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We propose a novel method for the extraction of discriminative features in electroencephalography (EEG) evoked potential latency. Based on our offline results, we present evidence indicating that a full surround sound auditory brain-computer interface (BCI) paradigm has potential for an online application. The auditory spatial BCI concept is based on an eight-directional audio stimuli delivery technique, developed by our group, which employs a loudspeaker array in an octagonal horizontal plane. The stimuli presented to the subjects vary in frequency and timbre. To capture brain responses, we utilize an eight-channel EEG system. We propose a methodology for finding and optimizing evoked response latencies in the P300 range in order later to classify them correctly and to elucidate the subject's chosen targets or ignored non-targets. To accomplish the above, we propose an approach based on an analysis of variance for feature selection. Finally, we identify the subjects' intended commands with a Naive Bayesian classifier for sorting the final responses. The results obtained with ten subjects in offline BCI experiments support our research hypothesis by providing higher classification results and an improved information transfer rate compared with state-of-the-art solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Previous studies in rats have shown that microinjections of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) peptide into the nucleus accumbens (NAc; the area of the brain that mediates drug reward and reinforcement) attenuate the locomotor effects of psychostimulants. CART peptide has also been shown to induce decreased intracellular concentrations of calcium (Ca2+) in primary cultures of hippocampus neurons. The purpose of this study was to characterize the interaction of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaMKIIα) with dopamine D3 (D3) receptors (R) in primary cultures of accumbal neurons. This interaction is involved in inhibitory modulation of CART peptides. In vitro, CART (55–102) peptide (0.1, 0.5 or 1μM) was found to dose-dependently inhibit K+ depolarization-elicited Ca2+ influx and CaMKIIα phosphorylation in accumbal neurons. Moreover, CART peptides were also found to block cocaine (1μM)-induced Ca2+ influx, CaMKIIα phosphorylation, CaMKIIα–D3R interaction, and CREB phosphorylation. In vivo, repeated microinjections of CART (55–102) peptide (2μg/1μl/side) into the NAc over a 5-day period had no effect on behavioral activity but blocked cocaine-induced locomotor activity. These results indicate that D3R function in accumbal neurons is a target of CART (55–102) peptide and suggest that CART peptide by dephosphorylating limbic D3Rs may have potential as a treatment for cocaine abuse. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL) has recently been identified as a key RIP3 (receptor interacting protein 3) downstream component of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-induced necroptosis. MLKL is phosphorylated by RIP3 and is recruited to the necrosome through its interaction with RIP3. However, it is still unknown how MLKL mediates TNF-induced necroptosis. Here, we report that MLKL forms a homotrimer through its amino-terminal coiled-coil domain and locates to the cell plasma membrane during TNF-induced necroptosis. By generating different MLKL mutants, we demonstrated that the plasma membrane localization of trimerized MLKL is critical for mediating necroptosis. Importantly, we found that the membrane localization of MLKL is essential for Ca2+ influx, which is an early event of TNF-induced necroptosis. Furthermore, we identified that TRPM7 (transient receptor potential melastatin related 7) is a MLKL downstream target for the mediation of Ca2+ influx and TNF-induced necroptosis. Hence, our study reveals a crucial mechanism of MLKL-mediated TNF-induced necroptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is a pleiotropic inflammatory cytokine that not only directly induces inflammatory gene expression but also triggers apoptotic and necroptotic cell death, which leads to tissue damage and indirectly exacerbates inflammation. Thus, identification of inhibitors for TNF‐induced cell death has broad therapeutic relevance for TNF‐related inflammatory diseases. In the present study, we isolated and identified a marine fungus‐derived sesquiterpenoid, 9α,14‐dihydroxy‐6β‐p‐nitrobenzoylcinnamolide (named as Cpd‐8), that inhibits TNF receptor superfamily‐induced cell death by preventing the formation of cytosolic death complex II. Experimental Approach: Marine sponge‐associated fungi were cultured and the secondary metabolites were extracted to yield pure compounds. Cell viability was measured by ATP‐Glo cell viability assay. The effects of Cpd‐8 on TNF signalling pathway were investigated by western blotting, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence assays. A mouse model of acute liver injury (ALI) was employed to explore the protection effect of Cpd‐8, in vivo. Key Results: Cpd‐8 selectively inhibits TNF receptor superfamily‐induced apoptosis and necroptosis. Cpd‐8 prevents the formation of cytosolic death complex II and subsequent RIPK1‐RIPK3 necrosome, while it has no effect on TNF receptor I (TNFR1) internalization and the formation of complex I in TNF signalling pathway. In vivo, Cpd‐8 protects mice against TNF‐α/D‐GalN‐induced ALI. Conclusion and Implications: A marine fungus‐derived sesquiterpenoid, Cpd‐8, inhibits TNF receptor superfamily‐induced cell death, both in vitro and in vivo. This study not only provides a useful research tool to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of TNF‐induced cell death but also identifies a promising lead compound for future drug development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mol Med Rep 16: 6506-6511, 2017; DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2017.7440 Following the publication of this paper, the authors have contacted the Editorial Office to request that their article be retracted. Following further discussion, all authors and the Editor of I Molecular Medicine Reports i are in agreement that the paper should be retracted; moreover, the authors apologize to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [Extracted from the article]

