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Modified polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) resin was prepared using octafluoropentyl methacrylate and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate as modifying monomers through seeded emulsion polymerization. The successful incorporation of octafluoropentyl methacrylate into the PVDC resin was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and XPS were utilized to investigate the element distribution in the modified monomer emulsion and the mechanism of monomer modification. The results demonstrated that the fluorine monomer was reacted in the resin, and mainly concentrated on the surface of the resin. The addition of octafluoropentyl methacrylate and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate improved the water resistance of the resin. Compared to unmodified PVDC resin, the contact angle of the modified PVDC resin increased from 89.46° to 109.51°, and the water resistance at room temperature increased from 120 to 500 h. Furthermore, the modified resin exhibited excellent mechanical properties, thermal stability, and storage stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Childhood precocious puberty (CPP) is a common pediatric endocrine disorder with significant associated risks. Zhibai Dihuang pill (ZBDHP), a classic recipe of the Qing dynasty with its efficacy of nourishing yin and clearing heat, can downregulate the expression of ESR1 in the uterus and ovaries, thereby inhibiting CPP. However, as of now, the main active ingredients and pharmacological mechanisms of ZBDHP remain unclear. Methods: A comprehensive approach was proposed using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole‐Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐Q‐Exactive Orbitrap‐MS) and network pharmacology to explore the potentially active constituents of ZBDHP and reveal the underlying mechanisms against CPP. Molecular docking was used to verify the possible mechanisms. Results: A total of 214 constituents derived were identified via UHPLC‐Q‐Exactive Orbitrap‐MS, and 12 of them were definitely characterized using reference standards. Subsequently, compounds tetrahydropalmatine, alisol C, 25‐anhydroalisol A 11‐acetate, hispidone, cavidine, alisol E, melianone, neogitogenin, denudatin B, and 16β‐hydroperoxyalisol B with related targets PIK3CA, HSD11B1, CYP19A1, AR, PTGS2, CDK2, NR3C1, MMP2, MMP1, and MAPK1 were regarded as key components and targets for ZBDHP treating CPP using the compound–target–pathway network. Besides, the results revealed that the pathways conduced obviously to therapeutic efficacy, including pathways in cancer, neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate（cAMP） signaling pathways. Molecular docking indicated that PIK3CA, HSD11B1, and CYP19A1 exhibited high affinities to corresponding compounds. Overall, the study determined the multicomponent, multitarget, and multipathway mechanisms of ZBDHP against CPP. Conclusions: This study provided a new method for exploring the chemical constituents and pharmacology mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Himalayan marmot oil (SPO) has been used for pharmaceutical purposes for centuries, but its composition is still unclear. The bioactivity of SPO highly depends on the techniques used for its processing. This study focused on the comprehensive lipidomics of SPO, especially on the ones derived from dry rendering, wet rendering, cold pressing, and ultrasound‐assisted solvent extraction. Methods: We performed lipid profiling of SPO acquired by different extraction methods using ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography Q‐Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry, and 17 classes of lipids (2 BMPs, 12 LysoPCs, 9 LysoPEs, 41 PCs, 24 PEs, 23 Plasmenyl‐PCs, 10 Plasmenyl‐PEs, 10 MGs, 63 DGs, 187 TGs, 2 MGDGs, 3 Cer[NDS]s, 22 Cer[NS]s, 2 GlcCer[NS]s, 14 SMs, 14 CEs, and 6 AcylCarnitines) were characterized. Results: Fifty‐five lipids were differentially altered (VIP > 1.5, p < 0.05) between the extraction techniques, which can be used as potential biomarkers to differentiate SPO extracted by various methods. Additionally, the contents of oleic acid and arachidic acid were abundant in all samples that may suggest their medicinal values and are conducive to in‐depth research. Conclusions: These findings reveal the alterations of lipid profile and free fatty acid composition in SPO obtained with different extraction methods, providing a theoretical foundation for investigating its important components as functional factors in medicines and cosmetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, is closely linked to aqueous overaccumulation