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With the implementation of the dredging project in Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, proper treatment of sediment is urgent. Analysis of samples revealed a spatial difference among sampling sites, varied degree of pollutions and a strong correlation among the pollutants implying a common source of origin. Based on the sediment quantity, the contamination status quo and relevant requirements in the standards, the sediments were categorized into three types with different disposal strategy. The majority of the sediment that is not polluted or mildly contaminated were to be relocated or used as planting soil and engineering backfill geomaterial. The heavily polluted sediments were to be transported and used in a local brick manufacturing plant render it harmless.

Ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic form of cell death that is dependent on the accumulation of intracellular iron that causes elevation of toxic lipid peroxides. Therefore, it is crucial to improve the levels of intracellular iron and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a short time. Here, we first propose ultrasound (US)-propelled Janus nanomotors (Au–FeOx/PEI/ICG, AFPI NMs) to accelerate cellular internalization and induce cancer cell ferroptosis. This nanomotor consists of a gold–iron oxide rod-like Janus nanomotor (Au–FeOx, AF NMs) and a photoactive indocyanine green (ICG) dye on the surface. It not only exhibits accelerating cellular internalization (∼4-fold) caused by its attractive US-driven propulsion but also shows good intracellular motion behavior. In addition, this Janus nanomotor shows excellent intracellular ROS generation performance due to the synergistic effect of the "Fenton or Fenton-like reaction" and the "photochemical reaction". As a result, the killing efficiency of actively moving nanomotors on cancer cells is 88% higher than that of stationary nanomotors. Unlike previous passive strategies, this work is a significant step toward accelerating cellular internalization and inducing cancer-cell ferroptosis in an active way. These novel US-propelled Janus nanomotors with strong propulsion, efficient cellular internalization and excellent ROS generation are suitable as a novel cell biology research tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel precast concrete composite wall connected by tooth groove and grouted sleeve was introduced, which is produced in factories by means of structure-insulation integrated prefabrication, and the prefabrication and assembly process were presented minutely. To verify the feasibility and reliability of this novel tooth groove and grouted sleeve connection method and explore the joint connection performance and the seismic performance of the precast concrete composite wall connected by tooth groove and grouted sleeve, low-cyclic reversed loading tests with an axial compressive ratio of 0.1 were performed on two full-scale precast concrete composite walls. Moreover, the failure mode, hysteretic curve, skeleton curve, stiffness degradation, displacement ductility, energy dissipation capacity, and reinforcement strain were comprehensively discussed. The research results showed that under the vertical axial load and low-cyclic reversed load, the distributed reinforcements in the wall panel only played a structural role, while the connecting reinforcements at horizontal joints can always effectively transfer stress without bond failure, and the tooth groove and grouted sleeve connection performance was reliable. In addition, the hysteretic curves of the precast concrete composite wall connected by tooth groove and grouted sleeve were full, showing good ductile deformation capacity and energy dissipation capacity. In general, the precast concrete composite wall connected by tooth groove and grouted sleeve not only possessed favorable seismic performance but also showed obvious advantages such as green energy saving, high assembly rate, and less on-site wet operation, which can be applied to practical engineering under reasonable design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the horizontal joint connection performance of the innovative tooth groove connection and vertical reinforcement lapping in the reserved hole, five horizontal joint specimens were designed and constructed in this paper. Through the combination of monotonic horizontal load tests and finite element simulation analysis, the effects of axial compression ratio, vertical reinforcement connection degree, reserved hole type, mortar strength, and tooth groove depth on the horizontal joint connection performance of innovative tooth groove connections and vertical reinforcement lapping in reserved holes were comprehensively analyzed and discussed. The results indicated that the specimens were subjected to penetration failure at the tooth groove joint, but the vertical reinforcements and UHPC in reserved holes can effectively transfer the stress, ensuring satisfactory connection performance. With the increase in axial compression ratio and vertical reinforcement connection degree, the joint connection performance enhanced gradually, while the reserved hole type had little effect on the joint connection performance. In addition, it was found that increasing the mortar strength and the tooth groove depth can significantly improve the peak bearing capacity through finite element analysis. Finally, the optimization design suggestions for this innovative tooth groove connection and vertical reinforcement lapping in the reserved hole were given considering factors such as joint connection performance and construction assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the installation process of prefabricated