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Objective: Management of cryptorchidism is typically recommended within the first 18 months of life to maximize fertility potential. However, there is a paucity of longitudinal postoperative data for Chinese infants. We aim to evaluate the Testicular function change when the procedure is done within the first year of life. Method: We prospectively enrolled 51 children diagnosed with unilateral inguinal cryptorchidism into the surgical group between January 2021 and January 2022. Orchidopexy was carried out through a single transverse scrotal incision. Assessments of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), inhibin B (InhB), testosterone (T) levels, testicular volume and testicular atrophy index (TAI) were conducted at baseline, 6 months, and 1 year following surgery. Concurrently, clinical data from 42 healthy age-matched controls were collected during their routine physical examinations. Results: At 6- and 12-months post-surgery, testicular volume increased significantly to 0.98 ± 0.12 mL and 1.01 ± 0.12ml. AMH levels also rose from 76.40 ± 15.77 ng/mL to 81.52 ± 15.32 ng/mL and 87.50 ± 15.36 ng/mL. However, these parameters are significantly lower than age-matched healthy controls (both P < 0.001). InhB levels significantly increased after surgery and even surpassed those of healthy controls after 6 months (both P < 0.001). The TAI was 16.7% and 8.6% at 6- and 12-months following surgery. Conclusion: Although orchiopexy can improve testicular growth and function, the restoration of testicular function to the level of healthy peers might take longer. To expedite the recovery of testicular function and bring it in line with that of peers, we recommend addressing cryptorchidism at the earliest opportunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a study to investigate the impact of the laser direct metal deposition (LMD) process on the microstructure, mechanical properties, temperature fields, and stress fields of 24CrNiMo steel in order to determine the optimal process parameters. The optimal parameters were determined to be a laser power of 1400 W, scanning speed of 7 mm/s, and powder feed rate of 8 g/min. When these optimal parameters were used, the formed specimens exhibited a high densely of up to 97.5 %. The microstructure of the specimens formed different parameters primarily consisted of bainite, martensite and ferrite. The specimens formed under various process conditions demonstrated good toughness, with a maximum tensile strength of 1131±20 MPa and an elongation of 16±1.8 %. Additionally, there was little difference in wear resistance and wear morphology among the specimens formed under different processes. The predominant wear mechanisms include abrasive wear, adhesive wearand oxidative wear. Increasing laser power and decreasing scanning speed resulted in a gradual increase in the temperature gradient gradually, leading to higher residual stresses in the formed specimens. Longitudinal stresses concentrated on both sides of the deposited layer, while the transverse stresses concentrated on one side of the deposited layer. The simulation results of the temperature field and stress field were consistent with the experimental results, with errors within the range of 10 %–20 %. This study demonstrated that the simulated models of temperature and stress fields effectively captured the fundamental phenomena in the LMD process, providing valuable tools for predicting and optimizing temperature distribution and stress in the LMD process. These findings contribute to the understanding and enhancement of the LMD process for 24CrNiMo steel, making it applicable for various applications requiring superior microstructure and mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a major cause of early death (ED) and leads to poor prognosis in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). We retrospectively described 27 unselected APL patients who experienced early ICH. The ED rate was 37%. The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate was 45.4%, while the 3-year OS rate of patients who survived through induction therapy was 87.5%. No patient experienced central nervous system leukemia (CNSL). Concurrent differentiation syndrome, white blood cell count, prothrombin time and D-dimer were related to death. Although the ED rate among APL patients with early ICH was high, patients with early ICH had a favorable outcome after surviving through induction therapy. CNSL was rare despite a history of ICH during induction therapy. Compared with APL patients without ICH, it seems unnecessary to administer additional measures to prevent CNSL for this subpopulation in the era of all-trans retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide, but this needs further validation in prospective trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the 4th generation synchrotron radiation source, the piezoelectric actuator (PEA) becomes the crucial component of the beam-line to guarantee the beam stability during the high accuracy experiments. However, the rate-dependent hysteresis seriously affects the accuracy of PEA. To eliminate this nonlinear error, we present a feedforward controller and an integrated controller. A novel Hammerstein model is proposed to describe the rate-dependent hysteresis of the PEA, which is composed of a static Preisach model and a dynamic transfer function. The insufficiency of the classic Preisach model in describing the nature of the zero drift of hysteresis loops is improved by inducing a correction item. Moreover, the identification and the inversion method of the dynamic model are proposed as well. Experiments on the commercial PEA demonstrate that the hysteresis with the frequency in range of 0–80 Hz is compensated more than 80% under the proposed control scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of two-step of jaw-thrust technique on the placement of flexible laryngeal mask with both hands. 157 patients scheduled for functional endoscopic sinus surgery were divided into two groups using a random number table method: control group (group C, n = 78) and test group (group T, n = 79). After induction of general anesthesia, the traditional method was applied to insert the flexible laryngeal airway mask in group C, and the two-step of jaw-thrust technique with both hands by the nurse was applied to help place the laryngeal mask in group T. The success rate, alignment status, oropharyngeal leak pressure (OLP) of the laryngeal mask, soft tissue injury of the oropharyngeal cavity and postoperative sore throat, and the incidence of adverse airway event were recorded in both groups. Results: The success rate of the first placement of flexible laryngeal masks in group C and group T were 73.8% and 97.5%, and the final success rates were 97.5% and 98.7%, respectively. Compared with group C, the success rate of first placement in group T was higher, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the final success rate between the two groups (P = 0.56). The alignment score showed that the placement of group T was better than that of group C, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). The OLP of group C was 22.1 ± 2.6 cmH2O, and the OLP of group T was 25.4 ± 3.8 cmH2O. The OLP of group T was significantly higher than that of group C (P < 0.01). The incidence of mucosal