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The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of using 3D printed pelvic prosthesis to reconstruct bone defect after pelvic tumor resection. From June 2018 to October 2021, a total of 10 patients with pelvic tumors underwent pelvic tumor resection and 3D printed customized hemipelvic prosthesis reconstruction in our hospital. Enneking pelvic surgery subdivision method was used to determine the degree of tumor invasion and the site of prosthesis reconstruction. 2 cases in Zone I, 2 cases in Zone II, 3 cases in Zone I + II, 2 cases in Zone II + III and 1 case in Zone I + II + III. Patients had preoperative VAS scores of 6.5 ± 1.3, postoperative VAS scores of 2.2 ± 0.9, preoperative MSTS-93 scores of 9.4 ± 5.3 and postoperative 19.4 ± 5.9( p < 0.05), all patients had improvement in pain after surgery; Postoperative complications included joint dislocation in 2 cases, myasthenia caused by Guillain-Barre syndrome in 1 case, delayed wound healing in 3 cases and wound infection in 2 cases. Postoperative wound-related complications and dislocations were associated with the extent of the tumor. Patients with tumor invasion of the iliopsoas and gluteus medius muscles had higher complication rates and worse postoperative MSTS scores ( p < 0.05). The patients were followed up for 8 ∼ 28 months. During the follow-up period, 1 case recurred, 4 cases metastasized and 1 case died. All pelvic CTs reviewed 3–6 months after surgery showed good alignment between the 3D printed prosthesis and the bone contact, and tomography showed the growth of trabecular structures into the bone. Overall pain scores decreased and functional scores improved in patients after 3D printed prosthesis replacement for pelvic tumor resection. Long-term bone ingrowth could be seen on the prosthesis-bone contact surface with good stability.

Background We aimed to compare the effects of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) and implantable venous access devices (TIVADs) in terms of complications and shoulder function in patients with malignant bone and soft tissue tumors of the lower extremities. Methods We analyzed 65 cases of TIVADs (chest wall) and 65 cases of PICC at the orthopedic department of the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University between June 2019 and December 2021, which were diagnosed with malignant bone tumors or soft tissue tumors of the lower extremities (tumors had to be relatively sensitive to chemotherapy), received regular chemotherapy, with ≥ 14 cycles (42 weeks). The two groups were compared in terms of catheter indwelling time, catheter-related complications, Constant-Murley shoulder function score, and displacement of the position of the catheter end on the catheterization side. Results Compared to the PICC group, at six months after catheterization, the TIVADs group reported better outcomes for catheter indwelling time, catheter-related complications, and Constant-Murley score for the catheterization-side shoulder joint (p Conclusions Compared with PICC, TIVADs can prolong catheter indwelling time, reduce catheter-related complications, and maintain shoulder joint function, which makes it an ideal venous-access approach when providing chemotherapy to patients with malignant bone and soft tissue tumors of the lower extremities.

Since Mdm2 (Mouse double minute 2) inhibitors show serious toxicity in clinic studies, different approaches to achieve therapeutic reactivation of p53-mediated tumor suppression in cancers need to be explored. Here, we identify the USP2 (ubiquitin specific peptidase 2)-VPRBP (viral protein R binding protein) axis as an important pathway for p53 regulation. Like Mdm2, VPRBP is a potent repressor of p53 but VPRBP stability is controlled by USP2. Interestingly, the USP2-VPRBP axis also regulates PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1) expression. Strikingly, the combination of a small-molecule USP2 inhibitor and anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody leads to complete regression of the tumors expressing wild-type p53. In contrast to Mdm2, knockout of Usp2 in mice has no obvious effect in normal tissues. Moreover, no obvious toxicity is observed upon the USP2 inhibitor treatment in vivo as Mdm2-mediated regulation of p53 remains intact. Our study reveals a promising strategy for p53-based therapy by circumventing the toxicity issue.

Study design: Retrospective study. Objectives: The traditional PLIF is routinely utilized in severe lumbar spinal stenosis to relief the nerve compression. Nevertheless, the removal of posterior tension-band structure and the denervation and atrophy of the paraspinal muscle affect the clinical efficacy. Therefore, unilateral modified PLIF combined with contralateral fenestration was performed to overcome above-mentioned drawbacks. Methods: 32 modified PLIF and 33 traditional PLIF cases were retrospectively included. Operation time, length of stay (LOS) and blood loss were recorded. VAS of low back pain and leg pain, ODI and Sf-36 score including physical function and body pain were assessed. Fusion rate, lumbar lordosis (LL), intervertebral angle (IVA) and intervertebral height index (IHI) were evaluated radiologically. Results: Modified group possessed less blood loss, shorter operation time and less LOS. Compared with traditional group, the VAS of back pain was lower at 6 months postoperatively ( P < .05) and the ODI score was lower at 3 months postoperatively ( P < .05) in modified group. Modified group exhibited better physical function 3 months postoperatively and lower body pain 6 months postoperatively in Sf-36 score ( P < .05). No statistic difference in LL, IVA, IHI and fusion rate were observed between both groups. Conclusions: Our modified PLIF combining with contralateral fenestration procedure exhibited particular advantages in comparison to traditional PLIF. The preservation of posterior tension-band structure facilitates to less low back pain, low complication rate and early functional recovery.