Background: No available meta-analysis was printed to systematically introduce the MPNST clinic outcome and risk factors based on largely pooled data. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate 5-year OS rate, 5-year EFS rate, and LR rate for MPNST, and to assess potential risk factors for prognosis. Methods: Electronic articles published between January 1, 1966 and February 29, 2020 were searched and critically evaluated. The authors independently reviewed the abstracts and extracted data for 5-year OS rate, 5-year EFS rate, LR rate, and potential risk factors for prognosis. Results: Twenty-eight literatures were finally included for meta-analysis. The pooled 5-year OS rate, 5-year EFS rate, and LR rate were 49%, 37%, and 38%, respectively. The significant prognostic factors for survival were NF1 status, tumor size, depth, location, malignant grade, margin status, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Age and sex were not associated with survival. Conclusion: Survival and local recurrence of MPNST are poor. Worse prognosis is mainly associated with NF 1, large size, deep to fascia, high grade, metastases, and location (trunk and head and neck). Complete resection with adequate surgical margins is the mainstay protective factor of MPNST patients, following necessary adjuvant therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences are not often capable of directly visualizing tendons. Ultrashort echo time (UTE) MRI can acquire high signal from tendons thus enabling quantitative assessments. Magnetization transfer (MT) modeling combined with UTE-MRI—UTE-MT-modeling—can indirectly assess macromolecular protons in the tendon. This study aimed to determine if UTE-MT-modeling is a quantitative technique sensitive to the age-related changes of tendons. The legs of 26 young healthy (29 ± 6 years old) and 22 elderly (75 ± 8 years old) female subjects were imaged using UTE sequences on a 3T MRI scanner. Institutional review board approval was obtained, and all recruited subjects provided written informed consent. T1 and UTE-MT-modeling were performed on anterior tibialis tendons (ATT) and posterior tibialis tendons (PTT) as two representative human leg tendons. A series of MT pulse saturation powers (500–1500°) and frequency offsets (2–50 kHz) were used to measure the macromolecular fraction (MMF) and macromolecular T2 (T2MM). All measurements were repeated by three independent readers for a reproducibility study. MMF demonstrated significantly lower values on average in the elderly cohort compared with the younger cohort for both ATT (decreased by 16.8%, p = 0.03) and PTT (decreased by 23.0%, p < 0.01). T2MM and T1 did not show a significant nor a consistent difference between the young and elderly cohorts. For all MRI parameters, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was higher than 0.98, indicating excellent consistency between measurements performed by independent readers. MMF serving as a surrogate measure for collagen content, showed a significant decrease in elderly leg tendons. This study highlighted UTE-MRI-MT techniques as a useful quantitative method to assess the impact of aging on human tendons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Revised Tokuhashi score (RTS) is no longer accurate to predict the survival of patients with lung cancer metastases to the spine. This study is to identify additional prognostic factors in those patients, develop a modified prognostic score based on RTS, and verify the accuracy of the score in prediction. Methods: Our study included patients with lung cancer metastases to the spine who underwent surgery for spine metastasis. Potential prognostic factors were analyzed. Points were allocated for prognostic factors obtained from survival analyses. A modified score was developed by including prognostic factors and their points to RTS. Accuracy of the modified score was evaluated by comparing the coincidence between predicted and observed survival. Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox regression models were used. Predictive values of scores for 6-month survival were measured via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Targeted therapy and tumor markers were additional independent prognostic factors. In the modified score, 2 and 1 points were allocated to the new evaluation factors. The points for factors based on RTS remained the same, and two prognostic groups were redefined. For group A patients who were predicted to live for less than 6 months, conservative procedures would be recommended. For group B patients who were predicted to live for 6 months or more, palliative surgery would be recommended. When comparing the modified score to RTS, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCROC) and accuracy of score were improved. Conclusions: The modified RTS has improved prognostic accuracy in patients with lung cancer metastases to the spine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Systemic immune‐inflammation index (SII) provides convincing evaluation of systemic immune and inflammatory condition in human body. Its correlation with prostate cancer (PCa) risk remains uncharted. The principal objective of this investigation was to elucidate the association between SII and the risk for PCa in middle‐aged and elderly males. Materials and Methods: Analysis entailed multivariate linear and logistic regression, generalized additive model, and smoothing curve fitting using resource from 2007 to 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). To ascertain robustness and consistency of this association across different demographic strata, we conducted rigorous subgroup analyses and interaction tests. Results: Among 3359 participants, those with elevated SII displayed higher total prostate‐specific antigen (tPSA) levels, higher risk for PCa, and lower free/total PSA (f/t PSA) ratio. Specifically, each unit increase of log2 (SII) was associated with a 0.22 ng/mL increase in tPSA (β: 0.22, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.05–0.38), a 2.22% decline in f/t PSA ratio (β: −2.22, 95% CI −3.20 to −1.23), and a 52% increased odds of being at high risk for PCa (odds ratio [OR]: 1.52, 95% CI 1.13–2.04). People in the top quartile of log2 (SII) exhibited 0.55 ng/mL increased tPSA (β: 0.55, 95% CI 0.19–0.90), 4.39% reduced f/t PSA ratio (β: −4.39, 95% CI −6.50 to −2.27), and 168% increased odds of being at high risk for PCa (OR: 2.68, 95% CI 1.32–5.46) compared to those in the bottom quartile. Conclusion: Systemic immune and inflammatory condition, as represented by SII, is independently and positively associated with tPSA levels and the risk for PCa, as well as independently and negatively associated with f/t PSA ratio among