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Sludge viscosity expansion has always been a difficulty in the operation control of A2O process. The sludge viscosity expansion problem occurred in a sewage treatment plant in Zhengzhou City, resulting in poor sludge settling performance with SVI gradually increasing to about 240 mL/g and the mud level of the secondary sedimentation tank continuing to rise. The reasons of sludge swelling were analyzed from the aspects of inlet water quality, water temperature, aeration rate and scum. And then some measures such as adjusting the residual sludge discharge, sludge age, dissolved oxygen value, reflux ratio, hydraulic residence time were timely adopted, so that the sludge bulking problem was alleviated to a certain extent. In order to eliminate the floating mud in the biological tank, 40 mg/L cationic polymer flocculant was added to the distribution well of the secondary sedimentation tank. After a period of time, the sedimentation performance of the sludge was obviously improved with the SVI gradually decreasing to the normal level of about 120 mL/g, indicating that the problem of sludge viscosity swelling and eliminated the floating mud in the biological tank was solved. It provides a way to solve the viscous swelling of sludge.

This paper explores whether university–industry collaboration can facilitate university technology license with the moderating effects of external and internal environments. Here, the university technology license is measured by the license of university non-collaborative-patent. We set up panel data during 2010–2016 of 118 top universities in China and adopted negative binomial regression for empirical analysis. Results show that university–industry collaboration is positively related to non-collaborative-patent license and market for technology has no moderating effect while the R&D strength can moderate the relationship. Specifically, funding has a positive effect on non-collaborative-patent license while research full-time equivalent of R&D personnel negatively moderates the relationship between collaboration and non-collaborative-patent license. This paper creates a new direction to study influencing factors of university technology license from the perspective of collaborators and environment and verified the driving effect of university–industry collaboration on university technology license. Moreover, it sheds light on theoretical streams of university technology license in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sensitive detection of ammonia at room temperature is crucial for both the chemical industry and human health. In this study, phosphorized NiMo layered double hydroxide (NiMo-P)-modified MXene-based composite materials were prepared using a combination of hydrothermal and calcination processes. A two-dimensional (2D)/2D van der Waals heterojunction formed between the MXene and NiMo-P phases facilitated the interlayer shuttling of charge carriers during gas adsorption. Furthermore, the composite material acquired abundant acidic sites during phosphorization, which fundamentally enhanced its NH3 sensing performance. In addition, the morphology of the composite was effectively controlled by tuning the poly-(methyl methacrylate). The hollow microspherical MXene@NiMo-P (MX-s@NiMo-P) composite material demonstrates highest sensing response to NH3. At 25 °C and 45% relative humidity (RH), the response of MX-s@NiMo-P to 100 ppm of NH3 was as high as 188.9%. After 30 d, the gas-sensing performance of the MX-s@NiMo-P sensor reached 93.4% of the initial value, highlighting its long-term stability over the 30-d period. This study describes an effective approach to improve the response of MXene-based gas sensor with long-term stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caspase-3 is an important biomarker for the process of apoptosis, which is a key target for cancer treatment. Due to its low concentration in single cells and the structural similarity of caspase family proteins, it is exceedingly challenging to accurately determine the intracellular caspase-3 during apoptosis in situ. Herein, a biosensing strategy based on the target-induced SERS "hot spot" formation has been developed for the simultaneous highly sensitive and selective detection of intracellular caspase-3 level. The nanosensor is composed of gold nanoparticles modified with the probe molecule 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid (4-MPBA) and a peptide chain. The well-designed peptide chain contains two distinct functional domains, one with a sulfhydryl group for bonding to the gold nanoparticles and the other a fragment specifically recognized by caspase-3. When caspase-3 is present, the negatively charged segment (NH2–Asp–Asp–Asp–Glu–Val–Asp–OH) of the peptide chain is specifically hydrolyzed, leaving a positively charged fragment coated on the surface of the gold nanoparticles. At this time, the golden nanoparticles undergo significant coupling aggregation due to the electrostatic interaction, resulting in a large number of SERS "hot spot" formation. The SERS signal of the 4-MPBA located at the nano-gap is significantly boosted because of the local plasma enhancement effect. The highly sensitive determination of caspase-3 can be achieved according to the altered SERS signal intensity of 4-MPBA. The turn-on of the SERS signal-induced target