Search

Controversial results have been reported about the association of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus and stroke risk, but none in China. To investigate the association between dietary calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and stroke incidence in Chinese adults, we collected data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) from 2004 to 2011, including 6411 participants aged 45–79 years and free of stroke at baseline. Diet was assessed by interviews combining 3-d 24-h food recalls and household food inventory weighing at each survey round. The stroke incident was identified based on the validated self-report. Multivariate Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). For 32,024 person-years of follow-up, 179 stroke cases were documented. After adjustment for major lifestyle and dietary risk factors, calcium intake was positively associated with reduced stroke risk, and the HR of stroke comparing extreme quartiles was 0.53 (95% CI 0.29–0.96, Ptrend = 0.03). In further stratified analyses, significant heterogeneity across sex strata was found (Pinteraction = 0.03). Dietary calcium intake among men was more inversely related to stroke, with HRs being 0.33 (95% CI 0.15–0.76, Ptrend = 0.02), compared to 1.24 (95% CI 0.46–3.35, Ptrend = 0.89) among women. However, no significant association between stroke and magnesium or phosphorus was revealed. Our findings suggest that higher dietary calcium intake was associated with a lower risk of stroke in Chinese adults, particularly in men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bendamustine deschloro dimer was considered as a potential impurity in bendamustine hydrochloride resulting from the hydrolysis of bendamustine followed by intermolecular esterification. An efficient synthesis of bendamustine deschloro dimer was achieved from 4-(5-amino-1-methyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)butanoate involving nine sequential steps including benzyl-protection/deprotection of the amine and carboxylic acid groups, saponification, ring-opening reaction of oxirane as well as Fischer/Steglish esterfication and so on. The target bendamustine deschloro dimer was obtained using a high-performance liquid chromatography in a purity of 95.63%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the influence of variability of low-frequency noise frequency on noise prevention in real life, we present a novel two-dimensional tunable phononic crystal plate which is consisted of lead columns deposited in a silicone rubber plate with periodic holes and calculate its bandgap characteristics by finite element method. The low-frequency bandgap mechanism of the designed model is discussed simultaneously. Accordingly, the influence of geometric parameters of the phononic crystal plate on the bandgap characteristics is analyzed and the bandgap adjustability under prestretch strain is further studied. Results show that the new designed phononic crystal plate has lower bandgap starting frequency and wider bandwidth than the traditional single-sided structure, which is due to the coupling between the resonance mode of the scatterer and the long traveling wave in the matrix with the introduction of periodic holes. Applying prestretch strain to the matrix can realize active realtime control of low-frequency bandgap under slight deformation and broaden the low-frequency bandgap, which can be explained as the multiple bands tend to be flattened due to the localization degree of unit cell vibration increases with the rise of prestrain. The presented structure improves the realtime adjustability of sound isolation and vibration reduction frequency for phononic crystal in complex acoustic vibration environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Integrin Subunit Alpha 5 (ITGA5), belongs to the integrin alpha chain family, is vital for promoting cancer cell invasion, metastasis. However, the correlation between ITGA5 expression and immune infiltration in gastrointestinal tumors remain unclear.Methods: The expression level of ITGA5 was detected by Oncomine and Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER). The association between ITGA5 and prognosis of patients was identified by Kaplan-Meier plotter, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2) and PrognoScan. We evaluated the correlation between ITGA5 expression and immune infiltrating level via TIMER. Besides, TIMER, immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining and western blot were used to explore correlations between ITGA5 expression and markers of immune infiltrates cells. Furthermore, we constructed protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and performed functional enrichment by GeneMANIA and Metascape.Results: ITGA5 was generally overexpressed and correlated with worse prognosis in multiple types of gastrointestinal tumors. In addition, ITGA5 expression level was significantly associated with tumor purity and immune infiltration levels of different immune cells in gastrointestinal tumors. Interestingly, immune markers for monocytes, tumor - associated macrophages (TAMs), macrophages 2 (M2) cells and T-helper 2 (Th2) cells were found to be significantly and positively correlated with ITGA5 expression levels in colon and gastric cancer. Results from IHC staining and western blot further proved that markers of Th2 and M2 cell were significantly increased in gastric cancer patients with high ITGA5 expression levels. Lastly, interaction network and function enrichment analysis revealed ITGA5 was mainly involved in "integrin mediated signaling pathway", "leukocyte migration", "cell-substrate adhesion".Conclutions: Our study demonstrated that ITGA5 may act as an essential regulator of tumor immune cell infiltration and a valuable prognostic biomarker in gastrointestinal tumors. Additional work is needed to fully elucidate the underlying mechanisms behind these observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The competition characteristics of different orders of whispering-gallery lasing modes in a single ZnO microwire with hexagonal cavity are investigated comprehensively. As the scale of the cavity increases, the mode competition would be emerging strongly. The high-order whispering-gallery mode (WGM) lasing is indicated to be transverse electric modes with polarization dependence of about 86%. In addition, the competition of whispering-gallery lasing modes depends strongly on the diameter of cavities and the excitation intensities due to the effects of spatial hole burning. The Power Fourier transfer gives the distinct path length of fundamental and high-order optical field. Moreover, the finite difference time domain presents the optical field of high-order WGM lasing that tends to be closer to the center of hexagonal cavities. Remarkably, the Purcell factors of WGM are enhanced strongly with the reduction in diameter of hexagonal cavities, and the maximum value of Fp approaches 20. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autonomous flight for UAVs relies on visual information for avoiding obstacles and ensuring safe collision-free flight. In addition to visual clues, safe UAVs often need connectivity with the ground station. In this article, we study the synergies between vision and communications for edge-computing-enabled UAV flight. By proposing a framework of edge computing assisted autonomous flight (ECAAF), we illustrate that vision and communications can interact with and assist each other with the aid of edge computing and offloading, and further speed up UAV mission completion. ECAAF consists of three functionalities that are discussed in detail: edge computing for 3D map acquisition, radio map construction from the 3D map, and online trajectory planning. During ECAAF, the interactions of communication capacity, video offloading, 3D map quality, and channel state of the trajectory form a positive feedback loop. Simulation results verify that the proposed method can improve mission performance by enhancing connectivity. Finally, we conclude with some future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organ transplantation remains the gold standard therapeutic option for patients with end-stage organ failure. However, there have been few improvements in the management of post-transplant immunosuppression. As the long-term use of immunosuppressive agents (ISAs) may result in off-target systemic toxicity and complications, minimizing the ISA dosage while preserving the pharmacological efficacy could be a promising solution to address these challenges. Here, we present the design and application of self-assembled prodrug nanoparticles based on chemically derived mycophenolate mofetil, which further provide a hydrophobic core to noncovalently encapsulate additional ISAs such as tacrolimus. The resulting immunosuppressant cocktail nanoparticles are further refined by PEGylation with amphiphilic polymers to form colloidally stable self-assembled immunosuppressant cocktails (SAICs) that are suitable for preclinical studies. In a rat model of allogeneic orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), administration of SAICs markedly extends graft/recipient survival, retards weight loss and attenuates allograft damage. Furthermore, SAICs significantly abolish intragraft inflammatory cell infiltration and proinflammatory cytokine profiles as well as improve liver graft function. This study demonstrates the superiority of SAICs over traditional ISAs in the treatment of allograft rejection and may support the emerging application of the SAIC platform in clinical settings. Unlabelled Image • PUFAylation of immunosuppressive agents (ISAs) enabled self-assembly of the prodrugs into injectable nanoparticles. • Self-assembled immunosuppressant cocktails (SAICs) were established for target-oriented nanodelivery of ISAs. • Esterase-catalyzed drug activation and release of active metabolite were studied. • SAICs substantially prolonged allogeneic orthotopic liver transplant survival relative to free ISA combination. • Low-dose SAICs were effective therapies against allograft rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a major public health threat to the whole world. Although the control of COVID-19 has been in the forefront of interventional practice, most interventional radiologists (IRs) are not equipped adequately to cope with such a crisis. In this review, we share our experience from Chinese IRs' perspective, report on the acute measures instituted within interventional radiology (IR) units, and give recommendations to the prevention and control of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study had demonstrated that oral administration of Houttuynia cordata polysaccharides (HCP) without in vitro antiviral activity ameliorated gut and lung injuries induced by influenza A virus (IAV) in mice. However, as macromolecules, HCP was hard to be absorbed in gastrointestinal tract and had no effect on lung injury when administrated intravenously. The action mechanism of HCP was thus proposed as regulating the gut mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). Actually, HCP treatment restored the balance of Th17/Treg cells firstly in GALT and finally in the lung. HCP reduced the expression of chemokine CCL20 in the lung and regulated the balance of Th17/Treg carrying CCR6+ (the CCL20 receptor), which was associated with specific migration of Th17/Treg cells from GALT to lung. In vitro , HCP inhibited Th17 cell differentiation through the downregulation of phospho-STAT3, whereas it promoted Treg cell differentiation by upregulating phospho-STAT5. Furthermore, its therapeutic effect was abolished in RORγt−/− or Foxp3−/− mice. These findings indicated that oral administration of macromolecular polysaccharides like HCP might ameliorate lung injury in IAV infected mice via directly regulating the balance of Th17/Treg cells in gut-lung axis. Our results provided a potential mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of polysaccharides on pulmonary infection. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Currently, the routine screening program has insufficient capacity for the early diagnosis of lung cancer. Therefore, a type of chitosan-molecular beacon (CS-MB) probe was developed to recognize the miR-155-5p and image the lung cancer cells for the early diagnosis. Methods: Based on the molecular beacon (MB) technology and nanotechnology, the CS-MB probe was synthesized self-assembly. There are four types of cells—three kinds of animal models and one type of histopathological sections of human lung cancer were utilized as models, including A549, SPC-A1, H446 lung cancer cells, tumor-initiating cells (TICs), subcutaneous and lung xenografts mice, and lox-stop-lox(LSL) K-ras G12D transgenic mice. The transgenic mice dynamically displayed the process from normal lung tissues to atypical hyperplasia, adenoma, carcinoma in situ, and adenocarcinoma. The different miR-155-5p expression levels in these cells and models were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The CS-MB probe was used to recognize the miR-155-5p and image the lung cancer cells by confocal microscopy in vitro and by living imaging system in vivo. Results: The CS-MB probe could be used to recognize the miR-155-5p and image the lung cancer cells significantly in these cells and models. The fluorescence intensity trends detected by the CS-MB probe were similar to the expression levels trends of miR-155 tested by qRT-PCR. Moreover, the fluorescence intensity showed an increasing trend with the tumor progression in the transgenic mice model, and the occurrence and development of lung cancer were dynamically monitored by the differen fluorescence intensity. In addition, the miR-155-5p in human lung cancer tissues could be detected by the miR-155-5p MB. Conclusion: Both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that the CS-MB probe could be utilized to recognize the miR-155-5p and image the lung cancer cells. It provided a novel experimental and theoretical basis for the early diagnosis of the disease. Also, the histopathological sections of human lung cancer research laid the foundation for subsequent preclinical studies. In addition, different MBs could be designed to detect other miRNAs for the early diagnosis of other tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Rectal tumor segmentation on post neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has great significance for tumor measurement, radiomics analysis, treatment planning, and operative strategy. In this study, we developed and evaluated segmentation potential exclusively on post-chemoradiation T2-weighted MRI using convolutional neural networks, with the aim of reducing the detection workload for radiologists and clinicians. Methods: A total of 372 consecutive patients with LARC were retrospectively enrolled from October 2015 to December 2017. The standard-of-care neoadjuvant process included 22-fraction intensity-modulated radiation therapy and oral capecitabine. Further, 243 patients (3061 slices) were grouped into training and validation datasets with a random 80:20 split, and 41 patients (408 slices) were used as the test dataset. A symmetric eight-layer deep network was developed using the nnU-Net Framework, which outputs the segmentation result with the same size. The trained deep learning (DL) network was examined using fivefold cross-validation and tumor lesions with different TRGs. Results: At the stage of testing, the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), 95% Hausdorff distance (HD95), and mean surface distance (MSD) were applied to quantitatively evaluate the performance of generalization. Considering the test dataset (41 patients, 408 slices), the average DSC, HD95, and MSD were 0.700 (95% CI: 0.680–0.720), 17.73 mm (95% CI: 16.08–19.39), and 3.11 mm (95% CI: 2.67–3.56), respectively. Eighty-two percent of the MSD values were less than 5 mm, and fifty-five percent were less than 2 mm (median 1.62 mm, minimum 0.07 mm). Conclusions: The experimental results indicated that the constructed pipeline could achieve relatively high accuracy. Future work will focus on assessing the performances with multicentre external validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astrocyte