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Polyurethane elastomer (PUE) is generally composed of soft and hard segments. The soft segment is usually a single polyol structure, and the hard segment is formed from the reaction of isocyanate and chain extender. If two kinds of polyols with obviously different structures are used, triblock cross PUE with two soft segment structures can be prepared. Polyurethane prepolymers were synthesized by the reaction of hydroxyl polybutadiene (HTPB) and polyoxypropylene glycol (PPG) with toluene diisocyanate (TDI), respectively. The two prepolymers were mixed according to the ratio and then expanded by 1, 4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) to prepare a series of triblock cross PUEs. The structural, mechanical and thermal properties of PUE were characterized. The results showed that when the total content of soft segments containing PPG and HTPB in PUEs was among 54.2%~55.4%, the proportion of HTPB in soft segments had great influences on the mechanical properties and microstructure of PUEs. With the increase of the proportion of HTPB segment in the soft segments, the hardness, specific strength and elongation at break of PUEs first increased and then decreased. When the proportion of HTPB in the soft segment was 20.18%, the specific strength, the elongation at break, and the hardness of PUE reached 18.44 MPa/(g/cm³), 404.6% and 32 Shore D, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bell test, as an important method for detecting nonlocality, is widely used in device-independent quantum information processing tasks. The security of these tasks is based on an assumption called measurement independence. Since this assumption is difficult to be guaranteed in practical Bell tests, it is meaningful to consider the effect of reduced measurement independence (i.e., measurement dependence) on Bell tests. Some research studies have shown that nonlocality can be detected even if measurement dependence exists. However, the relevant results are all based on bipartite Bell tests, and the results for multipartite Bell tests are still missing. In this paper, we explore this problem in the tripartite Svetlichny test. By considering flexible lower and upper bounds on the degree of measurement dependence, we obtain the relation among measurement dependence, guessing probability, and the maximal value of Svetlichny inequality. Our results reveal the case in which genuine nonlocality is nonexistent; at this point, the outcomes of the Bell test cannot be applied in device-independent quantum information processing tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Despite the development of various cancer treatment methods, chemotherapy remains the most common approach for treating cancer. The risk of tumors acquiring resistance to chemotherapy remains a significant hurdle to the successful treatment of various types of cancer. Therefore, overcoming or predicting multidrug resistance in clinical treatment is essential. The detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is an important component of liquid biopsy and the diagnosis of cancer. This study aims to test the feasibility of single-cell bioanalyzer (SCB) and microfluidic chip technology in identifying patients with cancer resistant to chemotherapy and propose new methods to provide clinicians with new choices. Methods: In this study, we used rapidly isolated viable CTCs from the patient blood samples method combined with SCB technology and a novel microfluidic chip, to predict whether patients with cancer are resistant to chemotherapy. SCB and microfluidic chip were used to select single CTCs, and the accumulation of chemotherapy drug was fluorescently measured in real time on these cells in the absence and presence of permeability-glycoprotein inhibitors. Results: Initially, we successfully isolated viable CTCs from the blood samples of patients. Additionally, the present study accurately predicted the response of 4 lung cancer patients to chemotherapeutic drugs. In addition, the CTCs of 17 patients with breast cancer diagnosed at Zhuhai Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine were assessed. The results indicated that 9 patients were sensitive to chemotherapeutic drugs, 8 patients were resistant to a certain degree, and only 1 was completely resistant to chemotherapy. Conclusion: The present study indicated that the SCB technology could be used as a prognostic assay to evaluate the CTCs response to available drugs and guide physicians to treatment options that are most likely to be effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the complex interaction between liquid, gas, and plasma, the pre-breakdown process in water under quasi-static moderate electric fields, namely the development of subsonic streamers, was unclearly understood so far. In this paper, the dynamic evolution behavior of subsonic streamers and their voltage polarity effects were investigated. It was indicated that the whole streamer development