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The Hybrid Riser (HR) configurations based on flexible jumpers connected to a submerged buoy offer certain unique advantages over other field proven riser concepts in deepwater, and have been used successfully in industry. In particular, flexible jumpers can effectively isolate the dynamic Floating Production Unit (FPU) motions, and thus in place riser fatigue is minimized. This paper focuses on the flexible jumper issue, and aims to propose a highly effective analytical approach for setting its critical length criterion (CLC). The critical length is defined as the minimum length that can maintain the equilibrium between the de-coupled property and economics of the flexible jumper. Furthermore, the analytical approach is verified by numerical parametric studies for the flexible jumper of a Single Line Offset Riser (SLOR). The results demonstrate that there exists a CLC for the safe as well as economical design of the flexible jumper. Therefore, the usual design approach employed for the flexible jumper is not completely adequate, and should be complemented by alternative approaches. A new practical design method of flexible jumpers can be developed following the CLC presented here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel rutin-loaded zein-sodium caseinate nanoparticles (ZP) with antioxidant activity in aqueous medium were investigated. The results showed that the sodium caseinate concentrations, dosages of rutin and ethanol volume fractions significantly affected the zein nanoparticles’ characteristics. Concerning the antioxidant properties, the highest values of rutin loaded ZP obtained using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging and 2 and 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) decolourisation assays were 52.7% and 71.2%, respectively, and the total antioxidant capacity was 0.40 nmol g-1. The results suggest that zein-sodium caseinate nanoparticles can be used as a new nano carrier system for rutin or other water insoluble active ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naturally occurring naphthoquinones, usually in forms of botanical extracts, have been implicated with human life since ancient time, far earlier than their isolation and identification in modern era. The long use history of naphthoquinones has witnessed their functional shift from the original purposes as dyes and ornaments toward medicinal benefits. Hitherto, numerous studies have been carried out to elucidate the pharmacological profile of both natural and artificial naphthoquinones. A number of entities have been identified with promising therapeutic potential. Apart from the traditional effects of wound healing, anti‐inflammatory, hemostatic, antifertility, insecticidal and antimicrobial, etc., the anticancer potential of naphthoquinones either in combination with other treatment approaches or on their own is being more and more realized. The molecular mechanisms of naphthoquinones in cells mainly fall into two categories as inducing oxidant stress by ROS (reactive oxygen species) generation and directly interacting with traditional therapeutic targets in a non‐oxidant mechanism. Based on this knowledge, optimized agents with naphthoquinones scaffold have been acquired and further tested. Hereby, we summarize the explored biological mechanisms of naphthoquinones in cells and review the application perspective of promising naphthoquinones in cancer therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC), a leading cause of avian airsacculitis and colibacillosis, is responsible for significant economic loss in the poultry industry. APEC serogroups O1, O2, and O78 are predominantly associated with disease. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen has been shown to be a potent antigen for inducing specific protective immune responses. Therefore, we sought to develop a multivalent polysaccharide vaccine to prevent most APEC infections. We previously reported the stable expression of plasmid pSS27 encoding the APEC O1 O-antigen gene cluster (10.8 kb) in attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium S740 provided excellent protection against APEC O1 challenge. In this study, the plasmid pSS28 harboring the APEC O2 O-antigen polysaccharide gene cluster (15.5 kb) was constructed. Biosynthesis of pSS28-encoded APEC O2 O-antigen in Salmonella vaccine strain S740 was validated by Western blot. The recombinant Salmonella vaccine strain S740 (pSS28) elicited homologous protection against virulent wild-type APEC O2 challenge in a chicken model. Furthermore, through equal-volume mixing the two monovalent vaccine strains S740 (pSS27) and S740 (pSS28), a bivalent vaccine candidate against both APEC O1 and O2 was developed. Immunization of chickens with the bivalent vaccine elicited production of serum IgG and mucosal sIgA antibodies against the LPS of both APEC O1 and O2. Moreover, antibodies induced by the bivalent vaccine promoted opsonization, provoked complement-mediated bactericidal activity, and elicited protection against lethal challenge with both virulent APEC O1 and O2 strains. These results demonstrate that the bivalent vaccine comprised of S740 (pSS27) and S740 (pSS28) is a promising vaccine candidate against APEC O1 and O2 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narrow band gaps and excellent ferroelectricity are intrinsically paradoxical in ferroelectrics as the leakage current caused by an increase in the number of thermally excited carriers will lead to a deterioration of ferroelectricity. A new molecular ferroelectric, hexane-1,6-diammonium pentaiodobismuth (HDA-BiI5), was now developed through band gap engineering of organic-inorganic hybrid materials. It features an intrinsic band gap of 1.89 eV, and thus represents the first molecular ferroelectric with a band gap of less than 2.0 eV. Simultaneously, low-temperature solution processing was successfully applied to fabricate high-quality ferroelectric thin films based on HDA-BiI5, for which high-precision controllable domain flips were realized. Owing to its narrow band gap and excellent ferroelectricity, HDA-BiI5 can be considered as a milestone in the exploitation of molecular ferroelectrics, with promising applications in high-density data storage and photovoltaic conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narrow band gaps and excellent ferroelectricity are intrinsically paradoxical in ferroelectrics as the leakage current caused by an increase in the number of thermally excited carriers will lead to a deterioration of ferroelectricity. A new molecular ferroelectric, hexane-1,6-diammonium pentaiodobismuth (HDA-BiI5), was now developed through band gap engineering of organic-inorganic hybrid materials. It features an intrinsic band gap of 1.89 eV, and thus represents the first molecular ferroelectric with a band gap of less than 2.0 eV. Simultaneously, low-temperature solution processing was successfully applied to fabricate high-quality ferroelectric thin films based on HDA-BiI5, for which high-precision controllable domain flips were realized. Owing to its narrow band gap and excellent ferroelectricity, HDA-BiI5 can be considered as a milestone in the exploitation of molecular ferroelectrics, with promising applications in high-density data storage and photovoltaic conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 is a constitutively activated oncogenic protein in various human tumors and represents a valid target for anticancer drug design. In this study, we have achieved a new type of STAT3 inhibitors based on structural modifications on shikonin scaffold, guided by computational modelling. By tests, PMMB-187 exhibited a more outstanding profile than shikonin on a small panel of human breast cancer cells, especially for the MDA-MB-231 cells. For the cellular mechanisms research, PMMB-187 was found to induce cell apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells, associated with the reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential, production of ROS and alteration of the levels of apoptosis-related proteins. Furthermore, PMMB-187 inhibited constitutive/inducible STAT3 activation, transcriptional activity, nuclear translocation and downstream target genes expression in STAT3-dependent breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231. Besides, no obvious inhibitory effect on activation of STAT1 and STAT5 was observed with PMMB-187 treatment. Most notably, the in vivo studies further revealed that PMMB-187 could dramatically suppress the MDA-MB-231 cells xenografted tumor growth. The in vitro and in vivo results collectively suggest that PMMB-187 may serve as a promising lead compound for the further development of potential therapeutic anti-neoplastic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the decision of the U.S. Courts regarding the medical ethics. The case discussed include Spears v. Rosen regarding the legal and bioethical implications on a misdiagnosed brain death and impact of religious exemption statues and faith in healing, Medivation Inc. v. Aragon Pharmaceuticals Inc. on potential treatments for prostate cancer and impact of drug market, and Gallardo v. Dudek on settlement represented payment for medical care.