elevated gene 1 (AEG‐1) is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is strongly associated with tumor metastasis. Anoikis resistance and autophagy may play an important role in the survival of circulating tumor cells. However, the relationship among AEG‐1, anoikis resistance, autophagy, and metastasis in HCC is still not clear. The results of this study indicate that AEG‐1 expression is increased in HCC cell lines grown in suspension culture. AEG‐1 could enhance anoikis resistance to promote the survival of detached HCC cells. Moreover, the anoikis resistance appears to be partly dependent on autophagy. Regulating AEG‐1 expression changed the autophagy levels to modulate anoikis resistance, likely acting via the protein kinase RNA‐like ER kinase (PERK)‐eIF2α‐ATF4‐CHOP signaling axis. Finally, inhibiting autophagy by RNA interference prevented the AEG‐1‐promoted metastasis of HCC xenografts to the liver and lungs of nude mice. Taken together, AEG‐1 is a key contributor to anoikis resistance and metastasis by inducing autophagy in vitro and in vivo, and it may be a potential target for therapeutic intervention in HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise of research. Acer leaf and samara fossils are abundant and readily recognized in the Cenozoic of western North America. Inferences as to which of the fossil leaves and samaras are conspecific require data on site co-occurrence and on the morphological similarities of these organs to extant species for which the linkage of leaves and samaras is known. Accurate assignment of these fossils will be helpful for our understanding of the biodiversity and biogeographic history of the genus through geologic time. Here we reinvestigated Miocene fossils attributed to section Rubra Pax. s.l., including leaves of A. chaneyi Knowlton and the associated fruits of A. gigas Knowlton, in comparison with extant and other fossil representatives of this section. Methodology. Fossil and extant samaras were studied by reflected light supplemented by micro–computed tomography scanning to reveal some endocarp and seed characters difficult to document by traditional methods. Fossil leaves were studied by reflected light, and cleared leaf slides of extant species were studied on the light table. Pivotal results. Fruits and leaves of the extant species, A. rubrum L., A. saccharinum L., A. pycnanthum K. Koch, and A. laurinum Hassk., show characters supporting the previously recommended merger of sections Rubra Pax. s.s. and Hyptiocarpa Fang. Acer gigas samaras, commonly considered to represent the same plant as A. chaneyi , show some morphological differences from extant A. saccharinum , although the A. chaneyi leaves greatly resemble those of that extant species. These and other fossils from western North America, Europe, and Asia indicate a previously wide distribution of section Rubra. Conclusions. New characters of fruit morphology support the subsuming of section Hyptiocarpa within Rubra s.l. We retain the name A. gigas for samara fossils, associated with the leaf fossils of A. chaneyi , and provide emended descriptions for them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces inflammatory stress and apoptosis. Pulmonary epithelial cell apoptosis has been shown to accelerate the progression of acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and is the leading cause of mortality in patients with ALI/ARDS. Nephroblastoma overexpressed (NOV; also known as CCN3), an inflammatory modulator, is reported to be a biomarker in ALI. Using an LPS-induced ALI model, we investigated the expression of CCN3 and its possible molecular mechanism involved in lung alveolar epithelial cell inflammation and apoptosis. Our data revealed that LPS treatment greatly increased the level of CCN3 in human lung alveolar type II epithelial cells (A549 cell line). The A549 cells were also transfected with a specific CCN3 small interfering RNA (siRNA). CCN3 knockdown not only largely attenuated the expression of inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1β and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, but also reduced the apoptotic rate of the A549 cells and altered the expression of apoptosis-associated proteins (Bcl-2 and caspase-3). Furthermore, CCN3 knockdown greatly inhibited the activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB p65 in the A549 cells, and TGF-β/p-Smad and NF-κB inhibitors significantly decreased the expression level of CCN3 in A549 cells. In conclusion, our data indicate that CCN3 knockdown affects the expression of downstream genes through the TGF-β/p-Smad or NF-κB pathways, leading to the inhibition of cell inflammation and apoptosis in human alveolar epithelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a novel and efficient ultra-wideband power-combining method over K (18–26 GHz) and Ka (26–40 GHz) band is presented. Ridge waveguide power combiners and contactless transition between ridge waveguide and double microstrip lines will be used in this method. By using this method, a 16-way power combiner system is designed to work in the bandwidth of 18–40 GHz through 3-D electromagnetic field simulation and optimization. A back-to-back configuration of this combiner system is manufactured. The measured power-combining efficiency is higher than 78% within the designed frequency. By using 16 GaAs monolithic-microwave integrated-circuit (MMIC) medium power amplifiers, the active combiner system produces up to a maximum power output of 3.9 W with a power variation of ±1.3 dB within the bandwidth of 18–40 GHz. The measured power added efficiency (PAE) within the operating bandwidth is up to 16%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important branch of modern decision-making science, the theory and method of multi-attribute decision making have been widely used in many fields, such as society, economy, management and military affairs. Automobile industry as one of the typical manufacturing industries, in this wave, ushered in a transformation and upgrade to get rid of the current weaknesses and difficulties of rare historical development opportunities. Under the environment of Internet and big data, the construction of a new production and operation organization model of the smart car industry will promote its transformation in product planning, design, production, marketing and operation and maintenance. It is propitious to realize the service innovation facing the whole life cycle of the product. In view of this, this paper applies multi-attribute decision making to automobile manufacturing and service industry, taking 14 attributes of manufacturing and six attributes of automobile service as input, and training by BP neural. Finally, an example is given to verify the effectiveness of the method, and the average accuracy is 93.19%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of the study was to develop a deep learning (DL) algorithm to evaluate the pathological complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. Methods: A total of 302 breast cancer patients in this retrospective study were randomly divided into a training set (n = 244) and a validation set (n = 58). Tumor regions were manually delineated on each slice by two expert radiologists on enhanced T1‐weighted images. Pathological results were used as ground truth. Deep learning network contained five repetitions of convolution and max‐pooling layers and ended with three dense layers. The pre‐NAC model and post‐NAC model inputted six phases of pre‐NAC and post‐NAC images, respectively. The combined model used 12 channels from six phases of pre‐NAC and six phases of post‐NAC images. All models above included three indexes of molecular type as one additional input channel. Results: The training set contained 137 non‐pCR and 107 pCR participants. The validation set contained 33 non‐pCR and 25 pCR participants. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of three models was 0.553 for pre‐NAC, 0.968 for post‐NAC and 0.970 for the combined data, respectively. A significant difference was found in AUC between using pre‐NAC data alone and combined data (P < 0.001). The positive predictive value of the combined model was greater than that of the post‐NAC model (100% vs. 82.8%, P = 0.033). Conclusion: This study established a deep learning model to predict PCR status after neoadjuvant therapy by combining pre‐NAC and post‐NAC MRI data. The model performed better than using pre‐NAC data only, and also performed better than using post‐NAC data only. Key points: Significant findings of the study. It achieved an AUC of 0.968 for pCR prediction. It showed a significantly greater AUC than using pre‐NAC data only. What this study adds This study established a deep learning model to predict PCR status after neoadjuvant therapy by combining pre‐NAC and post‐NAC MRI data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The viscometric behavior of laponite and bentonite suspensions at different concentrations in shear flow is studied. It is discovered that in the equilibrium state, a master curve of viscosity can be constructed when the applied shear stress is normalized by the respective suspension's yield stress. The interparticle interaction controlling the yield behavior at the gel state also dominates the behavior of particles at the equilibrium flowing state. A constitutive framework is developed to describe the master curve of viscosity as a function of the shear stress normalized by the yield stress. Based on the proposed model, the effect of concentration on the viscosity of clay suspensions can be estimated via their yield stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role and potential regulatory mechanisms of cyclin B1 (CCNB1) in the proliferation, apoptosis and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in pituitary adenomas. A total of 24 specimens were included in the present study. The expression levels of CCNB1 protein in two normal pituitary and 22 pituitary adenoma tissues were determined by western blotting. CCNB1 was knocked-down by lentiviral-mediated infection of short hairpin RNA (shRNA) in GH3 and MMQ cell lines. The proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis of GH3 and MMQ cell lines were detected using a Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometer. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was utilized to detect the expression level of CCNB1 gene and EMT markers. In the present study, resveratrol (RES) was used as an inhibitor of CCNB1. The protein expression level of CCNB1 in pituitary adenomas was higher than that in normal pituitary tissue, as assessed by western blot analysis. In addition, the expression level of CCNB1 in invasive pituitary adenomas was higher when comparing invasive pituitary adenomas and non-invasive pituitary adenomas. Knockdown of CCNB1 resulted in significant decreases in cell viability and proliferation, arrested cell cycle at the G2/M phase and increased apoptosis. In addition, knockdown of CCNB1 significantly decreased the expression levels of the mesothelial cell marker N-cadherin (P<0.001), but significantly increased the expression levels of the epithelial cell markers E-cadherin (P<0.01) and p120-catenin (P<0.001). Further analyses identified that RES inhibited the expression level of CCNB1, and RES treatment exhibited a similar effect as CCNB1 shRNA infection. The present study suggested that suppressing the expression level of CCNB1 could regulate the proliferation and apoptosis of pituitary tumor cells and alter the expression level of various EMT markers. In addition, RES treatment could be used as an inhibitor of CCNB1. The present study also identified the molecular mechanisms underlying CCNB1 role in EMT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A versatile strategy for a facile approach to chemical graft MOFs onto polypyrrole nanotubes (PPyNTs@MOFs) is designed and fabricated rationally by means of 1,4-dibromobutane linkage. Various MOFs arranged randomly close-packed on PPyNTs, including Co2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Mn2+, Fe3+, Al3+, Ti4+, Cr4+, Zr4+ and V4+, have been synthesized successfully. The as-prepared PPyNT@UIO-66 hybrids, used as a cathode carrier, exhibit excellent cyclic stability in Li–S batteries via strong physical and chemical adsorption/affinity with polysulfides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a dimension-reduction method for solving the free-time pursuit-evasion game between two spacecraft near circular orbits. Theoretically, finding the saddle-point solution of the game results in solving a high-dimensional (twenty-four in our case) two-point boundary value problem (TPBVP), which is quite difficult and computationally intensive. By using the circular-orbit variational equations to model the relative states of two spacecraft near circular orbits, the 24-dimensional TPBVP is firstly transformed into solving a set of four-dimensional nonlinear equations. Then, a hybrid numerical algorithm is proposed to solve the equations, where the differential evolution algorithm is used to obtain an initial guess and the Newton's iteration method is used to find the accurate solution. Numerical results show that the proposed method is more efficient than previous methods, and that the proposed method are suitable for large-phasing-distance orbital pursuit-evasion problems. • A complete dimension-reduction method is proposed. • The method can be applied to orbital pursuit-evasion with large phasing angles. • Multi-revolution orbital pursuit-evasion cases are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leukemia remains a fatal disease for most patients and effective therapeutic strategies are urgently required. Typhaneoside (TYP) is a major flavonoid in the extract of Pollen Typhae , showing significant biological and pharmacological effects. In the present study, we explored the effects of TYP on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) progression. The results indicated that TYP markedly reduced the cell viability of AML cells and arrested the cell cycle at the G2/M phase by regulating the expression of associated proteins. In addition, TYP significantly induced apoptosis in AML cells by promoting the activation of Caspase-3. Intracellular and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation were highly detected in AML cells after treatment with TYP. Moreover, TYP clearly induced ferroptosis in AML cells, and this process was iron-dependent and attendant with mitochondrial dysfunction. We also found that TYP significantly triggered autophagy in AML cells by promoting the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling, contributing to ferritin degradation, ROS accumulation and ferroptotic cell death ultimately. In conclusion, the findings above provided solid evidences that TYP could be a promising therapeutic agent to prevent AML progression by inducing apoptosis, ROS production, autophagy and ferroptosis. • Typhaneoside arrested cell cycle at G2/M phase, induced apoptosis and ROS accumulation in AML cell lines. • Typhaneoside induces autophagy by improving AMPK pathway, contributing to autophagy dependent degradation of FTH in AML cells. • Typhaneoside suppresses tumor growth in a HL60 xenograft animal model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the field tests and vibration performance assessment of two long-span floors with tuned mass dampers (TMDs). The floors considered are made of steel beams and concrete slabs, as part of a gymnasium with composite floors spanning 36 m in each direction and equipped with 30 TMDs. Operational modal analysis based on ambient acceleration measurements is performed to extract the modal parameters of the floors. Ambient vibration tests were conducted at three stages of construction for each floor, namely (i) after the concrete slab was completed, (ii) after one layer over the concrete slab was added, and (iii) after the flooring (surfacing) was fully finished. The effects of the layers making up the flooring system and of the TMDs on the dynamic properties of the floors are studied. The finite element models of the floors are validated using the identified modal parameters. The effects of natural frequency of TMDs on the dynamic properties of the floors are investigated