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Coal gasification technology is a very important industrial technology, in which the Radiant Syngas Cooler (RSC) plays a pivotal role in the heat storage and heat recovering process. Ash deposit in RSC is a critical factor which may seriously affect the performance of RSC or even result in a shutdown. Therefore, conducting research on the deposit process of RSC is extremely worthwhile. In this study, we create an RSC model with the application of an optimized Critical Velocity Model (CVM) and perform simulations using the CFD method. With the simulating method, we conduct a series of analysis to obtain a more detailed description of the ash distribution and heat transfer in the RSC. Research shows that the CVM proposed in this paper can be precisely applied to the heat transfer process in a RSC, and not only can this method obtain the distribution of ash deposit similar to other methods but also determine the conversion of the ash deposit thickness to heat resistance, which makes the forecast of the overall heat exchange more accurate. According to the study, the ash thickness changes with the vertical height of RSC. For the division wall and panels, the ash thickness increased from the bottom, and then reached a maximum value at about 2/3 of total height. Under the influence of ash deposition, the total heat transfer rate of RSC decreased by 10.4%, and the outlet temperature of syngas increased by 5.7%. This result can provide a reference for the predictive analysis of RSC.

PurposeTo investigate the deficits in contrast sensitivity in patients with Fuchs uveitis syndrome (FUS) and to explore the potential relationship between contrast sensitivity and ocular structure.MethodsIn this prospective study, 25 patients with FUS and 30 healthy volunteers were recruited. Eyes were divided into three groups: FUS-affected eyes (AE), fellow eyes (FE), and healthy eyes. The contrast sensitivity function (CSF) of all participants was evaluated using the quick CSF (qCSF) method. Fundus photographs were collected for the analysis of refractive media, and vascular density (VD) was assessed using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Data were analyzed and compared using the generalized estimating equation (GEE).ResultsThe CSF of AE was significantly lower than that of FE and controls, while no significant difference was observed between FE and controls. Contrast sensitivity was negatively correlated with the grade of haze. No significant correlation was found between visual function and VDs in FUS eyes.ConclusionsWe found that the CSF of FUS-affected eyes was significantly reduced, and the visual impairment was predominantly caused by the refractive media turbidity.

Tight sandstone reservoirs have smaller pore throats, complex structures, strong heterogeneity in the pore throat system, and significant differences in fluid distribution. To reveal the occurrence characteristics of movable fluids in tight sandstone reservoirs, the typical tight sandstone core samples from the Chang 4+5 reservoir of the Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation of the Ordos Basin were selected and the micro pore throat classification standard was established by using casting thin slices, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-pressure mercury injection (HPMI), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology. The test analysis results showed that the Chang 4+5 tight sandstone reservoir can be divided into Type I, II, and III reservoirs by the different pore throat structure. Type I reservoirs have well-developed pore throats, good connectivity, low threshold pressure (0.42 MPa on average), high movable fluid saturation (46.82% on average), and a minimum pore throat radius of movable fluid (0.056 μm on average). The pore throat structure and fluid production degree of the other two reservoir types gradually deteriorated. Note that the tight sandstone reservoirs of the Chang 4+5 reservoirs have smaller pore throats but high movable fluid content in smaller pore throats (17% on average). With the deterioration of the pore throat structure in reservoir, the degree of fluid utilization in larger pore throats decreases (74.33%–57.33%), whereas the degree of fluid utilization in smaller pore throats does not change significantly (25.67%–13.82%). Many factors affect movable fluid parameters. The movable fluid parameters of tight sandstone reservoirs in the Chang 4+5 reservoir have a good positive correlation with permeability (R2 = 0.85) and sorting coefficients (R2 = 0.88). The movable fluid parameters of smaller and larger pore throats have no obvious correlation with a single factor. Multiple factors affect the fluid occurrence characteristics of different scale pore throats.

BackgroundAlpha-thalassemia/intellectual disability syndrome (ATR-X) (OMIM # 301040) was first described by Wilkie et al. (1). Several studies found that children who presented with significantly consistent clinical phenotypes of hemoglobin H (Hb H) disease and profound mental handicap carried ATRX chromatin remodeler (ATRX, OMIM*300032) gene variants. With the recent development of exome sequencing (ES), ATRX gene variants of severe to profound intellectual disability without alpha-thalassemia have been implicated in intellectual disability-hypotonic facies syndrome, X-linked, 1(MRXHF1, OMIM #309580). These two diseases present similar clinical manifestations and the same pattern of inheritance.Case PresentationWe reported a 3-year-old boy with intellectual disability, language impairment, hypotonia, and mild craniofacial abnormalities (flat nasal bridge, small and triangular nose, anteverted nostrils, and widely spaced incisors) and reviewed MRXHF1 cases. At an early stage, the patient developed global developmental delay (GDD). After 6 months of rehabilitation therapy, the patient's motor ability did not make big progress, as well as his speech or nonverbal communication. We performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS), Sanger sequencing, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and X-inactivation studies. A novel hemizygous intronic variant in ATRX (c.5786+4A>G; NM_000489.6) was identified, which led to exon 24 skipping. The carrier mother showed extremely skewed X-chromosome inactivation (XCI). These results may contribute to the patient's phenotypes.ConclusionsThe novel hemizygous intronic variant in ATRX is the genetic etiology of the boy. Identification of this variant is helpful for parents to take prenatal diagnostic tests. Also, this new case expands the phenotypes of MRXHF1 and the mutational spectrum of the ATRX gene.

RimK-like family member B (RIMKLB) is an enzyme that post-translationally modulates ribosomal protein S6, which can affect the development of immune cells. Some studies have suggested its role in tumor progression. However, the relationships among RIMKLB expression, survival outcomes, and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) are still unknown. Therefore, we analyzed RIMKLB expression levels in CRC and normal tissues and investigated the correlations between RIMKLB and TIICs as well as the impact of RIMKLB expression on clinical prognosis in CRC using multiple databases, including the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER), Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), PrognoScan, and UALCAN databases. Enrichment analysis was conducted with the cluster Profiler package in R software to explore the RIMKLB-related biological processes involved in CRC. The RIMKLB expression was significantly decreased in CRC compared to normal tissues, and correlated with histology, stage, lymphatic metastasis, and tumor status (p < 0.05). Patients with CRC with high expression of RIMKLB showed poorer overall survival (OS) (HR = 2.5,p = 0.00,042), and inferior disease-free survival (DFS) (HR = 1.9,p = 0.19) than those with low expression of RIMKLB. TIMER analysis indicated that RIMKLB transcription was closely related with several TIICs, including CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, B cells, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), monocytes, neutrophils, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, and subsets of T cells. Moreover, the expression of RIMKLB showed significant positive correlations with infiltrating levels of PD1 (r = 0.223, p = 1.31e-06; r = 0.249, p = 1.25e-03), PDL1 (r = 0.223, p = 6.03e-07; r = 0.41, p = 5.45e-08), and CTLA4 (r = 0.325, p = 9.68e-13; r = 0.41, p = 5.45e-08) in colon and rectum cancer, respectively. Enrichment analysis showed that the RIMKLB expression was positively related to extracellular matrix and immune inflammation-related pathways. In conclusion, RIMKLB expression is associated with survival outcomes and TIICs levels in patients with CRC, and therefore, might be a potential novel prognostic biomarker that reflects the immune infiltration status.