injury and postoperative sore throat in group T were 2.5% and 5.0%, which were significantly lower than that of 23.0% and 16.7% in group C (both P < 0.01). There was no adverse airway event in each group. Conclusion: The two-step of jaw-thrust technique with both hands can improve the success rate of the first placement of the flexible laryngeal mask and the positioning of the laryngeal mask, increase the sealing pressure of the laryngeal mask, and reduce the incidence of oropharyngeal soft tissue injury and postoperative pharyngeal pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass fibre aluminium laminate (Glare) is widely used in various fields because of its excellent performance. However, its properties can be further enhanced by adding nanofillers, such as graphene, to the matrix. Graphene is a cost-effective toughening agent because of its excellent specific strength, economy and good compatibility. The interlaminar mechanical and dynamic impact properties of Glare were improved by uniformly dispersed graphene (0, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5 and 1.0 wt%). The interlaminar mechanical properties (short beam shear and single lap test) of the graphene-modified (0.5 wt%) Glare were increased by 42.24% and 25.65 %, respectively, compared with the pure epoxy resin matrix. At a graphene content of 1.0 wt%, the Charpy impact energy and strength increased by 163.58 % and 126.33 %, respectively, and reached the maximum value. The microscopic images and schematic diagrams illustrated the toughening mechanism of graphene, including the enhancement of the aluminium/resin and fibre/resin interfaces and the performance of the resin matrix. The toughening of the resin matrix was achieved through the formation of a mechanical linkage between the graphene and the matrix, which indicated that more time and energy would be required to destroy it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Central South University is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The study explored the Sb toxicity by investigating the impacts of 10% and 20% effective concentrations (EC10 and EC20, respectively) of Sb on the inhibition of barley root elongation in 21 Chinese soils with a wide range of physicochemical properties after aging for 3 months. The results demonstrated that various soil properties profoundly influenced the Sb toxicity which was ranged from 201–2506 mg Sb kg−1 to 323–2973 mg Sb kg−1 under EC10 and EC20, respectively. Soil sand fraction was a significant soil factor responsible for elevating Sb bioavailability. The bioavailable Sb concentration accounted for 2.08%–11.94% of total Sb content in all 21 soil samples and the decreased Sb bioavailability in this study was attributed to soil properties including soil clay fraction, amorphous and crystalloid iron, and oxides of manganese and aluminum. The findings would contribute in developing Sb toxicity threshold for establishing standard for Sb regulation in crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of synthetic scaffolds with a desirable combination of properties, such as bioactivity, the ability to locally deliver antibacterial agents and high osteogenic capacity, is a challenging but promising approach in bone tissue engineering. In this study, scaffolds of a borosilicate bioactive glass (composition: 6Na2O, 8K2O, 8MgO, 22CaO, 36B2O3, 18SiO2, 2P2O5; mol%) with controllable antibacterial activity were developed by doping the parent glass with varying amounts of Ag2O (0.05, 0.5, and 1.0 wt%). The addition of the Ag2O lowered the compressive strength and degradation of the bioactive glass scaffolds but it did not affect the formation of hydroxyapatite on the surface of the glass as determined by energy dispersive x-ray analysis, x-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared analysis. The Ag2O-doped scaffolds showed a sustained release of Ag ions over more than 8 weeks in simulated body fluid and resistance against colonization by the bacterial strains Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In vitro cell culture showed better adhesion, proliferation, and alkaline phosphatase activity of murine osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells on the Ag2O-doped bioactive glass scaffolds than on the undoped scaffolds. The results indicate that these Ag-doped borosilicate bioactive glass scaffolds may have potential in repairing bone coupled with providing a lower risk of bacterial infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomically thin two-dimensional semiconductors such as MoS2 hold great promise for electrical, optical and mechanical devices and display novel physical phenomena. However, the electron mobility of mono- and few-layer MoS2 has so far been substantially below theoretically predicted limits, which has hampered efforts to observe its intrinsic quantum transport behaviours. Potential sources of disorder and scattering include defects such as sulphur vacancies in the MoS2 itself as well as extrinsic sources such as charged impurities and remote optical phonons from oxide dielectrics. To reduce extrinsic scattering, we have developed here a van der Waals heterostructure device platform where MoS2 layers are fully encapsulated within hexagonal boron nitride and electrically contacted in a multi-terminal geometry using gate-tunable graphene electrodes. Magneto-transport measurements show dramatic improvements in performance, including a record-high Hall mobility reaching 34,000 cm2 V-1 s-1 for six-layer MoS2 at low temperature, confirming that low-temperature performance in previous studies was limited by extrinsic interfacial impurities rather than bulk defects in the MoS2. We also observed Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations in high-mobility monolayer and few-layer MoS2. Modelling of potential scattering sources and quantum lifetime analysis indicate that a combination of short-range and long-range interfacial scattering limits the low-temperature mobility of MoS2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semiconductor p-n junctions are essential building blocks for electronic and optoelectronic devices. In conventional p-n junctions, regions depleted of free charge carriers form on either side of the junction, generating built-in potentials associated with uncompensated dopant atoms. Carrier transport across the junction occurs by diffusion and drift processes influenced by the spatial extent of this depletion region. With the advent of atomically thin van der Waals materials and their heterostructures, it is now possible to realize a p-n junction at the ultimate thickness limit. Van der Waals junctions composed of p- and n-type semiconductors-each just one unit cell thick-are predicted to exhibit completely different charge transport characteristics than bulk heterojunctions. Here, we report the characterization of the electronic and optoelectronic properties of atomically thin p-n heterojunctions fabricated using van der Waals assembly of transition-metal dichalcogenides. We observe gate-tunable diode-like current rectification and a photovoltaic response across the p-n interface. We find that the tunnelling-assisted interlayer recombination of the majority carriers is responsible for the tunability of the electronic and optoelectronic processes. Sandwiching an atomic p-n junction between graphene layers