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Capsules were widely used in clinical settings for the oral delivery of various drugs, although it remains challenging to trace real-time drug release behavior and adjust dosages based on the therapeutic effect. To address these issues, we developed theranostic capsules that loaded two kinds of fluorescence nanoparticles, H2O2-responsive Janus Ag/Ag2S nanoparticles (Ag/Ag2S JNPs) and the downconversion nanoparticles (DCNPs), and the dexamethasone (Dex) drug. The Ag/Ag2S JNPs exhibit a highly sensitive fluorescence (FL) signal at 1250 nm in response to H2O2, while the FL signal from the DCNPs at 1550 nm remains stable under physiological conditions. The ratio of these two FL signals formed the ratiometric FL signal, which shows correlation with the H2O2concentration with a detection limit of 1.7 μM. Moreover, the capsules can be precisely delivered into the intestine, where they release the JNPs and DCNPs simultaneously. The H2O2-triggered ratiometric FL signals and images can diagnose inflammation and indicate its location. Meanwhile, the encapsulated Dex is released in the disease region, with ratiometric imaging allowing for real-time tracking of therapeutic efficacy and providing guidance for ongoing treatment. The theranostic capsule system provides an approach for quantitative detection of disease biomarkers and further localized release of therapeutics, thereby avoiding overdose and reducing side effects.

Inconel 718 is recognized as the difficult-to-cut material. TiAlN coated tool is frequently applied in machining of such material, due to its excellent hot hardness and oxidation resistance. However, research on the wear rate model during the cutting of Inconel 718 with TiAlN coated tools is limited. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel dual-stage wear rate model to predict wear of TiAlN coated tools when cutting Inconel 718 using finite element (FE) simulation. The dual-stage model integrates impacts from adhesive wear, diffusion wear and abrasive wear, and includes two wear rate models for the initial wear stage and steady wear stage, respectively. Subsequently, an in-depth analysis of tool wear mechanisms is conducted through Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) techniques. The analysis results reveal that the adhesive wear dominates in the initial wear stage, while the steady wear stage witnesses the concurrent involvement of abrasive wear, diffusion wear and adhesive wear. Moreover, extensive cutting experiments validate that the model can predict wear of the TiAlN coated tools with an error margin of less than 8.5 %.

To broaden the bandwidth of the piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) and improve its power density, a dual semicircular arc PEH (DSA-PEH) is designed in this work. This harvester has three piezoelectric layer configurations: single-outer-layer, single-inner-layer, and dual-layer connected in series. A two-degree-of-freedom (2-DOF) lumped parametric model and an electromechanical coupling model with the rectifier circuit are developed to analyze the resonant frequency and output performance. Measured results show that the DSA-PEH with dual piezoelectric layers connected in series has the most superior performance among the three configurations. After optimizing the radian and position of the piezoelectric layers, this DSA-PEH has a broad bandwidth of 52 Hz. Meanwhile, in the 1st mode of this DSA-PEH, the maximum output power is 3.74 mW with the normalized power density (NPD) of $180.3~\mu $ W $\cdot $ g $^{\mathbf {-{2}}}\cdot $ mm $^{\mathbf {-{3}}}$ ; in the 2nd mode, the maximum output power remains at 3.54 mW, with the NPD of $170.8~\mu $ W $\cdot $ g $^{\mathbf {-{2}}}\cdot $ mm $^{\mathbf {-{3}}}$ . The DSA-PEH exhibits a broad bandwidth and high power density, enabling it to supply power effectively in environments with large frequency fluctuations. In addition, the DSA-PEH has the capability to harvest energy in multiple directions. Therefore, the DSA-PEH can be applied to many fields, such as wearable devices, microsensors, and so on.

The permeability of the highly selective blood–brain barrier (BBB) to anticancer drugs and the difficulties in defining deep tumor boundaries often reduce the effectiveness of glioma treatment. Thus, exploring the combination of multiple treatment modalities under the guidance of second-generation near-infrared (NIR-II) window fluorescence (FL) imaging is considered a strategic approach in glioma theranostics. Herein, a hybrid X-ray-activated nanoprodrug was developed to precisely visualize the structural features of glioma microvasculature and delineate the boundary of glioma for synergistic chemo-radiotherapy. The nanoprodrug comprised down-converted nanoparticle (DCNP) coated with X-ray sensitive poly(Se-Se/DOX-co-acrylic acid) and targeted Angiopep-2 peptide (DCNP@P(Se-DOX)@ANG). Because of its ultrasmall size and the presence of DOX, the nanoprodrug could easily cross BBB to precisely monitor and localize glioblastoma via intracranial NIR-II FL imaging and synergistically administer antiglioblastoma chemo-radiotherapy through specific X-ray-induced DOX release and radiosensitization. This study provides a novel and effective strategy for glioblastoma imaging and chemo-radiotherapy.

Protonic ceramic cells merit extensive exploration, attributed to their innate capabilities for potent and environmentally benign energy conversion. In this work, a temperature-induced exsolution methodology to synthesize SrCo0.5Nb0.5O3−δ(SCN) nanoparticles (NPs) with notably elevated activity on the surface of PrSrCo1.8Nb0.2O6−δ(PSCN) is proposed, directly addressing the extant challenge of restrained catalytic activity prevalent in air electrode materials. In situ assessments reveal that SCN NPs commence exsolution from the matrix at temperatures surpassing 900 °C during straightforward calcination processes and maintain stability throughout annealing. Notably, the resultant SCN–PSCN interface facilitates vapor adsorption and protonation processes, which are poised to enhance surface reaction kinetics pertaining to the proton-involved oxygen reduction and evolution reaction (P-ORR and P-OER). A fuel-electrode-supported protonic ceramic cell leveraging SCN–PSCN as the air electrode manifests compelling performance, attaining a peak power density of 1.30 W·cm–2in the fuel cell modality and a current density of 1.91 A·cm–2at 1.3 V in the electrolysis mode, recorded at 650 °C. Furthermore, density functional theory calculations validate that the introduction of SCN NPs onto the PSCN surface conspicuously accelerates electrode reaction rates correlated with P-ORR and P-OER, by significantly mitigating energy barriers associated with surface oxygen and vapor dissociation.