Abstract Background Identifying the mutation status of KRAS is important for optimizing treatment in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive value of haematological parameters and serum tumour markers (STMs) for KRAS gene mutations. Methods The clinical data of patients with colorectal cancer from January 2014 to December 2018 were retrospectively collected, and the associations between KRAS mutations and other indicators were analysed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to quantify the predictive value of these factors. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were applied to identify predictors of KRAS mutations by calculating the odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results KRAS mutations were identified in 276 patients (35.2%). ROC analysis revealed that age, CA12–5, AFP, SCC, CA72–4, CA15–3, FERR, CYFRA21-1, MCHC, and tumor location could not predict KRAS mutations (P = 0.154, 0.177, 0.277, 0.350, 0.864, 0.941, 0.066, 0.279, 0.293, and 0.053 respectively), although CEA, CA19–9, NSE and haematological parameter values showed significant predictive value (P = 0.001,

Abstract Background Since pneumonia caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) broke out in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, tremendous infected cases has risen all over the world attributed to its high transmissibility. We aimed to mathematically forecast the inflection point (IFP) of new cases in South Korea, Italy, and Iran, utilizing the transcendental model from China. Methods Data from reports released by the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China (Dec 31, 2019 to Mar 5, 2020) and the World Health Organization (Jan 20, 2020 to Mar 5, 2020) were extracted as the training set and the data from Mar 6 to 9 as the validation set. New close contacts, newly confirmed cases, cumulative confirmed cases, non-severe cases, severe cases, critical cases, cured cases, and death were collected and analyzed. We analyzed the data above through the State Transition Matrix model. Results The optimistic scenario (non-Hubei model, daily increment rate of − 3.87%), the cautiously optimistic scenario (Hubei model, daily increment rate of − 2.20%), and the relatively pessimistic scenario (adjustment, daily increment rate of − 1.50%) were inferred and modeling from data in China. The IFP of time in South Korea would be Mar 6 to 12, Italy Mar 10 to 24, and Iran Mar 10 to 24. The numbers of cumulative confirmed patients will reach approximately 20 k in South Korea, 209 k in Italy, and 226 k in Iran under fitting scenarios, respectively. However, with the adoption of different diagnosis criteria, the variation of new cases could impose various influences in the predictive model. If that happens, the IFP of increment will be earlier than predicted above. Conclusion The end of the pandemic is still inapproachable, and the number of confirmed cases is still escalating. With the augment of data, the world epidemic trend could be further predicted, and it is imperative to consummate the assignment of global medical resources to curb the development of COVID-19.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is one of the most escalating global metabolic diseases, which is highly associated with insulin resistance (IR) and risk of combination with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Previous studies suggest that soluble klotho (sKL) could serve as a circulating hormone to mediate energy metabolism, but the detailed mechanism is poorly understood. In this study, we generated T2D models of wild-type (WT), sKL heterozygous (KL+/−), and sKL transgenic (TgKL) mice continuously fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and constructed L02 cell lines that stably overexpress sKL to investigate the effect of sKL on hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism. Surprisingly, we discovered that sKL deficiency resulted in exacerbated diabetic phenotypes and hepatic glucolipid metabolism disorders in HFD-fed KL+/− diabetic mice (KL+/− DM), whereas TgKL diabetic mice (TgKL DM) exhibited ameliorated diabetic phenotypes and decreased IR. Mechanistic studies in vitro and in vivo demonstrated that sKL could inhibit the PI3K/AKT/mTORC1 signaling to upregulate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) expression by directly interacting with type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF1R) in HFD-fed T2D mice. Thus, sKL could improve hepatic glucolipid homeostasis to ameliorate diabetic phenotypes and lipid accumulation and may function as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of T2D and reduce the risk of NAFLD.

Precise control over the energy of atomic metal sites is key to unlocking novel reaction pathways. Here, the authors achieve selective oxygen activation by the isolated copper site on ceria, due to its reduced 3d orbital energy via cerium induced electron withdrawing effect.

Abstract Backgrounds Engineering yeast as a consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) microorganism by surface assembly of cellulosomes has been aggressively utilized for cellulosic ethanol production. However, most of the previous studies focused on Saccharomyces cerevisiae, achieving efficient conversion of phosphoric acid-swollen cellulose (PASC) or microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) but not carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to ethanol, with an average titer below 2 g/L. Results Harnessing an ultra-high-affinity IM7/CL7 protein pair, here we describe a method to engineer Pichia pastoris with minicellulosomes by in vitro assembly of three recombinant cellulases including an endoglucanase (EG), an exoglucanase (CBH) and a β-glucosidase (BGL), as well as a carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) on the cell surface. For the first time, the engineered yeasts enable efficient and direct conversion of CMC to bioethanol, observing an impressive ethanol titer of 5.1 g/L. Conclusions The research promotes the application of P. pastoris as a CBP cell factory in cellulosic ethanol production and provides a promising platform for screening the cellulases from different species to construct surface-assembly celluosome.

Abstract Purpose The long-term oncological effects of self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) as a “bridge to surgery” are contradictory, and perineural invasion was supposed to be enhanced by the stenting. In this retrospective study, we compared the perineural invasion and the oncological outcomes between the stent as a bridge to surgery (SBTS)- and emergency surgery (ES)-treated patients to evaluate the results of stenting on the perineural invasion. Methods The clinical data of patients with acute intestinal obstruction caused by colorectal cancer from January 2013 to January 2017 were retrospectively collected. Forty-three patients underwent semi-elective curative resection after endoscopic SEMS insertion, and sixty-three underwent ES. The adverse events and long-term follow-up outcomes were assessed. The clinicopathological characteristics, perineural invasion rates, and survival rates were compared between the two patient groups. Results Stent insertion resulted in significantly lower stoma rate (32.6% vs 46%; P = 0.03), post-operative overall complication rate (11.6% vs 28.6%, P = 0.038), and total hospital stay (17.07 ± 5.544 days vs 20.48 ± 7.372 days, P = 0.042). Compared with the ES group, there was no significant increase in the incidence of peripheral invasion in the SBTS group (39.5% vs 47.6%, P = 0.411). No significant difference was noted in the survival rate and long-term prognosis between the SEMS and ES groups (P = 0.964). The technical success rate was 95.6%, and the clinical success rate was 97.7%. Conclusions Preoperative colon stenting was an effective transitional method for colorectal cancer patients with complete obstruction. Short-term stent implantation had no significant effect on perineural invasion in patients with CRC.

Abstract Background China’s fragmentation of social health insurance schemes has become a key obstacle that hampers equal access to health care and financial protection. This study aims to explores if the policy intervention Urban and Rural Residents Basic Medical Insurance (URRBMI) scheme, which integrates Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URBMI) and New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NCMS), can curb the persistent inequity of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and further analyses the determinants causing inequity. Methods Data were derived from the Fifth National Health Service Survey (NHSS). A total of 11,104 households covered by URRBMI and 20,590 households covered by URBMI or NCMS were selected to analyze CHE and the impoverishment rate from medical expenses. Moreover, the decomposition method based on a probit model was employed to analyse factors contributing CHE inequity. Results The overall incidence of CHE under integrated insurance scheme was 15.53%, about 1.10% higher than the non-integrated scheme; however, the intensity of CHE and impoverishment among the poorest was improved. Although CHE was still concentrated among the poor under URRBMI (CI = -0.53), it showed 28.38% lower in the degree of inequity. For URRBMI households, due to the promotion of integration reform to the utilization of rural residents’ better health services, the factor of residence (24.41%) turns out to be a major factor in increasing inequity, the factor of households with hospitalized members (− 84.53%) played a positive role in reducing inequity and factors related to social economic status also contributed significantly in increasing inequity. Conclusion The progress made in the integrated URRBMI on CHE equity deserves recognition, even though it did not reduce the overall CHE or the impoverishment rate effectively. Therefore, for enhanced equity, more targeted solutions should be considered, such as promoting more precise insurance intervention for the most vulnerable population and including costly diseases suitable for outpatient treatment into benefit packages. Additionally, comprehensive strategies such as favourable targeted benefit packages or job creation are required for the disadvantaged.

