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Due to the large difference in physical and chemical properties between the substrate and the cladding material, the welding of composite materials is much more difficult than that of single materials. In our work, S32304/Q390C composite material was considered as the research object. By adjusting the welding parameters, two kinds of joint geometry were obtained, namely, the transition layer weld lower (joint A) and higher the composite material interface (joint B). We studied the influence of the transition layer weld on the microstructure and properties of welded joints. The microstructure of the transition layer weld, the distribution of elements, the Schmidt factor of the interface between the transition layer and base layer weld, and the tensile strength of the joint were evaluated. The results show that with the increase of welding heat input, the microstructure of the transition layer weld changes from austenite and skeleton ferrite to austenite and lathy ferrite and austenite and acicular ferrite, while ferrite grows towards the weld center, showing a dendritic shape and a local network structure. At the side of the base layer weld of the interface between the transition and the base layer weld, the thickness of the low-carbon-content layer increased from 100 μm to 150 μm. Iron, chromium, and nickel elements on both sides of the interface were diffused, and the thickness of the diffusion layer increased from 3 μm to 10 μm. The tensile strength values of joints A and B were 648 MPa and 668 MPa, respectively, and the Schmidt factor values were 0.446 and 0.454, respectively. Combination with the analysis of the fracture morphology showed that when the transition layer weld was higher than the interface of the composite plate, the joint had better plastic deformation ability and higher tensile strength.

Tooth loss is accompanied by alveolar bone absorption or defect, resulting in insufficient bone and soft tissue. In addition to restoring the masticatory function of missing teeth, implant treatment should also needs to restore the contour and shape of the dental arch. Guided bone regeneration is a common means of bone increase. Xenogeneic granular bone substitute materials are widely used in the field of clinical bone augmentation due to their advantages of long degradation time and low immunogenicity, but other problems, such as inconvenient operation and low osteogenic activity, remain. Plasmatrix can effectively improve the effect of oral tissue regeneration and reduce the occurrence of postoperative complications, and its application in oral tissue regeneration is gradually increasing. This article first introduces the main application forms of plasmatrix in horizontal bone augmentation (mainly solid plasmatrix membrane and plasmatrix bone block), and reclassifies horizontal bone defects according to commonly used decision-making schemes in clinical bone augmentation, in other words, whether the implant can be placed in the ideal position and whether there is bone dehiscence after implantation. Type Ⅰ defects refers to the situation where the bone at the implant site can allow the insertion of an implant with ideal size, and there is no bone dehiscence around the implant, but the alveolar bone contour is not ideal; type Ⅱ defects refers to the situation that when an ideal size implant is placed at the implant site determined by the future prosthesis position, there will be bones on three sides of the implant, but there is bone dehiscence in the buccal bone wall (the length of bone dehiscence is less than 50% of the implant length); type Ⅲ defects refers to the situation where the bone volume at the implant site is not enough to for the placement of the ideal size implant at the ideal position, and bone grafting is required to restore the bone volume before the implant placement. The application of plasmatrix in different types of bone defects is then described. In type Ⅰ bone defects, the solid plasmatrix membrane is used instead of the collagen membrane; in type Ⅱ bone defects, the bone defect around the implant is filled by plasmatrix bone block and then covered with collagen membrane and solid plasmatrix membrane; and in type Ⅲ bone defects, plasmatrix bone block is used to replace autogenous bone block to fill the defect area, and titanium screws are used for fixation. The defect is then covered with a collagen membrane and a solid plasmatrix membrane. This article aims to provide oral clinicians with a comprehensive understanding of plasmatrix and simplify the guidelines for bone regeneration operations.

OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to compare the barrier function during bacterial invasion and wound healing properties of 3 commonly used membranes including horizontal platelet-rich fibrin (H-PRF) against two commercially available resorbable collagen membranes. MATERIALS AND METHODS H-PRF membranes were prepared by collecting venous blood from 3 healthy volunteers using a 700 g for 8-min centrifugation protocol followed by compression into membranes. To evaluate their barrier function, 3 groups (H-PRF membrane, collagen membrane A (Bio-Gide, Geistlich), collagen membrane B (Megreen, Shanxi Ruisheng Biotechnology Co) were placed between an inner chamber and outer chamber and inoculated with S. aureus. At 2 h, 24 h, and 48 h post-inoculation, cultures from the inner and outer chambers were assessed for bacterial CFUs. Then, scanning electron microscope (SEM) was utilized to visualized the morphological destruction by bacteria of the inner and outer surfaces of the membranes. To assess the wound healing properties of each membrane, leachates from each group were applied to human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) and a scratch assay was performed at 24 h and 48 h. RESULTS S. aureus showed a minimal bacterial attachment or invasion rate through either collagen membranes at 2 h post-inoculation, yet over time demonstrated rapid degradation, especially on the rougher surface. While PRF demonstrated higher number of CFUs after 2 h, no significant penetration/degradation of the H-PRF membranes was observed at 24 h and 48 h in the H-PRF group. Both collagen membranes demonstrated significant morphological changes 48 h post-bacterial innoculation, while minimal obvious morphological changes were observed in the H-PRF group. The wound healing assay also demonstrated significantly better wound closure rates in the H-PRF group. CONCLUSION H-PRF membranes exhibited better barrier function towards S. aureus over 2 days of innoculation and better wound healing ability when compared to two commercially available collagen membranes. CLINICAL RELEVANCE This study provides further evidence for the application of H-PRF membranes during guided bone regeneration by minimizing bacterial invasion. Furthermore, H-PRF membranes have significantly better ability to promote wound healing.