Ceria-based oxides, such as samaria-doped ceria (SDC), are potential electrolytes for low-to-intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The sinterability of these materials can be improved by adding iron as the sintering aid. This work reveals that Fe is soluble in SDC, forming an Fe-doped SDC solid solution. It is found that the solubility is affected by the sintering temperature. Fe doping has obvious effects on electrolyte properties, including sintering characteristics, thermal expansion behaviors, and electrical conductivities in both air and hydrogen atmospheres. The conductivity obviously increases while the activation energy decreases by doping Fe. Compared with that of the bare SDC electrolyte, the performance of the single cell with the Fe-doped SDC is enhanced; for example, the peak power density is increased by 52.8% to 0.726 W cm–2at 600 °C when humidified hydrogen is used as the fuel and ambient air is used as the oxidant. The single cell showed stable operation at 600 °C under a constant current density of 0.3 A cm–2for 150 h. Therefore, the Fe-doped SDC solid solution shows promise as a potential electrolyte for low-to-intermediate-temperature SOFCs.

Optical imaging and photoacoustic (PA) imaging have become essential tools to investigate physiological or pathological processes at the molecular level in vivo. The detection of variations at the molecular level in vivois particularly important owing to the rapid progression of diseases. However, most studies have mainly focused on plain qualitative molecular imaging and detection, which is characterized by the absence of a reference signal in one-channel responsive imaging. To overcome the limitation and quantitatively detect molecules in situ, this Account reviews the recent contributions of our group to the quantitative imaging field in the form of ratiometric optical and PA imaging in vivoin the second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 950–1700 nm).

In situ thermal desorption (ISTD) provides an efficient solution to remediation of soil and groundwater contaminated with nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). Establishing a relationship between the subsurface temperature rise and NAPL removal is significant to reduce energy consumption of ISTD. However, the co-boiling phenomenon between NAPL and water poses a great challenge in developing this relationship due to the nonequilibrium heat and mass transport effects. We performed a systematic experimental investigation into the local temperature rise patterns at different distances from a NAPL pool and under different degrees of superheat by selecting four representative NAPLs (i.e., trichloroethylene, tetrachlorethylene, n-hexane, and n-octane) according to their density and boiling point relative to water. The patterns of temperature rise indicated that the underground temperature field can be divided into three zones: the zone of local thermal equilibrium, the nonequilibrium zone affected by co-boiling, and the zone unaffected by co-boiling. We developed a pattern-recognition-based approach, which considers the effects of local heat and mass transport to establish a qualitative correlation between the temperature rise and NAPL removal. Our results give deeper insights into the understanding of subsurface temperatures in ISTD practice, which can serve as the guideline for more accurate and sustainable remediation.

Attempted preparation of a low-valent Ca(I) complex by reduction of Ca iodide precursor [LCaI(THF)]2(1) (L = [CH3C(NAr)CHC(CH3)NCH2CH2N(CH3)2]−, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3), with KC8led to isolation of a dinuclear calcium azaallyl complex {[H2CC(NAr)CHC(CH3)(NCH2CH2N(CH3)2)]Ca(THF)}2(2). Alternatively, reaction of 1with KC8in the presence of azobenzene gives an azobenzenyl calcium complex LCa(PhNNPh)(THF) (3). The electron paramagnetic resonance and UV–vis spectra of complex 3suggest that the (PhNNPh) moiety should be regarded as a radical anion. Complex 3can react with Me3SiN3, Me3SiCHN2, CS2, W(CO)6, elemental sulfur, and AgBr, resulting in the formation of the azido complex [LCaN3(THF)]2(5), isonitril complex {LCa[CNN(Si(CH3)3)]}2(6), dimeric bis(thiolate) complex {[S2CC(CMe(NAr))C(Me)NCH2CH2NMe2]Ca(DME)}2(7), metallocyclic carbene complex {[OC(W(CO)5)N(C6H5)]Ca(THF)3}2(8), bis(thiolate) complex {[S2C(CMe(NAr))C(Me)NCH2CH2NMe2]Ca(THF)}2(9), and bromide complex [LCaBr(THF)]2(10). Additional insights on the reaction process resulting in the formation of complex 7are provided by density-functional theory studies. These results demonstrate that the (PhNNPh)•–radical anion can serve as a very potent one-electron donor, and 3acts as a low-valent calcium(I) synthon.

The control rod drive system is critical to the reactor's reliable operation. The performance of its control system and mechanical system will gradually deteriorate because of operational and environmental stresses, thus increasing the reactor's operational risk. Currently there are few researches on the aging-related degradation of the entire control rod drive system. Because it is difficult to quantify the effect of various environmental stresses and establish an accurate physical model when multiple mechanisms superimposed in the degradation process. Therefore, this paper investigates the aging-related degradation of a control rod drive system by integrating Dynamic Object-Oriented Bayesian Network and Hidden Markov Model. Uncertainties in the degradation of the control system and mechanical system are addressed by using fuzzy theory and the Hidden Markov Model respectively. A system which consists of eight control rod drive mechanisms divided into two groups is used to demonstrate the method. The aging-related degradation of the control rod drive system is analyzed by the Bayesian inference algorithm based on the accelerated life test data, and the impact of different operating schemes on the system performance is also investigated. Meanwhile, the components or units that have major impact on the system's performance are identified at different operational phases. Finally, several essential safety measures are suggested to mitigate the risk caused by the system degradation.