using the validated model. Finally, the effects of flooring on the vibration serviceability of the two floors are studied with TMDs in operation, when the floors were subjected to crowd-induced rhythmic loading, from which the efficiency of TMDs is assessed numerically. The results show that the coupled vibrations of the two floors with TMDs turned off occur in the first two modes, while the natural frequencies of the floors decrease with the addition of layers. The TMDs in operation break the first mode of the floor into two modes with similar mode shapes, resulting in smaller vibration response and larger damping ratios, which vary with the natural frequency of TMDs. Also, the wood flooring significantly increases the human-induced vibration of the floor, while the plastic flooring shows basically no effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonlinear optical absorption in a three-subband step asymmetric semiconductor quantum well driven by a strong terahertz (THz) field is investigated theoretically by employing the intersubband semiconductor-Bloch equations. We show that the optical absorption spectrum strongly depends on the intensity, frequency, and phase of the pump THz wave. The strong THz field induces THz sidebands and Autler-Townes splitting in the probe absorption spectrum. Varying the pump frequency can bring not only the new absorption peaks but also the changing of the energy separation of the two higher-energy levels. The dependence of the absorption spectrum on the phase of the pump THz wave is also very remarkable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A relaxor ferroelectric P(VDF + TrFE) nanostructure is successfully integrated on the separator. • The P(VDF + TrFE) nanostructures can tune the electrolyte solvation layer at the interface. • The P(VDF + TrFE) nanostructures can accelerate Li+Li+ migration and reduce anions accumulation. • The cell shows extraordinary rate performance and cycling durability at −40 ∼ 55 ℃. The sluggish Li+ replenishment and surface structural transformation issues are major bottlenecks that limit the full utilization of Ni-rich cathodes (NLOs) in high-energy rechargeable batteries. Here, a relaxor ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF + TrFE)) copolymer coated on commercial polypropylene (PP) separator is proposed to tackle these problems for NLO cathodes. It is discovered that the relaxor ferroelectric P(VDF + TrFE) nanostructures with high spontaneous polarization and high dielectric constant at ambient temperature, acts as an ion-selective pump to accelerate the migration of lithium ions and reduce the accumulation of anions at the coating/cathode interface, thereby significantly improving the lithium-ion utilization rate of the cathode, reducing the interfacial side reactions, and stabilizing the cathode structure. As a result, the NCM811/Li cell with the relaxor ferroelectric coating shows extraordinary rate performance and cycling durability at a wide-temperature range of −40 ∼ 55 ℃. This work sheds light on the possibility to improve the electrochemical performance of other intercalated electrode materials by engineering ferroelectric interlayers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A series of new prolinamide functionalized fiber catalysts are prepared. • The catalytic activity is tuned by linker length and surface microenvironment. • PAN PA−2 F efficiently catalyzes Knoevenagel and related tandem reaction in water. • A possible mechanism for tandem reaction catalyzed is proposed. • PAN PA−2 F performs well in recyclability, flow chemistry and scale-up experiment. A series of new prolinamide polyacrylonitrile fiber catalysts with tunable length of alkyl linker and different linker group were prepared by covalent bonding for the first time and well characterized by mechanical strength, FT-IR, XRD, EA, TGA, SEM and water contact angel. The catalytic activities of these fiber catalysts were evaluated in Knoevenagel condensation and one-pot Knoevenagel-Michael multicomponent tandem reactions to synthesize α , β -unsaturated nitrile and 2-amino-4 H -chromene derivatives in water. The result show that the suitable linker length attaching amines to fiber matrix as well as the constructed hydrophobic microenvironment by linker group within the surface layers of fiber materials effectively promotes the reactions. In addition, the good swollen capacity of fiber in solvent ensure that the reaction proceed well. Fiber catalyst PAN PA−2 F modified by prolinamide with a C2 alkyl chain exhibited the best catalytic performance and can be easily recovered and reused for at least ten consecutive cycles without significant loss of catalytic activity and active sites leaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A four-fold interpenetrated Zn(II)-based metal-organic framework of 1 , {[Zn(TTPBA-4) 0.5 (TPA)]·H 2 O·0.5DMF} n , with the mog topology was solvothermally synthesized with mixed ligands of TTPBA-4 (N1,N1,N4,N4-tetrakis(4-(4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)phenyl)benzene-1,4-diamine) and TPA (terephthalic). 1 shows an intense emission at 443 nm when dispersed in DMAc solvent, which can serve as a multifunctional luminescent sensor to sensitively detect TNP (2,4,6-trinitrophenol), NFZ (nitrofurazone) and NFT (nitrofurantoin). Graphical abstract A multifunctional Zn(II)-based four-fold interpenetrated metal-organic framework was synthesized for sensitive sensing TNP, NFT and NZF. Unlabelled Image Highlights • A Zn(II)-based four-fold interpenetrated MOF of 1 with the mog topology was synthesized. • MOF of 1 can serve as a multifunctional luminescent sensor. • MOF of 1 can sensitively sense nitroaromatics and antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To measure the concentration of dust particle, we must know the scattering characteristics of light in the dust, and the backscattering has a non-negligible impact on the monitoring of dust. Here we present an algorithm using a theory of optical geometric scattering for modeling backward scattering of multi-sized dust particle. Investigation of the backscattering characteristics of multi-sized dust particles to pulsed laser was performed, and the backscattering coefficients under different particle concentrations are calculated. It is revealed in the simulations, that the attenuation and backscattering energy of three types of dust enhanced with the increase of the particle concentration, and the further propagating distance was, the more obvious the attenuation. Moreover, soot particles had larger backscattering coefficient than the other two, the attenuation rate after a distance of 50 m was much greater than the backscattering rate, which results in the backscattering power received was lower. The algorithm presented here could be used for producing reference data and technical support when applied to the retrieval of the multi-sized dust particle concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The nitrogen doped carbon coating layer on the surface of Li 2 MnSiO 4 (Li 2 MnSiO 4 /NC) is successfully synthesized by a simple sol-gel process and examined as a cathode in lithium ion batteries. Surface composition and structure analysis confirm that nitrogen is homogeneous incorporated into the carbon layer and dispersed on the surface of Li 2 MnSiO 4 particles, and the nitrogen doping types include contributions of pyridinic nitrogen, pyrrolic nitrogen, and graphitic nitrogen. Compare with undoped Li 2 MnSiO 4 /C, the Li 2 MnSiO 4 /NC exhibits even better capacity and rate performances. In particular, when the coating layer contains nitrogen with a desirable mass ratio, the specific discharge capacity for the Li 2 MnSiO 4 /NC can reach 277.3 mAh g−1 at the rate of 0.1C, corresponding to the capacity retention of 74.4% after 50 cycles. These excellent electrochemical properties are mainly ascribed to the nitrogen doping, which changes the electronic structure of the carbon layer to enhance the electrical conductivity of Li 2 MnSiO 4 cathode, since the higher electronegativity of nitrogen than carbon. More importantly, pyridinic nitrogen and pyrrolic nitrogen play a leading role, which enhances the electronic conductivity as well as graphitic nitrogen but also creates abundant of defects as electrochemical actives to facilitate Li+ rapid migration at the interface. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • The nitrogen-doped carbon layer coated on the surface of Li 2 MnSiO 4 (Li 2 MnSiO 4 /NC) is successfully synthesized. • The nitrogen is homogeneous incorporated into the carbon layer and disperse on the surface of Li 2 MnSiO 4 particles. • The doping of N creates more abundant of topological defects and active reaction sites in the carbon coating. • Li 2 MnSiO 4 /NC exhibits outstanding rate and cyclic performances comparing with undoped Li 2 MnSiO 4 /C. • Li 2 MnSiO 4 /NC processes a capacity of 206.3 mAh g−1 after 50 cycles at 0.1C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous laboratory-scale physical experiments and numerical simulations have been carried out to explore the shoaling dynamics of internal solitary waves (ISWs) on slope topographies. Detailed features during wave breaking have been investigated under relatively low Reynolds numbers, but for real ocean-scale or lake-scale scenarios with a much higher Reynolds number, laboratory-scale modeling is inadequate to capture the three-dimensional turbulent characteristics in the wave shoaling process. As a result, a three-dimensional large-eddy simulation (LES) is performed in the present study to investigate the shoaling process of the elevation-typed ISWs traveling on uniform slopes in a two-layer fluid system. Scale effects due to the Reynolds numbers (varied from 103 to 105) and three-dimensional characteristics during wave shoaling are also explored and discussed. Detailed ISW-slope interaction dynamics, including the typical shoaling features, the characteristics of internal boluses, and both the velocity field and the energy transformation, are systematically obtained and analyzed. It is found that, while reaching the maximum vertical displacement (i.e., maximum run-up height), the frontal part of the heavier lower-layer fluid can evolve into the internal bolus if the internal Iribarren number, Ir, defined as the ratio of the topographic slope and the square root of the incident wave steepness, is less than 0.65. The maximum wave-induced velocities and energy loss are also well related to Ir. Empirical regressed equations for seven important physical parameters during the shoaling process are also proposed. The extreme velocities, wave energy loss, and three-dimensionality of the flow field are all identified to be very sensitive to Reynolds numbers, indicating that traditional two-dimensional laboratory-scale modeling tools may be insufficient to accurately capture the shoaling mechanisms of the ISWs of elevation type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is still the most common cancer globally. Early screening remains the key to improve the prognosis of patients. There is currently a lack of specific and sensitive methods for early screening of lung cancer. In recent years, studies have found that microRNA plays an important role in the occurrence and development of lung cancer and become a biological target in the early diagnosis of lung cancer. In this study, lung cancer cells, subcutaneous xenografts of lung cancer in nude mice, and Lox-Stop-lox K-ras G12D transgenic mice were used as models. The transgenic mice displayed the dynamic processes from normal lung tissue to atypical hyperplasia, adenomas, carcinoma in situ and lung adenocarcinoma. It was found that miR-155 and somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) were expressed in all the disease stages of transgenic mice. Through molecular beacon (MB) technology and nanotechnology, chitosan-molecular beacon (CS-MB) nanoparticles and targeted octreotide (OCT) were conjugated and synthesized. The octreotide-conjugated chitosan-molecular beacon nanoparticles (CS-MB-OCT) can specifically bind to SSTR2 expressed by the lung cancer cells to achieve the goal of identification of lung cancer cells and imaging miR-155 in vivo and in vitro. Fluorescence imaging at different disease stages of lung cancer in Lox-Stop-lox K-ras G12D transgenic mice was performed, and could dynamically monitor the occurrence and development of lung cancer by different fluorescence intensity ranges. The current research, in turn, provides new idea, new method, and new technology for the early screening of lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare postoperative imaging results, clinical outcomes and complications between the multifidus muscle bundle (MMB) approach and the conventional open (CO) approach in one‐level posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF). Methods: Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 201 of 351 patients in our hospital were enrolled in this prospective study and underwent MMB‐PLIF or CO‐PLIF randomly: 111 patients in the MMB‐PLIF group and 90 patients in the CO‐PLIF group. A total of 100 patients failed to be followed up in the following 7–9 years. Therefore, in this study, 52 patients of the MMB group and 49 patients of the CO group were included. We evaluated the differences in terms of multifidus atrophy rate, intervertebral disc height and segmental lordosis restoration of the operation segment, lumbar lordosis restoration, fusion rate, visual analogue scale (VAS) for back and leg pain, Oswestry disability index (ODI), complication rates, and patient satisfaction rates between the two groups. Correlation between multifidus muscle degeneration and the incidence of complications was investigated, and we compared the multifidus muscle degeneration rate between patients with or without intractable back pain or adjacent segment degeneration. Results: There were no significant differences in age, sex, body mass index (BMI), diagnosis, segments distribution, and mean follow‐up time between the MMB‐PLIF group and the CO‐PLIF group. In addition, no differences regarding sex, age, or BMI were found between the lost follow‐up group and the successful follow‐up group. In regard to imaging and clinical evaluation, at the final follow‐up, there were significant differences in multifidus atrophy rates (27.0% ± 6.8% vs 38.7% ± 10.9%), lumbar lordosis restoration (4.6° ± 2.5° vs 3.0° ± 1.9°), postoperative VAS for back pain (1.1 ± 0.9 vs 1.8 ± 1.2), ODI (7.7 ± 5.0 vs 12.4 ± 6.7), and patient satisfaction rates (86.5% vs 61.2%) between MMB‐PLIF and CO‐PLIF groups. However, there were no significant differences in segmental lordosis, intervertebral height restoration, postoperative VAS for leg pain or fusion rate between the two groups. In regards to complications, there were significant differences in the incidence of adjacent segment degeneration (3.8% vs 14.3%), intractable back pain (3.8% vs 22.4%), and residual neurological symptoms (5.8% vs 20.4%) between the two groups (P < 0.05) at the final follow‐up. In addition, patients with adjacent segment degeneration and intractable back pain were observed with more significant multifidus muscle atrophy than those without these two complications (31.9% ± 1.1% vs 39.6% ± 2.1% and 30.9% ± 1.1% vs 42.8% ± 2.1%). Conclusion: Compared with CO‐PLIF, MMB‐PLIF had advantages in relation to protection of the multifidus muscle, better maintenance of lumbar lordosis, reduced lower back pain and ODI score, fewer complications, and a higher patient satisfaction rate. Protection of the multifidus muscle in lumbar surgery is an important aspect of minimally invasive surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A Cd(II)-based MOF (Cd-TTPBA-4) with sra topology is constructed by a tetra(1,2,4-triazole)-functionalized-bis(triphenylamine) ligand (TTPBA-4) showing two types of 1-D channels with partial channel walls built from columnar stacks of non-coordinated triazole-terminated arms. Particularly, it constitutes a rare example of MOF-based luminescent sensor for aqueous selective detection of NZF (nitrofurazone) and NFT (nitrofurantoin) antibiotics. Graphical abstract A Cd(II)-based metal-organic framework with sra topology displays the capability for selective detection of NZF and NFT