The formulations for three-dimensional (3D) scattering from uniaxial objects with a smooth boundary using a multiple infinitesimal dipole method (MIDM) are introduced. The proposed technique uses two sets of infinitesimal dipole triplets (IDTs), including three co-located orthogonally polarized electric infinitesimal dipoles, distributed inside and outside of a scatterer to construct simulated fields. The dyadic Green's functions of uniaxial materials are deployed in the MIDM so as to obtain the simulated fields. The singularity issues in using the uniaxial dyadic Green's functions, which cannot be solved analytically so far for a general uniaxial medium, can be easily eliminated by using the proposed MIDM. In comparison to the traditional single-layered distribution scheme of IDTs, the proposed multiple-layered distribution scheme can handle the scattering from uniaxial objects accurately and efficiently. Several numerical examples are presented to study bistatic radar cross section (RCS) responses under different scenarios. Excellent agreement is achieved by comparing numerical results with those obtained from commercial software packages, while the simulation performance including CPU time and required memory is drastically improved by using the MIDM when computing a general uniaxial material or a relatively larger object. The proposed technique has its merits on simplicity, conciseness and fast computation in comparison to existing numerical methods.

A frequency tunable filter with a bandpass-to-absorptive bandstop reconfigurable characteristic is studied, designed and validated theoretically and experimentally. To control the filter bandwidth and impedance matching performance, variable capacitors are used in each external and internal coupling structure, and, by using equivalent circuits, the required frequency responses of two different modes are obtained. Two single-pole double-throw switches embedded in the transmission lines running from the source to the load accommodate external coupling structures to control the operational mode of the proposed filter. All commercially available electronics such as switches and varactor diodes are placed on the microstrip line layer, and the frequency-tunable substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) resonators are coupled to the transmission line through coupling slots. In the absorptive bandstop mode, the stopband is tuned from 1.83 GHz to 2.49 GHz, while the passband can be tuned from 1.86 GHz to 3.3 GHz in the bandpass mode. In both modes, more than 10 dB in return loss over the frequency tuning range of interest has been achieved. Theoretical, simulated, and measured results are in good agreement, which validate the proposed filter structure.

Faculty members in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines are typically expected to pursue grant funding and publish to support their research or teaching agendas. Providing effective professional development programs on grant preparation and management and on research publications is crucial. This study shares the design and implementation of such a program for Native STEM faculty (NAF-STEM) from two tribal colleges and one public, non-tribal, Ph.D. granting institution during a 3-year period. The overall development and implementation of the program is centered on the six R’s Indigenous framework – Respect, Relationship, Representation, Relevance, Responsibility, and Reciprocity. The role of NAF-STEM and their interactions with the program, as members of the community formed by their participation, impacted the program. Their practices and the program co-emerged over time, each providing structure and meaning for the other. Through such reciprocity, NAF-STEM and the program research team continually refined the program through their mutual engagement. They took on the shared responsibility of the program while they participated in and shaped its practices. The process and results of formative and summative assessment and the impact of COVID-19 on the program are reported. Results of the program offer lessons on the implementation of six R’s framework in professional development at institutions of higher education.

Abstract Diabetes is directly related to the risk of breast cancer (BC) occurrence and worsened BC prognosis. Currently, there are no specific treatments for diabetes‐associated BC. This paper aims to understand the fundamental mechanisms of diabetes‐induced BC progression and to develop personalized treatments. It reports a metabolic reprogramming strategy (MRS) that pharmaceutical induction of glucose import and glycolysis with metformin and NF‐κB inhibitor (NF‐κBi) while blocking the export of excessive lactate via inhibiting monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) leads to a metabolic crisis within the cancer cells. It demonstrates that the MRS shifts the metabolism of BC cells toward higher production of lactate, blocks lactate secretion, prompts intracellular acidification and induces significant cytotoxicity. Moreover, a novel MCT4 inhibitor CB‐2 has been identified by structure‐based virtual screening. A triple combination of metformin, CB‐2, and trabectedin, a drug that impedes NF‐κB signaling, strongly inhibits BC cells. Compared to normal glucose condition, MRS elicits more potent cancer cell‐killing effects under high glucose condition. Animal model studies show that diabetic conditions promote the proliferation and progression of BC xenografts in nude mice and that MRS treatment significantly inhibits HG‐induced BC progression. Therefore, inhibition of MCT4 combined with metformin/NF‐κBi is a promising cancer therapy, especially for diabetes‐associated BC.

When a city encounters a natural disaster, the traffic capacity of the road will change uncertainly over time as the disaster spreads. At this time, it will affect the overall distribution of the urban road network. Therefore, in order to ensure the normal operation of the city, evaluate the objective regularities of impact is of great significance and urgency to emergency decision-makers. The extent and scope of road damaged in the disaster-stricken area varies with time due to the impact of natural calamities. To reveal the regularities impact, this paper provides a two-stage analysis method based on the distribution path of the road network, offering basic data analysis and nonlinear fitting regression analysis on distribution costs, spatial accessibility and distribution efficiency. This study uses the degree of road network damage and the double randomness of road damaged to establish a transportation model for dynamic simulation analysis. The research results show that the delivery regularity of costs, spatial accessibility, and efficiency present the s-curve changes obviously. There are obvious inflection points when the damaged road percentage reaches about 10%-15% and 30%-40%. Therefore, the most suitable delivery route and time can be selected to maximize efficiency and reduce losses.

In this paper, we give the 3D (3 dimensional) Fermion representation of affine Yangian of gl(1). In special case h1=1,h2=−1,h3=0, the 3D Fermion operators Γm→ and Γm→⁎ become γm→ and γm→⁎ which have relations with 2D Fermions. By Boson-Fermion correspondence, we obtain that the Schur operators Sˆλ are functions of γm→, which give an explicit description for Littlewood-Richardson rule.

Net primary productivity (NPP) is a critical component in terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycles. Thus, quantitatively estimating and monitoring the dynamics of NPP have become key aspects for exploring the carbon cycle of terrestrial ecosystems. Anthropogenic activity, such as urbanization, has significant effects on NPP and increases pressure on the natural resources of a specific region. However, to date, although many studies have focused on the relationship between NPP variation and urbanization, they usually ignored any differences at a long-term spatiotemporal variation of urbanization factors, which led to the insufficient understanding of the urbanization-induced impacts on NPP. As a result, this study effectively explored the spatiotemporal variation of NPP from 2001 to 2012 and its corresponding relationship with urbanization, taking the Hubei Province in China as a case study area. To clarify the degree of urbanization, the spatial distribution and temporal variation of population and gross domestic product (GDP) were simulated based on the elevation-adjusted human settlement index and nighttime lights data. The major results showed that high NPP areas were located in those highlands with widespread woodland, in which the NPP value continued to grow during the period. The low NPP areas were mainly distributed in urban areas, and the NPP value had a continued and visible loss. The population and GDP both had a strong correlation with NPP. The significant negative correlation was concentrated in the center of Hubei, with a dense population and developed economy. In order to further realize their complex relationship, the correlation coefficients between the annual NPP and the two factors from 2001 to 2012 were calculated, and the changing trends were investigated. Overall, the findings of this study may provide a reference for studies on the interaction between ecological environment and socioeconomic processes under the background of global rapid urbanization.