Developing high-performance cathodes with sufficient stability against CO2rooting in ambient atmosphere is crucial to realizing the practical application of solid-oxide fuel cells. Herein, the Mn dopant is investigated to regulate the phase structure and cathode performance of SrFeO3−δperovskites through partially replacing the B-site Fe. Compared with parent SrFeO3−δ, Mn-doped materials, SrFe1–xMnxO3−δ(x= 0.05 and 0.1), show stabilized cubic perovskites at room temperature. Meanwhile, doping Mn accelerates the oxygen reduction reaction process, showing a reduced polarization resistance of 0.155 Ω·cm2at 700 °C for SrFe0.95Mn0.05O3−δ, which is less than 30% of SrFeO3−δ. In addition, the Mn dopant improves the chemical oxygen surface exchange and bulk diffusion coefficients. Furthermore, Mn enhances the tolerance toward CO2corrosion in various CO2atmospheres. Density functional theory calculations also reveal that Mn can strengthen the structural stability and increase the activity for the oxygen reduction reaction.

For limited weight reduction and avoidance of composite damage caused by the press mounting of the traditional metal teeth press-fit joint, a novel teeth connection joint technique of the fiber wound composite transmission shaft was investigated by theoretical analysis, finite element simulation, and experiment verification. Based on the mechanics of composite materials, the expressions of equilibrium torsional stiffness and static torsional strength were derived. According to the three-dimensional Chang-Chang failure criterion, its finite element model of progressive damage analysis was established through the user material subroutine. Applying the fast curing resin system, a typical sample of the structure was prepared through co-curing for the static torsional strength test, and its failure details of the fracture surface were observed by using a scanning electron microscope, which confirmed the validity of theoretical and numerical results. Based on this, the influence of the ply method and geometric characteristics on the failure strength was studied, and the optimal design of the joint was realized by the genetic algorithm. Compared with the press-fit joint, this structure reduces weight by 70 % under the same joint strength, which provides a new way for the connection of the composite transmission shaft.

The anti-cancer drug target poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) and its close homologue, PARP2, are early responders to DNA damage in human cells1,2. After binding to genomic lesions, these enzymes use NAD+to modify numerous proteins with mono- and poly(ADP-ribose) signals that are important for the subsequent decompaction of chromatin and the recruitment of repair factors3,4. These post-translational modifications are predominantly serine-linked and require the accessory factor HPF1, which is specific for the DNA damage response and switches the amino acid specificity of PARP1 and PARP2 from aspartate or glutamate to serine residues5–10. Here we report a co-structure of HPF1 bound to the catalytic domain of PARP2 that, in combination with NMR and biochemical data, reveals a composite active site formed by residues from HPF1 and PARP1 or PARP2 . The assembly of this catalytic centre is essential for the addition of ADP-ribose moieties after DNA damage in human cells. In response to DNA damage and occupancy of the NAD+-binding site, the interaction of HPF1 with PARP1 or PARP2 is enhanced by allosteric networks that operate within the PARP proteins, providing an additional level of regulation in the induction of the DNA damage response. As HPF1 forms a joint active site with PARP1 or PARP2, our data implicate HPF1 as an important determinant of the response to clinical PARP inhibitors.

Simulating the various functions of the human body in electronic skin to give it a higher level of bionics is the basis for realizing intelligent interaction. Isothermal regulation is the key to realizing a healthy life of the body, yet only simple heating or cooling is achieved in electronic skin. Here, we propose a novel thermoregulating electronic skin (thermo-e-skin) with biomimetic structures, which mimics the human body thermoregulation mechanism by integrating a flexible thermoelectric device with a hydrogel composite material. Through the delicate balance of heat generation and dissipation, the thermo-e-skin maintained a stable surface temperature of 35 °C across a wide range of ambient temperatures from 10 °C to 45 °C for extended durations (e.g., 4.2 h at an ambient temperature of 40 °C). Additionally, the thermo-e-skin, equipped with water regeneration capabilities, exhibits exceptional cyclic performance, further demonstrating its practical potential for soft electronics, bionics, and prosthetics.

Objective To investigate the involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).Methods In this study, we investigated miRNA profiles in the upper airway (UA) skeletal muscles of four patients with OSAHS and four matched controls using the miRCURY miRNA array. In another cohort of 12 OSAHS cases and 7 controls, the mRNA expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and Lin-28 homolog A (Lin28A), targets of the downregulated let-7 family members, were measured by real-time quantitative-PCR. The potential targets of the miRNAs were predicted by miRNA target prediction databases miRanda, Microcosm, and Targetscan.Results The array identified 370 differentially expressed miRNAs, of which 181 were upregulated and 189 were downregulated in OSAHS patients (based on a fold-change >2.0 and p< 0.05). Upregulation of IL-6 and Lin28A was validated by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. The 612 targets predicted by all three algorithms were subjected to gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses. The results revealed perturbations in signaling pathways and cellular functions.Conclusion This study demonstrated profoundly altered miRNA expression profiles in upper airway muscular tissues of patients with OSAHS, which might contribute to the formation and development of OSAHS.

Cerium and lanthanum dialkyl complexes [η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2]Ln(CH2C6H4-o-NMe2)2(Ln = Ce 1and La 2), supported by a tri-tert-butylcyclopentadienyl ligand, have been successfully synthesized. Studies demonstrate that these complexes possess diverse reactivity toward various small molecules. For example, the reaction of complexes 1and 2with diphenyl dichalcogenides PhEEPh (E = S, Se) results in the formation of lanthanide thiolates [(η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2)Ln(SPh)(μ-SPh)]2(Ln = Ce 3and La 4) and selenolates [(η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2)Ln(SePh)(μ-SePh)]2(Ln = Ce 5and La 6), concomitantly releasing PhE(CH2C6H4-o-NMe2). Furthermore, complexes 1and 2, upon reaction with dibenzyl disulfide, yield tetranuclear rare-earth metallomacrocyclic compounds {[(η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2)Ln(μ-SCH2C6H5)]2(μ–η3:η3-SCHC6H5)}2(Ln = Ce 7and La 8). This reaction may involve a process of σ-bond metathesis and C–H activation. While the reaction of 1and 2with dibenzyl diselenide in the presence of LiCH2C6H4-o-NMe2leads to the formation of lanthanide-lithium selenido clusters [(η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2)La(μ-SeCH2C6H5)]3(μ3-Se)[μ3-SeLi(THF)3] (Ln = Ce 9and La 10). Meanwhile, lanthanide selenido clusters [(η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2)La(μ-SeCH2C6H4-o-NMe2)]4(μ3-Se)2(Ln = Ce 11and La 12) can be obtained by treating 1and 2with elemental selenium in a 1:2 molar ratio. Additionally, the treatment of 1and 2with benzoxazole generates ring-opening/C–C coupling/C–N coupling products {(η5-1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2)La[μ-OC6H4-o-N═CHN(CH(CH2C6H4-o-NMe2)2C6H4-o-O]}2(Ln = Ce 13and La 14). All new compounds were characterized by various spectroscopic methods, and their solid-state structures were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses.