enhances the collection of the photoexcited carriers. The atomically scaled van der Waals p-n heterostructures presented here constitute the ultimate functional unit for nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent data indicates that nucleoside/nucleotide analogue (NUC) is effective in preventing and controlling hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in HBV-carrying cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy, but the ideal antiviral agent and optimal application protocol still needs to be determined. Meanwhile, it is uncertain whether those with past HBV infection require antiviral prophylaxis during chemotherapy. This report retrospectively analyzed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients seen from January, 2004 to June, 2009 in West China Hospital. We found that the prevalence of chronic HBV infection in our NHL patients was 20.7 % while that of past HBV infection was 21.05 %. Compared with the high rate (25.6 %) of HBV reactivation in patients with chronic HBV infection, none of those with past HBV infection in fact had occult HBV infection thus none experienced reactivation. Of the 82 patients with chronic HBV infection who received chemotherapy, antiviral prophylaxis could significantly reduce the incidence of HBV reactivation (5.0 vs. 45.2 % in the control group) and the incidence of liver function damage (32.5 vs. 73.8 % in the control group). The results of the current study confirmed previous reports that prophylactic NUCs administration can effectively prevent HBV reactivation and significantly reduce the incidence of HBV reactivation especially for patients receiving rituximab-containing regimens. Due to the fact that none of individuals who had past HBV infection developed HBV reactivation reported in our study, antiviral prophylaxis may not be required for patients with past HBV infection. Close observation of alanine aminotransferase and HBV-DNA contributes to early diagnosis and timely treatment of HBV reactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to characterize clinical features and evaluate the clinical outcome of endovascular embolization treatment intracranial arteriovenous malformations in pediatric patients. Methods: A cohort of children (age ≤ 18 years) with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) from 2000 to 2012 was included. Predictors studied included patient gender, age, and angioarchitectural features, including AVM location, nidus morphology and size, venous drainage, and associated aneurysms. Treatment method, complications and outcomes were recorded. The features of AVMs were evaluated before the treatment. Results: One hundred twenty-seven children (77 males, mean age 13.2 years) were included; 90/127 (70.9 %) children were presented with hemorrhage. AVM size and deep venous drainage were independently associated with hemorrhage; 66/127 patients (52 %) treated with endovascular embolization. Complete obliteration at the end of all endovascular procedures was achieved in 14/66 patients (21.2 %), with an average of 78 % (range, 20-100 %) volume reduction. A mean of 2.9 (range, 1-9) feeding pedicles was embolized per patient. Overall, nine complications occurred in a total of 123 procedures (7.3 %). There was no procedure-related death in this study population. There was no significant difference between patients with and without complications in terms of AVM grade, demographic characteristics, or embolization features. Conclusions: AVM size and deep venous drainage were independently associated with hemorrhage in pediatric patients. Endovascular procedure is feasible and safe for pediatric AVMs, and complete embolization can be achieved in small AVMs, while large AVMs can be adequately reduced in size for additional microsurgery or stereotactic radiosurgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteomyelitis (bone infection) is often difficult to cure. The commonly-used treatment of surgical debridement to remove the infected bone combined with prolonged systemic and local antibiotic treatment has limitations. In the present study, an injectable borate bioactive glass cement was developed as a carrier for the antibiotic vancomycin, characterized in vitro, and evaluated for its capacity to cure osteomyelitis in a rabbit tibial model. The cement (initial setting time = 5.8 ± 0.6 min; compressive strength = 25.6 ± 0.3 MPa) released vancomycin over ~25 days in phosphate-buffered saline, during which time the borate glass converted to hydroxyapatite (HA). When implanted in rabbit tibial defects infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-induced osteomyelitis, the vancomycin-loaded cement converted to HA and supported new bone formation in the defects within 8 weeks. Osteomyelitis was cured in 87 % of the defects implanted with the vancomycin-loaded borate glass cement, compared to 71 % for the defects implanted with vancomycin-loaded calcium sulfate cement. The injectable borate bioactive glass cement developed in this study is a promising treatment for curing osteomyelitis and for regenerating bone in the defects following cure of the infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Borate bioactive glass-based composites have been attracting interest recently as an osteoconductive carrier material for local antibiotic delivery. In the present study, composites composed of borate bioactive glass particles bonded with a chitosan matrix were prepared and evaluated in vitro as a carrier for gentamicin sulfate. The bioactivity, degradation, drug release profile, and compressive strength of the composite carrier system were studied as a function of immersion time in phosphate-buffered saline at 37 °C. The cytocompatibility of the gentamicin sulfate-loaded composite carrier was evaluated using assays of cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity of osteogenic MC3T3-E1 cells. Sustained release of gentamicin sulfate occurred over ~28 days in PBS, while the bioactive glass converted continuously to hydroxyapatite. The compressive strength of the composite loaded with gentamicin sulfate decreased from the as-fabricated value of 24 ± 3 MPa to ~8 MPa after immersion for 14 days in PBS. Extracts of the soluble ionic products of the borate glass/chitosan composites enhanced the proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity of MC3T3-E1 cells. These results indicate that the gentamicin sulfate-loaded composite composed of chitosan-bonded borate bioactive glass particles could be useful clinically as an osteoconductive carrier material for treating bone infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There are few articles in the literature comparing outcomes between anterior and posterior instrumentation in the management of thoracic and lumbar spinal tuberculosis (TB). Methods: Between January 2004 and December 2009, 217 adult patients, average age 39 (range 16-67) years with thoracic and lumbar spinal TB were treated by anterior radical debridement and fusion plus instrumentation, anterior radical debridement with fusion and posterior fusion with instrumentation, posterolateral debridement and fusion plus posterior instrumentation or transpedicular debridement and posterior fusion with instrumentation in a single- or two-stage procedure. We followed up 165 patients for 22-72 (mean 37) months. Of these, 138 underwent more than three weeks