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Background: The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors has led to an increase in randomized controlled trials exploring various first-line combination treatment regimens. With the introduction of new PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, there are now more clinical options available. For the first time, the AK105 monoclonal antibody Penpulimab, developed in China, was included. The AK105-302 Phase III trial studied the efficacy and safety of Penpulimab combined with chemotherapy in patients with advanced or metastatic squamous NSCLC. To determine the optimal treatment options, we conducted an updated network meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness and safety of these regimens. Methods: The system retrieves data from Chinese and English electronic databases, Clinical Trials, and the gov Clinical Trial Registration website up to September 6, 2023. The study indirectly compared the efficacy and safety of PD-1/PD-L1 combination regimens, including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), all-grade adverse events, and above-grade III adverse events. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) level, histological type, ECOG score, sex, and smoking history. Results: Nineteen RCTS were included, with a total of ten thousand eight hundred patients. Penpulimab plus chemotherapy (Pen + CT) provided the best OS (HR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.38–0.81) for PD-L1 patients with non-selective advanced NSCLC. Except Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab (Niv + Ipi), other PD-1/PD-L1 combination therapies significantly extended PFS compared with CT, and Nivolumab plus Bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy (Niv + Bev + CT) (HR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.26–0.74) provided the best PFS benefit and was comparable to Pen + CT (HR = 1.0) for PFS prolongation. For ORR, except Niv + Ipi, all the other regimens significantly improved ORR compared with CT. In terms of safety, except Tor + CT, the incidence of any-grade AEs or grade ≥ 3 adverse events may be higher than those of chemotherapy. The subgroup analysis revealed that for patients with PD-L1 levels below 1%, treatment with Tor + CT resulted in the best progression-free survival (HR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.25–0.86). For patients with PD-L1 levels of 1% or higher, Sintilimab plus chemotherapy (Sin + CT) (HR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.31–0.99) and Camrelizumab plus chemotherapy (Cam + CT) (HR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.28–0.64) were associated with the best overall survival and progression-free survival, respectively. For patients with SqNSCLC, combined immunotherapy may provide greater survival benefits. For patients with Non-sqNSCLC, Niv + Bev + CT and Tor + CT were associated with optimal PFS and OS, respectively. Cam + CT provided the best PFS in male patients with a history of smoking and an ECOG score of 0. In both female and non-smoking patient subgroups, Pem + CT was associated with the best PFS and OS benefits. Conclusion: For patients with advanced non-selective PD-L1 NSCLC, two effective regimens are Pen + CT and Niv + Bev + CT, which rank first in OS and PFS among all patients. Cam + CT and Tor + CT have advantages for OS in patients with SqNSCLC and Non-sqNSCLC, respectively. Niv + Ipi + CT provided the best OS benefit for patients with an ECOG score of 0, while Pem + CT may be the most effective treatment for patients with an ECOG score of 1. Pem + CT has a better effect on female patients and non-smokers. Sin + CT was found to be the most effective treatment for male patients and the smoking subgroup, while Cam + CT was found to be the most effective for PFS. In addition, Tor + CT was associated with the best PFS for patients with negative PD-L1 expression. Pem + CT was found to significantly improve both PFS and OS compared to CT alone. For patients with positive PD-L1 expression, Sin + CT and Cam + CT were found to be optimal for OS and PFS, respectively. It is important to note that, with the exception of Tor + CT, the toxicity of the other combinations was higher than that of CT alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-vehicle information system (IVIS) use is prevalent among young adults. However, their interaction with IVIS needs to be better understood. Therefore, an on-road study aims to explore the effects of input modalities and secondary task types on young drivers' secondary task performance, driving performance, and visual glance behavior. A 2 × 4 within-subject design was undertaken. The independent variables are input modalities (auditory-speech and visual-manual) and secondary task types (calls, music, navigation, and radio). The dependent variables include secondary task performance (task completion time, number of errors, and SUS), driving performance (average speed, number of lane departure warnings, and NASA-TLX), and visual glance behavior (average glance duration, number of glances, total glance duration, and number of glances over 1.6 s). The statistical analysis result showed that the main effect of input modalities is significant, with more distraction during visual-manual than auditory-speech. The main impact of secondary task types was also substantial across most metrics, aside from average speed and average glance duration. Navigation and music were the most distracting, followed by calls, and radio came in last. The distracting effect of input modalities is relatively stable and generally not moderated by the secondary task types, except radio tasks. The findings practically benefit the driver-friendly human–machine interface design, preventing IVIS-related distraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma spray is a promising technology for surface protection and modification in many industrial application fields. However, the low adhesive or cohesive strength of the plasma sprayed coatings limited their further application. The cohesive strength was enhanced 115% ultra-sonicating the substrate during the plasma spraying process of Ni-10wt.%Al coatings. With the increase of power density from 0 to 1.32 W/cm2, the porosity, residual stress and strain were all decreased. However, when the power was further increased to 2.20 W/cm2, the porosity, residual stress and strain were all increased. Ultrasonic energy and the ultrasonic effects of acoustic pressure, acoustic streaming, heat effect, and cavitation effect would affect the physical processes of wetting, filling and solidification of the molten droplets during the plasma spraying process, affecting the microstructure and cohesive strength of the plasma sprayed coatings. The ultrasonic energy and ultrasonic effects which are affected by the ultrasonic power density affecting the fundamental physical processes is the key to enhance the cohesive strength of the plasma sprayed coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To increase the efficiency of deep-hole blasting driving in mine rock tunnels, an innovative pattern of wedge cutting blasting with hole-inner delay was proposed. First, the blasting mechanisms of conventional and innovative wedge cutting patterns were theoretically investigated. The results showed that the resistance from large upper rock blocks and the clamping action from the surrounding rock were the major challenges of conventional cutting methods. For the innovative cutting pattern, under the conversion of the spatial distribution and release sequence of blasting energy, the first blasting of the upper charge can strengthen the breaking of the upper rock mass and create a new free surface, which provides favorable conditions for the delayed blasting of the bottom charge. Second, finite element models of two cutting patterns were established and solved, and the simulation results visually revealed the propagation of a stress wave. Critically, the stress strength in the upper cavity increased by 66–83% under the action of the upper charge, which was conducive to the breaking of the upper rock mass and the generation of a new free surface. Therefore, the rock mass in the bottom cavity can be readily broken and