Objective Previous studies have shown that patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) may have various vestibular abnormalities, and these mainly present as subclinical lesions. In this study, we attempted to combine ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) and cervical (VEMPs) to investigate vestibular dysfunction in patients with OSAS.Methods Thirty-eight patients with severe OSAS and 42 healthy controls were enrolled and divided into two groups according to results of polysomnography. All parameters of VEMP graphs were analyzed.Results The response rate of ocular VEMPs was significantly lower in patients with severe OSAS (85.5%) than in controls (96.4%). The mean n1 latency of patients with severe OSAS (10.6 ± 1.0 months) was significantly longer than that of controls (10.2 ± 1.1 months). With regard to cervical VEMP, p1-n1 amplitudes were significantly different between the groups. Other VEMP parameters were not significantly different between the groups.Conclusions VEMPs can potentially be used to evaluate vestibular system lesions at the early stage of OSAS, including not only the vestibular nerve, but also the otolith organs involved.

Dynamic variations in the concentration and abnormal distribution of endogenous biomarkers are strongly associated with multiple physiological and pathological states. Therefore, it is crucial to design imaging systems capable of real-time detection of dynamic changes in biomarkers for the accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of diseases. Recently, ratiometric imaging has emerged as a widely used technique for sensing and imaging of biomarkers due to its advantage of circumventing the limitations inherent to conventional intensity-dependent signal readout methods while also providing built-in self-calibration for signal correction. Here, the recent progress of ratiometric probes and their applications in sensing and imaging of biomarkers are outlined. Ratiometric probes are classified according to their imaging mechanisms, and ratiometric photoacoustic imaging, ratiometric optical imaging including photoluminescence imaging and self-luminescence imaging, ratiometric magnetic resonance imaging, and dual-modal ratiometric imaging are discussed. The applications of ratiometric probes in the sensing and imaging of biomarkers such as pH, reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), glutathione (GSH), gas molecules, enzymes, metal ions, and hypoxia are discussed in detail. Additionally, this Review presents an overview of challenges faced in this field along with future research directions.

AbstractThe safety of the Three Gorges Reservoir, the world’s largest hydraulic project, has attracted significant attention. Among the landslides in the area, the Xinpu landslide complex stands out as one of the largest. However, accurately detecting and interpreting the timing and magnitude of its movement remains a challenge. This study introduces a framework using interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) for investigating the Xinpu landslide complex. In areas with dense vegetation like Xinpu, estimating landslide movement has traditionally been problematic. The proposed method, based on independent component analysis-assisted intermittent multi-temporal InSAR, overcomes this limitation by retrieving complete and reliable time-series deformation without prior deformation models. Through an analysis of Sentinel-1 datasets covering a period of 4 years, our approach significantly enhances deformation density and accuracy in comparison to other multi-temporal InSAR techniques. When contrasted with these methods, our proposed approach exhibits an average RMS improvement of up to 46.2% between GNSS measurements and the InSAR-derived results. The complete time-series deformation reveals diverse triggers at different sections of the Xinpu landslide complex. Precipitation, with a 45-day lag, primarily controls the landslide, while the toe of the landslide shows joint effects from precipitation and water level fluctuations, with a 14-day lag. Cross-correlation analysis estimates lag times for deformation responses to different triggers and enables discussion of the complex’s kinematic process. Overall, this approach enhances InSAR performance in vegetated areas and aids in uncovering landslide triggers for effective hazard mitigation.

A series of experiments were conducted to study the thermal failure hazard of large-format commercial lithium-ion batteries with typical states of charge in a calorimeter apparatus. The results indicate that the thermal failure penetration of the lithium-ion battery with 70% state of charge is faster than the lithium-ion battery with 50% state of charge. Two typical thermal failure modes, “Gas-driven mode” and “Flame-driven mode,” were also observed, corresponding to lithium-ion battery with 70% state of charge and 50% state of charge, respectively. Significant heat release, accompanied by large amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) release, took place for lithium-ion battery with 50% state of charge. Inversely, lithium-ion battery with 70% state of charge presented a lower heat release while more carbon monoxide (CO) generation and obvious mass loss trend. This study may serve as a reference for safe storage, application, and transportation in lithium-ion batteries.

A photonic nanojet (PNJ) is a highly confined light beam formed by a transparent particle under light wave illumination. Here, we propose and numerically investigate the PNJ formed by a dielectric circular toroid with micro dimensions and a homogenous refractive index. Three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations are conducted and demonstrate that ultralong PNJs can be formed by the doughnut-like structure. Besides, microtoroid structures can allow high-index materials (n=3.5) for PNJ generation. Various PNJ properties, including the focal distance, PNJ length, full width at half-maximum, and maximum intensity, can be flexibly tuned by modifying the geometry of the proposed structure.