antibiotics. Unlabelled Image Highlights • A new organic linker carrying four triazole units was synthesized. • A metal-organic framework of Cd-TTPBA-4 with sra topology was prepared. • Cd-TTPBA-4 shows the capability for aqueous detection of antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Namib Desert beetle- Stenocara can adapt to the arid environment by its fog harvesting ability. A series of samples with different topography and wettability that mimicked the elytra of the beetle were fabricated to study the effect of these factors on fog harvesting. The superhydrophobic bulgy sample harvested 1.5 times the amount of water than the sample with combinational pattern of hydrophilic bulgy/superhydrophobic surrounding and 2.83 times than the superhydrophobic surface without bulge. These bulges focused the droplets around them which endowed droplets with higher velocity and induced the highest dynamic pressure atop them. Superhydrophobicity was beneficial for the departure of harvested water on the surface of sample. The bulgy topography, together with surface wettability, dominated the process of water supply and water removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The upconversion lasing through simultaneous multiphoton absorption (MPA) is a high‐order nonlinear optical process, which enables many critical applications in the fluorescence imaging probe, laser tomography, and photodynamic therapy. Herein, the upconversion lasing from microwires via simultaneous six‐photon absorption at room temperature is first realized. Moreover, the lasing peak and third‐harmonic generation peak of pumping light are observed concurrently, while the temperature‐dependent spectrum elucidates the essential distinction between each other. In addition, the low‐threshold six‐photon excited whispering‐gallery mode lasing based on strong optical confinement of the hexagonal microcavity is investigated comprehensively. The results prove that it is feasible to realize high‐order MPA upconversion lasing using high Q‐factor microcavity, which can be promoted to other wide bandgap semiconductor micro‐/nanostructure to generate frequency upconversion lasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In contrast to conventional harmonic generation, realized using nonlinear crystal, the multiphoton‐excited (MPE) laser has critical applications in fluorescence imaging probe and biological photonics. Here, lasing emission from a crystal plate under 7‐photon excitation at room temperature is reported for the first time, which is the highest order MPE lasing reported up to date. Moreover, MPE lasing spikes and high‐order harmonic peaks are observed simultaneously. The saturation behavior of harmonic generation and abnormal fluorescence enhancement identify that the interaction of photon–electron in 7‐photon‐excited lasing transits from photon‐excited to a more field‐driven regime. The results may pave the way for short wavelength laser by taking advantage of the processability and larger scale of solid crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A (3+1)-dimensional nonautonomous partially nonlocal nonlinear Schrödinger equation with different diffractions is reduced to an autonomous nonlinear Schrödinger equation. Based on solutions of the autonomous nonlinear Schrödinger equation, and using the Darboux transformation method, spatiotemporal bright and dark soliton solutions are obtained. Dynamical evolution of wirelike spatiotemporal bright and dark single soliton, separated and interactive wirelike wave bright and dark double soliton structures are discussed in the sinusoidal diffraction system. For specified value of the parameter n in the Hermite polynomial, bright and dark single soliton, parallel separated bright and dark double soliton and interactive bright and dark double soliton structures all exist n + 1 columns in z -direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A clinical case with pneumonia-like symptoms caused by SARS-CoV-2 was first recorded in the Wuhan city of Hubei province, China [1]. Virus-based targets S protein being the crucial protein facilitating the SARS-CoV-2 entry into the host has been preferred as a potential therapeutic target of interests as it could be spliced into two individual peptides by the furin-like proteases [5]. While, with the non-endosomal entry, the host-dependent transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) paves the SARS-CoV invasion by cleaving its S-glycoprotein [7]. [Extracted from the article]

Ground granulated blast furnace slags (GGBFS/slag) can have a range of chemical compositions, especially in alumina content that could potentially affect several concrete properties including chloride binding capacity and chloride penetration. Chloride binding capacity and diffusivity of several cement-slag combinations were assessed using two slags of 8% and 17% alumina contents and four cements, ASTM C150 Type I, ASTM C150 Type I (high alkali), ASTM C150 Type II(MH) and ASTM C595 Type IL(14) at a cement replacement level of 60%. The findings indicate slag addition improved chloride binding and lowered chloride diffusivity. Between the two slags, chloride binding capacity was higher in high alumina slag. Type I cement mixtures had the highest binding capacity while it was the lowest in Type IL cement mixtures due to lower C 3 A, C 3 S and clinker factor. Chloride diffusivity experiments showed that plain Type IL mixture had the highest chloride ion penetration while it was the lowest when blended with high alumina slag due to carboaluminate formation. Therefore, chemical, mineralogical, and physical characteristics of cement-slag combination should be considered in service life analysis of slag blended concrete mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The critical challenges for full lithium utilization in nickel-rich lithium transition metal oxide cathodes are the capacity loss and power fading, which stem from irreversibly structural transition and unstable cathode-electrolyte interface upon excessive delithiation at high charge voltages. Here we discover a novel electrochemical phenomenon that the local solvation structure of the electrolyte can be regulated by well-polarized ferroelectric polymer and demonstrate its potential in pushing the capacity limit of Ni-rich lithium layered oxide cathodes without sacrificing their structural integrity. This polarized configuration in the ferroelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) coating tailors the local solvation structure by repelling the electrolyte anions and promoting the aggregation of lithium-ions at the cathode-electrolyte interface, which significantly boost the (de)lithiation kinetics, redox reversibility and structural integrity of the cathodes. The LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 cathode with polarized PVDF displays an exceptionally high capacity of 232 mAh g−1 with a high initial Coulombic efficiency of 92.5%, and the NCM811/graphite pouch cell with polarized-PVDF/PP separator shows a higher capacity retention rate of 88.6% after 200 cycles at 55 °C. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early December 2019, and an epidemic pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus infection (later named as COVID-19 by WHO) was recorded in the city of Wuhan, Hubei province, China; the viral infection was soon to spread widely across China. For all coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2, at least three structural proteins are shared on the membrane: spike (S), the membrane protein (M) and small membrane protein (E). There have been three major outbreaks of coronaviruses in the 21st century: SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. [Extracted from the article]

