing nude mice and significantly inhibit MDA-MB-231 tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, FA-AMA-hyd-DOX treatment resulted in almost no obvious damage to the mice. All the positive data suggest that FA-targeted FA-AMA-hyd-DOX is a promising tumor-targeted compound for breast cancer therapy.

Perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) is recently recommended to define the cognitive decrease during the perioperative period. However, the disease's underlying mechanisms remain unclear. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are noncoding RNAs that play a vital role in regulating neuroregeneration and neuronal apoptosis. In this study, miR-124-3p was significantly reduced in the PND rat model after a cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) procedure. MicroRNA-124 (miR-124)-3p-overexpressed lentivirus was constructed and injected via the intracerebroventricular method before CPB. Morris Water Maze test (WMW) and the Open-Field test (OFT) were used to measure behavior changes, data shows decline of cognitive function of rats after CPB. PND rats expressed higher Aβ and p-Tau Protein by using immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses and Enzyme-Linked Immune Sorbent Assay (ELISA). Moreover, the results of IHC, ELISA, Western Blot analysis (WB) and Terminal-deoxynucleotidyl Transferase Mediated Nick End Labeling Assay (TUNEL) showed CPB procedure induced inflammation and apoptosis in rats with PND. The data also revealed the protective function of miR-124-3p overexpression against PND in relieving inflammation, cell apoptosis, and alleviating repaired cognitive function. Moreover, miR-124-3p was predicted by directly targeting LPIN1. This study gives a novel viewpoint that miR-124-3p could improve the state of PND via modulating LPIN1, therefore providing a new strategy for preventing and treating PND in a preclinical application., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

In the silicone material extrusion (MEX) process, product profile error and performance defects are common problems due to changes in strand shape. A process optimization method considering strand morphology, denoted as SMO, which allows adjustment of the strand shape by adjusting process parameters during the printing process is presented. The relation between process parameters (extrusion speed, moving speed, nozzle height, and nozzle radius) and the geometric parameters (strand width and strand height) of the cross-section, as well as the relationship between strand spacing, layer height, and process parameters in no void constraint is discussed and verified. SMO was utilized to produce specimens with tunable strand width and strand height. Tensile tests and profile scans were performed to compare SMO with other methods to verify its feasibility. Specimens fabricated using the SMO method have up to a 7% increase in tensile strength, up to a 10% reduction in processing time, and about a 60% reduction in strand height error over unused ones. The results show that the SMO method with adjustable strand width can effectively balance efficiency and mechanical properties compared to uniform infill, and the SMO method with adjustable strand height can provide higher accuracy compared to uniform strand height. The proposed method is validated and improves the efficiency and accuracy of silicone MEX.

Purpose: Chemotherapy based on cisplatin (CDDP) has been established as the treatment of choice for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Malignant tumors respond to microenvironmental alterations through a dynamic balance between mitochondrial fission and fusion. HNSCCs are known to exhibit hypoxic conditions, yet the respective effects and underlying mechanisms of hypoxia on chemosensitivity and mitochondrial dynamics remain to be resolved., Methods: The effect of hypoxia on the chemosensitivity of HNCC cells was determined by flow cytometry. Mitochondrial fission factor (Mff) expression was assessed by RT-PCR and Western blotting in hypoxic HNSCC cells, and further verified in primary CDDP-sensitive and CDDP-resistant HSNCC samples. The biological function of Mff was evaluated by loss of function and gain of function analyses, both in vitro and in vivo., Results: We found that hypoxia promoted mitochondrial fission and CDDP sensitivity in HNSCC cells. Importantly, Mff was found to be correlated with chemosensitivity in primary clinical samples under hypoxic conditions. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) was found to markedly increase Mff transcription and to directly bind to Mff. Hypoxia enhanced the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulated the expression of Mff via HIF-1α in HNSCC cells. ROS depletion in HNSCC cells attenuated HIF-1α expression, Mff expression and mitochondrial fission. Moreover, Mff knockdown led to suppression of hypoxia-induced mitochondrial fission and to decreased CDDP chemosensitivity in vivo and in vitro., Conclusions: Our findings indicate that hypoxia-induced release of ROS can promote mitochondrial fission and CDDP chemosensitivity via HIF1α/Mff regulation in HNSCC cells, indicating that Mff may serve as a biomarker to predict neoadjuvant chemosensitivity in HNSCC patients and as a target for overcoming chemoresistance., (© 2021. Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Objective: To establish a structured and integrated platform of clinical data and biobank data, and a client to retrieve these data. Study Design: Initially, the hospital information system (HIS) and biobank information system (BIS) were integrated through the patients' ID numbers. Then, natural language processing (NLP) was used to process the integrated unstructured clinical information. A query interface was designed for this system, which enabled researchers to retrieve clinical or biobank data. Finally, several queries were listed and manually checked to test the retrieval performance of the system. Results: The construction of the biobank screening system (BSS) was completed, and the data were structured. The BSS took an average of 2 seconds to perform a search for target patients/samples. The retrieval results were consistent with the HIS and BIS. For complex queries, we manually checked the retrieved patients/samples, and the system's accuracy was 100%. Conclusion: This NLP-based system improved biological sample screening and using of clinical data. We will continue to improve this system, enhance resource sharing, and promote the development of translational medicine.

