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Mg-based alloys are regarded as highly promising materials for hydrogen storage. Despite significant improvements of the properties for Mg-based alloys, challenges such as slow hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetics and high thermodynamic stability continue to limit their practical application. In this study, to assess hydrogen storage alloys with enhanced properties, incorporating both internal microstructure modulation through the preparation of amorphous/nanocrystalline structures and surface property enhancement with the addition of Cu and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), the kinetic properties of activation and hydrogenation, thermodynamic properties, and dehydrogenation kinetics are tested. The results reveal a complementary interaction between the added Cu and CNTs, contributing to the superior hydrogen storage performance observed in sample 7A-2Cu-1CNTs with an amorphous/nanocrystalline structure compared to the other experimental samples. Additionally, the samples are fully activated after the initial hydrogen absorption and desorption cycle, demonstrating outstanding hydrogenation kinetics under both high and low temperature experimental conditions. Particularly noteworthy is that the hydrogen absorption exceeds 1.8 wt.% within one hour at 333 K. Furthermore, the activation energy for dehydrogenation is decreased to 64.71 kJ·mol−1. This research may offer novel insights for the design of new-type Mg-based hydrogen storage alloys, which possess milder conditions for hydrogen absorption and desorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The engineered probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) is expected to be employed in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. However, the introduced plasmids typically require antibiotics to maintain genetic stability, and the cryptic plasmids in EcN are usually eliminated to avoid plasmid incompatibility which may change the inherent probiotic characteristics. Here, we provided a simple design to minimize the genetic change of probiotics by eliminating native plasmids and reintroducing the recombinants carrying functional genes. Specific insertion sites in the vectors showed significant differences in the expression of fluorescence proteins. Selected integration sites were applied in the de novo synthesis of salicylic acid, leading to a titer of 142.0 ± 6.0 mg/L in a shake flask with good production stability. Additionally, the design successfully realized the biosynthesis of ergothioneine (45 mg/L) by one-step construction. This work expands the application scope of native cryptic plasmids to the easy construction of functional pathways. Key points: • Cryptic plasmids of EcN were designed to express exogenous genes • Insertion sites with different expression intensities in cryptic plasmids were provided • Target products were stably produced by engineering cryptic plasmids [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multipartite quantum resources, such as entanglement and coherence, have long been a question of great interest in quantum information science. In this literature, we introduce the concept of multipartite strongly symmetric states that their representation tensors are strongly symmetric tensor. The dimension of strongly symmetric subspace is discussed, and show that is less than the dimension of symmetric subspace. We present some upper bound for the geometric measure of entanglement of strongly symmetric states, which are tighter than the bounds in N-qubit system. On the other hand, we consider the classicality of spin states in strongly symmetric situation, which is equivalent to the positive semidefiniteness of strongly symmetric representation tensor. Some sufficient conditions for classicality (separability) in strongly symmetric case are proposed, and these methods have a larger detection range than the smallest eigenvalue method. In addition, we also present some theoretical upper bounds for quantumness of strongly symmetric states, which are tighter than existing bounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's helium resource is highly dependent on overseas imports. Organic-rich and U/Th-rich shale reservoirs generally contain helium, and although the helium content is low, the total reserve is large. Therefore, the effective development and utilisation of shale-type helium resources is a realistic way to improve the security of helium resources in China. In this study, the generation mechanism, helium source and content, migration modes and pathways, controlling factors of enrichment, distribution pattern, and resource potential of the helium were analysed, using the Wufeng-Longmaxi shale in the Sichuan Basin and its periphery. Furthermore, countermeasures were proposed for shale-type helium exploration and development. The results show that the Wufeng-Longmaxi shale has a high content of U and Th and a good ability to generate helium. The helium is generated by a typical crustal source of helium and is characterised by self-generation, self-storage, and wide distribution. The helium resource potential is a product of its content and the resources of the associated natural gas. The continuous supply of helium and effective preservation are the main geological factors that control the enrichment of shale-type helium. The preliminary evaluation results show that the reserves of helium in proven shale gas reserves are 10.8×108 m3 in the Sichuan Basin and its periphery, where the extra-large helium fields are likely to be discovered. Additionally, 0.0912×108 m3 of helium was produced, along with the annual production of shale gas. To avoid the waste of helium and to improve the self-supply ability, it is suggested that research on the resource potential, enrichment mechanism, and distribution pattern of shale-type helium should be carried out as soon as possible, and helium extraction techniques for helium-bearing natural gas should be studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Systemically, changes in serum platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), platelet count to mean platelet volume ratio (PVR), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and monocyte to