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The unluckiest star orbits a supermassive black hole elliptically. Every time it reaches the pericenter, it shallowly enters the tidal radius and gets partially tidally disrupted, producing a series of flares. Confirmation of a repeated partial tidal disruption event (pTDE) requires not only evidence to rule out other types of transients but also proof that only one star is involved, as TDEs from multiple stars can also produce similar flares. In this Letter, we report the discovery of a repeated pTDE, AT 2022dbl. In a quiescent galaxy at z = 0.0284, two separate optical/UV flares have been observed in 2022 and 2024 with no bright X-ray, radio, or mid-infrared counterparts. Compared to the first flare, the second flare has a similar blackbody temperature of ∼26,000 K, slightly lower peak luminosity, and slower rise and fall phases. Compared to the Zwicky Transient Facility TDEs, their blackbody parameters and light-curve shapes are all similar. The spectra taken during the second flare show a steeper continuum than the late-time spectra of the previous flare, consistent with a newly risen flare. More importantly, the possibility of two independent TDEs can be largely ruled out because the optical spectra taken around the peak of the two flares exhibit highly similar broad Balmer, N iii, and possible He ii emission lines, especially the extreme ∼4100 Å emission lines. This represents the first robust spectroscopic evidence for a repeated pTDE, which can soon be verified by observing the third flare, given its short orbital period.

High-cadence, multiwavelength observations have continuously revealed the diversity of tidal disruption events (TDEs), thus greatly advancing our knowledge and understanding of TDEs. In this work, we conducted an intensive optical-UV and X-ray follow-up campaign of TDE AT 2023lli and found a remarkable month-long bump in its UV/optical light curve nearly 2 months prior to maximum brightness. The bump represents the longest separation time from the main peak among known TDEs to date. The main UV/optical outburst declines as t ^−4.10 , making it one of the fastest-decaying optically selected TDEs. Furthermore, we detected sporadic X-ray emission 30 days after the UV/optical peak, accompanied by a reduction in the period of inactivity. It is proposed that the UV/optical bump could be caused by the self-intersection of the stream debris, whereas the primary peak is generated by the reprocessed emission of the accretion process. In addition, our results suggest that episodic X-ray radiation during the initial phase of decline may be due to the patched obscurer surrounding the accretion disk, a phenomenon associated with the inhomogeneous reprocessing process. The double TDE scenario, in which two stars are disrupted in sequence, is also a possible explanation for producing the observed early bump and main peak. We anticipate that the multicolor light curves of TDEs, especially in the very early stages, and the underlying physics can be better understood in the near future with the assistance of dedicated surveys such as the deep high-cadence survey of the 2.5 m Wide Field Survey Telescope.

The interband lags among the optical broad-band continua of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) have been intensively explored over the past decade. However, the nature of the lags remains under debate. Here, utilizing two distinct scenarios for AGN variability, i.e., the thermal fluctuation of accretion disk and the reprocessing of both the accretion disk and clouds in the broad line region, we show that, owing to the random nature of AGN variability, the interband lags of an individual AGN would vary from one campaign with a finite baseline to another. Specifically, the thermal fluctuation scenario implies larger variations in the lags than the reprocessing scenario. Moreover, the former predicts a positive correlation between the lag and variation amplitude, while the latter does not result in such a correlation. For both scenarios, averaging the lags of an individual AGN measured with repeated and nonoverlapping campaigns would give rise to a stable lag, which is larger for a longer baseline and gets to saturation for a sufficiently long baseline. However, obtaining the stable lag for an individual AGN is very time-consuming. Alternatively, it can be equivalently inferred by averaging the lags of a sample of AGNs with similar physical properties, and thus can be properly compared with predictions of AGN models. In addition, several new observational tests suggested by our simulations are discussed, as well as the role of the deep high-cadence surveys of the Wide Field Survey Telescope in enriching our knowledge of the lags.

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are thermonuclear explosions of carbon-oxygen white dwarfs (WDs) and are well-known as a distance indicator. However, it is still unclear how WDs increase their mass near the Chandrasekhar limit and how the thermonuclear runaway happens. The observational clues associated with these open questions, such as the photometric data within hours to days since the explosion, are scarce. Thus, an essential way is to discover SNe Ia at specific epochs with optimal surveys. The 2.5 m Wide Field Survey Telescope (WFST) is an upcoming survey facility deployed in western China. In this paper, we assess the detectability of SNe Ia with mock observations of the WFST. Followed by the volumetric rate, we generate a spectral series of SNe Ia based on a data-based model and introduce the line-of-sight extinction to calculate the brightness from the observer. By comparing with the detection limit of the WFST, which is affected by the observing conditions, we can count the number of SNe Ia discovered by mock WFST observations. We expect that the WFST can find more than 3.0×104 pre-maximum SNe Ia within one year of running. In particular, the WFST could discover about 45 bright SNe Ia, 99 early phase SNe Ia, or 1.1×104 well-observed SNe Ia with the hypothesized Wide, Deep, or Medium modes, respectively, suggesting that the WFST will be an influential facility in time-domain astronomy.

Critical thinking is one of the core twenty-first century skills. This study designs the strategy of peer assessment based on the theory of knowledge building to improve a class of 33 undergraduate students' critical thinking skills in one semester. The context of knowledge building has four phases--idea generation, idea connection, idea improvement, and rising above--which are iterated by three rounds of peer assessment. In this study, the dependent variable was critical thinking skills, and the independent variable was peer assessment. Data sources include critical thinking skills surveyed, peer comments on Knowledge Forum and grades scored by students. The results showed that (1) students' critical thinking skills were significantly improved; (2) students' reports have risen in peer assessment; and (3) students' critical thinking skills are significantly correlated with peer assessment in the knowledge-building community with both peer comments and peer grades. The findings indicated that knowledge building created a positive culture for the promotion of critical thinking skills, comments that expressed strong disagreement could improve students' critical thinking skills, and the formation of community knowledge played a substantial role in promoting students' critical thinking skills.