middle‐aged and older US males. These findings may enhance the effectiveness of PCa screening in predicting positive biopsy results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twirling is a technique widely used for converting arbitrary noise channels into Pauli channels in error threshold estimations of quantum error correction codes. It is vitally useful both in real experiments and in classical quantum simulations. Minimising the size of the twirling gate set increases the efficiency of simulations and in experiments it might reduce both the number of runs required and the circuit depth (and hence the error burden). Conventional twirling uses the full set of Pauli gates as the set of twirling gates. This article provides a theoretical background for Pauli twirling and a way to construct a twirling gate set with a number of members comparable to the size of the Pauli basis of the given error channel, which is usually much smaller than the full set of Pauli gates. We also show that twirling is equivalent to stabiliser measurements with discarded measurement results, which enables us to further reduce the size of the twirling gate set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In water bodies, the coexistence of and interaction between multiple pollutants complicate remediation. In this study, the In 2 O 3 @ZnIn 2 S 4 Z-scheme heterojunction with a stratified core-shell structure was constructed and used to remove multiple pollutants (tetracycline hydrochloride and Cr(VI)). The large number of active sites and the mechanism of photogenerated charge separation ensured the substantially enhanced catalytic activity of this photocatalyst, making it superior to In 2 O 3 nanospheres and pure ZnIn 2 S 4. The optimised In 2 O 3 @ZnIn 2 S 4 nano-flowers (In 2 O 3 @ZnIn 2 S 4 NFs) realised 99.8% removal of tetracycline hydrochloride and 100% removal of Cr(VI) within 60 min under visible-light. The material's high stability was demonstrated by five experiment cycles. Effects of organics, inorganics, and pH about the photocatalytic performance of the optimised In 2 O 3 @ZnIn 2 S 4 NFs when tetracycline hydrochloride and Cr(VI) coexist were also explored. Finally, the intermediates and degradation pathways were analysed, and the possible photocatalytic mechanism was also investigated by performing density functional theory calculations. [Display omitted] • In 2 O 3 /ZnIn 2 S 4 was synthesized and employed for multi-pollutant removal. • Photocatalytic mechanisms was studied by experiments and theoretical calculation. • Various environmental factors on the photocatalytic performance was investigated. • The intermediates and degradation pathways of multi-pollutant were analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are still some deficiencies in the development and applications of epoxy asphalt materials, and the chemistry and curing mechanism of epoxy asphalt materials remain unknown. Based on the curing mechanism of commercial epoxy asphalt, an oleylamine curing epoxy asphalt (OCEA) material was prepared, and it was systematically described from the perspective of engineering application and reaction mechanism. The viscosity properties of OCEA were mainly used to predict its reserved time range and temperature during construction. The tensile properties of OCEA and commercial epoxy asphalt are evaluated to show the mechanical properties. The fluorescence microscopy and infrared spectroscopy of the OCEA were analyzed to understand its micromorphology and curing mechanism, and its current advantages are further explained in combination with the tensile properties of OCEA. The results show that the OCEA has the advantage of high strength and toughness. The asphalt phase can participate in the curing reaction of epoxy resin, enhancing the miscibility between constituents, which further enhances the miscibility of the asphalt binder and epoxy resin. This study can provide new materials for engineering epoxy asphalt and implications for further research on epoxy asphalt materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most prevalent cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Advanced or metastatic HCC is currently managed using systemic drug therapy with unsatisfactory patient survival. Cold atmospheric plasma has emerged as a promising, physicochemical, and broad-spectrum oncotherapy. In this preclinical study, we investigated the anti-neoplastic functions and mechanism of piezoelectric direct discharge technology-based CAP, Piezo-CAP, on HCC in vitro and in vivo. Various HCC cells lines, such as SMMC7721, HepG2 and LM3, were used as in vitro cancer model for the phenotypic and mechanistic studies. Specifically, the cell counting Kit-8 and colony formation assay, flow cytometry, Transwell assay, Western blot, reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay, and glutathione to oxidized glutathione ratio (GSH/GSSG) assay were used to demonstrate plasma-induced changes in HCC cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, migration and invasion, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, intracellular ROS, and antioxidant capacity, respectively. In addition, the Acridine orange and ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining and transmission electron microscopy were performed for cellular and subcellular assessment of HCC cell apoptosis. The Ad-mCherry-RFP-LC3B fluorescent double-labeled lentiviral system was used to detect autophagic flux. On the other hand, RNA-sequencing, quantitative real-time PCR, and Western blot were used to demonstrate plasma-induced metabolic and molecular disruption of tumor glycolysis and oncogenic proliferation, respectively. In vivo experiments using a human cell-line-derived xenograft model and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were utilized to investigate the mechanism. Piezo-CAP exerted anti-neoplastic functions through inhibiting cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and promote cell apoptosis and autophagy. Treatment of Piezo-CAP could suppress proliferation and induce autophagy of HCC cells through simultaneously disrupts cancer survival pathways of redox deregulation, glycolytic pathway, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR/HIF1α pathway signaling. Moreover, upon translation of these in vitro results into the tissue level, Piezo-CAP significantly suppressed in situ tumor growth. These findings collectively suggest that Piezo-CAP-induced apoptosis and autophagy of HCC cells though a multitargeted blockade of