lymphocyte (MLR) represent primary responses to early inflammation and infection. This study aimed to determine whether PLR, PVR, NLR, and MLR can be useful in diagnosing periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) in total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients. Methods: A total of 464 patients that underwent revision THA with calculable PLR, PVR, NLR, and MLR in 2 groups was evaluated: 1) 191 patients with a pre-operative diagnosis of PJI, and 2) 273 matched patients treated for revision THA for aseptic complications. Results: The sensitivity and specificity of PLR combined with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), synovial white blood cell count (WBC) and synovial polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) (97.9%; 98.5%) is significantly higher than only ESR combined with CRP, synovial WBC and synovial PMN (94.2%; 94.5%; p < 0.01). The sensitivity and specificity of PVR combined with ESR, CRP and synovial WBC, and synovial PMN (98.4%; 98.2%) is higher than only ESR combined with CRP, synovial WBC and synovial PMN (94.2%; 94.5%; p < 0.01). Conclusion: The study results demonstrate that both PLR and PVR calculated from complete blood counts when combined with serum and synovial fluid markers have increased diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing periprosthetic joint infection in THA patients. Level of evidence:III, case–control retrospective analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Periprosthetic fracture after primary total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA; TKA) can be challenging, requiring open reduction internal fixation (ORIF), revision, or both. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes and risk factors associated with re-revision surgery following failed revision arthroplasty for periprosthetic fracture. Methods: A total of 316 consecutive THA patients and 79 consecutive TKA patients underwent a revision for periprosthetic fracture, of which 68 THA patients (21.5%) and 15 TKA patients (18.9%) underwent re-revision surgery. The most common indication for hip and knee re-revision was periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) in 28 THA patients (46.6%) and 11 TKA patients (47.8%). Results: The complication rates of THA and TKA revision were 24.3% and 25.3% respectively, and 35.0% and 39.1% respectively for re-revision surgery at an average follow-up of 4.5 years. Periprosthetic joint infection was the most common indication for THA and TKA re-revision (46.7%; 47.8%) and third revision surgery (15.0%; 13.0%). Factors significantly contributing to an increased risk of THA and TKA re-revision included revision with plate fixation and revision with combined ORIF. Conclusion: The overall complication rate of THA and TKA re-revision surgery following failed revision surgery for periprosthetic fracture was higher than of revision surgery. The most common indication for re-revision and third revision was periprosthetic joint infection. These findings may assist surgeons in the management and preoperative counseling of patients undergoing THA and TKA revision surgery for a periprosthetic fracture to optimize the outcomes for these patients. Level of evidence: Level III, case–control retrospective analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recurrent dislocation represents the third most common cause of revision surgery after total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, there is a paucity of information on the outcome of revision total hip arthroplasty for recurrent dislocation. In this study, we investigated (1) clinical outcomes of patients that underwent revision THA for recurrent dislocation, and (2) potential risk factors associated with treatment failure in patients who underwent revision total hip arthroplasty for recurrent dislocation. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 211 consecutive cases of revision total hip arthroplasty for recurrent dislocation, 81 implanted with a constrained liner and 130 with a non-constrained liner with a large-diameter femoral head (> 32 mm). Patient- and implant-related risk factors were analyzed in multivariate regression analysis. Results: At 4.6-year follow-up, 32 of 211 patients (15.1%) underwent re-revision surgery. The most common causes for re-revision included infection (14 patients) and dislocation (10 patients). Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrates a 5-year survival probability of 77% for patients that underwent revision THA for recurrent dislocation. Osteoporosis, obesity (BMI ≥ 40), spine disease and abductor deficiency are independent risk factors for failure of revision surgery for recurrent dislocation. Liner type (constrained vs. non-constrained) was found not to be associated with failure of revision THA for recurrent dislocation (p = 0.44). Conclusion: This study suggests that THA revision for recurrent dislocation is associated with a high re-revision rate of 15% at mid-term follow-up. Osteoporosis, obesity (BMI ≥ 40) spine disease and abductor deficiency were demonstrated to be independent risk factors for failure of revision THA for recurrent dislocation. Level of evidence: Level III, case–control retrospective analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas-bearing property evaluation and main controlling factor analysis have remained a concern in shale gas research. The application of principal component analysis, an important mathematical statistical method, in gas-bearing property evaluation and main controlling factor analysis of the Longmaxi shale in the Weirong area, Sichuan Basin, was examined. The Longmaxi shale exhibits high heterogeneity, manifested in the organic matter abundance, mineral composition, and pore structure. Seven geological factors, including the temperature, pressure, TOC content, clay content, brittle mineral content, pore volume, and specific surface area (SSA), were selected in principal component analysis. Four principal components with geological significance, such as mineral composition, formation condition, pore structure, and organic matter abundance, were extracted through principal component analysis, and further constituted a comprehensive factor. Shale gas-bearing properties were evaluated according