process can be divided into two successive stages: bottom-up period characterized by root spherical expansion and OH (309 nm) emission line; top-down period characterized by head burst expansion and Hβ (486 nm), Hα (656 nm), and O (777 nm) emission lines. Further analysis revealed that the magnetic pinch effect on the internal plasma distribution determines the expansion mode of the streamer. The low capture energy of the solvated electron and local space charge accumulation make the positive streamer propagate faster at a low voltage level. However, the limited carrier resource and relatively divergent internal plasma distribution (weak magnetic pinch effect) hinder the propagation acceleration of the positive streamer with the applied voltage. Thus, the voltage polarity effect variation can be observed at high voltage levels. Finally, a novel framework model was proposed to depict the dynamic evolution behavior of subsonic streamers. Our results can provide a deeper insight into the electrohydrodynamics of dielectric fluid and promote the relevant industry applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Au(I)‐catalyzed cyclization/semipinacol rearrangement cascade of 1,6‐enynes has been developed for the construction of spiro[4.5]decanes and 7‐azaspiro[4.5]decanes. The use of JohnPhosAuCl/NaBARF as a catalyst afforded functionalizable spirocyclic products with good diastereoselectivities of 6.7:1 to >20:1 dr. A plausible reaction mechanism has also been proposed on the basis of previous literature and our experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few decades, several gene mutations, including the anaplastic lymphoma kinase, epidermal growth factor receptor, ROS proto-oncogene 1 and rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (RAS), have been discovered in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) is the isoform most frequently altered in RAS-mutated NSCLC cases. Due to the structural and biochemical characteristics of the KRAS protein, effective approaches to treating KRAS-mutant NSCLC still remain elusive. Extensive recent research on KRAS-mutant inhibitors has made a breakthrough in identifying the covalent KRASG12C inhibitor as an effective agent for the treatment of NSCLC. This review mainly concentrated on introducing new covalent KRASG12C inhibitors like sotorasib (AMG 510) and adagrasib (MRTX 849); summarizing inhibitors targeting the KRAS-related upstream and downstream effectors in RAF/MEK/ERK pathway and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway; exploring the efficacy of immunotherapy and certain emerging immune-related therapeutics such as adoptive cell therapy and cancer vaccines. These inhibitors are being investigated in clinical trials and have exhibited promising effects. On the other hand, naturally extracted compounds, which have exhibited safe and effective properties in treating KRAS-mutant NSCLC through suppressing the MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways, as well as through decreasing PD-L1 expression in preclinical studies, could be expected to enter into clinical studies. Finally, in order to confront the matter of drug resistance, the ongoing clinical trials in combination treatment strategies were summarized herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung carcinoma is the primary reason for cancer-associated mortality, and it exhibits the highest mortality and incidence in developed and developing countries. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and SCLC are the 2 main types of lung cancer, with NSCLC contributing to 85% of all lung carcinoma cases. Conventional treatment mainly involves surgery, chemoradiotherapy, and immunotherapy, but has a dismal prognosis for many patients. Therefore, identifying an effective adjuvant therapy is urgent. Historically, traditional herbal medicine has been an essential part of complementary and alternative medicine, due to its numerous targets, few side effects and substantial therapeutic benefits. In China and other East Asian countries, traditional herbal medicine is increasingly popular, and is highly accepted by patients as a clinical adjuvant therapy. Numerous studies have reported that herbal extracts and prescription medications are effective at combating tumors. It emphasizes that, by mainly regulating the P13K/AKT signaling pathway, the Wnt signaling pathway, and the NF-κB signaling pathway, herbal medicine induces apoptosis and inhibits the proliferation and migration of tumor cells. The present review discusses the anti-NSCLC mechanisms of herbal medicines and provides options for future adjuvant therapy in patients with NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is the number one cancer in terms of both mortality and incidence. Cancer cells differ from normal cells in that they can reprogram their metabolism to support a rapid proliferation rate and alter oxidative phosphorylation processes toward lactic acid fermentation, even under aerobic conditions. Therefore, we