and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). For refractory glaucoma, aqueous shunts with valves are commonly implanted for effective aqueous drainage control and IOP stabilization. However, existing valved glaucoma implants have the disadvantages of inconsistent valve opening/closing pressures, poor long‐term repeatability due to their reliance on moving parts, and complex architectures and fabrication processes. Here, we propose a novel valving concept, the droplet Laplace valve (DLV), a three‐dimensional printable moving‐parts‐free microvalve with customizable and consistent threshold valving pressures. The DLV uses a flow discretization unit governed by capillarity, comprising a droplet‐forming nozzle, and a separated reservoir to digitize continuous flow into quantifiable droplets. Unlike the classic one‐time‐use Laplace valves, the DLV's unique design allows for its reusability. The opening pressure is adjustable by varying the nozzle size, like the classic Laplace valves (following the Young–Laplace equation), while the closing pressure can be modified by tuning the separation distance and the reservoir size. Various DLVs with customizable opening pressures from 5 to 11 mmHg have been demonstrated, with opening/closing pressure differences suppressed down to <0.5 mmHg (<0.15 mmHg under the best conditions). Thanks to its moving‐parts‐free nature and digitized flow properties, the DLV shows a highly repeatable valving performance (<1.7%, 1000 cycles) and a predictable linear flow rate–pressure correlation (R2 > 0.99). Preliminary ex vivo validation in an enucleated porcine eye confirms the DLV's efficiency in aqueous shunting and prompt IOP stabilization. The DLV technology holds great promise in glaucoma implants for IOP management and various microsystems for flow control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Both intestinal symptoms and comorbidities exist in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and influence their quality of life (QOL). More research is needed to determine how these variables impact the QOL of IBS patients. This study aimed to determine which specific factors had a higher influence on QOL and to further compare the effects of intestinal symptoms and comorbidities on QOL. Methods: IBS patients were recruited from six tertiary hospitals in different regions of China. QOL, gastrointestinal symptoms, and comorbidities were assessed by different scales. Correlation analysis, multiple linear regression, and mediation model were used for statistics. Results: Four hundred fifty‐three IBS patients (39.7% women, mean age 45 years) were included and no significant differences in QOL were found across demographic characteristics. Abnormal defecation (r = −0.398), fatigue (r = −0.266), and weakness (r = −0.286) were found to show higher correlation with QOL. More than 40% of IBS patients were found to suffer from varying degrees of anxiety or depression, and anxiety (r = −0.564) and depression (r = −0.411) were significantly negatively correlated with QOL (P < 0.001). Psychological factors showed the strongest impact (β′ = −0.451) and play a strong mediating role in the impact of physiological symptoms on QOL. Anxiety was found to be the strongest factor (β′ = −0.421). Conclusion: Compared with other symptoms, psychological symptoms, particularly anxiety, are more common and have a more negative influence on QOL. The QOL of IBS patients is also significantly impacted by abnormal defecation, abdominal distension, and systemic extraintestinal somatic symptoms. In the treatment of IBS patients with unhealthy mental status, psychotherapy might be prioritized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic insult stimulates proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs) in the subventricular zone (SVZ) after stroke. However, only a fraction of NSC‐derived neuroblasts from SVZ migrate toward poststroke brain region. We have previously reported that direct‐current stimulation guides NSC migration toward the cathode in vitro. Accordingly, we set up a new method of transcranial direct‐current stimulation (tDCS), in which the cathodal electrode is placed on the ischemic hemisphere and anodal electrode on the contralateral hemisphere of rats subjected to ischemia–reperfusion injury. We show that the application of this bilateral tDCS (BtDCS) promotes the migration of NSC‐derived neuroblasts from SVZ toward the cathode direction into poststroke striatum. Reversing the position of the electrodes blocks the effect of BtDCS on the migration of neuroblasts from SVZ. BtDCS protects against neuronal death and improves the functional recovery of stroke animals. Thus, the migration of NSC‐derived neuroblasts from SVZ toward poststroke