Southern blight is a common and devastating disease adversely affecting the yield and quality of cultivated Dendrobium officinale plants. The pathogens responsible for this disease are Sclerotium delphinii and S. rolfsii, although S. delphinii is more pathogenic than S. rolfsii. Plant endophytes are potential sources of biological control agents. In this study, 18 microbial strains were isolated from wild Dendrobium shixingense plants (e.g., Streptomyces, Bacillus, and Trichoderma), among which strain MEPF0303 significantly inhibited S. delphinii mycelial growth. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence, this strain was identified as Streptomyces sp. In addition, the volatile organic compounds and cell-free supernatant of MEPF0303 had significant inhibitory effects on S. delphinii growth. Moreover, MEPF0303 effectively controlled southern blight of D. officinale. A total of 1,797 differentially expressed genes were identified by a comparative transcriptome analysis of S. delphinii mycelia treated with MEPF0303 and the untreated control mycelia. Strain MEPF0303 significantly altered the expression of genes related to cell membrane morphological development and integrity, pathogenicity, energy metabolism, and oxidative stress responses. Furthermore, the transcriptome sequencing results were validated by analyzing gene expression via a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The study results showed that MEPF0303 can inhibit the growth and pathogenicity of S. delphinii, with potential implications for the biological control of southern blight of D. officinale.

With the solvothermal reactions of flexible tetracarboxylic acid ligand with the Cd(II) and Ca(II) ions, we acquired a new heterometallic coordination polymer formulated as {[Cd2Ca2(L)2(DMF)2(H2O)7]·(DMF)·2(H2O)}n (1, H4L is 5-(bis(4-carboxybenzyl)amino)isophthalic acid, DMF is N,N’-Dimethylformamide). Furthermore, the solids of 1 shows ligand-centered luminescence at room temperature. It not only evaluated the treatment and nursing application value on acute cerebral infarction, but also explored the related mechanism. Above of all, ELISA assay measured the content of the MMP-9 released into the cerebrospinal fluid, and the real time RT-PCR was implemented and the NF-κB activation in the brain tissue was measured.

AIM:To observe the efficacy and safety of intravitreal dexamethasone implant(IDI)in the treatment of intractable macular edema in non-infectious uveitis(NIU).METHODS: A total of 25 cases(30 eyes)of NIU patients diagnosed in the Department of Ophthalmology, Xinjiang Military District General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army from April 2018 to June 2020 were selected and all were treated with vitreous cavity injection IDI to observe the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central macular thickness(CMT), vitreous opacities score and complications before and after treatment.RESULTS: The BCVA(LogMAR)of the included patients was 0.76±0.37, CMT was 480.03±96.72 μm, and vitreous opacities score was 3.06±0.78 before the first vitreous cavity injection of IDI; After treatment at 1, 3, and 6mo, BCVA was 0.61±0.24, 0.53±0.10, and 0.40±0.13, respectively, which was significantly better than that before treatment(P

Abstract Objectives We aimed to investigate the value of performing gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics for preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion (MVI) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on multiple sequences. Methods We randomly allocated 165 patients with HCC who underwent partial hepatectomy to training and validation sets. Stepwise regression and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm were used to select significant variables. A clinicoradiological model, radiomics model, and combined model were constructed using multivariate logistic regression. The performance of the models was evaluated, and a nomogram risk-prediction model was built based on the combined model. A concordance index and calibration curve were used to evaluate the discrimination and calibration of the nomogram model. Results The tumour margin, peritumoural hypointensity, and seven radiomics features were selected to build the combined model. The combined model outperformed the radiomics model and the clinicoradiological model and had the highest sensitivity (90.89%) in the validation set. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.826, 0.755, and 0.708 for the combined, radiomics, and clinicoradiological models, respectively. The nomogram model based on the combined model exhibited good discrimination (concordance index = 0.79) and calibration. Conclusions The combined model based on radiomics features of Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MRI, tumour margin, and peritumoural hypointensity was valuable for predicting HCC microvascular invasion. The nomogram based on the combined model can intuitively show the probabilities of MVI.

Crustal response induced by the subduction of Paleo-Pacific Plate, is crucial to study the metallogenic law and prediction of Jiaodong type gold deposit. Gold deposits are preferentially hosted in the lithospheric-scale second-order faults, which provide migration channels, mineralization corridors, and the physicochemical conditions. Super-large gold deposits in northwestern Jiaobei Terrane are generally controlled by regional linear faults, such as Sansandao, Jiaojia, Zhaoping and Qixia faults. However, Zhaoping fault is exposed sporadically (in Xiadian and Jiangjiayao gold deposits) beneath a thick cover of Quaternary basalts, which indicating that limited information can be obtained by traditional geological survey. In this study, high-precision geophysical surveys such as gravity and controlled source audio frequency magnetotellurics (CSAMT) are conducted in the Shanhou gold deposit, which hosted in southern part of Zhaoping fault. Three integrated geophysical profiles results further identified the spatial distribution of second-order oblique-slip faults of Zhaoping fault and established the relationships between brittle deformation and mineralization. The spatial variability of stratum (high density 2.82 g/cm3 and intermediate to high specific resistivity 4000 Ω m), brittle-slip faults (intermediate density 2.73 g/cm3 and low specific resistivity 200 Ω m) and magmatite (low density 2.57 g/cm3 high specific resistivity 8000 Ω m) are identified by two inversion techniques, including the man-machine interactive inversion technology and nonlinear conjugate gradient technology. In addition, the geophysical inversion pseudo sections delicately portray a smooth-out waveform low specific resistivity anomaly, which strongly couples with the spatial ore-hosted locations and enrichment places. The gold mineralized alteration zones generally dips to southeast and the angle changing from 45° to 30°, which are strong coupling with the large-scale acid magmatic intrusion and extensional tectonics occurred in the late Mesozoic. Finally, according to the deep prospecting prediction, a gold ore body with 10 m in thickness was revealed by drilling below the depth of 1,015 m, which is hosting in the brittle deformation of Zhaoping fracture zone.