As one of the primary nodes in the flow of micro-plastics (MPs) in the environment, it is critical to examine and assess the Sewage Treatment, occurrence, and removal of MPs in waste treatment plant (WWTP). This research explored the shape, size, and composition of MPs at various stages of the WWTP process in the south of the city of Hefei, China, in dry and rainy weather conditions, as well as the removal effectiveness of MPs in a three-stage process. The collected MPs were quantitatively and qualitatively examined using an Osmosis electron microscope and micro-FTIR. The pollution risk of MPs in WWTP was assessed using the EU classification, labelling and packaging (CLP) standard and the pollution load index (PLI). The findings revealed that the average abundance of fibrous MPs was greatest in WWTP sewage and sludge, 49.3% and 39.7% in dry weather, and 50.1% and 43.2% in rainy weather, respectively. The average distribution of MPs in the 0–500 μm range was highest in WWTP wastewater and sludge, 64.9% and 60.4% in dry weather and 67.9% and 69.0% in rainy weather, respectively. Finally, the overall removal rate was 87.7% and 83.5%. At the same time, it has been demonstrated that MPs with varied compositions are strongly tied to human activities, and environmental conditions (such as rainy weather) also influence their source. In both dry and wet weather, the amount of polymers and the risk score were linked to the pollution risk of MPs in WWTP. In wet weather, the MPS pollution index was more variable. The pollution indices of MPs in row water and tail water were 2.40 and 2.46, respectively, which were heavily contaminated, and 1.0 and 1.2, which were moderately polluted. MPs in dewatered sludge had severely polluted indexes of 3.5 and 3.4, respectively. As a result, there is still MPs efflux or buildup in sludge during and after the WWTP process, which presents an ecological contamination concern.

Because of the PDF conversion error, the shadow backgrounds in Figs. 13(a) and 17(a) in our previously published review article [1] vanished. The correct figures are shown in this correction.

With the increasing use of high-frequency electronic and wireless devices, electromagnetic interference (EMI) has become a growing concern due to its potential impact on both electronic devices and human health. In this study, we demonstrated the performance of lightweight, electrically conducting 3D resorcinol-formaldehyde carbon xerogels, of 2.4 mm thickness, as an EMI shieldin the frequency range of 10–15 GHz (X-Ku band). The brittle carbon xerogels revealed complex porous structures with irregularly shaped pores that were randomly distributed. Electrochemical characterization revealed that the material behaved as an electrical double-layer capacitor. The carbon xerogels displayed reflection-dominated (∼ 84%) shielding behavior, with a total EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) value of ∼ 61 dB. The absorption process also contributed (∼ 16%) to the total SE. This behavior is attributed to the carbon xerogels' complex porous network, which effectively suppresses EM waves.

Genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) play an important role in the phenotype prediction of microorganisms, and their accuracy can be further improved by integrating other types of biological data such as enzyme concentrations and kinetic coefficients. Enzyme-constrained models (ecModels) have been constructed for several species and were successfully applied to increase the production of commodity chemicals. However, there was still no genome-scale ecModel for the important model organism Bacillus subtilis prior to this study. Here, we integrated enzyme kinetic and proteomic data to construct the first genome-scale ecModel of B. subtilis (ecBSU1) using the ECMpy workflow. We first used ecBSU1 to simulate overflow metabolism and explore the trade-off between biomass yield and enzyme usage efficiency. Next, we simulated the growth rate on eight previously published substrates and found that the simulation results of ecBSU1 were in good agreement with the literature. Finally, we identified target genes that enhance the yield of commodity chemicals using ecBSU1, most of which were consistent with the experimental data, and some of which may be potential novel targets for metabolic engineering. This work demonstrates that the integration of enzymatic constraints is an effective method to improve the performance of GEMs. The ecModel can predict overflow metabolism more precisely and can be used for the identification of target genes to guide the rational design of microbial cell factories.

Nitrate is a prominent pollutant in water bodies around the world. The isotopes in nitrate provide an effective approach to trace the sources and transformations of nitrate in water bodies. However, determination of isotopic composition by conventional analytical techniques is time-consuming, laborious, and expensive, and alternative methods are urgently needed. In this study, the rapid determination of 15NO3− in water bodies using Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) coupled with a deconvolution algorithm and a partial least squares regression (PLSR) model was explored. The results indicated that the characteristic peaks of 14NO3−/15NO3− mixtures with varied 14N/15N ratios were observed, and the proportion of 15NO3− was negatively correlated with the wavenumber of absorption peaks. The PLSR models for nitrate prediction of 14NO3−/15NO3− mixtures with different proportions were established based on deconvoluted spectra, which exhibited good performance with the ratio of prediction to deviation (RPD) values of more than 2.0 and the correlation coefficients (R2) of more than 0.84. Overall, the spectra pretreatment by the deconvolution algorithm dramatically improved the prediction models. Therefore, FTIR-ATR combined with deconvolution and PLSR provided a rapid, simple, and affordable method for determination of 15NO3− content in water bodies, which would facilitate and enhance the study of nitrate sources and water environment quality management.

Composite polymer electrolyte (CPE) is expected to have great prospects in solid-state batteries. However, their application is impeded due to the poor interfacial compatibility between CPE and electrodes that result in sluggish ionic transformation, especially at low temperatures. Here, on the basis of Poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) polymer electrolyte, gel composite polymer electrolyte (GCPE) with fast Li+ transport channel is prepared by in-situ polymerization with poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate (PEGMEA) monomer and FEC as additive. Compared with CPE, GCPE increases the ionic conductivity by 10 times. It also achieves more uniform lithium precipitation and significantly inhibits the growth of lithium dendrites. The LFP/GCPE/Li battery has a capacity retention of over 99% at both room temperature and 0 °C after 100 cycles. In addition, the coulombic efficiency is above 99% during cycling. Our work provides a new technology to prepare GCPE with high ionic conductivity at both room temperature and low temperatures that has great potential in the application of solid-state lithium batteries.

Liver metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC) is common and has an unfavorable prognosis. This study aimed to establish a functional nomogram model to predict overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRCLM). A total of 9,736 patients with CRCLM from 2010 to 2016 were randomly assigned to training, internal validation, and external validation cohorts. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were performed to identify independent clinicopathologic predictive factors, and a nomogram was constructed to predict CSS and OS. Multivariate analysis demonstrated age, tumor location, differentiation, gender, TNM stage, chemotherapy, number of sampled lymph nodes, number of positive lymph nodes, tumor size, and metastatic surgery as independent predictors for CRCLM. A nomogram incorporating the 10 predictors was constructed. The nomogram showed favorable sensitivity at predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS, with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) values of 0.816, 0.782, and 0.787 in the training cohort; 0.827, 0.769, and 0.774 in the internal validation cohort; and 0.819, 0.745, and 0.767 in the external validation cohort, respectively. For CSS, the values were 0.825, 0.771, and 0.772 in the training cohort; 0.828, 0.753, and 0.758 in the internal validation cohort; and 0.828, 0.737, and 0.772 in the external validation cohort, respectively. Calibration curves and ROC curves revealed that using our models to predict the OS and CSS would add more benefit than other single methods. In summary, the novel nomogram based on significant clinicopathological characteristics can be conveniently used to facilitate the postoperative individualized prediction of OS and CSS in CRCLM patients.