Probiotics have been recognized as a bio-control measure in aquaculture against bacterial infections, especially with the surge of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. To fully exert the benefits of host-derived probiotics, which are well adapted to prevailing environmental conditions, microencapsulation is often needed to prevent them from gastric acidity, storage, and feed preparation processes before reaching the targeted sites and releasing in a desired manner. Common encapsulants include polysaccharides and proteins, immobilizing probiotics in a 3D matrix to maintain their viability and effectiveness. It is worth noticing that some of these encapsulants are seaweed-derived, which can be viable candidates as prebiotics when served as dietary supplements. Therefore, this work evaluated how four common polysaccharide encapsulants, alginate, carrageenan, xanthan, and gum arabic, can be utilized to modulate the host gut microbiota in an ex vivo model. Alginate and kappa-carrageenan were shortlisted for subsequent probiotic encapsulation based on their fermentability to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are energy sources for intestinal epithelial cells, and the bacterial composition change in the gut microflora after the co-incubation with the fish gut suspensions. Alginate is the most common encapsulant for probiotic encapsulation due to its ability to gel with di-valent ions to provide bacteria with good gastric protection and a lack of toxicity. Kappa-carrageenan can crosslink with mono-valent ions, and it produced the most abundant SCFAs and could not be selectively utilized by pathogenic bacteria. Both needle extrusion and spray drying were explored as encapsulation techniques. Extrusion is easy to set up and mild to bacteria. Extrusion parameters, including the needle size, the polysaccharide concentration, the flow rate, and the extrusion temperature, were optimized to yield microparticles with sufficient gastric protection. The survivability of the probiotics that underwent the simulated gastric fluid remained at the same 8 Log CFU/g magnitude as before the challenge, while no survival was found for naked bacteria. The robust protection of needle-extruded particles was accompanied by difficulty releasing bacteria in the intestine, with only around 5 Log CFU/g could be released in 2 hours. Considering fish’s short digestion time, needle extrusion may not be optimal for probiotic delivery in aquaculture. Spray drying was adopted to resolve the release problem. The host-derived strain can withstand the spray drying condition and readily release in the simulated intestinal fluid with uncompromised protection in the gastric environment. The ex vivo co-incubation study confirmed that introducing this encapsulated host-derived isolate could effectively suppress the growth of Aeromonas. Future work includes the in vivo challenge test in jade perch to assess whether manipulating the host gut microbiota through host-derived probiotic supplementation can increase disease resistance and how the bacteria persist in their native environment. Singapore National Biofilm Consortium

Nonlinear vibration arises everywhere in a bistable system. The bistable system has been widely applied in physics, biology, and chemistry. In this article, in order to numerically simulate a class of space fractional-order bistable system, we introduce a numerical approach based on the modified Fourier spectral method and fourth-order Runge-Kutta method. The fourth-order Runge-Kutta method is used in time, and the Fourier spectrum is used in space to approximate the solution of the space fractional-order bistable system. Numerical experiments are given to illustrate the effectiveness of this method.

Anaerobic digestion is an important way for maintaining sewage sludge stability, reduction, and resource recovery. However, the low organic content generally limits methane production. Recently, thermal hydrolysis has been widely used for sludge pretreatment to improve the anaerobic digestion efficiency. Generally, an increased temperature is preferred to enhance the solubility of organic matters in the sludge. However, high energy requirement comes with increased temperature. Application of low-temperature thermal treatment could overcome this drawback. However, the appropriate low-temperature pretreatment time is still uncertain. In this study, an extended contact time with low thermal pretreatment (90 °C) was chosen to realize a more efficient and economical digestion process of low-organic content sludge. The results demonstrated that the solubilization of proteins and carbohydrates was significantly promoted by the contact time-extended thermal hydrolysis pretreatment. The following anaerobic digestion efficiency of low-organic content sludge was also dramatically improved with the prolonged contact time. The maximum methane production could reach around 294.73 mL/gVS after 36 h of 90 °C treatment, which was 5.56 times that of the untreated groups. Additionally, based on the energy balance calculation, extending the thermal hydrolysis time resulted in a more economically feasible anaerobic digestion than increasing the temperature. The dewatering properties and the stability of the heavy metals were also reinforced, implying the advanced deep utilization of the digested low-organic content sludge. In conclusion, sludge pretreated by low-temperature thermal hydrolysis with a prolonged contact time could be more effective for low-organic content sludge treatment and disposal.