Large benign hepatic masses as a rare indication for liver transplantation have been reported less frequently. These liver transplantations are complex, with high intraoperative bleeding, high perioperative complication rates, and high mortality rates due to difficulties in visualization, especially when they have undergone various percutaneous operations or open surgery, resulting in severe perihepatic adhesions. Here is a case report of a patient admitted to our hospital who underwent liver transplantation after suffering from a giant hemangioma in liver transplantation for 10 years and who had received multiple interventional treatments ineffective in the past.

Lithium metal batteries have been considered as one of the most promising high-energy-density energy storage devices, however, the low Coulombic efficiency and uncontrolled dendrite growth seriously hinder their commercialization. In lithium metal batteries, the electrolytes would directly participate in the formation of solid electrolyte interface (SEI), which play important roles in affecting the lithium metal anode Coulombic efficiency and inhibiting the growth of lithium dendrites.In the traditional LiPF6 based ester electrolyte, lithium metal anode exhibits low Coulomb efficiency and serious lithium dendrites.In recent years, significant improvement has been achieved for the protection of lithium anode through manipulating the electrolyte additive, solvents, lithium salt and lithium salt concentration,etc. For examples,ether solvent presenting better compatibility with lithium metal was selected to reduce the side reactivity of electrolyte with lithium metal;varieties of additives were adopted to suppress the formation of lithium dendrites;high concentration electrolytes were employed to form stable SEI.In this paper, the growth principles of lithium dendrites, the research status of electrolytes chemistries for protection of lithium metal anode by means of solvents, lithium salts, additives and high concentration electrolytes strategies were reviewed and the advantages and limitations of various approaches were summarized.New insights on the development of electrolytes chemistries were also put forward to stimulate new strategies to face the subsequent challenges of lithium-metal batteries.

ObjectiveSpine injury is highly prevalent in patients with poly-trauma, but data on the co-occurrence of spine trauma in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are scarce. In this study, we used the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) database to assess the prevalence, characteristics, and outcomes of patients with TBI and a concurrent traumatic spinal injury (TSI).MethodsData from the European multi-center CENTER-TBI study were analyzed. Adult patients with TBI (≥18 years) presenting with a concomitant, isolated TSI of at least serious severity (Abbreviated Injury Scale; AIS ≥3) were included. For outcome analysis, comparison groups of TBI patients with TSI and systemic injuries (non-isolated TSI) and without TSI were created using propensity score matching. Rates of mortality, unfavorable outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended; GOSe < 5), and full recovery (GOSe 7–8) of all patients and separately for patients with only mild TBI (mTBI) were compared between groups at 6-month follow-up.ResultsA total of 164 (4%) of the 4,254 CENTER-TBI core study patients suffered from a concomitant isolated TSI. The median age was 53 [interquartile range (IQR): 37–66] years and 71% of patients were men. mTBI was documented in 62% of cases, followed by severe TBI (26%), and spine injuries were mostly cervical (63%) or thoracic (31%). Surgical spine stabilization was performed in 19% of cases and 57% of patients were admitted to the ICU. Mortality at 6 months was 11% and only 36% of patients regained full recovery. There were no significant differences in the 6-month rates of mortality, unfavorable outcomes, or full recovery between TBI patients with and without concomitant isolated TSI. However, concomitant non-isolated TSI was associated with an unfavorable outcome and a higher mortality. In patients with mTBI, a negative association with full recovery could be observed for both concomitant isolated and non-isolated TSI.ConclusionRates of mortality, unfavorable outcomes, and full recovery in TBI patients with and without concomitant, isolated TSIs were comparable after 6 months. However, in patients with mTBI, concomitant TSI was a negative predictor for a full recovery. These findings might indicate that patients with moderate to severe TBI do not necessarily exhibit worse outcomes when having a concomitant TSI, whereas patients with mTBI might be more affected.

Abstract “Sanghuang” refers to a group of important traditionally-used medicinal mushrooms belonging to the genus Sanghuangporus. In practice, species of Sanghuangporus referred to in medicinal studies and industry are now differentiated mainly by a BLAST search of GenBank with the ITS barcoding region as a query. However, inappropriately labeled ITS sequences of “Sanghuang” in GenBank restrict accurate species identification and, to some extent, the utilization of these species as medicinal resources. We examined all available 271 ITS sequences related to “Sanghuang” in GenBank including 31 newly submitted sequences from this study. Of these sequences, more than half were mislabeled so we have now corrected the corresponding species names. The mislabeled sequences mainly came from strains utilized by non-taxonomists. Based on the analyses of ITS sequences submitted by taxonomists as well as morphological characters, we separate the newly described Sanghuangporus subbaumii from S. baumii and treat S. toxicodendri as a later synonym of S. quercicola. Fourteen species of Sanghuangporus are accepted, with intraspecific distances up to 1.30% (except in S. vaninii, S. weirianus and S. zonatus) and interspecific distances above 1.30% (except between S. alpinus and S. lonicerinus, and S. baumii and S. subbaumii). To stabilize the concept of these 14 species of Sanghuangporus, their taxonomic information and reliable ITS reference sequences are provided. Moreover, ten potential diagnostic sequences are provided for Hyperbranched Rolling Circle Amplification to rapidly confirm three common commercial species, viz. S. baumii, S. sanghuang, and S. vaninii. Our results provide a practical method for ITS barcoding-based species identification of Sanghuangporus and will promote medicinal studies and commercial development from taxonomically correct material.