discharged. Ultimately, field applications were executed in a rock tunnel. Compared with a conventional cutting pattern, the proposed innovative cutting pattern can prominently increase the cycle advance and hole utilization and greatly reduce the unit consumption of explosives and detonators. This research confirms the usability of the innovative wedge cutting pattern with hole-inner delay in deep-hole blasting driving of rock tunnels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Despite being Earth's largest biome and a key contributor to global energy budgets, arid regions (or drylands) are critically understudied relative to mesic ecosystems. Here we clarify how dryland species vary in their functional traits across environmental gradients. Methods: We measured nine traits reflecting resource use for 68 species inhabiting dryland steppe communities across northwestern China. We tested predictions from various theoretical frameworks including the leaf economics spectrum, leaf energy balance theory and least-cost optimality theory. Results: Species on drier or sunnier sites had smaller leaves with higher LMA, higher leaf nitrogen concentration per area (Narea), and a greater drawdown of CO2 during photosynthesis (i.e., lower Ci:Ca) suggesting higher photosynthetic water use efficiency. Leaf nitrogen per mass and plant height (typically < 1.4 m for all species) did not vary with climate or with soil properties. Trait-trait relationships showed little patterning in relation to climate or soil. Traits of forbs were more strongly influenced by environmental properties than those of the shrubs, trees, or grasses sampled. Conclusion: We investigated variation in plant traits that influence carbon economy, water use and competitive interactions, and found that in dry and low fertility environments, dryland steppe species exhibited a mixture of resource acquisitive (e.g. high Narea) and conservative leaf traits (e.g. high LMA). Our results demonstrate the utility of applying multiple theoretical frameworks to better understand variation in resource use strategies among co-occurring species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Height inhomogeneity between the opposing helical ribs (HIOHR) is a key problem restricting the high-quality manufacturing in the flow forming of thin-walled tubes with helical grid-stiffened ribs (TTHGRs). In this study, the characteristic and mechanism of the HIOHR were investigated, and a method for controlling this HIOHR was developed. It was found that the HIOHR is induced by the different radial flow tendencies and accumulation of material in the deformation zone. Moreover, it was observed that the extent of this HIOHR increases almost linearly during the forming process. On these bases, an improved flow forming method with a cyclic positive–negative helical loading trajectory in one single forming pass, which can cyclically exchange the filling behavior of two types of helical rib, was developed to control the HIOHR. Finally, the proposed cyclic positive–negative loading flow forming method was validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Y2O3 and SiO2 co-doped ZrO2 powders with various additions of SiO2 substitution Y2O3 have been prepared by co-precipitation method. The microstructure, phase and chemical composition, phase transformation process, and phase stability after repeated calcination at 1300 °C of these powders have been investigated. The main phase of all powders is t′-ZrO2. There is no phase transformation when the powders are heated from room temperature to 1400 °C. Increasing the ratio (1:4 to 4:1) of SiO2 substitution Y2O3 will reduce the tetragonality of the powder at 1300 °C. The amorphous SiO2 will inhibit the growth of grains to a certain extent during the calcination process. The increase of the substitution ratio of SiO2for Y2O3will lead to the m-ZrO2more stable and the t′-ZrO2more unstable. The relationship among the SiO2 substitution Y2O3 addition, phase composition, and high-temperature phase stability of the powders has been discussed. Highlight: The main phase of the Y2O3 and SiO2 co-doped ZrO2 powder is t′-ZrO2. Increasing the ratio of SiO2 substitution Y2O3 will reduce the tetragonality of the powder at 1300 °C. The amorphous SiO2 will inhibit the growth of grains to a certain extent during the calcination process. The increase of the substitution ratio of SiO2 for Y2O3 will lead to the m-ZrO2 more stable and the t′-ZrO2 more unstable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a progressive disease. We utilized bioinformatics analysis and experimental research to identify biomarkers indicative of the progression of T2DM, aiming for early detection of the disease and timely clinical intervention. Integrating Mfuzz analysis with differential expression analysis, we identified 76 genes associated with the progression of T2DM, which were primarily enriched in signaling pathways such as apoptosis, p53 signaling, and necroptosis. Subsequently, using various analytical methods, including machine learning, we further narrowed down the hub genes to STK17A and CCT5. Based on the hub genes, we calculated the risk score for samples and interestingly found that the score correlated with multiple programmed cell death (PCD) pathways. Animal experiments revealed that the diabetes model exhibited higher levels of MDA and LDH, with lower expression of SOD, accompanied by islet cell apoptosis. In conclusion, our study suggests that during the progression of diabetes, STK17A and CCT5 may contribute to the advancement of the disease by regulating oxidative stress, programmed cell death pathways, and critical signaling pathways such as p53 and MAPK, thereby promoting the death of islet cells. This provides substantial evidence in support of further disease prevention and treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of corticosteroids (GCs) varies greatly in interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). In this study, we aimed to compare the gene expression profiles of patients with cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) and identify the molecules and pathways responsible for GCs sensitivity in ILDs. Three datasets (GSE21411, GSE47460, and GSE32537) were selected. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among COP, IPF, NSIP, and healthy control (CTRL) groups were identified. Functional enrichment analysis and protein–protein interaction network analysis were performed to examine the potential functions of DEGs. There were 128 DEGs when COP versus CTRL, 257 DEGs when IPF versus CTRL, 205 DEGs when NSIP versus CTRL, and 270 DEGs when COP versus IPF. The DEGs in different ILDs groups were mainly enriched in the inflammatory response. Further pathway analysis showed that "interleukin (IL)-17 signaling pathway" (hsa04657) and "tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway" were associated with different types of ILDs. A total of 10 genes associated with inflammatory response were identified as hub genes and their expression levels in the IPF group were higher than those in the COP group. Finally, we identified two GCs' response-related differently expressed genes (FOSL1 and DDIT4). Our bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that the inflammatory response played a pathogenic role in the progression of ILDs. We also illustrated that the inflammatory reaction was more severe in the IPF group compared to the COP group and identified two GCs' response-related differently expressed genes (FOSL1 and DDIT4) in ILDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimization design of roller path is critical in conventional spinning as the roller path greatly influences the spinning status and forming quality. In this research, an innovative online intelligent method for roller path design was developed, which can capture the dynamic change of the spinning status under flexible roller path and greedily optimize the roller movement track progressively to achieve the design of whole roller path. In tandem with these, an online intelligent design system for roller path was developed with the aid of intelligent sensing, learning, optimization and execution. It enables the multi-functional of spinning condition monitoring, real-time prediction of