An efficient anchoring method, explicitly developed for small sliders, has hitherto been missing in the practice of earthen architecture conservation. Furthermore, anchorage performance studies conducted so far, have failed to fully take into account the soil characteristics of certain targets. To address these concerns, the conservation project conceived for the Gaochang Ruins, Turpan, in China, was selected as the experiment ground to design a novel Geotechnical Filament Anchor (GFA) for reinforcing small sliders in the earthen historical ramparts. In-situ experiments were conducted for evaluating six parameters—anchorage length (L), GF thickness (H), bore diameter (D), slurry strength (S), GFA surface status (R), and inclination angle (A). These parameters were varied in order to determine the effect they produce on anchorage performance, as demonstrated by the indicators, including tensile strength, destruction mode, load displacement (P-S) relation, and strain (ζ-L) distribution characteristics of the novel GFA. Data acquired from the experiments, in combination with the conservation specifics of earthen architectural sites, anchorage performance, and safety reserve, were further employed to introduce a calculation formula for computing the designed force value (N) through L. A simplified model depicting the shear stress distribution of the anchorage system under N was devised by extracting the strain distribution data with respect to the GF-slurry interface. Taking into account the soil properties of the above-mentioned site, the shear stress diffusion coefficient (α) was conceptualized, the formula for the shear strength of the grouting material was devised, and the tolerable ranges of L, D, H, R, and S were determined. A new design idea is proposed for the application of anchorage technology in earthen ruins in combination with the characteristics of cultural relics protection, which certainly promotes the formation of its design concept and calculation method.

Nonlinear vibration arises everywhere in engineering. So far there is no method to track the exact trajectory of a space fractional nonlinear oscillator; therefore, a sophisticated numerical method is much needed to elucidate its basic properties. For this purpose, a numerical method that combines the Fourier spectral method with the Runge–Kutta method is proposed. Its accuracy and efficiency have been demonstrated numerically. This approach has full physical understanding and numerical access; thus, it can be used to solve many types of nonlinear space fractional partial differential equations with periodic boundary conditions.

PurposeTo investigate the quantitative changes in iris and retinal blood flow indices after femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) and small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE).MethodsSeventy-nine patients who underwent FS-LASIK or SMILE were enrolled between July 2020 and September 2020. Participants were followed-up 1 day pre-operatively and 1 week, 1 month, 3 months post-operatively. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) was used to acquire and quantify the iris and retinal blood flow indices.ResultsThe iris vessel area density (VAD) and vessel skeleton density (VSD) decreased on post-operative day 1 but recovered on day 7. In both cases, the pupil diameter was positively associated with the post-operative iris blood flow indices (p = 0.0013, p = 0.0002). The retinal VAD and VSD in the superficial and deep capillary plexuses decreased after surgery and failed to recover after 90 days. The SMILE group showed significantly lower iris and retinal blood flow indices than the FS-LASIK group. For both procedures, axial length (p = 0.0345, p = 0.0499), spherical equivalence (p = 0.0063, p = 0.0070), and suction duration (p = 0.0025, p = 0.0130) were negatively correlated with the post-operative VAD and VSD.ConclusionsThe SMILE and FS-LASIK procedures induced a short-term decrease in the iris and retinal blood flow indices, although patients finally showed full visual recovery. This phenomenon should be carefully considered, especially in patients prone to anterior segment lesions.

Exploiting the use of probiotics in aquaculture is one key strategy to promote fish growth while mitigating fish-associated diseases. Among the different types of probiotics, host-derived probiotics exhibit promising efficacy compared to commercial or terrestrial-derived ones as they are adapted to the host environment. This study aimed to identify and characterize potential probiotics from jade perch (Scortum barcoo), one of the newly farmed fish species in Singapore, to enhance its disease resistance. Gut isolates from jade perch were screened for their ability to inhibit the growth of pathogenic Aeromonas sobria, Streptococcus iniae, and Streptococcus agalactiae. Several isolates that demonstrated antagonistic effects against A. sobria and S. iniae were later identified to be Enterococcus hirae. The pathogen inhibition efficacy of this isolate was also examined in both jade perch and tilapia gut suspensions, mimicking more complex host microbial environments. Significant clear zones were found when co-incubated with jade perch gut suspensions, whereas only minimal inhibition zones were produced in tilapia gut suspensions, suggesting the advantage of using host-derived probiotics. The safety of the final probiotic candidate was evaluated using whole-genome sequencing. This strain did not harbor any known toxins and mobile genetic elements. Conjugation experiments confirmed that its inherent antibiotic resistance gene aac (6')-Iid was not transferable. Two classes of bacteriocins were found in the probiotic genome, which partially explained its antimicrobial activities against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. The use of E. hirae as a probiotic for Jade Perch and other freshwater fish is promising as it is acclimatized to aquatic environments, safe and effective. Nanyang Technological University

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of resting and compression time after centrifugation on the physical properties of platelet rich fibrin (PRF) membranes, and to provide optimal guidance regarding the clinical preparation of PRF. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 12 volunteers enrolled in this study divided into 2 groups equally. For each volunteer, 6 tubes of 10 mL venous whole blood was drawn. To evaluate the influence of resting time after centrifugation, PRF clots were taken out 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 min from tubes following centrifugation, and then the weight, size, maximum stress, and maximum strain of each group were measured. To evaluate the influence of compression time on the preparation of PRF membranes, the weight ratio of PRF membranes to PRF clots was calculated by compression for 10 s, 30 s, 60 s, 90 s, 120 s, and 180 s, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy was performed to observe the cross-linking of the fibers within membranes, and the maximum stress and strain of PRF membranes were tested followed by stress-strain curve analysis. RESULTS The weight and volume of PRF clots and PRF membranes increased in size and weight reached the top at 3 min, followed by a decrease after 7-min resting. The maximum strain of the PRF membranes after 10 min decreased significantly compared to the 3-min and 5-min groups. The maximum stress was found at 3 min followed by a statistical decrease when resting time went on. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that the internal fibrous structure of the PRF membranes was looser when the compression time was less than 60 s when comparing the 90-s group. The maximum stress of PRF membranes was shown using a wait period of 3 min post-centrifugation followed by compression for 120 s. CONCLUSION The findings from the present study demonstrate that the time post-centrifugation of PRF membranes showed a maximum weight, volume, and mechanical properties after resting for 3-5 min in the tube post-centrifugation followed by a compression time of 120 s. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Although research to date has focused primarily on centrifugation protocols, this study revealed for the first time that the resting time post-centrifugation greatly affected the mechanical properties of PRF. This study demonstrated that the resting and compression time after centrifugation influences the mechanical strength of PRF membranes, which might explain differences in PRF characteristics prepared by different clinicians that may provide a standard guide for preparation of PRF membranes.