to the score of the comprehensive factor. The Longmaxi shale could be identified as exhibiting good, medium, and poor gas-bearing properties based on the comprehensive factor scores of these samples. According to each geological factor's contribution to the comprehensive factor, combined with geological analysis, it could be considered that gas-bearing properties are primarily controlled by pore volume, SSA, and clay content, followed by TOC content, brittle mineral content, temperature and pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is not easy to compute the entanglement of multipartite pure or mixed states, because it usually involves complex optimization. In this paper, we are devoted to the geometric measure of entanglement of multipartite pure or mixed state by the means of real tensor spectrum theory. On the basis of Z-eigenvalue inclusion theorem and the estimation of weakly symmetric nonnegative tensor Z-spectrum radius, we propose some theoretical upper and lower bounds of the geometric measure of entanglement for weakly symmetric pure state with nonnegative amplitudes for two kinds of geometric measures with different definitions, respectively. In addition, the upper bound of the geometric measure of entanglement is also applied to multipartite mixed state case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing exploration of rare-earth elements (REEs) has resulted in a high REEs' exposure risk. Owing to their persistence and accumulation of REEs in the environment, their adverse effects have caused widespread concern. However, limited toxicological data are available for the adverse effects of yttrium (Y) and its underlying mechanisms of action. In the present study, H9c2 cardiomyocytes were used in vitro model to investigate the cardiotoxicity of yttrium chloride (YCl3). Results show that YCl3 treatment resulted in reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction, decrease in ∆Ψm, and DNA damage. Mechanistically, we detected expression levels of protein in response to cellular DNA damage and antioxidative defense. Results indicated that the phosphorylation of histone H2AX remarkably increased in a dose-dependent manner. At a high YCl3-exposure concentration (120 μM), specific DNA damage sensors ATM/ATR-Chk1/Chk2 were significantly decreased. The protein levels of key antioxidant genes Nrf2/PPARγ/HO-1 were also remarkably inhabited. Additionally, the antioxidant N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) pretreatment promoted the activation of antioxidative defense Nrf2/PPARγ signaling pathways, and prevented the production of cellular ROS, thus protecting the DNA from cleavage. Altogether, our findings suggest that YCl3 can induce DNA damage through causing intracellular ROS overproduction and inhibition of antioxidative defense, leading to cytotoxicity in H9c2 cardiomyocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding dynamic changes in the genetic architecture of quantitative traits is crucial in developmental genetics. Functional mapping is an appropriate method that passes a mathematical equation to describe a biological developmental process with the genetic mapping framework. Appropriate genetic model and applicable mapping population are indispensable condition for functional mapping of important agronomic traits in plants. Based on the Wang–Lan–Ding model, we ever applied a DH population to carry out functional mapping QTLs underlying growth trajectory on tiller number. However, inconsistent genetic background among the DH lines might disturb the mapping results. With the advent of innovative research materials, single segment substitution lines, allows us to do more precise genetic analyses. Thus functional mapping was again conducted on tiller number using the Wang–Lan–Ding model and a single segment substitution line population with the genetic background of Huajingxian 74 so as to explore QTL dynamic mechanism to regulate developmental traits. We detected that all five single segment substitution lines harbored tillering QTLs with additives and/or dominances to influence the four functional parameters, the optimum tillering time (t0), the maximum tiller number (K), the tillering increased rate (r) and the tillering decreased rate (c), which were estimated from the Wang–Lan–Ding model and with some biological meaning. They mainly brought the inflexion point (t0) delay, the peak increase (K) and the degradation (c) acceleration, while the growth (r) slow down. Moreover, epistatic interactions among these QTLs were confirmed to be prevalent. A total of 39 significant epistatic effects were detected to associate with the four parameters, occupying 34.8% of 112 pairs of epistatic interactions investigated. Contrary to the QTL effects, these epistatic effects largely decreased t0, K and c, while increased r. Our results indicated that the five QTL effects and their epistatic effects significantly changed the shape and trajectory of tiller number via influence of the four functional parameters. Rational use of these QTLs is expected to improve tillering number of rice by molecular design breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice varieties are required to have high yield and good grain quality. Grain chalkiness and grain shape are two important traits of rice grain quality. Low chalkiness slender grains are preferred by most rice consumers. Here, we dissected two closely linked quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling grain chalkiness and grain shape on rice chromosome 8 by substitution mapping. Two closely linked QTLs controlling grain chalkiness and grain shape were identified using single-segment substitution lines (SSSLs). The two QTLs were then dissected on rice chromosome 8 by secondary substitution mapping. qPGC8.1 was located in an interval of 1382.6 kb and qPGC8.2 was mapped in a 2057.1 kb region. The maximum distance of the two QTLs was 4.37 Mb and the space distance of two QTL intervals was 0.72 Mb. qPGC8.1 controlled grain chalkiness and grain width. qPGC8.2 was responsible for grain chalkiness, grain length and width. The additive effects of qPGC8.1 and qPGC8.2 on grain chalkiness were not affected by higher temperature. Two closely linked QTLs qPGC8.1 and qPGC8.2 were dissected on rice chromosome 8. They