components, deviations in dimensions and installation positions can occur due to construction quality issues, and the accumulation of these deviations can impact the reliability of component installation. However, the current approach to addressing accumulated deviations in the component installation process primarily relies on the trial-and-error method, lacking a solid theoretical foundation. This paper introduces the dimensional chain theory derived from mechanical engineering and presents a method to evaluate the installation reliability of prefabricated components in concrete structures. First, based on extensive measurements of installation deviations, it was found that the installation deviations of components followed a log-normal distribution. By analyzing the relationship between installation deviations and the acceptance rate, it was determined that for a 90% acceptance rate, the installation position deviation should be 8.6 mm for prefabricated wall panel components and 7.3 mm for prefabricated column components. Subsequently, the concept of dimensional chain theory from mechanical engineering was introduced to establish a limit state equation for quantifying the installation reliability of prefabricated components in concrete structures. By applying this theory, appropriate component fabrication dimensions could be determined to achieve a 95% level of installation reliability. Finally, by using the Monte Carlo method to solve the installation limit state equation for an actual engineering project, recommended fabrication dimensions for the components were obtained. The results indicate that within the horizontal axis, the length deviation of prefabricated beams, and the width fabrication dimension of columns needed to be reduced by 2.3 mm to 2.9 mm. Within the vertical axis, the length dimension of columns and the height dimension of beams had to be reduced by 0.9 mm to 2.2 mm to achieve a 95% level of installation reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a type of prefabricated concrete wall panel building system with novel flexible alveolar-type joints, which has the advantages of fast assembly and controllable quality. Seven alveolar-type joint specimens were designed and fabricated to investigate the influence of the axial compression ratio, the size of the joint (in the interface contact area), and the strength of the mortar on the joints' performance. The shear–slip constitutive model of the alveolar-type joints was established on this basis. The accuracy of the constitutive model was verified by comparing two full-scale loading tests with the exact finite element analysis model of ABAQUS. A finite element model of a multi-story apartment building was established by using the aforementioned shear–slip constitutive model; thus, the simplified analysis method for the prefabricated concrete wall panel building structure with alveolar-type joints was proposed. It was concluded that increasing the axial compression ratio, mortar strength, and size of the joints could increase the shear-bearing capacity by different degrees and that the 50 mm depth joint could increase the capacity by 18.6%. The proposed shear–slip constitutive model simulated the interface mechanism well by comparing the test results. Furthermore, the simplified analytical methods of the integral structure were in good agreement with the FEA results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the current standards for prefabricated buildings, the dimensional tolerances of components are usually determined by experience, lacking a theoretical basis. This work demonstrates the mathematical distribution of the dimensional deviations of precast concrete components by measuring their three-dimensional dimensions. Utilizing the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, the cumulative distribution function of dimension deviations was evaluated. In response to the fact that the tolerance division principle of equal upper and lower tolerance thresholds for prefabricated components in existing standards does not match the distribution of actual measured deviations of the components, this paper proposed a method for determining the tolerance values of prefabricated components based on the process capability index. The association between the process capability index and the qualification rate was utilized to determine the process capability index at a specified guarantee rate, which, in turn, determines the tolerance threshold values for various components. The results indicate that the range of unqualified random variables for the dimensional geometric parameters of the prefabricated components did not show a significant difference, with all values between 0.99 and 1.02. The coefficients of geometric parameter variation were all less than 0.0061, and the component dimensional deviation adhered to the normal distribution. By linking the process capability index with the pass rate, a process capability index of 0.55 at a guarantee rate of 90% was determined, along with the tolerance for various components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rebar corrosion is the primary cause of the durability degradation of reinforced concrete (RC) structures, where non-uniform corrosion is the typical pattern in engineering. This study experimentally and numerically investigated the tensile degradation properties of non-uniform corroded rebars. Corrosion morphology was accurately determined by three-dimensional (3D) laser scanning techniques, studying the characteristics of longitudinal non-uniform corrosion. The results showed that the non-uniformity of corrosion increased with an increase in corrosion levels. From tensile tests, the differences in nominal stress–strain curves among rebars with similar average