In power gear honing, the random distribution of abrasive grains on the tooth surface of the honing wheel is the main factor that influences the machining performance of high-quality hardened gears. In order to investigate the micro-edge cutting performance of the active abrasive grains on the workpiece gear, the real honing process is simplified into a micro-edge cutting model with random distribution of active abrasive grains in the cells of the meshing area by obtaining the random distribution states such as the position, orientation and quantity of the honing wheel teeth. The results show that although the active abrasive grains are distributed at different locations, they all experience three types of material removal-slip rubbing, plowing and cutting-allowing the gear honing process to have the combined machining characteristics of grinding, lapping and polishing. The active abrasive grains in first contact produce high honing force, high material removal efficiency and poor surface roughness on the machined workpiece, while the latter ones have the opposite effects. The dislocation angle affects the chip shape and chip discharging direction, and the highest honing force and material removal efficiency is achieved with a dislocation angle of 135°. The higher the number of active abrasive grains in a given contact area, the higher the material removal efficiency.

Solution-processed metal-based halide perovskites have taken a dominant position for perovskite optoelectronics including light emission and X-ray detection; however, the toxicity of the included heavy metals severely restricts their applications for wearable, lightweight, and transient optoelectronic devices. Here, the authors describe investigations of large (4 × 6 × 2 mm 3 ) 3D metal-free perovskite MDABCO-NH 4 I 3 (MDBACO = methyl-N'-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octonium) single crystal and its charge recombination and extraction behavior for light emission and X-ray detection. Unlike conventional 3D metal-based perovskites, this lightweight and biocompatible perovskite large crystal is processed from aqueous solution at room temperature, and can achieve both an extremely long carrier lifetime up to ≈1.03 µs and the formation of self-trapped excited states for luminescence. These features contribute to a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) as high as ≈53% at room temperature and an X-ray sensitivity up to 1997 ± 80 μC Gy cm -2 at 50 V bias (highest among all metal-free detectors). The ability to tune the perovskite band gap by modulating the structure under high pressure is also demonstrated, which opens up applications for the crystal as colored emitters. These attributes make it a molecular alternative to metal-based perovskites for biocompatible and transient optoelectronics., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Objective: To observe the behavioral changes and changes in DNA fragments and related inflammatory factors in the hippocampus of epileptic rats pretreated with Rongchang capsule ()., Methods: Eighty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the normal group (NG), model group (MG), sodium valproate group (VG), and Rongchang capsule group (RG) (n = 20 in each group). Pentylentetrazol was administered to the MG, VG, and RG to induce epilepsy. The VG and RG were pretreated with 1/2 the therapeutic dose of sodium valproate and Rongchang capsule, respectively. Changes in convulsion behavior and water maze learning were observed. Single cell gel electrophoresis was used to detect changes in the DNA in the hippocampus. The tail length (TL) and Olive tail moment (OTM) of cells were analyzed by GASP software. The expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and CCL4 in the hippocampus was determined by Western blotting., Results: Rongchang capsule had a weaker effect on convulsive latency than sodium valproate, but significantly reduced seizure susceptibility. The spatial learning ability of the RG was better than that of the VG (P ≤ 0.01). The TL and OTM were significantly higher in the MG than the NG (P < 0.01). The RG had a better TL and OTM than the VG (P < 0.01). Combined with the microscopy results, DNA damage was most pronounced in the MG. Drug intervention decreased the DNA damage in the VG and RG. The expressions of IL-1β, CCL4, and HMGB1 in the hippocampus were significantly greater in the MG than the NG (P < 0.01), and were significantly reduced in the RG and VG compared with the MG (P < 0.01); however, there was no intergroup difference in the expression of TGF-β. The average values for the expression of inflammatory factors in the hippocampus were higher in the RG than in the VG; thus, Rongchang capsule may have a weaker effect on reducing the expression of inflammatory factors in the hippocampus than sodium valproate., Conclusion: Pretreatment with Rongchang capsule prevents or delays cognitive impairment in rats with induced epilepsy, reduces hippocampal DNA damage, and decreases the hippocampal expressions of IL-1β, CCL4, and HMGB1.