BeiDou high-precision power line inspection can improve the efficiency and automation level of inspection operations, reduce labor intensity, and save inspection costs. However, although the satellite-based augmentation technology can solve the problem of large-scale positioning, it will introduce too many parameters into the positioning system through the method of parameter estimation. As a result, the behavior of the equation deteriorates, which makes it difficult to separate some parameters, and the convergence time of ambiguity parameters is too long. Under normal circumstances, the satellite-based augmentation standard positioning service needs at least about 30 min to converge to the centimeter level, and the ground-based augmentation system can provide an accurate model. This paper proposes a fast positioning method for satellite-based augmentation assisted by the BeiDou ground-based augmentation station. The receiver adopts the least square method, combined with the extended Kalman filter positioning, to achieve the improvement of the regional positioning effect of the satellite-based augmentation system. Positioning accuracy error does not exceed 1.6 meters. The error in the three directions of X, Y, and Z can be converged to the centimeter level in about 8 min. It can significantly improve the convergence time of satellite-based augmentation, and maintain continuous, stable and high-precision positioning of unmanned aerial vehicle in power line inspection.

Purpose: To compare the effects of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) and totally implantable venous access devices (port) in terms of complications and shoulder function in patients with malignant bone and soft tissue tumors of the lower limbs. Patients and methods: We analyzed 65 cases of port and 65 cases of PICC at the orthopedic department of the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University. The two groups were compared in terms of catheter indwelling time, catheter-related complications, Constant-Murley shoulder function score, and displacement of the position of the catheter end on the catheterization side. Results: Compared to the PICC group, at six months after catheterization the port group showed better outcomes for catheter indwelling time, catheter-related complications, and Constant-Murley score for the catheterization-side shoulder joint (p < 0.05). The port group also showed less displacement of the catheter end position after 180° abduction of the catheterization-side shoulder joint (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Compared with PICC, port can prolong catheter indwelling time, reduce catheter-related complications, and maintain shoulder joint function, which makes it an ideal venous-access approach when providing chemotherapy to patients with malignant bone and soft tissue tumors of the lower limbs.

The genome guardian p53 functions as a transcription factor that senses numerous cellular stresses and orchestrates the corresponding transcriptional events involved in determining various cellular outcomes, including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, senescence, DNA repair, and metabolic regulation. In response to diverse stresses, p53 undergoes multiple posttranslational modifications (PTMs) that coordinate with intimate interdependencies to precisely modulate its diverse properties in given biological contexts. Notably, PTMs can recruit ‘reader’ proteins that exclusively recognize specific modifications and facilitate the functional readout of p53. Targeting PTM–reader interplay has been developing into a promising cancer therapeutic strategy. In this review, we summarize the advances in deciphering the ‘PTM codes’ of p53, focusing particularly on the mechanisms by which the specific reader proteins functionally decipher the information harbored within these PTMs of p53. We also highlight the potential applications of intervention with p53 PTM–reader interactions in cancer therapy and discuss perspectives on the ‘PTMomic’ study of p53 and other proteins.

Due to the dielectric film with charges from corona discharge of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) overhead lines, the electric field near the greenhouses covered by the dielectric film can be distorted. The electric field at some position on the ground level can be measured under the dielectric film. However, the distribution characteristics of the electric field cannot be obtained. In this article, based on the measurement results of some defined points, an algorithm to calculate the ion flow field with the presence of a dielectric film is proposed. Poisson’s equation and the current continuity equation are iteratively solved by the finite-element method (FEM) and the divergence theorem, respectively. The experiment validates the validity of the hybrid method. The research is helpful to understand the influence of charged dielectric film fully.

The oncoprotein SET is frequently overexpressed in many types of tumors and contributes to malignant initiation and progression through multiple mechanisms, including the hijacking of the tumor suppressors p53 and PP2A. Targeting aberrant SET represents a promising strategy for cancer intervention. However, the mechanism by which endogenous SET is regulated in cancer cells remains largely unknown. Here, we identified the tumor suppressor p53 as a key regulator that transcriptionally repressed the expression of SET in both normal and cancer cells. In addition, p53 stimulated PP2A phosphatase activity via p53-mediated transcriptional repression of SET, whereby SET-mediated inhibition of PP2A was alleviated. Moreover, targeting the interaction between SET and PP2A catalytic subunit (PP2Ac) with FTY720 enhanced stress-induced p53 activation via PP2A-mediated dephosphorylation of p53 on threonine 55 (Thr55). Therefore, our findings uncovered a previously unknown p53-SET-PP2A regulatory feedback loop. To functionally potentiate this feedback loop, we designed a combined therapeutic strategy by simultaneously administrating a p53 activator and SET antagonist in cancer cells and observed a dramatic synergistic effect on tumor suppression. Our study reveals mechanistic insight into the regulation of the oncoprotein SET and raises a potential strategy for cancer therapy by stimulating the p53-SET-PP2A feedback loop.