Metal catalysts (e.g., Pt) have a variety of applications in energy conversion devices including polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs); however, they commonly confront a crucial issue of poor stability. Herein, a structural model of spatially confining supported Pt nanoparticles is determined to improve the stability of metal catalysts, wherein graphitic carbon nitride (gC3N4) supported Pt nanoparticles (gC3N4–Pt) are spatially confined by carbon nanospheres (CNSs). The resulting CNSs-Pt/gC3N4catalyst demonstrates a surprising retention rate of electrochemical surface area as high as 85.0%, much higher than that of the commercial Pt/C catalyst (45.2%), and the half-wave potential is reduced by only 11 mV compared with 54 mV for Pt/C after 6000 scanning cycles. In addition, CNSs also serve as a conductive agent to increase electron transfer pathways on Pt surfaces, and the unique spatial confinement structure with an open framework ensures the mass transfer. Moreover, the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) activity of CNSs-Pt/gC3N4gets elevated by 2.1 times that of Pt/C in terms of the anodic peak current. The stabilized catalyst model and its derivative structures can be applied to various metal catalyst systems.

The increase in the prevalence of obesity presents a significant health and economic problem. Obesity has been reported to be a major contributor to variety of chronic diseases. Childhood obesity has been rising over the past decades leading to various complications in health. Millions of infants and children undergo surgery every year on various health grounds. The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of spinal anesthesia of equipotent doses of ropivacaine and bupivacaine on over-weight neonatal rats.

O aumento da prevalência da obesidade é um problema sério de saúde e econômico. A obesidade tem sido relatada como um dos principais contribuintes para uma variedade de doenças crônicas. A obesidade infantil tem aumentado nas últimas décadas e levado a complicações de saúde. Milhões de bebês e crianças são submetidos a cirurgia todos os anos por diversos motivos de saúde. O presente estudo foi feito para avaliar o efeito da raquianestesia com doses equipotentes de ropivacaína e bupivacaína em ratos recém‐nascidos com sobrepeso.

In patients with stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (U-VATS) anatomical segmentectomy removes the lung tumor while preserving lung function as much as possible, and it is therefore an alternative to lobectomy. Patients with stage IA NSCLC receiving U-VATS segmental resection at our institution from September 2017 to June 2019 were compared with patients receiving U-VATS lobectomy. A total of 47 patients received segmentectomy and 209 patients received U-VATS lobectomy in the same period. Propensity score matching was conducted to diminish bias. The final study cohort included 42 patients who received segmentectomy and 42 propensity score matching-matched patients who received lobectomy. Perioperative parameters and postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), and forced vital capacity (FVC) were compared between the 2 groups. Surgery was successfully completed in all patients. The mean follow-up was for 8.2 months. The postoperative complication rate was comparable between the 2 groups: 31.0% in segmentectomy patients versus 35.7% in lobectomy patients (P= .643). At 1 month after surgery, FEV1% and FVC% were not significantly different between the 2 groups (P> .05). At 3 months after surgery, FEV1 and FVC were higher in segmentectomy patients than in lobectomy patients (FEV1, 82.79% ± 6.36% vs 78.55% ± 5.42%; FVC, 81.66% ± 6.09% vs 78.90% ± 5.58%, P< .05). Patients receiving segmentectomy suffer less pain and have better postoperative lung function and higher quality of life.

Reversible protonic ceramic cells (R-PCCs) have attracted intensive attention, as they can operate efficiently for both power generation and fuel production. The practical application of R-PCCs is, however, limited by the poor catalytic activity and stability of the air electrode. Here, we report a novel electrochemical catalyst of 10 mol% La substituted Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3−δ, showing improved stability under typical R-PCCs working conditions. XRD patterns confirm that La0.1Ba0.4Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3−δmaintains the cubic structure after heat treatment in humid air (3% H2O) at 700 °C for 100 h. In addition, the assembled full cells using this novel material as air electrode catalyst present outstanding performance. At 700 °C, the peak power density reaches 650 mW cm−2(fuel cell mode); and in electrolysis mode the maximum current density reaches 1840 mA cm−2at 1.5 V. We speculate that the much-improved stability and electrochemical performance of the La0.1Ba0.4Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3−δair electrode may result from the higher electronegativity of La, which is beneficial for reducing the basicity and improving the chemical stability in acidic atmospheres; from the smaller ionic radius of La, which can alleviate the lattice distortion of BSCF; and from the stronger interaction between La and lattice oxygen inhibiting the structural degradation caused by Sr segregation.

Sr segregation, generally observed in Sr-based perovskites, has been found to demonstrate great yet puzzling impacts on oxygen surface exchange reaction rates of mixed ionic–electronic conductors (MIECs). In this work, (100)-, (110)- and (111)-oriented La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3−δ(LSCF) surfaces are first adopted to theoretically and experimentally investigate the effects of Sr segregation, namely, SrCO3, on their catalytic activity toward the oxygen surface exchange reaction. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that SrCO3clusters have very positive effects on LSCF (100) and (111) surfaces and vast negative effects on the LSCF (110) surface, which makes the reaction energy barriers change from LSCF(110) < LSCF(111) < LSCF(100) to LSCF(111)-SrCO3< LSCF(100)-SrCO3< LSCF(110)-SrCO3. The greatly promoted oxygen exchange kinetics of LSCF (100) and (111) surfaces should arouse from their downward band bending in the presence of SrCO3, which roots in their relatively higher work functions than that of the SrCO3cluster and brings forth electron accumulation. Electrical conductivity relaxation (ECR) results verify much-improved oxygen surface exchange rates on the two films. Our findings present an efficient strategy to accelerate oxygen surface exchange reaction kinetics on MIECs by adopting a second phase to trigger downward band bending.