major cancer survival pathways of deregulated redox balance, glycolysis, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR/HIF-1α signaling. [Display omitted] • Piezo-CAP induces multiform regulated cell death in HCC cells. • Piezo-CAP disrupts HCC cellular redox balance and antioxidant defense. • Piezo-CAP can inhibit tumor glycolysis at multiple major glucose metabolic points in HCC cells. • Piezo-CAP weakens proliferative signaling in HCC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epoxy asphalt has emerged as a high-performance pavement material. However, research on its curing mechanism and kinetics remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the kinetic equation of the epoxy asphalt curing system using non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry for better understanding and prediction of the curing reaction. The results revealed that the epoxy asphalt system in this study is autocatalytic, with the conversion rate increasing as the heating rate rises. Additionally, this research employed Density Function Theory to simulate the surface electrostatic potential distribution of the curing agent and epoxy resin in epoxy asphalt. This approach identified potential active sites for chemical reactions, confirming the likelihood of a cross-linking reaction between carbon–carbon double bonds in the oleylamine curing agent. This cross-linking reaction contributes to the formation of a network structure in the cured epoxy resin system, resulting in superior mechanical properties for the cured epoxy asphalt. The study utilized transition state theory to simulate the ring-opening reaction between the primary amine group in oleylamine and epoxy resin. Finally, the above conclusions were verified using in situ infrared spectroscopy, and the microstructure of the epoxy asphalt at different curing times was observed using in situ fluorescence microscopy. In conclusion, this research provides valuable insights into the curing mechanism and kinetics of epoxy asphalt, offering guidance for future applications and development in the field of pavement materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amino acid metabolism has been implicated in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Alterations in intracellular and extracellular metabolites associated with metabolic reprogramming in cancer have profound effects on gene expression, cell differentiation, and tumor immune microenvironment. However, the prognostic significance of amino acid metabolism in head and neck cancer remains to be further investigated. In this study, we identified 98 differentially expressed genes related to amino acid metabolism in head and neck cancer in The Cancer Genome Atlas. Using batch univariate Cox regression and Lasso regression, we extracted nine amino acid metabolism-related genes. Based on that, we developed the amino acid metabolism index. The prognostic value of this index was validated in two Gene Expression Omnibus cohorts. The results show that this model can help predict tumor recurrence and prognosis. The infiltration of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment was analyzed, and it was discovered that the high index is associated with an immunosuppressive microenvironment. In addition, this study demonstrated the impact of the amino acid metabolism index on clinical indicators, survival of patients with head and neck cancer, and the prediction of treatment response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. We conducted several cell experiments and demonstrated that epigenetic drugs could affect the index and enhance tumor immunity. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the index not only has important prognostic value in head and neck cancer patients but also facilitates patient stratification for immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, NiAl/TiC 0.95 composite was synthesized by reactive spark plasma sintering of mechanically activated elemental powders. The microstructure and properties of activated powders and sintered samples were evaluated. The elemental powders were milled after different milling times and as-mixed and 10 h milled powder mixtures were sintered by the reactive spark plasma sintering method. The phase and the microstructure changes were evaluated by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy, respectively. The XRD pattern of 0 h milled powder after sintering showed that Ni 3 Al, Ni 2 Al 3 beside NiAl and TiC 0.75 formed. While after the sintering of 10 h mechanically activated powder, the Ni 3 Al and Ni 2 Al 3 were eliminated and NiAl remained with TiC 0.95. The nanoindentation result of the SPSed sample showed a hardness of 12.2 ± 0.1 GPa with an elastic modulus of 25.0 ± 0.5 GPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although several studies suggested considering gender in online learning, the literature about how male and female students would behave is fragmented. Little attention has been paid to the effect of gender on online learning behavioural patterns. This study aimed at investigating the roles of gender in online learning behaviours by analyzing the gender-related differences of students' online learning behavioural patterns. We used the case study approach with descriptive statistical analysis, lag sequential analysis, and temporal log data analysis to investigate gender-related differences in students' online learning behaviours. The results indicated no significant difference in the counts of occurrence of online single learning behaviours between female and male students. However, differences were observed in online learning behaviour patterns and how the online learning activities were performed over time. Females were more active in learning behaviours associated with achievement reports and peer list viewing. They tended to view their achievement reports before starting the main course learning activities, indicating that female students might be achievement-oriented. The findings provide further insights from a temporal perspective about how gender is associated with online learning. Implications on designing personalized online learning interventions based on considering gender-related differences are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As energy metabolism regulation factor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) is thought to be a potential target for the treatment of depression. The present study was performed to evaluate the effects of activating PPARβ/δ, the most highly