brain region contributes to the effect of BtDCS against ischemia‐induced neuronal death, supporting a potential development of noninvasive BtDCS as an endogenous neurogenesis‐based stroke therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planting bamboo and trees is of great importance in giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) habitat restoration. In practice, however, simply planting bamboo and trees cannot effectively and rapidly restore lost, degraded, and fragmented habitats. Based on present restoration work in the Qinling Mountains, China, we argue that: (1) Planting should be done on open and suitable forest lands, but the area that could be afforested is relatively small. (2) Forests that have regrown naturally on cut‐over lands are mostly middle‐aged and early secondary stands, which need to be managed, not replanted. (3) Plantations of non‐native larch (Larix spp.) urgently need to be replaced and replanted with native trees and bamboos, but new policies are needed that allow these plantations to be thinned or cut. (4) Bamboo forests in the mid‐high mountain zones need to be assessed to determine if they are disclimaxes of degraded forests. Pilot studies are needed to determine the best need and practices to rehabilitate and restore them. We conclude that the restoration of panda habitat cannot be accomplished simply through tree and bamboo plantings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the hip joint forces, Von Mises stress, contact pressure and micro‐motion of hip prosthesis for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) patients under different hip joint centers using musculoskeletal (MSK) multi‐body dynamics and finite element analysis. Methods: Both MSK multi‐body dynamics model and finite element (FE) model were based on CT data of a young female DDH patient with total hip replacement and were developed to study the biomechanics of the S‐ROM hip prosthesis. The same offset of hip joint center along all six orientations compared with the standard position was set to predict its effects on both MSK multi‐body dynamics and contact mechanics during one gait cycle. Results: The hip joint forces in the entire walking gait cycle showed two peak values and clear differences between them under different hip joint centers. The hip joint force increased when the hip joint center moved posteriorly (2101 N) and laterally (1969 N) to the anatomical center (1848 N) at the first peak by 13.7% and 6.6%, respectively. The hip joint force increased sharply when the hip center deviated laterally (2115 N) and anteriorly (2407 N), respectively, from the standard position (1742 N) at the second peak. For the sleeve of the S‐ROM prosthesis, the maximum Von Mises stress and contact pressure of the sleeve increased if the hip joint center deviated from the anatomical center posteriorly at the first peak. However, the Von Mises stresses and contact pressure increased at anterior and lateral orientations, compared to that of the standard position at the second peak. Small changes were observed for the maximum relative sliding distance along most of the orientations at both peaks except in the lateral and medial orientations, in which an increase of 8.6% and a decrease of 13.6% were observed, respectively. Conclusion: The hip joint center obviously influenced the hip joint forces, stress, contact pressure and micro‐motion of the hip implant for this female patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal treatment for resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is controversial, especially in the context of potential benefit of combining PD‐1 blockade with neoadjuvant therapy. This phase 2 study aimed to assess neoadjuvant camrelizumab plus chemotherapy in this population. Patients (clinical stage II‐IVA) received two cycles of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy (NIC) with camrelizumab (200 mg on day 1) plus nab‐paclitaxel (260 mg/m2 in total on day 1 and day 8) and cisplatin (75 mg/m2 in total on days 1‐3) of each 21‐day cycle. Surgery was performed approximately 6 weeks after completion of NIC. Primary endpoint was complete pathologic response (CPR) rate in primary tumor. Secondary endpoints were objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST v1.1, 2‐year progression‐free survival (PFS) rate after surgery, PFS, overall survival (OS) and safety during NIC and perioperative period. Between 17 January 2020 and 8 December 2020, 56 patients were enrolled, and 51 received esophagectomy. Data cutoff date was 25 August 2021. The CPR rate was 35.3% (95% CI, 21.7%‐48.9%). NIC had an ORR of 66.7% (95% CI, 40.0%‐70.4%) and treatment‐related adverse events (TRAEs) of low severity (grade 1‐2, 