contributes to the excellent selectivity and the formation of the SERS "hot spot" effect that further improves the sensitivity of caspase-3 detection. The advantages of this biosensing technique allow for the precise in situ monitoring of the dynamic changes in caspase-3 levels during apoptosis. In addition, the differences in caspase-3 levels during the apoptosis of various cell types were compared. Monitoring the caspase-3 levels can be used to track the cellular apoptosis process, evaluate the effect of drugs on cancer cells in real time, and provide guidance for the selection of the appropriate drug dosage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines narrative construction in the Chinese official Party newspaper Inner Mongolia Daily (IMD), analyzing narratives within the context of bilingual education reform among Mongolians. Three key frames emerge: collective development and prosperity under the Chinese Communist Party’s leadership, Inner Mongolia as a model of ethnic unity, and the integration of minority religions into socialist society. This study reveals how IMD portrays Inner Mongolia during education reforms using media framing theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibronectin type III domain containing 4 (FNDC4) is highly homologous with FNDC5, which possesses various cardiometabolic protective functions. Emerging evidence suggests a noteworthy involvement of FNDC4 in fat metabolism and inflammatory processes. This study aimed to characterize the role of FNDC4 in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury and decrypt its underlying mechanisms. MI/R models of mice were established to investigate the alteration of FNDC4 in plasma and myocardium. We observed that plasma FNDC4 in MI/R-injury mice and patients experiencing acute myocardial infarction were both significantly reduced as opposed to their respective controls. Likewise, FNDC4 expression of myocardium decreased markedly in MI/R mice compared to the sham-operated group. Mice of FNDC4 knockout and myocardial overexpression were further introduced to elucidate the role of FNDC4 in MI/R injury by detecting cardiomyocyte apoptosis, myocardial infarct size, and cardiac function. Ablation of FNDC4 exacerbated cardiac dysfunction, increased myocardial infarction area and cardiomyocyte apoptosis when matched with wild-type mice post-MI/R. In contrast, FNDC4 overexpression through intramyocardial injection of rAAV9-Fndc4 significantly ameliorated cardiac function, reduced myocardial infarction area and cardiomyocyte apoptosis compared to sham group. Additionally, hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) was used to induce cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and to further elucidate the direct effects of FNDC4 on cardiomyocytes in vitro, and the results demonstrated that neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes overexpressing FNDC4 showed less H/R-induced apoptosis, as evidenced by cleaved caspase 3 expression, TUNEL staining and flow cytometry. By performing RNA-seq analysis followed by cause-effect analysis, ERK1/2-Nrf2 pathway-mediated antioxidative effects were responsible for the protective roles of FNDC4 on cardiomyocytes. In summary, FNDC4 exerts cardioprotection against MI/R injury predominantly through mitigating oxidative stress responses and reducing cardiomyocyte apoptosis. These insights solidify the proposition of FNDC4 as a potential therapeutic aim for tackling MI/R damage., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have declared no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Purpose: The ability to identify residual tumor tissues in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) is essential for monitoring the treatment response. Using the fluorescent tracer bevacizumab-800CW, we evaluated whether ultrasound-guided quantitative fluorescent molecular endoscopy (US-qFME), which combines quantitative fluorescence molecular endoscopy (qFME) with ultrasound-guided needle biopsy/single-fiber fluorescence (USNB/SFF), can be used to identify residual tumor tissues in patients following nCRT., Experimental Design: Twenty patients received an additional endoscopy procedure the day before surgery. qFME was performed at the primary tumor site (PTS) and in healthy tissue to first establish the optimal tracer dose. USNB/SFF was then used to measure intrinsic fluorescence in the deeper PTS layers and lymph nodes (LN) suspected for metastasis. Finally, the intrinsic fluorescence and the tissue optical properties-specifically, the absorption and reduced scattering coefficients-were combined into a new parameter called omega., Results: First, a 25-mg bevacizumab-800CW dose allowed for clear differentiation between the PTS and healthy tissue, with a target-to-background ratio (TBR) of 2.98 (IQR, 1.86-3.03). Moreover, we found a clear difference between the deeper esophageal PTS layers and suspected LN compared to healthy tissues, with TBR values of 2.18 and 2.17, respectively. Finally, our new parameter, omega, further improved the ability to differentiate between the PTS and healthy tissue., Conclusions: Combining bevacizumab-800CW with US-qFME may serve as a viable strategy for monitoring the response to nCRT in esophageal cancer and may help stratify patients regarding active surveillance versus surgery., (©2024 American Association for Cancer Research.)