With the growing consumption of oil, the production of p-xylene(PX) from renewable biomass has gained significant attention recently. This work demonstrated that cellulose, a main component in lignocellulosic biomass, was directly converted into PX over the Mg/P surface-modified zeolites. The catalysts modified by the incorporation of P2O5 and MgO into HZSM-5(HZ) promoted the isomerization of m-/o-xylenes to p-xylene. The PX selectivity was greatly enhanced using the modified zeolites due to the deactivation of external surface and the adjustment of pore entrance. In addition, the addition of methanol to cellulose was beneficial to increase the selectivity of xylenes due to the alkylation reactions and the Diels-Alder reactions between cellulose-derived furans and methanol-derived olefins. The highest PX yield of 10.7%(molar fraction) with a high PX selectivity in xylenes(97.1%) was obtained over the 10%Mg/5%P/HZ catalyst. The reaction pathway for the formation of p-xylene was addressed according to the study of the key reactions and the characterization of catalysts.

The bio-oil derived from pyrolysis of straw can be selectively converted into high-purity hydrogen by coupling three steps: (i) steam reforming(SR) of different bio-oils, (ii) water-gas shift(WGS), and (iii) the removal of CO2. The catalytic SR reaction over the NiLaTiAl catalyst, coupled with a low-temperature WGS reaction with the CuZnAl catalyst, promoted the conversion of various oxygen-containing organic compounds in the bio-oil into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Under the optimized condition, light bio-oil achieved the highest conversion(99.8%, molar fraction), with a high hydrogen yield of 16.4%(mass fraction) and a H2 purity of 99.94%(volume fraction). The carbon deposition on the NiLaTiAl catalyst was the main factor caused catalyst deactivation. Production of hydrogen from different bio-oil model compounds was also investigated in detail.

Background: Post-operative pain management for patients undergoing thoracoscopy surgery is challenging for clinicians which increase both health and economic burden. The non-selective NMDA receptor antagonist esketamine possesses an analgesic effect twice that of ketamine. The application of esketamine might be beneficial in alleviating acute and chronic pain after thoracic surgery. The current study describes the protocol aiming to evaluate the analgesic effect of esketamine after pulmonary surgery via visual analog scale (VAS) score for acute and chronic pain.Methods: A multi-center, prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind study is designed to explore the analgesic effect of esketamine in randomized patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) with general anesthesia. Patients will be randomly assigned to Esketamine Group (Group K) and Control Group (Group C) in a ratio of 1:1. Group K patients will receive esketamine with a bolus of 0.1 mg/kg after anesthesia induction, 0.1 mg/kg/h throughout the operation and 0.015 mg/kg/h in PCIA after surgery while Group C patients will receive the same volume of normal saline. The primary outcome is to measure the pain intensity through the VAS score at 3 months after the operation. The secondary outcome includes VAS score at 1, 4, 8, 24, and 48 h and on the 7th day and 1 month after the operation, complications, ketamine-related neurological side effects, recovery time of bowel function, and total amount of supplemental analgesics.Discussion: The results of the current study might illustrate the analgesic effect of esketamine for patients undergoing thoracoscopy pulmonary surgery and provide evidence and insight for perioperative pain management.Study Registration: The trial was registered with Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (CHICTR) on Nov 18th, 2020 (ChiCTR2000040012).

Background Surgical trauma inhibits cellular immunity. Dexmedetomidine produces opioid-sparing effect and an impact on immune response. Methods Eighty-six surgical patients were enrolled and received postoperative patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) with either fentanyl alone (fentanyl group) or combined with dexmedetomidine (dexmedetomidine group). The percentages of T helper cells (Th1, Th2, and Th17) and regulatory T (Treg) cells, expression levels of programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) on the CD4+ T cells, and plasma levels of the cytokines were tested. Postoperative pain was measured by numerical rating scale (NRS), including NRS at rest (NRSR) and movement (NRSM). Results In dexmedetomidine group, Th1 cells were increased significantly at 24 and 48 h following surgery (P=0.011 and P=0.013, respectively) and Treg cells were significantly higher at 48 h postoperatively (P=0.013). PD-1 was significantly lower in dexmedetomidine group at 24 h postoperatively (p=0.046) and interleukin 4 (IL-4) and IL-6 were significantly decreased at 48 h postoperatively (P=0.024 and P=0.035, respectively). Compared with fentanyl group, NRSR scores were lower in dexmedetomidine group at 24 h following surgery (P=0.018) and NRSR and NRSM scores were lower at 48 h postoperatively (P=0.007 and P=0.011, respectively). NRSR exhibited negative correlations with Th1 cells in fentanyl group and dexmedetomidine group (P=0.003 and P=0.005, respectively). Conclusions Dexmedetomidine increases the differentiation of Th1 and Treg cells and reduces the expression of PD-1 on CD4+ T cells. Dexmedetomidine may assist to ameliorate postoperative pain and attenuate pro-inflammatory response. There might be a negative correlation between pain and Th1 cells.