75.0%; grade 3, 10.7%; grade 4‐5, no). No perioperative mortality occurred. Three (5.9%) patients had tumor recurrence and one (2.0%) patient died. The 2‐year PFS rate, median PFS and median OS had not been reached yet. Camrelizumab plus neoadjuvant chemotherapy in resectable ESCC demonstrates promising efficacy with acceptable toxicity, providing a feasible and effective option. Study is ongoing for long‐term survival analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The back cover of the April 2024 issue of Droplet features an image related to a research article titled "Droplet Laplace valve‐enabled glaucoma implant for intraocular pressure management" by Wang et al. The image showcases a moving-parts-free microvalve that can be customized to manage intraocular pressure in refractory glaucoma. The microvalve operates on capillarity-driven flow discretization and consists of a droplet-generation nozzle and collecting reservoir. This technology shows promise for glaucoma implants and other microsystems that require a passive and reliable microvalve. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: The genus Aster plants have been widely used for thousands of years in the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau for the clearing of heat, detoxification, and the treatment of seasonal pandemic diseases. Although the presence of several flavonoid compounds in Aster has been reported by previous studies, the diversity of secondary metabolites within and among species is relatively unknown. Objective: The metabolite profile of one Aster species was systematically compared with those of other taxa to find potential chemotaxonomic markers, delimit species, and assess chemodiversity. Method: Samples of the above‐ground parts of 11 Aster species were collected and their metabolites were analysed by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection and quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry. Unsupervised principal component analysis, supervised orthogonal partial least‐squares discriminant analysis, heatmap analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis were employed to analyse 95 representative samples from 11 Aster species and determine species‐specific chemical markers based on a metabolomics database. Results: Six phenolic acids and flavonoids were detected and quantified in all Aster species, suggesting that these compounds may be common constituents in the Aster genus. Metabolite analysis showed terpenoid compounds to be potential chemical markers for interspecies differentiation. Ent‐kaurane‐type diterpenoid glycosides were the main class of compounds in all Aster species except for A. farreri, which mainly contained oleanane‐type pentacyclic triterpenoids. Diterpenoid glycosides were low‐content chemotaxonomic markers and were detected for the first time in Aster species from the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau. Conclusion: Chemotaxonomy and metabolomics were used to support the phylogenic relationships of the Aster genus. A new UHPLC‐QTOF‐MS‐based metabolomics method was developed to analyze 95 samples of 11 Aster species.67 compounds were identified or tentatively characterized at a run time and 6 compounds of Aster species were accurately determined.The differentiation of intra and inter species were declared by chemical profile and statistical analysis, and the study provided chemotaxonomy evidence for the phylogeny of Aster species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium cobalt silicate Li2CoSiO4 (LCSO) is a promising but challenging high energy‐density cathode for lithium‐ion battery. Herein, recent studies of synthesis–structure–performance of LCSO are reported, in which carbon coating, element doping, and nanostructure designs are incorporated in a two‐step synthesis starting with hydrothermal reaction. The initial performance is significantly improved with respect to previous reports in literature with the charge and discharge capacities now reaching 330 and 220 mAh g−1, respectively. The discharge voltage platform is compatible with the 4 V window of the nonaqueous organic electrolytes and presents no structural‐change‐induced voltage drops. The striking finding from the study of LCSO is the oxygen redox activity amid the second lithium deintercalation process, in which peroxo formation dominates the charge compensation to the high‐voltage lithium capacity. First‐principles modeling reveals an intrinsic and general relation between oxygen redox and cationic disorder in bulk compounds. Thus, LCSO is a new prototype of polyanionic materials with oxygen redox, which is the foundation of high‐capacity Li‐rich cathodes. This review is also aimed to narrate the progresses