The 3-D calculation method of the ion flow field is required for the crossing issue of high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission lines. Appropriate computational regions and boundary conditions are critical to the calculation. In this article, a novel method combining charge simulation method-flux tracing method (CSM-FTM) and finite-element method (FEM) is proposed to optimize the ion flow field calculation. The advantage of CSM-FTM in dealing with the opening domain is fully utilized. Quadratic charges are applied in CSM to ensure the calculation accuracy of the space-charge-free electric field. In addition, a hemisphere calculation region is adopted in order to model the HVDC lines with an arbitrary cross angle. The Dirichlet boundary condition on the spherical surface in the FEM calculation is obtained based on FTM. Finally, the electric field of ±800 and ±500 kV lines at a cross angle of 60° is analyzed as an example. By utilizing the proposed method, the calculation area is substantially reduced and the calculation accuracy is significantly improved.

Background: Ultrasound has been proved to be a promising alternative spine navigation method. High frequency ultrasound transducer has the advantage of high resolution on surface structure, but imaging at close range is difficult, especially in narrow space of the pilot-hole in pedicle.Methods: Twenty cortical bone chips were made and different size of hole with diameter of 1mm, 2mm, 3mm or 5mm was randomly carved in each bone chip. A tailored 30MHz high frequency transducer scanned bone samples at the distance of 4mm, 3mm, 2mm and 1mm. Successive transmission ringingeffect elimination, Hilbert transform and Gray-scale mapping method were utilized to process and optimize attained original images.Results: At the distance of 4mm, 3mm, 2mm and 1mm, the holes with diameter of 5mm, 3mm and 2mm could be discerned. At the distance of 1mm, only the holes with 5mm and 3mm could be clearly distinguished and the 2mm hole appeared obscure. The holes with diameter of 1mm could not be detected at any distance. The holes with diameter of 2mm were able to be detected at the distance of 1mm.Conclusions: This study indicated that the high frequency transducer had limited imaging capability at close range on the bony surface. These results lay a foundation for further developing a novel ultrasound-based spinal pedicle interior imaging and navigation system.

The crossing of two-circuit high-voltage direct current (HVdc) overhead lines will happen with the increasing number of HVdc transmission projects. The 3-D calculation is needed to predict the ion-flow field near the crossed HVdc lines. In order to decrease the difficulty of meshing near the bundle conductors, the equivalent single conductors are applied in the modeling. A roughness coefficient converting approach for equivalent conductor in Peek’s formula is presented. Thus, the corona degree of bundle conductors can be reflected by the equivalent single conductor. Afterward, the effectiveness of equivalent corona conductors in ion-flow field calculation is checked by a series of experiments and simulation. Finally, the 3-D ion-flow field distribution near the crossing of ±800 and ±500 kV HVdc overhead lines is calculated using equivalent corona conductors.

The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HOTAIR is an oncogene, that has been reported to be aberrantly expressed in multiple types of malignant tumor tissues. However, its expression and association with synovial sarcoma (SS) remains unclear. The present study aimed to elucidate the expression level of HOTAIR in SS tissues and also identify its role. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression level of HOTAIR and microRNA (miR)-126 in 54 tissue samples from patients with SS, in 10 tissue samples from synovium tissues of normal patients, and in SW982 cells. The protein expression level was measured using western blot analysis and cellular immunofluorescence. Cellular proliferation, invasion and migration were assessed using MTT, Transwell and wound healing assays, respectively. HOTAIR was expressed at high levels in SS tissues. In contrast, miR-126 was expressed at low levels in SS tissues, and was negatively correlated with HOTAIR expression. HOTAIR knockdown in SW982 cells inhibited cellular proliferation in vitro, but also significantly increased the ratio of cells in the G1/G0 phase of the cell cycle, and decreased the ratio of cells in the G2/S phase. In addition, HOTAIR knockdown inhibited the invasion and migration of the SW982 cells, as observed in the Transwell and wound healing assays. Furthermore, HOTAIR knockdown increased miR-126 expression level and decreased the expression level of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) at the protein level. On the other hand, while miR-126-mimic decreased the protein expression level of SDF-1, miR-126-inhibitor increased its expression level in SW982 cells. Notably, HOTAIR knockdown or SDF-1 knockout significantly decreased the protein expression levels of CDK1, CDK2, cyclin D1, MMP-9, vimentin and N-cadherin, and significantly increased the protein expression levels of p21, p53 and E-cadherin in SW982 cells. HOTAIR was highly expressed in SS tissues, wherein it could promote the proliferation, invasion and migration of SS cells by increasing the expression of SDF-1 via miR-126 inhibition.

In order to improve the execution rate of the power system dispatch plan, a dispatch plan assisted decision-making considering transient safety and stability constraints is proposed. First, the principles for formulating power system transient stability control scheduling are given. Then, through the topological analysis of the expected fault location, decouple the unstable faults, formulate appropriate multi-fault adjustment timing according to the severity of the fault, and decompose the prevention and control problems of multiple fault constraints into several single fault stable control decision problems. In the end, a preventive control adjustment strategy that satisfies all transient stability constraints is obtained. Combined with parallel computing technology, the algorithm has the feasibility of online application.