expressed subtype in the brain, in depressive in vivo and in vitro models. We observed that PPARβ/δ agonist GW0742 significantly alleviated depressive behaviors in mice and promoted the formation of autophagosomes around the damaged mitochondria in hippocampal astrocytes. Our in vitro experiments showed that GW0742 could reduce mitochondrial oxidative stress, and thereby attenuate endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated apoptosis pathway via inhibiting IRE1α phosphorylation, subsequently protect against astrocytic apoptosis and loss. Furthermore, we found that PPARβ/δ agonist induces astrocytic mitophagy companied with the upregulated UCP2 expressions. Knocking down UCP2 in astrocytes could block the anti-apoptosis and pro-mitophagy effects of GW0742. In conclusion, our findings reveal PPARβ/δ activation protects against ER stress-induced astrocytic apoptosis via enhancing UCP2-mediated mitophagy, which contribute to the anti-depressive action. The present study provides a new insight for depression therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of M@MIL‐101(Cr) (M=Cu, Co, Ni and Mn) adopting impregnation method were fabricated as heterogeneous catalysts to oxidize styrene to benzaldehyde with tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP). The morphology of the MIL‐101(Cr) was nicely retained after the uniform dispersion of metals. In order to obtain the optimized reaction conditions, various in‐depth investigations were carried out to evaluate the effects of reaction time and reaction temperature on catalytic efficiency. Importantly, the Cu@MIL‐101(Cr) performed best in this study, the highest styrene conversion and the benzaldehyde selectivity can reach 97.45 % and 84.39 %, respectively, which revealed the synergetic effects of Cu2+ and Cr3+ in Cu@MIL‐101(Cr) on the styrene oxidation. Furthermore, the result of a three‐cycle experiment demonstrated the good recyclability of Cu@MIL‐101(Cr) without considerable structural deterioration and loss in activation. A possible mechanism of oxidation of styrene by using Cu@MIL‐101(Cr) and TBHP was also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Binder-free hierarchical Mo-Fe-Ni phosphides nanowires were grown on carbon cloth. • It renders outstanding HER performance in the alkaline medium. • It delivers a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at a overpotential as low as 75 mV. It is of immense importance to design and explore efficient electrocatalysts based on low-cost noble-metal free nanostructures toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which remains an immense challenge. Herein, we designed a novel tri-metal phosphides based on Mo-Fe-Ni phosphides nanowires (Mo-Fe-Ni-P NWs) that directly grown on CC through a facile and simple hydrothermal process followed by a phosphorization step in the presence of NaH 2 PO 2 as the P source. Outstandingly, benefiting from the unparalleled hierarchical NWs structure with large surface areas, open channels for effective releasing of gas products, and also special electronic structure engineering with rapid mass/electron transport, the resulting advanced binder-free Mo-Fe-Ni-P NWs@CC renders supreme HER performance in the KOH (alkaline) electrolyte. At an overpotential as low as 75 mV, it renders a current density of 10 mA cm−2. More importantly, it can achieve remarkable operational stability that is very desirable for practical application. Our design exhibits a rational strategy for the fabrication of advanced binder-free ternary metal phosphide NWs as a noble-metal free HER electrocatalyst toward high efficient with low cost H 2 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies report that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-preconditioned mesenchymal stem cells have enhanced trophic support and improved regenerative and repair properties. Extracellular vesicles secreted by synovial mesenchymal stem cells (EVs) can reduce cartilage damage caused by osteoarthritis (OA). Previous studies show that extracellular vesicles secreted by LPS-preconditioned synovial mesenchymal stem cells (LPS-pre EVs) can improve the response to treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). This study sought to explore effects of LPS-pre EVs on chondrocyte proliferation, migration, and chondrocyte apoptosis, as well as the protective effect of LPS-pre EVs on mouse articular cartilage. Methods: Chondrocytes were extracted to explore the effect of LPS-pre EVs on proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of chondrocytes. In addition, the effect of LPS-pre EVs on expression level of important proteins of chondrocytes was explored suing in vitro experiments. Further, intraarticular injection of LPS-pre EVs was performed on the destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM)-induced mouse models of OA to explore the therapeutic effect of LPS-pre EVs on osteoarthritis in vivo. Results: Analysis showed that LPS-pre EVs significantly promoted proliferation and migration of chondrocytes and inhibited the apoptosis of chondrocytes compared with PBS and EVs. Moreover, LPS-pre EVs inhibited decrease of aggrecan and COL2A1 and increase of ADAMTS5 caused by IL-1β through let-7b. Furthermore, LPS-pre EVs significantly prevented development of OA in DMM-induced mouse models of OA. Conclusions: LPS pretreatment is an effective and promising method to improve therapeutic effect of extracellular vesicles secreted from SMSCs on OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnIn 2 S 4 /TiO 2 photocatalyst was obtained by a facile hydrothermal method. Various techniques were used to characterize the ZnIn 2 S 4 /TiO 2 , crystal structure and optical properties of ZnIn 2 S 4 /TiO 2. Cr (Ⅵ) as highly-toxic pollutant was used as the target reduction product to evaluate the catalytic performance of ZnIn 2 S 4 /TiO 2 under visible light irradiation. According to the experiment results, the reduction rate of Cr(VI) in the presence of ZnIn 2 S 4 /TiO 2 reaches 99% within 60 min, which is much better than ZnIn 2 S 4 and TiO 2 , respectively. At the same time, ZnIn 2 S 4 /TiO 2 also performs good stability for reduction rate hardly changes after 5 recycling experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Necroptosis, a regulated form of necrosis, has emerged as a novel therapeutic strategy that could enhance cancer immunotherapy. However, its role in tumorigenesis is still debated because recent studies have reported both anti- and pro-tumoral effects. Here, we aimed to