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Awareness and uptake of the meningitis vaccine remains low among marginalized groups, such as Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM), potentially due to structural and psychosocial barriers in accessing preventative healthcare. The current study explored awareness and uptake of meningitis vaccines among a group of LMSM (N = 99) living in South Florida. A three-pronged variable selection approach was utilized prior to conducting regression models (linear and logistic). Overall, 48.5% of the participants reported little to no knowledge about meningitis vaccines, and 20.2% reported being vaccinated. Living with HIV (OR = 10.48) and time since outbreak (OR = 1.03) were significant predictors of meningitis vaccine uptake. No significant correlates of meningitis vaccine awareness were identified. More research is needed to identify other important factors associated with meningitis vaccine awareness and uptake among LMSM, a multiple marginalized group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous and long‐term use of traditional and new pesticides can result in cross‐resistance among pest populations in different fields. Study on the mechanism of cross‐resistance and related genes will help resistance management and field pest control. In this study, the pesticide‐resistance mechanism in Spodoptera frugiperda (FAW) was studied with field populations in 3 locations of South China. Field FAW populations were highly resistant to traditional insecticides, chlorpyrifos (organophosphate) and deltamethrin (pyrethroid), and had higher levels of cytochrome P450 activity than a non‐resistant laboratory strain. Inhibition of P450 activity by piperonyl butoxide significantly increased the sensitivity of resistant FAW in 3 locations to chlorpyrifos, deltamethrin and chlorantraniliprole (amide), a new type of insecticide, suggesting that P450 detoxification is a critical factor for insecticide resistance in field FAW populations. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that 18 P450 genes were upregulated in the field FAW populations collected in 3 regions and in 2 consecutive years, with CYP6a13, the most significantly upregulated one. Knockdown of CYP6a13 messenger RNA by RNA interference resulted in an increased sensitivity to the 3 tested insecticides in the field FAW. Enzyme activity and molecular docking analyses indicated that CYP6a13 enzyme was able to metabolize the 3 tested insecticides and interact with 8 other types of insecticides, confirming that CYP6a13 is a key cross‐resistance gene with a wide range of substrates in the field FAW populations across the different regions and can be used as a biomarker and target for management of FAW insecticide resistance in fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean and sustainable hydrogen production through liquid hydrogen storage material requires highly active and stable earth‐abundant non‐noble metal to replace expensive and rare noble metals. Herein, nickel nanofilms (Ni/NiO‐NFs) were prepared by the ionic liquid/water interface route. The cationic carbon chain length of the ionic liquid affects the phase composition of the nickel nanofilm, and the ionic liquid with [OMIm][PF6] as the anion has good thermal stability during the synthesis process. The efficiency of Ni/NiO‐NFs catalysts was tested by comparative kinetic analysis of the AB hydrolysis for hydrogen production. The as‐prepared Ni/NiO‐NFs catalyst exhibits excellent hydrogen generation performances, including a hydrogen production rate (2917 ml min−1 gNi−1), and a low activation energy (48.1 kJ/mol). The transition of nickel oxide to metallic nickel and the destruction of the catalyst structure is responsible for the decreased durability. This work highlights the significance of amorphous nanofilms catalysts via the ionic interface method on the regulation of activity for AB hydrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wide band gaps with the propagation of elastic waves at low-frequency are desirable for phononic crystals in many traditional and novel applications. Inspired by the natural helix, we designed a microstructure in a metamaterial plate with an antisymmetric dual helix as the basic local resonant cell. The band structure and displacement transmission curve of metamaterial plates with dual helix cells were calculated by using the finite element method at first, then the band gap characteristics with and without consideration of the mass in the center of the dual helix were compared. The results show that the band gap in the band structure and displacement transmission curves have excellent consistency. Besides, the effects of the parameters including the number of turns of the helix, the plate thickness, and the radius of the attached mass sphere on the band gaps of flexural waves for the metamaterial plate were examined for further evaluation of the potential vibration prohibition application. It is found that the lower frequency of the band gap can be significantly tuned by adding a mass element in the metamaterial plates with dual helix elements, which provides a new method to tune the width of the band gap of a metamaterial plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This is the first study investigating the effects of mastitis and heat stress on plasma cfDNA levels in dairy cattle. We established a complete system for the extraction of cell-free DNA from the plasma of dairy cows with the high-yielding method of the TIANamp Micro DNA Kit. The concentration was determined by real-time quantitative PCR, and the results showed that cfDNA is related to mastitis and heat stress in dairy cattle. In this study, four methods (phenol-chloroform protocol, sodium iodide kit, QIAamp DNA Blood Mini Kit, and TIANamp Micro DNA Kit) were used to extract cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from cattle blood, and the yield and purity of cfDNA varied in four different methods from 0.36 to 0.84 ng/mL for yield and 0.67 to 1.80 (A260/A280) for purity. Compared with other methods, the TIANamp Micro DNA kit performed better in both cfDNA amount and purity (p < 0.05); furthermore, blood cfDNA levels were significantly increased in Holstein dairy cows under the influence of