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Oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) is a promising process of direct transformation of CH4 to ethylene instead of a complicated two-step process in terms of first forming syngas through reforming or partial oxidation and then producing ethylene with Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS). Na2WO4 has been one of the most studied catalysts of OCM. Here we investigated how the introduced transition metal elements Co, Mn, or Mo to Na2WO4 could influence the catalytic performance of OCM on the supported Na2WO4. It is found that Co, Mn and Mo can obviously promote catalytic activity of transforming CH4 and selectivity for producing ethylene and ethane in OCM performed on Na2WO4 supported on microporous silicate-1 (S-1). A similar promotion of Co, Mn and Mo to the catalytic activity and selectivity in OCM performed on Na2WO4 was found when the Na2WO4 was supported on Matériaux de l′Institut Lavoisier-53(Al) [MIL-53(Al)]. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy studies of these catalysts with added transition metal Co, Mn or Mo show that these metals diffused into the lattice of Na2WO4, further suggesting that the promotional effect likely arises from modification of the active phase of the supported Na2WO4 during OCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene-propylene block copolymer (EbP) is a vital component in impact polypropylene copolymer (IPC), yet its distribution in the multiphase composite material and how it influences the phase structure and the mechanical properties are not well understood. In this work, four IPCs were investigated by atomic force microscopy-infrared (AFM-IR) to assess the phase compositions in situ, based on which in conjunction with the chain microstructure information obtained ex situ the distributions of the copolymer components were derived for each alloy. For the IPCs whose EbP comprises long P and long E segments, the EbP fraction was found to phase separate from the rubber and the PP matrix to form the cores of the disperse particles with the E-P segmented copolymer (EsP). In contrast, in the IPC with EbP composed of long P and short E segments, the EbP fraction formed an outer shell for the rubber particles with the cores comprising the EsP alone, and this IPC, containing a lower E comonomer content than its counterpart, exhibited both better impact resistance and higher flexural modulus. These results clarify how the chain structure of EbP governs the phase morphology in IPC, which in turn impacts the properties of the composite material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic chronic autoimmune disease in adults that is associated with significant joint issues and systemic inflammation. One of the signs of bone damage in RA is osteoporosis (OP). Leptin is an inflammatory protein that has been reported to be related to RA. The potential relationships among leptin, disease activity, and OP in Chinese patients with RA are not well known. Methods: In total, 245 patients with RA and 120 healthy controls were included in this study. Detailed data on the clinical characteristics and laboratory features were collected. Information about physical activity and functional status was recorded using specific questionnaires. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The MECALL castor-50-hf model X-ray scanner was used for the two-hand (including wrist) photographs. Results: Serum leptin levels differed significantly between the RA group and healthy control subjects (1.27/3.29 vs. 0.17/0.24, Z=13.29, P<0.001). The positive rate of leptin protein in RA patients was 86.35%, which was higher than that in controls (19.55%) (χ2=28.51, P<0.001). Pearson's correlation test showed that morning stiffness, disease duration, joint swelling, joint tenderness, swollen joint count (SJC), tender joint count (TJC), health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) score, and Sharp-van der Heijde method (Sharp) score were positively correlated with the level of serum leptin (r=0.212, r=0.312, r=0.322, r=0.501, r=0.291, r=0.334, P<0.05). There was a clear increasing trend in the level of serum leptin according to the different disease activity scores and in the 28 joint activity (DAS28) groups (F=13.936, P<0.001). Elevated leptin was a risk factor for increased disease activity and OP according to logistic regression analysis. The median leptin level differed significantly between the normal bone mass group, osteopenia group, and OP group (P<0.001). An increased serum leptin level was a risk factor for RA-induced osteoporosis according to logistic regression analysis (P<0.001). Conclusion: These results suggest that the level of serum leptin is associated with disease activity and secondary OP among Chinese patients with RA. Key Points • Serum leptin levels in RA patients are higher than those in normal control group. • Leptin was associated with disease activity. • Leptin was associated with the occurrence of systemic osteoporosis and affects bone erosion in RA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports enhanced high-temperature piezoelectric properties of Bi(Zn0.5Ti0.5)O3-modified BiFeO3-BaTiO3 (BF–BT-xBZT) ceramics prepared by two-step sintering method. The resultant ceramics show a symmetrical transition from a rhombohedral–pseudo-cubic (R-PC) phase coexistence to main PC phase with the increase of x, whose R-PC fraction (CR/CPC) is 53.3/46.7, 52.9/47.1, 50.2/49.8, 27.4/72.6, 15.3/84.7 when x = 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, respectively. The modification of BZT inhibits the grain growth, reduces the leakage current and gradually drives ferroelectric to relaxor transition. Optimal piezoelectric properties: d33 = 193 pC N−1, Pr = 20.6 μC cm−2, TC = 503 °C and kp = 36% achieved at x = 0.01 composition, which is due to the synergistic effect of an appropriate CR/CPC ratio, improved insulation and good polarization performance. In addition, the depolarization temperature Td is close 280–312 °C, and the high-temperature d33 further increases to 286–347 pC N−1, which shows a good application prospect of lead-free piezoceramics at high temperature. Our work also confirms that the addition of (Zn0.5Ti0.5)3+ and two-step sintering method are an effective and convenient strategy to improve the high-temperature electrical performance of BiFeO3–BaTiO3 based lead-free ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anticancer effect of [111In]In-DOTA-nimotuzumab and [131I]I-ATE-nimotuzumab was systematically investigated in vivo. [111In]In-DOTA-nimotuzumab mainly distributed in tumor, liver and kidneys, which was proven by pathological sections, while cleavage of 131I from [131I]I-ATE-nimotuzumab caused major accumulation of blood and thyroid. Further therapy in vivo investigations suggested that [111In]In-DOTA-nimotuzumab has better tumor inhibition effect and prolonged the survival time significantly compared with [131I]I-ATE-nimotuzumab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and concurrent depression are predisposed to severer disease activity and a worse prognosis. Macrophage polarization toward the M1 phenotype may contribute to the exacerbation of IBD with comorbid depression. Moreover, interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) is involved in the pathogenesis of IBD. The aim of this study was to explore the role of IRF5 in macrophage polarization in the impact of depression upon colitis. Methods: Depressive-like behavior was induced by repeated forced swim stress. Colon length, disease activity index (DAI), colon morphology, histology, ultrastructure of epithelial barrier, lamina propria macrophage polarization, and expression of IRF5 were compared between DSS colitis rats with and without depressive-like behavior. IRF5 shRNA was constructed to affect the rat peritoneal macrophages polarization in vitro. After IRF5 shRNA lentivirus was introduced into colon by enema, the colitis severity, lamina propria macrophage polarization, and TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-10 of colon tissues were measured. Results: The study found severer colonic inflammation in depressed versus non-depressed DSS-colitis