systematically evaluate the associations between tumor necroptosis (mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein, MLKL; phosphorylated MLKL, pMLKL; and receptor-interacting protein kinase 1–receptor-interacting protein kinase 3, RIPK1–RIPK3 interaction) and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (CD8+ and FOXp3+ T cells and CD163+ M2 macrophages) and tumor PD-L1 by immunohistochemistry in 88 cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) patients who had undergone surgical resection. Their associations with clinicopathological characteristics, survival data, and prognosis were evaluated. MLKL was found to be an unfavorable prognostic factor (p-value = 0.023, HR = 2.070) and was inversely correlated with a clinically favorable immune cell signature (high CD8+/high FOXp3+/low CD163+). Both pMLKL and RIPK1–RIPK3 interaction were detected in CCA primary tissues. In contrast to MLKL, pMLKL status was significantly positively correlated with a favorable immune signature (high CD8+/high FOXp3+/low CD163+) and PD-L1 expression. Patients with high pMLKL-positive staining were significantly associated with an increased abundance of CD8+ T cell intratumoral infiltration (p-value = 0.006). Patients with high pMLKL and PD-L1 expressions had a longer overall survival (OS). The results from in vitro experiments showed that necroptosis activation in an RMCCA-1 human CCA cell line selectively promoted proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine expression. Jurkat T cells stimulated with necroptotic RMCCA-1-derived conditioned medium promoted PD-L1 expression in RMCCA-1. Our findings demonstrated the differential associations of necroptosis activation (pMLKL) and MLKL with a clinically favorable immune signature and survival rates and highlighted a novel therapeutic possibility for combining a necroptosis-based therapeutic approach with immune checkpoint inhibitors for more efficient treatment of CCA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) proteins are promising therapeutic targets to treat refractory solid tumors; however, inherent resistance remains a major challenge in the clinic. Recently, the emerging role of the oncoprotein B cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) in tumorigenesis and stress response has been unveiled. Here, we demonstrate that BCL6 was upregulated upon BET inhibition in KRAS-mutant cancers, including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We further found that BRD3, not BRD2 or BRD4, directly interacted with BCL6 and maintained the negative autoregulatory circuit of BCL6. Disrupting this negative autoregulation by BET inhibitors (BETi) resulted in a striking increase in BCL6 transcription, which further activated the mTOR signaling pathway through repression of the tumor suppressor death-associated protein kinase 2. Importantly, pharmacological inhibition of either BCL6 or mTOR improved the tumor response and enhanced the sensitivity of KRAS-mutant NSCLC to BETi in both in vitro and in vivo settings. Overall, our findings identify a mechanism of BRD3-mediated BCL6 autoregulation and further develop an effective combinatorial strategy to circumvent BETi resistance in KRAS-driven NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finding a suitable replacement for the high potential of anodic water electrolysis (oxygen evolution reaction (OER)) is significant for hydrogen energy storage and conversion. In this work, a simple and scalable method synthesizes a structurally unique Ni 3 N nanoarray on Ni foam, Ni 3 N-350/NF, that provides efficient electrocatalysis for the urea oxidation reaction (UOR) that transports 10 mA cm−2 at a low potential of 1.34 V. In addition, Ni 3 N-350/NF exhibits electro-defense electrocatalytic performance for hydrogen evolution reaction, which provides a low overpotential of 128 mV at 10 mA cm−2. As proof of concept, all-water-urea electrolysis measurement is carried out in 1 M KOH with 0.5 M Urea with Ni 3 N-350/NF as cathode and anode respectively. Ni 3 N-350/NF||Ni 3 N-350/NF electrode can provide 100 mA cm−2 at a voltage of only 1.51 V, 160 mV less than that of water electrolysis, which proves its commercial viability in energy-saving hydrogen production. Image 1 • This article shows a simple hydrothermal and calcination route to grow Ni 3 N-350/NF. • The synthesized electrodes were investigated for hydrogen production via water-urea electrolysis. • Ni 3 N-350/NF presents an excellent long-term electrochemical durability. • Ni 3 N-350/NF.||Ni 3 N-350/NF has better HER and UOR capacity compared to Pt/C||IrO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel bimetallic organic framework materials (Cux-Coy-MOF) have been successfully prepared by a simple one-pot synthetic method, and their characters were evaluated via means of various techniques. The tested data showed a series of Cux-Coy-MOFs displayed good crystallinity and the doping of Co in original Cu-based framework would not change the morphology of the MOF catalysts. The catalytic activity of prepared materials was tested in the catalytic oxidation of styrene in the presence of TBHP. The effects of reaction time, reaction temperature and other reaction conditions on catalytic performance were systematically studied. The results revealed that the introduction of Co can improve the selectivity to form epoxides and reduce the yield of benzaldehyde without affecting the conversion rate of catalytic oxidation reaction of styrene. Excitingly, the Cu0.25-Co0.75-MOF showed better catalytic performance than Cu-MOF and Co-MOF under the optimal reaction conditions, the conversion rate of styrene reached 97.81%, and styrene oxide selectivity reached 83.04%, which indicated a significant synergistic effect of the Cu/Co bimetallic MOF. Furthermore, the Cu0.25-Co0.75-MOF catalyst exhibited good reusability that could be reused at least four times without significant inactivation. A series of novel bimetallic organic framework materials (Cux-Coy-MOF) have been successfully prepared via a simple one-pot synthetic method, and they exhibited high activity and selectivity as catalyst towards for oxidation of styrene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public preferences and needs are crucial for the effective implementation of air pollution treatment policies. Homogeneous decision-making processes assumption is limited in exploring public preferences and welfare estimates in the context of heterogeneous respondents. Behavioral economics have developed a hybrid set of decision