aimed to identify new compounds that might act as pyruvate kinase M2 isoform (PKM2) activators and to investigate their anti‐cancer efficacy in non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. The molecular docking method was applied to screen PKM2 activators from our virtual natural products library. Then, compounds with promising docking scores were examined for cytotoxic effects in a panel of NSCLC cells using the MTT assay. Functional effects and therapeutic mechanisms were investigated by in vitro enzyme assays, western blotting (WB), and flow cytometry. Molecular docking showed that 0089‐0022 acts as a potential PKM2 activator by binding to the kinase pocket. An in vitro enzyme activity assay showed that 0089‐0022 is a direct PKM2 activator and that it effectively induces apoptosis in A549 and H1975 cells through inhibition of AKT phosphorylation. Our results suggest that 0089‐0022 activates PKM2 and thus is a promising anti‐cancer therapeutic candidate in NSCLC. We have identified a novel compound, 0089‐0022, targeting a critical enzyme controlling cell glycolysis process, PKM2. 0089‐0022 induces cell apoptosis through inhibition of AKT signaling pathways in both EGFR and KRAS mutant NSCLC cells. 0089‐0022 has less cytotoxic effect in lung normal epithelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We theoretically investigate the correction of exciton Bohr radius in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) on different polar substrates arising from the exciton-optical phonon coupling, in which both the intrinsic longitudinal optical phonon and surface optical phonon modes couple with the exciton are taken into account. We find that the exciton Bohr radius is enlarged markedly due to these coupling. Moreover, it can be changed on a large scale by modulating the polarizability of polar substrate and the internal distance between the monolayer TMDCs and polar substrate. Theoretical result provides a potential explanation for the variation of the exciton Bohr radius in experimental measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the frame of the Huang–Rhys's lattice relaxation model, we theoretically studied the effects of lattice relaxation due to the electrons (holes)-surface optical (SO) phonons coupling on the magneto-optical (MO) transitions in monolayer molybdenum disulphide on three different types of polar substrates. The lattice relaxation resulted in the peak position shifting and the linewidths broadening in MO transitions. The dependences of MO transitions on the magnetic field, temperature and polarization strength of substrates have been discussed in detail. The obtained results may provide a possible method to measure the coupling strength between the electrons (holes) and SO phonons in MO experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer with the highest mortality rate worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for ~85% of the total number of lung cancer cases. In the past two decades, immunotherapy has become a more promising treatment method than traditional treatments (surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy). Immunotherapy has been shown to improve the survival rate of patients and to have a superior effect when controlling lung cancer than traditional therapy. However, only a small number of patients can benefit from immunotherapy, and not all patients who qualify experience long-term benefits. In the clinic, the objective response rate of programmed cell death protein 1 treatment without the prior screening of patients is only 15–20%. Immunotherapy is associated with both opportunities and challenges for patients with NSCLC. The current challenges of immunotherapy include the lack of accurate biomarkers, inevitable resistance and insufficient understanding of immune checkpoints. In previous years, several methods for overcoming the challenges posed by immunotherapy have been proposed, but combination therapy is the most suitable choice. A large number of studies have shown that the combination of drugs can significantly improve their efficacy, compared with monotherapy, and that some therapeutic combinations have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of NSCLC. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a traditional medical practice in China that can play an important role in immunotherapy. Most agents used in TCM originate from plants, and have the advantages of low toxicity and multiple targets. In addition, TCM includes a unique class of drugs that can improve autoimmunity. Therefore, TCM may be a promising treatment method for all types of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lung cancer has become the principal cause of cancer-related deaths. Emodin is a Chinese herb-derived compound extracted from the roots of Rheum officinale that exhibits numerous pharmacological characteristics. Secretory phospholipase A2-IIa (sPLA2-IIa) is overexpressed in cancers and plays an important role in cancer