Amphioxus, a cephalochordate, is a key model animal for studying the evolution of vertebrate immunity. Recently, studies have revealed that microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles change significantly in the amphioxus gill after immune stimulation, but it remains largely unknown how gene expression responds to immune stress. Elucidating gene expression changes in the amphioxus gill will provide a deeper understanding of the evolution of gill immunity in vertebrates. Here, we used high-throughput RNA sequencing technology (RNA-seq) to conduct tag-based digital gene expression profiling (DGE) analyses of the gills of control Branchiostoma belcheri and of those exposed to the viral mimic, poly(I:C) (pIC). Six libraries were created for the control and treatment groups including three biological replicates per group. A total of 1999 differently expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained, with 571 and 1428 DEGs showing up- or down-regulation, respectively, in the treatment group. Enrichment analysis of gene ontology (GO) terms and pathways revealed that the DEGs were primarily related to immune and defense response, apoptosis, human disease, cancer, protein metabolism, enzyme activity, and regulatory processes. In addition, eight DEGs were randomly selected to validate the RNA-seq data using real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR), and the results confirmed the accuracy of the RNA-seq approach. Next, we screened eight key responding genes to examine the dynamic changes in expression levels at different time points in more detail. The results indicated that expressions of TRADD, MARCH, RNF31, NF-κb, CYP450, TNFRSF6B, IFI and LECT1 were induced to participate in the antiviral response against pIC. This study provides a valuable resource for understanding the role of the amphioxus gill in antiviral immunity and the evolution of gill immunity in vertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollen productivity estimates (PPEs) and the relevant source area of pollen (RSAP) are critical to the reconstruction of past plant abundances. Extended R-value (ERV) models are commonly used for developing PPEs and estimating the RSAP. In this study, in the forest-steppe ecotone of northern China that is sensitive to climate change and significant in vegetation openness reconstruction, pollen data from surface sediment samples of 24 lakes and high-resolution data of vegetation within the lake basins were applied to ERV models to calculate the PPEs of Pinus, Quercus, Betula, Ulmus, Poaceae, Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae, Compositae, and Cyperaceae and the RSAP of different lake sizes. The PPEs of arboreal pollen were higher than herbaceous pollen, and Chenopodiaceae had the highest productivity of herbaceous pollen taxa. The RSAP of lakes with an average lake radius of 400 m was estimated to be 1600 m. Our results suggested that PPEs and RSAP are region specific and that RSAP is also lake size specific even within the same region. Although environmental factors and imperfections in the ERV models may affect the accuracy of results, our study emphasized that a systematic vegetation survey considering zonal and azonal vegetation, the forest and steppe mosaic, and the vertical vegetation belt can help improve the PPEs and RSAP in areas with complicated vegetation distribution, such as the forest-steppe ecotone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies of spatial colocation patterns of crime and land-use features in geographical information science and environmental criminology employ global measures, potentially obscuring spatial inhomogeneity. This study investigated the relationships of three types of crime with 22 types of land-use in Wuhan, China. First, global colocation patterns were examined. Then, local colocation patterns were examined based on the recently-proposed local colocation quotient, followed by a detailed comparison of the results. Different types of crimes were encouraged or discouraged by different types of land-use features with varying intensity, and the local colocation patterns demonstrated spatial inhomogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To introduce and analyze the feasibility of a new surgical strategy for circumferential reconstruction of subaxial cervical and cervicothoracic spine by simultaneously combined anterior-posterior approach in the sitting position. Methods A retrospective review was performed for seven patients who underwent the above surgical procedure between July 2011 and January 2015. Among the seven patients, there were six men and one woman, with an average age of 52 years (range, 36-79 years). Six patients were confirmed to have a lower subaxial cervical fracture and dislocation with a locked facet joint, and the other patient had an invasive tumor involving both anterior and posterior parts of vertebrae and lamina, detected by radiological examination. The levels involved for all patients were from C4 to T2. According to American Spinal Injury Association ( ASIA) classification, one case was class A, four were class B, and two were class D. The patients were restricted in the sitting position with traction and a halo in extension to immobilize the head during the operation. The simultaneously combined anterior-posterior operation for reduction, decompression or tumor resection and circumferential reconstruction was carried out. Results Both anterior and posterior procedures were successfully completed simultaneously in the sitting position in all cases. There were no perioperative complications. The average operative time was 175 ± 32 min (range, 120-240 min), and the mean blood loss was 430 ± 85 mL (range, 200-1100 mL). The patients were followed up for 35.8 months (range, 18-60 months). The symptom of neck pain improved distinctly and no evidence of implant failure was noted in any patients. Neurological status improvement was confirmed in six patients, who had suffered incomplete paralysis. The ASIA grade improved in five patients, and two cases had no change in grade. Conclusions The 'sitting position' simultaneously combined anterior-posterior approach is safe and is superior to the traditional prone position and supine position, and the surgical results are satisfactory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of colorectal polyps in adults are adenomatous polyps, while hamartoma polyps are rare. Juvenile polyps are the most common type of polyp in children; however, they are rare in adults. Fecal calprotectin (FCP) is commonly elevated in inflammatory bowel disease and is rarely studied in juvenile rectal polyps. Reports of elevated FCP in solitary juvenile rectal polyps of adults are rare. A 57-year-old female was admitted to The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University (Qingdao, China) for treatment due to intermittent stool with mucus and blood. Colonoscopy revealed a solitary polyp in the rectum with a diameter of ~2.0 cm, a short and wide subpedicle, with congested and swollen mucosa on the surface and chicken skin-like changes in the surrounding mucosa. The patient had no family history of colorectal polyps or cancer. Endoscopic submucosal dissection was used to remove the polyp. Histopathological examination indicated that the polyp was a juvenile polyp and no signs of malignancy were found. The present case report describes details on this case of an adult patient with a solitary juvenile rectal polyp with chicken skin-like changes in the surrounding mucosa and high FCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale air combat is accompanied by complex relationships among the participants, e.g., siege, support. These relationships often present numerous, multi-relational, and high-order characteristics. However, previous studies have encountered significant difficulties in dissecting large-scale