Angiotensin-convertingenzyme 2 (ACE2) has dual functions, regulating cardiovascular physiology and serving as the receptor for coronaviruses. Bats, the only true flying mammals and natural viral reservoirs, have evolved positive alterations in traits related to both functions of ACE2. This suggests significant evolutionary changes in ACE2 during bat evolution. To test this hypothesis, we examine the selection pressure in ACE2 along the ancestral branch of all bats (AncBat-ACE2), where powered flight and bat-coronavirus coevolution occurred, and detect a positive selection signature. To assess the functional effects of positive selection, we resurrect AncBat-ACE2 and its mutant (AncBat-ACE2-mut) created by replacing the positively selected sites. Compared to AncBat-ACE2-mut, AncBat-ACE2 exhibits stronger enzymatic activity, enhances mice's performance in exercise fatigue, and shows lower affinity to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Our findings indicate the functional pleiotropy of positive selection in the ancient ACE2 of bats, providing an alternative hypothesis for the evolutionary origin of bats' defense against coronaviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, cancer and cardiovascular disease are great contributors to burden of disease with high morbidity and mortality in China. Being affected by both stroke and cancer can be devastating. The association between cancer and venous thrombosis has been previously well described. Recently, cancer has been considered to be increasingly related to arterial thromboembolism or thrombosis. Several studies have shown the characteristics of vascular risk factors, clinical manifestations, biomarkers and neuroimaging in patients with ischemic stroke and cancer. However, there is still insufficient recognition of cancer ⁃associated ischemic stroke (CAIS) in our country. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms of CAIS are uncertain, which makes the optimal strategies to diagnose, treat and prevent ischemic stroke in cancer patients still unestablished. This review summarized the current research evidence on epidemiology, clinical and imaging characteristics, mechanism, treatments and prognosis in patients with CAIS, aiming to reveal the research progress and knowledge gaps, as well as the potential strategies to solve these problems. DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1672⁃6731.2020.04.017

Many studies have shown that bio-scaffolds have important value for promoting axonal regeneration of injured spinal cord. Indeed, cell transplantation and bio-scaffold implantation are considered to be effective methods for neural regeneration. This study was designed to fabricate a type of three-dimensional collagen/silk fibroin scaffold (3D-CF) with cavities that simulate the anatomy of normal spinal cord. This scaffold allows cell growth in vitro and in vivo. To observe the effects of combined transplantation of neural stem cells (NSCs) and 3D-CF on the repair of spinal cord injury. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: sham (only laminectomy was performed), spinal cord injury (transection injury of T10 spinal cord without any transplantation), 3D-CF (3D scaffold was transplanted into the local injured cavity), and 3D-CF + NSCs (3D scaffold co-cultured with NSCs was transplanted into the local injured cavity. Neuroelectrophysiology, imaging, hematoxylin-eosin staining, argentaffin staining, immunofluorescence staining, and western blot assay were performed. Apart from the sham group, neurological scores were significantly higher in the 3D-CF + NSCs group compared with other groups. Moreover, latency of the 3D-CF + NSCs group was significantly reduced, while the amplitude was significantly increased in motor evoked potential tests. The results of magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging showed that both spinal cord continuity and the filling of injury cavity were the best in the 3D-CF + NSCs group. Moreover, regenerative axons were abundant and glial scarring was reduced in the 3D-CF + NSCs group compared with other groups. These results confirm that implantation of 3D-CF combined with NSCs can promote the repair of injured spinal cord. This study was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of People’s Armed Police Force Medical Center in 2017 (approval No. 2017-0007.2).

Introduction: Neurocognitive problems associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can interact with impairment resulting from traumatic brain injury (TBI). Research question: We aimed to identify neurocognitive problems associated with probable PTSD following TBI in a civilian sample. Material and methods: The study is part of the CENTER-TBI project (Collaborative European Neurotrauma Effectiveness Research) that aims to better characterize TBI. For this cross-sectional study, we included patients of all severities aged over 15, and a Glasgow Outcome Score Extended (GOSE) above 3. Participants were assessed at six months post-injury on the PTSD Checklist-5 (PCL-5), the Trail Making Test (TMT), the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Primary analysis was a complete case analysis. Regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between the PCL-5 and cognition. Results: Of the 1134 participants included in the complete case analysis, 13.5% screened positive for PTSD. Probable PTSD was significantly associated with higher TMT-(B-A) (OR ​= ​1.35, 95% CI: 1.14–1.60, p ​