Purpose: To investigate whether dexmedetomidine can improve postoperative neurocognitive function after cardiopulmonary bypass in rats., Methods: A total of 45 male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into sham group, control group, and dexmedetomidine (Dex) group. The rats in the sham group received skin excision and blood vessel ligation treatment, rats in the control group received cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), and rats in the Dex group received CPB and Dex treatment. Morris water maze test and open-field tests were used to evaluate the rats' cognition. The expression of inflammatory mediators in the rats' central and peripheral regions, Aβ and Tau in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, and apoptosis in brain tissue were measured., Results: The CPB model rats were found to have significantly decreased cognitive function, increased expression of caspase-3 and Bax in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus DG, increased apoptosis and activated microglia, and increased plasma levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and TNF-α. Dexmedetomidine reduced apoptosis in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus DG region of rats, decreased the expression of caspase-3 and bax, inhibited microglia activation in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus DG region of rats, and decreased the plasma levels of IL-β, IL-6, and TNF-α., Conclusions: Dexmedetomidine plays a neuroprotective role by inhibiting inflammation, apoptosis, and microglia activation in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampal DG region, and attenuates the cognitive deficit identified in the control group.

Zero-dimensional (0D) hybrid metal halides are promising light emitters. However, it is still challenging to accurately design their structures with targeted photoluminescence properties. Herein, high pressure is used to change the self-trapped exciton (STE) emission of 0D (bmpy) 9 [ZnBr 4 ] 2 [Pb 3 Br 11 ] (bmpy: 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium). Under initial compression, the simultaneous contraction and distortion of photoactive [Pb 3 Br 11 ] 5- vary the equilibrium of STE emissions between different excited states, tuning the emission color from yellow green to cyan. Notably, sufficient structural distortion under continuous compression leads to the formation of more and deeper STE states, exhibiting an unprecedented broadband white-light emission. This study reveals the structure-dependent optical properties of 0D hybrid metal halides, providing novel insights into the mechanism of STE emission., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive subtypes of breast cancer and the major phenotype of BRCA related hereditary breast cancer. Platinum is a promising chemotherapeutic agent for TNBC. However, its efficacy for breast cancer with BRCA germline mutation remains inconclusive. Here we present a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of platinum agents for breast cancer patients with BRCA mutation in neoadjuvant setting., Materials and Methods: Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched for relevant studies on neoadjuvant platinum treatment and BRCA related breast cancer. Fixed- and random-effect models were adopted for meta-analyses. Heterogeneity investigation was conducted by sensitivity and subgroup analyses. Publication bias was evaluated by funnel plot and Begg's test., Results: In all, five studies with 363 patients were included for meta-analysis. The pooled pathological complete response (pCR) rates were 43.4% (59/136) and 33.9% (77/227) for platinum and control groups, respectively. Adding platinum to neoadjuvant regimen did not significantly improved pCR rate (odds ratio [OR]: 1.340, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.677-2.653, p = 0.400). Sensitivity analyses also revealed platinum did not significantly increase pCR rate in either TNBC or HER2- patients (TNBC subgroup: OR: 1.028, 95% CI = 0.779-1.356, p = 0.846; HER2- subgroup: OR: 0.935, 95% CI = 0.716-1.221, p = 0.622)., Conclusions: Our meta-analysis suggested that the addition of platinum to neoadjuvant chemotherapy did not significantly improve pCR rate for patients with BRCA mutations. Further large-scale randomized control trial with survival data may provide more robust evidence on therapeutic value of platinum for breast cancer neoadjuvant treatment., (Copyright © 2020 Wang, Xu, Lin, Zhu, Zhou, Mao, Zhang, Huang, Zhong, Sun and Li.)