air confrontations with such complex relationships. In view of this, a novel Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning (MADRL) and expert knowledge hybrid algorithm named T ransitive R elat I on S hip graph reas O ing for auto N omous a I r combat C ollaboration (TRISONIC) is proposed, which solves the large-scale autonomous air combat problem with complex relationships. Specifically, TRISONIC creates a Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) and expert knowledge composite approach to jointly reason out the key relationships into an Abstract Relationship Graph (ARG). After this particular relationship simplification process, representative collaboration tactics emerged via subsequent intention communication and joint decision making mechanisms. Empirically, we demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms with an at least 67.4% relative winning rate in a high-fidelity air combat simulation environment. • Solving large-scale autonomous air combat problem with complex relationships. • Simplifying relationships via a GNN and expert knowledge hybrid approach. • Collaboration tactics emergence via joint-decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A material with near-ultraviolet and deep red dual-band mechanoluminescence is reported. • The near-ultraviolet emission is utilized to achieve various mechanoluminescence. • The deep red emission is promising for the biomechanics detection in organisms. • The study provides deep insight into both mechanoluminescence design and applications. In this work, an efficient mechanoluminescent composite elastomer, Ca 9 Bi(PO 4) 7 :Ce3+/polydimethylsiloxane, is reported. Because of the crystal restriction of Ca 9 Bi(PO 4) 7 , Bi3+ and Bi2+ ions with luminescent characteristics co-exist in the structure. The doping of Ce3+ further shows effective energy transfer to the Bi ions, and hence the Ca 9 Bi(PO 4) 7 :Ce3+/polydimethylsiloxane exhibits the unique and enhanced near-ultraviolet and deep red dual-band emissions under mechanics stimuli. Further studies on the thermoluminescence, cathodoluminescence, triboelectricity properties as well as the matrix effects suggest that the interfacial triboelectrification-induced electron bombardment model should be responsible for the mechanics excitation/activation processes. The mechanoluminescence of the Ca 9 Bi(PO 4) 7 :Ce3+/polydimethylsiloxane is further utilized for two types of applications. By employing the emitted near-ultraviolet mechanoluminescence as the excitation source, a large variety of materials that only have photoluminescence can also exhibit mechanoluminescence. By demonstrating the penetration and sensing abilities of the long-wavelength deep red mechanoluminescence in the simulated tissues, this work also suggests that the Ca 9 Bi(PO 4) 7 :Ce3+/polydimethylsiloxane is promising for the in-situ detection of biomechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Biodegradable Zn-xMg 2 Sn composites are fabricated via alloying and hot-rolling. • Zn-7.5Mg 2 Sn composite shows YS of 222.0 MPa, UTS of 240.2 MPa, and EL of 16.8 %. • Zn-xMg 2 Sn composites show increased wear resistance with increasing Mg 2 Sn addition. • Zn-10Mg 2 Sn composite possesses a degradation rate of 22.7 μm/y in Hanks' solution. Biodegradable in situ Zn-xMg 2 Sn composites were prepared via alloying with different Mg 2 Sn contents and hot-rolling for bone-implant applications. The results indicate that the hot-rolled composites showed increased mechanical strength, hardness, wear resistance, and decreased corrosion rates with increasing Mg 2 Sn content. Zn-7.5Mg 2 Sn exhibited the best mechanical property matching, including an ultimate tensile strength of 240.2 MPa, yield strength of 222.0 MPa, elongation of 16.8 %, and hardness of 93.8 HV. Zn-10Mg 2 Sn showed the lowest degradation rate (22.7 μm/y) among all hot-rolled composites. Furthermore, a 12.5 % concentration of Zn-7.5Mg 2 Sn extract showed no cytotoxicity toward 3 T3 cells. Overall, the Zn-7.5Mg 2 Sn composite is proposed as a promising candidate for biodegradable bone-implant material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concrete of harbor wharf is in the environment of multifactor erosion. Under the coupled effects of dry–wet cycles and nitrate erosion, the durability of marine concrete gradually decreases. Therefore, it is an important issue to improve the durability of concrete. The changes of concrete durability are investigated under the coupled effects of dry–wet cycles and nitrate erosion, and the concrete durability are improved by adding nanoparticles. Nano‐concretes are made by adding different amounts of nano‐SiO2 and nano‐Al2O3 to plain concrete. The relative dynamic elastic modulus of nano‐concretes and the NO3− content are measured as indicators to evaluate the durability of nano‐concretes. The microstructure of nano‐concretes is analyzed through scanning electron microsope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS）. The test results show that relative dynamic elastic modulus of nano‐concretes is increased obviously, and NO3− content of nano‐concrete at different depths is lower than that of plain concrete under the same number of dry–wet cycles. NO3− content of nano‐concrete is lower than that of plain concrete. Nanoparticles can optimize the pore structure of concrete and generate more C‐S‐H gels. Therefore, concrete durability can be efficiently increased through adding nano‐SiO2 and nano‐Al2O3 under the coupled effects of dry–wet cycles and nitrate erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lymph node metastasis is a frequent occurrence in a variety of tumour forms and poses an enormous challenge to cancer treatment. This process is critical to the development of the disease and is frequently linked to a poor prognosis. Over 90% of cancerous cells move through lymph nodes, making them important entry routes for the spread of cancer cells. The prognosis of cancer patients is significantly impacted by lymph node metastases, which also affects treatment choices. Targeting lymph node metastases presents numerous difficulties for conventional medication delivery techniques. It is still very difficult to selectively target cancer cells in lymph nodes without risking injury to healthy organs and unforeseen consequences. Additionally, systemic delivery of drugs is hampered by the slow flow rate of lymphatic vessels. Chemotherapeutic medicines' poor solubility and stability further reduce their effectiveness when taken orally. Additionally, the extracellular matrix that surrounds lymph node tumours is extensive, which makes it difficult for conventional pharmaceutical delivery systems to reach cancer cells. The development of nanocarriers for precise drug delivery to LNs has attracted a lot of interest to overcome these obstacles. Most solid tumours first spread through the lymphatic system, hence effective drug administration to these tissues is essential for better therapeutic results. Nanocarriers have several benefits, including the capacity to pass through barriers like blood-brain barriers and membranes to reach the lymphatic system. High medication dosages can be enclosed thanks to the physicochemical characteristics of nanocarriers, such as their higher surface-to-volume ratio. Additionally, ligands, antibodies, polymers, or biological molecules can be attached to nanocarrier surfaces to change their properties, allowing for the targeted delivery of lymph node epithelial cells. This use of nanocarriers for drug delivery maximizes on-target effects and related adverse effects while improving the effectiveness of medication delivery to target locations. More research and development in this field is needed to optimize nanocarrier design, increase targeting capabilities, and expand clinical applications for better cancer care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B-Raf kinase is the key point in a main branch of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways and some of its mutations, such as the V600E mutation, lead to the persistent activation of ERK signaling and the trigger of severe diseases, including melanoma and other somatic cancers. Several potent drugs have been approved to treat B-Raf-related tumors, however, cases of resistance and relapse have been reported universally. Hence, differential scaffolds are in need to alleviate the scarcity of drugs and benefit the therapy of B-Raf-mutant cancers. Herein we report our recent work on the construction of novel B-Raf V600E inhibitors employing fragment-based drug design