Objective To explore the influencing factors, biomarkers, etiology and imaging features of cancer-associated ischemic stroke. Methods The clinical data of 693 patients with ischemic stroke from April 2018 to January 2019 were retrospectively collected. The patients were divided into ischemic stroke with active cancer (cancer group, N = 31) and traditional ischemic stroke (control group, N = 662). The sociodemographic data, risk factors for stroke, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores on admission, platelet count, D-dimer, fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP) level, features of infarcts on diffusion-weighted imaging [DWI, which was acute multiple ischemic lesions located in more than one vascular territories (AMIMCT)], and the tumor type and histological classification in cancer group were recorded. Univariate and multivariate backward Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the influencing factors of cancer-associated ischemic stroke. Results Compared with control group, patients in cancer group had older age (χ2 = 2.148, P = 0.032), lower proportion of hypertension (χ2 = 5.425, P = 0.020) and hyperlipidemia (Fisher exact probability: P = 0.000), and elevated levels of serum D-dimer (Z = 2687.500, P = 0.001), fibrinogen (t = 2.402, P = 0.022) and CRP (Z = 3669.000, P = 0.001). There was significant difference between 2 groups on TOAST (Fisher exact probability: P = 0.000). Patients in cancer group had lower proportion of large artery atherosclerosis (LAA; Fisher exact probability: P = 0.000), but higher proportion of stroke of undetermined etiology (SUE; χ2 = 175.418, P = 0.000) and AMIMCT (χ2 = 22.560, P = 0.000). Multivariate backward Logistic regression analysis showed having no history of hyperlipidemia (OR = 0.188, 95%CI: 0.048-0.730; P = 0.016), SUE (OR = 29.854, 95%CI: 10.310-86.449; P = 0.000), elevated levels of D?dimer (OR = 1.663, 95%CI: 1.294-2.137; P = 0.000) and fibrinogen (OR = 1.785, 95% CI: 1.294-2.137; P = 0.000) were risk factors for cancer-associated ischemic stroke. Conclusions It is usually lack of evidence of LAA for cancer-associated ischemic stroke. Elevated D-dimer and fibrinogen, and SUE demonstrated that hypercoagulability and microembolus embolism may be the possible mechanism of cancer-associated ischemic stroke. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2019.05.010

Metal–organic frameworks with highly ordered porosity have been studied extensively. In this paper, the effect of framework (pore) disorder on the gas sorption of azole-based isoreticular Cu(II) MOFs with rtl topology and characteristic 1D tubular pore channels is investigated for the first time. In contrast to other isoreticular rtl metal–organic frameworks, the Cu(II) metal–organic framework based on 5-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)isophthalate acid has a crystallographically identifiable disordered framework without open N-donor sites. The framework provides a unique example for investigating the effect of pore disorder on gas sorption that can be systematically evaluated. It exhibits remarkable temperature-dependent hysteretic CO2 sorption up to room temperature, and shows selectivity of CO2 over H2, CH4 and N2 at ambient temperature. The unique property of the framework is its disordered structure featuring distorted 1D tubular channels and DMF-guest-remediated defects. The results imply that structural disorder (defects) may play an important role in the modification of the performance of the material.

An accurate and effective neurological evaluation is indispensable in the treatment and rehabilitation of traumatic brain injury. However, most of the existing evaluation methods in basic research and clinical practice are not objective or intuitive for assessing the neurological function of big animals, and are also difficult to use to qualify the extent of damage and recovery. In the present study, we established a big animal model of traumatic brain injury by impacting the cortical motor region of beagles. At 2 weeks after successful modeling, we detected neurological deficiencies in the animal model using a series of techniques, including three-dimensional motion capture, electromyogram and ground reaction force. These novel technologies may play an increasingly important role in the field of traumatic brain injury diagnosis and rehabilitation in the future. The experimental protocol was approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of Logistics University of People’s Armed Police Force (approval No. 2017-0006.2).

While animal models of controlled cortical impact often display short-term motor dysfunction after injury, histological examinations do not show severe cortical damage. Thus, this model requires further improvement. Mice were subjected to injury at three severities using a Pin-Point™-controlled cortical impact device to establish secondary brain injury mouse models. Twenty-four hours after injury, hematoxylin-eosin staining, Fluoro-Jade B histofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry were performed for brain slices. Compared to the uninjured side, we observed differences of histopathological findings, neuronal degeneration, and glial cell number in the CA2 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus on the injured side. The Morris water maze task and beam-walking test verified long-term (14–28 days) spatial learning/memory and motor balance. To conclude, the histopathological responses were positively correlated with the degree of damage, as were the long-term behavioral manifestations after controlled cortical impact. All animal procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.

A new species of Lobellina Yosii, 1956 and a key to all species of the genus is provided. It is distinguished from all known members of the genus by its unique set of morphological characters: mandible with six teeth, cephalic chaeta O present, and free from tubercle Fr, cephalic tubercle Oc with three chaetae, cephalic tubercle Di separate, and tubercle Dl with four (sometimes three) chaetae, Ant. I with eight chaetae, and claw with an inner tooth. Vietnura caerulea Deharveng & Bedos, 2000 is recorded from China for the first time. New localities of Rambutanura hunanensis Jiang & Dong, 2018 and Vitronura paraacuta Wang, Wang & Jiang, 2016 from southwest China are also provided.

Objective To summarize the clinical manifestations and imaging features of multiple symmetric lipomatosis (MSL) combined with central and peripheral neuropathy, and to explore its pathogenesis. Methods and Results We reported a 66-year-old man with long-term history of alcoholism. Several large symmetric and painless lipomas were found in his bilateral lower jaw, shoulders, neck and upper back over the past 2 years. The patient suffered from numbness and weakness of both lower extremities for 6 months, and sudden dullness, balderdash, even painless ulcer in the right sole for 15 d. Neurologic examination showed that his recent memory, calculation and understanding ability were decreased, and it appeared bilateral pyramidal tract syndrome and ataxia. The algesia and thermesthesia below the right knee were lost, and topesthesia and pallesthesia were decreased. Cervical MRI showed cervical subcutaneous symmetric and non-encapsulated fat-intense mass. No significant abnormality was found in brain MRI. It was eventually diagnosed with MSL combined with central and peripheral neuropathy. The treatment included oral mecobalamine, cobamamide, folate, compound diisopropylamine dichloroacetate, rosuvastatin, and abstaining from alcohol. The patient was hospitalized for 14 d and followed up for 3 months, and the symptoms disappeared partially. Conclusions MSL is a rare disease with abnormal fat metabolism, which can result in both central and peripheral neuropathy. The pathogenesis of MSL, especially the cause of brain damage in MSL needs to be further explored. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2018.07.011