Background The Surgical Pleth Index (SPI) is a monitoring method that reflects painful stimuli during general anesthesia, and dexmedetomidine is an analgesic adjuvant with an opioid-sparing effect. But up to now, it is still unclear whether dexmedetomidine has any influence on SPI. To investigate whether dexmedetomidine has an effect on SPI during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Methods We enrolled 94 patients who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic lung lobectomy. Patients were randomly assigned to a dexmedetomidine group (dexmedetomidine: 0.8 μg/kg administered for 10 min before anesthesia) or normal saline group (equal volume of normal saline). SPI and vital signs were recorded. The number rating scale (NRS) pain score was also evaluated. Results SPI values were significantly lower in the dexmedetomidine group than in the normal saline group at intubation and at discharge from the postanesthesia care unit. Compared with the normal saline group, mean arterial pressure and heart rate were both significantly lower in the dexmedetomidine group at intubation. Heart rate was lower at skin incision in the dexmedetomidine group. The NRS score in the normal saline group was noticeably higher vs. the dexmedetomidine group at discharge from the postanesthesia care unit. Conclusions Dexmedetomidine decreased intraoperative SPI and NRS scores. Our results showed that dexmedetomidine attenuated noxious stimuli. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR): ChiCTR-OOC-16009450, Registered 16 October, 2016.

Diabetes has a significant and negative impact on wound healing, which involves complex interactions between multiple cell types. Keratinocytes play a crucial role in the healing process by rapidly covering dermal and mucosal wound surfaces to reestablish an epithelial barrier with the outside environment. Keratinocytes produce multiple factors to promote reepithelialization and produce factors that enhance connective tissue repair through the elaboration of mediators that stimulate angiogenesis and production of connective tissue matrix. Among the factors that keratinocytes produce to aid healing are transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), and antioxidants. In a diabetic environment, this program is disrupted, and keratinocytes fail to produce growth factors and instead switch to a program that is detrimental to healing. Changes in keratinocyte behavior have been linked to high glucose and advanced glycation end products that alter the activities of the transcription factor, FOXO1. This review examines reepithelialization and factors produced by keratinocytes that upregulate connective tissue healing and angiogenesis and how they are altered by diabetes.

Integration of multi-omics analyses uncovers the dynamic responses of H. pylori upon bismuth treatment., Integration of multi-omics enables uncovering cellular responses to stimuli or the mechanism of action of a drug at a system level. Bismuth drugs have long been used for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection and their antimicrobial activity was attributed to dysfunction of multiple proteins based on previous proteome-wide studies. Herein, we investigated the response of H. pylori to a bismuth drug at transcriptome and metabolome levels. Our multi-omics data together with bioassays comprehensively reveal the impact of bismuth on a diverse array of intracellular pathways, in particular, disruption of central carbon metabolism is systematically evaluated as a primary bismuth-targeting system in H. pylori. Through temporal dynamics profiling, we demonstrate that bismuth initially perturbs the TCA cycle and then urease activity, followed by the induction of oxidative stress and inhibition of energy production, and in the meantime, induces extensive down-regulation in H. pylori metabolome. The present study thus expands our knowledge on the inhibitory actions of bismuth and provides a novel systematic perspective of H. pylori in response to a clinical drug that sheds light on enhanced therapeutic methodologies.

The anchoring technology is extensively applied in reinforcing protection of the earth relics. Now that no specification is available for different new anchor rods in earth relics protection due to diversified destruction modes of earth relics and complexity of engineering technology conditions, it is urgent to guide reinforcing design and construction with a complete detailed anchor rod research document. With the new carbon fiber Phyllostachys pubescens anchor rod as the research object, six lots of in situ tests are designed to, respectively, study the destruction mode and anchoring performance of the carbon fiber Phyllostachys pubescens anchor rod under different anchor length L, anchor rod diameter D, bore diameter H, grouting material S, rib spacing R, and inclination angle A in this paper. By studying load shift curve experiment in drawing of the anchor rod, the destruction mode and ultimate bearing capacity of the carbon fiber Phyllostachys pubescens anchor rod in different experiment lots are obtained, and the concept of permitted application value N in anchor rod design is proposed. By studying strain distribution characteristics of anchor rods in experimental lots along the length direction under action of the permitted application value N and combining the existing destruction mode and ultimate bearing capacity, this paper analyzes influences of L, D, H, S, R, and A on anchoring effect of the carbon fiber Phyllostachys pubescens anchor rod; gives the reasonable value range of L, D, H, and R when the carbon fiber Phyllostachys pubescens anchor rod is used for reinforcing design of the earth relics; and provides favorable experiment basis for reinforcing design of the earth relics based on the carbon fiber Phyllostachys pubescens anchor rod.