strategy. In this research, we decomposed known inhibitors to fragments and rebuilt new candidates using these blocks according to the evaluation of their potential. Lead compounds were synthesized after selection by means of virtual screening and molecular dynamics validation. Afterwards, we tested the pharmacological efficiency of these entities both in vitro and in vivo utilizing A375 xenograft model. The results favored our rational design intention and hinted this new kind of inhibitors might be helpful in the further explorations of potent agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. et Maxim.) Harms, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used to improve the function of skeleton, heart, spleen and kidney. This fruit is rich in nutrients, but the chemical constituents of Acanthopanax senticosus fruit are still unclear. A rapid method based on ultra high performance liquid chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry was developed for the compound analysis of Acanthopanax senticosus fruit in vitro and in vivo. In this study, the Acanthopanax senticosus fruit could significantly increase the weight of immune organs, promote the proliferation of lymphatic T cells, regulate the lymphatic B cell function, and decrease the ability of natural killer cells. A total of 104 compounds of Acanthopanax senticosus fruit including lignans, flavones, triterpenoidsaponins, phenolic acids, and other constituents were identified. Among them, seven chemical compounds were reported for the first time in the Acanthopanax senticosus fruit. Compared with the serum sample of blank and dosed samples, 24 prototype compositions were characterized. The results of our experiment could be helpful to understand the complex compounds of Acanthopanax senticosus fruit in vitro and in vivo for further pharmacological activity studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The role of adoptive immunotherapy (AIT) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have received curative therapy is still not well illustrated. This timely meta-analysis aims to update the current evidence on efficacy and safety of AIT for patients with HCC who have received curative therapy. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus and the Cochrane Library Through January 2017 for relevant studies. Mortality and tumor recurrence were compared between patients with or without adjuvant AIT. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3. Results: Eight studies involving 1861 patients met the eligibility criteria and were meta-analyzed. Adjuvant AIT was associated with significantly lower mortality at 1 year (RR 0.64, 95%CI 0.52–0.79), 3 years (RR 0.73, 95%CI 0.65–0.81) and 5 years (RR 0.86, 95%CI 0.79–0.94). Similarly, adjuvant AIT was associated with significantly lower recurrence rate than curative therapies alone at 1 year (RR 0.64, 95%CI 0.49–0.82), 3 years (RR 0.85, 95%CI 0.79–0.91) and 5 years (RR 0.90, 95%CI 0.85–0.95). Short-term outcomes were confirmed in sensitivity analyses based on randomized trials or choice of random- or fixed-effect meta-analysis model. None of the included patients experienced grade 4 adverse events. Conclusions: This timely meta-analysis confirms the evidence that adjuvant AIT for patients with HCC after curative treatment lowers risk of mortality and tumor recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor management of crop residues leads to environmental pollution and composting is a sustainable practice for addressing the challenge. However, knowledge about composting with pure crop straw is still limited, which is a novel and feasible composting strategy. In this study, pure corn straw was in-situ composted for better management. Community structure of β-glucosidase-producing microorganisms during composting was deciphered using high-throughput sequencing. Results showed that the compost was mature with organic matter content of 37.83% and pH value of 7.36 and pure corn straw could be composted successfully. Cooling phase was major period for cellulose degradation with the highest β-glucosidase activity (476.25 μmol·p-Nitr/kg·dw·min) and microbial diversity (Shannon index, 3.63; Chao1 index, 500.81). Significant compositional succession was observed in the functional communities during composting with Streptomyces (14.32%), Trichoderma (13.85%) and Agromyces (11.68%) as dominant genera. β-Glucosidase-producing bacteria and fungi worked synergistically as a network to degrade cellulose with Streptomyces (0.3045**) as the key community revealed by multi-interaction analysis. Organic matter (−0.415***) and temperature (−0.327***) were key environmental parameters regulating cellulose degradation via influencing β-glucosidase-producing communities, and β-glucosidase played a key role in mediating this process. The above results indicated that responses of β-glucosidase-producing microorganisms to cellulose degradation were reflected at both network and individual levels and multi-interaction analysis could better explain the relationship between variables concerning composting cellulose degradation. The work is of significance for understanding cellulose degradation microbial communities and process during composting of pure corn straw. [Display omitted] • 1. Composting could be conducted successfully with pure corn straw. • 2. Cooling phase was the main phase for cellulose degradation in composting. • 3. Cellulose degradation was driven by functional bacteria and fungi synergistically. • 4. Organic matter, temperature, Streptomyces were key factors of cellulose degradation. • 5. Cellulose degradation could be better explained by the multi-interaction analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new one-dimensional organic-inorganic material, 1,5-pentanediammonium pentabromoantimonate (III) (1), exhibits a centrosymmetric-to-non-centrosymmetric symmetry breaking phase transition at 366.5 K, showing a prominent second harmonic generation (SHG) response and dielectric anomalies. The differential scanning calorimetry results indicate the phase transition is a second-order one. The variable-temperature structural analyses reveal that the space group changes from Pnma at 393 K in the high-temperature phase to P212121 at 293 K in the low-temperature phase, accompanied by the loss of a symmetry plane and inversion center. The crystal structure is composed of one-dimensional zigzag chains of corner-sharing SbBr6 octahedra and 1,5-pentanediammonium cations. The origin of the phase transition can be attributed to both the deformation of the zigzag chains and the order-disorder transition of the 1,5-pentanediammonium cations. The compound is SHG-active below the transition temperature, demonstrating its second-order nonlinear optical properties. It is also SHG-inactive above the transition temperature, which further confirms the symmetry breaking phenomenon. These findings will pave a new way to explore organic-inorganic multifunctional phase transition material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research was performed to explore the diagnosis value of dynamic serum calprotectin (SC) expression for sepsis in postoperative intensive care unit patients. One hundred sixty-three patients who met the inclusion criteria served as the study group. All cases in the study group were further divided into the sepsis subgroup (51 cases) and the nonsepsis subgroup (112 cases). Fifty healthy volunteers served as the control group. The levels of SC and other laboratory indexes including complete blood counts, leukocytes, the immature-to-total-neutrophil ratio, procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein, and blood lactate were detected, cytokines [interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, and interferon-γ] released by neutrophils were also determined. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score were calculated. The factors related to prognosis were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression analysis. The diagnostic accuracies of ΔSC [the differences of SC levels between postoperative day (POD) 1 and POD 2, 3, 5, 7] and ΔPCT (the differences of PCT levels between POD 1 and POD 2, 3, 5, 7) on sepsis were compared with other markers for sepsis. The levels of SC and cytokines were markedly increased on POD 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 in the study group compared with the control group ( P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The same results were found in the sepsis subgroup compared with the nonsepsis subgroup ( P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Significant positive correlations between SC and cytokines were confirmed in patients of the study group ( P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). APACHE II scores and the levels of SC and PCT on POD 1 were the variables significantly associated with sepsis. The diagnostic accuracies of ΔSC1-3 (sensitivity 87%, specificity 89%) and ΔPCT1-3 (sensitivity 89%, specificity 90%) for sepsis were greater than other ΔSCs and ΔPCTs. It appears that the dynamic changes in SC are of the predictive values for septic patients after major surgeries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An organic–inorganic hybrid compound, [NH3(CH2)5NH3]SbCl5, exhibits a switchable second harmonic generation (SHG) effect between SHG-OFF and SHG-ON states and tunable dielectric behaviors between high and low dielectric states, connected with the changes in the dynamics of 1,5-pentanediammonium cations during its centrosymmetric-to-noncentrosymmetric symmetry breaking phase transition at 365.4 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effects of the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway (UPP) on porcine sperm capacitation and its interactions with the cAMP-PKA pathway. The semen of adult Landrace boars was divided into four groups: non-capacitated, capacitated, 10 μM/mL MG132, and 10 μM/mL DMSO groups. We characterized the parameters related to sperm dynamics using a computer-assisted sperm analysis system. The level of sperm protein tyrosine phosphorylation was detected using Western blotting, and the change of zinc ion signal was detected via flow cytometry. The relationship between A-kinase-anchor protein 3 (AKAP3), ubiquitin (Ub), and protein kinase A (PKA) was assessed by co-precipitation assays; to evaluate the interactions between the UPP and cAMP-PKA pathway, threonine, serine, and tyrosine phosphorylation were detected using Western blotting to evaluate the interaction between the UPP and cAMP-PKA pathway; Hoechst staining was used to detect the sperm-egg binding state and evaluate the effects of UPP inhibition. During capacitation, the levels of protein tyrosine, serine, and threonine phosphorylation and ubiquitination of porcine sperm increased, and sperm-egg binding was inhibited (P < 0.05). AKAP3 was degraded by UPP, and after inhibiting the 26 S proteasome, ubiquitinated AKAP3 accumulated in large quantities. Our findings indicate that, after the 26 S proteasome was inhibited, PKA was uncoupled from AKAP3 and degraded by UPP; the level of tyrosine phosphorylation induced by PKA-AKAP3 was reduced, the level of serine threonine phosphorylation increased, and the ubiquitination pathway interacted with the phosphorylation pathway and was involved in sperm capacitation. • The role of ubiquitin proteasome pathway (UPP) in sperm capacitation was studied. • Computer-assisted sperm analysis system was used to characterize sperm dynamics. • PKA was uncoupled from AKAP3 and degraded by UPP after inhibiting 26 S proteasome. • Ubiquitination pathway interacted with phosphorylation pathway during capacitation. • Findings provide a basis for improving sperm quality and fertilization rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gut bacterial nitroreductases are found to be heavily related with the intestinal toxicity of nitroaromatic compounds in food or medicine, which can be converted into mutagenic and enterotoxic nitroso or N-hydroxyl intermediates. Thus, inhibiting the gut microbe-encoded nitroreductases has become an attractive method to reduce the mutagen metabolites in colon and prevent intestinal diseases. In this study, the inhibitory effects of sixteen constituents in Cortex Mori Radicis on two kinds of gut bacterial nitroreductases (Ec NfsA and Ec NfsB) were evaluated with nitrofurazone (NFZ) as substrate and NADPH as electron donor. The results clearly demonstrated that four flavonoids including kuwanon G, kuwanon A, sanggenol A and kuwanon C showed dual inhibition on both Ec NfsA and Ec NfsB mediated NFZ reduction; morusin, morin, and sanggenone C were strong inhibitors towards Ec NfsA; kuwanon H and kuwanon E exhibited effective inhibition on Ec NfsB. Further inhibition kinetic analysis and molecular docking simulations displayed that all inhibitors above suppressed both Ec NfsA and Ec NfsB activities in competitive manners, except non-competitive inhibition of morin on Ec NfsA and non-competitive inhibition of kuwanon C on Ec NfsB, respectively. Taking together, these findings revealed that most flavonoids in Cortex Mori Radicis presented effective inhibition on gut microbial nitroreductases, suggesting that Cortex Mori Radicis might be a promising candidate for ameliorating nitroreductases mediated intestinal mutagenicity. [Display omitted] • Gut microbial nitroreductases are highly related with toxic metabolites in colon. • Most flavonoids in Cortex Mori Radicis can potently inhibit intestinal nitroreductases activity. • Four flavonoids in Cortex Mori Radicis showed dual inhibition against both Ec NfsA and Ec NfsB. • Three flavonoids and two flavonoids could selectively inhibit Ec NfsA or Ec NfsB, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Biophysical controls on marine phytoplankton are explored via data-driven modeling. • Temperature substantially impacts phytoplankton loss rate than the growth rate. • Iron and nitrogen are identified as the key limiting nutrients. • The phytoplankton community is well adapted to low-light conditions. Marine phytoplankton possess a key position in multiple ecological, biological, and environmental processes; therefore, constructing a systematic and comprehensive mechanistic understanding of the leading mechanisms and key biophysical drivers of phytoplankton dynamics is crucial for evaluating biophysical forcings and ecological responses. Here, we develop a process-based model to improve the characterization of controlling mechanisms and assess the relative importance of nutrients, light, temperature, and oceanic mixing for explaining chlorophyll- a variability in the western North Pacific Ocean. The model is calibrated using 20-year observational data of chlorophyll- a concentrations from 1993 to 2012 in a Bayesian framework to provide data-driven inference and a rigorous uncertainty quantification of important biophysical rates. The model explains approximately 61% of the variability in chlorophyll- a. Our results, supported by cross-validation, show that the chlorophyll- a concentration is much more responsive to temperature variability than nutrients, light, or mixing. By synthesizing the effects of multiple nutrients (i.e., nitrogen, phosphorus, silica, and iron) on phytoplankton dynamics, we find that iron and nitrogen largely determine the chlorophyll- a variability. Sensitivity analysis shows that future warming conditions with +3°C change in temperature will impede phytoplankton production by 24% due to an intensified phytoplankton mortality impact. Our findings highlight the potential of "deductive-and-inductive" modeling approaches combining embedded biophysical mechanisms and probabilistic uncertainty quantification to effectively integrate and leverage sporadic ocean monitoring efforts and ultimately improve the marine water quality predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The infrared camouflage textile materials with soft and wear-resistant properties can effectively reduce the possibility of soldiers and military equipment being exposed to infrared detectors. In this paper, the infrared camouflage textile composites with intelligent temperature adjustment ability were prepared by different methods, using phase change microcapsule as the main raw material and high polymer polyurethane as the matrix, combining the two factors of temperature control and emissivity reduction. It was tested by differential scanning calorimeter, temperature change tester, infrared emissivity tester, and infrared imager. The results show that the temperature regulation effect of textile materials finished by coating method is better than dip rolling method, the temperature regulation ability and presentation effect are the best when the microcapsule content is 27%. When the bottom layer of infrared camouflage textile composite is 27% phase change microcapsule and the surface layer is 20% copper powder, its infrared emissivity in the band of 2–22 μm is 0.656, and the rate of heating and cooling is obviously slowed down. It has excellent heat storage and temperature regulation function, which can reduce the skin surface temperature by more than 