chemotherapy with isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol, and the remaining 27 underwent operation for neurological impairment within six to 18 hours of the same chemotherapy regimen. In no case did relapse occur. Apart from eight patients with skip lesions treated by hybrid anterior and posterior instrumentation, anterior instrumentation was used in 74 patients (group A) and 83 patients (group B) were fixed posteriorly. Results: In both groups, local symptoms were relieved significantly one to three weeks postoperatively; ten of 14 patients (71%) in group A and 14 of 19 (74%) in group B with neurological deficit had excellent or good clinical results ( P > 0.05). Erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESR) returned from 43.6 mm/h and 42.7 mm/h, respectively, preoperatively to normal levels eight to 12 weeks postoperatively. Kyphosis degree was corrected by a mean of 11.5° in group A and 12.6° in group B, respectively ( P < 0.01). Correction loss was 6.8° in group A and 6.1° in group B at the last follow-up ( P < 0.01). Fusion rates of the grafting bone were 92.5% and 91.8%, respectively, at final follow-up ( P > 0.05). Severe complications did not occur. Conclusion: These results suggest that both anterior and posterior instrumentation attain good results for correction of the deformity and maintaining correction, foci clearance, spinal-cord decompression and pain relief in the treatment of thoracic and lumbar spinal TB providing that the opeartive indication is accurately identified. However, the posterior approach may be superior to anterior instrumentation to correct deformity and maintain that correction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

d-Galactose ( d-gal) -induced aging models in Drosophila, houseflies, mice and rats have been widely used; however, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. To investigate the involvement of mitochondrial dysfunction of d-gal, mitochondrial function was examined in the brain and liver of C57BL/6J mice, subjected to a treatment of d-gal with or without a concomitant treatment with a mitochondrial nutrient, R-alpha-lipoic acid (LA). d-Gal treatment induced a significant decrease in succinate-linked respiratory control ratio (RCR) and ADP/O ratio in the liver and brain, and also a significant increase in the maximum velocity (Vmax) and substrate binding affinity (Km) of complex II in the liver. LA treatment to d-gal-injected animals restored mitochondrial RCR in both brain and liver, ADP/O and Km of complex II in the liver. These results suggest LA is effective in delaying d-gal toxicity by ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore a method to identify the sensory and motor fascicles of the peripheral nerve to achieve accurate peripheral nerve functional fascicle suture. The peripheral nerve Sunderland V injury model, muscle branch of the femoral nerve and saphenous nerve were established in the bilateral femoral nerves of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The specific samples were grouped as follows: the main trunk of the femoral nerve was exposed bilaterally and cut with microscopic scissors in the main trunk of the femoral nerve to prepare a model of Sunderland V injury in the mixed fascicle of peripheral nerves; the muscle branch of the femoral nerve was exposed bilaterally and cut in the middle section of the muscle branch of the femoral nerve to prepare a model of Sunderland V injury in the motor fascicle of peripheral nerves; the saphenous nerve was exposed bilaterally and cut at 1 cm below the patella to prepare a model of Sunderland V injury to the sensory fascicle of the peripheral nerves. A carbon quantum dot (CD)-annexin V antibody complex was prepared and applied to the distal and proximal nerve stumps of the peripheral nerve Sunderland V injury model groups of SD rats. Under the excitation light source of a 380 nm uv lamp, fluorescence color development was observed under a fluorescence microscope after 5, 10, 15, and 20 min. At 5 min, sections of the bilateral femoral nerve trunk, muscular branches of the femoral nerve, and Sunderland V lesion of the saphenous nerve in SD rats were only dark in color under the microscope, and there was no difference in fluorescence. The intensity of the staining increased significantly for 10–20 min. The sensory fascicles and saphenous nerves of the femoral nerve trunk showed blue fluorescence under the CD-Annexin V antibody complex staining, while the motor fascicles and muscle branches of the femoral nerve trunk showed no fluorescence. Fluorescence intensity gradually decreased after 20 min of staining. There was no significant difference in the staining intensity at 5, 10, 15, and 20 min in each group. Our results suggest that the CD-Annexin antibody complex can be used to identify functional fascicles of peripheral nerves in SD rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia-mediated chemoresistance plays a crucial role in the development of ovarian cancer (OC). However, the roles of hypoxia-related genes (HRGs) in chemoresistance and prognosis prediction and theirs underlying mechanisms remain to be further elucidated. We intended to identify and validate classifiers of hub HRGs for chemoresistance, diagnosis, prognosis as well as immune microenvironment of OC, and to explore the function of the most crucial HRG in the development of the malignant phenotypes. The RNA expression and clinical data of HRGs were systematically evaluated in OC training group. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were applied to construct hub HRGs classifiers for prognosis and diagnosis assessment. The relationship between classifiers and chemotherapy response and underlying pathways were detected by GSEA, CellMiner and CIBERSORT algorithm, respectively. OC cells were cultured under hypoxia or transfected with HIF-1α or HIF-2α plasmids, and the transcription levels of TGFBI were assessed by quantitative PCR. TGFBI was knocked down by siRNAs in OC cells, CCK8 and in vitro migration and invasion assays were performed to examine the changes in cell proliferation, motility and metastasis. The difference in TGFBI expression was examined between cisplatin-sensitive and -resistant cells, and the effects of TGFBI interference on cell apoptosis, DNA repair and key signaling molecules of cisplatin-resistant OC cells were explored. A total of 179 candidate HRGs were extracted and enrolled into univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Six hub genes (TGFBI, CDKN1B, AKAP12, GPC1, TGM2 and ANGPTL4) were selected to create a HRGs prognosis classifier and four genes (TGFBI, AKAP12, GPC1 and TGM2) were selected to construct diagnosis classifiers. The HRGs prognosis classifier could precisely distinguish OC patients into high-risk and low-risk groups and estimate their clinical outcomes. Furthermore, the high-risk group had higher percentage of Macrophages M2 and exhibited higher expression of immunecheckpoints such as PD-L2. Additionally, the diagnosis classifiers could accurately distinguish OC from normal samples. TGFBI was further verified as a specific key target and demonstrated that its high expression was closely correlated with poor prognosis and chemoresistance of OC. Hypoxia upregulated the expression level of TGFBI. The hypoxia-induced factor HIF-2α but not HIF-1α could directly bind to the promoter