controlled the phenotypes of grain chalkiness and grain shape. The two QTLs were insensitive to higher temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Two-stage revision is the current gold standard treatment for infected total hip arthroplasties (THA) with good clinical outcomes. Single-stage revision THA offers the advantage of only a single surgical intervention, potentially leading to improved functional outcomes. This study aimed to compare the differences in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and complications between single and two-stage revision THA for chronic periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Methods: A total of 159 consecutive revision THA patients for chronic PJI with complete pre-and post-operative patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) was investigated. A total of 46 patients with single-stage revision THA was matched to 92 patients following two-stage revision THA using propensity score matching, yielding a total of 136 propensity score-matched patients for analysis. Results: Single and two-stage revision THA improved PROM scores post-operatively, with significantly higher PROMs for single-stage revision THA (HOOS-PS: 50.7 vs 46.4, p = 0.04; Physical SF 10A: 42.1 vs 36.6, p < 0.001; PROMIS SF Physical: 41.4 vs 37.4, p < 0.001; PROMIS SF Mental: 52.8 vs 47.6, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between both cohorts for reinfection rates (p = 0.81) and 90-day mortality rates (p = 1.0). Conclusion: This study found a demonstrable functional benefit of single-stage revision compared to two-stage revision for THA with chronic periprosthetic joint infection, suggesting that single-stage revision THA may provide an effective alternative to two-stage revision in selected patients with chronic PJI. Level of evidence: Level III, case-control retrospective analysis [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the distribution characteristics and similarity laws of nuclei under different pressures, based on the self-designed decompression chamber and the acoustic measuring system, the size distributions of nuclei in the degassed tap water under negative ambient pressures were measured. A number density distribution function of nuclei based on the modified Weibull distribution function was proposed and verified by the experimental measurement results and some published data of nuclei size distribution. Based on this nuclei number density distribution function, the similarity law of the nuclei size distribution was analyzed: in the scale experiment, the value of exponential in the similarity law of the nuclei number density should be determined by the nuclei size distribution of the water in the prototype experiment and the actual nuclei size distribution of the water in the model experiment. And a precondition is that the nuclei size distributions are similar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Fatty degeneration of the gluteal muscles on metal artefact reduction sequence (MARS) MRI has been shown to correlate with poor functional outcomes, particularly in patients with total hip arthroplasty (THA). Standardized, reliable classification systems that permit assessment of fatty gluteal infiltration are needed for clinical decision making. This study aimed to compare the reproducibility and accuracy of commonly used MRI classification systems for fatty gluteal atrophy in THA patients. Methods: MARS magnetic resonance images of 82 patients with unilateral THA were analysed by three independent trained observers. The readers evaluated fatty degeneration of the gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, and gluteus maximus according to 3 widely used classification systems: Goutallier, Quartile, and Bal and Lowe. Interobserver and intraobserver repeatability were determined using the weighted Kappa test. Quantitative evaluation of the proportion of intramuscular fat based on MR signal intensities was obtained and represented the gold standard. Results: Mean interobserver agreement for the Quartile classification system (0.93) was higher compared with Goutallier classification system (0.87) and the Bal and Lowe classification system (0.83; range 0.79–0.88; p = 0.04). Intraobserver repeatability was significantly higher for the Quartile classification system (weighted kappa 0.91, 0.89, 0.85) compared with the Bal and Lowe classification system (weighted kappa 0.83, 0.77, 0.75; p < 0.01) and Goutallier classification system (weighted kappa 0.83, 0.77, 0.75; p = 0.04). Agreement with the gold standard measurements was significantly higher in the Quartile classification system (0.88, 0.84, 0.81) compared with the Goutallier classification system (0.80, 0.77, 0.78; p = 0.02) and Bal and Lowe classification system (0.76, 0.74, 0.73; p < 0.01). Discussion: This study directly compared three clinically used MRI classification systems for fatty gluteal muscle atrophy in THA patients. Our findings demonstrate that although all three classification systems demonstrate good reproducibility and accuracy, the Quartile classification system is superior to the others in terms of intraobserver reliability and accuracy to quantify fatty gluteal degeneration in THA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the antibacterial activity of patchouli alcohol (PA) against 127 bacteria strains, including the common bacteria and drug-resistant bacteria strains both in the in vitro and in vivo tests. Methods: For the in vitro trial, the antibacterial property of PA against 107 Gram-positive and 20 Gram-negative bacteria strains was screened by agar double dilution method. For the in vivo trial, specific pathogen free Kunming strain of both male and female white mice, were used to test the protective ability of PA after being injected with the median lethal dose of the tested strains. Results: PA possessed antibacterial activity against all the tested 127 strains. In the in vitro test, PA could inhibit both Gram-negative bacteria (25–768μg/mL) and Gram-positive bacteria (1.5–200μg/mL). Particularly, PA was active against some drug-resistant bacteria like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). PA also exhibited in vivo anti-MRSA activity in mice via intraperitoneal injection. PA could protect mice entirely