Following publication of the original article [1], due to mistakes, the flow chart of miR-21 overexpression, miR-21 inhibitor and miR-21 mimic NC in Fig. 3, and the corresponding histogram need to be replaced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims Placement of an irradiation stent has been demonstrated to offer longer patency and survival than an uncovered self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) in patients with unresectable malignant biliary obstruction (MBO). We aim to further assess the efficacy of an irradiation stent compared to an uncovered SEMS in those patients. Methods We performed a randomized, open-label trial of participants with unresectable MBO at 20 centers in China. A total of 328 participants were allocated in parallel to the irradiation stent group (ISG) or the uncovered SEMS group (USG). Endpoints included stent patency (primary), technical success, relief of jaundice, overall survival, and complications. Results The first quartile stent patency time (when 25% of the patients experienced stent restenosis) was 212 days for the ISG and 104 days for the USG. Irradiation stents were significantly associated with a decrease in the rate of stent restenosis (9% vs. 15% at 90 days; 16% vs. 27% at 180 days; 21% vs. 33% at 360 days; p  = 0.010). Patients in the ISG obtained longer survival time (median 202 days vs. 140 days; p  = 0.020). No significant results were observed in technical success rate (93% vs. 95%; p  = 0.499), relief of jaundice (85% vs. 80%; p  = 0.308), and the incidence of grade 3 and 4 complications (8.5% vs. 7.9%; p  = 0.841). Conclusions Insertion of irradiation stents instead of uncovered SEMS could improve patency and overall survival in patients with unresectable MBO. Lay summary For patients with unresectable malignant biliary obstruction (MBO), placement of a self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) is a recommended palliative modality to relieve pruritus, cholangitis, pain, and jaundice. However, restenosis is a main pitfall after stent placement. Data from this first multicenter randomized controlled trial showed that insertion of an irradiation stent provided longer patency and better survival than a conventional metal stent. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02001779. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the absence of lactone form of hydroxycamptothecin, the commercially available hydroxycamptothecin injection exhibits inefficient therapeutic effects. In this study, we constructed a novel delivery system (thermosensitive magnetic liposomes) that protects lactone form of hydroxycamptothecin from blood or water. After hydroxycamptothecin was loaded into the thermosensitive magnetic liposome (HCPT/TML), itsin vitroandin vivoantitumor activity and microdialysis-based tumour pharmacokinetics were determined. The results demonstrated that HCPT/TMLs possessed favourable physicochemical features and significant cytotoxicity against the Huh-7 cellsin vitro. In thein vivoantitumor study and tumour pharmacokinetics, HCPT/TMLs displayed effective targeting delivery and antitumor effects, which corresponded to the determined hydroxycamptothecin concentration in tumour tissue. In conclusion, this thermal and magnetic dual-responsive system can efficiently deliver hydroxycamptothecin to tumour tissue and has great potential application in cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In order to investigate the effect of different perforation angles (the angle between the perforation direction and the maximum horizontal principal stress which is also called the preferred fracture plane (PFP)) on the fracture initiation and propagation during the hydraulic fracturing of highly deviated well, laboratory experiments of the hydraulic fracturing of the BZ25-1 oilfield had been carried out on the basis of non-dimensional similar criteria by using 400mm3 cement cubes. We built the geometric model of the hydraulic fracturing fractures which considered the influences of the wellbore azimuth (the angle between the wellbore axis and the PFP), the perforation angle and the well deviation. The results showed that: the perforations in the PFP produce plane fracture; the fractures initiate from the perforations at the upper side of the well hole and then turn to the PFP when the perforation angle is 45°; when the well deviation angle and the perforation angle are both larger than 45°, the fracture initiates difficultly from the perforations at the lower side of the well hole, and multi-fractures easily initiate; when the perforation angle is 90°, multi-fractures initiate, such as twisting fracture, plane fracture, horizontal fracture and T-shape fracture, in addition, the fracture cannot initiate from the perforation tunnels; the larger the well deviation angle is, the easier is the multi-fractures initiation. Moreover, it is easier to result in micro-annulus which makes the fractures more complicated during the hydraulic fracturing of highly deviated well when the perforation angle is not along with the PFP. Oriented perforating technology should be applied in highly deviated well to obtain the big single plane fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective and concise electrophilic cyclization of 1,4-butynediols, 4-aminobut-2-yn-1-ols, pent-2-yne-1,5-diols, 2-propynolphenols and 2-propynolanilines with N -halo succinimides and trimethylsilyl halides opens a one-pot synthetic access to five- and six-membered dihalogenated heterocycles in moderate to good yields. The optimized cyclization conditions are tolerated with many functional groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for the preparation of thermodynamic (4 R,11b S)-benzo[ a]quinolizine-2-one derivatives in good enantio- and diastereoselectivity by a one-pot oxidative formal aza-Diels-Alder reaction of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines and α,β-unsaturated ketones is described. The reaction proceeds via tandem ruthenium-catalyzed amine dehydrogenation using tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) as the oxidant and a chiral thiourea-catalyzed formal aza-[4+2] cycloaddition, providing a step-economical strategy for the synthesis of these valuable heterocyclic products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) has been shown to participate in many disease pathologies. Recent reports have reported that ERS exists in human osteoarthritis (OA) chondrocytes. During OA, chondrocytes exhibit increased level of some senescence marker, such as senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA β-gal) activity. However, the persistence and accumulation of senescent cells in various tissues can also impair function and have been involved in the pathogenesis of many age-related diseases, including OA. In this present study, we used IL-1β (10 ng/ml) to mimic OA chondrocytes and we found that IL-1β stimulated chondrocytes caused the increasing expression of ADAMTS5 and MMP13, decreasing COL2A1 expression, which were in accord with OA chondrocytes changes. Our data also showed that ERS is involved in the OA chondrocytes, SA β-gal activity significantly increases and inhibition of ERS can decrease the SA β-gal activity, apoptosis of OA chondrocytes and increase cell viability. These results help us to open new perspectives for the development of molecular-targeted treatment approaches and thus present an effective novel therapeutic approach for OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new coordination polymers of [Zn(L)(4,4′-bpy) 0.5 ] . (H 2 O) 0.25 ( 1 ) and [Cd 4 (L) 4 (4,4′-bpy) 2 ] . (H 2 O)( 2 ) have been solvothermally synthesized from semi-rigid ligand H 2 L ( H 2 L = 4,4′-dicarboxy-4″-nitrotriphenylamine) and auxiliary ligand 4,4′-bpy ( 4,4′-bpy = 4,4′-bipyridine), which have been fully characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, PXRD, IR and elemental analysis. Compound 1 is composed of interdigitated 2-D square-grid layers which are assembled from 1-D beaded chain pillared by 4,4′-bpy , whereas compound 2 comprises two interpenetrated 3-D pcu nets which are constructed by 4,4′-bpy pillared 2-D square-grid layers. Compound 1 – 2 display both thermal stability and hydrolytic robustness. What is the most interesting finding is that both compounds exhibit strong luminescence in aqueous solution, and each of them can serve as a highly sensitive and selective fluorescence “turn-off” sensor for aqueous detection of hydrogen sulfide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]