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Turbulence is considered to be the result of coupled time-averaged and pulsating velocities, making it difficult to distinguish the respective effects, and the quantitative effect of turbulent pulsation alone on mass transfer within biofilms has not been discussed in the literature. In this study, we constructed a special oscillating grid biofilm reactor combining Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to achieve nearly isotropic turbulence in a designed ambient without time-averaged velocity and shear stress. Subsequently, velocity and contaminant concentration distributions were obtained by solving a mass transfer model with a k-ε turbulence model, combined with measurements of biofilm structure parameters. The results showed that the increase in turbulent pulsation intensity led to a significant stratification of the percolation velocity gradient in biofilms, which enhanced convective mass transfer. The changes of biofilm density and porosity under turbulent pulsation were more strongly correlated with convective mass transfer. When the turbulent intensity (q) increased to 2.50 cm s−1, the removal rate reached the highest value of 96.93%, accelerating the migration of contaminant concentration and the diffusive mass transfer effect was obvious. In addition, the trend of biofilm thickness under turbulent pulsation was consistent with the change of contaminant concentration distribution, and the correlation between them was greater. In summary, at q of 2.50 cm s−1, there was a positive effect on both convection and diffusion mechanisms in biofilms, and the contaminant removal rate and biofilm thickness reached the maximum, which was the recommended turbulent pulsation conditions. • Oscillating grid reactor to generate pulsating turbulence without mean velocity and shear stress. • Combining field Particle Image Velocimetry and Computational Fluid Dynamics simulation to obtain statistical characteristics of turbulence. • User-Defined Function of Fluent software to achieve numerical solution of biofilm mass transfer equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large amount of radioactivity was released into the environment after the Fukushima nuclear accident (FNA) in Japan in 2011. This radioactivity had a significant impact on the global environment, and there was much public concern about its effects. The subsequent assessment of the FNA and the environmental remediation required are proving to be long and complicated tasks. The assessments are based on the radioactive source terms for the FNA, which determine the level of damage caused by the nuclear accident. We investigated the radioactive source terms from three aspects: the amount and composition of the radionuclides; the activity and atomic ratio of the radionuclides; and comparison with other historical events. The total amount of radioactivity, excluding the radioactive noble gases (Kr and Xe), released by the FNA was about 10% of that released by the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986 and <1‰ of the global fallout from the atmosphere nuclear explosion. However, the FNA was the most serious nuclear accident in terms of radioactive pollution of the marine environment. The recovery actions carried out after the FNA have been evaluated and the environmental impacts of the FNA are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Great efforts have been devoted to developing nano-Si anodes for next-generation lithium ion batteries (LIBs); however, the reversible capacity and cycling stability of all Si anodes developed so far still need to be improved for battery applications. In this work, we propose a new strategy to develop a cycling-stable Si anode by embedding nano-Si particles into a Li+-conductive polymer matrix, in which a stable Si/polymer interface is established to avoid the contact of the Si surface with the electrolyte and to buffer the volume change of the Si lattice during cycles, thus promoting the capacity utilization and long cycle life of nano-Si particles. The nano-Si/polybithiophene composite synthesized in this work demonstrates a high Li-storage capacity of ＞2900 mA h g−1, a high-rate capability of 12 A g−1 and a long-term cyclability with a capacity retention of ＞1000 mA h g−1 over 1000 cycles, possibly serving as a high capacity anode for lithium battery applications. In addition, the fabrication technique for this type of composite material is facile, scalable and easily extendable to other Li-storable metals or alloys, opening up a new avenue for developing high capacity and cycling-stable anodes for advanced Li-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the genetic basis of muscle development in goats. The transcriptome dataset for differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of goat muscle at different developmental