Three species of the subfamily Neanurinae (Collembola: Neanuridae) are recorded from Tianmu Mountain, Zhejiang Province, east China. Two of them, Lobellina fusa sp. n. and Paralobella tianmuna sp. n., are new to science and described in this paper. Lobellina fusa sp. n. can be recognized by the presence of six teeth on mandible and the fusion of dorsointernal tubercles on the head. Paralobella tianmuna sp. n. is characterized by a mandible with seven teeth, the lateral tubercle of Abd. II–III respectively with 7 (6+s) chaetae. Crossodonthina bidentata Luo & Chen, 2009 is widely distributed in the mountain from 300 to 1500 m a.s.l.

Sanghuangporus is a medicinal macrofungal genus typified by S. sanghuang, the very species utilized in traditional Chinese medicines by Chinese ancient people. To facilitate the medicinal application of S. sanghuang, we, for the first time, perform its genome sequencing and analyses from a monokaryon strain. A 33.34 Mb genome sequence was assembled to 26 contigs, which lead to the prediction of 8278 protein-coding genes. From these genes, the potential biosynthesis pathway of sesquiterpenoids was, for the first time, identified from Sanghuangporus, besides that of triterpenoids. While polysaccharides are the main medicinal metabolites in S. sanghuang, flavonoids are especially abundant medicinal metabolites comparing with other medicinal macrofungal groups. From the genomic perspective, S. sanghuang has a tetrapolar heterothallic mating system, and has its special nutritional strategy and advantageous medicinal properties compared with S. baumii and S. vaninii. A phylogenomics analysis indicates that Sanghuangporus emerged 15.39 million years ago and S. sanghuang has a closer phylogenetic relationship with S. baumii than S. vaninii. However, S. sanghuang shares a higher region of synteny and more orthologous genes, including carbohydrate-active enzymes with S. vaninii than S. baumii. A comparative genomics analysis with S. baumii and S. vaninii indicates that species diversification within Sanghuangporus may be driven by the translocation and translocation plus inversion of genome sequences, while the expansion and contraction of gene families may contribute to the host specificity of Sanghuangporus species. In general, the genome sequence of S. sanghuang provides insights into its medicinal application and evolution.

Limited migration of neural stem cells in adult brain is a roadblock for the use of stem cell therapies to treat brain diseases and injuries. Here, we report a strategy that mobilizes and guides migration of stem cells in the brain in vivo. We developed a safe stimulation paradigm to deliver directional currents in the brain. Tracking cells expressing GFP demonstrated electrical mobilization and guidance of migration of human neural stem cells, even against co-existing intrinsic cues in the rostral migration stream. Transplanted cells were observed at 3 weeks and 4 months after stimulation in areas guided by the stimulation currents, and with indications of differentiation. Electrical stimulation thus may provide a potential approach to facilitate brain stem cell therapies.

Drug delivery in brain tumours is still a significant clinical concern. In this study, the authors develop a biomimetic lipoprotein nanoparticle for the efficient delivery of ATF5 siRNA inRas-activated brain cancer cells, where the nanoparticle is internalized by macropinocytosis in a Ras-dependent manner.

Aluminum alloy anodizing coatings were prepared for LY12CZ in the boric-sulfuric acid solution (45g/L sulfuric acid,8g/L boric acid) with the addition of 10%,20%,30% (volume fraction)silica sol,with the gradient voltage of 15V. The current and voltage transients of the anodizing process were collected by data collection instrument. The surface morphologies,microstructure and chemical composition of the anodic coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The corrosion resistance was examined by neutral salt spray,electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) test and titrating test. The results show that the different concentration of silica sol addition can influence the forming and dissolution of anodizing coatings,improve the compactness smoothness and corrosion resistance during the anodizing process in the boric-sulfuric acid solution.

The data shown in this article are related to the subject of an article in Carbohydrate Polymers, entitled “Synthesis and characterization of chitosan alkyl urea” [1]. 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectra of chitosan n-octyl urea, chitosan n-dodecyl urea and chitosan cyclohexyl urea are displayed. The chemical shifts of proton and carbon of glucose skeleton in these chitosan derivatives are designated in detail. Besides, 1H NMR spectra of chitosan cyclopropyl urea, chitosan tert-butyl urea, chitosan phenyl urea and chitosan N,N-diethyl urea and the estimation of the degree of substitution are also presented. The corresponding explanations can be found in the above-mentioned article.

Background: Infection and aseptic loosening are common complications of total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) and often require revision surgery. However, bone defects, along with other complications, bring an extra difficulty to the second surgery, especially for patients with a massive bone defect in the proximal ulna. Several methods including allograft or autograft have been introduced into practice, but none sufficiently solves these problems. Methods: We conducted a new surgical method for patients with a massive ulnar bone defect needing revision TEA. During revision arthroplasty, the ulnar prosthesis was inserted into the radius as a salvage procedure. Four consecutive patients received revision arthroplasty with this method between 2013 and 2016. Patients' data were collected to evaluate the clinical outcome. Results: All patients had a Grade III ulnar bone defect. At the last follow-up session, all patients reported a painless, functional elbow joint. Three patients suffered from a periprosthetic infection that was completely cured using the two-stage method. No major complications, including infection, aseptic loosening, or wound problems were found. One patient had a transient ulnar neuritis, and another had a transient radial neuritis. Both patients had full recovery at the last follow-up session. Conclusions: Inserting an ulnar prosthesis into the radius is a novel procedure for patients with a massive bone defect due to infection or aseptic loosening. It is a safe, quick, and effective treatment with a promising short-term outcome. This method should be provided as a salvage procedure for patients with a nonreconstructable ulnar bone defect.