rules to address this issue, but the internal factors contributing to public heterogeneous choices behavior remain unknown. This study aims to explore the hidden motivations, particularly risk perception, that contribute to intrapersonal heterogeneity in decision-making regarding an air pollution treatment project by a latent variable and latent class regret-utility approach. Results indicate that risk perception is a determinant factor causing intrapersonal heterogeneity of public's decision-making process of air pollution treatment programs. Respondents with higher risk controllability tend to employ a fully rational decision rule (utility maximization) and reduce heavily polluted days, whereas those who are more susceptible to risk prefer to adopt a bounded rational decision rule (regret minimization), increase the clean air days ratio and shorten the years of policy delay. Furthermore, considering risk perception, the probability of respondents being regret-driven increases from 57.20% to 61.36%, and the willingness to pay of respondents for air pollution treatment measures evidently decreases. These findings shed light on the motivations and barriers behind public action and help tailor approaches for specific groups to achieve sustainable environmental management. • Risk perception of air pollution were quantified by socio-demographic characteristics. • Most of respondents are driven by regret aversion when making choices. • A LVLC-RU approach was applied to identify the hidden motivations of choice behaviors. • Risk perception influences public preferences and willingness to pay for air pollution treatment project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Necroptosis is a programmed, caspase-independent cell death that is morphologically similar to necrosis. Unlike apoptosis, necroptosis evokes inflammatory responses by releasing damage-associated molecular patterns. Recent studies suggest that tumor undergoes necroptosis in vivo and necroptosis has pro- or anti-tumoral effects in cancer development and progression. Furthermore, triggering necroptosis in tumor cells has been explored as a potential therapeutic strategy against cancer. Here, we will review the recent research progress of necroptosis in conferring anti- or pro-tumoral effects and its potential application in cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploiting earth-abundant and cost-efficient electrode materials is an effective strategy to fulfil the urgent demand for high-efficiency energy-storage. Carbon aerogels (CAs) with conductive skeleton and large specific area have attracted significant attention in electrode materials. However, how to achieve the large-scale production of CAs with both high energy storage capability and reasonable cost still remains a challenge. Herein, a scalable and cost-effective route toward constructing cobalt sulfide nanoparticles/carbon aerogel (CoS 1.97 /CA) hybrid electrode is described. Quantum-sized CoS 1.97 nanoparticles are synthesized by in situ selective vulcanization of Co2+ absorbed on the carbonaceous watermelon tissues which acts as current collector for the fast electrons transfer. Quantum-sized CoS 1.97 nanoparticles provide abundant active sites for the redox reaction with electrolyte ions in the hybrid electrode, thus leading to an excellent electrochemical capacity of 1715 C g−1. Furthermore, an asymmetric supercapacitor is assembled by employing CoS 1.97 /CA-500 as positive electrode and CA as negative electrode, which delivers the highest capacity of 51.5 mAh g−1 and energy density of 36.4 Wh kg−1. In addition, an impressive cycling span of 20000 cycles is obtained with capacity retention reaching up to 98.9%, demonstrating its high stability for real-world application. These findings demonstrate the bio-inspired and cost-effective development of 3D carbon aerogel electrode for incorporating with other novel materials for the applications in energy storage. [Display omitted] • Scalable and cost-effective strategy was developed for synthesizing biomass carbon aerogel (CA). • The aerogel provides stable transport and abundant active sites for both electrons and electrolyte ions. • Quantum-sized CoS 1.97 -NPs are synthesized by in situ vulcanization process on CA skeleton. • The resulting CoS 1.97 /CA-500 electrode possesses both high energy storage capability and cycling stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

g-C 3 N 4 /ZnIn 2 S 4 photocatalyst was constructed to investigate their potential application for economical visible-light photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI). [Display omitted] • Synthesis of g-C 3 N 4 /ZnIn 2 S 4 flower-like nanocomposites with hierarchical structure. • g-C 3 N 4 /ZnIn 2 S 4 photocatalyst with application for efficient visible-light photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI). • Formation of the electronic interaction between g-C 3 N 4 and ZnIn 2 S 4. Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is the nether-most toxic environmental pollutants. In this work, g-C 3 N 4 /ZnIn 2 S 4 photocatalyst was constructed to investigate their potential application for economical visible-light photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI). Photocatalysts phase and microstructure were analyzed by XRD, SEM and TEM techniques. Elements were confirmed by EDS and XPS techniques. Optical properties were revealed by DRS and emission spectra. The generation and activeness of photogenerated electron-hole pairs were revealed by the emission spectra, photocurrent response and Nyquist plots. The result is perfectly displayed that g-C 3 N 4 /ZnIn 2 S 4 has potential application in photocatalysis field and g-C 3 N 4 /ZnIn 2 S 4 has higher photocatalytic occupation than that of g-C 3 N 4 and ZnIn 2 S 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An alternative simple, economical and efficient acid-soaking method was proposed to improve the activity of g-C 3 N 4 for photocatalytic reduction of aqueous Cr(VI) in this work. The improvement was achieved simply by soaking g-C 3 N 4 (which was obtained by heating melamine in air at 550 °C for 4 h) in 5 mol/L HNO 3 or HCl aqueous solution for 2 h (the HNO 3 and HCl-treated samples were denoted as g-C 3 N 4 HNO 3 and g-C 3 N 4 HCl, respectively). The compositions, structures, Brunner–Emmet–Teller (BET) specific surface areas, Zeta potentials and optical properties of g-C 3 N 4 , g-C 3 N 4 HNO 3 and g-C 3 N 4 HCl were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, N 