heat stress (p < 0.01) and mastitis (p < 0.0001), which showed a potential power to discriminate mastitis (AUC = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.97 to 1.00) or heat stress (AUC = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.73 to 0.98) in cows. In brief, we established a complete experimental system for the extraction of cfDNA from cattle blood based on the high-yielding method of the TIANamp Micro DNA Kit and showed the effect of mastitis and heat stress on cfDNA levels in cattle blood for the first time. Our findings suggested that cfDNA in cattle blood may be a useful marker to measure mastitis and heat stress in dairy cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of highly active oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts with low-loading of precious metals is imperative but remains a great challenge. Herein, Pd/B,N-CDs@CNT composite catalysts was designed with Pd nanoparticles immobilized on hybrid support composed of B,N-doped carbon dots (B,N-CDs) and the multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CNT) using a simple methanol reduction method. The deposited Pd nanoparticles exhibit clean surface, low crystallinity and surface distortion. The Pd/B,N-CDs@CNT catalyst shows significantly enhanced ORR activity, with the mass activity about 5–6 times higher than that of commercial Pt/C. Thus prominent ORR performance is mainly attributed to the unique microstructure of Pd nanoparticles. Moreover, the composited B,N-CDs and the doped B, N heteroatoms further improve the ORR performance, in which B,N-CDs supply more absorption sites, the formation of N–Pd facilitates the electron transfer, B doping can promote the adsorption of oxygenated species and weaken the strong interaction between Pd and C. Furthermore, the B, N co-doping plays a synergistic effect. This strategy provides a simple and mild method for designing highly efficient electrocatalysts with ultra-low precious metals in alkaline electrolytes. [Display omitted] • Pd nanoparticles were deposited on B,N-CDs@CNT hybrid by a simple methanol reduction. • The composited B,N-CDs act as a doping source of B, N into CNT. • The Pd nanoparticles show clean surface, low crystallinity and surface distortion. • The Pd/B,N-CDs@CNT shows prominent ORR activity outperforming commercial Pt/C. • The ORR performance is attributed to the unique microstructure of Pd nanoparticles and support effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: CD8+ T cells are important for protective immunity against intracellular pathogens. Excessive amounts of antigen and/or inflammatory signals often lead to the gradual deterioration of CD8+ T cell function, a state called "exhaustion". However, the association between CD8+ T cell exhaustion and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has not been studied. This study was conducted to elucidate how CD8+ T cells and inhibitory receptors were related to the clinical prognosis of ARDS.Methods: A prospective observational study in an emergency department enrolled patients who were diagnosed with sepsis-associated ARDS according to the sepsis-3 criteria and Berlin definition. Peripheral blood samples were collected within 24 h post recruitment. CD8+ T cell count, proliferation ratio, cytokine secretion, and the expression of coinhibitory receptors were assayed.Results: Sixty-two patients with ARDS met the inclusion criteria. CD8+ T cell counts and proliferation rates were dramatically decreased in non-surviving ARDS patients. Increasing programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) expression on the CD8+ T cell surface was seen in patients with worse organ function, while an increasing level of T cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (Tim-3) was associated with a longer duration of the shock. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that low CD8+ T cell percentages and increased inhibitory molecule expression were significantly associated with a worse survival rate.Conclusions: CD8+ T cells and coinhibitory receptors are promising independent prognostic markers of sepsis-induced ARDS, and increased CD8+ T cell exhaustion is significantly correlated with poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving ship energy efficiency and intelligent optimization depend heavily on predictive maintenance of Marine diesel engine performance. For successful Condition-Based Maintenance, a multi-step fuel consumption prediction of ships that is accurate and stable is needed. However, existing methods mainly focus on current time or future single-step forecasts. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the optimum prediction model across various prediction time steps from the perspective of model accuracy and model generalization capability. Based on the 14-month sensor data of bulk carriers, high-quality ship energy consumption data is obtained using the local weighting method to establish a short-term multi-step prediction model of engine fuel consumption based on deep learning. Five real fuel consumption sample sets with different equilibrium levels were determined to evaluate the robustness and generalization of varying prediction models. According to the research, the ensemble empirical mode decomposition-based memory network (EEMD-LSTM) can maintain good stationarity and high accuracy in long-term trend prediction within 30 to 60 steps. In contrast, the bidirectional memory network (BiLSTM) has high accuracy in short-term volatility prediction within 30 steps. An efficient method for ship prediction maintenance and defect diagnosis can be found in a high-precision multi-step forecast method for Marine diesel engine fuel consumption. • The prediction models consider the impact of various dataset equilibrium levels. • Only using historical fuel data for consumption shows predictive solid capability. • We have innovatively identified more appropriate models for different time steps. • Confirmed LSTM and BiLSTM's prediction feasibility through model generalization. • Before step 30, BiLSTM's MAPE is 3.8%; EEMD-LSTM's MAPE is 1.9% from steps 30-60. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel ConA-based electrochemical immunosensor for ASA was developed. • ConA was used to orientedly immobilize antibody through lectin-sugar interactions. • The developed sensor exhibited wide detection range (0.025–25 ng mL-1). • The electrochemical immunosensor showed low detection limit (0.008 ng mL-1). Concanavalin A (ConA), as a carrier for immobilizing antibodies, was used for the first time in electrochemical immunosensor. In this work, a label-free electrochemical immunosensor based on Ag nanoparticles-reduced graphene oxide (AgNPs-rGO) nanocomposite and ConA was successfully prepared to detect arsanilic acid (ASA). AgNPs-rGO nanocomposite displayed superior conductivity and redox capability. Specially, ConA showed excellent binding ability with monoclonal antibody of ASA through lectin-sugar interactions. Under the optimized conditions, the proposed electrochemical immunosensor showed a linear dependence over ASA concentrations ranging from 0.025 ng/mL to 25 ng/mL with a low detection limit of 0.011 ng/mL. Furthermore, the immunosensor was used to monitor ASA in chicken and egg with good precision and accuracy. In conclusion, the simple and low-cost immunosensor was desirably applied as a useful candidate for detection of ASA in animal derived food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Adenomyosis is a common gynecological disease, but its pathogenesis and treatment options are not yet completely clear. This study aimed to investigate the analgesic effect of berberine on tamoxifen-induced neonatal mouse adenomyosis and its curative effects on the disease. Methods: The mouse adenomyosis model was established in neonatal female mice via oral administration of tamoxifen suspended solution. Adenomyosis mice were given berberine by intraperitoneal injection with the dosage of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg body weight, respectively, at 17 weeks after birth. The pain sensation of the mice was evaluated by hotplate and tail-flick tests. The mRNA levels of gene expression were detected by RT-qPCR. The protein expression was analyzed by ELISA and Western blot. Results: Berberine reduced the uterine weight, suppressed the myometrial infiltration of ectopic endometrium, improved the hotplate and tail-flick latency of the adenomyosis mice. Mechanistically, berberine downregulated the expression of genes related to pain and inflammation, such as TRPV1, COX-2, VEGF and OTR, impaired the inflammatory response at the DRG site, and inhibited the expression of TLR4 in DRG and uterine tissues. Conclusions: Berberine attenuates hyperalgesia and exhibits analgesic and therapeutic effects on adenomyosis mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to identify potential key genes and pathways, using bioinformatics, underlying the potentially common molecular mechanisms between endometriosis (EMS) and ovarian cancer (OC). Methods: Two datasets were collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and the limma package identified common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the EMS and OC groups compared to controls. Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, gene interaction network, and module analyses identified the enriched pathways associated with DEGs. A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was then constructed, and the CytoHubba plugin of Cytoscape was used to calculate the degree of connectivity for proteins in the PPI network. Results: A total of 571 overlapping DEGs were identified between EMS and OC (vs. controls). Enriched DEGs were associated with 36 gene ontology terms and 7 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways, which were mainly associated with deactivation of the p53 signaling pathway. The Kaplan–Meier plotter platform confirmed the expression of the identified hub genes, and survival analysis suggested that CCNB1, CCNB2, BUB1B, CCNA2, KIF2C, and TOP2A are associated with decreased survival and disease-free survival rates of OC. Conclusion: The key pathways identified herein elucidate the possible mechanism by which EMS evolves into OC; further, the identified hub genes may serve as potential biomarkers to predict OC occurrence and prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited hemoglobinopathy that predominantly affects African Americans in the United States. The disease is associated with complications leading to high healthcare utilization rates, including emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. Optimal SCD care requires a multidisciplinary approach involving SCD specialists to ensure preventive care, minimize complications and prevent unnecessary ED visits and hospitalizations. However, most individuals with SCD receive sub-optimal care or are unaffiliated with care (have not seen an SCD specialist). We aimed to identify barriers to care from the perspective of individuals with SCD in a multi-state sample. Methods: We performed a multiple methods study consisting of surveys and interviews in three comprehensive SCD centers from March to June 2018. Interviews were transcribed and coded, exploring themes around barriers to care. Survey questions on the specific themes identified in the interviews were analyzed using summary statistics. Results: We administered surveys to 208 individuals and conducted 44 in-depth interviews. Barriers to care were identified and classified according to ecological level (i.e., individual, family/interpersonal, provider, and socio-environmental/organizational level). Individual-level barriers included lack of knowledge in self-management and disease severity. Family/interpersonal level barriers were inadequate caregiver support and competing life demands. Provider level barriers were limited provider knowledge, provider inexperience, poor provider-patient relationship, being treated differently, and the provider's lack of appreciation of the patient's SCD knowledge. Socio-environmental/organizational level barriers included limited transportation, lack of insurance, administrative barriers, poor care coordination, and reduced access to care due to limited clinic availability, services provided or clinic refusal to provide SCD care. Conclusion: Participants reported several multilevel barriers to SCD care. Strategies tailored towards reducing these barriers are warranted. Our findings may also inform interventions aiming to locate and link unaffiliated individuals to care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The L1 protein of Human papillomavirus (HPV), the main capsid protein, induces the formation of neutralizing antibodies. In this study, HPV52 L1 protein was induced to be expressed. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) 6A7 against L1 protein were screened by cell fusion techniques. Western Blot and immunofluorescence assay (IFA) demonstrated the specificity of the mAb. The L1 protein was truncated for prokaryotic expression (N1∼N7) and Dot-ELISA showed that 6A7 recognized N3 (aa 200–350). The immunodominant regions were truncated again for expression, with 6A7 recognizing N6 (aa 251–305). The N6 proteins were further truncated and then were constructed an four-segment eukaryotic expression vector. IFA showed that 6A7 could recognize amino acid 262–279. Amino acid 262–279 was selected to be truncated into short peptides P1 and P2. Finally, Peptide-ELISA and Dot-ELISA showed that the epitope regions of mAb 6A7 were amino acid 262–273. The mAbs with defined epitopes can lay the foundation for the analysis of antigenic epitope characteristics and promote the development of epitope peptide vaccines. • Monoclonal antibodies against HPV52 L1 protein were prepared to screen the antigen epitope. • Amino acid 262–273 were screened and identified by truncating L1 protein four times. • This study enriched the epitope information library of HPV52 L1 protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a common and effective surgical method for advanced hip arthritis. Rehabilitation exercises are important to improve joint function after THA and are usually conducted in a home-based program. Poor patient adherence limits improvements in pain and function, affecting quality of life. The increasing use of THA in the aging Chinese population underscores the need to develop strategies that maximize functional outcomes. The purpose of this pilot study is to develop and assess the feasibility of a self-efficacy-enhancing intervention (SEEI) to improve exercise adherence in patients undergoing THA. Methods: This single-blinded, parallel, randomized control trial will recruit 150 patients after THA and randomly assign them to an intervention or control group using computer-generated block randomization. The control group will receive usual care using evidence-based guidelines. The intervention group will receive the 6-month SEEI comprising personalized exercise guidance and self-efficacy education delivered using one face-to-face education session and four telephone consultations, supplemented by written materials. Participants are encouraged to build confidence in their own abilities, set rehabilitation goals, and self-monitor their physical exercise. Results: Assessments will be conducted at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months postsurgery. The outcome indicators are exercise adherence, physical function, anxiety and depression, self-efficacy of rehabilitation, joint function, and quality of life. Conclusions: This study will test a theory-based intervention program to improve self-efficacy in rehabilitation, which may significantly impact out-of-hospital rehabilitation. The results will provide evidence to inform the postoperative recovery of patients undergoing THA or similar procedures. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trials Registry, ChiCTR2000029422, registered on 31 January 2020 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Multiple myeloma (MM) remains incurable and its diagnosis relies heavily on bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. CD38 is a glycoprotein highly specific for MM. Antibody therapeutics (e.g., daratumumab) targeting CD38 have shown encouraging efficacy in treating MM, either as a monotherapy agent or in combination with other regimens. However, efficient stratification of patients who might benefit from daratumumab therapy and timely monitoring of the therapeutic responses are still clinical challenges. This work aims to devise a CD38-targeted imaging strategy and assess its value in diagnosing MMs. Methods: By labeling a CD38-specific single domain antibody (Nb1053) with 68Ga (t1/2 = 1.1 h), we developed a CD38-targeted immuno-positron emission tomography (immunoPET) imaging probe [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-Nb1053. The probe was developed with good radiochemical yield (> 50%), excellent radiochemical purity (> 99%), and immunoreactivity (> 95%). The diagnostic accuracy of the probe was thoroughly investigated in preclinical MM models. Results: ImmunoPET imaging with [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-Nb1053 specifically depicted all the subcutaneous and orthotopic MM lesions, outperforming the traditional 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET and the nonspecific [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-NbGFP immunoPET. More importantly, daratumumab preloading significantly reduced [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-Nb1053 uptake in the disseminated bone lesions, indicating the overlapping targeting epitopes of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-Nb1053 with that of daratumumab. Furthermore, premedication with sodium maleate or fructose significantly decreased kidney retention of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-Nb1053 and improved the diagnostic value of the probe in lymphoma models. Conclusion: This work successfully developed a novel CD38-targeted immunoPET imaging approach that enabled precise visualization of CD38 and diagnosis of MMs. Upon clinical translation, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-Nb1053 immunoPET may serve as a valuable CD38-targeted molecular imaging toolbox, facilitating early diagnosis of MM and precise assessment of the therapeutic responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel N‐(3‐((6‐bromopyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐4‐yl)oxy)phenyl)pyrrolidine‐1‐carboxamide and 1‐(3‐((6‐bromopyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐4‐yl)oxy)phenyl)‐3‐propylurea derivatives were synthesized. Their antitumor activities against human breast carcinoma cells (MCF‐7) and human colon cancer cells (HCT‐116) in vitro