6 °C and effectively reduce the infrared radiation. This study can provide reference for laboratory preparation and industrial production of infrared camouflage composite material. The infrared camouflage textile composite prepared are expected to be used in the field of military textiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Towing is a critical mode of transportation for offshore platforms without self-propelled capability. In Arctic regions, the existence of ice floes might pose additional challenges to towing operations. It is essential to develop a reliable prediction of broken ice actions on towing systems in ice infested waters, especially for large scale floaters, which require assistance for navigation from multiple tugs in coordination. This paper proposes a numerical model for simulating towing process in broken ice, considering the coupled motions of multiple tugs, towed platform, associated with ice floes. The centroidal Voronoi tessellation (CVT) algorithm is adopted to generate a random broken ice field with polygon-shaped ice floes. Ice-ice and ice-structure contacts are simulated through discrete element method (DEM), which are verified by existing data of model tests. A catenary towline model is used to connect tugs and towed platform. A numerical case study of large volume gravity-based structure (GBS) towing is conducted to analyze the dynamics of towing system. General effects of different ice characteristics are discussed to provide insights on towing design and towing safety in broken ice. • A numerical model for multi-tugs assisted towing system in broken ice is developed. • The coupled motions of multiple tugs, towed platform and ice floes are considered. • The performance of a gravity-based structure towing system is predicted. • The effects of ice characteristics on towing performance are evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The interfacial compatibility between silicone rubber (SR) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) was increased by electron beam irradiation. • The addition of SR will significantly reduce the heat release rate of HDPE/magnesium hydroxide (MH) composites. • The addition of SR will significantly increase the amount of carbon layer after the complete combustion of the HDPE/MH composite. • The maximum expansion height of carbon layer formed after complete combustion can reach 2.2 cm. In this study, silicone rubber (SR) was introduced into high-density polyethylene/magnesium hydroxide (HDPE/MH) composites by melt blending, and the electron beam irradiation was used to prepare the irradiation crosslinked flame retardant HDPE composites. The changes of properties of the samples were investigated by melt index test (MI), mechanical property test, thermal stability test (TG/DTG), oxygen index test (LOI) and cone calorimetry (CCT). MI test results indicated that SR can increase the internal lubricity of HDPE composites. The morphology results showed that the SR can promote the interfacial compatibility between MH and HDPE. The test results of mechanical properties further revealed that the addition of SR can effectively improve the continuity between MH and HDPE, which was evidenced by the 240 % increasing of the elongation at break. TGA test results showed that with the continuous increase of SR, the mass loss rate (LR) decreased rapidly, and the residue content increased. When the addition of SR reached 7.5 phr, the LOI was promoted by 27.4 %. CCT results indicated that the addition of SR can effectively inhibit the heat release rate (HRR) and total heat release (THR), but had little effect on the total smoke release (TSP). When 10 phr of SR were added, the content of residue can reach up to 37 %, and the expansion height can reach to 2.2 cm. Conclusively, the SR contributed to significantly synergistic flame retardant property to HDPE composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we designed and synthesized eighteen podophyllotoxin-norcantharidin hybrid drugs which could exhibit more potent anti-cancer activity than the parent drugs. Through the anti-proliferation assay, the most potent anti-cancer agent was screened out, namely Q9 (IC 50 = 0.88 ± 0.18 μM against MCF-7 cell line), and it showed lower cytotoxicity against non-cancer cells, human embryonic kidney cells (293T) (IC 50 = 54.38 ± 3.78 μM). Additionally, based on the flow cytometry analysis result, it can cause a remarkable cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and induce apoptosis in MCF-7 cells more significantly than podophyllotoxin or norcantharidin per se. Moreover, the expression of cell cycle relative protein CDK1 was up regulated while a protein required for mitotic initiation, Cyclin B1 was down regulated. Furthermore, according to the confocal microscopy observation results, it was shown that Q9 was a potent tubulin polymerization inhibitor and the effect is comparable to that of colchicine. For further investigation on the aforementioned mechanisms, we performed western blot experiments, thus finding the increase of the cleavage of PARP. Consistent with these new findings, molecular docking observations suggested that compound Q9 could be developed as a potential anticancer agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COX-2 has long been exploited in the treatment of inflammation and relief of pain; however, research increasingly suggests COX-2 inhibitors might possess potential benefits to thwart tumour processes. In the present study, we designed a series of novel COX-2 inhibitors based on analysis of known inhibitors combined with an in silico scaffold modification strategy. A docking simulation combined with a primary screen in vitro were performed to filter for the lead compound, which was then substituted, synthesized and evaluated by a variety of bioassays. Derivative 4d was identified as a potent COX-2 enzyme inhibitor and exerted an anticancer effect through COX-2 inhibition. Further investigation confirmed that 4d could induce A549 cell apoptosis and arrest the cell cycle at the G2/M phase. Moreover, treatment with 4d reduced A549 cell adhesive ability and COX-2 expression. The morphological variation of treated cells was also visualized by confocal microscopy. Overall, the biological profile of 4d suggests that this compound may be developed as a potential anticancer agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the thermal properties of the phenolic resin, silane with different degree of polymerization was introduced into phenolic resin by controllable reactions. Silicone phenolic resin was first synthesized via esterification reaction between methyltrimethoxysilane and novolac phenolic resin; then the degree of self-polymerization of silane was controlled by the hydrolyzation reaction. The designed structure of the hybrids was confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance ( 1 H-NMR and 29 Si-NMR), and curing of the hybrids was performed to obtain samples for microstructure observation and anti-oxidation evaluation. In situ self-polymerization of the silane during both the hydrolyzation and the curing processes led to phase separation in the cured hybrids, and the size of the phase structure increased with the increase of self-polymerization degree of the silane. Thermogravimetric analysis and high-temperature oxidation test were performed, and silane introduction was found to be beneficial to the enhancement of both thermal stability and oxidation resistance. Anti-oxidation mechanisms for the phenolic resin modified with silanes at different polymerization degree were compared and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we synthesized a series of dihydropyrazole sulfonamide derivatives containing 2-hydroxyphenyl moiety as antitumor agents to target the matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). All of the synthesized compounds were examined by bioactivity assays, in which compound 4c turned out as a potential antagonist of MMP-2 along with potent anticancer activity against four tumor cell lines. Structure-activity relationship analysis was also performed to examine how structural changes impacted the bioactivity. Suggested to be caused by the induction of apoptosis, the antitumor mechanism of 4c was further confirmed by PI combining with annexin V-FITC staining assay using flow cytometry analysis. These new findings along with molecular docking observations suggested that compound 4c could be developed as a potential anticancer agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to introduce and analyze the feasibility