Structurally complex genomic regions, such as centromeres, are inherently difficult to duplicate. The mechanism behind centromere inheritance is not well understood, and one of the key questions relates to the reassembly of centromeric chromatin following DNA replication. Here we define ERCC6L2 as a key regulator of this process. ERCC6L2 accumulates at centromeres and promotes deposition of core centromeric factors. Interestingly, ERCC6L2-/-cells show unrestrained replication of centromeric DNA, likely caused by the erosion of centromeric chromatin. Beyond centromeres, ERCC6L2 facilitates replication at genomic repeats and non-canonical DNA structures. Notably, ERCC6L2 interacts with the DNA-clamp PCNA through an atypical peptide, presented here in a co-crystal structure. Finally, ERCC6L2 also restricts DNA end resection, acting independently of the 53BP1-REV7-Shieldin complex. We propose a mechanistic model, which reconciles seemingly distinct functions of ERCC6L2 in DNA repair and DNA replication. These findings provide a molecular context for studies linking ERCC6L2 to human disease.

The aim of this investigation is to study the characteristics of solidification of flow through an elliptical pipe and to avoid the solidification and blockage in the pipe. A three-dimensional model has been completed using the commercial fluid dynamics code, Fluent. Analyses under different conditions show that different factors affect the characteristics of solidification and heat transfer in the pipe. The lower Reynolds number is or the higher dimensionless wall temperature turns, the thicker the ice layer becomes, which will increase the risk of blockage. The thickness at the long axis direction will grow with the increase of ellipse aspect ratio while it turns out contrary at short axis direction.

The launch vehicle electro-hydraulic (EH) thrust vector control (TVC) systems are analyzed. The common design problems of TVC system are summarized. The future of advanced techniques used in EH TVC system is predicted. Three important design principles of EH TVC system design are given, and the architecture design method of EH TVC system based on the selective tree to simplify the design process is proposed. At last, the architecture design process of a high reliability EH TVC system for new high thrust liquid oxygen-kerosene rocket is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of pH on sulfur-induced passivity degradation of Alloy 800 in simulated crevice chemistries were evaluated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and Mott-Schottky analysis method. Experimental results reveal that the detrimental effect of impurities containing sulfur at the reduced or intermediate oxidation level (Sx) on the passivity of Alloy 800 depends significantly on the solution pH. In neutral crevice (NC) chemistry containing chloride ions, the Sx obstructs the healing process during repassivation, retards the dehydration reaction and also incorporates H, -OH and S into the passive film. However, the detrimental effect of Sx is insignificant in a basic crevice (BC) solution due to a change in surface adsorption and surface charge. Impurities containing sulfur at the reduced or intermediate oxidation level would cause Alloy 800 to lose its passivity and become active in an acidic crevice (AC) chemistry. Experimental evidence also indicates that the solution pH alters the semiconductor type of the surface film --from n-type in NC solution to p-type in BC solution.

Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is a rare and life-threatening disorder characterized by hepatic venous outflow obstruction. The management of BCS includes anticoagulation and thrombolysis, percutaneous transhepatic stent angioplasty (PTSA), and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), but the effect of these approaches varies greatly. The aim of our study was to retrospectively evaluate the medium-term effects of PTSA and TIPS of BCS secondary to hepatic venous outflow obstruction and to determine the critical factors affecting the efficacy.

Aims and background As a powerful technique allowing analysis of large numbers of cells, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) is used more and more widely. For FACS analysis, adherent cells are usually detached by trypsinization, followed by centrifugation and resuspension. However, trypsinization can cut off some receptors from the cell surface like fine scissors, which will affect the accuracy of FACS results. Though non-enzymatic methods such as citric saline buffer have been used to determine cell surface receptors, how much of the receptors is cut off by trypsinization has been rarely studied. This work aimed to investigate whether different methods of detaching adherent cells could affect the detection of cell surface receptors.Methods Human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (HepG2, Huh7 and Hep3B) were detached enzymatically with trypsin-EDTA solution or non-enzymatically with citric saline buffer, and then the receptors of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) were detected by FACS analysis. Cell viability, cell cycle and apoptosis (sub-G1 fraction detected by FACS) of the trypsin-EDTA group and citric saline buffer group were also studied.Results Different methods of detaching adherent cells could significantly affect the detection of TRAIL receptors. Compared to the conventional trypsin-EDTA group, the non-enzymatic group showed a 3.42-fold increase in the mean fluorescence intensity index of DcR HepG2 and a 1.25-fold increase in DR Huh 7 (P <0.05). However, the viability, cell cycle and apoptosis of these cells were not affected.Conclusions Citric saline buffer might be recommended as the first choice to detach adherent cells for FACS analysis of cell surface receptors.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has been demonstrated to induce cell apoptosis in many types of tumors, while many hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells display high resistance to TRAIL. Another outstanding limitation of TRAIL is the short half-life in vivo. Stem cell-based therapies provide a promising approach for the treatment of many types of tumors because of the ability of tropism. Therefore, as a new therapeutic strategy, the combination of chemotherapeutic agents and TRAIL gene modified MSCs (TRAIL-MSCs) would improve the therapeutic efficacy of HCC in vivo. This is the first time to show the potential of combination of chemotherapeutic agents and MSCs as a gene vector in the therapy of HCC.

The primitive hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) during embryonic hematopoiesis are thought to be short-lived (SL) with limited self-renewal potential. The fate and consequence of these short-lived HSPCs, once reprogrammed into “long-lived” in a living animal body, remain unknown. Here we show that targeted expression of a dominant-negative C/ebpα (C/ebpαDN) in the primitive SL-HSPCs during zebrafish embryogenesis extends their life span, allowing them to survive to later developmental stage to colonize the definitive hematopoietic sites, where they undergo a proliferative expansion followed by erythropoietic dysplasia and embryonic lethality because of circulation congestion. Mechanistically, C/ebpαDN binds to a conserved C/EBP-binding motif in the promoter region of bmi1 gene, associated with a specific induction of bmi1 transcription in the transgenic embryos expressing C/ebpαDN. Targeted expression of Bmi1 in the SL-HSPCs recapitulates nearly all aberrant phenotypes induced by C/ebpαDN, whereas knockdown of bmi1 largely rescues these abnormalities. The results indicate that Bmi1 acts immediately downstream of C/ebpαDN to regulate the survival and self-renewal of HSPCs and contribute to the erythropoietic dysplasia.