were evaluated, using sorafenib as a positive control drug. Anticancer bioassays indicated that several compounds exhibited appreciable anticancer activity against MCF‐7 and HCT‐116 cells. Particularly, compounds 9g and 8b demonstrated the most significant inhibitory effect against HCT‐116 and MCF‐7 cells, with inhibition ratios of 25.56% and 26.46%, respectively. Additionally, the synthesized pyridine[2,3‐d]pyrimidine derivatives containing a urea group moieties exhibited antitumor activities against MCF‐7 and HCT‐116 cells in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a comprehensive Poisson and drift-diffusion solver coupled with a time-dependent ion migration model in the COMSOL simulation software to analyze hysteresis effects and efficiency in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Initial simulations on PSCs with the structure ITO/SnO 2 /CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 /Spiro-OMeTAD/Au revealed suboptimal efficiency of 10.31% due to hysteresis loops near the open-circuit voltage (Voc) caused by interface recombination. Next, we explored the influence of the transport layer's dielectric constant on PSCs performance and hysteresis. The modeling results emphasized the vital role of the transport layer's dielectric constant in determining PSCs hysteresis and power conversion efficiency (PCE). To investigate further, we replaced the hole transport layer (HTL) material with NiO, CuSCN, and CuI. Studied four different transport layer combinations for n-i-p PSCs: SnO 2 -Spiro-OMeTAD, SnO 2 –NiO, SnO 2 –CuSCN, and SnO 2 –CuI. Notably, the SnO 2 –CuSCN combination achieved an impressive efficiency of 21.30%. The p-i-n PSCs with a matched dielectric constant PCBM-PTAA transport layer combination achieves higher PCE. It attains a reverse-scan PCE of up to 21.22% with a fill factor (FF) of 85.04%. Our findings underscore the importance of dielectric constant matching in both electron transport layer (ETL) and HTL, highlighting the potential of SnO 2 –CuSCN and PCBM-PTAA as transport layer materials for achieving high efficiency and minimizing hysteresis in PSCs. • 1.Stress model establishment and validation, showcasing accuracy through literature data comparisons. • 2.Emphasize dielectric matching's role in hysteresis, using theoretical and simplified models under controlled conditions. • 3.Explored transport layers, achieving 21.30% in n-i-p and 21.22% in p-i-n cells, highlighting dielectric matching's impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enoxaparin treatment has emerged as an important approach to prevent recurrent miscarriage, but the use of enoxaparin for the prevention of recurrent miscarriage has not been well established. We conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of enoxaparin to prevent recurrent miscarriage. PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials are searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the influence of enoxaparin (or plus aspirin) treatment versus placebo on prevention of recurrent miscarriage are included. Three RCTs are included in the meta-analysis. Compared with control intervention for recurrent miscarriage, enoxaparin treatment has no substantial influence on live births (RR = 1.07; 95% CI = 0.77-1.47; P = 0.69), miscarriage rate (RR = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.31-2.17; P = 0.68), gestational age (Std. MD=-0.13; 95% CI=-0.78 to 0.52; P = 0.69), birth weight (Std. MD = 0.05; 95% CI=-0.41 to 0.51; P = 0.82), but leads to the increase in pre-eclampsia (RR = 3.42; 95% CI = 1.15-10.11; P = 0.03). Enoxaparin treatment has no additional benefits for women with recurrent miscarriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a fully discrete weak Galerkin (WG) finite element method is proposed to solve Biot’s consolidation problem, where weakly defined gradient and divergence operators over discontinuous functions are introduced. P l – P l ( l ≥ 1 ) finite element combination is used for the displacement and pressure approximations in the interior of the elements, and P l – P l − 1 combination for the corresponding trace approximations on the interfaces of the finite element partition. The existence and uniqueness of the discrete linear system at each time step is derived, and error estimates for the approximation of displacement and pressure are obtained. Numerical experiments confirm the theoretical results and show that the proposed WG method is capable of overcoming pressure oscillations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: PD-L1 promotes glycolysis in tumour cells. We observed a correlation between high PD-L1 expression and high 18F-FDG uptake in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in a previous study. This study aims to determine the usefulness of 18F-FDG PET/CT for evaluating the PD-L1 status in PDAC and to elucidate its rationality by integrated analyses. Methods: For bioinformatics analysis, WGCNA, GSEA and TIMER were applied to analyse the pathways and hub genes associated with PD-L1 and glucose uptake. 18F-FDG uptake assay was used to determine the glucose uptake rate of PDAC cells in vitro. Related genes expression were verified by RT-PCR and western blot. A retrospective analysis was performed on 47 patients with PDAC who had undergone 18F-FDG PET/CT. Maximum standardised uptake values (SUVmax) were determined. The usefulness of SUVmax for evaluating PD-L1 status was determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: Bioinformatics analysis showed that several signalling pathways are associated with both PD-L1 expression and tumour glucose uptake, among which JAK-STAT may be an important one. By in vitro experiments, the regulatory role of PD-L1 on glucose uptake was demonstrated, and its dependency on the JAK-STAT pathway was also verified by the rescue study. The SUVmax of PD-L1-positive patients was significantly higher than PD-L1-negative in tumour cells (TCs) (6.1 ± 2.3 vs. 11.1 ± 4.2; P < 0.001), and in tumour-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) (6.4 ± 3.2 vs. 8.4 ± 3.5; P < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, SUVmax was significantly associated with PD-L1 expression in TCs and TIICs (P < 0.001 and P = 0.018, respectively). Using SUVmax cut-off values