of simultaneously combined anterior-posterior approaches for subaxial cervical circumferential reconstruction in sitting position. A retrospective case review was performed for above surgery procedure. A 79-year-old man was confirmed subaxial cervical fracture and dislocation with facet locked by radiological examination, and the involved levels were C5-6. According to American Spinal Injury Association ( ASIA) classification, the impairment scale was grade B. And the Subaxial Cervical Spine Injury and Severity Score (SLIC) were 9. The patient was restricted in sitting position with traction on a halo in extension to immobilize the head during the operation. A posterior laminectomy and pedicle screws insertion to the involved cervical spine was performed firstly. And then the anterior discectomy and strut graft were accomplished through an anterior cervical approach. The final fixation was finished by clamping the strut graft with pedicle screw system. Total blood loss was 600 ml and the total operating time was 150 min. The patient was followed up for 6 months. The symptom of neck pain improved distinctly and no evidence about implant failure was noted. Neurological status improvement was confirmed and the ASIA scale was improved to grade C. We believed that the simultaneously combined anterior-posterior approach in sitting position was safe and more advantageous for appropriate cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were coated by aluminium nitride (AlN) via a simple gradual sedimentation and ceramization route. Following a designed sequence, CNTs were coated with aluminium-containing precursor and carbon source, which were dissolved in a mixed solution of isopropanol and toluene; the subsequent pyrolysis and carbothermal nitridation generated AlN layer onto the CNT surface. The coating thickness was tunable from 1 to 2 nm, while maintaining defect free. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the onset oxidizing temperature of the product delayed from 525 to 707 °C, and more than 90% CNTs survived the oxidation. Furthermore, the coating mechanism was proposed and verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dysfunction of vascular endothelial cells (ECs) influenced by flow shear stress is crucial for vascular remodeling. However, the roles of nuclear envelope (NE) proteins in shear stress-induced EC dysfunction are still unknown. Our results indicated that, compared with normal shear stress (NSS), low shear stress (LowSS) suppressed the expression of two types of NE proteins, Nesprin2 and LaminA, and increased the proliferation and apoptosis of ECs. Targeted small interfering RNA (siRNA) and gene overexpression plasmid transfection revealed that Nesprin2 and LaminA participate in the regulation of EC proliferation and apoptosis. A protein/DNA array was further used to detect the activation of transcription factors in ECs following transfection with target siRNAs and overexpression plasmids. The regulation of AP-2 and TFIID mediated by Nesprin2 and the activation of Stat-1, Stat-3, Stat-5 and Stat-6 by LaminA were verified under shear stress. Furthermore, using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software and real-time RT-PCR, the effects of Nesprin2 or LaminA on the downstream target genes of AP-2, TFIID, and Stat-1, Stat-3, Stat-5 and Stat-6, respectively, were investigated under LowSS. Our study has revealed that NE proteins are novel mechano-sensitive molecules in ECs. LowSS suppresses the expression of Nesprin2 and LaminA, which may subsequently modulate the activation of important transcription factors and eventually lead to EC dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with various functionalization states were used to toughen bismaleimide resin. Differential scanning calorimeter and rheometric measurements were conducted to monitor the processability of the hybrid systems. The toughness of the corresponding composites was investigated by Charpy impact and flexural tests, while the thermal properties were obtained from dynamic mechanical and thermogravimetric analyses. The results showed that the loading and functionalization state of the CNTs in the resin matrix had a great influence on the mechanical performance and glass transition temperature, but less influence on thermal decomposition temperature of the composites. These phenomena could be attributed to the differences in dispersion state, interfacial adhesion, and interfacial compatibility of CNTs in the resin matrix. Compared with the pure resin, composites containing 0.50 wt% diaminodiphenylmethane-treated CNTs showed 60% improvement in impact strength and 100% improvement in flexural toughness while preserving their thermal properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The axis inhibition protein 2 ( AXIN2) is an important regulator of β-catenin degradation in the Wnt pathway, which plays a key role in craniofacial morphogenesis. The goal of this study was to investigate the potential relationship between AXIN2 polymorphisms and the risks of non-syndromic orofacial clefts ( NSOC) in a Chinese Han population. Methods Four polymorphisms of AXIN2 (rs2240307, rs11867417, rs2240308, and rs7591) were selected to perform a case-control study with 599 NSOC cases and 602 healthy individuals from a Chinese Han population. The single nucleotide polymorphisms ( SNPs) were genotyped on basis of double ligation and multiplex fluorescence PCR. Results Weak associations were found between these four SNPs and the risk of NSOC. Further stratified analysis showed that the overall genotype frequencies of rs2240307 were different between the cleft palate only ( CPO) group and the control group ( P = 0.048), and GG genotype markedly contributed to the susceptibility to CPO ( OR = 3.22, 95% CI = 1.13-9.18). The similar effect was also observed on GA/ AA genotype compared with GG homozygote ( OR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.11-0.84). The results of LD analysis between each pair of SNPs revealed that two SNPs (rs11867417 and rs7591) were in a LD block ( r2 > 0.8). But no statistically significant was found between cases and controls from haplotype analysis in these two loci. Conclusions The borderline results gave us a hint that rs2240307 contributed to the susceptibility to CPO in a Chinese Han population, which was conductive to improving our awareness of the causes of NSOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Peripheral corticotropin‐releasing factor (CRF) has been reported to affect gastrointestinal motility through corticotropin‐releasing factor receptor located in enteric nervous system (ENS), but less is known about of the relationship between peripheral CRF and interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). Methods: Mice were intraperitoneally injected with CRF receptor agonists to determine their effects on colonic ICC. Chronic heterotypic stress (CHeS) was applied to mice to determine endogenous CRF‐CRF receptor signaling on colonic ICC. Results: We found that stressin1, a selective CRF receptor 1 (CRF1) agonist, significantly increased the expression of CRF1 but had no effect on the expression of CRF2 in the smooth muscles of murine colon. The protein expression of c‐Kit, Anoctamin‐1 (ANO1), and stem cell factor (SCF) in the colonic smooth muscles was significantly decreased in stressin1‐treated mice. Accordingly, 2‐(4‐Chloro‐2‐methylphenoxy)‐N′‐(2‐methoxybenzylidene) acetohydrazide (Ani 9), a selective ANO1 blocker, had a less significant inhibitory effect on CMMC in stressin1‐treated mice compared to the saline‐treated ones. Similarly, we also found that ICC and ANO1 were reduced in the colonic smooth muscles of mice by treatment with sauvagine (ip), a CRF2 agonist. However, different with stressin1, sauvagine decreased the expression of CRF2 besides increasing CRF1 expression in the colonic smooth muscles. Similar results of CRF1 and c‐Kit expressions were also obtained from the colon of CHeS‐treated mice. Conclusion: All these results suggest that CRF may be involved in the abnormality of colonic motility through peripheral CRF1 to decrease the number and function of ICC, which provides a potential target for treating stress‐induced gastrointestinal motility disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphor-converted white light-emitting diodes (pc-wLEDs) based on near-UV LED chip demand efficient blue-emitting phosphors, because the pc-wLED uses either multi phosphors or single-phase white-emitting phosphor both needs blue-emitting component. When using Ce3+ as the activator, the host structure usually has rare earth ions or alkaline earth ion such as Ca2+ for Ce3+ to occupy, due to similar ionic radius and charge. This work is going to report a blue-emitting phosphor Na 2 MgSiO 4 :Ce3+, where Ce3+ occupies the Na+ sites. The phosphor exhibits characteristic of tunable emission color upon increasing Ce3+ content or introducing Li+ as charge compensator. The relationship between the crystal structure and the luminescent properties was studied in detail based on structural refinement and in-depth luminescent studies. The phosphor with a proper Ce3+ content showed a high absolute quantum efficiency of 86.0% and acceptable thermal stability. The pc-wLED made of 365 nm UV chip, the as-prepared Na 2 MgSiO 4 :Ce3+,Li+, and commercial green and red phosphors showed good performance with color rendering index of 93.3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The surgical management of macrocheilia secondary to port-wine stains is complicated. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to propose an innovative method for treating macrocheilia on the lower lip. METHODS: Patients who underwent the reconstruction of macrocheilia on the lower lip through the innovative approach were examined. Their preoperative and postoperative standard photographs were taken to evaluate the changes in lip length and thickness. The scores on Vancouver scar scale (VSS) and visual analog scale (VAS) were evaluated. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients who underwent the reconstruction of macrocheilia were examined. A follow-up of 12.2 months (6–36 months) was conducted. The lower lip contour and the mentolabial groove were reconstructed to normal appearance. The lip length was shortened from 5.38 ± 0.49 cm pretreatment to 4.59 ± 0.30 cm posttreatment (p =.016). The exposed vermilion was shortened from 2.05 ± 0.48 cm to 1.26 ± 0.12 cm posttreatment (p <.01). The mean VSS and VAS scores were 2.2 ± 1.5 and 8.4 ± 1.3, respectively. CONCLUSION: The bilateral limited excision and stepwise single-stage approach were safe and effective for reconstructing prominent macrocheilia on the lower lip. The technique was also easy to command for the beginners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivation after converting saline and alkaline wasteland to agricultural land is usually accompanied by accelerated soil salinization. There is general agreement that freezing-thawing process plays a crucial role in soil salinization in mostly cold-arid agricultural areas, which leads to the impoverishment of soil productivity. To investigate the migration characteristics of soil salinity in saline-sodic cotton field with different reclamation time in non-irrigation season, we examined the soil bulk, total porosity, and spatial and temporal migration of soil salinity in winter in an oasis agroecosystem of northern Xinjiang, China. Experimental plots include a saline-alkali wasteland as control and cotton fields under four age categories (cultivation start years were 1998, 2006, 2008, and 2012, respectively). The results showed that converting saline-alkali wasteland to cotton land significantly decreased soil bulk density but increased total soil porosity, especially at 0–40 cm. Conversion significantly decreased soil salinity at 0–200 cm soil depths, with a greater decrease in cotton land after relatively longer time of cultivation. After freezing-thawing process, soil bulk density decreased 4.87% on average, and total porosity increased 5.98%. Soil salt dynamics showed that there were two stages in salt accumulation. Firstly, soil salt storage increased at 0–100 cm depth but decreased at 100–200 cm depth during freezing period; Secondly, rapid increase of salt storage appeared at late thawing period. In addition, salt accumulation positively correlated to initial salt content and bulk density, but negatively correlated to total porosity. At springtime, cotton land with short-term cultivation was desalination comparing with pre-freezing, but salt accumulation occurred after long-term cultivation. These results highlighted that long-term cultivation with mulched drip irrigation decreased soil salinity in the 0–200 cm soil profiles, but freezing-thawing process induced soil salinization which poses a potential risk to agricultural sustainability. • Converting wasteland to farmland decreased soil bulk density and increased total porosity. • Long-term cotton cultivations with drip irrigation significantly decreased soil salinity. • Freezing-thawing action decreased soil bulk density and increased total porosity. • Freezing-thawing action poses a potential risk to agricultural sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nanocubes with Hollow Prussian blue core and mesoporous silica shell were prepared for the first time. The prepared nanocubes combined photothermal therapy and drug controlled release properties with higher drug loading capacity, while the surface silica shell would provide the conditions for further compositing of other functional materials. [Display omitted] • The mesoporous silica coated PB-based nanocubes with hollow core were prepared for first time. • The prepared nanocubes exhibit higher drug loading capacity. • The nanocubes combine the functions of photothermotherapy and drug delivery. The nanocubes with hollow mesoporous Prussian blue core and mesoporous silica shell (HMPB@mSiO 2) were prepared. According to the SEM and TEM, the material showed a regular hollow core-shell cubic structure. Up to 879 m2/g of the surface area and 4.2 nm of average pore size were measured by N 2 adsorption-desorption. The nanocubes exhibited excellent photothermal conversion efficiency under 808 nm NIR. The UV–vis spectrophotometry showed that the drug loading content of the materials were 868.27 μg/mg (drug/carrier) and which can accelerate the release of DOX under acidic and NIR conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploitation of highly active, stable and inexpensive electrocatalysts with abundant elements of earth is the key to hydrogen production through water electrolysis. Herein, the precursors (cobalt-iron glycerate composites, Co x Fe y G@F127 with different Co/Fe ratios) were prepared with the influence of polymeric surfactant Pluronic F127 by a hydrothermal process. The Co x Fe y G@F127 were transformed into Co x Fe y alloy with a little of carbon (Co x Fe y -C) after calcination treatment. In these catalysts, the Co 5 Fe 5 -C nanospheres constructed with small nanoparticles can give full play to the synergistic effect of Co and Fe atoms, and significantly improve the catalytic activity. In 1.0 M KOH, the Co 5 Fe 5 -C electrocatalyst required a low overpotential of 245 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and 165 mV for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) to achieve 10 mA cm−2, respectively. Based on the excellent catalytic performance for HER/OER, the bifunctional electrocatalyst of Co 5 Fe 5 -C were assembled into an alkaline electrolyzer, which can drive a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at 1.46 V and show outstanding performance for overall water splitting. • The CoFe alloy with a small amount of carbon (Co 5 Fe 5 -C) was synthesized by calcining the precursor of Co 5 Fe 5 G@F127. • Co 5 Fe 5 -C shows the superior catalytic activity and stability for HER (η 10 = 165 mV) and OER (η 10 = 245 mV). • Co 5 Fe 5 -C/NF║Co 5 Fe 5 -C/NF requires a cell voltage of only about 1.46 V to achieve 10 mA cm−2 for water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic ferroelectrics are flexible, lightweight, and bio‐friendly, promising for bio‐harmonized electronic devices, while their ferroelectric lithography remains relatively unexplored. Here, by introducing homochirality and ZE photoisomerization, we obtained a pair of organic enantiomorphic ferroelectrics, di(benzylamino)‐substituted derivatives of muconic acids, the first ferroelectrics in the muconic family. Their ferroelectric and chiral features were confirmed by the polarization–electric field hysteresis loops and circular dichroism spectra, respectively. Piezoresponse force microscopy measurements demonstrate that the desired domain structure can be precisely achieved by applying a local electric field on a predefined pattern in their thin films. Moreover, thermogravimetric analyses reveal that their ferroelectricity can persist up to above 550 K. The precise pattern lithography and excellent thermal stability make them competitive candidates for ferroelectric lithography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]