Loss of function of tumor suppressor genes, such as PTEN, CEBPΑ, and CTNNA1(encoding the α-catenin protein), has been found to play an essential role in leukemogenesis. However, whether these genes genetically interact remains largely unknown. Here, we show that PTEN-mammalian target of rapamycin signaling acts upstream to dictate the ratio of wild-type p42 C/EBPα to its dominant-negative p30 isoform, which critically determines whether p30 C/EBPα (lower p42/p30 ratio) or p42 C/EBPα (higher p42/p30 ratio) binds to the proximal promoter of the retained CTNNA1allele. Binding of p30 C/EBPα recruits the polycomb repressive complex 2 to suppress CTNNA1transcription through repressive H3K27me3 modification, whereas binding of p42 C/EBPα relieves this repression and promotes CTNNA1expression through activating H3K4me3 modification. Loss of Pten function in mice and zebrafish induces myelodysplasia with abnormal invasiveness of myeloid progenitors accompanied by significant reductions in both wild-type C/EBPα and α-catenin protein. Importantly, frame-shift mutations in either PTENor CEBPAwere detected exclusively in the primary LICs with low CTNNA1expression. This study uncovers a novel molecular pathway, PTEN-C/EBPα-CTNNA1, which is evolutionarily conserved and might be therapeutically targeted to eradicate LICs with low CTNNA1expression.

Precise transcriptional control of developmental stage-specific expression and switching of α- and β-globingenes is significantly important to understand the general principles controlling gene expression and the pathogenesis of thalassemia. Although transcription factors regulating β-globingenes have been identified, little is known about the microRNAs and trans-acting mechanism controlling α-globingenes transcription. Here, we show that an erythroid lineage-specific microRNA gene, miR-144, expressed at specific developmental stages during zebrafish embryogenesis, negatively regulates the embryonic α-globin, but not embryonic β-globin, gene expression, through physiologically targeting klfd, an erythroid-specific Krüppel-like transcription factor. Klfd selectively binds to the CACCC boxes in the promoters of both α-globinand miR-144genes to activate their transcriptions, thus forming a negative feedback circuitry to fine-tune the expression of embryonic α-globingene. The selective effect of the miR-144-Klfd pathway on globingene regulation may thereby constitute a novel therapeutic target for improving the clinical outcome of patients with thalassemia.

While network‐like assemblies are formed by amphiphilic polyphosphazenes with poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) and ethyl tryptophan as side groups in aqueous solution, a significant morphology transformation is observed when small molecules that exhibit hydrogen‐bonding interactions with amphiphilic copolymers are introduced during the preparation of polymeric assemblies through a dialysis procedure. Depending on copolymer composition and the content of small molecules introduced, aggregates ranging from general vesicles, high‐genus vesicles, to well‐defined nanospheres can be prepared successfully as clearly evidenced by TEM observation, which suggests this procedure should be a novel approach to prepare composite vesicles.

Summary: An amphiphilic graft polyphosphazene with a molar ratio of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) to ethyl glycinate (GlyEt) of 0.54:1 was synthesized. This copolymer in aqueous solution exhibited two temperature induced phase transitions at 17.2 and 33.7 °C, which correspond to the transformation of primary aggregate morphology (at Tph1) and the collapse of PNIPAm chains (at Tph2) respectively. Network micelles were assembled in water at lower temperature (far below Tph1), and then narrowly dispersed nanoparticles were formed above Tph1, while inter-nanoparticle aggregation occurred due to the collapse of PNIPAm chains surrounding the GlyEt core when the temperature was above Tph2. Through solubilization of the hydrophobic drug ibuprofen into polymeric aggregates at lower temperature, drug loaded nanospheres were prepared successfully. In vitro release revealed that sustained drug release was achieved with this novel delivery system. These results suggest that this novel copolymer could be used as a potential drug carrier, especially for the delivery of hydrophobic biocompounds through parenteral administration.Schematic illustration of the temperature-triggered self-assembly process of PNIPAm/GlyEt-PPP in aqueous solution.

Abstract: Objective: To explore the risk factors and prophylaxis and treatment of cytomegalovirus interstitial pneumonitis (CMV-IP) after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (allo-PBSCT). Methods: 43 patients who received allo-PBSCT were allocated to either a Gancyclovir(GCV)-prophylaxis group (n=19) or a non-GCV prophylaxis group (n=24). A comparison was made of the incidence of CMV-IP in patients given or not given prophylactic gancyclovir. Results: 9 patients in non-GCV prophylaxis group developed late CMV-IP (P<0.05). Graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) may be associated with a high risk of CMV-IP. 5 cases of CMV-IP were successfully treated with GCV, but 3 cases died of CMV-IP. The most common adverse event of GCV was neutropenia, but was reversible. Conclusion: CMV infection was a major cause of interstitial pneumonitis after allo-PBSCT, which correlated strongly with the severity of GVHD. Gancyclovir was shown to be effective in both prophylaxis and treatment of CMV-IP.

Summary:Amphiphilic graft polyphosphazenes (EtTrp/PNIPAm‐PPP) with different mole ratios of hydrophobic groups to hydrophilic segments were synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization and subsequent substitution reactions. The self‐assembly behavior of these graft copolymers was studied in detail by TEM, SEM, CLSM, and AFM. Depending on the copolymer composition and common organic solvent employed in dialysis process, supramolecular aggregates ranging from network, nanospheres, high‐genus particles to macrophage‐like aggregates were produced with graft copolymers.

Summary:A novel thermosensitive amphiphilic copolymer of PNIPAm grafted polyphosphazene (PNIPAm‐g‐PPP) has been synthesized through a co‐substitution reaction of poly(dichlorophosphazene) with amino terminated NIPAm oligomer and glycine ethyl ester (GlyEt). The polymer obtained had a molar ratio of 1:5.25 PNIPAm to GlyEt and had a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) near 30 °C. The formation of polymeric micelles was confirmed by fluorescence, dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy measurements.