stages were obtained using RNA-Seq. A total of 447,806,481 and 587,559,465 clean reads in the longissimus dorsi muscle of Dazu black goats between 75d embryonic stage and 1d after birth were generated through Illumina paired-end sequencing, and their mapping rates were 89.82 and 90.99%, respectively. Moreover, 4517 DEGs and 648 DELs were identified, and 4784 lncRNA-mRNA targeting relationships were predicted. Gene function annotation results showed that 4101 DEGs were significantly enriched to 1098 GO terms, and 2014 DEGs were significantly enriched to 40 KEGG pathways, including many GO terms and pathways related to muscle development, such as cell differentiation and Wnt signaling pathway. Then, 10 DELs and 20 DEGs were randomly selected for RT-qPCR verification, and the agreement rate between the verification and RNA-Seq results was 90%, indicating the high reliability of the RNA-Seq data analysis. In conclusion, this study obtained several mRNAs and lncRNAs related to the muscle development of Dazu black goats and identified several targeted regulatory pairs of lncRNA–mRNA. This study may serve as a reference to understand the genetic basis and molecular mechanism of muscle development in goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Methods were developed to isolate free and encapsulated drug in liposome. • The liposomal formulation is a dual-drug liposomal encapsulation of cytarabine and daunorubicin. • It was the first time to separate free and encapsulated in cytarabine and daunorubicin liposome. • The methods were successfully used to investigate the pharmacokinetics in Sprague–Dawley rats. Liposome encapsulating cytarabine (CYT) and daunorubicin (DNR) is applied for treating Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) patients. To evaluate and compare relationship between the pharmacokinetics of free drug (drug which is not entrapped in liposomes) and liposome-encapsulated drug and the toxicity/efficacy, it is crucial to have trustworthy methods for separating the free and the encapsulated of the drug. In this study, methods were developed and validated to isolate and measure the free DNR/CYT (F-DNR/CYT), the encapsulated DNR/CYT (E-DNR/CYT) and the total DNR/CYT (T-DNR/CYT) in rat plasma. The methods involved solid-phase extraction (SPE) using reverse adsorbents for separating the F-DNR and E-DNR, SPE using cation exchange adsorbents for separating the E-CYT, ultrafiltration for isolating the F-CYT and protein precipitation (PPT) for releasing the T-DNR and T-CYT totally from the liposomal forms. The analytes were subsequently quantified on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) individually with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode using positive electrospray ionization (ESI). The calibration curves showed good linear relationships over the concentration range of 0.22–44 μg/mL for E-DNR and T-DNR, 2–1000 ng/mL for F-DNR, 0.5–100 μg/mL for E-CYT and T-CYT, 4–2000 ng/mL for F-CYT respectively. For all the analytes, the within-and between-run precisions were less than13.6% and the accuracies (in terms of RE%) were within −12.5%. Besides, extraction recovery, matrix effect, dilution integrity and stability were also assessed. The methods were successfully applied to investigate the pharmacokinetics in Sprague–Dawley rats following i.v. administration liposomal formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel dual-functional PEI-poly(γ-cholesterol- l-glutamate) (PEI-PCHLG) copolymers are developed for the first time. A series of PEI-PCHLG (PEI-1, PEI-2, PEI-3, and PEI-4) with various PEI percentages and molecular weights are successfully synthesized, among which the poor organic solvent solubility of PEI-1 precludes its further application. The other three copolymers can spontaneously self-assemble into micelles; the critical micelle concentration (CMC) values are 0.66, 1.3, and 0.95 μmol L−1, respectively. PEI-2 and PEI-4, with lower CMC, are worth being further developed as promising drug carriers because of their resistance to dilution in circulation after systemic administration. However, PEI-4 can form smaller-sized micelles than PEI-2 and has similar in vitro cytotoxicity to PEI. Thus, PEI-4 is further investigated. PEI-4 micelles can not only incorporate docetaxel (DTX) with high encapsulation efficiency (91.0%) and drug loading (4.3%), but also load pDNA efficiently at a ratio of 8:1 (w/w). DTX-loaded PEI-4 micelles (DTX-PEI-4) can also carry genes with the same gene-binding capacity as PEI-4 micelles. The above three micelles (DTX-PEI-4, pDNA-PEI-4, and pDNA/DTX-PEI-4) are sub-micrometer-sized and spherical. The results indicate that PEI-4 containing 28.9% PEI, one of the PEI-PCHLG copoly­mers, is a potential carrier for gene delivery, drug delivery, or even drug/gene co-delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Th activities