Objectives. In this study, we performed a novel type of posterior en bloc elevation cervical laminoplasty (PEEL) to keep the integrity of the posterior structure, aiming to reduce axial symptoms complicated by a conventional cervical laminoplasty procedure. Methods. Twelve human cervical cadaveric spines (C2-T1) were sequentially tested in the following order: intact condition, open-door laminoplasty (ODL) through bilateral intermuscular approach (mini-invasive ODL), PEEL, and laminectomy (LN). After bilateral transecting at the junction of lamina and lateral mass through the tubular retraction system, the PEEL procedure symmetrically elevated all the posterior structure which was further stabilized with bone grafts and titanium plates. Computed tomography (CT) scan and biomechanical testing were performed after each condition. Results. Both mini-invasive ODL and PEEL procedures were accomplished with 2 small incisions on each side. Two types of laminoplasties could enlarge the spinal canal significantly both in cross-sectional area and anteroposterior diameter comparing with intact condition. The PEEL procedure demonstrated a significantly higher enlargement rate on a canal area and a symmetrical expansion pattern. Compared with intact condition, mini-invasive ODL performed from C3-C7 demonstrated significantly decreased motion in all testing directions except the flexion range of motion (ROM); the PEEL procedure showed mild and insignificant decrease on ROM in all directions. Laminectomy resulted in a statistically significant increase in all directions except the lateral bending ROM. Conclusions. Posterior en bloc elevation cervical laminoplasty can enlarge the canal more effectively and preserve better ROM after operation than the ODL procedure. Although technically challenging, the PEEL procedure probably would decrease the common complications associated with ODL laminoplasty.

With the rapid development of P2G technology and gas turbine technology, the connection between the power system and natural gas system has become closer. Power flow calculation, as a basic application of energy network analysis, has formed mature but not uniform calculation models and methods in various energy networks. In order to promote the interdisciplinary integration of different energy networks, a new unified energy system model based on the unified energy loop theory is proposed in this paper. Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm (PSO) is used to numerically optimize the initial pressure, and the Newton method is used to solve the power flow of the electric-gas coupling integrated energy system. Finally, the feasibility and accuracy of the proposed method are verified in an electric-gas coupling system composed of the IEEE 14-node distribution system and 14-node natural gas system.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of cement augmented fenestrated screws in the posterior approach for spinal metastases.Methods: A total of 52 patients with spinal metastases who underwent surgery with posterior approach separation and internal fixation with pedicle screw in the Department of Orthopaedics of the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2015 to January 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 28 cases in the cement augmented pedicle screw group and 24 cases in the conventional pedicle screw group. The clinical data, preoperative and postoperative pain, and neurological function between the two groups were compared. After follow-up, every 3 months, the local progression-free survival time of patients in the two groups was recorded to explore the safety of cement augmented pedicle screws in posterior separation of spinal metastases, and to analyze the difference in efficacy between the two groups.Results: There were no significant differences in sex, age, segments of the affected vertebra, Tomita score, Tokuhashi score, spinal instability neoplastic score (SINS), intraoperative blood loss and average postoperative hospital stays between the two groups. The average operation time was 161 ± 21 minutes in the cement augmented pedicle screw group and 135 ± 19 minutes in the conventional pedicle screw group, with a statistically significant difference. A total of 218 screws were implanted in the 28 patients of the cement augmented pedicle screw group, with an average of 1.3 ± 0.4 ml of cement injected into each screw. There was 1 case of cerebrospinal fluid leakage in each of the two groups, and no incision hematoma formation or infection occurred. There was no symptomatic pulmonary cement embolism in the cement augmented pedicle screw group. The preoperative VAS scores were not statistically different between the two groups. However, the VAS scores in the two groups decreased 3 months after surgery, which were 2.93 ± 1.33 and 4.17 ± 1.34, respectively, with statistical significance. The recovery of Frankel grading was found in 84.6% of all patients (44 cases in 52 patients), but there was no significant difference in Frankel grades between the two groups before and 3 months after surgery. During the follow-up period of 6-24 months, there were 10 cases of adjacent segmental metastasis (2 cases in cement augmented pedicle screw group and 8 cases in conventional pedicle screw group) and 8 cases of internal fixation failure (1 case cement augmented pedicle screw group and 7 cases in conventional pedicle screw group). The difference was statistically significant. Compared with the conventional pedicle screw group, the conventional pedicle screw group had a longer survival time of progression-free in the local and adjacent segments, and the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion: The application of cement augmented pedicle screw in surgery of spinal metastases with the posterior approach is safe, and the pain score decreases more obviously 3 months after surgery. It can effectively reduce the adjacent segmental metastasis and failure rate of internal fixation and prolong the local progression-free survival time.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for almost 80-85% of all lung cancer cases. The transcriptional factor brachyury has been verified to promote tumor cells migrate, invade, and metastasis in various types of tumors, whereas divergent roles of brachyury on cell proliferation have been reported in several types of tumor cells. In this study, we attempted to explore the effect of brachyury on the cell cycle progression and proliferation capability of NSCLC cells. Firstly, we performed RNA-sequence and ChIP-sequence to explore underlying downstream pathways regulated by brachyury. Cell proliferation and colony formation assays were utilized to detect the effect of brachyury on the proliferation ability of two types of lung NSCLC cells: H460 and Calu-1, which represent different brachyury expression levels. Following cell cycle and cell apoptosis assays were used to investigate the mechanism by which brachyury promotes NSCLC grow and progression. RNA-sequence and ChIP-sequence (ChIP-seq) showed that one of the vital downstream pathways regulated by brachyury involves in cell cycle progression. Through cell proliferation assays and colony formation assays, we found that inhibition of brachyury could decrease the capability of proliferation in H460 cells. We also found that brachyury overexpression could prevent the transition from G0/G1 to S phase in Calu-1 cells, and brachyury knockdown could decrease the transition of G2/M phase in H460 cells. The cell apoptosis assays showed that inhibition of brachyury could promote apoptosis in H460 cells. In this study we demonstrate that brachyury and downstream target genes together involve in tumor cell cycle regulation by inducing accelerated transition through G2/M, promote tumor cell proliferation and inhibit apoptosis in lung NSCLC H460 cells. Targeting brachyury expression could be developed into a promising avenue for the prevention of lung cancer progression.