infected with MRSA at 100 and 200 mg/kg, while 80% mice injected with MRSA could be protected at a low dose of 50μg/mL. Conclusion: PA might be a potential antibacterial drug from natural sources and might be worthy to explore its mechanism and application in further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present some new Z -eigenvalue inclusion theorem for tensors by categorizing the entries of tensors, and prove that these sets are more precise than existing results. On this basis, some lower and upper bounds for the Z -spectral radius of weakly symmetric nonnegative tensors are proposed, which improves some of the existing results. As applications, we give some estimates of the best rank-one approximation rate in weakly symmetric nonnegative tensors and the maximal orthogonal rank of real orthogonal tensors, and our results are more precise than existing result in some situations. In particular, for a given symmetric multipartite pure state with nonnegative amplitudes in real field, some theoretical lower and upper bounds for the geometric measure of entanglement are also derived in terms of the bounds for Z -spectral radius. Numerical examples are given to illustrate validity and superiority of our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: By comparing epidemiologic and prognostic data of synovial sarcoma subtypes, this study aims to clarify the difference in prognosis and risk factors among different synovial sarcoma subtypes. Methods: In total, 1692 patients with synovial sarcoma in the USA who were diagnosed during 1975 through 2016 and retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program were studied. Results: There were statistically significant differences in the distribution of age and race among three synovial sarcoma subtypes, while no major differences in the distribution of sex, tumor stage, and tumour size were found. The highest five and ten year survival rates were found in the biphasic subtype (69%, 60%), followed by the monophasic subtype (59%, 49%), and lowest in the epithelioid subtype (32%, 26%). Age and SEER historic stage were the two demographic factors that found to have statistically significant impact on survival in all subtypes. Radiation was found to be protective in the monophasic subtype (HR 0.61, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Among different synovial sarcoma subtypes, the biphasic subtype favoured the best survival, while the epithelioid cell subtype was associated with the worst. Male and black race were independently associated with worse survival only in the monophasic subtype. Radiotherapy could provide significant benefit for patients with the monophasic synovial sarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our paper, we concentrate on the Z-eigenvalue inclusion theorem and its application in the geometric measure of entanglement of multipartite pure states. We present a new Z-eigenvalue inclusion theorem by virtue of the division and classification of tensor elements, and tighter bounds of Z-spectral radius of weakly symmetric nonnegative tensors are obtained. As applications, we present some theoretical upper and lower bounds of entanglement for symmetric pure state with nonnegative amplitudes for two kinds of geometric measures with different definitions, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(D,E) Percentages of the number of cells located on the lower side of chambers and Matrigel-coated chambers in the presence of ISL with miR-374a interference. (B) Chamber migration and invasion assay analysis of the effect of miR-374a transfection on breast cancer motile ability with ISL interference. [Extracted from the article]

The deformation of thin-wall stacked structures with low stiffness has been a common problem in the aircraft assembly process, making it difficult to achieve tight tolerance of the countersink depth in one-shot stack drilling. This difficulty is attributed to the complex tool position relative to the workpiece during the machining process. In this paper, an approach to countersink depth control composed of real measurement of the workpiece deformation and compensation of the tool position is presented. The deformation of the workpiece is divided into the following two categories: the rotation angle perpendicular to the feed direction and the deformation along the feed direction. These types of deformation are analysed regarding their influence on the countersink depth error. Effective measures are taken to ensure the countersink depth accuracy; such measures include the adjustment of the normal vector of the drilling position after the clamping process, the error monitoring of the normal vector during machining, and the multi-level compensation during machining. Theoretical analysis and validation of the proposed solution via comparative experiments showed a clear understanding of the coupled interaction of the thrust force with the workpiece deformation and corresponding reduction in the countersink depth error. The compensation solution requires simple computation and is straightforward to implement in industrial automatic drilling applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is one of the most frightful causes of death among females worldwide. Accumulating evidence attached the importance of microRNAs negative regulation to tumorigenesis in breast cancer, suggesting novel cancer therapies targeting microRNAs modulation. Recent studies demonstrated that isoliquiritigenin could inhibit breast cancer cells proliferation and migration, but the underlying mechanism is still limited. In this study, the anti-cancer effects as well as the detailed mechanisms of isoliquiritigenin were explored. The results proved that isoliquiritigenin could negatively regulate breast cancer growth through the induction of apoptosis. We also verified the anti-cancer effect of isoliquiritigenin on migration and invasion, and identified highly expressed miR-374a as one of the main microRNAs down-regulated by isoliquiritigenin treatment in breast cancer. Further study displayed that isoliquiritigenin increased PTEN expression through the decrease of miR-374a expression to inhibit the aberrant Akt signaling. Our findings suggest isoliquiritigenin as a novel anti-cancer candidate significantly