of LCSO within a broad domain of Li3PO4‐based polyanionic structures that support the development of solid‐state electrolytes for all solid‐state batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low sensitivity of fluorescent sensors with "turn‐off" response for identifying Al3+ has limited their wide application in the field of ion sensing. Herein, this paper reports a novel fluorescence sensor (L) endowing with "turn‐on" fluorescence response based on imidazo[2,1‐b]thiazole for recognizing Al3+ in aqueous solutions. Results show that the L exhibits high selectivity and sensitivity with "turn‐on" fluorescence response towards Al3+, but also has strong anti‐interference to other common ions. In addition, the excellent color change can be distinguished by naked eyes under UV light and the test papers show great potential for detecting Al3+ in tap water. The supposed sensing mechanism of L to Al3+ could be attributed to the inhibition of photo‐induced electron transfer (PET) and chelation‐enhanced fluorescence (CHEF). Such a novel design pathway is expected to offer helpful guidance for fabricating various sensors with "turn‐on" fluorescence response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen redox in Li‐rich oxides may boost the energy density of lithium‐ion batteries by incorporating oxygen chemistry in solid cathodes. However, oxygen redox in the bulk usually entangles with voltage hysteresis and oxygen release, resulting in a prolonged controversy in literature on oxygen transformation. Here, we report spectroscopic evidence of peroxo species formed and confined in silicate cathodes amid oxygen redox at high voltage, accompanied by Co2+/Co3+ redox dominant at low voltage. First‐principles calculations reveal that localized electrons on dangling oxygen drive the O‐O dimerization. The covalence between the binding cation and the O‐O dimer determines the degree of electron transfer in oxygen transformation. Dimerization induces irreversible structural distortion and slow kinetics. But peroxo formation can minimize the voltage drop and volume expansion in cumulative cationic and anionic redox. These findings offer insights into oxygen redox in the bulk for the rational design of high‐energy‐density cathodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corners, highly important local features of images and corner finding, play a crucial role in computer vision and image processing, such as object tracking and vehicle detection. Proposing effective and efficient corner detectors is the aim of corner detection. In this study, the authors first present a new measure of corner sharpness termed as the point‐to‐centroid distance (PCD) and then examine its behaviours, which display beneficial characteristics that help distinguish corners from non‐corners. Based on PCD behaviours, the authors propose a novel corner detector. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the PCD technique is effective and simultaneously efficient for corner detection compared with six other contour‐based corner detectors in terms of two commonly used evaluation metrics – average repeatability and localisation error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a diagnosis method for open-circuit faults of six-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor. When the open-circuit fault occurs in the single-bridge arm or the double-bridge arm, wavelet transform extracts the trigger signal of fault, and the z1–z2 plane current component is analysed. Seven kinds of fault modes are defined by analysing the characteristics of the scatter plot of the z1–z2 plane current component. The fractal dimension of the z1–z2 plane current component scatter plot is calculated to accurately quantify the fault modes. Moreover, 13 fault areas are defined by analysing the current centroid position of the z1–z2 plane current component. First, the diagnosis of two particular kinds of fault modes is completed by selecting the fault area. Besides, the diagnosis of the remaining five kinds of fault modes is completed by combining the fault area and the fault mode. The conditions for judging all open-circuit faults are summarised to establish a fault database. All the open faults can be diagnosed by searching the fault database by the proposed method. Finally, the effectiveness of the method is verified by experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The herbs Notopterygium incisum (NI) and N. franchetii (NF) are referred to as "Qianghuo" in the Chinese Pharmacopeia and are popular for treatment of certain conditions, including headaches, rheumatoid arthritis and the common cold. Recently, several adulterations of NI and NF have been found in the Chinese herbal market. Objective: The aim of this study was to rapidly identify the unique characteristic compounds of NI and NF, to discriminate Qianghuo from its adulterations. Methodology: Twenty‐four batches of NI and NF samples with different origins were collected and extracted with methanol. The extracts were analysed using ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography‐quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐QTOF‐MS/MS). Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial squared discriminant analysis (OPLS‐DA) were then used to distinguish between NI and NF and to identify their potential characteristic markers. Results: Fifty compounds were identified or tentatively characterised according to the retention time, m/z value and MS/MS fragment analysis. Six compounds were selected as potential markers of NI and NF by PCA and OPLS‐DA. They were successfully applied to authenticate 17 kinds of Chinese patent medicines containing Qianghuo. The markers could not be detected in three of the Chinese patent medicines, indicating that they were counterfeit products. Conclusion: The UHPLC‐QTOF‐MS/MS coupled with the multivariate analysis method could discriminate NI and NF from their adulterations. Moreover, the data clearly demonstrated significant differences in the chemical compositions of NI and NF. Further research is needed to examine the relationship between therapeutic efficacy and the chemical constituents of NI and NF. A new UHPLC‐QTOF‐MS/MS method coupled with the multivariate analysis was established to rapidly identify the unique characteristic compounds of Notopterygium incisum (NI) and Notopterygium franchetii (NF). Fifty compounds were identified or tentatively characterized and six compounds were selected as potential markers of NI and NF by PCA andOPLS‐DA. The method was successfully applied to identify the adulterations forms of Qianghuo in herbal markets and commercial medicinal preparations containing Qianghuo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of the Fe2O3/Al2O3 oxygen carrier modified by the alkali metals, Na and K, was studied by thermogravimetric analysis and in a laboratory‐scale fluidized‐bed reactor. Different factors, such as the alkali metal content, the alkali metal type, and the interaction between Na and K, were taken into account. Both Na and K had strong catalytic effects on the conversion of Fe2O3. A high K content caused serious agglomeration. Increasing the Na content led to slagging because of the low‐melting point solid solution. The possibility of agglomeration and slagging was reduced when Na and K were added together. The oxygen carrier with 1.5 wt % Na and 1.5 wt % K had better combustion efficiency and optimal thermal stability. Na and K could enhance the attrition resistance and prolong the lifetime of the oxygen carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) are a novel concept that effectively considers the toxic modes of action and guides the ecological risk assessment of chemicals. To better use toxicity data including biochemical or molecular responses and mechanistic data, we further developed a species sensitivity–weighted distribution (SSWD) method for bisphenol A and 4‐nonylphenol. Their aquatic predicted‐no‐effect concentrations (PNECs) were derived using the log‐normal statistical extrapolation method. We calculated aquatic PNECs of bisphenol A and 4‐nonylphenol with values of 4.01 and 0.721 µg/L, respectively. The ecological risk of each chemical in different aquatic environments near Tianjin, China, a coastal municipality along the Bohai Sea, was characterized by hazard quotient and probabilistic risk quotient assessment techniques. Hazard quotients of 7.02 and 5.99 at 2 municipal sewage sites using all of the endpoints were observed for 4‐nonylphenol, which indicated high ecological risks posed by 4‐nonylphenol to aquatic organisms, especially endocrine‐disrupting effects. Moreover, a high ecological risk of 4‐nonylphenol was indicated based on the probabilistic risk quotient method. The present results show that combining the SSWD method and the AOP concept could better protect aquatic organisms from adverse effects such as endocrine disruption and could decrease uncertainty in ecological risk assessment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:551–562. © 2017 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5-Fluorouracil (5- FU) is one of the most commonly used chemotherapeutic agents in colon cancer treatment, but has a narrow therapeutic index limited by its toxicity. Melatonin exerts antitumor activity in various cancers, but it has never been combined with 5- FU as an anticolon cancer treatment to improve the chemotherapeutic effect of 5- FU. In this study, we