The municipal sludge of Wastewater treatment plants generate a mass of municipal sludge is becoming an extremely environment issue. Effective utilization of the sludge to generate benefits concern many scholars. This research worked systematically to study the condition of gas production of sludge by thermal pre-treatment and compared a large differance among the maximum cumulative methane production in the sludge of high temperature thermal treatment. The inoculum via 75 °C thermal pretreatment for 10 min mixed sludge substrates by different temperature pre-treatment for 30 min. The optimum methane production was obtained from 160 °C, and the 120 °C was worse in the methane produciton. The max accumulated hydrogen and methane production were 3.57 mL and 235.97 mL respectively of 160 °C; the max accumulated methane production was 193.24 mL of 120 °C. Compared the metabolic process of anaerobic fermentation of methane, the degradation of organic matter in the sludge substrate by 160 °C for heat treatment was better than that of 120 °C.

Working memory is the theoretical basis of cognitive load theory and multimedia learning theory. It provides a basis for us to understand the nature and process of learning, design and develop learning resource environment, and develop and construct new learning theories. In this paper, CiteSpace software is used to analyze the knowledge map and content of internationally important working memory research literature data, to reveal the current research status and future development trends of international working memory. The study found that the research of working memory originated from the discussion of human memory structure, and think it is not comprehensive to use short-term memory to describe the temporary storage of information by people, for it also involves the manipulation and processing of information, and the concept of working memory is proposed. In the past 20 years, working memory research has focused on seven aspects: disease damage, cognitive control, ability performance, individual differences, memory models, experimental methods and brain activation. Finally, the paper discusses the current limitations of working memory research, and discusses some issues that need to be focused on in the future of working memory research, and its implications for the design and development of instructional design principles, learning theory construction and learning environment.

Bone grafts are widely used in bone regeneration to increase the speed and quality of new bone formation. While they are routinely characterized based on their biocompatible and bioactive properties, they also exert a profound impact on host immune responses, which in turn can display a significant effect on the healing and repair process. In this study, we investigated the role of macrophage behavior on deproteinized bovine bone matrix (DBBM, BioOss) to investigate their impact on creating either a pro- or anti-inflammatory microenvironment for tissue integration. RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining results demonstrated the ability for RAW 264.7 cells to polarize toward M2 wound-healing macrophages in response to DBBM and positive control (IL-4). Interestingly, significantly higher expression of interleukin-10 and higher number of multinucleated giant cells (MNGCs) was observed in the DBBM group. Thereafter, conditioned media (CM) from macrophages cultured with DBBM seeded with MC3T3-E1 cells demonstrated a marked increase in osteoblast differentiation. Noteworthy, this effect was reversed by blocking IL10 with addition of IL10 antibody to CM from the DBBM macrophages. Furthermore, the use of dendritic cell specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP)-knockout to inhibit MNGC formation in the DBBM group resulted in a significant reduction in osteoblast differentiation, indication a pivotal role for MNGCs in biomaterials-induced osteogenesis. The results from this study indicate convincingly that the immune response of macrophages towards DBBM has a potent effect on osteoblast differentiation. Furthermore, DBBM promoted macrophage fusion and polarization towards an M2 wound-healing phenotype, further created a microenvironment favoring biomaterial-induced osteogenesis.

This paper deals with convergence of solutions to a class of parabolic Keller-Segel systems, possibly coupled to the (Navier-)Stokes equations in the framework of the full model \begin{eqnarray*} \left\{ \begin{array}{lcl} \, \, \partial_t n_{\epsilon} + u_{\epsilon} \cdot \nabla n_{\epsilon} &=& \Delta n_{\epsilon} - \nabla \cdot \Big( n_{\epsilon} S(x, n_{\epsilon}, c_{\epsilon})\cdot\nabla c_{\epsilon}\Big) + f(x, n_{\epsilon}, c_{\epsilon}), \\[1mm] \epsilon \partial_t c_{\epsilon} + u_{\epsilon}\cdot\nabla c_{\epsilon} &=& \Delta c_{\epsilon} - c_{\epsilon} + n_{\epsilon} , \\[1mm] \,\,\partial_t u_{\epsilon} + \kappa (u_{\epsilon}\cdot\nabla) u_{\epsilon} &=& \Delta u_{\epsilon} + \nabla P_{\epsilon} + n_{\epsilon} \nabla\phi, \qquad \nabla\cdot u_{\epsilon}=0 \end{array} \right. \end{eqnarray*} to solutions of the parabolic-elliptic counterpart formally obtained on taking $\epsilon\searrow 0$. In smoothly bounded physical domains $\Omega\subset {\mathbb R}^{N}$ with $N\ge 1$, and under appropriate assumptions on the model ingredients, we shall first derive a general result which asserts certain strong and pointwise convergence properties whenever asserting that supposedly present bounds on $\nabla c_{\epsilon}$ and $u_{\epsilon}$ are bounded in $L^\lambda((0,T);L^q(\Omega))$ and in $L^\infty((0,T);L^r(\Omega))$, respectively, for some $\lambda\in (2,\infty]$, $q>N$ and $r>\max\{2,N\}$ such that $\frac{1}{\lambda}+\frac{N}{2q}, Comment: 40 pages

Qualified for the detection of cases of industrial products, the proposed non-contact detection system based on the MFC. CCD based imaging and product distribution geometry and boundary conditions, combined with digital image processing technology for industrial product testing, given the overall design concept detection system, complete MFC detection system based on PC software, use the button controls to achieve the start-stop control of the process, with the sound of an alarm signal is given substandard products, software for image preprocessing first, then the outline of the product for testing, with the realization of testing products based matching approach. Experimental results show that the system can be very good to complete product testing capabilities, the system is robust and real-time, accurate detection rate is higher than 998, the detection time of less than 10 ms, fully meet the requirements of industrial inspection.