Micro-shocks may happen when the human body is close to high-voltage transmission lines. Experiments near the actual operating ±1100 kV high-voltage direct current (HVDC) lines with a metal human body model (HBM) are conducted. The voltages on the HBM and the micro-shock currents are measured. A micro-shock simulation method in the ion flow field is presented according to the measured results. Based on the simulation method, the variations of current, charge and energy on the HBM during the micro-shock process are investigated. The influences of resistance and capacitance parameters on micro-shock currents are analysed. Furthermore, a simplified simulation method is given to estimate the micro-shock currents for the potential demand of engineering practice.

Many fullerenes and carbon nanotubes have the very large electrophilic regions on their molecular surfaces. The existence of these large electrophilic regions is beyond the scope of the concept of the σ-hole and π-hole which were introduced to describe the formation of the noncovalent bonds. The inner cavities of many fullerenes and carbon nanotubes are the regions of positive electrostatic potential, and are electron-withdrawing in character. Our results clearly show that it is the electron-withdrawing cavity not the curvature of the fullerene or carbon nanotube that plays a dominant role for the formation of the large electrophilic regions on the molecular surface. The important role of the large electrophilic regions of fullerenes has been illustrated by using them to successfully explain some experimental observations in crystal engineering.

When an overhead high voltage direct current (HVDC) line is near a greenhouse, surface charges on the dielectric film distort the electric field nearby. Extensive experimental researches have been conducted regarding charge characteristics, and various algorithms have been proposed to calculate the ion flow field considering the charged film. However, existing studies do not consider the greenhouse support structures. In this paper, based on the ion flow field simulation with charged film, a more complete greenhouse model considering support structures is built. The support structures are treated as grounded conductors. Experimental results agree well with the calculations. Then, the influences of the frames and the wall (two typical types of support structures) are analyzed separately. The analysis considers the frame radius, position, and number, as well as the wall position and width. The total electric field is divided into three parts by charge sources, the effects of which are analyzed separately. The co-effect of the two kinds of support structures is also analyzed. The calculations show that the support structures, which are conductive and grounded, can effectively reduce the ground-level electric field. This research can predict the absolute value and help us understand the characteristics of the actual electric field near a greenhouse built under overhead HVDC lines.

Acetylation of non-histone proteins plays important roles in regulating protein functions but the mechanisms of action are poorly understood. Our recent study uncovered a previously unknown mechanism by which C-terminal domain (CTD) acetylation of p53 serves as a “switch” to determine the interaction between a unique group of acidic domain-containing proteins and p53, as well as revealed that acidic domains may act as a novel class of “readers” for unacetylated p53. However, the properties of acidic domain “readers” are not well elucidated yet. Here, we identified that the charge effect between acidic domain “readers” and the p53 CTD is necessary for their interaction. Both the length and the amino acid composition of a given acidic domain contributed to its ability to recognize the p53 CTD. Finally, we summarized the characteristic features of our identified acidic domains, which would distinguish this kind of “readers” from other types of acidic amino acid-containing domains.

Suspended aerosols in the vicinity of discharged HVDC transmission lines will be charged by ions and deposit on the surface of the conductors. In order to obtain the conductors with different contamination conditions, a controllable accelerating contamination depositing method by introducing a controllable ionized field is proposed in the present paper. The conductor samples contaminated by 3 typical patterns were prepared and the morphology of the conductor surfaces was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The photon counting rate of the conductors and the electric field strength on the ground electrode were also tested. The anticipatory contamination depositing results were obtained, specifically, the surface conditions of the conductors could be improved or deteriorated, therefore, the corona discharge could be suppressed or enhanced in corresponding patterns of the proposed contamination depositing method.