corrosion levels indicated that corrosion non-uniformity has appreciable effects on the tensile behavior of rebars. The residual load-bearing capacity of corroded rebars was dominated by the reduced critical cross-section, while residual ductility was associated with the cross-section loss throughout the entire length of rebars. The degradation relations of nominal yield and ultimate strength, ultimate strain, and elongation after fracture were better correlated to the maximum cross-section loss than to the average volume loss. Additionally, numerical calculation based on the cross-sectional areas of corroded rebars was conducted to evaluate the tensile behavior of non-uniform corroded rebars. Equivalent distribution models simulating the longitudinal non-uniform corrosion were proposed, on the basis of probability characteristics of cross-sectional areas, for practical application of the numerical method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using high strength wire (HSW) as a longitudinal reinforcement in UHPC can make full use of the outstanding properties of UHPC. In this paper, the flexural test was carried out on normal rebar-reinforced UHPC (NRRU) and HSW reinforced UHPC (HSWRU) slabs. The cracking resistance, failure modes, bearing capacity and deformation characteristics of specimens were investigated. The test results indicated that both HSWRU and NRRU specimens exhibited excellent flexural performance under concentrated loads. Fewer inclined cracks and a slower cracking development process were observed for HSWRU specimens, and brittle failure did not occur during the whole loading process. As compared to HSWRU specimens, the cracking and ultimate load of NRRU specimens increased by 24.64% and 85.47%, respectively, due to a higher reinforcement ratio. Then the theoretical method available for flexural capacity and ductility calculation was proposed, and the feasibility was substantiated through test results. In addition, the traditional deformation ductility coefficient was found to be 30% conservative against the applied energy ductility coefficient. Finally, the extensive parametric analysis revealed that the increase of the reinforcement ratio and the strength of the steel rebar significantly enhanced the ultimate capacity, while the ductility coefficient was obviously weakened. Inversely, those two factors had little impact on the cracking capacity. Moreover, section height was found to be beneficial for both the flexural capacity and ductility of specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CO2 concentration of urban residential green space in Changsha was experimentally investigated. Based on the experimental results, the variation characteristics and influencing factors of CO2 concentration in residential areas were analyzed considering both the measuring time and ecological plant structure. Then, through the concept of urban ecological bearing capacity, the carbon sequestration index of the urban residential areas was proposed in this paper. Finally, the regulating effects of varieties of vegetation on CO2 concentration among four urban residential areas were deeply analyzed and discussed. Results showed that green space with an ecological plant structure of trees-shrubs-grass exhibited greater improvement in the environmental carbon balance than those of shrubs or grass, and the atmospheric carbon sequestration capacity was significantly affected by the total quantity of the green space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, constant‐amplitude fatigue tests were first performed on two types of reinforced concrete beams containing corroded reinforcements and carbonized concrete (involving corroded reinforcements). Then, the stiffness degradation behavior and the failure modes of these beams were analyzed. The results show that the stiffness of a beam first rapidly decreased and then slowly decreased under constant‐amplitude fatigue loading. In addition, the corrosion ratio of the reinforcement could affect the failure mode, and fatigue failure occurred in the compression zone of the concrete. Subsequently, a degradation equation of the bending stiffness for a damaged beam and a deflection equation that considers fatigue loads and accumulated damage were proposed. Furthermore, a staged linear curve for predicting the fatigue life of a reinforced concrete beam within certain corrosion ratio ranges was developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmembrane Channel-like (TMC) genes are critical in the carcinogenesis, proliferation, and cell cycle of human cancers. However, the multi-omics features of TMCs and their role in the prognosis and immunotherapeutic response of human cancer have not been explored. We discovered that TMCs 4-8 were commonly deregulated and correlated with patient survival in a variety of cancers. For example, TMC5 and TMC8 were correlated with the relapse and overall survival rates of breast cancer and skin melanoma, respectively. These results were validated by multiple independent cohorts. TMCs were regulated by DNA methylation and somatic alterations, such as TMC5 amplification in breast cancer (523/1062, 49.2%). Six algorithms concordantly uncovered the critical role of TMCs in the tumor microenvironment, potentially regulating immune cell toxicity and lymphocytes infiltration. Moreover, TMCs 4-8 were correlated with tumor mutation burden and expression of PD-1/PD-L1/CTLA4 in 33 cancers. Thus, we established an immunotherapy response prediction (IRP) score based on the signature of TMCs 4-8. Patients with higher IRP scores showed higher immunotherapeutic responses in five cohorts of skin melanoma (area under curve [AUC] = 0.90 in the training cohort, AUCs range from 0.70 to 0.83 in the validation cohorts). Together, our