development.Purpose: This study aims to investigate the anti-tumor mechanism of emodin in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods: MTT assay was applied to detect the sensitivity of emodin to NSCLC cell line. Flow cytometry was used to examine the effect of emodin on cell cycle distribution and evaluate ROS level and apoptosis. Western blot analysis was utilised to examine the expression levels of sPLA2-IIa, PKM2, and AMPK and its downstream pathways induced by emodin. Enzyme inhibition assay was applied to investigate the inhibitory effect of emodin on sPLA2-IIa. The anticancer effect of emodin was also detected using an in vivo model.Results: Emodin significantly inhibited NSCLC proliferation in vivo and in vitro and was relatively less cytotoxic to normal lung cell lines. Most importantly, emodin inhibited the proliferation of KRAS mutant cell lines by decreasing the expression of sPLA2-IIa and NF-κB pathways. Emodin also inhibited mTOR and AKT and activated the AMPK pathway. Furthermore, emodin induced apoptosis, increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, and arrested the cell cycle.Conclusion: Emodin exhibited a novel anti-tumor mechanism of inhibiting the proliferation of KRAS mutant cell lines by decreasing the expression levels of sPLA2-IIa and NF-κB pathways. Hence, emodin can potentially serve as a therapeutic target in NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, conventional methods of treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have many disadvantages. An alternative effective therapy with minimal adverse reactions is urgently needed. Weijing decoction (WJD), which is a classic ancient Chinese herbal prescription, has been used successfully to treat pulmonary system diseases containing lung cancer in the clinic. However, the key active component and target of Weijing decoction are still unexplored. Therefore, for the first time, our study aims to investigate the pharmacological treatment mechanism of Weijing decoction in treating NSCLC via an integrated model of network pharmacology, metabolomics and biological methods. Network pharmacology results conjectured that Tricin is a main bioactive component in this formula which targets PRKCA to suppress cancer cell growth. Metabolomics analysis demonstrated that sphingosine-1-phosphate, which is regulated by sphingosine kinase 1 and sphingosine kinase 2, is a differential metabolite in plasma between the WJD-treated group and the control group, participating in the sphingolipid signaling. In vitro experiments demonstrated that Tricin had vital effects on the proliferation, pro-apoptosis, migration and colony formation of Lewis lung carcinoma cells. Through a series of validation assays, Tricin inhibited the tumor growth mainly by suppressing PRKCA/SPHK/S1P signaling and antiapoptotic signaling. On the other hand, Weijing formula could inhibit the tumor growth and prolong the survival time. A high dosage of Tricin was much more potent in animal experiments. In conclusion, we confirmed that Weijing formula and its primary active compound Tricin are promising alternative treatments for NSCLC patients. [Display omitted] • Classic Weijing formula has been explored via network pharmacology and metabolomics for the first time. • Weijing decoction is highly effective in suppressing lung cancer growth and prolonging survival. • Tricin is the main active compound in Weijing decoction which has an inhibitory effect on protein kinase C alpha (PRKCA). • Tricin reduces the expression of sphingosine kinase 1 and 2, resulting in regulation of the sphingolipid signaling. • High-dose of Tricin suppresses lung cancer growth without reducing body weight in a xenograft mouse model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the correction of interlayer exciton binding energy in transition metal dichalcogenides double layers arising from the exciton–optical phonon coupling using the method of Lee–Low–Pines unitary transformation. We find that the binding energy varies in several tens of meV, depending on the polarizability of materials and THE interlayer distance between double layers. Moreover, the correction of binding energy results in a remarkable increase of the critical temperature for the condensation of dilute excitonic gas basing on the Berezinskii–Kosterlitz–Thouless model. These results not only enrich the knowledge for the modulation of interlayer excitons, but also provide potential insights for the Bose–Einstein condensation and superfluid transport of interlayer excitons in two‐dimensional heterostructures. The influence of exciton–optical phonon coupling on the binding energy of the interlayer excitons in transition metal dichalcogenides double layers is studied employing two unitary transformations. Wang et al. find that the binding energy varies in several tens of meV due to this coupling, which provides potential insight for the modulation of interlayer excitons in two‐dimensional heterostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]