rats. Depressed DSS-colitis rats exhibited smaller subepithelial macrophages size and reduced intracellular granule diversity compared with nondepressed DSS-colitis rats. Increased polarization toward the M1 phenotype, elevated expression of IRF5, and co-expression of IRF5 with CD86 were found in depressed versus nondepressed DSS-colitis rats. Lentivirus-mediated shRNA interference with IRF5 expression switched rat peritoneal macrophage polarization from the M1 to the M2 phenotype, downregulated TNF-α, IL-1β expression to a greater extent in depressed versus nondepressed colitis rats. Conclusions: IRF5-mediated macrophage polarization may likely underlie the deterioration of DSS-induced colitis caused by depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the rapid development of modern industry, there is an increasing demand for isolated switching power supplies (SMPS) with a high efficiency and a high power density. Magnetic components, which occupy most of the converter volume, have been a key bottleneck in achieving high power density. This paper presents an optimal design method for high power density planar transformers. Applying the principle of flux cancellation, a matrix transformer that originally needed an independent magnetic core was integrated into a single magnetic core to reduce the volume of the core. Meanwhile, a loss model of the transformer is established, and an optimized design method of the winding structure is given according to that model to further reduce the winding loss of the transformer. Finally, an LLC converter with a resonant frequency of 1 MHz is designed to verify the practical performance of the proposed transformer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate visual field (VF) progression in open-angle glaucoma (OAG) subjects who had a history of refractive corneal ablation surgery (RCAS). Retrospective study. The medical records of 21 subjects who had a history of refractive corneal ablation surgery (RCAS group) and 36 patients who had myopia without a history of RCAS (non-RCAS group) were reviewed. VF progression was determined by the non-parametric progression analysis (NPA) method. VF progression and clinical characteristics were compared between the two groups. For the RCAS group, refractive regressions were analysed. The mean follow-up periods were 4.5 years and 5.5 years for the RCAS and non-RCAS groups, respectively. More glaucoma subjects in the RCAS group (57.1%) had likely VF progression than in the non-RCAS group (25.0%) (p = 0.01). The RCAS group had a significantly lower percentage of IOP reduction with anti-glaucoma medication than the non-RCAS group (p = 0.037). Eyes with likely VF progression had a higher incidence of refractive regression (91.7%, 11/12) than eyes without it (33.3%, 3/9). Among subjects whose eyes had refractive regression, 78.6% (11/14) had likely VF progression, and 21.4% (3/14) did not (p = 0.016). The VF progression in OAG after RCAS was faster than that of myopic OAG without RCAS. Anti-glaucoma treatment should be actively enhanced in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large eyelid defect after excision of malignancies or trauma is difficult to reconstruct due to special structure and function of the eyelid. In this study, we aimed to present the outcomes of subcutaneous pedicled propeller flap for reconstructing the large eyelid defect after excision of malignancies or trauma. A retrospective review of patients diagnosed with eyelid defect due to excision of malignancies or trauma, and undergoing subcutaneous pedicled propeller flap for reconstructing the large eyelid defect, was conducted at our hospital. The clinical data were collected and analyzed. A total of 15 patients were included in the cases series. Nine patients were diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, 3 patients with epidermoid carcinoma, and 3 patients with trauma. All the defects were successfully covered with this designed flap. There was no flap necrosis in all the cases. No functional problems were observed in all of the cases. At long-term postoperative follow-up, the average score of patients' satisfaction was good. This subcutaneous pedicled propeller flap is a feasible alternative technique for reconstructing the large eyelid defect after excision of malignancies or trauma. This flap option could avoid the use of free flaps for large defect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving methane-to-methanol is challenging under mild conditions. In this study, methanol is synthesized by one-step direction conversion of CH4 with H2O at room temperature under atmospheric pressure in non-thermal plasma (NTP). This route is characterized by the use of methane and liquid water as the reactants, which enables the transfer of the methanol product to the liquid phase in time to inhibit its further decomposition and conversion. Therefore, the obtained product is free of carbon dioxide. The reaction products include gas and liquid-phase hydrocarbons, CO, CH3OH, and C2H5OH. The combination of plasma and semiconductor materials increases the production rate of methanol. In addition, the addition of Ar or He considerably increases the production rate and selectivity of methanol. The highest production rate of methanol and selectivity in liquid phase can reach 56.7 mmol gcat−1 h−1 and 93%, respectively. Compared with the absence of a catalyst and added gas, a more than 5-fold increase in the methanol production rate is achieved. Direct conversion of methane to methanol has great industrial relevance, but required high reaction temperatures can lead to overoxidation of methane to carbon dioxide. Here, methanol is synthesized by one-step reaction of methane and water over a TiO2 catalyst in a non-thermal plasma at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, which allows to isolate carbon dioxide-free methanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A switched-inductor quasi-Z-source inverter (SI-qZSI) exhibits a higher gain than a quasi-Z-source inverter (qZSI) while keeping continuous input current. Like renewable power generation systems that result in low input voltage, SI-qZSI exhibits boosting ability that may not be adequate in some cases. A voltage-lifting unit can be formed by alternating one of the diodes in the switch inductor unit. A high step-up topology, such as qZSI with voltage-lifting unit (qZSI-VL), can be derived. The boosting factor of qZSI-VL can be enhanced further by retaining all the merits of the SI-qZSI. The overall conduction loss can be reduced under the same output and input voltage for the qZSI-VL, thereby enhancing efficiency. In this study, the analysis of the qZSI-VL and its operating principle are explained. The characteristic comparison of qZSI-VL with the SI-qZSI and qZSI is discussed in detail. Finally, the prototypes of qZSI-VL and SI-qZSI are designed in the lab. Simulation and experiments are performed to verify the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The voltage gain of a traditional buck converter is finite due to the high voltage across the semiconductor and reduced efficiency. A non-isolated high step-down DC–DC converter based on symmetric switched inductors is proposed in this paper. The connection of inductors in series or in parallel is controlled by switches to improve the conversion ratio. The converter has many beneficial characteristics, such as high step-down, reduced voltage stresses, and high efficiency. Moreover, it can realize voltage balance on the switches. The voltage on the switch does not oscillate and the loss of the switches is reduced. Therefore, the efficiency of the whole topology is improved. This paper discusses the operation principle, modes analysis, voltage gain analysis, voltage stress analysis, output ripple analysis, loss analysis, comparative analysis and design considerations. The correctness of the theoretical analysis of the proposed converter is verified by a laboratory prototype, and its peak efficiency reaches 96.