Background Denosumab is an inhibitor of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL), which inhibits bone metastasis (BM) in breast cancer (BC), but does not completely control cancer cell BM in some BC patients. This study was designed to study whether denosumab inhibits human BC cells (MCF-7) cell line-induced spontaneous osteoclastogenesis via RANKL/metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1)/miR-124 axis. Methods We established a co-culture system of MCF-7-induced spontaneous osteoclastogenesis in RAW 264.7 cells, and denosumab is added into the co-culture system to inhibit RAW 264.7 cell differentiation into osteoclasts. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR), immunofluorescence and western blotting analysis were used to detect gene expression, while tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining was used to assess osteoclast formation. Results Denosumab inhibits MCF-7 cell line-induced spontaneous osteoclastogenesis, and the inhibition of denosumab was found to be more pronounced after MALAT1 downregulation and miR-124 overexpression. However, MALAT1 knockdown or miR-124 overexpression did not alter RANKL protein expression. Moreover, the dual luciferase gene reporter system showed that miR-124 targeted the inhibition of MALAT1, while si-MALAT1 upregulated miR-124 expression. miR-124-mimics were able to decrease the expression of Rab27a, IL-11, activated T-cell nuclear factor 1 (NFATc1) and TARP protein. Conclusions Denosumab inhibits MALAT1 expression by inhibiting RANKL, thereby upregulating miR-124 expression, which ultimately inhibits MCF-7 cell line-induced pseudo osteoclastogenesis.

The bone marrow has been long known to host a unique environment amenable to colonization by metastasizing tumor cells. Yet, the underlying molecular interactions which give rise to the high incidence of bone metastasis (BM) in breast cancer patients have long remained uncharacterized. In our study, in vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated that Brachyury (Bry) could promote breast cancer BM. Bry drives epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promotes breast cancer aggressiveness. As an EMT driver, SOX5 involves in breast cancer metastasis and the specific function in BM. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays revealed SOX5 is a direct downstream target gene of Bry. ChIP analysis and reporter assays identified two Bry-binding motifs; one consistent with the classic conserved binding sequence and the other a new motif sequence. This study demonstrates for the first time that Bry promotes breast cancer cells BM through activating SOX5. In clinical practice, targeting the Bry-Sox5-EMT pathway is evolving into a promising avenue for the prevention of bone metastatic relapse, therapeutic resistance and other aspects of breast cancer progression.Brachyury directly regulates the expression of SOX5 by binding to two motifs in its promoter region. The Bry-SOX5-EMT pathway may represent a potential target to develop treatments to prevent and treat bone metastasis from breast cancer.

Prediction of electric field impact on residential houses is required in the design of UHVDC transmission lines. The calculation of electric field distribution on houses is a 3D problem, however, the effectiveness of some 2D calculation methods has been validated by specific reduced-scale experimental models. The 2D methods are simple in operation and quick in computation compared with the 3D methods. In this paper, the deviation ranges of 2D electric field calculation results on houses are discussed. Then, a 3D electric field reconstruction method is proposed to correct the 2D results according to the size and location of the houses. The 3D electric field distribution on the houses can be obtained based on efficient 2D calculations, and a direct 3D calculation is avoided. Finally, the validity of the calculation methods is verified by the measurement results of a full-scale experimental system.

Although lysine acetylation is now recognized as a general protein modification for both histones and non-histone proteins, the mechanisms of acetylation-mediated actions are not completely understood. Acetylation of the C-terminal domain (CTD) of p53 (also known as TP53) was an early example of non-histone protein acetylation and its precise role remains unclear. Lysine acetylation often creates binding sites for bromodomain-containing 'reader' proteins. Here we use a proteomic screen to identify the oncoprotein SET as a major cellular factor whose binding with p53 is dependent on CTD acetylation status. SET profoundly inhibits p53 transcriptional activity in unstressed cells, but SET-mediated repression is abolished by stress-induced acetylation of p53 CTD. Moreover, loss of the interaction with SET activates p53, resulting in tumour regression in mouse xenograft models. Notably, the acidic domain of SET acts as a 'reader' for the unacetylated CTD of p53 and this mechanism of acetylation-dependent regulation is widespread in nature. For example, acetylation of p53 also modulates its interactions with similar acidic domains found in other p53 regulators including VPRBP (also known as DCAF1), DAXX and PELP1 (refs. 7, 8, 9), and computational analysis of the proteome has identified numerous proteins with the potential to serve as acidic domain readers and lysine-rich ligands. Unlike bromodomain readers, which preferentially bind the acetylated forms of their cognate ligands, the acidic domain readers specifically recognize the unacetylated forms of their ligands. Finally, the acetylation-dependent regulation of p53 was further validated in vivo by using a knock-in mouse model expressing an acetylation-mimicking form of p53. These results reveal that acidic-domain-containing factors act as a class of acetylation-dependent regulators by targeting p53 and, potentially, other proteins.

Macroautophagy is an evolutionarily conserved cellular process involved in the clearance of proteins and organelles. Although the autophagy regulation machinery has been widely studied, the key epigenetic control of autophagy process still remains unknown. Here we report that the methyltransferase EZH2 (enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit) epigenetically represses several negative regulators of the MTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin [serine/threonine kinase]) pathway, such as TSC2, RHOA, DEPTOR, FKBP11, RGS16 and GPI. EZH2 was recruited to these genes promoters via MTA2 (metastasis associated 1 family, member 2), a component of the nucleosome remodeling and histone deacetylase (NuRD) complex. MTA2 was identified as a new chromatin binding protein whose association with chromatin facilitated the subsequent recruitment of EZH2 to silenced targeted genes, especially TSC2. Downregulation of TSC2 (tuberous sclerosis 2) by EZH2 elicited MTOR activation, which in turn modulated subsequent MTOR pathway-related events, including inhibition of autophagy. In human colorectal carcinoma (CRC) tissues, the expression of MTA2 and EZH2 correlated negatively with expression of TSC2, which reveals a novel link among epigenetic regulation, the MTOR pathway, autophagy induction, and tumorigenesis.