Abstract: Objective: To explore the influence of omission of the day +11 dose of methotrexate (MIX) on the incidence and severity of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Methods: From April 1997 to October 2002, 80 leukemia patients (46 men and 34 women aged from 12 to 56 years with a median age of 35) underwent allo-HSCT at our BMT unit. Among them, 58 patients received grafts from HLA-identical siblings, 8 from HLA one major antigen mismatched siblings and 14 from HLA-matched unrelated donors. All patients received a modified cyclosporine and short-course MTX regimen for GVHD prophylaxis, which included MTX 15 mg on day +1, and 10 mg on days +3 and +6 (MTX day +11 dose omitted) and cyclosporine given daily. Results: The overall incidence of grade I–IV acute GVHD was 57.5% (46/80 patients), with grade II–IV acute GVHD in 28 patients (35%) and grade III–IV acute GVHD in 7 patients (8.8%). Among 58 patients receiving grafts from HLA-identical siblings, 24 patients developed grade I–IV acute GVHD (41.4%), with grade II–IV acute GVHD in 13 patients (22.4%) and grade III–IV acute GVHD in 4 patients (6.9%). 21 out of 22 patients receiving grafts from HLA one major antigen mismatched siblings and HLA-matched unrelated donors developed grade I–IV acute GVHD (95.5%), with grade II–IV acute GVHD in 14 patients (63.6%) and grade III–IV acute GVHD in 3 patients (13.6%). Chronic GVHD occurred in 38 out of 56 evaluable patients (67.9%), with extensive form in 15 patients (26.8%) and limited form in 23 patients (41.1%). With a median follow-up of 960 days (range 180–1980 days), the probability of leukemia-free survival at 3 years was 61.3% for all patients. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the day +11 MTX can be omitted without a major deleterious effect on the incidence and severity of graft-versus-host disease after HLA-identical sibling transplantation as well as HLA one major antigen mismatched sibling and HLA-matched unrelated donor transplantation.

Abstract: Objective: To analyze long-term outcome in sixty leukemia patients received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) following busulfan and cyclophosphamide (BU-CY2) between 1994 and 2000. Methods: BU-CY2 was used as the conditioning regimen and allo-HSCT was performed for all patients. All the patients were followed-up until August 2001 or death. The leukemia-free survival, relapse and transplant-related mortality were discussed. Results: All 60 patients had sustained engraftment. Acute GVHD occurred in 22 out of 60 patients (36.7%), and the incidence of acute GVHD was 48% in the patients with CML, 30% in AML and 26.7% in ALL. 38 patients are still alive in continuous remission with a median follow-up of 30 months (range 12–84) and 22 patients have died. The main causes of death were acute GVHD in 3 patients, CMV-IP in 7 patients and relapse in 11 patients, the remaining one died of pulmonary infection. Among 11 patients who died of relapse, 8 patients with ALL relapsed in the early stage post transplant (8/15, 53.3%), relapse was observed in the remaining 3 patients with AML, and however, no relapse was observed in CML. The probability of disease-free survival at 3 years for CML. AML and ALL patients was 80%, 70% and 26.7%, respectively. Conclusion: This results suggests that BU-CY2 is an effective conditioning regimen in patients with AML and CML, resulting in a low relapse rate and high long-term survival rate, but not as effective in patients with ALL, with a higher incidence of relapse and therefore, not recommended for ALL patients.

To investigate the effects of ocean conditions on the thermal stress and deformation caused by thermal stratification of a pressurizer surge line in a floating nuclear power plant (FNPP), the finite element simulation platform ANSYS Workbench is utilized to conduct the fluid-solid-thermal coupling transient analysis of the surge line under normal “wave-out” condition (no motion) and under ocean conditions (rolling and pitching), generating the transient response characteristics of temperature distribution, thermal stress and thermal deformation inside the surge line. By comparing the calculated results for the three motion conditions, it is found that ocean conditions can significantly improve the thermal stratification phenomenon within the surge line, but may also result in periodic oscillations in the temperature, thermal stress, and thermal deformation of the surge line. Parts of the surge line that are more susceptible to thermal fatigue damage or failure are determined. According to calculation results, the improvements are recommended for pipeline structure to reduce the effects of thermal oscillation caused by ocean conditions. The analysis method used in this study is beneficial for designing and optimizing the pipeline structure of a floating nuclear power plant, as well as for increasing its safety.

Direct utilization of hydrocarbon fuels in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) has drawn special attention for high energy conversion efficiency, low cost, and simple devices. However, when fueled with hydrocarbons, SOFCs encountered great difficulty in both performance and stability, which should be attributed to the sluggish hydrocarbon oxidizing reactions, the severe carbon deposition reactions, and the possible sulfur poisoning reactions in the anode. This review summarizes potential anode reactions in hydrocarbon-fueled SOFCs and discusses the possible anode deactivation mechanisms. Further, various strategies to improve the anode performance and stability are reviewed, including substituting alloys or increasing oxide basicity for nickel-based anodes, adopting oxide anodes, and adding catalyst layers. The advantages and challenges of each strategy are discussed. Special attention is paid on properties and models of novel oxide anodes, of which nano-metal catalysts are in-situ exsolved. The publications concerning SOFC anodes, mainly in recent 5 years, are listed and compared in this article.

Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the significance of two-color interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using X and Y centromere probe in the engraftment estimation and minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT). Methods: Samples from 12 cases patients in different periods after alloSCT were detected by interphase FISH. Results: All of the 12 patients were proved to obtain engraftment 22–35 days after alloSCT. While traditional karyotype showed as 100%XX or 100%XY invariably, FISH showed different percentages of donor original sex chromosome. Conclusion: Two-color interphase FISH is a more sensitive and simple test for engraftment evaluation and MRD monitoring post SCT, though, it can not entirely replace traditional karyotype analysis and gene detection by RT-PCR.