regulating miR-374a/PTEN/Akt axis in microRNA-based breast cancer therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. is an important medicinal plant; however, its molecular biology remains largely unexplored. Here, we report the results of whole transcriptome-wide analyses of P. cablin using next-generation sequencing technology. In the present study, we generated 108,996 unigenes using RNA sequencing data. Among these unigenes, 65,536 were annotated in the NR database. There were 40,670 intact open reading frames (ORFs), which accounted for 69 % of the 58,820 predicted ORFs, demonstrating that our assembled transcriptome was of high quality. Gene expression levels in the leaf and stem were quantified, and 18,481 unigenes (17 %) were determined to be significantly differentially expressed. The patchouli alcohol (PA) and pogostone (PO) metabolic pathway of P. cablin was also reconstructed, and among the 17 putative homologs to PA and PO biosynthesis-related genes, seven were significantly upregulated in the stems, and three genes were significantly upregulated in the leaves. The correlation between the essential oil contents of P. cablin and the potentially pivotal genes for PA and PO production were identified. Considering that the contents of PA and PO in leaves and stems are markedly different in the same plant and we did not detect any pattern in the expression levels of candidate genes between leaves and stems, we speculate that after the biosynthesis, more PA probably accumulates in the leaves, and more PO in the stems of P. cablin. The transcriptome of P. cabin will facilitate further researches on the molecular system biology of the Pogostemon genus, as well as the in-depth studyies of PA and PO biosynthesis and its potential applications for genetic engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is a malignant disease to treat among female worldwide due to its high capability to metastasize and mutate. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition is one of the essential processes involved in the metastatic capacity of breast cancer. In the recent time, the studies demonstrate that microRNAs, a kind of small non-coding RNA molecules, could be served as negative regulators in breast cancer, regulating cell cycle, drug resistance, and the process of metastasis in cancer development. With the assistance of microRNA profiling, the study concentrating on the regulatory function of miRNAs in breast cancer could be investigated more effectively and efficiently. More recent studies demonstrate that miRNAs have an important role to play in the EMT process of breast cancer to modulate metastasis. This small essay is on the purpose of demonstrating the significance and detection of miRNAs in breast cancer EMT process as oncogenes and tumor suppress genes through miRNA profiling according to the reports mainly in the recent 5 years, providing the evidence of efficient target therapy and effective pro-diagnosis focusing on miRNAs expression of breast cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the transmitted part of the incident wave is considered to revise Taylor's solution, which is used to extend its application for analytical models to predict the response of the plate with different material properties. The influence of the material properties and the boundary condition of the plate on fluid and structural dynamics is systematically investigated. The analytical results are compared with those of detailed dynamic FE simulations and the two are in good agreement. The results indicate that the analytical method is valid and suitable for the plates with different material properties subjected to underwater explosion. It is found that Taylor's results of the plate with small impedance are invalid, which indicates a potential application field for the analytical method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Zn-Al-layered double hydroxides were firstly prepared and then dehydrated to calcined-layered double hydroxides (c-LDHs) by annealing at elevated temperature. The structure, surface area, and adsorption properties of the prepared samples were studied. The results show that the surface area of the c-LDHs is enlarged compared to their precursors, which is favorable for the adsorption of methyl orange (MO). The optimum pH for the adsorption of MO ranges from 4 to 9. In such conditions, MO can be adsorbed on the surface and inserted into the layers of the adsorbent, thus the c-LDHs possess high adsorption capacity even at low MO concentration. The adsorption process can be well described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the adsorption isotherm of MO on the c-LDHs follows the Langmuir equation. The adsorption mechanism of MO on the c-LDHs and the recycling adsorption performance of the c-LDHs are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with peptide-based mimotope, anti-idiotypic antibodies (AIds) are considered as promising biosynthetic surrogate antigen because these antibodies display stable protein conformation. Nevertheless, conventional AIds are generated by immunizing animals with heterologous idiotypic antibody in vivo; isolated AIds commonly exhibit a higher affinity to primary antibodies than target analytes because AIds undergo an affinity-matured process during immune responses, resulting in low sensitivity in competitive immunoassay. In the present study, an anti-citrinin monoclonal antibody (anti-CIT McAb) was designed as primary antibody; one β-type AI alpaca heavy chain single domain antibody (β-AI VHH) was selected as a citrinin (CIT) surrogate from a naive phage-displayed VHH library. The affinity constant ( K) of obtained β-AI VHH to anti-CIT McAb (160 nM) is 2.35 times lower than that of CIT and ovalbumin conjugates (CIT-OVA) to anti-CIT McAb (68 nM). The developed VHH-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (V-ELISA) can be used to perform dynamic linear detection of CIT in 10 % (v/v) methanol/PBS from 5.0 to 300.0 ng/mL, with a median inhibitory concentration (IC) of 44.6 ng/mL ( n = 3); this result was twice as good as that of indirect competitive ELISA (ic-ELISA, IC = 96.2 ng/mL) with CIT-OVA as a coating antigen. Moreover, the precision of V-ELISA was evaluated by analyzing average recoveries and coefficient of