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wide-gain boost converter based on LCD cell is proposed in this study. The proposed topology is suitable for the fuel cells of electric vehicles that generate a specific bus voltage in power generation systems. It has none of the drawbacks of other reported LCD cell-based topologies, such as highly pulsating source current, lack of common ground, inverted load voltage polarity, and numerous switching devices. By integrating the classic boost converter with the LCD cell, the voltage gain is improved, and the features of single switch, low voltage and current stress, common ground, and continuous input current are satisfied simultaneously under the condition of using few components. Continuous input current is a desirable characteristic of DC–DC converters that is necessary for practical applications. After working principle and steady-state analyses, the salient features are compared in detail. Then, the performance of the converter and the correctness of the analysis are verified through the results of the experimental prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focused on the efficiency of carbon nitride nanotubes functionalized with alanine amino acid (f-C3NNTs) in thiotepa (TPA) anti-cancerous drug delivery via density functional theory (DFT). Pristine C3NNTs were incorporated for comparison. TPA was found to spontaneously undergo exothermic adsorption onto the nanostructures. The f-C3NNT/TPA complexes showed the highest interaction strength. The adsorption distance of TPA was found to be smaller, with a greater adsorption capacity and solubility on the f-C3NNT surface than on the pristine C3NNT surface. As they were polar, all the complexes were concluded to be insoluble within an aqueous phase. The quantum molecular descriptors revealed the f-C3NNT nanocarriers to be more reactive than the C3NNT carrier. The drug was found to spontaneously and exothermically interact with f-C3NNT. As a result, f-C3NNT would be promising for TPA adsorption in drug delivery applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Software defect prediction is a crucial discipline within the software development life cycle. Accurate identification of defective modules in software can result in time and cost savings for developers. The ELM algorithm offers the benefits of rapid training and robust learning capabilities. Numerous researchers in the field of software defect prediction have employed the ELM algorithm. However, the ELM algorithm, a single hidden layer feedforward neural network, faces challenges related to random parameter selection and limited generalization ability. To enhance the predictive performance of the ELM algorithm in software defect prediction. Most researchers utilize swarm intelligence optimization algorithms to optimize extreme learning machines. However, these optimization methods may encounter challenges related to fall into local optimal solution. This paper introduces a new sparrow search algorithm (2SSSA) built upon the original sparrow search algorithm. To enhance the original sparrow algorithm’s ability to escape local extrema, the pinhole imaging reverse learning and somersault foraging strategies are employed. The performance of 2SSSA in terms of optimization and convergence speed is assessed using 8 randomly selected benchmark functions and 8 CEC2017 functions. Additionally, ensemble learning is a prominent research focus in the field of software defect prediction. Ensemble learning is known for its ability to significantly enhance prediction performance and model generalization. As a result, the ELM optimized using 2SSSA serves as the foundational predictor in the bagging ensemble learning algorithm. We propose an ensemble algorithm for software defect prediction, denoted as 2SSEBA, which employs a 2-step optimization sparrow algorithm (2SSSA) to optimize extreme learning machines. Based on an evaluation of 25 publicly available software defect prediction datasets using 5 commonly employed metrics. The predictive performance of 2SSEBA significantly outperforms the other five advanced prediction algorithms. Furthermore, this conclusion is supported by both Friedman ranking and Holm’s post-hoc test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large eyelid defect after excision of malignancies or trauma is difficult to reconstruct due to special structure and function of the eyelid. In this study, we aimed to present the outcomes of subcutaneous pedicled propeller flap for reconstructing the large eyelid defect after excision of malignancies or trauma. A retrospective review of patients diagnosed with eyelid defect due to excision of malignancies or trauma, and undergoing subcutaneous pedicled propeller flap for reconstructing the large eyelid defect, was conducted at our hospital. The clinical data were collected and analyzed. A total of 15 patients were included in the cases series. Nine patients were diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, 3 patients with epidermoid carcinoma, and 3 patients with trauma. All the defects were successfully covered with this designed flap. There was no flap necrosis in all the cases. No functional problems were observed in all of the cases. At long-term postoperative follow-up, the average score of patients' satisfaction was good. This subcutaneous pedicled propeller flap is a feasible alternative technique for reconstructing the large eyelid defect after excision of malignancies or trauma. This flap option could avoid the use of free flaps for large defect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yeba ductile shear zone is located on the southern margin of the middle Gangdese magmatic belt and southeast of Lhasa, China. In this paper, we systematically investigate the structural deformation history in the Yeba Group and provide the kinematics, strain pattern, mean vorticity number and temperature environment of the Yeba ductile shear zone. Three tectonic events are identified in the Yeba Group of the study area. The Yeba shear zone represents the late stage of the northward subduction of the Neo-Tethys Ocean (D1 stage, 94–85 Ma). Since the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates, principal compressive stress (σ1) in the north–south direction was generated in the Yeba Group and formed composite folds (D2 stage, ~ 50 Ma). The D3-stage structural deformation event of the Yeba Group in the study area is represented by the Woka ductile shear zone (22.38–14.6 Ma). Electron backscattering diffraction and chlorite geothermometry demonstrate that upper greenschist facies (213–295 °C) and lower greenschist facies (400–550 °C) conditions developed in the Yeba shear zone. Finite strain measurements of the Yeba ductile shear zone indicate that almost all deformed rocks exhibit an oblate ellipsoid consistent with near-flattening strain. Kinematic vorticity analysis of the Yeba shear zone yielded values (Wm) of 0.49–0.78, indicating a bulk general shear deformation regime with a combination of 58% pure shear and 42% simple shear. The kinematic vorticity number (58% pure shear), flattening strain pattern, and presence of opposite indicators in the same mylonitic foliation support the occurrence of a transpressive structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inertial methods play a vital role in accelerating the convergence speed of optimization algorithms. This work is concerned with an inertial semi-forward-reflected-backward splitting algorithm of approaching the solution of sum of a maximally monotone operator, a cocoercive operator and a monotone-Lipschitz continuous operator. The theoretical convergence properties of the proposed iterative algorithm are also presented under mild conditions. More importantly, we use an adaptive stepsize rule in our algorithm to avoid calculating Lipschitz constant, which is generally unknown or difficult to estimate in practical applications. In addition, a large class of composite monotone inclusion problem involving mixtures of linearly composed and parallel-sum type monotone operators is solved by combining the primal-dual approach and our proposed algorithm. As a direct application, the obtained inertial algorithm is exploited to composite convex optimization problem and some numerical experiments on image deblurring problem are also investigated to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have demonstrated that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients are at an increased risk of developing anxiety and/or depression. IBD patients with depression/anxiety have higher rates of hospitalization and increased disease severity than those without. So far, there is a paucity of data concerning the impact of anxiety/depression on Chinese IBD patients. The aim of this study was to find out the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety/depression in Chinese IBD population and its impact on IBD-related features. This is a cross-sectional study from the southwest China IBD referral center. Eligible participants were divided into those with symptoms of anxiety/depression and those without based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Demographic data and disease duration, IBD-related surgery, tobacco use, extra-intestinal manifestations, disease activity scores, endoscopic evaluation, laboratory data and current medication use were compared between two groups. A total of 341 IBD patients [221 Crohn's disease (CD) and 120 ulcerative colitis (UC)] were included. The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety/depression in IBD was 33.1%. CD patients with symptoms of anxiety/depression tended to have higher scores of simple endoscopic scores for Crohn's disease (SES-CD) (p = 0.0005). UC patients with symptoms of anxiety/depression had a significantly higher Mayo score (p = 0.0017) and ulcerative colitis endoscopic index of severity (UCEIS) (p < 0.0001) than their non-anxiety/depression counterparts. CD-related surgery (p = 0.012) and Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI) (p < 0.0001) were identified as independent risk factors for symptoms of anxiety/depression in CD, while corticosteroid use (p = 0.036) as an independent risk factor for symptoms of anxiety/depression in UC. This study helps our understanding of the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety/depression in IBD patients and its impact on IBD course and reminds us to pay more attention on IBD management with anxiety/depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Songyuan is the most earthquake prone area in northeast China. Since 2006, earthquakes have occurred in the area in the form of swarms, with a maximum magnitude of ML5.8. There is much controversy about the cause of the Songyuan earthquakes. We attempted to determine the cause using a three-dimensional electrical conductivity structure inverted from a regional network of magnetotelluric data in the Songyuan area. The L-BFGS inversion method was applied, with a full-impedance tensor data set used as the inversion input. Combined with an evaluation of the earthquake locations, the resistivity model revealed a northeast-oriented hidden fault running through the Songyuan earthquake area (SEA), which was speculated to be the preexisting Fuyu-Zhaodong Fault (FZF). Our resistivity model also found an apparent lithospheric low-resistivity anomaly beneath the earthquake area, which breached the high-resistivity lithospheric mantle and stalled at the base of the crust. A petrophysical analysis showed that this lower crustal low-resistivity anomaly was most likely attributed to hydrated partial melting, which could release water into the lower crust during later magma emplacements. While weakening the strength of the FZF, these ascending fluids also increased the pore pressure in the fault, further reducing the shear strength of the fault. Shear stress action (a fault strike component of the east-west regional compress), together with possible near-surface disturbances, may drive the fault to slip and trigger the earthquakes in Songyuan. It is possible that the continuous replenishment of fluids from the deeper mantle forces the Songyuan earthquakes into the form of swarms. We infer that the Songyuan earthquakes could be attributed to a combination of preexisting faults, regional stress, and deep fluids associated with plate subduction, and near surface disturbances might induce the earthquakes in advance. The Songyuan earthquakes are inherently induced earthquakes, fed by deep fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immunotherapy for gastric cancer remains a challenge due to its limited efficacy. Metabolic reprogramming toward glycolysis has emerged as a promising avenue for enhancing the sensitivity of tumors to immunotherapy. Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinases (PDKs) play pivotal roles in regulating glycolysis. The importance of PDKs in the context of gastric cancer immunotherapy and their potential as therapeutic targets have not been fully explored. Methods: PDK and PD-L1 expression was analyzed using data from the GSE66229 and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohorts. Additionally, the Immune Checkpoint Blockade Therapy Atlas (ICBatlas) database was utilized to assess PDK expression in an immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy group. Subsequently, the upregulation of PD-L1 and the enhancement of anticancer effects achieved by targeting PDK were validated through in vivo and in vitro assays. The impact of PDK on histone acetylation was investigated using ChIP‒qPCR to detect changes in histone acetylation levels. Results: Our analysis revealed a notable negative correlation between PD-L1 and PDK expression. Downregulation of PDK led to a significant increase in PD-L1 expression. PDK inhibition increased histone acetylation levels by promoting acetyl-CoA generation. The augmentation of acetyl-CoA production and concurrent inhibition of histone deacetylation were found to upregulate PD-L1 expression in gastric cancer cells. Additionally, we observed a significant increase in the anticancer effect of PD-L1 antibodies following treatment with a PDK inhibitor. Conclusions: Downregulation of PDK in gastric cancer cells leads to an increase in PD-L1 expression levels, thus potentially improving the efficacy of PD-L1 immune checkpoint blockade therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the effects of angularity and coarse particle content on the shear behaviour of granular mixtures via the discrete element method. The contributions of different contact types to the shear strength are quantified, which can be used to classify the structure of granular mixtures. After that, a microscopic analysis of the effect of angularity on the thresholds of the granular mixtures is presented. Finally, a method that can predict the critical friction angle of granular mixtures at arbitrary coarse particle contents is proposed. The validity of the prediction method is verified by comparisons with the experimental and numerical data in other studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Concerns about the adverse effects of excessive oxygen have grown over the years. This study investigated the relationship between high oxygen saturation and short-term prognosis of patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) after liberal use of oxygen. Methods: This retrospective cohort study collected data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database (ICU cohort) and a tertiary stroke center (general ward cohort). The data on pulse oximetry-derived oxygen saturation (SpO2) during the first 24 h in ICU and general wards were respectively extracted. Results: Overall, 1117 and 372 patients were included in the ICU and general ward cohort, respectively. Among the patients from the ICU cohort, a spoon-shaped association was observed between minimum SpO2 and the risk of in-hospital mortality (non-linear P<0.0001). In comparison with minimum SpO2 of 93–97%, the minimum SpO2>97% was associated with a significantly higher risk of in-hospital mortality after adjustment for confounders. Sensitivity analysis conducted using propensity score matching did not change this significance. The same spoon-shaped association between minimum SpO2 and the risk of in-hospital mortality was also detected for the general ward cohort. In comparison with the group with 95–97% SpO2, the group with SpO2>97% showed a stronger association with, but non-significant risk for, in-hospital mortality after adjustment for confounders. The time-weighted average SpO2>97% was associated significantly with in-hospital mortality in both cohorts. Conclusion: Higher SpO2 (especially a minimum SpO2>97%) was unrewarding after liberal use of oxygen among patients with sICH and might even be potentially detrimental. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the preparation of 111In radiolabeled bleomycin (111In-BLM) was optimized systematically and used for SPECT imaging of liver cancer xenograft models. 111In-BLM with a high radiochemical yield (> 99%) could be obtained at pH 0.5–1 at a mixture ratio of 9:1 (111In/BLM, mCi/mg). The radiochemical purity of 111In-BLM retained > 99% in either buffers or serum for 3 days. Biodistribution of 111In-BLM revealed its excellent stability in vivo. The SPECT imaging studies showed 111In-BLM has great specificity to liver tumor xenograft. All the results implied 111In-BLM is a potential radiopharmaceutical for targeting diagnosis and therapy of liver tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The roles of cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) in various cancers, including small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), remain unclear. Here, 111,54 multi-center samples were investigated to determine the expression, clinical significance, and underlying mechanisms of CDK6 in 34 cancers. The area under the curve (AUC), Cox regression analysis, and the Kaplan–Meier curves were used to explore the clinical value of CDK6 in cancers. Gene set enrichment analysis and correlation analysis were performed to detect potential CDK6 mechanisms. CDK6 expression was essential in 24 cancer cell types. Abnormal CDK6 expression was observed in 14 cancer types (e.g., downregulated in breast invasive carcinoma; p < 0.05). CDK6 allowed six cancers to be distinguished from their controls (AUC > 0.750). CDK6 expression was a prognosis marker for 13 cancers (e.g., adrenocortical carcinoma; p < 0.05). CDK6 was correlated with several immune-related signaling pathways and the infiltration levels of certain immune cells (e.g., CD8+ T cells; p < 0.05). Downregulated CDK6 mRNA and protein levels were observed in SCLC (p < 0.05, SMD = − 0.90). CDK6 allowed the identification of SCLC status (AUC = 0.91) and predicted a favorable prognosis for SCLC patients (p < 0.05). CDK6 may be a novel biomarker for the prediction and prognosis of several cancers, including SCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our work considers the optimization of the sum of a non-smooth convex function and a finite family of composite convex functions, each one of which is composed of a convex function and a bounded linear operator. This type of problem is associated with many interesting challenges encountered in the image restoration and image reconstruction fields. We developed a splitting primal-dual proximity algorithm to solve this problem. Furthermore, we propose a preconditioned method, of which the iterative parameters are obtained without the need to know some particular operator norm in advance. Theoretical convergence theorems are presented. We then apply the proposed methods to solve a total variation regularization model, in which the L2 data error function is added to the L1 data error function. The main advantageous feature of this model is its capability to combine different loss functions. The numerical results obtained for computed tomography (CT) image reconstruction demonstrated the ability of the proposed algorithm to reconstruct an image with few and sparse projection views while maintaining the image quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoporous gold with minor silver content has been identified as a new type of gold based catalyst for selective oxidation of cyclohexene with molecular oxygen in liquid. By oxidation of the leached nanoporous gold foils in ozone, the minor silver content was oxidized to form silver oxide nanoclusters on the surface of nanoporous gold. With further treatment in methanol, the surface silver oxide was reduced and surface alloy was formed on gold ligaments. Both nanoporous gold treated with ozone only and the one with ozone and then methanol are very active for selective oxidation of cyclohexene with molecular oxygen in liquid of cyclohexene with a turn-over-frequency (TOF) of 0.55-0.99 molecules per surface Au atom per second under a solvent-free and initiator- free condition. The total selectivity for production of 2-cyclohexene-1-one, 2-cyclohexene-1-ol, and cyclohexene oxide was increased from 57.5 % to 80.8 % by an additional treatment of nanoporous gold in methanol after activation in zone. The correlation of catalytic selectivity for the production of the three products and corresponding surface chemistry of ligament suggests that (1) the formed Au-Ag alloy surface is favorable for the formation of 2-cyclohexen-1-one, 2-cyclohexene-1-ol, and cyclohexene oxide and (2) the surface silver oxide is favorable for the production of cyclohexenyl hydroperoxide. Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) is a primary strategy to restore vision for patients who have rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Perfluorocarbon liquid (PFCL) is frequently used during PPV surgery. However, the unintended intraocular retention of PFCL may cause retina toxicity and thus lead to possible postoperative complications. In this paper, the experiences and surgical outcomes of a NGENUITY 3D Visualization System-assisted PPV are shown to evaluate the possibility of excluding the application of PFCL. Methods: A consecutive series of 60 cases with RRD were presented, all of whom had undergone 23-gauge PPV with the assistance of a three-dimensional (3D) visualization system. Among them, 30 cases used PFCL to assist the drainage of subretinal fluid (SRF), while the other 30 cases did not. Parameters including retinal reattachment rate (RRR), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), operation time, and SRF residual were compared between the two groups. Results: Baseline data showed no statistical significance between the two groups. At the last postoperative follow-up, the RRR of all the 60 cases reached 100% and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) gained significant improvement. The BCVA (logMAR) increased from 1.293 ± 0.881 to 0.479 ± 0.316 in the PFCL-excluded group, exhibiting better results than the PFCL included group, whose final BCVA was 0.650 ± 0.371. More importantly, excluding PFCL greatly reduced the operation time (decrease of 20%), therefore, avoiding possible complications caused by both the use of PFCL and the operation process. Conclusion: With the assistance of the 3D visualization system, it is feasible to treat RRD and perform PPV without using PFCL. The 3D visualization system is highly recommendable, as not only can it achieve the same surgical effect without the assistance of PFCL, but also simplify the operation procedure, shorten the operation time, save costs, and avoid complications related to PFCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is one of the most common malignancy of the major salivary glands with a high recurrence rate and poor prognosis. Determining tumor heterogeneity and factors in the microenvironment may provide novel therapeutic targets for ACC. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing of one ACC sample and normal salivary gland tissues from a patient to analyze tumor heterogeneity, immunosuppressive landscape, and intercellular communication networks. The heterogeneity of epithelial cells in ACC tissues was significantly higher compared with that in normal tissues, whereas immune cells were almost absent. We found four malignant cell clusters in ACC and explored their characteristics and function. In tumor tissues, CD8 + cytotoxic T cells and CD4 + T helper cells were significantly decreased, whereas IgA + plasma cells were absent. There were two clusters of macrophages, one representing IL1B macrophages and the other consisted of a cluster of macrophages associated with the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). Both were significantly different from the normal tissue composition. In addition, the communication between epithelial cells and other cells in the tumor tissue was enhanced. MIF-CD74 and APP-CD74 were significantly upregulated. We comprehensively described the heterogeneity of ACC and the tumor microenvironment (TME) from a single cell perspective including cell characteristics, immune cell infiltration, and cell communication. Clinical relevance: This study provided further insights into ACC and may lead to new treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Judicious bisection of hypergraphs asks for a balanced bipartition of the vertex set that optimizes several quantities simultaneously. In this paper, we prove that if G is a hypergraph with n vertices and m edges of size i for i = 1, 2, ..., k, then G admits a bisection in which each vertex class spans at most $$\frac{{m1}}{2} + \frac{1}{4}{m_2} + \cdots + \left( {\frac{1}{{{2^k}}}} \right){m_k} + o\left( {{m_1} + \cdots + {m_k}} \right)$$ edges, where G is dense enough or Δ( G) = o( n) but has no isolated vertex, which turns out to be a bisection version of a conjecture proposed by Bollobás and Scott. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure-property relation in ferroelectric/ferromagnetic composite is investigated in detail, exemplified by typical sol-gel-derived 0.3BTO/0.7NZFO ceramic composite. The effect of microstructural factors including intergrain connectivity, grain size and interfaces on the dielectric and magnetic properties of the composite prepared by conventional ceramic method and three-step sintering method is discussed both experimentally and theoretically. It reveals that the dielectric behavior of the composite is controlled by a hybrid dielectric process that combines the contribution of Debye-like dipoles and Maxwell-Wagner (M-W or interfacial) polarization. Enhanced dielectric, magnetic and conductive behaviors appear in the composite with better intergrain connectivity and larger grain size derived by sol-gel route and three-step sintering method. The effective permittivity contributed by Debye-like dipoles exhibits a value of ~130,000 in three-step sintered composite, which is almost the same as that in conventionally sintered one, but that contributed by M-W response is much smaller in the former. Compared with conventionally prepared samples, the relaxation time ( τ) is 3.476 × 10 s, about one order of magnitude smaller, and the dc electrical conductivity is 3.890 × 10 S/m, one order of magnitude higher in three-step sintered composite. The minimum dielectric loss reveals almost the same (~0.2) for all samples, but shows distinguishable difference in low-frequency region. Meanwhile, an initial permeability of 84, twice as large as that of conventionally prepared composite and 56 % the value of single-phased NZFO ferrite (~150), and a saturation magnetization of 63.5 emu/g, 32 % higher than that of conventional one and approximately 84 % the value of single-phased NZFO ferrite (~76 emu/g), appear simultaneously in three-step sintered composite with larger grain size and better intergrain connectivity. It is clear that the discovery is helpful for establishing a more explicit view on the physics of multi-functional composite materials, while the composite with optimized microstructure is beneficial to be used as a high-performance material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corresponding to the storing and fast searching needs of an extra-large scale of energy monitoring and statistics data, we propose a multi-level-indexed distributed hash table (mDHT) algorithm and complete a MapReduce implementation of the algorithm on the open-standard HDFS/Hbase platform. Such an approach uses a columnar storage structure for energy consumption data storage and creates a hashed index table to provide a quick search and retrieval method for extra-large-scale data processing systems. Such a hashed indexing scheme is implemented on a 3-node Hadoop cluster, and the simulation experiments at a scale up to 48 million data records indicate that, when the data volume reaches the scale of 12 million to 48 millions, the proposed mDHT algorithm presents an outstanding performance in data writing operation, compared to that of traditional SQL Server implementation. Even compared to the single-indexed DHT (sDHT) application, the mDHT solution outperforms by reducing the data retrieval time by 24.5-48.6 %. The multi-level-indexed DHT algorithm presented in this paper contributes a key technique to developing a fast search engine to the extra-large scale of data on the cloud storage architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study focusing use of preoperative chemoradiation with capecitabine for treatment of rectal cancer in older patients. Topics discussed include increased susceptibility of older patients towards rectal cancer, use of preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), use of computed tomography simulation for radiotherapy (RT) of patients, and development of drug toxicity in significant number of patients.

The biodegradable porous composite scaffold, composed of poly(lactide- co-glycolide) (PLGA) and hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (n-HAP) surface-grafted with poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) (g-HAP) (g-HAP/PLGA), was fabricated using the solvent casting/particulate leaching method, and its in vivo degradation behavior was investigated by the intramuscular implantation in rabbits. The composite of un-grafted n-HAP/PLGA and neat PLGA were used as controls. The scaffolds had interconnected pore structures with average pore sizes between 137 μm and 148 μm and porosities between 83% and 86%. There was no significant difference in the pore size and porosity among the three scaffolds. Compared with n-HAP/PLGA, the thermo-degradation temperature ( T) of g-HAP/PLGA decreased while its glass transition temperature ( T) increased. The weight change, grey value analysis of radiographs and SEM observation showed that the composite scaffolds of g-HAP/PLGA and n-HAP/PLGA showed slower degradation and higher mineralization than the pure PLGA scaffold after the intramuscular implantation. The rapid degradation of PLGA, g-HAP/PLGA and n-HAP/PLGA occurred at 8-12 weeks, 12-16 weeks and 16-20 weeks, respectively. Compared with n-HAP/PLGA, g-HAP/PLGA showed an improved absorption and biomineralization property mostly because of its improved distribution of HAP nanoparticles. The levels of both calcium and phosphorous in serum and urine could be affected to some extent at 3-4 weeks after the implantation of g-HAP/PLGA, but the biochemical detection of serum AST, ALT, ALP, and GGT as well as BUN and CRE showed no obvious influence on the functions of liver and kidney. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We exploit bias polarity dependent low-frequency noise (LFN) spectroscopy to investigate charge transport dynamics in ultra-thin AlOx-based magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with bipolar resistive switching (RS). By measuring the noise characteristics across the entire bias voltage range of bipolar RS, we find that the voltage noise level exhibits an bias polarity dependence. This distinct feature is intimately correlated with reconfiguring of the inherently existing oxygen vacancies ( V O.. ) in as-grown MTJ devices during the SET and RESET switching processes. In addition, we observe two-level random telegraph noise (RTN) with a longer and shorter tunneling length in the high resistance state (HRS) and low resistance state (LRS) at a low bias voltage. The intrinsic voltage fluctuations of RTN arise from the dynamics of electron trapping/de-trapping processes at the V O.. -related trap sites. Notably, the RTN magnitude is similar in LRS but nonidentical in that of HRS for different bias polarity. These findings strongly suggest that the inherent V O.. are distributed near the top CoFe/AlOx interface in the HRS; in contrast, they are expanded to the middle region of the AlOx in the LRS. More importantly, we demonstrate that the location and distribution of the inherent V O.. can be electrically tuned, which plays an essential role in the charge transport dynamics in the ultra-thin AlOx-based MTJs and have significant implications for developing emergent memory and logic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the realm of medium/high voltage applications, the modular multilevel converter with