The dielectric strength of insulating slice in the high voltage apparatus can be changed by doping the nano clay. In order to test the breakdown time of nano clay-doped polypropylene slices in different temperatures, an experiment has been carried out. In this article, the model of electric field simulation for the experiment is studied. Influences of the thickness and relative permittivity of polypropylene slice on electric field strength are considered. The simulated results can be used as reference for analysing the experimental phenomena of the breakdown of polypropylene slices.

Data acquisition on the secondary side is an important part of high voltage signal measurement. Based on Arduino microcontroller, a data acquisition (DAQ) system is developed. The frequency, root-mean-square value and DC component of periodic voltage waveforms can be measured by the system. The relative errors of the DAQ system are tested by comparing with standard voltage waveforms. The measurement range of the DAQ system is further discussed. The DAQ system in this paper is helpful to measure the periodic voltage waveforms on secondary side of high voltage measuring device.

The experimentally isolated Y2C2@C1(1660)-C108 fullerene has been computed using density functional theory method. Optimized structure shows that the incorporation of the Y2C2 cluster in the fullerene IPR (isolated-pentagon-rule) C1(1660)-C108 has little impact on the structure of the carbon cage. The electrostatic potential analysis reveals that C1(1660)-C1084− inside the cage cavity have two potential energy minima. The two Y atoms in Y2C2@C1(1660)-C108 occupy near the minima, which are consistent with the X-ray structure. The electronic structure, ionization potential, electron affinity, 13C NMR chemical shift, UV–vis-NIR and infrared absorption spectra of this endofullerene have been calculated. The simulated UV–vis-NIR spectrum of Y2C2@C1(1660)-C108 agrees well with the experimental results.

Early aggressive metastasis of osteosarcoma (OS) leads to rapid progression and poor prognosis. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) could serve as crucial regulators to modulate tumour metastasis. In this study, we reported the critical role of lncRNA TUG1 in determining OS metastasis. TUG1 was significantly upregulated in OS tissues and associated with tumour size, distant metastasis, TNM stage, and overall and recurrence-free survival, which further indicated poor prognosis. Furthermore, CAFs-derived TGF-β could upregulate TUG1 expression, and the crosstalk between CAFs and OS cells induced TUG1 to promote OS cell metastasis. Dysregulated TUG1 expression could act as an miRNA “sponge” to competitively protect the HIF-1α mRNA 3′UTR from miR-143-5p. Our study emphasised the effects of TUG1 in OS and demonstrated a novel axis by which TUG1 regulated OS cell metastasis, angiogenesis, and proliferation in vivo and in vitro. Collectively, TUG1 might be a prognostic indicator for OS and could be a therapeutic target for OS.

Our previous study showed that the oncoprotein SET acts as a new reader of unacetylated p53 for transcriptional repression. To further elucidate the physiological significance of SET in vivo, we generated set knockout mice. Set knockout mice died during embryonic development between day 11.5 and day 12.5 post coitum, exhibiting cardiac edema and open neural tube, among other developmental defects. Further analyses revealed that loss of SET leads to upregulation of p53 target genes including p21 and puma without any obvious effect on p53 stability in set knockout embryos. Notably, the developmental defects of set knockout mice were significantly, but nonetheless partially, rescued by concomitant deletion of p53. The failure to obtain fully live set/p53 double knockout mice suggested that p53-independent targets of SET also contribute to the embryonic lethality of set knockout mice. Indeed, we found that FOXO1 acts as an important target of SET and that SET-mediated regulation of FOXO1 is also acetylation-dependent. Taken together, these data underscore the importance of SET oncoprotein during embryonic development and reveal both of the p53-dependent and the p53-independent functions of SET in vivo.

The problem of charge accumulation is very serious in the case of high voltage director current (HVDC) transmission when the corona discharge is generated along the conductor. In order to measure the surface charge on the insulating parts, the most popular method is based on the electrostatic meter. But the probe of the electrostatic meter will influence the distribution of the surface charge which makes the measurement inaccurate. In this paper, the influence of the electrostatic probe using the direct method on the measurement of the surface charge on a metal plate sample is discussed. The surface charge with an electrostatic probe near the metal plate sample is simulated. The electrostatic probe will distort the spatial potential and it will influence the distribution of surface charge of the test sample. The measuring distance has to be taken into account in the surface charge inversion calculation. However, the ill-conditioned equations may be occurred and the error of calculation will increase.

Although transverse wind exerts an important influence on the distribution of the ion current density under HVDC transmission lines, very few experiments involving stable wind have been used to verify the numerical model. To overcome the variability of natural wind, a low-speed wind tunnel was used to produce stable wind in this research. An experimental platform was set up in the wind tunnel, to measure the ion current density of dc wires. Based on the experiment, transverse wind exerted a significant influence over the distribution of the ion current. The numerical model was discussed and the results showed reasonable agreement with the measured values for different wind speeds.