spinning status, online dynamic processing optimization, and autonomous execution of the optimal processing. Through system implementation and verification by case studies, the results show that the intelligent processing optimization and self-adaptive control of the spinning process can be efficiently realized. The optimal roller path and matching spinning parameters (mandrel speed, feed ratio) can be efficiently obtained by only one simulation of the spinning process and no traditional trial-and-error is needed. Moreover, the optimized process can compromise the multi-objectives, including forming qualities (wall thickness reduction and flange fluctuation) and forming efficiency. The developed methodology can be generalized to handle other incremental forming processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Zhejiang University: Science B 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 morphology of filler exerts a momentous influence on the construction of heat conduction path in polymer matrix. In this paper, ZnOs@T-ZnOw/EP composites was prepared by mixing spherical zinc oxide (ZnOs) powder with tetra-needle like ZnO whiskers (T-ZnOw). By changing the mixture ratio of ZnOs and T-ZnOw, the thermal conductivity of ZnOs@T-ZnOw composite was optimized. When the filler content was 11.08% vol., the thermal conductivity of the composite with 40 wt% ZnOs and 60 wt% T-ZnOw reached the maximum 0.52 W(m K)−1, which was 2.76 times higher than that of the pure epoxy resin. Meanwhile, the obtained composite showed good insulation properties. This experiment explored the influence of packing topography on the composition of thermal conductivity pathways and other properties, and revealed the thermal conductivity mechanism of filled thermal conductive composites. Highlights: Optimized the heat conduction path of composite materials through the synergistic effect of fillers. Zinc oxide powder with high sphericity was prepared by sol–gel method. The excellent insulation and mechanical properties of epoxy resin are retained as much as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aims to explore the application of RENAL nephrometry scoring system in bilateral Wilms tumor (BWT). Methods: A retrospective review of patients with BWT from January 2010 to June 2022 was performed. Each kidney unit of the BWT was evaluated independently and scored according to RENAL nephrometry scoring system by 2 blinded reviewers, and reviewers were blinded to what surgery the patients ultimately had. Discrepancies were evaluated by a third reviewer to reach a consensus. Tumor anatomical characteristics were summarized and compared. Results: 29 patients with 53 kidney units were included in the study. 53 kidney units included 12 (22.6%) low-complexity, 9 (17.0%) intermediate-complexity, and 32 (60.4%) high-complexity. 2 kidney units (3.8%) had tumor thrombus, and 14 (26.4%) had multiple lesions. A total of 42 kidney units (79.2%) underwent initial nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) and 11 (20.8%) underwent radical nephrectomy. Less complexity tumors were observed in the NSS group. Of the 42 kidney units undergoing initial NSS, 26 were performed in vivo and 16 ex vivo via autotransplantation. The latter group featured a higher complexity. During follow-up, 22 patients survived and 7 died, no statistically significant tumor complexity was observed between the two groups. Conclusions: The anatomical characteristics of BWT are complex. Despite this study did not indicate that the complexity correlates with prognosis, low-complexity tumors were candidates for NSS, and kidney autotransplantation provided a feasible procedure for high-complexity tumors. A refined system is required due to multiple lesions and tumor thrombus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Frontiers of Information Technology & Electronic Engineering 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.)

In actual production environments, antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) are abundant in pig manure, which can form transmission chains through animals, the environment, and humans, thereby threatening human health. Therefore, based on metagenomic analysis methods, ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were annotated in pig manure samples from 6 pig farms in 3 regions of Shanxi Province, and the potential hosts of ARGs were analyzed. The results showed that a total of 14 ARG types were detected, including 182 ARG subtypes, among which tetracycline, phenol, aminoglycoside, and macrolide resistance genes were the main ones. ARG profiles, MGE composition, and microbial communities were significantly different in different regions as well as between different pig farms. In addition, Anaerobutyricum, Butyrivibrio, and Turicibacter were significantly associated with multiple ARGs, and bacteria such as Prevotella, Bacteroides, and the family Oscillospiraceae carried multiple ARGs, suggesting that these bacteria are potential ARG hosts in pig manure. Procrustes analysis showed that bacterial communities and MGEs were significantly correlated with ARG profiles. Variation partitioning analysis results indicated that the combined effect of MGEs and bacterial communities accounted for 64.08% of resistance variation and played an important role in ARG profiles. These findings contribute to our understanding of the dissemination and persistence of ARGs in actual production settings, and offer some guidance for the prevention and control of ARGs contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the die-less spinning of the conical part, the forming state changes during the spinning process and depends on the forming parameters, which has a critical effect on the forming quality of the spun part. In this paper, a criterion of the forming states is established, and its dependence on the forming parameters is investigated. It is found that the formed wall thickness changes during die-less spinning. According to the formed wall thickness variation degree, three forming states are defined: shear spinning state ( t f = t 0 s i n α , where t 0 and t f are the initial and formed wall thicknesses, respectively, and α is half-cone angel), the conventional spinning state ( t f > 0.9 t 0 ), and transition state between the shear and conventional spinning states ( t 0 s i n α < t f ≤ 0.9 t 0 ). The distribution of stress and strain in three forming states is obviously different. The die-less spinning always proceeds in the sequence of shear spinning state, transition state, and conventional spinning state. The initial forming state may be any one of them, which is mainly determined by the diameters of the blank and general mandrel. Thus, the quantitative dependence of initial forming state on the diameters of blank and general mandrel is further analyzed, and a criterion for the initial forming state is correspondingly established. In addition, the influence of forming parameters, including the blank parameters, mold parameters, and process parameters, on the criterion for the initial forming state in die-less spinning is revealed. This paper could improve the understanding of the deformation mechanism in die-less spinning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a prevalent human malignancy, and understanding its biology will help identify problems in refractory patients and customize alternative therapies for them. We found that DLBCL can be stratified into two independent subtypes with different clinical characteristics and outcomes by consensus clustering of expression of ferroptosis regulatory genes, which proves that ferroptosis is effective in treating refractory cases. In this work, we constructed a novel ferroptosis nanocarrier (PBPMn@PEG) by coating Prussian blue nanoparticles with manganese ions and encapsulating them with poly(ethyleneglycol). The low efficiency of the Fenton reaction of Prussian blue nanoparticles can be improved greatly by manganese coating, and can effectively generate hydroxyl radicals, and induce ferroptosis of lymphoma cells (SU-DHL-10 cells) by down-regulating ferroptosis suppressor genes and up-regulating ferroptosis driver genes. It also induces effective cell apoptosis, which is synergistic with ferroptosis for DLBCL therapy. In