study highlights the great potential of TMCs as biomarkers for prognosis and immunotherapeutic response, which can pave the way for further investigation of the tumor-infiltrating mechanisms and therapeutic potentials of TMCs in cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the monotonic tensile test of grouted sleeve specimens conducted, this paper uses multifactor regression analysis to construct the equivalent constitutive relationship of grouted sleeve specimens under uniaxial tension. The study based on this constitutive relationship of grouted sleeves and the effect of bond and slip between steel and concrete were considered. The prefabricated reinforced concreted beam-column joints with grouted sleeves were presented with finite element software ABAQUS. The seismic behavior of prefabricated reinforced concreted beam-column joints with grouted sleeves under low-frequency cyclic loading was then investigated. In addition, parametric studies via finite element analysis were performed to examine the influence of various parameters on the strength and energy dissipation capacity of the specimens. The simulation results show that plastic deformation was mainly observed near the beam-column interface; the hysteretic curve of this joint was plump. The test results showed that good energy dissipation and displacement ductility capacities can be achieved. The error of yield load between the numerical simulated and experimental result was 7.11%, the error of peak load was 6.88%, the error of ultimate load was 3.76%, and the error of displacement ductility was 7.84%. Results showed that the calculated results obtained in the paper agree well with test results from the references. The finite element model adopted in this paper can reflect the seismic behavior of the prefabricated reinforced concrete beam-column joints with grouted sleeves by using equivalent constitutive relation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research objects of this paper were the prefabricated concrete components produced by four enterprises in China, and the dimension deviation data of more than 1400 prefabricated concrete components are measured with high-precision 3D photogrammetry technology. The nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis test was carried out for the size deviation of the same type of components produced by different enterprises. The distribution characteristics of geometric parameters of typical components of prefabricated structures in China, such as beams, columns, wall boards, and composite slabs, were analyzed by using the probability statistical method. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov goodness-of-fit method was used to test the cumulative distribution function of dimension deviation, and the size distribution of fabricated components was studied. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the size deviation of the same-type component produced by different enterprises, and the range of geometric parameter uncertainty random variables was small, which was between 0.99 and 1.02. Also, the fluctuation was small, the coefficient of variation was below 0.0093, and the variability of component size deviation was small. The transverse dimension of the component shows a positive deviation, the vertical dimension of component shows a negative deviation, and the dimension deviation of prefabricated concrete components follows the normal distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Non‐target‐site resistance (NTSR) to herbicides is a serious threat to global agriculture. Although metabolic resistance is the dominant mechanism of NTSR, the molecular mechanisms are not yet well‐characterized. This study aimed to uncover the likely metabolism‐related genes in Beckmannia syzigachne (American sloughgrass) resistant to fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl. RESULTS: Ultra‐performance liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry experiments showed that the resistant American sloughgrass biotype (R, SD‐04‐SS) showed enhanced degradation of this herbicide compared to the susceptible biotype (S, SD‐12). R and S biotype were harvested at 24 h after fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl treatment to conduct RNA sequencing (RNA‐Seq) analysis to investigate the likely fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl metabolic genes. The RNA‐Seq libraries yield 417 969 980 clean reads. The de novo assembly generated 115 112 unigenes, of which 57 906 unigenes were annotated. Finally, we identified 273 cytochrome P450s, 178 oxidases, 47 glutathione S‐transferases (GSTs), 166 glucosyltransferases (GTs) and 180 ABC transporter genes to determine the likely fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl metabolism‐related genes in R biotype. Twelve overlapping up‐regulated genes in the R biotype (fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl‐treated R/non‐treated R, fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl‐treated R/fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl‐treated S) were identified by RNA‐Seq and the results were validated using qRT‐PCR. Ten were identified as fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl metabolism‐related genes, including three P450s (homologous to CYP71D7, CYP99A2 and CYP71D10), one GST (homologous to GSTF1), two GTs (homologous to UGT90A1 and UGT83A1) and four oxidase genes. CONCLUSION: This work demonstrates that the NTSR mechanism by means of enhanced detoxification of fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl in American sloughgrass is very likely driven by herbicide metabolism related genes. The RNA‐Seq data presented here provide a valuable resource for understanding the molecular mechanism of NTSR in American sloughgrass. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pile foundations below approach slab in a semi-integral abutment jointless bridge (SAJB) that requires high flexibility to accommodate the horizontal cyclic deformation of approach slab generated by the girder's thermal expansion and contraction as well as earthquake action. In this paper, reactive powder concrete (RPC) and reinforce concrete (RC) micro piles were designed and fabricated. The shaking table tests on dynamic response of micro piles-soil interaction were conducted to investigate the dynamic response characteristics such as the strain time history of pile-soil system, the bending moment, and the deformation of piles. The maximum strain response of piles was observed at the buried depth of 4.2 D (D is the diameter of pile). Meanwhile, the maximum bending moments of RPC and RC piles appear at the depth of 0.64 D and 0.42 D, respectively, under the dynamic load excitation, and the peak horizontal deformation of piles were observed at pile head. It is found that the bending moment and the strain response of the RPC pile are larger than that of the RC micro pile, and increased by 40% and 98%, respectively. The RPC micro pile has better crack resistance, higher ductility, and flexural rigidity than that of the RC pile, and it can be widely used as pile foundations in SAJBs for the earthquake area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an innovative assembly technique using large-diameter bars anchored in several single-row, widely spaced grouted sleeves at the keyway-type horizontal joint to realize an indirect vertical connection between adjacent precast concrete (PC) walls, which has the advantages of high efficiency and ease of construction. To examine the effect of vertical connection strength (rebars' diameter at horizontal joints) on the seismic performance of PC shear walls, quasi-static cyclic loading tests on five full-size wall specimens, including one cast-in-place specimen and four PC specimens with grouted sleeve connections, are carried out. Seismic performance indicators in terms of failure modes, hysteresis characteristics, energy dissipation, ductility, and stiffness degradation of PC walls are investigated and compared with those of the cast-in-situ wall. Meanwhile, the method for predicting the bearing capacity of PC walls with large-diameter rebars is developed. The results show that the failure modes of cast-in-situ and precast walls are controlled by bending instead of shear, but there is an obvious difference in the crack propagation between the two types of walls. Carrying capacity, ductility factor, stiffness, and energy dissipation of PC walls are significantly enhanced by increasing the connection strength, by 44.1%, 23.9%, 72.1%, and 24.0%, respectively, when the connection strength reaches around 90%. Particularly, the PC wall's seismic performance is comparable to that of the cast-in-situ wall when the connection strength is 90%. The calculated results are well-matched with the experimental results, the proposed calculation method reliably predicts the bearing capacity of PC walls with large-diameter rebars. The assembly technique can be safely applied to multi-story PC wall panel structures in seismic zones. • A novel assembly method using large-diameter bars and single-row grouted sleeve connections was proposed. • Quasi-static tests on five PC walls examined how the vertical connection strength affected PC walls' seismic performance. • Relationship curves of connection strength and the ductility factor, and the lateral capacity of PC walls, were obtained. • A method for predicting the lateral capacity of PC walls with large-diameter rebar connections was developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SRC-3 is widely expressed in multiple tumor types and involved in cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are promising antitumor drugs. However, the poor efficacy of HDAC inhibitors in solid tumors has restricted its further clinical application. Here, we reported the novel finding that depletion of SRC-3 enhanced sensitivity of breast and lung cancer cells to HDAC inhibitors (SAHA and romidepsin). In contrast, overexpression of SRC-3 decreased SAHA-induced cancer cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we found that SRC-3 inhibitor bufalin increased cancer cell apoptosis induced by HDAC inhibitors. The combination of bufalin and SAHA was particular efficient in attenuating AKT activation and reducing Bcl-2 levels. Taken together, these accumulating data might guide development of new breast and lung cancer therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel cardanol-based benzoxazine (C-BOZ)/bisphenol A dicyanate ester (BADCy) blend with sea-island phase structures was successfully prepared via reaction-induced phase separation. The introduction of a long-chain alkyl group on the benzene ring significantly enhanced the thermodynamic differences between C-BOZ and BADCy. With the increase of the BADCy content, the Flory–Huggins interaction parameter (χ) of the blend decreased. By adjusting the ratio of the two components, sea-island phase separations were observed in C-BOZ/BADCy blends during the curing process. The dispersed phase was a C-BOZ rich phase, while the matrix was the crosslinked network composed of triazine rings and ring-opened C-BOZ. On the DMA curves of 9/1, 8/2 and 7/3 cured blends, there were two distinct Tgs. But with the increase of the BADCy content, the extent of phase separation was reduced. When the ratio reached 5/5, there was only one Tg because the viscosity of the blend was too high for phase separation to occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correction for ‘A novel benzoxazine/cyanate ester blend