region of TGFBI, and facilitate its transcription level. TGFBI was upregulated in cisplatin-sensitive and resistant ovarian cancer cells in a cisplatin time-dependent manner. TGFBI interference downregulated DNA repair-related markers (p-p95/NBS1, RAD51, p-DNA-PKcs, DNA Ligase IV and Artemis), apoptosis-related marker (BCL2) and PI3K/Akt pathway-related markers (PI3K-p110 and p-Akt) in cisplatin-resistant OC cells. In summary, the HRGs prognosis risk classifier could be served as a predictor for OC prognosis and efficacy evaluation. TGFBI, upregulated by HIF-2α as an HRG, promoted OC chemoresistance through activating PI3K/Akt pathway to reduce apoptosis and enhance DNA damage repair pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum nitride (AlN) nanopowders with different morphologies were prepared using a hybrid hydrothermal and carbothermal reduction nitridation technique. The impact of pyrolysis on the preparation of AlN nanopowders was examined. The effect of different input parameters, such as the molar ratio of urea/alumina, hydrothermal reaction conditions, and nitridation temperatures, on the formation of AlN nanostructures were studied. The hydrothermal treatment yielded the boehmite precursor under different reaction conditions (temperature 180–220 ℃ and time 12–24 h), which was used to convert the AlN nanostructures by nitridation (temperature 1400–1600 ℃ for 4 h). The structure and morphology of the resulting powders were examined by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Microspheres, nanoparticles, and plate-like structures were achieved under different reaction conditions, and the influencing factors were discussed in detail. Uniform and monodispersed AlN nanoparticles approximately 73 nm in size were obtained by nitridation temperature at 1500 ℃ for 4 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By virtue of its excellent bioactivity and osteoconductivity, calcium phosphate cement (CPC) has been applied extensively in bone engineering. Doping a trace element into CPC can change physical characteristics and enhance osteogenesis. The trace element lithium has been demonstrated to stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts. We investigated the fracture-healing effect of osteoporotic defects with lithium-doped calcium phosphate cement (Li/CPC) and the underlying mechanism. Li/CPC bodies immersed in simulated body fluid converted gradually to hydroxyapatite. Li/CPC extracts stimulated the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts upon release of lithium ions (Li+) at 25.35 ± 0.12 to 50.74 ± 0.13 mg/l through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in vitro. We also examined the effect of locally administered Li+ on defects in rat tibia between CPC and Li/CPC in vivo. Micro-computed tomography and histological staining showed that Li/CPC had better osteogenesis by increasing bone mass and promoting repair in defects compared with CPC (P < 0.05). Li/CPC also showed better osteoconductivity and osseointegration. These findings suggest that local release of Li+ from Li/CPC may accelerate bone regeneration from injury through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report our work on ZnO/CuO mesoporous nanocomposite synthesized via a simplistic and cost-effective Co-precipitation technique. The heterostructure was examined for structural, morphological, optical, and gas-sensing properties for pure ZnO, CuO and ZnO/CuO nanocomposite at room temperature. The Bandgap, refractive index and transmittance percentage were determined for the as-prepared samples. The gas sensing study has been systematically introduced to report how the nanocomposite can enhance the sensing capabilities. The nanostructured materials offer good point defects (oxygen vacancies) and high surface area that attributes stronger gas adsorption via active sites for enhanced gas sensing performance. The heterojunction in the n-ZnO/p-CuO nanocomposite gas sensor has exhibited strong sensing performance at low concentrations of n-butanol (5–20 ppm) with a sensor response of 247% and a quick response of 19 s and recovery time of 11 s, which were explained in terms of the hole accumulation layer (HAL) and the quantum confinement effects in the nanocomposite. The ability of sensing a low n-butanol concentration at room temperature provides a feasible path for practical gas sensing application of these ZnO/CuO nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of HNO is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Developing versatile, scalable, and durable coatings that resist the accretion of matters (liquid, vapor, and solid phases) in various operating environments is important to industrial applications, yet has proven challenging. Here, we report a cellular coating that imparts liquid-repellence, vapor-imperviousness, and solid-shedding capabilities without the need for complicated structures and fabrication processes. The key lies in designing basic cells consisting of rigid microshells and releasable nanoseeds, which together serve as a rigid shield and a bridge that chemically bonds with matrix and substrate. The durability and strong resistance to accretion of different matters of our cellular coating are evidenced by strong anti-abrasion, enhanced anti-corrosion against saltwater over 1000 h, and maintaining dry in complicated phase change conditions. The cells can be impregnated into diverse matrixes for facile mass production through scalable spraying. Our strategy provides a generic design blueprint for engineering ultra-durable coatings for a wide range of applications. The design and scalable fabrication of durable superhydrophobic coatings that prevent accretion of matter is challenging. Here the authors developed a generic cellular design for ultra-durable coatings that provides liquid-repellence, vapor imperviousness, and solid-shedding capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote mountainous villages are at risk of falling back into poverty, despite having been lifted out of extreme poverty. However, there has been a lack of focus on the factors contributing to poverty-return in these villages, which making it difficult to understand the risks and their underlying causes. This study investigates the spatial distribution of 546 key assistance villages (KAVs) in the Liangshan mountainous region, a former poverty-stricken area, using the average nearest neighbor (ANN) and kernel density estimation (KDE) methods. Linear regression and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models are then employed to analyze the relationship between the KAVs' economy and potential poverty-returning factors. The results show that KAVs are primarily located in elevation ranges of 1800–2500 m (31.87%), with slopes of 6°–15° (42.67%) and 2–3 km from the township (28.94%). The distribution of KAVs exhibits distinct spatial clustering, forming four gathering areas. Several factors impact the KAVs' economy positively, including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), built-up area, grassland, and education facilities, while elevation has a negative effect. The built-up area has the most critical impact on the rural economy, followed by NDVI and elevation. Additionally, education facilities and grassland areas also have significant effects. The study suggests promoting the Ex-situ Poverty Alleviation Relocation