vivo experiments also prove that PBPMn@PEG achieved a better anti-tumor effect by up-regulating COX2, HO-1/hemeoxygenase-1 (HMOX1), and NADPH oxidase-4 (NOX4), and down-regulating FSP1 and GPX4, with lower biotoxicity. As a novel and potential DLBCL drug carrier, our discovery served as a foundation for the treatment of the refractory DLBCL by inducing ferroptosis for DLBCL treatment in addition to the therapeutic effect of drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consider the course-tracking control issue of ships with the dynamic parameter uncertainties, unknown time-varying ocean environment disturbance, and input delay. This paper creates a novel ship course-tracking control solution scheme under a uniformed framework such that the ship course tracks the desired course. Therein, an extended state predictor observer (ESPO) is constructed to estimate the course and the yaw rate of ships as well as the total disturbance caused by ship dynamic parameter uncertainties and unknown time-varying environment disturbance at the future instants, and whereby eventually contributes to compensating both the input delay and the total disturbance. Theoretical analyses indicate that our developed ship course-tracking control law with ESPO achieves the uniform stability of ship course-tracking closed-loop control system. Simulation results and simulation comparisons on a frigate demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of our developed control law for ships with input delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activity hijacking is one of the most powerful attacks in Android. Though promising, all the prior activity hijacking attacks suffer from some limitations and have limited attack capabilities. They no longer pose security threats in recent Android due to the presence of effective defense mechanisms. In this work, we propose the first automated and adaptive activity hijacking attack, named VenomAttack, enabling a spectrum of customized attacks (e.g., phishing, spoofing, and DoS) on a large scale in recent Android, even the state-of-the-art defense mechanisms are deployed. Specifically, we propose to use hotpatch techniques to identify vulnerable devices and update attack payload without re-installation and re-distribution, hence bypassing offline detection. We present a newly-discovered flaw in Android and a bug in derivatives of Android, each of which allows us to check if a target app is running in the background or not, by which we can determine the right attack timing via a designed transparent activity. We also propose an automated fake activity generation approach, allowing large-scale attacks. Requiring only the common permission INTERNET, we can hijack activities at the right timing without destroying the GUI integrity of the foreground app. We conduct proof-of-concept attacks, showing that VenomAttack poses severe security risks on recent Android versions. The user study demonstrates the effectiveness of VenomAttack in real-world scenarios, achieving a high success rate (95%) without users’ awareness. That would call more attention to the stakeholders like Google. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) and Ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro) are two major species, which have significant economic and research application value. At present, methods for interrogation of gene function in bamboo are limited and time consuming. Therefore, establishing an efficient transient expression system for bamboo is very useful for dissecting the function of candidate genes. In this study, we developed protocols for the transient transformation of protoplasts from different tissues in Moso bamboo and Ma bamboo and established the optimized protocol and materials for improving the efficiency of transient transformation. The results indicated that the transformation efficiency of protoplasts from 15-day-old etiolated seedlings was higher than other tissues, which were 44.7% in Moso bamboo and 35.2% in Ma bamboo. In addition, we also established an experimental approach for optimizing overexpression of external proteins using Agrobacterium-mediated transient transformation of bamboo leaves and whole seedlings. Finally, we utilized the RUBY reporter for monitoring successful transformation samples with red color for downstream experiments in Moso bamboo. In summary, this study provides optimized protocols for the over-expression of candidate genes in protoplasts or bamboo leaves and whole seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deformation characteristics of GH3128 were explored via tension experiments in the temperature region of 1023-1173 K and strain rate range of 0.001-1 s−1. The stress decreased as the temperature increased and the strain rate decreased. The obtained strain–stress curves were classified into two types: hardening and hardening–softening curves. To realise the unified prediction of the two types of stress–strain curves, a modified Johnson-Cook (JC)-Zerilli-Armstrong (ZA) constitutive model was established based on the deformation characteristics, in which the modified JC and ZA models were used to express the work-hardening and softening sections, respectively. At the same time, the peak strain was described as a function of lnZ to separate the work-hardening and softening sections. The comparison results suggest that the JC-ZA constitutive model can precisely express flow behaviour. In addition, a hot processing map for the GH3128 alloy was developed. The results showed that the high-energy dissipation region was mainly concentrated in the domain with a lower strain rate and higher temperature, where the instability domains were not included. The optimised working region was determined to be 1098-1173 K and 0.001-0.3 s−1. Microstructural observations showed that the main deformation mechanism of the stable regions was dynamic recovery (DRV), with a small amount of dynamic recrystallisation (DRX). These studies provided a theoretical basis for the processing design of GH3128 alloy components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the atomic utilization of metals and reduce the cost of industrialization, the one-step total monoatomization of macroscopic bulk metals, as opposed to nanoscale metals, is effective. In this study, we used a thermal diffusion method to directly convert commercial centimeter-scale Ni foam to porous Ni single-atom-loaded carbon nanotubes (CNTs). As expected, owing to the coating of single-atom on porous, highly conductive CNT carriers, Ni single-atom electrocatalysts (Ni-SACs) exhibit extremely high activity and selectivity in CO2 electroreduction (CO2RR), yielding a current density of > 350 mA/cm2, a selectivity for CO of > 91% under a flow cell configuration using a 1 M potassium chloride (KCl) electrolyte. Based on the superior activity of the Ni-SACs electrocatalyst, an integrated gas-phase electrochemical zero-gap reactor was introduced to generate a significant amount of CO current for potential practical applications. The overall current can be increased to 800 mA, while maintaining CO Faradaic efficiencies (FEs) at above 90% per unit cell. Our findings and insights on the active site transformation mechanism for macroscopic bulk Ni foam conversion into single atoms can inform the design of highly active single-atom catalysts used in industrial CO2RR systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For modern advanced high-strength steels, metastable retained austenite (RA) is introduced into a multiphase microstructure to achieve better strength–ductility balance through interphase deformation accommodation and the transformation-induced plasticity effect. Examples include the quenching and partitioning (QP) process and the bainite isothermal process, where carbon enrichment in austenite is achieved by implementing isothermal around the martensite start temperature, thus improving the mechanical stability of the RA. In this study, the dissimilation of the initial microstructure of high-Si alloy before isothermal treatment was realized by adjusting the quenching process over an extensive range. The effects of the partitioning process and initial isothermal microstructure on the mechanical behavior of Fe–0.28C–2.52Si–2.62Mn–0.05Nb steel were investigated. The two-step QP steel exhibited a better strength–ductility balance than the one-step steel. The tensile strength of the two-step sample reached 1700 MPa and had a product of tensile strength and total elongation of 26.2 GPa %. The results showed that the initial formation of athermal martensite accelerated the subsequent bainite transformation kinetics during partitioning. During isothermal holding, the formation of martensite or (and) bainite contributed to the stability of RA via carbon redistribution. Specimens with stable RA exhibited a lower initial work-hardening rate during deformation. A relatively higher volume fraction of RA leads to a continuous work-hardening behavior, thereby significantly improving the total elongation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, an ultrafine-grained Cu-1wt.