Smart Cities sensing is an emerging paradigm to facilitate the transition into smart city services. The advent of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the widespread use of mobile devices with computing and sensing capabilities has motivated applications that require data acquisition at a societal scale. These valuable data can be leveraged to train advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) models that serve various smart services that benefit society in all aspects. Despite their effectiveness, legacy data acquisition models backed with centralized Machine Learning models entail security and privacy concerns, and lead to less participation in large-scale sensing and data provision for smart city services. To overcome these challenges, Federated Learning is a novel concept that can serve as a solution to the privacy and security issues encountered within the process of data collection. This survey article presents an overview of smart city sensing and its current challenges followed by the potential of Federated Learning in addressing those challenges. A comprehensive discussion of the state-of-the-art methods for Federated Learning is provided along with an in-depth discussion on the applicability of Federated Learning in smart city sensing; clear insights on open issues, challenges, and opportunities in this field are provided as guidance for the researchers studying this subject matter.

Dowel joints are installed at the end of floating slabs and can effectively reduce the discontinuity of deformation between adjacent floating slabs. The shear spring model had been proposed for modeling the dowel joints of the floating slab track, while the constraint effect of dowel joints on the bending/rotation has not been considered. For a more comprehensive investigation of dowel joints, two idealized dowel models are introduced here, that is, the shear spring–dashpot model and the bending spring–dashpot model, respectively. The effects of these two models on the vibration of train–floating slab track system are analyzed by numerical examples. It is concluded that both shear dowel model and bending dowel model can reduce the dynamic responses of the train–floating slab track system. In detail, the shear dowel model can effectively reduce the displacement difference between adjacent floating slabs but can hardly decrease the displacement amplitudes of the rail and slabs, while the bending dowel model can effectively decrease the displacement amplitudes but has little influence on reducing the displacement difference. In addition, the spring stiffness of these two dowel models has significant influence on the vibration performance of the train–floating slab track system, while the effect of damping coefficients can almost be neglected.

A rare example is reported in which discrete Ag2L2 ring and (AgL)∞ chain motifs [L = N,N′-bis(3-imidazol-1-yl-propyl)-pyromellitic diimide] co-crystallize in the same crystal lattice with varying ratios and degrees of disorder. Crystal structures obtained from representative crystals reveal compatible packing arrangements of the cyclic and polymeric isomers within the crystal lattice, which enables them to co-exist within a crystalline solid solution. A feasible pathway for transformation between the isomers is suggested via facile rotation of the coordinating imidazolyl groups. This chemical system could provide a chance for direct observation of ring-opening isomerization at the crystal surface. Mass spectrometry and 1H NMR titration show a dynamic equilibrium between cyclic and oligomeric species in solution, and a potential crystallization process is suggested involving alignment of precursors directed by aromatic stacking interactions between pyromellitic diimide units, followed by ring-opening isomerization at the interface between the solid and the solution. Both cyclic and oligomeric species can act as precursors, with interconversion between them being facile due to a low energy barrier for rotation of the imidazole rings. Thermogravimetric analysis and variable-temperature powder X-ray diffraction indicate a transition to a different crystalline phase around 120°C, which is associated with loss of solvent from the crystal lattice.

AIM: To test the safety of using cardiac death donation(DCD)corneas for penetrating keratoplasty surgery graft. METHODS: In chronological order, suing DCD corneas penetrating keratoplasty, corneal endothelial cell density and best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)were tested 3～4mo after surgery. RESULTS: A total of 14 cases of DCD while 26 corneas were included in this study. Donors age ranged 0.5～61 years, averagely 38.3±15.6 years. Causes of death included that 9 cases of traumatic brain injury, 2 cases myocardial infarction, 2 cases brain stem hemorrhage, 1 case of respiratory and circulatory failure. All 26 patients underwent penetrating keratoplasty, no rejection occurred and all grafts were transparent 3～4mo after surgery. Three to four months after surgery, corneal endothelial cell density ranged 794～4 347/mm2, averaged 2 305±827/mm2, within which was only one case was lower than 1 000/mm2(3.8%), while 9 cases ranged from 1 000～2 000/mm2(34.6%), 16 cases were higher than 2 000/mm2(61.5%). The age of all the 26 receipts were from 20～80 years, mean 40.7±17.1 years. BCVA before surgery was light perception positive to 0.08, with an average 0.027±0.024. Three to four months after surgery, BCVA were 0.2～0.8, with an average 0.52±0.182 in contrast(t=3.96, PCONCLUSION: DCD donated corneas could be used for penetrating keratoplasty graft with high security.