Objectives: Reconstruction of the total tongue after cancer resection remains one of the challenges in head and neck surgery. Inadequate reconstruction after subtotal or total glossectomy defects leads to poor quality of life. The aim of this study was to explore an economical, practical and effective flap design for functional tongue reconstruction., Material and Methods: Sixty patients were randomly divided into two groups, namely, a "Sushi roll" technique group (30 patients) and a conventional surgery group (30 patients). Then, the patients underwent total or subtotal tongue reconstruction. Swallowing function, speech intelligibility, cosmetic results, and quality of life were assessed with the appropriate scales. Outcomes were analysed, and a p-value <0.05 was considered significant., Results: The perioperative recovery of the "Sushi roll" group was superior to that of the conventional group. Relative to patients in the conventional group, patients in the "Sushi roll" group showed significantly improved speech intelligibility (p = 0.025), cosmetic results (p < 0.001) and swallowing function (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: The innovative "Sushi roll" anterolateral thigh myocutaneous flap approach for total tongue reconstruction creates a free neotongue tip with adequate volume and protuberance and causes minimal damage to the donor site, producing acceptable swallowing function and speech intelligibility., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declared that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this research, to achieve the altitude and attitude tracking control of an underactuated quadrotor UAV with mismatched uncertainties, based upon Udwadia-Kalaba theory, a novel adaptive robust tracking control approach is proposed and which will be designed in two steps. First, aiming at the uncertain and underactuated quadrotor UAV, regardless of initial constraint deviation and mismatched uncertainties, a nominal control is constructed through transforming the desired trajectories into corresponding servo constraints; second, for the mismatched uncertainties, we decompose them into two parts, i.e. the matched part and mismatched part, and the mismatched part will "vanish" during the stability analysis of proposed adaptive robust controller. Eventually, with such a decomposition technique, the large mismatched uncertainties can be addressed properly and the burden of controller design will be reduced to a certain degree. In addition, two deterministic robust control performances are also guaranteed by our proposed approach. The simulation results have shown a good robustness and tracking precision of our proposed scheme for quadrotor UAV., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 ISA. All rights reserved.)

Luminescent thermochromic materials with a dramatic shift of emission band under different temperatures are highly desirable in temperature sensing fields. However, the design of the synthesis of such compounds remains a great challenge. In this work, two new luminescent thermochromic silver iodides, (emIm)Ag 3 I 4 ( 1 ) and (emIm)Ag 2 I 3 ( 2 ) (emIm = 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazole), have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions. Compound 1 features a [Ag 3 I 4 ] - anionic layer, while compound 2 possesses an infinite [Ag 2 I 3 ] - chain structure, both of which are charge balanced by emIm + cations. Particularly, they display luminescent thermochromism with a significant wavelength shift of emission maximum with temperature change. They represent rare examples of infinite layered or chain silver iodides that show luminescent thermochromism. Furthermore, the results indicate that compounds 1 and 2 are promising wavelength-dependent luminescent thermometers.

Lithium metal batteries are promising candidates for next generation high energy batteries. However, an undesirable dendrite growth hinders their practical applications. Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) porous carbon nanotube film decorated with Ag nanoparticles (CNT/Ag) has been synthesized via the thermal decomposition reaction of AgNO 3 into Ag nanoparticles, and then is transformed into a 3D porous CNT/Ag/Li film via thermal infusion to obtain a high-performance free-standing lithium host. This as-formed 3D CNT/Ag/Li host can effectively restrain the dendrite growth by guiding Li deposition via the highly lithiophilic Ag nanoparticle seeds and lowering local current density of the highly conductive matrix. The as-prepared CNT/Ag/Li electrode exhibits long-term cycling stability over 200 cycles at a current density of 1 mA cm -2 with an areal capacity of 1.0 mA h cm -2 . Moreover, the full cell paired with a sulfur/C cathode shows good cycling stability. Therefore, the 3D porous CNT/Ag/Li film formed via a facile three-step fabrication process can enlarge the cycle lifetime of a lithium metal anode., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)