with sea-island phase structures’ by Xiaodan Li et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2015, DOI: URL10.1039/c5cp02426a/URL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plastid acetyl coenzyme carboxylase (ACCase) Trp 1999 Leu mutation was identified in a Beckmannia syzigachne population resistant to fenoxaprop-p-ethyl. The pattern of cross-resistance for the Trp 1999 Leu mutation is still ambiguous. In this paper, mutant homozygote (1999Leu/Leu, RR) and wild type (1999Trp/Trp, SS) B. syzigachne plants with the same genetic background were purified from the JS-26 population using the dCAPS method. The activity of ACCase in RR and SS was determined. Then, the cross-resistance pattern to ACCase inhibiting herbicides of the Trp 1999 Leu mutation was determined using the whole-plant method. ACCase activity showed that the Trp 1999 Leu mutation decreased ACCase sensitivity to fenoxaprop-p-ethyl by 2.73-fold. A dose-response experiment indicated that the Trp 1999 Leu mutation conferred high resistance to quizalofop-p-ethyl (20.29-fold), metamifop (12.22-fold) and pinoxaden (18.60-fold), moderate resistance to fenoxaprop-p-ethyl (8.20-fold) and sethoxydim (6.38-fold), low resistance to cyhalofop-butyl (2.73-fold) and no resistance to clodinafop-propargyl (1.42 fold) and clethodim (1.59-fold). This is the first report of the role of Trp 1999 Leu in fenoxaprop-p-ethyl resistance and of the patterns of cross-resistance to ACCase-inhibiting herbicides in B. syzigachne. Unlabelled Image • A novel W 1999 L mutation in ACCase was identified in fenoxaprop resistant Beckmannia syzigachne. • W 1999 L mutation resulted in 2.73-folds decrease on ACCase sensitivity to fenoxaprop-p-ethyl. • W 1999 L mutation mutation conferred moderate to high or no to low resistance to APPs with two-rings or one-ring aromatic moiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acanthospermum hispidum D.C. was particularly susceptible to fluazifop-P-butyl, an aryloxyphenoxypropionate herbicide, and the primary action site for the herbicide was shoot apical meristem, which is also the main site of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) biosynthesis and action. Membrane lipid peroxidation caused by increasing levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was considered as an action mechanism of fluazifop-P-butyl in A. hispidum . To further clarify the ROS inducing mechanism of fluazifop-P-butyl in the plant, the interactions between fluazifop-P-butyl and auxin compounds IAA or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) were studied. Haloxyfop- P -methyl, an AOPP herbicide which is inactive on A. hispidum , was used for comparison. The results showed that the growth inhibition and malondialdehyde or H 2 O 2 increases induced by fluazifop-P-butyl on A. hispidum were reversed by IAA or 2,4-D. The IAA content was decreased but the contents of three IAA oxidation metabolites, indole-3-methanol, indole-3-aldehyde and indole-3-carboxylic acid were increased by fluazifop-P-butyl in A. hispidum , but not by haloxyfop- P -methyl. The growth of A. hispidum was not inhibited by three IAA oxidative compounds. Moreover, the activities of IAA oxidase and peroxidase were increased by fluazifop-P-butyl but not by haloxyfop- P -methyl, and the increase was reversed by IAA or 2,4-D. We suggest that there is an antagonistic effect between fluazifop-P-butyl and IAA or 2,4-D, and the IAA oxidation may be involved in the action mechanism of fluazifop-P-butyl in A. hispidum . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acanthospermum hispidum DC, an Asteraceae weed species, was very susceptible to fluazifop-P-butyl, but tolerant to other aryloxyphenoxypropionate herbicides, such as haloxyfop- P -methyl. However, other Asteraceae weeds including Bidens pilosa were all tolerant to fluazifop-P-butyl. Membrane lipid peroxidation by increasing the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was proposed as an action mechanism of fluazifop-P-butyl in A. hispidum . To further clarify the primordial action site of fluazifop-P-butyl in this species, the effects on chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics and cytohistology of apical meristems were studied. Chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics (CFC) in sensitive A. hispidum seedlings were markedly affected by 10 μM fluazifop-P-butyl, with the dark fluorescence yield (Fo), maximal fluorescence yield (Fm), maximal PS II quantum yield (Fv/Fm), effective photosystem II (PS II) quantum yield [Y(II)], and quantum yield of regulated energy dissipation [Y(NPQ)] declining, quantum yield of nonregulated energy dissipation [Y(NO)] rising, but these measures were not affected in Bidens pilosa . The effects of fluazifop-P-butyl on chlorophyll fluorescence properties were observed on the growing point before the mature leaves by about 4–6 h. Haloxyfop- P -methyl, a control herbicide, had no effects on CFC of either A. hispidum or B. pilosa . In addition, damage to apical meristem cells of A. hispidum was observed at 6 HAT prior to changes in chlorophyll fluorescence parameters suggesting that the primary action site of fluazifop-P-butyl in this species is in the apical meristem and the effects on CFC may be the results of secondary action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Chemoradiotherapy with fluorouracil and cisplatin (PF) has shown greater clinical efficacy for local advanced oesophageal cancer but with high rate of acute toxicities. We designed the CRTCOESC study to evaluate the effect and safety of capecitabine with or without oxaliplatin versus PF with chemoradiotherapy in Chinese patients with oesophageal cancer. Methods We this randomised, open-label, multicentre trial in nine cancer centres in Henan province, China, in Chinese patients with biopsy-proven squamous oesophageal cancer (T2-4N0-2M0). We randomly assigned patients (1:1:1) to receive single capecitabine, capecitabine plus oxaliplatin, or PF, and every patient received daily radiation of 50 Gy in 2 Gy dose per fraction. Patients were stratified by different regimens cycles. Both grade 3–5 acute toxicities and 2-year overall survival were the primary endpoint, with a planned accrual of 249 patients to detect a decrease in grade 3–5 acute toxicities from 40% to 20%. Interim analysis of acute toxicities and overall response was planned for the first 120 patients. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials, number NCT02025036 . Findings Between October, 2014, and December, 2016, we accrued 128 patients, of whom 118 were eligible. 86 patients finished at least 16 weeks' follow-up and were included in the interim report (n=24 capecitabine group, n=37 capecitabine plus oxaliplatin group, and n=25 PF group). Pretreatment characters (age, gender, weight, performance status, clinical stage, lymphonodus status, and pathology grade) did not differ between the groups. Incidence of grade 3–5 acute toxicities was 25% in the capecitabine group, 32% in the capecitabine plus oxaliplatin group, and 64% in the PF group (p=0·03); the incidence was significantly lower in the capectitabine groups than the PF group (capectitabine vs PF p=0·041; capecitabine plus oxaliplatin vs PF p=0·022) and did not differ between capectitabine and capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (p=0·738). 56 patients had finished 1-year follow-up (n=12 capecitabine group, n=26 capecitabine plus oxaliplatin group, and n=18 PF group). The 1-year overall survival was 75% in the capecitabine group, 92% in the capecitabine plus oxaliplatin group, and 76% in the PF group (p=0·166). Nine patients died in total: three patients in the capecitabine group, two patients in the capecitabine plus oxaliplatin group, and four patients in the PF group. Interpretation Compared with PF, chemoradiotherapy with single capecitabine with or without oxaliplatin showed lower incidence of acute toxicities and similar 1-year overall survival. Funding National Natural Science Foundation of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: There is an unmet need to improve clinical outcomes for patients with recurrent/metastatic cervical cancer. Checkpoint inhibitors represent a promising treatment strategy. We evaluated the safety and anti-tumor activity of zimberelimab, an anti-programmed cell death protein-1 antibody, in patients with previously treated, recurrent, metastatic cervical cancer., Methods: This phase II, single-arm, open-label study used a Simon two-stage minimax design. Eligible patients were women aged 18-75 years with programmed death ligand-1-positive recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer that had progressed after first- or subsequent-line chemotherapy (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-1). Patients received intravenous zimberelimab (240 mg every 2 weeks) for 2 years until disease progression, intolerable adverse effects, or withdrawal from the study. The primary endpoint was objective response rate assessed per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1, by an independent review committee., Results: A total of 105 patients were enrolled. Median age was 51 (range, 31-75) years; 63.8% had an ECOG performance status of 1. The median number of previous treatment lines was 1 (range, 1-4). Median follow-up was 16.9 (range, 16.3-18.4) months. The objective response rate was 27.6%, and the disease control rate was 55.2%. Median duration of response was not reached. Median overall survival was 16.8 months, and median progression-free survival was 3.7 months. The incidence of treatment-related adverse events of any grade was 78.1%, of which the most common were hypothyroidism (26.7%) and anemia (19.0%)., Conclusion: Zimberelimab monotherapy demonstrated durable anti-tumor activity and an acceptable safety profile in patients with cervical cancer., Clinical Trial Registration: NCT03972722., Competing Interests: Competing interests: JZ: employed by Guangzhou Gloria Biosciences Co., Ltd., (© IGCS and ESGO 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. Published by BMJ.)

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of sound touch elastography (STE) in conjunction with conventional ultrasound in the differential diagnosis of diffuse thyroid disease (DTD) and normal thyroid in children., Methods: Studies performed on 62 children with DTD and 30 normal volunteers were reviewed. Standard gray scale ultrasound, Doppler ultrasound and STE of the examinees, and the serum test results of children with DTD were collected, analyzed and compared., Results: The STE-Mean values in the Graves' disease (GD) group, Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) group, and normal control group, respectively, were 19.35 ± 5.00 kPa, 19.43 ± 6.06 kPa, and 11.24 ± 1.99 kPa. With an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.945, STE-Mean values differentiated DTD from normal children. The peak systolic velocity (PSV) of the superior thyroid artery separated DTD from normal children and AUC from children with GD and HT, respectively, and was 0.992 and 0.864. The PSV of superior thyroid artery revealed a somewhat favorable connection with FT3 and FT4., Conclusion: The STE results revealed that thyroid stiffness was higher in children with DTD than in normal children, but further differentiation into GD and HT subgroups lacked specificity, and the superior thyroid artery flow velocity might be a good supplement to distinguish both., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Li, Zhang, Chen, Taragin and Luo.)