The corona-generated audible noise (AN) factor is an important consideration in the design and operation of ultrahigh voltage direct current (DC) and alternate current (AC) transmission lines. Due to the differences in discharge process and corona-generated space charges between the DC and AC corona discharge, the audible noise from DC and AC corona has different characteristics. This paper conducts a series of experiments by measuring the time-domain waveforms of the audible noise from a single corona source under DC and AC voltage. Sound pressure pulses are extracted from a correlation analysis, and then a detailed comparison of the basic characteristics of DC and AC corona-generated AN in time-domain and frequency spectrum is given. Results from this paper stand to contribute to an explanation of existing results in AN measurement and analysis from DC and AC transmission lines.

Very recently, two novel monometallic cluster fullerenes YCN@C s (6)–C 82 and TbCN@C 2 (5)–C 82 are prepared and characterized, respectively. Inspired by these findings, the possibility of encapsulating MCN (M = Sc, Y) cluster in the C 76 fullerene has been performed using density functional theory. Six isomers of MCN@C 76 are considered based on six lowest energy C 76 2 − isomers. The results show that two non-IPR MCN@C 2 v (19,138)–C 76 and MCN@C 1 (17,459)–C 76 present excellent thermodynamic stability with very small energy differences. Significantly, in both the structures, the entrapped MCN cluster is linear, but not triangular. This is different from the results reported on YCN@C s (6)–C 82 and TbCN@C 2 (5)–C 82 . Furthermore, IR spectra and 13 C NMR spectra have also been explored to assist future experimental characterization.

The charge will accumulate on the surface of agricultural greenhouse, and then make the ground-level electric field distorted when the HVDC transmission lines cross over the agricultural green house. But the situation is short of research that there is water membrane on the surface of the insulating film. In this paper, the uniform ion flow is produced by a parallel-plate ion flow generator to make surface charge accumulation on insulating film. The ground-level electric field is measured by electric field mill, and surface charge is calculated from surface potential which is measured by Electrostatic Voltmeter. Through the experiment results, surface charge distribution is influenced by upper-surface water membrane mainly, while ground-level electric film is influenced by lower-surface water membrane mainly.

Surface charges accumulated on insulating film will change the electric field around the insulating film, and the surface charge distribution has direct relationship with the electric field around. In order to investigate the surface charge characteristics of insulating film in ion-flow field, an experimental platform was designed, which contained a charge generating apparatus, an electrometer and a control apparatus. With the charge generating apparatus, the charges accumulated on the surface of insulating film, the electric field and the ion-flow around the insulating film could be controlled. The surface potentials of insulating film were measured by a vibrated capacitor electrometer, and the surface charge distributions of insulating film were obtained by the surface charge method. In this paper, the surface charge distribution characteristics of insulating film under different conditions are compared, and the factors that influence the surface charge characteristics are discussed.

The adsorption of hydrogen and fluorine atoms on the interior surface of defect-free and Stone–Wales defect armchair (5,5) single-walled carbon nanotubes were investigated using density functional theory. The reaction energy values for the hydrogenation and fluorination at all the possible unique sites were obtained at the UB3LYP/6-31G * level. The calculated reaction energy values were used to corroborate the reactivities of different sites on the interior surface of SWCNTs. The results indicate that for defect-free nanotube, endohedral adsorption is rather unfavorable both for hydrogen and fluorine. The computed exothermicities range from 4.8 to 13.4 kcal/mol for hydrogenation and from 16.6 to 23.2 kcal/mol for fluorination. However, the introduction of a SW defect on the (5,5) SWCNT improves the chemical reactivity of the interior surface of the defected tube. The computed exothermicities for the endohedral hydrogen and fluorine atoms are within the ranges of 7.0–33.4 and 18.5–41.8 kcal/mol, respectively. The most exothermic and reactive site on the interior surface of SW defective (5,5) SWCNT is the C2 site shared by two seven-membered rings and one five-membered ring. This is different from the results reported on the reactivity of the exterior surface of SW defective nanotubes. The electronic and vibrational properties of the (5,5) SWCNTs with adsorption of hydrogen and fluorine atoms on the interior surface were also explored.

The effects of humidity on the ground-level resultant electric field around positive DC conductors were studied both experimentally and numerically. Experiments were carried out in an artificial climate chamber, the results of which showed that the photon count and the ground-level resultant electric field strength both increased with increasing relative humidity. Numerical calculations for different values of relative humidity were carried out, including solutions of the positive corona inception voltage and the ion-flow field, for which a photoionization model and the upstream finite element method were employed, respectively. In order to analyze the effects of humidity, three main factors were considered: the ionization coefficient, the attachment coefficient in the photoionization model and the modified ion mobility of the charged water particles. The results indicated that, with increasing relative humidity, increasing values of the effective ionization coefficient were responsible for a reduction in the inception voltage, and the reduction reinforced the ground-level resultant electric field. Moreover, due to the charged water particles and the lower ion mobility with increasing relative humidity, the space charge density distribution was enhanced, which also strengthened the ground-level resultant electric field.