of 8.15 and 7.75, PD-L1 status in TCs and TIICs could be predicted with accuracies of 91.5% and 74.5%, respectively. Conclusion: Higher 18F-FDG uptake by PDAC is associated with elevated PD-L1 expression. JAK-STAT is an important pathway that mediates PD-L1 to promote glucose uptake in PDAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The titled compound was synthesized for the first time. • The titled compound was calculated for its optimized structures by DFT. • The structures optimized by a DFT method were compared with the X-ray structures. • The titled compound of vibrational frequencies was analyzed. Imidazo[1,2- a ]pyridine derivatives, exhibiting good biological activity, are widely present in drug molecules. The title compound (S)- N- (1-phenylethyl)-6-(4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)imidazo[1,2- a ]pyridine-2-carboxamide was designed and synthesized, and the structure was characterized by spectroscopic techniques. The single crystal structure of the target molecule was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, and the optimized molecular crystal structures were determined on the basis of density functional theory (DFT) calculations using B3LYP/6–311+ G (2d, p) functional, and compared with the X-ray diffraction data. The molecular structure optimized by DFT was consistent with the crystal structure determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction. The geometrical parameters, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), and frontier molecular orbital (FMO) analysis of the titled compound are also presented. Vibrational and antitumor analyses of MCF-7 and A375 were also performed in this research. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-supported composite electrocatalysts of Pd nanoparticles implanted on Co nanofilms (Pd x /Co-nanofilm/C) were synthesized on an immiscible ionic liquid/water interface by a sequential reduction approach. Controllable metal nanostructures (Pd nanoparticles, Co nanofilms) and highly dispersed Pd x /Co-nanofilms on carbon are achieved through simple strategies. The Pd nanoparticles implanted on Co nanofilms evidently exhibit crystal lattice distortion and surface roughness. Thus prepared Pd 3 /Co-nanofilm/C catalyst demonstrates the highest activity toward ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR), with the lowest onset potential shifting negatively about 100 mV, the most negative peak potential, and the highest peak current compared with those of Pd 3 Co/C and pure Pd/C catalysts in alkaline solution. Chronoamperometric results also demonstrate higher current values produced by the Pd 3 /Co-nanofilm/C catalyst. We proposed that the EOR activity enhancement of Pd x /Co-nanofilm/C catalysts may be attributed to a modulation of the structural properties of Pd nanoparticles through the 2D Co-nanofilm substrate, as well as a synergistic effect between Pd nanoparticles and the Co-nanofilm substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrolytic dehydrogenation of ammonia borane (AB) has attracted much attention due to its high hydrogen content and stability. Therefore, the design and construction of low-cost and high-performance catalysts for AB hydrolysis are of great significance. In this work, Co/CoFeO x -X (X is the additional content of Fe precursor) bimetallic oxide nanofilms having an amorphous structure were prepared on an (IL)/water interface for the hydrolysis of AB. Strategies including the rapid addition of metal precursors and variation of Co/Fe atom ratios were employed to induce an amorphous structure for inhibiting the rearrangement of the formed metal nuclei and optimizing the alloying effect on the IL/water interface. This ultrathin amorphous nanofilm structure can expose more metal active sites. Moreover, the electronic interaction between Fe and Co after doping Fe into the Co/CoO x nanofilms facilitates the adsorption and activation for AB and H 2 O molecules. As a result, the optimized Co/CoFeO x -25 catalyst exhibits excellent catalytic activity with a turnover frequency (TOF) value of 12.25 mol H2 ·mol Co –1·min–1, which is considerably higher than that of the monometallic Co/CoO x catalyst. This enhanced activity can be ascribed to the morphology advantages and the electronic effect of Fe and Co on the Co/CoFeO x -25 catalyst. This work provides a promising method to design the highly efficient non-noble metal catalysts for the hydrolysis of chemical hydrides. [Display omitted] • Co/CoFeO x -X composite oxide nanofilms were constructed via the method of (IL)/water interface. • The Co/CoFeO x -25 exhibits superior catalytic activity for AB hydrolysis with TOF of 12.25 mol H2 ·mol Co –1·min–1 without NaOH. • The electronic effect of CoFeO x composite oxides facilitate the adsorption and activation of AB and H 2 O molecules. • An amorphous structure of Co/CoFeO x -25 is in a metastable state, which provides abundant defects and active sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HPV vaccines based on L1 virus-like particles (VLPs) provided a high degree of protection against HPVs infection. In this study, the codon optimized HPV16 L1 gene were sub-cloned into five procaryotic expression vectors (pET-28a, pET-32a, pGEX-4T-2, pE-sumo and pHSIE), and fused with different protein tags. No recombinant proteins were expressed in pET-28a-L1 and pHSIE-L1, and the proteins expressed by pET-32a-L1 plasmid with TRX-tag were in the form of inclusion body. Only SUMO-tagged and GST-tagged L1 proteins expressed by pE-Sumo-L1 or pGEX-4T-L1 were soluble. The yield of SUMO-L1 protein reached 260 mg/L fermentation medium in shake flask. After SUMO tags were eliminated, a 90% purity of L1 proteins was generated by ion-exchange and Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The purified HPV16 L1 protein self-assembled into virus-like particles (VLPs) and showed a haemagglutination activity. High titers specific and neutralizing antibodies were detected in HPV 16 L1VLPs vaccinated mice. Cytokines such as IFN-γ and IL-2 showed significant higher in VLPs vaccinated mice compared with negative control (p < 0.05, p = 0.055). Thus, the expression of recombinant HPV16 L1 VLPs in Escherichia coli was feasible, which could potentially be used for a VLP-based