assessed such combinational use in colon cancer and investigated whether melatonin could synergize the antitumor effect of 5- FU. We found that melatonin significantly enhanced the 5- FU-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation, colony formation, cell migration and invasion in colon cancer cells. We also found that melatonin synergized with 5- FU to promote the activation of the caspase/ PARP-dependent apoptosis pathway and induce cell cycle arrest. Further mechanism study demonstrated that melatonin synergized the antitumor effect of 5- FU by targeting the PI3K/ AKT and NF-κB/inducible nitric oxide synthase ( iNOS) signaling. Melatonin in combination with 5- FU markedly suppressed the phosphorylation of PI3K, AKT, IKKα, IκBα, and p65 proteins, promoted the translocation of NF-κB p50/p65 from the nuclei to cytoplasm, abrogated their binding to the iNOS promoter, and thereby enhanced the inhibition of iNOS signaling. In addition, pretreatment with a PI3K- or iNOS-specific inhibitor synergized the antitumor effects of 5- FU and melatonin. Finally, we verified in a xenograft mouse model that melatonin and 5- FU exerted synergistic antitumor effect by inhibiting the AKT and iNOS signaling pathways. Collectively, our study demonstrated that melatonin synergized the chemotherapeutic effect of 5- FU in colon cancer through simultaneous suppression of multiple signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escherichia coli is an important pathogen involved in community-acquired urinary tract infections ( CA- UTIs). In this study, we analyzed the prevalence of frequently occurring genes and the distribution of integrons in 51 multidrug-resistant ( MDR) E. coli isolates associated with CA- UTIs. The clonality of these strains was investigated by phylogrouping, multi-locus sequence typing, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis ( PFGE). All these strains were found to produce two or more resistance determinants, ceftazidime-hydrolyzing CTX-M-type extended-spectrum β-lactamases ( ESBLs) and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance determinants were the most prevalent (92.2% and 51.0%, respectively). A sulfhydryl variable-61-producing E. coli strain was identified for the first time in China. The prevalence of class 1 integrons was 54.9%, class 2 integrons were detected in three isolates but no isolate contained a class 3 integron. Phylogenetic group D was the dominant, observed in 70.6% of the isolates. PFGE analysis revealed a high level of diversity. Twenty-four distinctive sequence types ( STs) including four major STs ( ST648, ST224, ST38, and ST405) were identified. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the characterization of MDR E. coli isolates associated with CA- UTIs in China; our results suggest that an MDR D- ST648 clone producing CTX-M- ESBLs has emerged as a major clone in the community setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitellogenin ( VTG), the precursor of yolk protein, plays an important role during vitellogenesis and oogenesis. However, little is known about the vitellogenin gene in marine bivalves. We cloned the full-length cDNA of Chlamys farreri vitellogenin ( Cf-vtg) using a homologous cloning strategy and rapid amplification of cDNA ends. The full-length cDNA consisted of 7604 nucleotides with an open reading frame encoding 2296 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence shared high similarity with the VTG of other species, particularly in the N-terminal region. We analyzed the spatiotemporal expression of Cf-vtg transcripts by semiquantitative and quantitative real-time PCR. Cf-vtg was primarily expressed in the ovary, and levels were 1.917±0.035 (mean±S.E.) and 2.570±0.252 times higher in growing and mature stages, respectively, than in the proliferative stage. There was negligible expression at the resting stage. Interestingly, we observed weak expression in the female hepatopancreas. The level was 4.50±0.90% (mean±S.E.) that in the ovary during the proliferative stage. We did not detect any expression in testis or in other tissues. Using in situ hybridization, Cf-vtg transcripts were localized to the follicle cells surrounding the oocytes in the ovary. Moreover, synthesis of Cf-vtg transcripts in the ovary increased when estradiol-17β was injected in vivo into the gonads of early growing stage. We conclude that VTG synthesis is heterosynthetic in C. farreri. Also, we hypothesize that Cf-VTG synthesis occurs primarily in the follicle cells and is mediated by estradiol-17β. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: ab initio calculations; lithium-ion batteries; oxygen redox; peroxo formation; X-ray spectroscopy EN ab initio calculations lithium-ion batteries oxygen redox peroxo formation X-ray spectroscopy 9730 9730 1 04/26/21 20210426 NES 210426 B Peroxo formation b is the crucial step in oxygen redox. Ab initio calculations, lithium-ion batteries, oxygen redox, peroxo formation, X-ray spectroscopy The reversible oxygen transformation following cationic redox is promising for high-energy, high-safety lithium-ion batteries. [Extracted from the article]