Here, we show that miR-515-5p inhibits cancer cell migration and metastasis. RNA-seq analyses of both oestrogen receptor receptor-positive and receptor-negative breast cancer cells overexpressing miR-515-5p reveal down-regulation of NRAS, FZD4, CDC42BPA, PIK3C2B and MARK4 mRNAs. We demonstrate that miR-515-5p inhibits MARK4 directly 3' UTR interaction and that MARK4 knock-down mimics the effect of miR-515-5p on breast and lung cancer cell migration. MARK4 overexpression rescues the inhibitory effects of miR-515-5p, suggesting miR-515-5p mediates this process through MARK4 down-regulation. Furthermore, miR-515-5p expression is reduced in metastases compared to primary tumours derived from both in vivo xenografts and samples from patients with breast cancer. Conversely, miR-515-5p overexpression prevents tumour cell dissemination in a mouse metastatic model. Moreover, high miR-515-5p and low MARK4 expression correlate with increased breast and lung cancer patients' survival, respectively. Taken together, these data demonstrate the importance of miR-515-5p/MARK4 regulation in cell migration and metastasis across two common cancers.

Background The genetic regulation of metabolic phenotypes (i.e., metabotypes) in type 2 diabetes mellitus occurs through complex organ-specific cellular mechanisms and networks contributing to impaired insulin secretion and insulin resistance. Genome-wide gene expression profiling systems can dissect the genetic contributions to metabolome and transcriptome regulations. The integrative analysis of multiple gene expression traits and metabolic phenotypes (i.e., metabotypes) together with their underlying genetic regulation remains a challenge. Here, we introduce a systems genetics approach based on the topological analysis of a combined molecular network made of genes and metabolites identified through expression and metabotype quantitative trait locus mapping (i.e., eQTL and mQTL) to prioritise biological characterisation of candidate genes and traits. Methods We used systematic metabotyping by 1H NMR spectroscopy and genome-wide gene expression in white adipose tissue to map molecular phenotypes to genomic blocks associated with obesity and insulin secretion in a series of rat congenic strains derived from spontaneously diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) and normoglycemic Brown-Norway (BN) rats. We implemented a network biology strategy approach to visualize the shortest paths between metabolites and genes significantly associated with each genomic block. Results Despite strong genomic similarities (95–99 %) among congenics, each strain exhibited specific patterns of gene expression and metabotypes, reflecting the metabolic consequences of series of linked genetic polymorphisms in the congenic intervals. We subsequently used the congenic panel to map quantitative trait loci underlying specific mQTLs and genome-wide eQTLs. Variation in key metabolites like glucose, succinate, lactate, or 3-hydroxybutyrate and second messenger precursors like inositol was associated with several independent genomic intervals, indicating functional redundancy in these regions. To navigate through the complexity of these association networks we mapped candidate genes and metabolites onto metabolic pathways and implemented a shortest path strategy to highlight potential mechanistic links between metabolites and transcripts at colocalized mQTLs and eQTLs. Minimizing the shortest path length drove prioritization of biological validations by gene silencing. Conclusions These results underline the importance of network-based integration of multilevel systems genetics datasets to improve understanding of the genetic architecture of metabotype and transcriptomic regulation and to characterize novel functional roles for genes determining tissue-specific metabolism. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13073-016-0352-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background: The genetic regulation of metabolic phenotypes (i.e., metabotypes) in type 2 diabetes mellitus occurs through complex organ-specific cellular mechanisms and networks contributing to impaired insulin secretion and insulin resistance. Genome- wide gene expression profiling systems can dissect the genetic contributions to metabolome and transcriptome regulations. The integrative analysis of multiple gene expression traits and metabolic phenotypes (i.e., metabotypes) together with their underlying genetic regulation remains a challenge. Here, we introduce a systems genetics approach based on the topological analysis of a combined molecular network made of genes and metabolites identified through expression and metabotype quantitative trait locus mapping (i.e., eQTL and mQTL) to prioritise biological characterisation of candidate genes and traits. [br/] Methods: We used systematic metabotyping by H-1 NMR spectroscopy and genome-wide gene expression in white adipose tissue to map molecular phenotypes to genomic blocks associated with obesity and insulin secretion in a series of rat congenic strains derived from spontaneously diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) and normoglycemic Brown-Norway (BN) rats. We implemented a network biology strategy approach to visualize the shortest paths between metabolites and genes significantly associated with each genomic block. [br/] Results: Despite strong genomic similarities (95-99 %) among congenics, each strain exhibited specific patterns of gene expression and metabotypes, reflecting the metabolic consequences of series of linked genetic polymorphisms in the congenic intervals. We subsequently used the congenic panel to map quantitative trait loci underlying specific mQTLs and genome-wide eQTLs. Variation in key metabolites like glucose, succinate, lactate, or 3-hydroxybutyrate and second messenger precursors like inositol was associated with several independent genomic intervals, indicating functional redundancy in these regions. To navigate through the complexity of these association networks we mapped candidate genes and metabolites onto metabolic pathways and implemented a shortest path strategy to highlight potential mechanistic links between metabolites and transcripts at colocalized mQTLs and eQTLs. Minimizing the shortest path length drove prioritization of biological validations by gene silencing. [br/] Conclusions: These results underline the importance of network-based integration of multilevel systems genetics datasets to improve understanding of the genetic architecture of metabotype and transcriptomic regulation and to characterize novel functional roles for genes determining tissue-specific metabolism.