There are many horizontal joints on precast concrete (PC) wall panel structures, which certainly has a significant impact on the seismic behavior of structures. This paper proposes a novel alveolar-type horizontal joint, which has advantages of convenient and rapid assembly. Six precast concrete wall specimens with alveolar-type joints were designed and constructed, and they were weakly connected by spliced rebars anchored into grouted sleeves to meet the requirements of structural performance. The pseudo-static loading tests on these specimens were conducted to investigate the effects of influencing factors, such as the axial compression ratio, the thickness of wall (interface contact area), and the addition of a vertical grouted sleeve connection at the horizontal joint, on the seismic performance of PC walls. Analyses and comparisons were conducted in terms of the cracking propagation pattern, failure modes, force-displacement hysteretic curves, skeleton curves, bearing capacity, ductility factors, and energy dissipation of PC walls. It was concluded that the axial compression ratio and adding grouted sleeve connection had a significant influence on the cracking mode of PC walls, whereas the impact of the wall thickness was slight. The shear capacity and energy dissipation capacity of specimen dramatically enhanced by increasing the axial compression ratio or adding grouted sleeve connection. The PC wall exhibits good ductility after adding the vertical grouted sleeve connection at a horizontal joint. However, the ductility factor increases firstly and then decreases in the enhancement of the axial compression ratio. The reduction in wall thickness has remarkable impacts on the shear strength and energy dissipation capacity of specimens, but the influences on ductility were not significant. The prediction method for calculating the shear capacity of PC walls with alveolar-type horizontal joints was proposed based on the experimental data, and these calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental results.

Background: In recent years, nanotechnology has attracted a plethora of attention due of its ability to effectively diagnose and treat various tumors. Virus-like particles (VLPs) have good biocompatibility, are safe and non-toxic, and have an internal hollow space, and as such they are often used as nano drug carriers. In recent years, it has become one of the hot spots in the field of biopharmaceutical engineering., Methods: In this study, the tumor-targeting peptide RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) was genetically inserted into the major immunodominant region (MIR) of the hepatitis B virus core protein (HBc). A series of characterization, including stability and optical properties, were evaluated. A visual diagnosis and analysis of the efficacy against tumor cells were conducted at the cell level and using a live animal model., Results: This study demonstrated that the recombinant HBc-based VLPs could participate in self-assembly of monodispersed nanoparticles with well-defined morphology, and the near-infrared dye indocyanine green (ICG) could be packaged into the VLPs without any chemical modification. Moreover, the HBc-based VLPs could specifically target cancer cells via the interaction with overexpressed integrin αvβ3. The treatment with ICG-loaded HBc-based VLPs showed significant inhibition of 4T1 breast cancer cell growth (84.87% tumor growth inhibition). The in vivo imaging experiments demonstrated that the ICG-loaded HBc-based VLPs generated excellent fluorescence in tumor sites in 4T1 breast cancer bearing mice. This provided crucial information on tumor mass location, boundaries, and shape. Moreover, compared to free ICG, the nanosystem showed significantly longer blood circulation time and superior accuracy in targeting the tumor., Conclusions: The ICG-loaded HBc-based VLPs prepared in this study were of good stability and biocompatibility. It showed strong tumor targeting specificity and tumor visualization. Thus, it is expected to provide a new experimental basis and theoretical support for the integration of VLPs in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at http://dx.doi.org/10.21037/atm-20-7478). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2020 Annals of Translational Medicine. All rights reserved.)

The clinicopathological features of inflammatory breast carcinoma (IBC), the effect of therapeutic options on survival outcome and the identification of prognostic factors were investigated in this study. Information on IBC patients were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2010 and 2015. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to determine potential significant prognostic factors of IBC. A nomogram was then constructed to evaluate patient survival based on certain variables. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that race ( p  < 0.001), M stage ( p  < 0.001), surgery ( p  = 0.010), chemotherapy (CT) ( p  < 0.001), tumor size ( p  = 0.010), estrogen receptor ( p  < 0.001), progesterone receptor ( p  = 0.04), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 ( p  < 0.001) were all independent risk factors. The concordance index (C-index) of the nomogram was 0.735, which showed good predictive efficiency. Survival analysis indicated that IBC patients without CT had poorer survival than those with CT ( p  < 0.001). Stratified analyses showed that modified radical mastectomy (MRM) had significant survival advantages over non-MRM in patients with stage IV IBC ( p  = 0.031). Patients treated with or without CT stratified by stage III and stage IV showed better survival than those without stage III and IV ( p  < 0.001). Trimodality therapy resulted in better survival than surgery combined with CT or CT alone ( p  < 0.001). Competing risk analysis also showed the same results. The nomogram was effectively applied to predict the 1, 3 and 5-year survival of IBC. Our nomogram showed relatively good accuracy with a C-index of 0.735 and is a visualized individually predictive tool for prognosis. Treatment strategy greatly affected the survival of patients. Trimodality therapy was the preferable therapeutic strategy for IBC. Further prospective studies are needed to validate these findings., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2019 Zhang et al.)