%Al2O3 composite was prepared by a high-pressure torsion (HPT) technique using Cu and nano-Al2O3 powder. The effect of temperature on the microstructures and mechanical properties was investigated. Compared with consolidation at room temperature, both the tensile strength and plasticity were improved when the Cu-1wt.%Al2O3 composite was consolidated at elevated temperature, and an amazing 1077.8±40.9 MPa tensile strength was obtained if Cu-1wt.%Al2O3 composites were first HPT consolidated at room temperature followed by consolidation at elevated temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hot deformation behavior of low-density high-strength Fe–Mn–Al–C alloy steel at T = 900-1150 °C and ε ˙ = 0.01-10 s−1 was studied by the Gleeble-3500 thermo-mechanical simulator. The rheological stress curve characteristics of the steel were analyzed through experimental data, and a physical constitutive model considering strain coupling was established. At the same time, the finite element software DEFORM was used to calculate the critical damage value of the steel, and the influence of T and ε ˙ on the maximum damage value was considered. By introducing the dimensionless parameter Zener–Hollomon, the critical damage model was established. Finally, the workability of the steel was evaluated by using the intuitive processing map technology. The results indicated that Fe–Mn–Al–C alloy steel is a positive strain rate-sensitive and a negative temperature-sensitive material, and the constitutive model considering physical parameters can well predict the rheological stress of the steel during hot deformation (R = 0.997). The critical damage factor of Fe–Mn–Al–C alloy steel varies with the change of T and ε ˙ , and the range is 0.359-0.535. At the same time, the critical damage factor is more sensitive to ε ˙ . At a constant T, the damage factor decreases with the increase of ε ˙ . Based on the Prasad instability criterion, the dynamic material model processing map and the microstructure verification after thermal compression, the rheological instability characteristics of the steel are mainly mechanical instability and local plastic flow, and the stable deformation area is mainly characterized by dynamic recrystallization. The optimal hot working process window of the steel is 975-1050 °C/0.01-0.032 s−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hot deformation behaviors of Fe–28Mn–10Al–1.5C–0.6V steel at T = 950–1150 °C and ε ˙ = 0.01–10 s−1 were studied using the Gleeble-3500 thermo-mechanical simulator. The constitutive model of Fe–28Mn–10Al–1.5C–0.6V steel was established by an artificial neural network (ANN) based on the experimental flow stress data. The critical conditions of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) of the steel under experimental conditions were studied by using both the Najafizadeh–Jonas work hardening rate model and the Cingara–McQueen rheological stress model. The true stress–true strain curve of the steel was analyzed, the work hardening rate was calculated, and the critical strain model was established. At the same time, the relevant material parameters were calculated by linear regression, and the DRX kinetics model of JMAK was also established. This model then was combined with the finite element software DEFORM-3D to simulate the DRX behavior of the steel during hot deformation. These results indicated that the rheological stress of Fe–28Mn–10Al–1.5C–0.6V steel at low ε ˙ shows higher temperature sensitivity and that high T and low ε ˙ are conducive to the occurrence of DRX. The average relative error of the ANN constitutive model is 2.40%, which has high prediction accuracy. The dynamic recrystallization conditions determined by the above models are reliable and conform to the experimental rules. By verifying the microstructure of the steel after thermal compression, the prediction error of the finite element model to the DRX volume fraction is mostly within 10%. Thus, the model has a good predictive ability and provides an effective tool for predicting plastic deformation and microstructure in industrial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reversion annealing was conducted on cold-rolled transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steel with Mn segregation bands and a high-Mn content to regulate its microstructure and mechanical properties. The Mn segregation-related microstructural evolution during cold rolling and subsequent reversion annealing of the steel was characterized. The influence of annealing temperature and Mn segregation on the mechanical properties of the experimental steel was evaluated. Austenite (γ) reversion occurred when the applied annealing temperature was between 550 and 700 °C. As the annealing temperature increased, the yield strength of the steel increased, while its tensile strength remained at 1300 MPa. When annealing was conducted at or below 600 °C, the heterogeneous steel microstructure, containing a significant proportion of nanoscale γ + α’martensite in Mn-lean regions, led the yield strength of the steel to exceed 900 MPa. When the steel was annealed at temperatures above 600 °C, the recrystallization of its microstructure, dominated by grown γ, caused its yield strength to decrease from 635 MPa at 650 °C to 535 MPa at 700 °C and the total elongation to exceed 40%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics and optimal treatments of RHB patients. Methods: We retrospectively collected 42 RHB cases and 161 primary HB (PHB) cases. Clinical characteristics were compared between RHB and PHB patients. The risk factors related to overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in RHB patients were explored by COX regression analysis. Patients were further divided into curable and refractory subgroup by treatments. Propensity score match (PSM) analysis was performed to match recurrent curable patients from 145 curable PHB patients from the same cohort. PFS was further compared between 34 pairs of primary and recurrent curative HB patients. Results: Recurrence treatment and number of relapsed tumors were significantly related with both OS and PFS of RHB patients (p < 0.05). Chemotherapy regimen alteration was also risk factor of PFS for RHB (HR = 4.26; 95% CI = 1.54–11.78; p = 0.005). RHB patients underwent curable treatment had better prognosis, compared with recurrent refractory subgroup (p < 0.001). Matched curable PHB patients demonstrated no significant difference of 3-year PFS with curable RHB patients (p = 0.540). Conclusion: Curable RHB patients might get benefit from surgery or ablation with similar prognosis with primary curable HB patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