HPV vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to healthy controls, microRNA-29c (miR-29c) is highly expressed in the heart during progression towards ventricular septal defect. However, studies on miR-29c function in heart development are scarce. We investigated the role of miR-29c in P19 cell proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation and the underlying mechanisms. We evaluated proliferation and cell cycle progression, detected morphological changes; apoptosis rate; BAX , BCL2 , GATA binding protein 4 ( GATA4 ), cardiac troponin T ( cTnT ), and myocyte enhancer factor 2C ( MEF2C ) expression; and caspase-3, -8, and -9 activity in miR-29c-overexpressing P19 cells, and investigated whether WNT4 was a miR-29c target. MiR-29c-overexpressing cells had decreased proliferation, increased G1 cells, and significantly higher apoptotic rate than the controls. Expression of the apoptosis-related BAX and BCL2 genes and caspase-3, -8, and -9 activity were significantly increased in miR-29c-overexpressing cells. Expression of the cardiac-specific markers GATA4 , cTnT , and MEF2C revealed promoted differentiation in miR-29c-overexpressing cells compared to the controls. Luciferase assay confirmed that WNT4 is a miR-29c target. Wnt4 and β-catenin expression was decreased in miR-29c-overexpressing cells. MiR-29c inhibits P19 cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis and differentiation, possibly by suppressing Wnt4 signaling, whose deregulation contributes to congenital heart disease development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we sought to determine whether resveratrol (RSV), a nonhormonal compound, would suppress the myometrial infiltration, improve pain behavior, lower stress level, improve the expression of some proteins known to be involved in adenomyosis, and reduce uterine contractility in a mice model of adenomyosis. Adenomyosis was induced in 28 female ICR mice neonatally dosed with tamoxifen, while another 12 (group C) were dosed with solvent only, serving as a blank control. Starting from 4 weeks after birth, hotplate test was administrated to all mice every 4 weeks. At the 16th week, all mice with induced adenomyosis were randomly divided into 3 groups: low-dose RSV (2 mg/kg), high-dose RSV (3 mg/kg), and untreated. Group C received no treatment. After 3 weeks of treatment, they were hotplate tested again, their uterine horns and brains were harvested, and a blood sample was taken to measure the plasma corticosterone (CORT) level by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The left uterine horn was used for immunohistochemistry analysis. The brain stem nucleus raphe magnus (NRM) sections were subjected to immunofluorescence staining for glutamic acid decarboxylase isoform 65 (GAD65). The depth of myometrial infiltration and uterine contractility was evaluated. We found that RSV is well tolerated and that it dose dependently suppressed myometrial infiltration, improved generalized hyperalgesia, reduced uterine contractility and lowered plasma CORT levels, and improved the expression of some proteins known to be involved in adenomyosis. It also elevated the number of GAD65-expressing neurons in the brain stem NRM, possibly boosting the GABAergic inhibition of pain due to adenomyosis. Therefore, RSV appears to be a promising compound for treating adenomyosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Despite rasburicase's proven efficiency in Caucasians, Japanese, and Koreans, studies evaluating the safety and effectiveness of rasburicase in Chinese pediatric patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and acute leukemia (AL) in particular are lacking. Objective: The aim was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of rasburicase in Chinese pediatric patients with NHL and AL. Methods: In this phase IV, open-label, non-randomized, single-arm, multi-center, interventional study (NCT04349306), children newly diagnosed with NHL or AL who received 0.20 mg/kg/day of rasburicase were included. The primary objective was to assess the safety of rasburicase by the incidence of adverse events (AEs). The secondary objective was to determine the effectiveness of rasburicase in the control of hyperuricemia. Results: Out of 50 patients, 25 reported a total of 76 treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), including eight TEAEs of grade ≥ 3 in 12 patients. A drug-related serious AE was reported in one patient, and there was no incidence of death. The response rate in the intent-to-treat population was 100.0% (95% confidence interval 82.4–100.0) in patients (n = 19) with baseline uric acid level of > 8.0 mg/dL. Similarly, the response rate was 86.2% (n = 25) among 29 patients (60.4%) with baseline uric acid levels of ≤ 8.0 mg/dL. The maximum mean percentage decrease of plasma uric acid level in the overall patients was 96.9%. Conclusion: Rasburicase was well tolerated and effective in controlling hyperuricemia in Chinese pediatric patients with NHL and AL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new triazoline-quinazolinone compound, 1-cyclopropyl-3-(3-((1-(2- methoxyphenyl)-5-oxo-[1, 2, 4]triazolo[4,3-a]quinazoline-4(5H)-yl)methyl)phenylurea, was attained by nine steps and selected the method of inverse synthetic analysis. Meanwhile, the structure of the title compound was not only certified by MS, 1H NMR, FT-IR, and 13C NMR spectroscopy, but the compound's single crystal was measured by X-ray diffraction. The optimized molecular crystal structure was ulteriorly determined using density functional theory (DFT), and it was compared with the value of X-ray diffraction. Furthermore, through more deeply studies by means of the molecular electrostatic potential and frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) of compound 1, more physicochemical properties were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have previously reported that induction of adenomyosis in mice results in progressive hyperalgesia, uterine hyperactivity, and elevated plasma corticosterone levels and that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) treatment dose dependently suppressed myometrial infiltration and improved generalized hyperalgesia. In this study, we examined whether adenomyosis induced in