We show that the fermionic matrix model can be realized by W-representation. We construct the Virasoro constraints with higher algebraic structures, where the constraint operators obey the Witt algebra and null 3-algebra. The remarkable feature is that the character expansion of the partition function can be easily derived from such Virasoro constraints. It is a τ-function of the KP hierarchy. We construct the fermionic Aristotelian tensor model and give its W-representation. Moreover, we analyze the fermionic red tensor model and present the W-representation and character expansion of the partition function.

Alcoholism leads to many diseases, and it is also the social and economic burden of the society. Alcohol intake is the main cause of acute liver injury and chronic liver disease. Here, the ameliorative effect of NADH and dihydronicotinamide riboside (NRH) against alcohol-induced liver damage was studied and its possible mechanism was further clarified. In vitro studies showed that NADH and NRH are effective NAD+ concentration-enhancing agents. Compared with NMN, NADH and NRH can provide greater NAD+ increase at the same concentrations. Intraperitoneal injection of NADH and NRH in C57BL/6J mice also significantly increased the NAD+ content in liver, blood, brain, fat and kidney. Importantly, NADH and NRH significantly increased the liver NAD+/NADH ratio, but did not induce apoptosis markers in cells. The intragastric administration of 500 mg/kg NRH, 500 mg/kg NADH 15 min prior to acute alcohol ingestion (8 ml/kg, 40% w/v, in tap water) could dramatically enhance alcohol metabolism as revealed by the reduced concentrations of ethanol and acetaldehyde in blood as well as the decreased duration of the loss of righting reflex (LORR). Both Pretreatment and posttreatment with NADH or NRH could significantly reduce the increase of serum aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) after alcohol administration, indicating that they have a certain therapeutic effect on alcoholic hepatotoxicity besides preventing the adverse effects caused by alcohol. NADH and NRH could also alleviate lipid peroxidation as indicated by the repressed malondialdehyde (MDA) level and the elevated activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in liver tissues. Additionally, NADH or NRH can mitigate the abnormal lipid metabolism in acute alcoholic liver damage. These benefits obviously suggested that NADH or NRH could be a potential nutraceutical or pharmacological agent for promoting alcohol metabolism and preventing or treating early liver injury caused by acute alcohol exposure.

The emergence and dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) is a growing concern to animal and public health. However, little is known about the spread of CRE in food and livestock and its potential transmission to humans. To identify CRE strains from different origins and sources, 53 isolates were cultured from 760 samples including retail meat products, patients, and porcine excrement. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out, followed by phylogenetic typing, whole-genome sequencing, broth mating assays, and plasmids analyses. Forty-three Escherichia coli, nine Klebsiella pneumoniae, and one Enterobacter cloacae isolates were identified, each exhibiting multidrug-resistant phenotypes. Genetically, the main sequence types (STs) of E. coli were ST156 (n = 7), ST354 (n = 7), and ST48 (n = 7), and the dominant ST of K. pneumoniae is ST11 (n = 5). blaNDM–5 (n = 40) of E. coli and blaKPC–2 (n = 5) were the key genes that conferred carbapenem resistance phenotypes in these CRE strains. Additionally, the mcr-1 gene was identified in 17 blaNDM-producing isolates. The blaNDM–5 gene from eight strains could be transferred to the recipients via conjugation assays. Two mcr-1 genes in the E. coli isolates could be co-transferred along with the blaNDM–5 genes. IncF and IncX3 plasmids have been found to be predominantly associated with blaNDM gene in these strains. Strains isolated in our study from different sources and regions tend to be concordant and overlap. CRE strains from retail meat products are a reservoir for transition of CRE strains between animals and humans. These data also provide evidence of the dissemination of CRE strains and carbapenem-resistant genes between animal and human sources.

The use of optical sensing for in vivo applications is compelling, since it offers the advantages of non-invasiveness, non-ionizing radiation, and real-time monitoring. However, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the optical signal deteriorates dramatically as the biological tissue increases. Although increasing laser power can improve the SNR, intense lasers can severely disturb biological processes and viability. Quantum sensing with bright squeezed light can make the measurement sensitivity break through the quantum noise limit under weak laser conditions. A bright squeezed light source is demonstrated to avoid the deterioration of SNR and biological damage, which integrates an external cavity frequency-doubled laser, a semi-monolithic standing cavity with periodically poled titanyl phosphate (PPKTP), and a balanced homodyne detector (BHD) assembled on a dedicated breadboard. With the rational design of the mechanical elements, the optical layout, and the feedback control equipment, a maximum non-classical noise reduction of −10.7 ± 0.2 dB is observed. The average squeeze of −10 ± 0.2 dB in continuous operation for 60 min is demonstrated. Finally, the intracavity loss of degenerate optical parametric amplifier (DOPA) and the initial bright squeezed light can be calculated to be 0.0021 and −15.5 ± 0.2 dB, respectively. Through the above experimental and theoretical analysis, the direction of improving bright squeeze level is pointed out.

Objective: Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally. This study aimed to analyze the burden and 30-year trends of ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in China.Methods: Data that include incidence and mortality of stroke in China from January 1, 1990 to December 31, 2019 were derived from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2019. The absolute numbers of incident cases and deaths over the time, and age-standardized rates per 100,000, such as age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR), were analyzed.Results: In 2019, there were 3.9 (95% uncertainty intervals (UI) 3.4–4.5) million incident cases and 2.1 (3.4–4.5) million deaths related to stroke in China. The ASIR and ASMR of stroke in China was 200 (176–230) and 127 (110–144). From 1990 to 2019, the ASIR of ischemic stroke had increased by 35.0% (29.0–40.0) while the ASIR of ICH and SAH had decreased by −53.0% (−56.0 to −50.0) and by −39.0% (−44.0 to −35.0), respectively. The ASMR of ischemic stroke had increased by 3.0% (−26.0 to 16.0) while the ASMR of ICH and SAH had decreased by −48.0% (−59.0 to −38.0) and by −84.0% (−89.0 to −69.0), respectively.Conclusion: Although the incidence and mortality rates of stroke in China were decreased from 1990 to 2019, the number of incident cases and deaths nearly doubled. A sharp increase in the incidence rate of ischemic stroke was observed. A higher incidence rate of ischemic stroke in the women was also observed.

Background: Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) is regarded as an effective treatment for patients with symptomatic hepatic hemangioma. However, few studies have evaluated the efficacy of TAE alone for treating hepatic hemangioma. The aim of this study was to identify the factors that influence the response to TAE and formulate a quantitative nomogram to optimize the individualized management of hepatic hemangioma.Methods: We retrospectively studied 276 patients treated with TAE for hepatic hemangioma at our center from January 2011 to December 2019. The full cohort was randomly divided into training and validation cohorts. After assessing the potential predictive factors for the efficacy of TAE in the training cohort, a nomogram model was established and evaluated by discrimination and calibration.Results: During follow-up, the symptom relief rate was 100%. The tumor blood supply (p < 0.001), tumor number (p = 0.004), and tumor size (p = 0.006) were identified as significant predictors of the failure of tumor shrinkage in response to TAE. The nomogram model showed favorable discrimination and calibration, with a C-index of 0.775 (95% CI, 0.705–0.845) in the training cohort, which was further confirmed in the validation cohort (C-index 0.768; 95% CI, 0.680–0.856). The side effects of TAE were relatively minor and included mainly abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and the presence of elevated hepatic transaminases.Conclusion: TAE is a safe and effective treatment for symptomatic hepatic hemangioma. The established nomogram performed well for the estimation of the effect of TAE in patients with hepatic hemangioma and can facilitate the selection of patients who would benefit most from the treatment.

BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis. Immunotherapy has gained great interest for various solid tumors due to its promising clinical efficacy. Targeted therapy also plays a crucial role in anticancer treatment. However, studies on the combination of immunotherapy and targeted therapy for advanced HCC are limited. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of camrelizumab combined with sorafenib in the treatment of advanced HCC.MethodsFrom January 2019 to January 2021, 100 consecutive patients with advanced HCC in our hospital were enrolled for this study. Patients were assigned into two groups: a combined-therapy group (camrelizumab + sorafenib) and a sorafenib-only group. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), treatment response, and relevant adverse effects (AEs) were evaluated and recorded.ResultsOf a total of 100 patients, 35 received a combination of camrelizumab and sorafenib, and 65 were treated with sorafenib alone. After 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), each group had 34 patients. The overall response rate (ORR) of the combined-therapy group was statistically significantly higher than that of the sorafenib-only group (before PSM, p = 0.037; after PSM, p = 0.010). However, there was no significant difference in disease control rate (DCR) between the two groups (before PSM, p = 0.695; after PSM, p = 1.000). Patients who received the combination therapy had significantly longer PFS than those who received the sorafenib monotherapy (before PSM, p = 0.041; after PSM, p = 0.043). However, the two groups exhibited comparable median OS (before PSM, p = 0.135; after PSM, p = 0.105). Although the combined-therapy group showed a higher incidence of AEs such as thrombocytopenia than the sorafenib-only group after PSM, most of these AEs were easily controlled after treatment.ConclusionCamrelizumab plus sorafenib showed favorable efficacy and manageable toxicity for patients with advanced HCC. However, more prospective randomized trials are necessary to further verify the potential clinical benefits of this combination therapy.

Humidity sensors are important in industrial fields and human activities. Metal−organic frameworks (MOFs) and their derivatives are a class of promising humidity−sensing materials with the characteristics of a large specific surface area, high porosity, modifiable frameworks, and high stability. The drawbacks of MOFs, such as poor film formation, low electrical conductivity, and limited hydrophilicity, have been gradually overcome with the development of material science. Currently, it is moving towards a critical development stage of MOF−based humidity sensors from usability to ease of use, of which great challenges remain unsolved. In order to better understand the related challenges and point out the direction for the future development of MOF−based humidity sensors, we reviewed the development of such sensors based on related published work, focusing on six primary types (impedance, capacitive, resistive, fluorescent, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), and others) and analyzed the sensing mechanism, material design, and sensing performance involved, and presented our thoughts on the possible future research directions.

We present a novel echo-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image simulation method that comprehensively utilizes both SAR effective view and ray tracing algorithms. To improve the fidelity of simulated SAR images, we first design an SAR effective view algorithm to process the selected facet target model, with the purpose of discretizing the facets in the SAR effective view into lattice targets and ensuring that the interval of lattice targets is set strictly following the Nyquist sampling law. Then, we combine the ray tracing algorithm and SAR echo time-domain simulation and perform SAR echo time-domain simulation of lattice targets based on ray tracing. Various kinds of backscatter coefficient for each point target can be recorded, corresponding to the number of transmitted pulses within the synthetic aperture time. The echo matrixes of lattice targets are superimposed to generate the raw echo signal. Finally, the raw echo signal is processed by using the range-Doppler (RD) imaging algorithm to obtain the simulated SAR image. We conducted SAR image simulation tests on several facet target models, including car body, assault boat, and airplane, with different material properties. The simulated SAR images obtained by the proposed method were qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated. The experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Selective catalytic reduction of NOx by CO (CO-SCR) to both N2 and CO2 is a promising way to simultaneously remove two harmful gases, CO and NOx, in automobile and factory exhaust gases. The development of efficient catalysts is the key challenge for the technology to be commercialized. The low-cost Cu-based catalysts have shown promising performance in CO-SCR, but there are some technical problems that obstruct their practical implementation, such as high reduction temperature and low O2, H2O, and SO2 resistance. This paper provides a comprehensive overview and insights into CO-SCR under O2-containing conditions over the Cu-based catalysts, including catalytic performances of non-supported, supported mono-metallic, supported bimetallic, and supported multi-metallic Cu-based catalysts. In addition, the effects of O2 concentration, reaction temperature, H2O, and SO2 on the catalytic performance are discussed. Furthermore, the reaction mechanism of CO-SCR on Cu-based catalysts is briefly summarized. Lastly, challenges and perspectives with respect to this reaction are discussed. We hope this work can provide theoretical guidance for the rational design of efficient Cu-based catalysts in the CO-SCR reaction for commercial applications.

The genome-scale metabolic model (GEM) is a powerful tool for interpreting and predicting cellular phenotypes under various environmental and genetic perturbations. However, GEM only considers stoichiometric constraints, and the simulated growth and product yield values will show a monotonic linear increase with increasing substrate uptake rate, which deviates from the experimentally measured values. Recently, the integration of enzymatic constraints into stoichiometry-based GEMs was proven to be effective in making novel discoveries and predicting new engineering targets. Here, we present the first genome-scale enzyme-constrained model (ecCGL1) for Corynebacterium glutamicum reconstructed by integrating enzyme kinetic data from various sources using a ECMpy workflow based on the high-quality GEM of C. glutamicum (obtained by modifying the iCW773 model). The enzyme-constrained model improved the prediction of phenotypes and simulated overflow metabolism, while also recapitulating the trade-off between biomass yield and enzyme usage efficiency. Finally, we used the ecCGL1 to identify several gene modification targets for l-lysine production, most of which agree with previously reported genes. This study shows that incorporating enzyme kinetic information into the GEM enhances the cellular phenotypes prediction of C. glutamicum, which can help identify key enzymes and thus provide reliable guidance for metabolic engineering.

ObjectivesThe sudden outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) plunged healthcare workers (HCWs) into warfare. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of burnout and the factors associated with it among frontline HCWs fighting COVID-19.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among frontline HCWs fighting against the COVID-19 in Wuhan, Harbin, and Shenzhen during the period from February 18 to March 4. Finally, HCWs were recruited using cluster sampling, 1,163 HCWs were included in the final analysis. Burnout was measured using a 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory scale (MBI scale).ResultsOf the participants, 48.6% suffered from burnout, and 21.8% showed a high degree of burnout. Doctors (b = 3.954, P = 0.011) and nurses (b = 3.067, P = 0.042) showed higher emotional exhaustion (EE) than administrators. Participants who worked continuously for more than 8 h a day (b = 3.392, P = 0.000), those who were unable to eat three regular daily meals (b = 2.225, P = 0.008), whose daily water intake was no more than 800 ml (b = 3.007, P = 0.000), who slept for no more than 6 h (b = 1.609, P = 0.036), and who were infected or had colleagues who were infected with COVID-19 (b = 4.182, P = 0.000) experienced much higher levels of EE, while those who could adhere to infection control procedures (b = −5.992, P = 0.000), who were satisfied with their hospital’s infection control measures(b = −3.709, P = 0.001), and who could receive sufficient psychological crisis intervention (b = −1.588, P = 0.039) reported lower levels of EE.ConclusionThe study reveals that burnout is prevalent among frontline HCWs and that the known factors associated with burnout, such as workload, and the factors directly associated with COVID-19, such as having insufficient protection, can affect burnout symptoms in frontline HCWs. Synergized and comprehensive interventions should be targeted at reducing its occurrence among frontline HCWs fighting COVID-19.