Objective: This study aims to investigate the relationship between folic acid (FA) metabolic gene polymorphisms, homocysteine (Hcy), vitamin B12 (Vit B12), and red blood cell folate (RBCF) with adverse pregnancy. The findings of this study can help in the prevention and treatment of adverse pregnancy in the future., Methods: 118 pregnant women admitted to Qingdao Central Hospital between August 2020 and October 2022 were selected for retrospective analysis, including 62 cases of normal delivery (control group, CG) and 56 cases of adverse pregnancy (research group, RG). The single nucleotide polymorphisms of MTHFR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, and MTRR A66G gene loci were tested in both cohorts. Besides, differences in Hcy, Vit B12, and RBCF levels were observed, as well as Hcy, Vit B12, and RBCF alterations in different genotype carriers in the research group., Results: An elevated proportion of MTHFR 677TT-type gene and MTRR 66GG-type gene carriers and a lower proportion of MTRR 66GG-type gene carriers were found in the research group (χ2 = 4.458, 4.238, 4.206, P = .035, .040, .040). As indicated by the Logistic regression analysis, carriers of MTHFR 677TT and MTRR 66GG gene had an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes (95%CI=2.881-5.942, 1.427-3.809, P < .001), while MTRR 66AG carriers had a decreased risk (95%CI=0.124-1.849, P < .001). Finally, Hcy levels of MTHFR 677TT and MTRR 66GG gene carriers increased, while Vit B12 and RBCF decreased; the opposite was true for MTRR 66AG gene carriers (P < .001)., Conclusions: FA metabolic gene polymorphisms, Hcy, Vit B12, and RBCF are closely related to adverse pregnancy outcomes, which is of great significance for future clinical evaluation of adverse pregnancy.

Objective To evaluate the toxicology of targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 chimeric antigen receptor T (HER2-CAR-T) cells and to provide a safety basis for the clinical evaluation of HER2-CAR-T cell therapy. Methods The recombinant lentiviral vector was used to generate HER2-CAR-T cells. Soft agar colony formation assay was used to observe the colony formation of HER2-CAR-T cells, and the colony formation rate was statistically analyzed. The HER2-CAR-T cell suspension was co-incubated with rabbit red blood cell suspension, and the hemolysis of red blood cells was evaluated by direct observation and microplate reader detection. The HER2-CAR-T cell preparation was injected into the ear vein of male New Zealand rabbits, and the stimulating effect of HER2-CAR-T cells on the blood vessels of the animals was observed by staining of tissue sections. The vesicular stomatitis virus envelope glycoprotein (VSV-G) gene of pMD 2.G vector was used as the target sequence, and the safety of the lentiviral vector was verified by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. The heart, liver, lung, and kidney of mice receiving HER2-CAR-T cell infusion were collected, and the lesions were observed by HE staining. Results The HER2-CAR-T cells were successfully prepared. These cells did not exhibit soft agar colony formation ability in vitro, and the HER2-CAR-T cell preparation did not cause hemolysis in New Zealand rabbit red blood cells. After the infusion of HER2-CAR-T cells into the ear vein of New Zealand rabbits, no obvious vascular stimulation response was found, and no specific amplification of VSV-G was detected. No obvious lesions were found in the heart, liver, lung and kidney tissues of the treatment group. Conclusion The prepared HER2-CAR-T cells have reliable safety.

We attempted to evaluate clinical application value of high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS), fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), BRAF gene, and combination of HFUS, FNAC, and BRAF gene in diagnosing papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). The 150 patients with thyroid minimal lesions who underwent HFUS, FNAC and BRAF gene testing before surgery in our hospital from June 2020 to December 2021 were selected as research subjects. Patients were divided into two groups based on postoperative pathological results. The consistency of diagnostic results of HFUS, FNAC, and BRAF gene and their combination with those of pathological examination, diagnostic efficacy of HFUS, FNAC and BRAF gene combined detection and individual detection for PTMC lymph node metastasis, and diagnostic value of HFUS, FNAC and BRAF gene combined detection and individual detection for PTMC lymph node metastasis received analysis and comparison. The consistency of diagnostic results of combined detection with pathological examination exhibited elevation relative to that of HFUS, FNAC and BRAF gene detection alone (P < 0.05). The negative predictive value, sensitivity and accuracy of combined detection exhibited elevation relative to individual detection (P < 0.05). The AUC of combined detection in diagnosing PTMC lymph node metastasis exhibited elevation relative to that of HFUS and BRAF gene alone (P < 0.05). HFUS combined with FNAC and BRAF genes possesses high diagnostic value, with high diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Thus, combined detection for PTMC before surgery can accurately determine whether lymph node metastasis occurs, reduce occurrence of missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis, and thus improve diagnostic precision.