an active power filter (APF-MMC) emerges as a technology that eliminated the inherent voltage fluctuations of larger sub-module (SM) capacitors. However, the introduced APF circuit in each phase can only deal with power in even frequencies, and the APF-MMC cannot be directly applied in the field of motor drives with low-frequency operation. In this paper, based on the APF-MMC topology, by adding two high-frequency variables as control degrees of freedom, the base frequency power is transferred to high-frequency power, which can considerably minimize the capacitor voltage ripple in the low-frequency region of the topology. In addition, the influence of the injected high-frequency variables on the output characteristics of the topology is eliminated by controlling the APF circuit as hardware degree of freedom. Its equivalent circuit and operating principle are introduced in detail. Concurrently, a control method is proposed for the APF circuit, ensuring seamless operation of the converter. Finally, through a combination of simulation and experimental results, it is demonstrated that the APF-MMC topology surpasses the conventional MMC in its efficacy under low-frequency operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a new method of ultrasonic vibration processing of high-speed EDM ultra-fine copper tube electrode is proposed, and the deformation process of copper tube during processing is simulated by finite element analysis, and a prediction model of wall thickness change of ultrasonically processed copper tube electrode is established, and the predicted values are in good agreement with the experimental measurement data. The surface quality of copper tube electrode after ultrasonic processing was improved, and the roughness was reduced from Ra1.28 to Ra0.43 µm, which is important for the automated production of high-quality ultra-fine copper tube electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the characteristics of a four-channel multi-task reservoir computing (RC) system based on mutually-coupled and optically pumped spin vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (Spin-VCSELs). By analyzing bifurcation and state diagrams, we investigated the polarization dynamics of the system. Additionally, we examined the effects of key parameters such as coupling strength, injection strength, frequency detuning, optical pumping intensity, and pump polarization ellipticity on RC performance, with one-step time-series prediction as the benchmark. Our findings indicate that an increase in coupling strength results in a reduced frequency detuning range, accompanied by a lower normalized mean squared error (NMSE). Excessive coupling strength and optical pumping intensity are detrimental to RC performance. The influence of pump polarization ellipticity is smaller and exhibits a symmetry feature. Furthermore, the parameter optimization regime for orthogonal polarized optical coupling (OPOC) is wider than that for parallel polarized optical coupling (PPOC). Under optimized parameters, both PPOC and OPOC-based RC system can achieve NMSE as low as 0.033 and 0.041 respectively. This work can provide a valuable insight on the design and mechanism analysis for parallel and multi-task processing RC systems based on the platform of Spin-VCSELs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foraging responses of seven butterfly species were determined for flower models that differed in color, size, and depth of artificial corolla. We measured frequency of visits to flowers of various colors (red, orange, yellow, purple, and white) with or without the application of honey water to flower models. We found that the relative strength of butterfly response to visual versus olfactory cues differed among butterfly species. We suggest that the seven butterfly species tested exhibit four different patterns in how visual and olfactory cues were combined as determinants of foraging importance: (1) vision was given priority over olfaction (in Cethosia cyane and Danaus chrysippus); (2) olfaction was given priority over vision (Cethosia biblis, Idea leuconoe, and Tirumala limniace); (3) olfaction and vision were equally important (Catopsilia pomona); and (4) only olfaction was used (e.g., Danaus genutia, which was not sensitive to the five colors tested but very sensitive to the smell of honey in our experiments). In tests with flower models of different sizes, the visitation frequency of C. cyane, I. leuconoe, and D. chrysippus increased with increasing corolla diameter, provided flowers were sprayed with honey water. C. cyane and D. chrysippus showed this trend because of their strong dependence on visual cues. In contrast, I. leuconoe with its large body size preferred larger flowers, it could be that butterflies need more nectar to support its large body size. Catopsilia pomona tended to visit large and middle-sized flowers because it used both vision and odor to detect food, large or middle-sized flowers could have more vision and odor stimulation than small flowers for foraging butterfly. The other three butterfly species did not show that trend because of lack of dependence on visual cues. There was no correlation between visitation frequency and corolla depth within particular butterfly species. In conclusion, the foraging strategies of butterflies are not only mainly determined by the weights given to visual and olfactory cues, but also affected by body size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Retraction Note: Two Metal–Organic Frameworks: Luminescent Detection Performance and Treatment Activity on Chronic Glomerulus Nephritis Mediated by E. coli Abundance Regulation" has been retracted by the Editor-in-Chief and the Publisher due to evidence of systematic manipulation of the publication process. The investigation found issues such as unsupported citations, non-standard phrasing, anomalies in figures, and discrepancies in ethics approval statements. As a result, the Editor-in-Chief no longer has confidence in the results and conclusions of the article. The authors have agreed to the retraction. [Extracted from the article]

Detecting arrays were proposed by Colbourn and McClary in 2008, which are of interest in generating software test suites to cover all t-sets of component interactions and detect interaction faults in component-based systems. So far, optimality and constructions of detecting arrays have not been studied systematically. Indeed, no useful benchmark to measure the optimality of detecting arrays has previously been given, and only some sporadic examples of optimal detecting arrays have been found. This paper tries to take the first step by presenting a lower bound on the size of detecting arrays and some methods of constructing optimal detecting arrays. A number of infinite series of optimal detecting arrays are then obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Somatic hybridization is a potential method for gene transfer from wild relatives to cultivated crops that can overcome sexual incompatibilities of two distantly related species. In this study, interspecific asymmetric somatic hybrids of Brassica oleracea var. botrytis (cauliflower) and Brassica nigra (black mustard) were obtained by protoplast fusion and their backcrossed (BC) and selfed (S) offspring were analyzed. Cytological analysis showed that the B. nigra chromosomes were successively eliminated in the backcrosses with cauliflower. The fertility of the hybrid progenies was quite different due to the asynchronous and abnormal chromosome behavior of pollen mother cells (PMC) during meiosis. Analysis of sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) showed that all of these hybrids mainly had the DNA banding pattern from the two parents with some alterations. Genetically, the selfed generations were closer to B. nigra, while the backcrossed generations were closer to the cauliflower parent. Analysis of cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences (CAPS) and restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) showed that all somatic hybrids in this study contained chloroplast (cp) DNA of the donor parent black mustard, while mitochondrial (mt) DNA showed evidence of recombination and variations in the regions