variations of CIT-spiked cereal sample; the reliability of V-ELISA was also validated with a conventional ic-ELISA. In summary, the proposed strategy has a great potential for panning other β-AI VHH toward small organic molecules from a naive VHH library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the mechanical properties of cement mortar in sodium sulfate and sodium chloride solutions, uniaxial compression test and ultrasonic test were performed. Test results show that the relative dynamic elastic modulus, the mass variation, and the compressive strength of cement mortar increase first, and then decrease with increasing erosion time in sodium sulfate and sodium chloride solutions. The relative dynamic elastic moduli and the compressive strengths of cement mortars with water/cement ratios of 0.55 and 0.65 in sodium sulfate solution are lower than those in sodium chloride solution with the same concentration at the 420th day of immersion. The compressive strength of cement mortar with water/cement ratio of 0.65 is more sensitive to strain rate than that with water/cement ratio of 0.55. In addition, the strain-rate sensitivity of compressive strength of cement mortar will increase under attacks of sodium sulfate or sodium chloride solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has a long history of earthquake records, and the Longmenshan fault system (LFS) is a famous earthquake zone. We believed that the LFS could be divided into three seismogenic zones (north, central, and south zones) based on the geological structures and the earthquake catalog. We applied the Bayesian probability method using extreme-value distribution of earthquake occurrences to estimate the seismic hazard in the LFS. The seismic moment, slip rate, earthquake recurrence rate, and magnitude were considered as the basic parameters for computing the Bayesian prior estimates of the seismicity. These estimates were then updated in terms of Bayes' theorem and historical estimates of seismicity in the LFS. Generally speaking, the north zone seemingly is quite peaceful compared with the central and south zones. The central zone is the most dangerous; however, the periodicity of earthquake occurrences for M = 8.0 is quite long (1,250 to 5,000 years). The selection of upper bound probable magnitude influences the result, and the upper bound magnitude of the south zone maybe 7.5. We obtained the empirical relationship of magnitude conversion for M and ML, the values of the magnitude of completeness Mc (3.5), and the Gutenberg-Richter b value before applying the Bayesian extreme-value distribution of earthquake occurrences method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the existence of the flow field boundary, the shock wave load near the boundary is different from the free field shock wave load. In the present paper, the hull plate load subjected to underwater shock wave is investigated based on wave motion theories; in addition, the experimental study of the hull plate load is carried out. According to the theoretical analysis of the hull plate pressure, we find that the hull plate pressure oscillates repeatedly and decays rapidly with time passing, the maximum hull plate pressure is 2/(1+ n) times the maximum free field pressure, where n is the ratio of impedance, and the impulse is much smaller than the free field impulse. Compared with the experimental study, the theoretical results agree well with the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To the Editor: We read with great interest the article by Wang et al. [[1]] about the relationship between platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and survival outcome of elderly patients with hip fracture. Acta Orthop. https://doi.org/10.1080/17453674.2020.1850940 5 Leer-Salvesen S, Engesæter LB, Dybvik E. Does time from fracture to surgery affect mortality and intraoperative medical complications for hip fracture patients?. [Extracted from the article]

Neutral protease I from Aspergillus oryzae 3.042 was expressed in Pichia pastoris and its N-glycosylation properties were analyzed. After purification by nickel-affinity chromatography column, the recombinant neutral protease (rNPI) was confirmed to be N-glycosylated by periodicacid/Schiff's base staining and Endo H digestion. Moreover, the deglycosylated protein's molecular weight decreased to 43.3 kDa from 54.5 kDa analyzed by SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF-MS, and the hyperglycosylation extent was 21 %. The N-glycosylation site of rNPI was analyzed by nano LC-MS/MS after digesting by trypsin and Glu-C, and the unique potential site Asn of mature peptide was found to be glycosylated. Homology modeling of the 3D structure of rNPI indicated that the attached N-glycans hardly affected neutral protease's activity due to the great distance away from the active site of the enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pt-Ni alloy nanoparticles with different Pt/Ni atomic ratios supported on functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes surface were synthesized via an impregnation-reduction method. The nanocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and electrochemical techniques. XRD demonstrated that Pt was alloyed with Ni. TEM showed that the Pt-Ni alloy nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed on the multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) surface, indicating appropriate amount of Ni in Pt-Ni alloy which facilitates the dispersion of nanoparticles on the MWCNT surface. XPS revealed that the Pt 4f peak in Pt-Ni/MWCNT (4:1) catalyst shifted to a lower binding energy compared with Pt/MWCNT catalyst, and nickel oxides/hydroxides such as NiO, Ni(OH), and NiOOH were on the surface of Pt-Ni nanoparticles. Electrochemical data based on cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometric curves indicated that Pt-Ni (4:1) alloy nanoparticles exhibited distinctly higher activity and better stability than those of Pt/MWCNTs toward methanol oxidation in alkaline media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the behaviors of a bubble in the ship wake flow, the numerical simulation is divided into two stages, quasi-spherical motion and non-spherical motion, based on whether the bubble is captured by the vortex