Program (ESPARP) and increasing rural built-up areas, grasslands, and educational facilities as practical measures for preventing poverty return and promoting economic development promotion in remote mountain villages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sepsis is a life-threatening disease with a limited effectiveness and the potential mechanism remains unclear. LncRNA NEAT-2 is reported to be involved in the regulation of cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to investigate the function of NEAT-2 in sepsis. Methods: We built sepsis animal model with Male Balb/C mice induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). A total of 54 mice were randomly assigned into eight groups: sham operation group (n = 18), CLP group (n = 18), CLP plus si-control group (n = 3), CLP plus si-NEAT2 group (n = 3), CLP plus mimic control group (n = 3), CLP plus miR-320 group (n = 3), CLP plus normal saline group (n = 3), and normal control group (n = 3). The number of peripheral endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), the expression level of NEAT-2 and miR-320 were detected during progression of sepsis, as well as the number of peripheral EPCs and level of TNF-α, IL-6, VEGF, ALT, AST and Cr. In addition, the function of EPCs was evaluated after NEAT-2 knockdown and miR-320 overexpression in vitro. Results: The number of circulating EPCs increased significantly in sepsis. NEAT-2 expression was significantly increased in the progress of sepsis, accompanied with miR-320 downregulated. NEAT-2 knockdown and miR-320 overexpression attenuated hepatorenal function and increased cytokines in sepsis. Moreover, NEAT-2 knockdown and miR-320 overexpression decreased the proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of endothelial progenitor cells in vitro. Conclusions: LncRNA-NEAT2 regulated the number and function of endothelial progenitor cells via miR-320 in sepsis, which may contribute to the development of novel potential clinical therapy for sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the pelvic incidence (PI)- and age-related cervical alignment changes of Chinese healthy population. Methods: Six hundred and twenty-five asymptomatic adult subjects, who underwent the standing whole spinal radiograph, were recruited in this work. The sagittal parameters were measured, including Occipito-C2 angle (O-C2), C2–7 angle (C2–7), cranial arch, caudal arch, T1-slope (T1S), C2–7 sagittal vertical axis (C2–7 SVA), thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic tilt (PT), sacral slope (SS), PI, and sagittal vertical axis (SVA). All subjects were stratified into 5 age groups, namely 40–59 years, 60–64 years, 65–69 years, 70–74 years, and 75 years and above, with each age group further divided into 2 subgroups based on PI (deeming PI < 50° as low PI, and PI ≥ 50° as high PI). The correlations between PI or age, and other sagittal parameters were assessed. The age-related changes of sagittal parameters in each PI subgroup were also assessed, followed by one-way analysis of variance analysis for change comparison between age groups. Results: The average cervical sagittal parameters were as below: 18.2 ± 6.8° for O-C2, 10.4 ± 10.2° for C2–7, 3.9 ± 7.5° for cranial arch, 6.5 ± 7.1° for caudal arch, 23.6 ± 7.3° for T1S, and 21.0 ± 9.7 mm for C2–7 SVA. There was no obvious difference observed between PI and cervical sagittal parameters, excepting for caudal arch. While, C2–7, cranial arch, caudal arch, T1S, and C2–7 SVA increased remarkably with the age. Thereof, C2–7 exhibited great increases at the age of 60–64 years and 70–74 years, respectively, cranial arch increased notably at 60–64 years of age, and caudal arch developed obviously at 70–74 years of age, regardless of PI. Conclusion: This study showed the PI- and age-related cervical alignment changes of Chinese healthy population. Based on the classification in our study, high or low PI apparently did not correlate with the occurrence of cervical degenerative disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multilayer strontium-doped TiO2/carbon dots (CDs) materials (TC) were produced via sol-gel-layered carbonization method. A thorough analysis of the fabricated composites via XRD, SEM, and XPS revealed that strontium ions, TiO2 and CDs, were combined with each other to form layered structures. According to the UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectrograms and (αhv)1/2 vs. hv plots, the electron-donor property of strontium ions caused a more positive TC conduction band position than that in the pure TiO2, thereby increasing the visible-light absorption range of TC. Based on the photocatalytic degradation data, the degradation rate of enrofloxacin was 84.7% at the dosage of 0.05 g·L−1 and the concentration of 10 mg·L−1. The capture experiments and ESR results showed that ·O2− and e− played a major role in the degradation process of TC. The possible degradation mechanism of enrofloxacin was explained in terms of decarboxylation and defluorination, as was detected via ultra-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the association between uric acid (UA) levels and vascular dementia (VaD) and Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD), a meta-analysis was conducted. Methods: The relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Collaboration Database up to May 2022. Pooled analysis, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias examination were all conducted. All analyses were performed by using STATA 16. Results: Twelve studies with a total of 2097 subjects were included. The pooled analysis showed that UA levels were not associated with VaD (WMD = - 10.99 μmol/L, 95% CI (- 48.05, 26.07), P = 0.561) but were associated with PDD (WMD = - 25.22 μmol/L, 95% CI (- 43.47, - 6.97), P = 0.007). The statistical stability and reliability were evaluated using sensitivity analysis and publication bias outcomes. Conclusion: UA levels are associated with PDD but not with VaD. This study will help to strengthen our knowledge of the pathophysiologies of VaD and PDD, and promote the development of prevention and treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hierarchical porous ZSM-5 zeolites modified by the metal Mg and Ca (MH-ZSM-5) were constructed for catalytic coupling of CH3Cl to light-olefins (CMTO). The properties of the prepared catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption–desorption, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and NH3 temperature-programmed desorption measurements. Results showed that the organosilane treatment could obviously change the morphology of ZSM-5 zeolites from cubic to sphere and introduce more mesoporous, and the metal modification could significantly reduce the amount of Brønsted acid. The mesoporous structure was in favor of mass transfer to avoid carbon deposits to prolong the lifetime of catalysts. In addition, the fewer strong acid sites could suppress the occurrence of side reactions to improve the selectivity of light olefins. Therefore, MH-ZSM-5 with the more mesoporous and appropriate acidity exhibited the best catalytic performance, among which the selectivity of light-olefins reached 90.9% and the lifetime (the duration of CH3Cl conversion > 98%) was up to 72 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dirac semimetals (DSMs) are an important class of topological