The current farming system in China is heavily reliant on synthetic fertilizers, which adversely affect soil quality and crop production. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of different nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) fertilizer application rate on the growth, yield, and yield components of rice cultivars in the Binyang, Beiliu and Liucheng sites of southern China in the early (March to July) and late season (August to December). The study consisted of three fertilization regimes—CK (N0P0); N180P90 (180 kg N + 90 kg P2O5 ha−1) and N90P45 (90 kg N ha−1 + 45 kg P2O5)—conducted at each of three different experimental sites with four cultivars (Baixang 139, Y Liangyou 1, Guiyu 9, and Teyou 582). Results showed that the leaf area index (LAI) was 38.8% found higher in Guiyu 9 compared with Baxiang at reduced fertilization (N90P45). N90P45 resulted higher dry matter production at the heading (9411.2 kg ha−1) and maturity (15319.5 kg ha−1) stages in Teyou 582 at Beiliu. Fertilization (N180P90) had higher effective panicle number (4,158,800 panicle ha−1) and grains panicle−1 (113.84 grains) compared with other treatments. Teyou 582 treated with N90P45 and Y Liangyou 1 treated with N180P90 improved seed setting rate average by 82.91% and 72.17% compared with other treatments at Beiliu in both seasons, respectively. N0P0 and N90P45 increased the thousand-grain weight (TGW) of Y Liangyou 1 at Binyang (27.07 g) and Liucheng (27.84 g) during the early and late seasons, respectively. In Beiliu, the N90P45 treatment (6611.7 kg ha−1) of Teyou 582 increased grain yield compared with other treatments. Overall, our results suggested that reducing N and P at the ratio of 90:45 kg ha−1 in Teyou 582 and Y Liangyou 1 could increase rice grain yield and yield components.

Although serum tumor markers (STMs), clinicopathological characteristics and the status of KRAS and MMR play an important role in optimizing the treatment and prognosis of colorectal cancer, their interrelationships remain largely unknown. A retrospective analysis of 2279 patients who tested for KRAS and MMR status, and STM measurements prior to treatment over the past four years was conducted. Of the 784 patients tested for KRAS and 2279 patients tested for MMR status, KRAS mutations and dMMR were identified in 276 patients (35.20%) and 177 patients (7.77%), respectively. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that right colon, well and moderate differentiation and negative CA19-9 were independent predictors for KRAS mutations. The ROC curve yielded an AUC of 0.609 through the combination of these three factors. Age < 65 was an independent predictive factor for dMMR, along with tumor size > 4.6 cm, right colon, poor differentiation, harvested lymph nodes ≥ 22, no lymph node metastasis, no perineural invasion, negative CEA and positive CA72-4. When the nine criteria were used together, the AUC was 0.849. In summary, both STMs and clinicopathological characteristics were found to be significantly associated with the status of KRAS and MMR. The combination of these two factors possessed a strong predictive power for KRAS mutations and dMMR among CRC patients.

A zero-valent iron/rectorite nanocomposite (NZVI/rectorite) was developed as a heterogeneous H2O2 catalyst for P-chlorophenol degradation. The physicochemical properties of NZVI/rectorite were characterized by various techniques including X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis. Results showed that NZVI sphere nanoparticles were successfully loaded on the rectorite surface with less aggregation and good dispersion. Moreover, compared with acid-leached rectorite (30.91 m2/g), the NZVI/rectorite appeared to have larger surface area (50.75 m2/g). In addition, the effects of pH, reaction time, initial P-chlorophenol concentration, catalyst amount, and H2O2 dosage on the P-chlorophenol degradation were systematically investigated. Results showed that NZVI/rectorite presents better properties for the degradation and mineralization of P-chlorophenol compared with pristine NZVI due to the large surface area, low aggregation, and good dispersion of the former. The degradation mechanisms of P-chlorophenol by NZVI/rectorite were adsorption and reduction coupled with a Fenton-like reaction. Four successive runs of the stability and regeneration study also showed that the NZVI/rectorite were unchanged even after 100% of P-chlorophenol degradation ratio. This study has extended the application of NZVI/rectorite as environment function material for the removal of P-chlorophenol from the environment. Keywords: Nano zero-valent iron, Rectorite, Heterogeneous Fenton oxidation, P-chlorophenol degradation

Abstract Background The attainment of extensive neurological function recovery remains the key challenge for the treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Transplantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) has been shown to improve neurological function recovery after TBI. However, the survival of BMSCs after transplantation in early-stage TBI is limited, and much is unknown about the mechanisms mediating this neurological function recovery. Secretion of neurotrophic factors, including neurotrophin 3 (NT3), is one of the critical factors mediating BMSC neurological function recovery. Gene mutation of NT3 (NT3P75-2) has been shown to enhance the biological function of NT3 via the reduction of the activation of the P75 signal pathway. Thus, we investigated whether NT3P75-2 gene-modified BMSCs could enhance the survival of BMSCs and further improve neurological function recovery after TBI. Methods The ability of NT3P75-2 induction to improve cell growth rate of NSC-34 and PC12 cells in vitro was first determined. BMSCs were then infected with three different lentiviruses (green fluorescent protein (GFP), GFP-NT3, or GFP-NT3P75-2), which stably express GFP, GFP-NT3, or GFP-NT3P75-2. At 24 h post-TBI induction in mice, GFP-labeled BMSCs were locally transplanted into the lesion site. Immunofluorescence and histopathology were performed at 1, 3, and/or 7 days after transplantation to evaluate the survival of BMSCs as well as the lesion volume. A modified neurological severity scoring system and the rotarod test were chosen to evaluate the functional recovery of the mice. Cell growth rate, glial activation, and signaling pathway analyses were performed to determine the potential mechanisms of NT3P75-2 in functional recovery after TBI. Results Overall, NT3P75-2 improved cell growth rate of NSC-34 and PC12 cells in vitro. In addition, NT3P75-2 significantly improved the survival of transplanted BMSCs and neurological function recovery after TBI. Overexpression of NT3P75-2 led to a significant reduction in the activation of glial cells, brain water content, and brain lesion volume after TBI. This was associated with a reduced activation of the p75 neurotrophin receptor (P75NTR) and the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signal pathway due to the low affinity of NT3P75-2 for the receptor. Conclusions Taken together, our results demonstrate that administration of NT3P75-2 gene-modified BMSCs dramatically improves neurological function recovery after TBI by increasing the survival of BMSCs and ameliorating the inflammatory environment, providing a new promising treatment strategy for TBI.