2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, Zeta potential analyzer and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic properties of g-C 3 N 4 , g-C 3 N 4 HNO 3 and g-C 3 N 4 HCl were tested in the reduction of aqueous Cr(VI) under visible-light ( λ > 420 nm) irradiation. It was observed that both g-C 3 N 4 HNO 3 and g-C 3 N 4 HCl exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than g-C 3 N 4 . The higher photocatalytic activities of acid-treated samples may be attributed to their larger BET specific surface areas, positive surface charges and larger adsorption capacities for Cr(VI). Furthermore, the soaking treatment with 5 mol/L HNO 3 aqueous solution can not only remove the Cr(III) species deposited on the surface of g-C 3 N 4 HNO 3 after use in photocatalytic reduction of aqueous Cr(VI), but also enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of g-C 3 N 4 HNO 3 in reuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Oleylamine is used as a curing agent of epoxy asphalt. • The non-polar long chain in oleylamine makes asphalt have good compatibility. • The unsaturated double bond in oleylamine can react with the active group in asphalt. • The long chain of oleylamine makes epoxy asphalt have good toughness. • The preparation method of new thermosetting epoxy asphalt is simple. Epoxy asphalt is not widely used because of its high price and miscibility problems of the epoxy resin and asphalt. Herein, a new thermosetting epoxy asphalt (NEA) was prepared with oleylamine as a curing agent. The tensile test showed that NEA has high tensile strength (4.4 MPa) and fracture strain (594%). Fourier transform infrared analysis of the NEA showed that the unsaturated double bond in oleylamine reacted with the active group in asphalt, which effectively introduced asphalt into the network structure formed by curing epoxy resin. The non-polar long chain on oleylamine awarded the NEA with excellent toughness and effective miscibility with non-polar asphalt, which can be confirmed by tensile test and fluorescence microanalysis. The temperature scanning results and the master curve obtained by dynamic shear rheometer test revealed that NEA is an excellent damping material with excellent low-frequency and high-frequency performance. The reaction mechanism of NEA was proposed based on the macro and micro analysis results. This study provided a facile approach for preparing a low-cost NEA modified asphalt by oleylamine curing agent having good miscibility with asphalt and enhanced mechanical properties, and hence can be counted as an alternative contender for applications in pavement, construction, and engineering industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic diabetic wounds represent a significant clinical challenge because of impaired healing processes, which require innovative therapeutic strategies. This study explores the therapeutic efficacy of insulin-induced gene 1-induced bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell exosomes (Insig1-exos) in promoting wound healing in diabetic mice. We demonstrated that Insig1 enhanced the secretion of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes, which are enriched with miR-132-3p. Through a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments, these exosomes significantly promoted the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of dermal fibroblasts under high-glucose conditions. They also regulated key wound-healing factors, including matrix metalloproteinase-9, platelet-derived growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, transforming growth factor-β1, and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, thereby accelerating wound closure in diabetic mice. Histological analysis showed that Insig1-exos were more effective in promoting epithelialization, enhancing collagen deposition, and reducing inflammation. Additionally, inhibition of miR-132-3p notably diminished these therapeutic effects, underscoring its pivotal role in the wound-healing mechanism facilitated by Insig1-exos. This study elucidates the molecular mechanisms through which Insig1-exos promotes diabetic wound healing, highlighting miR-132-3p as a key mediator. These findings provide new strategies and theoretical foundations for treating diabetes-related skin injuries.

Objective: It is always difficult to obtain a comfortable surgical margin for patients with recurrent malignant or invasive benign spinal tumors. Tumor intraspinal invasion and dural adhesion are the essential reasons. There are always residual tumor cells maintained at the edge of dura. Dural resection is a key point to obtain a comfortable surgical margin for such cases. Whether such patients benefit from this risky surgical procedure is unknown. This study aims to understand better the oncological results, associated risks, and neurological function of this risky surgical procedure., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data from six consecutive patients who registered spinal tumors in our institute and underwent dural resection during en bloc spinal resection from June 2013 to May 2020. The demographic and perioperative data, oncological outcomes, complications, and neurological status were collected and analyzed., Results: All six patients were followed up for 24 to 46 months (mean follow-up time: 32.8 months). Local recurrence was detected in one patient (1/6, 16.7%) at 36 months postoperatively and in five patients with no evidence of disease at the last follow up (survival rate 83.3%). Eleven complications occurred in four patients (66.7%), and the dural resection-related complications included only four cases of cerebrospinal fluid leakage (CSFL), which accounted for 36.4% (4/11) of all complications. Neurologic status evaluated by the Frankel grade showed improvement of one grade in one case and deterioration of one to two grades in five patients immediately after surgery. All deterioration cases recovered to the preoperative level 6 months after the operation., Conclusion: Dural resection is significant for patients with dura matter invaded by recurrent primary malignant or invasive benign spinal tumors with the purpose of clinical cure. This study demonstrated that in strictly selected cases, intentional dural resection could provide satisfying local control and long-term disease-free survival with acceptable complications and satisfying neurological function., (© 2024 The Author(s). Orthopaedic Surgery published by Tianjin Hospital and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)