states of matter. Here, focusing on DSMs of band inversion type, we investigate their boundary modes from the effective model perspective. We show that in order to properly capture the boundary modes, k-cubic terms must be included in the effective model, which would drive an evolution of surface degeneracy manifold from a nodal line to a nodal point. Sizable k-cubic terms are also needed for better exposing the topological hinge modes in the spectrum. Using first-principles calculations, we demonstrate that this feature and the topological hinge modes can be clearly exhibited in β-CuI. We extend the discussion to magnetic DSMs and show that the time-reversal symmetry breaking can gap out the surface bands and hence is beneficial for the experimental detection of hinge modes. Furthermore, we show that magnetic DSMs serve as a parent state for realizing multiple other higher-order topological phases, including higher-order Weyl-point/nodal-line semimetals and higher-order topological insulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the optimal closure time of a temporary ileostomy in patients with rectal cancer receiving anus-preserving operation. Methods: Patients with rectal cancer were enrolled from the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University from May 2010 to June 2019. The eligible patients were grouped according to their actual ileostomy closure time after stoma creation. Outcomes were complications during stoma closure and complications within one year after stoma closure. Results: This study included 361 qualified subjects, with 108 patients in the 3–5 months group, 133 in the 5–7 months group and 120 in the ≥ 7 months group. Compared with the risk of complications during stoma closure in the 3–5 months group, that in the 5–7 months group was significantly reduced (odds ratio [OR]: 0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.13–0.99), and that in the ≥ 7 months group was significantly increased (OR: 5.88, 95% CI 2.38–14.56). In contrast to the 3–5 months group, the 5–7 months group showed a significantly decreased risk (OR: 0.21, 95% CI 0.07–0.67), and the ≥ 7 months group showed a significantly increased risk (OR: 4.21, 95% CI 1.61–11.01) of complications within 1 year after stoma closure. Conclusion: 5–7 months after the ileostomy is created may be the optimal time for its closure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant disease monitoring and management are essential for ensuring reliable and lucrative crop production in all kinds of plantations and guaranteeing sustainable agriculture production. Most traditional approaches depend significantly on human effort, which is liable to time delay and is expensive. Moreover, plant pathogens are nearly identical to other non-harmful species in many circumstances. Recently, computer vision based deep learning algorithms have not been deceived by these similar diseases causing false warnings. This paper proposes a novel deep ensemble neural network (D-ENN) framework for automated plant disease detection. The dataset collected in real cultivated fields contains healthy and diseased images with specific class labels. Since there are limited images of a few specific crops, a conditional generative adversarial network (C-GAN) is leveraged to generate the additional synthetic images. Then, the total dataset is split into the training set, validation set, and test set, in the ratio of 70:10:20 used to avoid overfitting problems. The proposed model is trained using real and synthetic images utilizing the transfer learning mechanism. Finally, the experimental outcomes are assessed using standard performance measures evaluating the performance of the proposed method. The proposed vCrop framework attained Precision, Recall, and F1-Measure, and Accuracy of 95.71%, 95.32%, 95.51%, and 96.02% respectively, in classifying the plant diseases in comparison with the other state-of-the-art approaches. The proposed D-ENN model can be a potentially helpful tool for farmers and agronomists in diagnosing and quantifying cotton diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin resistance (IR) is a condition of impaired response of cells towards insulin. It is marked by excessive blood glucose, dysregulated insulin signalling, altered pathways, damaged pancreatic β-cells, metabolic disorders, etc. Chronic hyperglycemic conditions leads to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) which causes excess generation of highly reactive free radicals, causing oxidative stress, further leading to development and progression of complications like vascular dysfunction, damaged cellular proteins, and DNA. One of the causes for IR is dysregulation of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B). Advancements in drug therapeutics have helped people manage IR by regulating PTP1B, however have been reported to cause side effects. Therefore, there is a growing interest on usage of phytochemical constituents having IR therapeutic properties and aiding to minimize these complications. Medicinal plants have not been utilized to their full potential as a therapeutic drug due to lack of knowledge of their active and effective chemical constituents, mode of action, regulation of IR parameters, and dosage of administration. This review highlights phytochemical constituents present in medicinal plants or spices, their potential effectiveness on proteins (PTP1B) regulating IR, and reported possible mechanism of action studied on in vitro models. The study gives current knowledge and future recommendations on the above aspects and is expected to be beneficial in developing herbal drug using these phytochemical constituents, either alone or in combination, for medication of IR and diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporating liquid metal droplets into polymer matrix has become one of the most promising strategies to enhance the thermally conductive performance of thermal interface materials (TIMs) for the escalating heat dissipation demands from highly integrated electronic devices. However, most of the TIMs typically choose silicone polymer as the matrix material, which would exhibit silicone oil precipitation and siloxane evaporation after long time utilization. Here, we present a non-silicone TIM with efficient heat dissipation capability by incorporating multi-shaped and proper-sized liquid metal droplets into an epoxy matrix via a combined fabrication approach. This liquid metal epoxy composite (LMEC) exhibits a high thermal conductivity enhanced up to 14 W m - 1 K - 1 (nearly 78 × increase over the matrix) at 85% volume fraction and an ultra-low thermal resistance of 0.0043 K W - 1 at 65% volume fraction. Its Kapitza radius and thermal interfacial resistance are estimated from the experimental results, respectively, about 75 nm and 4.17 × 10 - 7 m 2 K W - 1 , which helps explaining the reduced thermal conductivity of composites with small droplet inclusions. Moreover, actual cooling tests on a high power heating device demonstrate that 65% LMEC shows superior cooling effects than the non-silicone TIMs of indium foil, pure liquid metal, 85% LMEC, and the silicone oil-based liquid metal composites of 65 and 85% volume fraction, which indicate that not the TIMs with higher intrinsic thermal conductivity would exhibit superior heat dissipation effects, but those possessing low thermal resistance