The combustion characteristics vary with coal rank changes, and coal ash has a significant effect on chemical looping combustion. In this work, combustion experiments of three coals and their acid‐washing samples were carried out in a bench‐scale fluidized bed reactor. The results showed that low‐rank coal had higher reactivity and shorter reduction time. On account of high volatility and low density, combustion efficiency of high volatile coal was lower than high‐rank coal resulting in lower CO2 concentration. CO2 concentration in combustion products of GY was up to 99.95%, but it was 91.2% for SF. The composition and content of coal ash had a great influence on the activity of the iron‐based oxygen carrier. Reactivity of the oxygen carrier was significantly increased after burning high Ca content coal, and ash shortened reduction time from 46 to 35 min. The coal with high Si content had negative effect on the reactivity of oxygen carriers. The coal ash mainly affected the oxygen carrier at the later stage of the reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological photonic systems offer light transport that is robust against defects and disorder, promising a new generation of chip‐scale photonic devices and facilitating energy‐efficient on‐chip information routing and processing. However, present quasi one dimensional (1D) designs, such as the Su–Schrieffer–Heeger and Rice–Mele models, support only a limited number of nontrivial phases due to restrictions on dispersion band engineering. Here, a flexible topological photonic lattice on a silicon photonic platform is experimentally demonstrated that realizes multiple topologically nontrivial dispersion bands. By suitably setting the couplings between the 1D waveguides, different lattices can exhibit the transition between multiple different topological phases and allow the independent realization of the corresponding edge states. Heterodyne measurements clearly reveal the ultrafast transport dynamics of the edge states in different phases at a femtosecond scale, validating the designed topological features. The study equips topological models with enriched edge dynamics and considerably expands the scope to engineer unique topological features into photonic, acoustic, and atomic systems. A versatile photonic waveguide lattice with multiband topology is demonstrated by monitoring its edge state dynamics in the femtosecond time and continuous‐wave frequency domains. The system is based on a nontrivial square root of a two legged ladder system, where the topological dispersion bands can be efficiently engineered by systematically manipulating the photonic lattice couplings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: We performed cell and animal experiments to explore the therapeutic effect of artemisinin on Parkinson's disease (PD) and the TLR4/Myd88 signaling pathway., Methods: C57 mice were randomly divided into the blank, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced and artemisinin-treated groups. Clinical symptoms, the number of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons in the substantia nigra, and microglial cell activation were compared among the three groups. Subsequently, BV-2 cell activation and TLR4/Myd88 pathway component expression were compared among the blank, MPP + -treated, artemisinin-treated, and TLR4 activator-treated groups., Results: Behavioral symptoms were improved, the number of DAergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain was increased, and microglial cell activation was decreased in artemisinin-treated MPTP-induced PD model mice compared with control-treated MPTP-induced PD model mice (p < 0.05). The cell experiments revealed that artemisinin treatment reduced MPP + -induced BV-2 cell activation and inhibited the TLR4/Myd88 signaling pathway. Moreover, the effect of artemisinin on the BV-2 cell model was inhibited by the TLR4 activator LPS (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: Artemisinin may reduce damage to DAergic neurons in a PD mouse model by decreasing microglial activation through the TLR4-mediated MyD88-dependent signaling pathway. However, this finding cannot explain the relationship between microglia and DAergic neurons., (© 2023 The Authors. CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)