analyzed. Furthermore, three BC plants (originated from somatic hybrids 3, 4, 10) with 2-8 B. nigra-derived chromosomes shown by genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) displayed a more cauliflower-like morphology and high resistance to black-rot. These plants were obtained as bridge materials for further analysis and breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural changes around a crack tip in a high density polyethylene were investigated by means of scanning synchrotron microfocus small-angle X-ray scattering technique. The scattering data confirm the process of craze structure development near a crack tip based on the evolution of voids. In addition, it was found that the main stress in the plastic zone near a crack tip exhibited a gradient distribution with respect to its strength and direction. The whole damaged area showed a strain distribution indicating a flow behavior toward the crack tip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to detect monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) from insufficient and unavailable human proteins, yeast cells were engineered to display human antigens on their surface and consequently endowed with the ability to specifically bind antibodies. Thus, a fusion gene for the expression of the human proteasome subunit alpha 6 (hPSA6) and human profilin I (hProI) were assembled, respectively, with a His.tag marker at the C-terminal and displayed on yeast surface. With anti-His.tag MAb as the primary antibody and the fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated goat anti-mouse Immunogloblin G as the second antibody, the surface display of hPSA6 and hProI were verified by immunofluorescence labeling. The antigen-displayed yeast particles were used for MAbs detection from ascites through both immunofluorescence and yeast-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods. The results were verified by Western blotting and indirect ELISA. By improving the sensitivity, the novel MAbs detection can be applied in the generation and screening of positive hybridoma. It is suggested that by combining the DNA immunization, the present study can evolve into a quick and protein-free way of MAbs production for insufficient and unavailable antigen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnS holey microspheres (HMSs) were prepared by reacting ZnSO4 with sulfide source from CS2 and ethylenediamine at 50 °C, then aging at room temperature. The synthesized HMSs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV–visible absorption measurement. The results showed that the holes were formed by gas of H2S, and the small ZnS HMSs were formed by particles reaggregating with the aid of ethylenediamine. In addition, the size- and shape-controlled synthesis of ZnS HMSs was achieved by varying the process parameters, such as the aging time of the final solution, the molar ratio of CS2 and ethylenediamine, and so on. A gas obtruding mechanism was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate if the EGFR-Stat3 signal pathway contributes to the carcinogenesis of hepatoma in rats. Hepatoma was induced in rats by 3′Me-DAB as a model. EGFR, TGFα, Stat3, p-Stat3 in different stages of carcinogenesis were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. In situ hybridization was applied to investigate the expression of Stat3 mRNA. The expressions of signal molecules were assessed by KS400 Image Analysis system. The data were statistically evaluated. EGFR, TGFα, Stat3 were highly expressed in the stages of liver necrosis and repairment. All hepatocellular carcinoma cases revealed elevated expression of EGFR, TGFα. Elevation of Stat3 mRNA and protein levels were identified, increase of activation of Stat3 was also observed. In HCC, there was positive correlation between p-Stat3 level and the expression of TGFα and PCNA. Increased expression of Bcl-2 ( P < 0.05) coincided with elevated level of p-Stat3. Therefore, the EGFR-Stat3 signal pathway was related to the development of hepatoma in rats. TGFα-EGFR autocrine ring formation may lead to the activation of Stat3 and in turn, promote proliferation and regulate the transcription of genes regulating cell apoptosis and cell cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 42-year-old woman presented with hypertensive crisis and bilateral hydronephrosis. She has a strong family history of ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Ureteropelvic junction obstruction is usually sporadic, unilateral, but inherited UPJO has also been reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To investigate the process of ion permeation in an ion channel systematically, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on a gramicidin A (GA)-phospholipid model system with an ion in the channel pore region. Each of the three types of ions (Ca[sup 2+], Na[sup +], Cl[sup -]) was placed at five different positions along the channel axis by replacing a water molecule. MD simulations were performed on each system at constant pressure and constant temperature. The MD trajectories showed that the Ca[sup 2 +] and Na[sup +] ions could stably fluctuate in the pore region, but the Cl[sup -] ion was pushed out because of the unfavorable interaction with the channel. This result is consistent with experimental data. It was also found that the conformation of the GA channel underwent a significant change due to the presence of the ion, and the two ends of the GA monomer were more flexible than its middle region. In particular, the dramatic change of local pore radius near the ion indicated this kind of deformation. The strong interaction between the ion and carbonyl oxygen atoms of GA was the major contributor to this change. Furthermore, it was found that the ethanolamine group of the GA molecule was the most flexible group in the GA channel and often observed to block the entrance of GA. These results imply that the deformation of channel structure plays a very important factor in ion permeation, and the ethanolamine group may play a key role in regulating ion entry into the pore. In conclusion, our results indicate that the ion has a dominant influence on the structure of the GA channel and that the flexibility of the ion channel is a crucial factor in the ion permeation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A method for constructing the suitable initial configuration of the membrane-protein system for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations is presented. This method could provide some hydrated initial configurations and help us to determine the best surface area of the system by contracting the surface area and comparing the optimized lowest energy of the system by energy minimization. The gramicidin A (GA) channel in the fully hydrated dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) bilayer was used as our model. Three configurations with different surface areas were selected and applied for one 400 ps and two 300 ps MD simulations at constant pressure and temperature. All simulations were fairly stable without any constraints. Through analysis of the MD trajectories we found that the system with the best surface area was more stable than the other two systems, whose sizes were changed in the simulations. Further analysis of the bilayer normal length and the order parameters of the lipid alkyl tails indicates that the system with the best surface area shows some characteristics of the L[sub alpha] phase, while both the smaller and the larger size systems have distinct deviations from the L[sub alpha] phase that we expect. This illustrates that the correct surface area and the suitable initial configuration have an important influence on the phase of the membrane in the MD simulation. In addition, by comparing the root mean square differences of GA relative to the initial structure and interaction energy between different components of the system for all three systems, we find that the state of the DMPC bilayer has exerted a significant influence on the structure of GA. All these results demonstrate the validity of our method for constructing the initial configuration of the membrane-protein system for MD simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]