between the heat source and heat sink show better heat transfer properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the resource-based view, this study examines how parent-subsidiary resource linkages in terms of resource commitment and resource similarity affect the performance of the parent firm. By using the data from 199 Taiwanese firms investing in China, the results of this study show that resource commitment has an inverted U-shaped relationship with the parent firm performance, whereas the relationship between resource similarity and the parent firm performance is U-shaped. In addition, this study also finds that organizational slack and parent involvement moderate these relationships. This study provides important theoretical and managerial implications for international business management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid growth of emerging market multinational enterprises (EMNEs), increasing interest has been focused on exploring the internationalization-performance (I-P) relationship of EMNEs. Yet findings on the relationship remain contradictory. Although researchers emphasize the home-country-bounded nature of EMNEs, less is known about how home-government features and the EMNEs' political mindset affect their internationalization and performance. This study integrates and extends the literature on the I-P relationship of EMNEs using a meta-analysis covering a dataset of 218 effect sizes from 186 retrieved studies published between 1998 and 2021. Findings show that the I-P relationship is overall positive, yet it varies across diverse research designs and emerging markets and regions. Also, our findings indicate that home-country government quality and transformability exert significant positive impacts on the relationship, while nationalism negatively moderates the government's impacts on the relationship. This study pushes the boundaries of EMNE literature through conceptualizing home-government features and incorporating consideration of nationalism in this research field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the impact of local protectionism on outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) and how firms respond to local protectionism in a transition economy. We find that local protectionism exerts a negative effect on the OFDI decisions of Chinese privately-owned enterprises (POEs). However, this negative impact is weakened by POEs' corporate philanthropy strategy, whereas corporate political activity reinforces such an impact. This research extends the lens of institutional escapism by highlighting local protectionism as a barrier to OFDI and provides new insights into how firms respond to the subnational environment by adopting various nonmarket strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QD) are extensively studied for their potential application in optoelectronic devices. In this paper, we report the influence of QD growth rate on the optical properties of InAs/GaAs QDs under their exposure to a Nitrogen plasma. The samples under study are grown by molecular beam epitaxy and characterized by photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). For capped unnitrided QDs, the increase in InAs growth rate is accompanied by an increase in PL emission energy and PL full width at half maximum (FWHM). Under nitridation, it was found that the incorporation of Nitrogen (N) strongly affected the QD emission and showed a significant redshift of the photoluminescence peak emission. In addition, PL FWHM decreases as the growth rate of InAs increases. The temperature dependence of the PL peak energy of the unnitrided and nitrided QDs exhibits a V shape associated to the carrier localization phenomenon induced by the spatially fluctuating potential. This behavior is confirmed by using the localized state ensemble (LSE) theoretical model. In addition, the results suggest that nitridation aims to reduce the size distribution of QDs and leads to their homogenization compared to the case of inhomogeneous distribution in the absence of Nitrogen. These results are a particularly promising method for realizing QD lasers, which require the use of low QD size and high density with minimal size dispersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reactive core–shell modifier with the polybutadiene (PB) as core and styrene/acrylonitrile/glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer as shell (PB-g-SAG) was prepared to toughen the polylactide (PLA). Simultaneously, the epoxy-based multifunctional chain extender (CE) was used to further improve the modification ability of PB-g-SAG on the PLA properties. For the PLA/PB-g-SAG/CE blends, the compatibilization reaction between PLA and PB-g-SAG formed the PLA-g-SAG-g-PB copolymer, which improved the interfacial strength between the PLA and PB-g-SAG. At the same time, the branching reaction among the chain extender and the PLA formed the long chain branching structure which enhanced the molecular weight and entanglement density of the PLA. The aid of the epoxy-based chain extender further increased the melt strength, toughness and stiffness of PB-g-SAG toughened PLA blends. When PB-g-SAG content was 20 wt%, 0.5 wt% CE induced the melt strength, impact strength and Young's modulus of PLA/PB-g-SAG blend increase from 9.2 × 104 Pa·s, 428 J/m and 1634 MPa to 1.27 × 105 Pa·s, 530 J/m and 1845 MPa for the PLA/PB-g-SAG/CE blend. Compared with the pure PLA, the melt strength and impact strength were increased by 1150% and 1666%. Deformation results indicated the massive shearing yielding of the PLA matrix, the cavitation of the polybutadiene and interfacial debonding between the PB-g-SAG and the PLA were the major toughening mechanisms. This research provided a simple and practical strategy to overcome the shortcomings of the PLA and could promote its application in the industrial fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schisandrin A (Sch A) is a lignin extracted from the fruit of Schisandra chinensis, which has potential anti-inflammatory properties and is used for treating various inflammatory diseases. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of Sch A and the underlying mechanisms in animal models of acute inflammation. First, the anti-inflammatory effects of Sch A were evaluated preliminarily in an animal model of xylene-induced ear edema. Sch A pretreatment significantly decreased the degree of edema and inhibited telangiectasia in the ear. Second, a mouse model of paw edema was used to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms of Sch A. Pretreatment with Sch A significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced paw edema in mice. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining of paw tissues demonstrated that Sch A inhibited the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the mouse model of paw edema. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results indicated that the levels of inflammatory factors decreased. The western blot and immunohistochemical assay results revealed that the toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor kappa-B (TLR4/NF-κB) pathway could play a role in the anti-inflammatory functions of Sch A. The findings demonstrated that Sch A exerts anti-inflammatory effects and may provide possible strategies for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]