in sea water were measured using Fe(OH) co-precipitation and beta counting at six stations in Prydz Bay in March 2008 during the 24th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition. Total Th activities ranged from 0.96 to 2.44 dpm L with an average of 1.61 dpm L, showing an apparent deficit with respect to U due to scavenging and export with particles. With a one-dimensional steady state model, Th export fluxes were converted to particulate organic carbon (POC) export using bottle ratios of POC concentrations to particulate Th activities on suspended particles. POC fluxes at the depth of 100 m varied between 33 and 297 mmol m day, comparable to prior work in the same region and higher than those of some other sea areas in the Southern Ocean, and indicated efficient running of biological pump in Prydz Bay. The results could be helpful to expand the knowledge of carbon cycle in seasonally ice-covered coastal regions around Antarctica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, goldfish toxicity and superficial damage from 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium bromide ([C8mim]Br) exposure were evaluated by an acute toxicity test. These results show that the 24-h 50% lethal concentration for [C8mim]Br in goldfish is 244 mg L−1, and this indicates that [C8mim]Br is a chemical with moderate or low toxicity to organisms. Scanning electronic microscope and histological observations revealed that acute exposure to [C8mim]Br induced obvious superficial damage to the skin, gill filaments, and intestinal villi of the goldfish, and this suggests that the skin, gills, and intestines may be the first direct targets of the ionic liquid in this fish. Histological examination also indicated that [C8mim]Br-exposure caused damage to the goldfish's hepatopancreas and kidney, consisting mainly of hepatic cords in a loose connection, hepatic cytoplasmic vacuolation, renal parenchyma vacuolization, and intumescence of the renal tubule. In addition, we found that [C8mim]Br caused a significant increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the hepatopancreases from these goldfish, and thus we suggest that the MDA level may be a biomarker of [C8mim]Br-toxicity in goldfish. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Th was utilized as a tracer of particulate organic carbon (POC) export in the northwestern South China Sea (SCS) on the basis of the data collected at four stations during a spring cruise. Depth profiles of dissolved and particulate Th activities were measured in the upper 60 m, showing a significant deficit relative to U over the investigated stations. A stratified structure of Th-U disequilibrium was in general observed in the upper 60 m water column, indicating that the euphotic zone of the northwestern SCS in this reason can be divided into two layers, an upper and lower layer, with different export rates. POC export fluxes were estimated from a one-dimensional steady state model of Th fluxes in combination with the measurement of POC/Th ratios on suspended particles. The POC export in this region ranged from 8.2 to 20.0 mmol/(m·d), with an average of 16.0 mmol/(m·d), and was slightly higher than those previously reported in the southern SCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A computational study performed for an artillery projectile using finite volume TVD schemes is described in this paper. First, computed Magnus moment coefficients for the spinning projectile have been compared with the available experimental data of SOCBT at Mach 3 and are found to be generally in good agreement. The results demonstrate that the method can provide an accurate and viable approach for this problem. Then, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling and analysis of the spinning projectile with fixed canard have been conducted to determine the longitudinal aerodynamic coefficients. The analyses provide a detailed understanding of the effects of canard with different circumferential position on longitudinal aerodynamic coefficients at three supersonic speeds and various angles of attack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for stable isotopes is stimulating theoretical and experimental research on separation of stable isotopes by gas centrifuge. Most of the stable elements in nature have three or more isotopes. For modern gas centrifuges the separation factors usually are not as close to unity as is the case for the gaseous diffusion process. The overall separation factor for the unit molar weight difference, γ0, is an important parameter for describing the separation performance of a gas centrifuge, and it depends on many variables of the gas centrifuge and physical properties of process gases. In this paper examples of the influence of some parameters on the overall separation factor will be shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron–nitrogen-doped