JavaScript has become one of the most widely used languages for Web development. Its dynamic and event-driven features make it challenging to ensure the correctness of Web applications written in JavaScript. A variety of dynamic analysis techniques have been proposed which are, however, limited in either coverage or scalability. In this paper, we propose a simple, yet effective, model-based automated testing approach to achieve a high code-coverage within the time budget via testing with longer event sequences. We implement our approach as an open-source tool LJS, and perform extensive experiments on 21 publicly available benchmarks. On average, LJS is able to achieve 86.5% line coverage in 10 minutes. Compared with JSDEP, a state-of-the-art breadth-first search based automated testing tool enriched with partial order reduction, the coverage of LJS is 11%–19% higher than that of JSDEP on real-world large Web applications. Our empirical findings support that proper longer test sequences can achieve a higher code coverage in JavaScript Web application testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-pass conventional spinning is the preferable forming technology for the forming of thin-walled conical part with curved surface (TCPCS) in aerospace field. In multi-pass conventional spinning, the design of roller path is a critical problem due to its sensitive effect on the deformation mode and forming defect during spinning process. However, at present, the roller path is still mainly designed based on experience and trial and error, which seriously restricts the high-performance spinning of TCPCS. In this work, a new quantitative method based on circumferential strain distribution was developed for the roller path design in multi-pass conventional spinning of TCPCS. In this method, the total required circumferential strain for the forming of final TCPCS by conventional spinning was firstly determined. Then, the spinning passes number was obtained through dividing the total required circumferential strain by the ultimate circumferential strain producing the spinning instability. As for the roller path profile in each pass, it is divided into two sections and determined, respectively, i.e., the attaching mandrel section and the preforming section. The attaching mandrel section presents the same profile of mandrel. The profile of preforming section is determined point by point by distributing the rest of circumferential strain to produce the final TCPCS. The point-by-point distributed circumferential strain is half of the the total required circumferential strain in the initial stage until it reaches the half of the ultimate circumferential strain, and then, it will keep the half of the ultimate circumferential strain to the end. The proposed new method of roller path design was validated by finite element simulation, where well spinning stability, wall thickness distribution and roundness were obtained. This method provides a quantitative, high-efficient and universal way for the roller path design in conventional spinning of TCPCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flow forming is a promising metal forming technology to manufacture thin-walled tube with helical grid-stiffened ribs (TTHGRs). High quality of grid-stiffened ribs is the primary concern in this forming technology. Thus, the rib filling behavior during this process was investigated in this study. It is found that there exist two kinds of asymmetric filling behavior during flow forming of TTHGRs—temporary asymmetric filling behavior of helical rib and permanent asymmetric filling behavior of cross region. The former is caused by the combination of spiral distribution of helical rib and local loading pattern of flow forming. It introduces an asymmetry of rib shape at early stage during rib-filling. The latter is induced by the decreasing of extrusion force of roller on material when the roller rotates across the cross region. It introduces an asymmetry of rib shape in the whole forming process. Moreover, the temporary asymmetric filling behavior of helical rib introduces height difference between the two helical ribs, and the permanent asymmetric filling behavior of cross region leads to a dramatic variation of rib height across the cross region. These together introduce an uneven distribution of rib height. Therefore, the rib height and its distribution inhomogeneity were quantitatively evaluated to analyze the rib forming qualities at different processing parameters. Furthermore, an integrated quality index evaluating rib height and inhomogeneity was proposed and correlated with these parameters using the response surface method. On these bases, the rib forming quality was improved by optimizing the processing parameters in flow forming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coaxial mixer with wide adaptability was combined with the critical uniform dispersion of floating particles for the first time. In this study, based on the local solid holdup measured by the optical probe method, the effects of operating mode, impeller type, impeller diameter, sold holdup, particle size and liquid viscosity were investigated. The results showed that the introduction of outer impeller significantly improved the dispersion performance. Under the same condition, coaxial mixer in the co-rotation mode can achieve critical uniform dispersion with lower speed and power than other operating mode. With the increase in inner impeller diameter, the overall trends of the critical uniform dispersion speed and power decreased and the advantage of mixed-flow impeller was gradually established compared with the axial and radial flow impellers. In addition, the increase in sold holdup and viscosity improved the difficulty of uniform dispersion of floating particles, and the required speed and power became larger accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 316L stainless steel was fabricated by selective laser melting under different process parameters (375 W–2100 mm·s−1, 235 W–1400 mm·s−1, 135 W–750 mm·s−1). The solidification microstructure and porosity characteristic of SLM 316L SS samples were researched, and the mechanical and corrosion properties were investigated by subsequent tensile testing and electrochemical testing. It was found that at the same laser energy density, changing the combination of laser power and scanning speed can form different solidified melt pool morphologies. Simultaneously, the development of porosities depends on the melt pool. In the current experimental results, the strength does not seem to noticeable change with the decrease in porosity level and pores size, but it significantly influences ductility. Besides, the pores of SLM 316L SS samples have higher sensitivity to pitting behavior. Under higher porosity level conditions, the as-fabricated sample was more prone to pitting, formed unstable passive film, and easy to be broken down. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In numerous studies, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been authenticated to play vital roles in the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain and other neurological diseases. In our study, we focused on evaluating miR-378 and its potential effects in neuropathic pain development, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms. Primarily, a chronic sciatic nerve injury (CCI) rat model was established. Next, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was employed to measure the expression levels of miR-378 and EZH2 mRNA; the EZH2 protein expression levels were detected by western blot. A luciferase activity assay monitored the interaction of miR-378 and EZH2. Mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia was also performed to quantitate the effects of overexpression of miR-378 or EZH2 on the CCI rats. We found that miR-378 was down-regulated in the CCI rats, and the overexpression of miR-378 produced significant relief in their pain management. EZH2 was the downstream gene of miR-378 and was negatively regulated by miR-378. The up-regulation of EZH2 reduced the inhibitory effects of miR-378 on the development of neuropathic pain in the CCI rats. miR-378 acts as an inhibitor in the progression of neuropathic pain via targeting EZH2; the miR-378/EZH2 axis may be a novel target for the diagnosis and therapy of neuropathic pain in clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the Khorana score and modified Khorana score as risk assessment tools for predicting the development of VTE in newly diagnosed advanced lung cancer. Information on the clinical data and laboratory indicators of the study group between 2014 and 2018 and the validation group between January 2019 to June 2020 of newly diagnosed advanced lung cancer patients at The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology was collected. We conducted an analysis of the risk factors affecting VTE development and the predictive risk value of the Khorana score and the modified Khorana score for