This paper is concerned with a new algorithm for giving the analytical and approximate solutions of a class of boundary value problems in the reproducing kernel space. The analytical solution u(x) and approximate solution u"n(x) are represented in terms of series. For any initial function u"1(x)@?W"2^3[0,1], we prove u"n(x)->u(x), u"n^'(x)->u^'(x), u"n^''(x)->u^''(x)(n->~). Two numerical examples are studied to demonstrate the accuracy of the present method. Results obtained by the method indicate the method is simple and effective.

We introduce individual nanoporous Au nanowire (AuNW) as a tunable one-dimensional platform for plasmon-enhanced fluorescence, with an enhancement factor of ∼62, which is ∼8-fold higher than that of smooth AuNWs. Besides, nanoporous AuNWs have much lower background emission than smooth AuNWs. These results indicate that nanoporous AuNWs are an excellent optical sensing platform.

The generalized regularized long wave equation is very important that can be applied in the field of physics,science and technology. Some authors have put forward many different numerical method, but the precision isnot enough high. In this paper, we will illustrate the high-precision numerical method to solve the generalizedregularized long wave equation. Three numerical examples are studied to demonstrate the accuracy of thepresent method. Results obtained by our method indicate new algorithm has the following advantages: smallcomputational work, fast convergence speed and high precision.

The study of filtration properties of nuclear track membranes for removing the standard insoluble particles from liquid and its flux has been carried out. Furthermore, the blocking effect of micro-pore and the membrane polluted correlation factor will be presented in the paper in detail.

Aims: The aim was to analyze the learning curve of phacoemulsification (phaco) performed by residents without experience in performing extra-capsular cataract extraction (ECCE) in a step-by-step training program (SBSTP). Materials and Methods: Consecutive surgical records of phaco performed from March 2009 to Sept 2011 by four residents without previous ECCE experience were retrospectively reviewed. The completion rate of the first 30 procedures by each resident was calculated. The main intraoperative phaco parameter records for the first 30 surgeries by each resident were compared with those for their last 30 surgeries. Intraoperative complications in the residents’ procedures were also recorded and analyzed. Results: A total of 1013 surgeries were performed by residents. The completion rate for the first 30 phaco procedures was 79.2 ± 5.8%. The main reasons for halting the procedure were as follows: Anterior capsule tear, inability to crack the nucleus, and posterior capsular rupture during phaco or cortex removal. Cumulative dissipated energy of phaco power used during the surgeries was significantly less in the last 30 cases compared with the first 30 cases (30.10 ± 17.58 vs. 55.41 ± 37.59, P = 0.021). Posterior capsular rupture rate was 2.5 ± 1.2% in total (10.8 ± 4.2% in the first 30 cases and 1.7 ± 1.9% in the last 30 cases, P = 0.008; a statistically significant difference). Conclusion: The step-by-step training program might be a necessary process for a resident to transit from dependence to a self-supported operator. It is also an essential middle step between wet lab training to performing the entire phaco procedure on the patient both effectively and safely.

Control theory is introduced to the scientific research quality monitoring system in universities. Based on the analysis of the characteristics of scientific research quality control system and the variable qualities of scientific research quality objective, we explore the components of system, the function of various links and its operating mechanism, and constitute the scientific research quality control system which combined the open-loop feedforward control with the closed-loop feedback control. According to the management practice of scientific research, we describe the mathematical model expressed the relation of information transmission between various links from the perspective of qualitative analysis.

In [7] we obtained a formula for the Hilbert depth of squarefree Veronese ideals in a standard graded polynomial ring by relating it to the Hilbert depth of powers of the irrelevant maximal ideal. In this paper, we prove that these two Hilbert depth formulas are equivalent to each other. Our result reveals that there is a strong connection between these two classes of seemingly unrelated monomial ideals. We conjecture that their Stanley depths are equivalent as well., 7 pages

It is well known that Thom-Boardman symbols are realized by non-increasing sequences of nonnegative integers. A natural question is whether the converse is also true. In this paper we answer this question affirmatively, that is, for any non-increasing sequence of nonnegative integers, there is a map-germ with the prescribed sequence as its Thom-Boardman symbol., 5 pages, no figures

In this paper, a 3-D solid modelling method appropriate for the design of furniture parts, which has been used in FCAD (Computer Aided Design for Furniture Structure) system, is introduced. Some interactive functions for modifying part models and deriving a variety of practical parts are described. Finally the application of the modelling method to computer aided manufacturing of furniture parts is prospected.