In agriculture, seed mass is one of the most important components related to seed yield. MINISEED3 (MINI3) which encodes the transcriptional activator WRKY10, is thought to be a pivotal regulator of seed mass. In Arabidopsis SHORT HYPOCOTYL UNDER BLUE1 (SHB1) associates with the promoter of MINI3, regulating embryo cell proliferation (both cell division and elongation), which, in turn, modulates seed mass. Furthermore, the recruitment of SHB1 via MINI3 to both its cognate promoter and that of IKU2 implies a two-step amplification for countering the low expression level of IKU2, which is thought to function as a molecular switch for seed cavity enlargement. However, it is largely unknown how embryo cell proliferation, which encompasses both cell division and elongation, is regulated by SHB1 and MINI3 function. Here, we show that a loss of function mutation within the transcriptional coactivator ANGUSTIFOLIA3 (AN3), increases seed mass. Further, AN3 associates with the MINI3 promoter in vivo. Genetic evidence indicates that the absence of MINI3 function suppresses the decrease of cell number observed in an3-4 mutants by regulating cell division and in turn inhibits increased cell size of the an3-4 line by controlling cell elongation. Thus, seed embryo development is modulated via an AN3-MINI3 gene cascade. This regulatory model provides a deeper understanding of seed mass regulation, which may in turn lead to increased crop yields.

Anthocyanin accumulation specifically depends on sucrose (Suc) signalling/levels. However, the gene cascades specifically involved in the Suc signalling/level-mediated anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway are still unknown. Arabidopsis ANGUSTIFOLIA3 (AN3), a transcription coactivator, is involved in the regulation of leaf shape and drought tolerance. Recently, an AN3-CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1 gene cascade has been reported to regulate the light signalling-mediated anthocyanin accumulation. Target gene analysis indicates that AN3 is associated with the YODA (YDA) promoter, a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase, in vivo for inducing anthocyanin accumulation. Indeed, loss-of-function mutants of YDA showed significantly increased anthocyanin accumulation. YDA mutation can also suppress the decrease in an3-4 anthocyanin accumulation. Further analysis indicates that the mutations of AN3 and YDA disrupt the normal Suc levels because of the changes of invertase activity in mutants of an3 or yda, which in turn induces the alterations of anthocyanin accumulation in mutants of an3 or yda via unknown regulatory mechanisms.

A series of amino acid ester derivatives containing 5-fluorouracil were synthesized using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC•HCl) and N-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBt) as a coupling agent. The structures of the products were assigned by NMR, MS, IR etc. The in vitro antitumor activity tests against leukaemia HL-60 and liver cancer BEL-7402 indicated that (R)-ethyl 2-(2-(5-fluoro-2,4-dioxo-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-1(2H)-yl)acetamido)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propanoate showed more inhibitory effect against BEL-7402 than 5-FU.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of piezosurgery (PI) in promoting immediate clotting after flapless extraction in patients undergoing dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 80 DAPT patients were equally divided into the PI and turbine handpiece (TH) groups. Accordingly, flapless extraction of a single tooth using PI or TH was performed on each patient, and the immediate clotting status was evaluated. The results of the preoperative hematological examinations, surgery-related variables and postoperative complications were recorded for analysis. Results: Both groups presented with low platelet aggregation and similar coagulation functions. The PI group exhibited a higher proportion of patients with normal intra-alveolar clotting (≤30 min) (70% vs. 40%, P = 0.007) and fewer intraoperative complications (25% vs. 47.5%, P = 0.036) than that in the TH group. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the applied instrument was an independent risk factor for prolonged immediate bleeding (odds ratio = 3.10, 95% confidence interval: 1.20-8.00, P = 0.019). Intergroup differences were insignificant in terms of the other surgery-related variables and postoperative complications, except for the longer surgical duration in the PI group. Conclusion: The application of PI may contribute to better immediate clotting in DAPT patients after flapless extraction compared with the use of TH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crosslinking ligand-engaged cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) to the T cell receptor (TCR) with a bispecific fusion protein (BsB) comprised of a mutant mouse CD80 and lymphocyte activation antigen-3 (LAG-3) has been shown to attenuate TCR signaling and to direct T-cell differentiation toward Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) in an allogenic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Here, we show that antigen-specific Tregs can also be induced in an antigen-specific setting in vitro. Treatment of non-obese diabetic (NOD) female mice between 9-12 weeks of age with a short course of BsB elicited a transient increase of Tregs in the blood and moderately delayed the onset of autoimmune type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, a longer course of treatment (10 weeks) of 4-13 weeks-old female NOD animals with BsB significantly delayed the onset of disease or protected animals from developing diabetes, with only 13% of treated animals developing diabetes by 35 weeks of age compared to 80% of the animals in the control group. Histopathological analysis of the pancreata of the BsB-treated mice that remained non-diabetic revealed the preservation of insulin-producing β-cells despite the presence of different degrees of insulitis. Thus, a bifunctional protein capable of engaging CTLA-4 and MHCII and indirectly co-ligating CTLA-4 to the TCR protected NOD mice from developing T1D.

Pre-existing immunity against adeno-associated virus (AAV) remains a major challenge facing the clinical use of systemic administration of recombinant AAV vectors for the treatment of genetic and acquired diseases using gene therapy. In this study, we evaluated the potential of bortezomib (marketed under trade name Velcade) to abrogate a pre-existing immunity to AAV in mice, thereby allowing subsequent transduction by a recombinant AAV vector of the same serotype. We demonstrate that bortezomib efficiently reduces AAV-specific IgG titres and moderates the cytotoxic T cell response in mice that have a pre-existing immunity to AAV2/8. Significant depletion of AAV2/8-specific IgG-producing plasma cells in secondary lymphoid organs and bone marrow was observed. However, this inhibition of the immune response by bortezomib was insufficient to allow subsequent re-infection with a recombinant AAV vector of a similar serotype. We show that this shortcoming is probably due to the combination of residual antibody levels and the inability of bortezomib to completely deplete the memory B cells that are re-activated in response to a repeated infection with a recombinant AAV vector. Taken together, the results of this study argue for the use of immunosuppressive therapies that target both plasma and memory B cells for the efficient elimination of pre-existing immunity against AAV2/8 vectors.