or not. The one-way coupled particle tracking method (PTM) and the boundary element method (BEM) are adopted to simulate these two stages, respectively. Meanwhile, the initial condition of the second stage is taken as the output of the first one, and the entire simulation is connected and completed. Based on the numerical results and the published experimental data, the cavitation inception is studied, and the wake bubble is tracked. Besides, the split of the bubble captured by the vortex and the following sub-bubbles are simulated, including motion, deformation, and collapse. The results provide some insights into the control on wake bubbles and optimization of the wake flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic reaction and degradation of methylene blue on TiO 2 films illuminated by ultraviolet light in air and in vacuum were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that TiO 2 film has photocatalytic activity in high vacuum, while the oxygen-containing groups on TiO 2 film play a very important role in maintaining photocatalytic reaction, a certain nitrogenous group has been removed from the methylene blue molecule to make the atomic ratio of its N and S decrease from 2.83 to 2.09, and form the intermediate reaction products containing benzene ring and N, S heterocycle, which can be degraded incompletely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It remains controversial whether tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α antagonism is effective for asthma. This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate efficacy of TNF-α antagonism in treatment of patients with asthma. MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, and CINAHL databases were searched for English-language studies published through January 3, 2010. Randomized-controlled trials comparing TNF-α antagonism with control therapy were selected. For each report, data were extracted in relation to the outcomes analyzed: asthma exacerbation, asthma quality of life questionnaire scores, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second. Four assessable trials were identified including 641 patients with asthma. TNF-α antagonism therapy was superior to control therapy in preventing exacerbations in asthmatics [pooled odds ratio 0.52 (95% confidence interval 0.29-0.88), P=0.02]; however, there was a nonsignificant reduction in asthma quality of life questionnaire scores [0.23 (0 to 0.47), P=0.05], forced expiratory volume in 1 second [0.03, (−0.14 to 0.10), P=0.74] when analyzed using standardized mean differences. TNF-α antagonism was superior to control chemotherapy in terms of asthma exacerbation, but not asthma quality of life questionnaire scores or forced expiratory volume in 1 second. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the boundary integral method, a 3D bubble breakup model in a narrow flow field is established, and a corresponding computation program is developed to simulate the symmetrical and asymmetrical bubble breakup. The calculated results are compared with the experimental results and agree with them very well, indicating that the numerical model is valid. Based on the basic behavior of bubbles in a narrow flow field, the symmetrical and asymmetrical bubble breakup is studied systematically using the developed program. A feasibility rule of 3D bubble breakup is presented. The dynamics of sub-bubbles after splitting is studied. The influences of characteristic parameters on bubble breakup and sub-bubble dynamics are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusion of bubbles is a common and significant phenomenon in the nature. In this work, the potential flow theory and the boundary integral method are employed to simulate the fusion of underwater explosion bubbles. Based on the numerical and experimental results in the literature, a three-dimensional model of bubble fusion is established. A good agreement is shown between the numerical results and experimental data. Influences of characteristic parameters such as distance and depth are specifically investigated by using the developed three-dimensional program, resulting in favorable curves and conclusions. This work provides references for the relevant research on fusion mechanics and dynamic characteristics of bubbles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Marine Science & Application 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.)

Copyright of Journal of Marine Science & Application 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.)

A new isolator composed of a steel rope spring and a magneto-rheological (MR) damper was designed and a study on low-frequency mechanical characteristics of MR dampers in isolators was carried out. It used the characteristics of the MR damper, such as fast response, controllable damping, small energy consumption, wide dynamic scope, and great adaptation. The relationships between MR damping forces and influencing factors were analyzed based on experimental data. The results show that damping force is not only related to structural dimensions, but also closely related to controllable current and vibration frequency. Finally, the empirical formula for damping forces was corrected, and the relationship between correction coefficients and factors analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, in order to predict the residual deformation of thick spherical structure, a welding program is compiled in APDL language based on Ansys and a numerical welding experiment of a welding example is carried out. The temperature field of welding was simulated firstly, then a thermal-structure coupling analysis was carried out, and at last the residual stress and deformation after welding were got. After that, the numerical experiment result was compared with physical experiment one. The comparative analysis shows that the numerical simulation fits well with physical experiment. On the basis of that, a three-dimensional numerical experiment of a thick spherical shell structure was carried out to get the changing rule of stress and deformation of a thick spherical shell structure during welding. The research is of great value to the prediction of residual deformation and high precision machining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]