VTE in newly diagnosed advanced lung cancer patients. A total of 124 patients were included in the study group. D-dimer is an independent risk factor for VTE in newly diagnosed advanced lung cancer patients (OR 1.620, 95% CI 1.220, 2.152, p = 0.001). The best cutoff value of D -dimer for the prediction of VTE development risk was 1.14 mg/L. The AUC of the Khorana score to predict the occurrence risk of VTE in newly diagnosed advanced lung cancer patients was 0.706; when the best cutoff value was 2, the sensitivity was 70.83%, and the specificity was 65%. The AUC of the modified Khorana score was 0.870; when the cutoff value was 2, the sensitivity was 100%, and the specificity was 50%. A total of 237 patients were included in the validation group, the AUC of the modified Khorana score for predicting the occurrence risk of VTE was 0.875; when the cutoff value was 2, the sensitivity was 100%, and the specificity was 52.1%. The modified Khorana score after incorporating D-dimer has a higher predictive value for the occurrence risk of VTE in newly diagnosed lung cancer patients; when the score ≥ 2, its sensitivity is higher, and it can more fully identify high-risk groups of VTE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an innovative electromagnetic forming process for the manufacturing of aluminum alloy tubes, namely electromagnetic impacting medium forming (EIMF) process using flat spiral coil. The proposed EIMF process was implemented and characterized by numerical and experimental methods. Based on medium height and discharge energy, deformation region of tube was analytically determined and verified by finite element (FE) analysis. Effects of medium height and discharge energy for maximum diameter and strain rate of deformation tube were characterized numerically and experimentally. Flow defect of medium was observed at higher discharge energy. To estimate the effect of capacitance, four types of capacitance were designed and evaluated by numerical analysis. Through EIMF experiments, tubes with temperature from 25 °C to 200 °C were investigated and variations of maximum diameter (expansion ratio), thickness (thinning ratio) were obtained. Comparing with results under discharge energy, temperature has more obvious effects. Major and minor strains displayed higher level at 200 °C. Metallographic and morphologies were characterized by optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed that refinement of average grain size and ductile fracture depends on the increase of discharge energy and temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex pathogenesis and limited efficacy of available treatment make neuropathic pain difficult for long periods of time. Several findings suggested the regulatory role of microRNA in the development of neuropathic pain. This study aims to investigate the functional role of miR-122-5p in the development of neuropathic pain. Down-regulation of miR-122-5p was observed in spinal cords of rats with neuropathic pain. We also found that overexpressing miR-122-5p by intrathecal injection of miR-122-5p lentivirus in a mouse model of chronic sciatic nerve injury (CCI) prevented neuropathic pain behavior. In HEK-293 T cells, luciferase activity was significantly decreased in the transfection group with mimic-miR-122-5p in wild-type PDK4 reporter, compared with mutant PDK4 reporter. Increased PDK4 expression was also observed during the progression of neuropathic pain. Intrathecal injection of both mimic-miR-122-5p and shPDK4 in CCI mice downregulated PDK4 expression to a lower level when compared with injected with shPDK4. In CCI mice, transfection of shPDK4 suppressed mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia, while co-transfection of shPDK4 and LV-miR-122-5p resulted in stronger levels of mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia inhibition. Taken together, the data suggest that miR-122-5p inhibits PDK4 expression, attenuating neuropathic pain. This result suggests the potential role of miR-122-5p acting as a target for the treatment of neuropathic pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important indicator to evaluate the suspension effect, the uniformity of solid particle distribution is directly related to mass transfer and reaction efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the solid particle distribution in viscous system. The particle distribution of a dense solid–liquid system composed of glass beads-malt syrup stirred by the propeller is investigated experimentally by optical probe method, and the effects of impeller speed, number of baffles, particle size, average solid concentration and liquid viscosity on the solid particle distribution are discussed. The results show that, compared with the radial direction, the axial concentration distribution in the stirred tank is more uneven, and the axial mixing index is about 2–5 times the radial one. With the increasing stirring speed, the axial mixing index decreases slowly at first, then sharply decreases after reaching the just off-bottom suspension speed, and finally tends to be stable. The uniformity varies inversely with particle size and average solid concentration and directly with liquid viscosity. When the same effect is achieved, less energy is required without baffles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the development of enzyme-like catalysts attracts increasing attention owing to their remarkable advantages over natural enzymes. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are ideal candidates for building biomimetic systems, because their diverse composition and structure can generate various biomimetic active centers. In this study, the postsynthetic modification was performed to create a peroxidase (POD)-mimicking catalyst through grafting ferrocene group to a Zr-based MOF material (UiO-66-NH2). The obtained UiO-66-Fc shows significant POD-like catalytic ability in the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine with the adding of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In addition, benefiting from the MOF moiety, UiO-66-Fc displayed enhanced catalytic activity, improved optimum condition and favorable reusability. Finally, based on the catalytic function of UiO-66-Fc, simple colorimetric methods for the quantitative detection of H2O2, glucose and uric acid were established respectively, which displayed wider linear range and lower limit of detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorption of magnetic transition metal atoms on a metal surface leads to the formation of Kondo states at the atom/metal interfaces. However, the significant influence of surrounding environment presents challenges for potential applications. In this work, we realize a novel strategy to regularize the Kondo states by moving a CoPc molecular mold on an Au(111) surface to capture the dispersed Co adatoms. The symmetric and ordered structures of the atom-mold complexes, as well as the strong dπ–π bonding between the Co adatoms and conjugated isoindole units, result in highly robust and uniform Kondo states at the Co/Au(111) interfaces. Even more remarkably, the CoPc further enables a fine tuning of Kondo states through the molecular-mold-mediated superexchange interactions between Co adatoms separated by more than 12 Å. Being highly precise, efficient and reproducible, the proposed molecular mold strategy may open a new horizon for the construction and control of nano-sized quantum devices. The surrounding environment's influence on the Kondo states formed around an adsorbed transition metal atom are challenging potential applications. Here, the authors demonstrate, via STM and DFT+HEOM calculations, that a metal phthalocyanine molecule on an Au(111) surface enables a fine tuning of the Kondo characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to investigate the effect of 650-nm low-level laser irradiation (LLLI) as an adjunctive treatment of experimental periodontitis. To investigate possible LLLI-mediated anti-inflammatory effects, we utilized an experimental periodontitis (EP) rat model and analyzed c-Jun, c-Fos, ICAM-1, and CCL2 gene expressions on PB leukocytes and in the gingival tissue. Total RNA was isolated from the gingivae and peripheral blood (PB) leukocytes of normal, EP, scaling, and root planing (SRP)-treated EP and LLLI + SRP-treated EP rats, and gene expressions were analyzed by real-time PCR. The productions of c-Jun, c-Fos, ICAM-1, and CCL2 in gingivae were analyzed immunohistochemically. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining was used to determine osteoclast activity in alveolar bone. The c-Jun and ICAM-1 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were significantly decreased in the EP rat gingival tissue treated by SRP + LLLI than by SRP, the c-Jun, ICAM-1, and c-Fos mRNA levels on PB leukocytes reduced after LLLI treatment but did not show any significant differences in both groups. There was no significant difference in CCL2 mRNA levels on PB leukocytes and in gingivae between the SRP + LLLI and the SRP groups. The c-Fos mRNA levels in gingivae did not show significant difference in both groups. Immunohistochemistry showed that the CCL2, ICAM-1, c-Jun, and c-Fos productions were significantly reduced in rats of the SRP + LLLI group compared with the only SRP group. LLLI significantly decreased the number of osteoclasts as demonstrated by TRAP staining. The 650-nm LLLI might be a useful treatment modality for periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ZNF280D is a member of the C2H2 zinc finger family, which plays important roles in cell and organismal growth, secretion, and other biological processes. This study aimed to identify the alternative splicing of pig ZNF280D, and to predict the structure and function of the encoded proteins, as well as to study the spatio-temporal expression patterns of each transcript. RNA-seq and qPCR technology were used to identify the transcripts of pig ZNF280D. We found two transcripts, ZNF280D1 and ZNF280D2 (GenBank accession number: MF279143). ZNF280D1 is the common transcript, whereas ZNF280D2 lacked a large region at exon 8. In addition, ZNF280D2 had an additional C2H2 zinc finger domain, changing the protein from a tC2H2 to a maC2H2 zinc finger protein. The expression of two transcripts in various tissues of pig was differ significant. ZNF280D2 is the main subtype. The expression of ZNF280D2 in pig muscle was found to increase gradually with age. The ZNF280D1 was first decreased and then increased slightly. We successfully identified two transcripts of pig ZNF280D, and we suggested important functions for ZNF280D in digestive absorption and growth as well as in the development of skeletal muscles, the specific mechanisms for which would require further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Our previous study identified a Wilms tumor-suppressing peptide (WTSP) that was upregulated in healthy children, but downregulated in children with Wilms tumor (WT). This study aimed to investigate the effect of WTSP on WT growth in vivo and in vitro. Methods: WTSP was synthesized by solid-phase synthesis of FOMC-protected amino acids. Cell growth curve, cytotoxicity, and apoptosis of WTSP-treated human WT cell line (SK-NEP-1) were determined by cell count, Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, and flow cytometry. The expression of key proteins of four WT-associated signaling pathways was determined by real-time PCR and western blotting. The WT xenograft mouse model was established by the armpit injection of SK-NEP-1 cells. The TUNEL assay was used to detect apoptosis in mouse tumor cells. Results: WTSP inhibited the proliferation of SK-NEP-1 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and it arrested SK-NEP-1 cells in G2/M phase. WTSP-treated cells exhibited a low expression of PCNA and Bcl-2 and high expression of Bax. The expression of β-catenin was markedly changed after WTSP treatment. WTSP-treated mice had significantly smaller tumors than untreated mice. Conclusion: Our findings indicated an anti-tumor effect of WTSP, which is correlated with Wnt/β-catenin pathway. This newly identified peptide may exert a therapeutic effect of WT in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Folding defect is one of the most important forging defects, which can deteriorate the surface quality, mechanical properties, and material utilization of forged parts. In this work, the common folding defects in die forging were classified into three typical types: local-loading-type folding, confluence-type folding, and bending-type folding. Three simple Eigen experiments were employed to analyze the formation mechanisms and rules of three typical types of folding accordingly. By FE simulation, the formation mechanisms of three typical types of folding defects were analyzed based on the evolution of the velocity field. In addition, the effects of geometric and forging parameters on each type of folding defect were investigated by uniform experiment design. Especially, a quantitative folding index was applied to uniformly evaluate the formation possibility and severity of folding defect for any samples whether producing folding or not. It is found that the local-loading-type folding is produced by the formation and collapse of a step, which is sensitive to the reduction amount but insensitive to the feed amount. The confluence-type folding is formed due to the local lack of material, which is sensitive to the reduction degree and insensitive to the rib width and billet height in this work. The bending-type folding is mainly formed by the geometric instability of workpiece during the forming process, which is sensitive to the reduction degree and insensitive to the geometric parameters of billet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochromic devices have many important commercial applications ranging from electronic paper like displays, antiglare rear-view mirrors in cars, to energy-saving smart windows in buildings. Monovalent ions such as H+, Li+, and Na+ are widely used as insertion ions in electrochromic devices, but they have limitations such as instability, high cost, and hard handling. The utilization of multivalent ions as insertion ions has been overlooked probably because of the strong electrostatic interactions between ions and intercalation framework as well as the resulted difficulties of intercalation.The bivalent cation, Mg2+, has been proved to be efficient electrochromic insertion ions for the electrochromic processes of the nonstoichiometric W18O49 nanowires. Using Mg2+ based aqueous electrolyte, the electrochromic W18O49 nanowires shows a short coloration/bleaching time of 2.7/3.6 s, and a high tinting productiveness of 116 cm2/c, together with excellent cyclic constancy. The utilization of bivalent Mg2+ as insertion ions will benefit electrochromic devices with low cost, high stability and simple operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intestinal microbiota has been widely recognized to influence on their hosts with respect to digestion and absorption of nutrients, but little is known about the structure and composition of microbial communities at different growth periods of hosts as yet. In this case, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was applied to decode the microbiota architecture in four distinct intestinal compartments (duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and cecum) of both Large White pigs and Chinese Shanxi Black pigs at the weaning, nursery, and fast-growth developmental stages. In our study, the intestinal ecosystems were dynamically changing and influenced by host maturity and diets at different development stages. Species phylogenetically affiliated to phyla Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were abundant in both pig breeds; at the genus level, microbial communities were dominated by Prevotella, followed by Acinetobacter and Lactobacillus. Further inspection revealed that Lactobacillus was identified to be positively associated with villus height, whereas Acinetobacter and Prevotella were prone to reside in deep crypts. Furthermore, intestinal microbiota in Shanxi Black pigs had more metabolic and less infectious functions than that in Large White pigs. In short, our data present here indicated that microbiota with longitudinal diversity and lower infection in Shanxi Black pigs might contribute to the relatively stronger adaptability in comparison with Large White pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]