Abstract Background An effective and expeditious approach to assess plant nitrogen status is urgently needed in rice production and management as the conventional chemical methods are laborious and time-consuming. Results Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy (FTIR-PAS) was used to record the spectra of rice leaves for the effective diagnosis of nitrogen nutrition status. The band in the wavenumber range of 1680 to 1630 cm−1 was associated with amide I and that from 1570 to 1510 cm−1 with amide II. We attempted to use this information to characterize the nitrogen status in rice plants at different growth stages. The ratio of photoacoustic intensity of amide II to amide I was measured and applied as nitrogen status index, and considering the yields, the ratio showed a positive linear correlation (R2 = 0.9) with the total nitrogen of rice leaves. The ratio at the tillering and full panicle stages were more suitable for diagnosis, a ratio of 0.4–0.55 indicated an adequate nitrogen status, ratios lower than 0.4 indicated a poor nitrogen status; whereas ratios greater than 0.55 indicated excessive nitrogen supply. Conclusion Our study provides an effective and rapid strategy for nitrogen-supply assessment in rice based on FTIR-PAS, which can guide rational fertilization in rice production.

Abstract Patients with Non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) treated by conventional chemotherapeutic drugs usually require a long recovery period. However, metronomic combination chemotherapy (MCC) enhances therapeutic efficacy and decreases side effects in the treatment of NHL. In this study, we tested and compared the effects of metronomic chemotherapy (MC) using podophyllotoxin derivative etoposide (VP‐16) alone and that of MCC using both VP‐16 and everolimus (RAD001) in the treatment of NHL. Two types of NHL cells, OCI‐LY‐10 and SU‐DHL‐6, were employed for the experiments. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell senescence were measured to test the effects of drugs in each experiment. In addition, the influences of MC and MCC on the cell cycle and autophagy pathway were evaluated to study the functional mechanisms behind their effects. Finally, we conducted analyses of the growth inhibitory effect and synergistic activity for different MCC. The results showed that MC using low‐dose VP‐16 alone demonstrated strong treatment effects in terms of inducing apoptosis, cell senescence, and reducing tumor cell proliferation, and this treatment also led to changes of the cell cycle. Compared with MC, MCC using VP‐16 and RAD001 together demonstrated even stronger treatment effects, with both the cell cycle and autophagy‐related proteins being affected. Considering the synergistic activity, our results showed the MCC of VP‐16 48 hours + RAD001 24 hours is the optimal method for treating NHL.

Abstract Background Excessive estrogen exposure is an important pathogenic factor in uterine endometrial cancer (UEC). Recent studies have reported the metabolic properties can influence the progression of UEC. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Methods Glutaminase (GLS), MYC and autophagy levels were detected. The biological functions of estrogen-MYC-GLS in UEC cells (UECC) were investigated both in vivo and in vitro. Results Our study showed that estrogen remarkably increased GLS level through up-regulating c-Myc, and enhanced glutamine (Gln) metabolism in estrogen-sensitive UEC cell (UECC), whereas fulvestrant (an ER inhibitor antagonist) could reverse these effects. Estrogen remarkably promoted cell viability and inhibited autophagy of estrogen sensitive UECC. However, CB-839, a potent selective oral bioavailable inhibitor of both splice variants of GLS, negatively regulated Gln metabolism, and inhibited the effects of Gln and estrogen on UECC’s growth and autophagy in vitro and / or in vivo. Conclusions CB-839 triggers autophagy and restricts growth of UEC by suppressing ER/Gln metabolism, which provides new insights into the potential value of CB-839 in clinical treatment of estrogen-related UEC.

Metal hydroxide has been widely used as flame retardant to reduce the hazards of tunnel fire, however, few researches investigate its effect on the rheological properties of asphalt binder systemically. This study explores and compares the effect and mechanisms of magnesium hydroxide (MH), aluminium hydroxide (ATH), hydrated lime (HL), and layer double hydroxides (LDHs) on the rutting resistance, anti-aging resistance, as well as the thermal cracking resistance of asphalt binder. Rotational viscosity (RV) test, dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) test, and bending beam rheometer (BBR) test are involved in the project. Test results indicate: (1) the addition of metal hydroxide generally improves the rutting resistance of asphalt binder during high temperatures due to the typical filler effect, while weakens the resistance to thermal cracking of binder at low temperatures because of the stress concentration; (2) HL and LDHs enhance the anti-aging resistance of asphalt binder; (3) LDHs modified binder, which is proved with better rheological properties, including great rutting resistance, anti-aging resistance and passable resistance to thermal cracking, is recommended for further use. However, the high procurement price is still a big obstacle for its wider application. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.25.3.21572

Abstract Cancer-associated chromosomal translocations are reported to generate oncogenic circular RNA (circRNA), contributing to tumorigenesis. The fusion gene SLC34A2-ROS1 (solute carrier family 34 member 2 and ROS proto-oncogene 1) plays an important role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression. However, whether SLC34A2-ROS1 gene can produce circRNA remains unknown. Here, we identified two novel circRNAs (F-circSR1 and F-circSR2) generated from SLC34A2-ROS1 fusion gene, while F-circSR1 has higher expression than F-circSR2. Functional studies through gain- and loss-of-function strategies showed that both F-circSRs promote cell migration in lung cancer cells, whereas they have little effect on cell proliferation. Using the minigene GFP reporter assay, we verified that the flanking complementary sequences with canonical splicing sites are essential for F-circSR biogenesis. Therefore, our findings demonstrate the oncogenic role of F-circSR in NSCLC and highlight its therapeutic potential.

We construct the multi-variable realizations of the W1+∞ algebra such that they lead to the W1+∞ n-algebra. Based on our realizations of the W1+∞ algebra, we derive the W1+∞ constraints for the hermitian one-matrix model. The constraint operators yield not only the W1+∞ algebra but also the closed W1+∞ n-algebra. Keywords: Conformal and W Symmetry, Matrix models, n-algebra

Abstract Background Studies have shown that transplantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) protects against brain damage. However, the low survival number of transplanted BMSCs remains a pertinent challenge and can be attributed to the unfavorable microenvironment of the injured brain. It is well known that calpain activation plays a critical role in traumatic brain injury (TBI)-mediated inflammation and cell death; previous studies showed that inhibiting calpain activation is neuroprotective after TBI. Thus, we investigated whether preconditioning with the calpain inhibitor, MDL28170, could enhance the survival of BMSCs transplanted at 24 h post TBI to improve neurological function. Methods TBI rat model was induced by the weight-drop method, using the gravitational forces of a free falling weight to produce a focal brain injury. MDL28170 was injected intracranially at the lesion site at 30 min post TBI, and the secretion levels of neuroinflammatory factors were assessed 24 h later. BMSCs labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP) were locally administrated into the lesion site of TBI rat brains at 24 h post TBI. Immunofluorescence and histopathology were performed to evaluate the BMSC survival and the TBI lesion volume. Modified neurological severity scores were chosen to evaluate the functional recovery. The potential mechanisms by which MDL28170 is involved in the regulation of inflammation signaling pathway and cell apoptosis were determined by western blot and immunofluorescence staining. Results Overall, we found that a single dose of MDL28170 at acute phase of TBI improved the microenvironment by inhibiting the inflammation, facilitated the survival of grafted GFP-BMSCs, and reduced the grafted cell apoptosis, leading to the reduction of lesion cavity. Furthermore, a significant neurological function improvement was observed when BMSCs were transplanted into a MDL28170-preconditioned TBI brains compared with the one without MDL28170-precondition group. Conclusions Taken together, our data suggest that MDL28170 improves BMSC transplantation microenvironment and enhances the neurological function restoration after TBI via increased survival rate of BMSCs. We suggest that the calpain inhibitor, MDL28170, could be pursued as a new combination therapeutic strategy to advance the effects of transplanted BMSCs in cell-based regenerative medicine.