carbon (Fe–N–C) catalysts have been theoretically and experimentally demonstrated as one of the most promising materials to promote the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), but they still have drawbacks in terms of stability and longevity. Herein, a novel strategy of loading Fe–N–C on cerium oxide cyanamide (Ce2O2CN2) is proposed to increase the density of active sites and improve the activity effectively. Ce2O2CN2 provides a Ce4+/Ce3+ redox pair to regulate the oxygen density on the catalyst surface, and the π–π interactions between Ce2O2CN2 and Fe–N–C are beneficial for interfacial charge transport. Consequently, Fe–N–C@Ce2O2CN2 shows excellent ORR activity with a half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.89 V vs RHE and satisfactory long-term durability in an alkaline medium, and significantly outperforms commercial Pt/C. The Zn–air batteries made using the prepared catalyst exhibited a high peak power density of 119.35 mW cm−2. This study provides a new perspective for the application of platinum group-metal (PGM)-free catalysts in next-generation energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Altered levels of inflammatory markers secondary to severe trauma present a major problem to physicians and are prone to interfering with the clinical identification of sepsis events. This study aimed to establish the profiles of cytokines in trauma patients to characterize the nature of immune responses to sepsis, which might enable early prediction and individualized treatments to be developed for targeted intervention. A 15-plex human cytokine magnetic bead assay system was used to measure analytes in citrated plasma samples. Analysis of the kinetics of these cytokines was performed in 40 patients with severe blunt trauma admitted to our trauma center between March 2016 and February 2017, with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) greater than 20 with regard to sepsis (Sepsis-3) over a 14-d time course. In total, the levels of six cytokines were altered in trauma patients across the 1-, 3-, 5-, 7-, and 14-d time points. Additionally, IL-6, IL-10, IL-15, macrophage derived chemokine (MDC), GRO, sCD40 L, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), and fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 levels could be used to provide a significant discrimination between sepsis and nonsepsis patients at day 3 and afterward, with an area under the curve (AUC) of up to 0.90 through a combined analysis of the eight biomarkers (P < 0.001). Event-related analysis demonstrated 1.5- to 4-fold serum level changes for these cytokines within 72 h before clinically apparent sepsis. Cytokine profiles demonstrate a high discriminatory ability enabling the timely identification of evolving sepsis in trauma patients. These abrupt changes enable sepsis to be detected up to 72 h before clinically overt deterioration. Defining cytokine release patterns that distinguish sepsis risk from trauma patients might enable physicians to initiate timely treatment and reduce mortality. Large prospective studies are needed to validate and operationalize the findings. Clinicaltrials, NCT01713205. Registered October 22, 2012, https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/NCT01713205. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: There is an association between thyroid dysfunction and cerebral infarction (CI), but the causality cannot be determined. A two‐sample two‐way Mendelian randomization (MR) study was conducted to assess the causal relationship between thyroid function and CI. METHODS: We selected single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with five phenotypes, including CI from the UK Biobank (n = 361,194), hyperthyroidism from the IEU Open GWAS database (n = 484,598), hypothyroidism from the IEU Open GWAS database (n = 473,703), normal thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) (n = 271,040), and normal free thyroxine (FT4) (n = 119,120) from the Thyroidomics Consortium database. For the forward MR analysis, the exposures were hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, TSH, and FT4. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method, weighted median (WM), and MR‐Egger revealed the causality with CI. For the reverse MR analysis, CI was regarded as the exposure, and four thyroid function phenotypes were the outcomes. The sensitivity and heterogeneity test was assessed using Cochran's Q test, MR‐Egger regression, and leave‐one‐out analysis. RESULTS: The MR analysis indicated that genetic susceptibility to hyperthyroidism increased the risk of CI (IVW‐OR = 1.070; 95% CI: 1.015–1.128; p = 0.003). In reverse MR, genetic susceptibility to RA is not associated with hyperthyroidism (IVW‐OR = 1.001; 95% CI: 1.000–1.001; p = 0.144). Any positive or reverse causal relationship between hypothyroidism, FT4, and TSH with CI could not be established. Sensitivity and heterogeneity test consolidated our findings. CONCLUSION: The causality between CI and hyperthyroidism demonstrated patients with hyperthyroidism have a risk of genetic variants for CI. In the future, further studies are needed to fully explore their mechanisms of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead-free piezoelectric one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures have exhibited great potential in building biocompatible micro/nano-energy harvesters and self-powered smart sensors. However, their low piezoelectric coefficient still remains as the biggest obstacle for practical applications. In this work, an ultrahigh piezoelectric coefficient with calibrated d 33 from 400 pm V-1 to 814 pm V-1 is achieved in Li-doped (K,Na)NbO 3 (KNLN) lead-free piezoelectric nanorod arrays (NRAs). The giant enhancement on the piezoelectric performance of the KNLN nanorods can be attributed to the manipulation on the phase transition behavior together with the relaxation of strain. The Li+ dopants induce large NbO 6 octahedral distortion and result in the decreased phase transition temperature from orthorhombic (O) to tetragonal (T) phase, which leads to the construction of the O-T phase boundary at room temperature and improves the polarization performance of the products. The ultrahigh piezoelectric performance of the KNLN NRAs gives rise to the remarkably improved energy harvesting performance, which shows highly sensitive pressure sensing behaviors and can be utilized for monitoring the human-body motions. Giant piezoelectric coefficient d 33 up to 814 pm V-1 is achieved in lead-free (K,Na,Li)NbO 3 nanorod arrays by manipulating the orthorhombic-tetragonal phase boundary through A-site Li-doping. The KNLN nanorod arrays exhibit outstanding piezoelectric energy harvesting and pressure sensing performances and realize the self-powered monitoring of human body motions for smart analyzing of the human movement behaviors. [Display omitted] • Li-doped (K,Na)NbO 3 nanorod arrays were grown by hydrothermal process. • Giant piezoelectric coefficient d 33 ~ 814 pm V− 1 is achieved in KNLN nanorod arrays. • Orthorhombic-tetragonal phase boundary of KNLN nanorods is constructed at RT. • The nanogenerators exhibit outstanding energy harvesting and sensing performance. • Self-powered human-body-movements monitoring is realized by KNLN nanogenerators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fetal double aortic arch (DAA) malformation is a rare congenital heart disease with few reported cases in the literature. We aimed to investigate the characteristics of prenatal ultrasound and postnatal computed tomography angiography (CTA) of DAA and to describe the associated anomalies and clinical outcomes to improve prenatal diagnosis and assist in perinatal management.Methods: The obstetric ultrasound imaging databases of seven tertiary referral centers were reviewed retrospectively to identify fetuses with a prenatal diagnosis of DAA between January 2013 and December 2018. Ultrasonographic findings, associated anomalies, genetic abnormalities, postnatal CTA images, and long-term postnatal outcomes were evaluated.Results: A total of 36 cases out of 40 prenatally diagnosed DAA fetuses were confirmed by postnatal diagnosis (fetal autopsy, CTA, and surgery). In this cohort of 36 confirmed cases, 24 (67%) were isolated anomalies, while 12 (33%) were associated with intracardiac or extracardiac anomalies, and 2 (6%) had a 22q11.2 chromosome deletion. Among nine cases of pregnancy termination with a fetal autopsy, 7 had other abnormalities. Among the remaining 27 live births, 16 (59%) were asymptomatic and 11 (41%) received surgical treatment due to tracheal or esophageal compression symptoms, all with satisfactory outcomes. Prenatal echocardiography showed that DAA was mainly characterized by a bifurcation of the ascending aorta into the right and left aortic arch and the formation of a complete O-shaped vascular ring around the trachea on the three-vessel tracheal view. A variant in the aortic arch branching pattern was found for the first time. The airway obstruction, branching pattern, and atretic arch of DAA were clearly shown by postnatal CTA.Conclusions: Fetal DAA has unique features on prenatal echocardiography and postnatal CTA, and systematic prenatal examination and timely postnatal CTA evaluation are required. A certain proportion of intracardiac and extracardiac abnormalities are associated with DAA, but the probability of chromosome abnormalities is low, especially for isolated DAA.The clinical outcomes of isolated DAA are favorable, even if surgery is performed due to symptoms. Determining whether other malformations or chromosomal anomalies exist is crucial for prognosis evaluation and prenatal counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible polyurethane (PU) foam is one of the most versatile materials, which has a widely range of applications. However, flexible PU foam it is easily ignitable and highly flammable. This study developed a kind of post-modification method to prepare inherent FR PU foam, which use β-CD as chain extender and introduce FR additive through a facile esterification between phosphoric acid and β-CD moiety in PU foams. The morphology and elasticity of PU still maintained after the modification of PU. β-CDs, as a bio-resources, can not only act as polyol carbon sources to promote carbon formation, but also crosslinked with phosphate ester and PU matrix through P–O–C bonds to form compact carbon layer during the combustion. This dense carbon layer effectively isolates the heat source of the flame, resulting in great improvement of combustion resistance. The time to ignition for 15% CD-H 3 PO 4 -PUF foam reached 152 s, which was over 10 times longer than that of pure PU foams. And the foam immediately self-extinguished when the flame was removed. The THR of 15% CD-H 3 PO 4 -PUF foam decreased by 70.43% compared to that of neat PU foam. The significant delay of TTI and reduction of THR can reduce the hazards of flame spread greatly. • A facile and green method to prepare inherent flame retardant (FR) polyurethane foam (PUF) has been developed. • β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) act as both chain extender and reactive FR component in the FR PUF system. • Time to Ignition (TTI) of 15% CD-H3PO4-PUF is about 152 s, which is over 10 times longer than that of pure PUF. • The FR PUF also show significantly reduction of Total Heat Release (THR). Their THR could reduce 70.43% by neat PUF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LEF1-AS1 facilitates the progression of glioblastoma via sponging miR-543 to upregulate EN2. • LEF1-AS1 was highly regulated in GBM and correlated with unfavorable prognosis. • LEF1-AS1 facilitated cell malignant behaviors in GBM. • The LEF1-AS1/miR-543/EN2 network was proposed in GBM. • Involvement of miR-543/EN2 in the promoting effects of LEF1-AS1 in GBM cells. Glioblastoma (GBM) has been regarded as the most aggressive disease in the nervous system. Accumulating literatures have illustrated the crucial role of competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) network in the pathogenesis and progression of various tumors. The promoting effect of LEF1-AS1 on GBM development has been previously identified. This study attempted to explore the underlying mechanism of LEF1-AS1 in GBM. Data of clinical GBM patients was downloaded from TCGA and GEO databases. The proliferative ability, clonogenic vitality, invasive, and migratory capabilities of GBM cells were measured using Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation and transwell assays. Luciferase reporter gene analysis was performed to verify the correlations between LEF1-AS1/EN2 and miR-543. qRT-PCR and western blotting were implemented to evaluate the mRNA and protein levels, respectively. Our results consolidated that LEF1-AS1 was highly expressed in GBM tissue specimens and its up-regulation induced unfavorable prognosis. The loss/gain-of-function analyses verified that LEF1-AS1 promoted the GBM cell malignant behaviors. Mechanically, LEF1-AS1 acted as a ceRNA for miR-543 and positively regulated engrailed homeobox 2 (EN2) expression. Down-regulation of miR-543 elevated GBM cell malignant behaviors, which was reversed by LEF1-AS1 knockdown. Meanwhile, the LEF1-AS1 inhibition could arrest the promoting effect of high-regulated EN2 on GBM cell aggressiveness and vice versa. In conclusion, our findings identified LEF1-AS1 as a ceRNA for miR-543 and showed that EN2 was positively regulated by LEF1-AS1. The LEF1-AS1/miR-543/EN2, as a novel ceRNA network, was implicated in the progression of GBM, which provided a novel insight for GBM treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of pyridine and polypyridine-zinc complexes were synthesized, and their application in ε-caprolactone and l -lactide polymerization was studied. In ε-caprolactone polymerization, zinc complexes bearing 1,10-phenanthroline derivatives exhibited a higher polymerization rate than did diethyl zinc (2–10 times). In l -lactide polymerization, zinc complexes bearing 1,10-phenanthroline derivatives exhibited a considerably higher polymerization rate than did diethyl zinc (2–220 times). According to density functional theory results, the ortho -hydrogens of polypyridine ligand can co-activate the carbonyl group of monomers with zinc metal center to increase the catalytic activity of zinc catalysts. Image 1 • The polypyridne-zinc complexes were synthesized. • 1,10-Phenanthroline derivatives enhanced the catalytic activity of Zn complexes. • Hydrogens of polypyridine co-activate the carbonyl group of monomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A similar fin pattern is found in a series of topology optimized heat sinks. • The sectional fins and semi-wavy layout promote heat transfer. • The proposed fin design outperforms five other traditional fin designs. This paper presents a new fin pattern for liquid-cooled microchannel heat sinks. It is derived from topology optimized heat sink structures reported in our previous paper. The new fin pattern is composed of two types of fins, oblique fin and trapezoidal fin, and they are arranged in a semi-wavy manner. Numerical simulation is implemented to examine its heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics in detail. A flow phenomenon that is similar to Dean's vortices is observed and results in enhanced flow mixing. The non-continuous fin pattern also avoids growth of thick boundary layers as they are initiated at the leading edges of each fin. Furthermore, size optimization based on the response surface method is performed to balance the heat transfer enhancement and pressure drop penalty. The new fin pattern is then compared with five other commonly used fin designs and shows the best performance in the studied flow range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) have been implicated in the self-renewal and treatment resistance of glioblastoma (GBM). Our previous study found that 4,5-dimethoxycanthin-6-one has the potential to inhibit GBM cell proliferation. This current study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the effects of 4,5-dimethoxycanthin-6-one in GBM development. The effect of 4,5-dimethoxycanthin-6-one on GSC formation and differentiation was explored in human GBM cell lines U251 and U87. Subsequently, 4,5-dimethoxycanthin-6-one binding to tetraspanin 1 (TSPAN1) / transmembrane 4 L six family member 1 (TM4SF1) was analyzed by molecular simulation docking. Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and immunofluorescence (IF) were used to assess the interactions between TSPAN1 and TM4SF1 in GSCs. Cell proliferation was detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and colony formation assay. To evaluate cell migration, invasion and apoptosis, we employed wound healing assay, transwell and flow cytometry, respectively. Furthermore, subcutaneous xenograft tumor models in nude mice were constructed to evaluate the impact of 4,5-dimethoxycanthin-6-one on GSCs in vivo by examining tumor growth and histological characteristics. 4,5-Dimethoxycanthin-6-one inhibited GSC formation and promoted stem cell differentiation in a concentration-dependent manner. Molecular docking models of 4,5-dimethoxycanthin-6-one with TM4SF1 and TSPAN1 were constructed. Then, the interaction between TSPAN1 and TM4SF1 in GSC was clarified. Moreover, 4,5-dimethoxycanthin-6-one significantly inhibited the expressions of TM4SF1 and TSPAN1 in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression of TSPAN1 partially reversed the inhibitory effects of 4,5-dimethoxycanthin-6-one on GSC formation, proliferation, migration and invasion. 4,5-Dimethoxycanthin-6-one inhibited GBM progression by inhibiting TSPAN1/TM4SF1 axis. 4,5-Dimethoxycanthin-6-one might be a novel and effective drug for the treatment of GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A 2D thermofluid model is used to represent 3D model during topology optimization. • Various liquid-cooled microchannel heat sink fin structures are generated. • Topology optimized designs outperform size optimized straight channel heat sinks. • Their performance is verified by experimental tests and analysed by 3D simulation. Electronics cooling is always a critical challenge for its small profile and high heat flux. Various microchannel heat sinks have been proposed in literature to achieve reliable and energy efficient cooling effect. They are mainly different patterned fin shapes originated from researchers' experience. In this paper, we present the process of designing liquid-cooled microchannel heat sink fin geometries based on a numerical method, topology optimization. The optimization model is developed to find designs that satisfy heat transfer requirement with low pressure drop penalty. It is implemented based on a derived accurate 2D model with minimizing pressure drop as objective and average junction temperature as a constraint. Parameter study for different velocities and junction temperature constraints is performed. The optimized structures are then post processed under geometry constraints and analyzed by 3D CFD simulation. Size optimization is implemented on conventional straight channel heat sinks, which serve as the benchmark cases. Moreover, an experimental test loop is built to validate the 3D simulation of topology optimized heat sinks and straight channel heat sinks. The performance comparison shows that the topology optimized heat sinks could save up to 50.9% pumping