Objective: To investigate the application of personal health record (PHR) and chronic disease management platform established on the basis of patient portal system (PPS) in managing older adults with coronary heart disease and to examine the effect on patients' self-care ability, coping mode, and quality of life., Methods: A total of 532 elderly patients with coronary heart disease were included in the study. All the participants enrolled were admitted to a tertiary-care hospital between January 2019 and June 2021. They were randomly assigned to the study group (269 cases) and the control group (263 cases). Patients in the control group were discharged with the routine discharge procedures and received the routine follow-up care. On the other hand, patients in the study group were discharged and followed up through the PHR and chronic disease management platform established on the basis of PPS. After 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months of patient management, the Exercise of Self-Care Agency (ESCA) Scale, Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire (MCMQ) and Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) were used to evaluate the patients' self-care ability, coping mode, and quality of life, respectively. The patient management effects of the two groups were analyzed., Results: Before the management programs started, there was no statistically significant difference in the scores for the scales between the two groups of patients. After 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months of patient management, the ESCA scores of both groups were higher than those before patient management started ( P <0.05). Facing scores in the MCMQ of both groups were higher than those before patient management started ( P <0.05), while the scores for avoidance and yielding were lower than those before patient management started ( P <0.05). The SAQ scores of both groups were higher than those before patient management started ( P <0.05). After 6 months, 12 months and 18 months of patient management, the ESCA scores of the study group were always higher compared with those of the control group ( P <0.05). The facing score of the study group was higher, while the scores for avoidance and yielding were lower compared with those of the control group ( P <0.05). The SAQ scores of the study group were higher compared with those of the control group ( P <0.05). The medication compliance rate in the study group (83.27%) was higher than that in the control group (69.96%) ( P <0.05). The incidence of adverse cardiovascular events in the study group (4.09%) was lower than that in the control group (10.27%) ( P <0.05). The average times of emergency treatment and readmission in the study group were lower compared with those of the control group ( P <0.05). The patient satisfaction score of the study group was higher compared with that of the control group ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: The PHR and chronic disease management platform established on the basis of PPS can increase the convenient access to medical care among elderly patients with coronary heart disease, which is conducive to improving their self-care ability, coping mode, and quality of life. In addition, the patient management effect is good., Competing Interests: 利益冲突　所有作者均声明不存在利益冲突, (© 2024《四川大学学报（医学版）》编辑部 版权所有Copyright ©2024 Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Sciences).)

Rechargeable calcium (Ca) metal batteries are promising candidates for sustainable energy storage due to the abundance of Ca in Earth's crust and the advantageous theoretical capacity and voltage of these batteries. However, the development of practical Ca metal batteries has been severely hampered by the current cathode chemistries, which limit the available energy and power densities, as well as their insufficient capacity retention and low-temperature capability. Here, we describe the rechargeable Ca/Cl 2 battery based on a reversible cathode redox reaction between CaCl 2 and Cl 2 , which is enabled by the use of lithium difluoro(oxalate)borate as a key electrolyte mediator to facilitate the dissociation and distribution of Cl-based species and Ca 2+ . Our rechargeable Ca/Cl 2 battery can deliver discharge voltages of 3 V and exhibits remarkable specific capacity (1000 mAh g -1 ) and rate capability (500 mA g -1 ). In addition, the excellent capacity retention (96.5% after 30 days) and low-temperature capability (down to 0 °C) allow us to overcome the long-standing bottleneck of rechargeable Ca metal batteries., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Recent epigenetic studies have revealed a strong association between DNA methylation and aging and lifespan, which changes (increases or decreases) with age. Based on these, the construction of age prediction models associated with DNA methylation levels can be used to infer biological ages closer to the functional state of the organism. We downloaded methylation data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) public database for normal peripheral blood samples from people of different ages. We grouped the samples according to age (18-35 years and >50 years), screened the methylation sites that differed between the two groups, identified 44 differentially methylated sites, and subsequently obtained 11 age-related characteristic methylation sites using the random forest method. Then, we constructed an age classification model with these 11 characteristic methylation sites using an artificial neural network and evaluated its efficacy. The age classification model was constructed by an artificial neural network and its efficacy was evaluated. The model predicted an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.97 in the validation set and accurately distinguished between those aged 18-35 and >50 years. Furthermore, the levels of these 11 characteristic methylation sites also differed significantly between the two sets of samples in the validation set, including six newly identified age-related methylation sites (P<0.001). Finally, we constructed a multifactor regulatory network based on the corresponding genes of age-related methylation sites to reveal the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation patterns. As a result of the increasing problem of aging, the age classification model we constructed allows us to accurately distinguish different age groups at the molecular level, which will be more predictive than chronological age for assessing individual aging and future health status.