power under the same thermal performance requirement. Detailed CFD analysis is then engaged to examine their thermohydraulic characteristics and reveal the reasons for their superior performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study evaluated the elastic characteristics of the pulmonary trunk and distal branches in fetuses diagnosed with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) using Doppler echocardiography. Methods: Data on 42 fetuses diagnosed with TOF and 84 gestational age-matched normal fetuses were prospectively collected from the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University between August 2022 and January 2023. The severity of TOF was classified into three categories based on the z-score of the pulmonary annulus diameter: mild (z-score =-2), moderate (-40.05). Conclusion: Fetuses diagnosed with TOF exhibited increased vascular stiffness in the MPA and reduced stiffness in the distal pulmonary artery (PA). Larger-scale follow-up studies are required to elucidate the relationships between these changes in vascular stiffness and PA development in patients with TOF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine fetal foramen ovale blood flow utilizing pulsed Doppler combined with spatiotemporal image correlation.Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 440 normal fetuses between 20 and 40 weeks of gestation. In order to calculate foramen ovale blood flow, the foramen ovale flow velocity-time integral was obtained by pulsed Doppler ultrasonography, and the foramen ovale area was measured by using spatiotemporal image correlation rendering mode. Foramen ovale blood flow was calculated as the product of the foramen ovale area and the velocity-time integral.Results: Gestational age-specific reference ranges are given for the absolute blood flow (ml/min) of foramen ovale, showing an exponential increase from 20 to 30 weeks of gestation, and a flat growth trend during the last trimester, while the weight-indexed flow (ml/min/kg) of foramen ovale decreased significantly. The median weight-indexed foramen ovale blood flow was 320.82 ml/min/kg (mean 319.1 ml/min/kg; SD 106.33 ml/min/kg).Conclusions: The reference range for fetal foramen ovale blood flow was determined from 20 to 40 weeks of gestation. The present data show that the volume of foramen ovale blood flow might have a limited capacity to increase during the last trimester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The differences between the XXZ model with topological and periodical boundary conditions were compared by studying their entanglement, quantum discord, and critical temperature above which the entanglement vanishes. It shows that the different boundary conditions mainly affect bipartite quantum correlations of the boundary spins rather than that of other spin pairs. The topological boundary spins can protect entanglement and discord against strong magnetic fields while the periodical boundary spins can protect them against nonuniform magnetic fields. Compared with the periodical XXZ model, the critical temperature is significantly improved for the topological XXZ model. The topological XXZ model also allows us to improve significantly its critical temperature by increasing the strength of magnetic field, which is not feasible for the periodical XXZ model. It is therefore more promising for preparing entangled states at high temperature in the topological XXZ model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide useful information for diagnosing and predicting fetal intraabdominal extralobar pulmonary sequestration (IEPS), a retrospective review of diagnostic approaches was conducted. Ultrasonography was performed serially in 21 fetuses with IEPS from 2005 to 2017. Prenatal sonographic features, treatment, and outcomes of each case were evaluated and collected. These cases of IEPS were also compared to 43 cases previously reported by other researchers from 1986 to 2017. Of the 21 sonographic features, 14 (67%) were hyperechoic, 21 (100%) were well circumscribed, and 17 (81%) depicted a mass that shifted with fetal breaths/hiccups non-synchronized with adjacent organs (sliding sign). Feeding arteries were detected prenatally in 18 patients (86%). The lesion volume was 10.17 ± 4.66 cm3, the congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation volume ratio and cardiothoracic ratio were in normal range. The gestational age at diagnosis, location and echotexture of the lesion, and rate of surgical treatment were similar to previous studies, but with a significantly higher rate of detected feeding arteries (P < 0.01), and associated anomalies (P < 0.01). All infants who underwent surgery after birth had satisfactory outcomes. The sliding sign and feeding artery are essential features of IEPS in prenatal diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]