mice results in the loss of GABAergic inhibition as manifested by the diminished glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) 65-expressing neurons in the brainstem nucleus raphe magnus (NRM) that could correlate with heightened hyperalgesia. We also evaluated whether EGCG treatment would reverse these changes and also improve the expression of some proteins known to be involved in adenomyosis. Adenomyosis was induced in 28 female ICR mice and additional 12 were used as blank controls, as reported previously. At the 16th week, all mice with induced adenomyosis received low- or high-dose EGCG treatment or untreated. Mice without adenomyosis received no treatment. After 3 weeks of treatment, their uterine horns and brains were harvested. The right uterine horn was used for immunohistochemistry analysis and for counting the number of macrophages infiltrating into the ectopic endometrium. The brainstem NRM sections were subjected to immunofluorescence staining for GAD65. We found that mice with induced adenomyosis had significantly diminished GAD65-expressing neurons, concomitant with heightened hyperalgesia. Treatment with EGCG increased these neurons in conjunction with improved hyperalgesia, reduced the expression of p-p65, cycloxygenase 2, oxytocin receptor, collagen I and IV, and transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 in ectopic endometrium or myometrium, reduced the number of macrophages infiltrating into the ectopic endometrium while elevated the expression of progesterone receptor isoform B. Thus, adenomyosis-induced pain resembles neuropathic pain in that there is a remarkable central plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an effort to search for novel therapeutics for adenomyosis, we sought to determine whether treatment with epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) would suppress the myometrial infiltration, improve pain behavior, lower stress level, and reduce uterine contractility in a mice model of adenomyosis. Adenomyosis was induced in 28 female ICR mice neonatally dosed with tamoxifen, while another 12 (group C) were dosed with solvent only, which served as a blank control. Starting from 4 weeks after birth, hot plate test was administrated to all mice every 4 weeks. At the 16th week, all mice induced with adenomyosis were randomly divided into 3 groups: low-dose EGCG (5 mg/kg), high-dose EGCG (50 mg/kg), and untreated. Group C received no treatment. After 3 weeks of treatment, the hot plate test was administered again, a blood sample was taken to measure the plasma corticosterone level by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and then all mice were sacrificed. The depth of myometrial infiltration and uterine contractility were also evaluated. We found that the induction of adenomyosis resulted in progressive generalized hyperalgesia, along with elevated amplitude and frequency of uterine contractions as well as elevated plasma corticosterone levels. The EGCG treatment dose dependently suppressed myometrial infiltration, improved generalized hyperalgesia, reduced uterine contractility, and lowered plasma corticosterone levels. These results suggest that induced adenomyosis causes pain and elevates stress levels in mice. Uterine hyperactivity may contribute to dysmenorrhea in women with adenomyosis who might also have elevated stress level due to pain. The EGCG appears to be a promising compound for treating adenomyosis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

• The structures optimized by a DFT method were compared with the X-ray structures. • The vibrational properties of the title compounds were analyzed. • The molecular surfaces were clearly described by MEP. • The function of hydrogen bondings, intramolecular π–π stacking and the Van der Waals forces had a significant effect on N -(8-(3-(3-(tert -butyl)ureido)phenyl)imidazo[1,2- a ] pyridin-6-yl)acetamide. Derivatives of imidazo[1,2- a ]pyridine, a type of fused heterocyclic substance, play major roles in the chemical fields and are confirmed to be the core fragments of various drug molecules. In this study, the title compound was designed and synthesized from the coupling reaction of N -(8-iodoimidazo[1,2- a ]pyridin-6-yl)acetamide and 1-(tert -butyl)-3-(3-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)phenyl)urea. The crystals of the title compound were obtained by solvent evaporation at room temperature. The structure of N -(8-(3-(3-(tert -butyl)ureido)phenyl)imidazo[1,2- a ]pyridin-6-yl)acetamide was demonstrated by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FT-IR and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Additionally, theoretical calculations, based on the density functional method B3LYP at the 6-311+G(d, p) level, were performed on the title compound, and the molecular structure optimized using DFT was consistent with the results obtained using X-ray diffraction. In addition, hydrogen bonding, intramolecular π–π stacking and the Van der Waals forces significantly stabilized of N -(8-(3-(3-(tert -butyl)ureido)phenyl)imidazo[1,2- a ]pyridin-6-yl)acetamide, as shown in the packing diagram. Moreover, the vibrations of the title compound were reliably assigned on the basis of characteristic vibrational absorption bands. Finally, frontier molecular orbital (FMO) was employed to verify the charge transfer interaction involving the electron acceptor and electron donor groups. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, a fully discrete stabilized discontinuous Galerkin method is proposed to solve the Biot’s consolidation problem. The existence and uniqueness of the finite element solution are obtained. The stability of the fully discrete solution is discussed. The corresponding error estimates for the approximation of displacement and pressure in a mesh dependent norm are obtained. The error estimate for the approximation of pressure in norm is also obtained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: In insects, an interplay between the activities of distinct hormones, such as juvenile hormone (JH) and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), regulates the progression through numerous life history hallmarks. As a crucial endocrine factor, JH is mainly synthesized in the corpora allata (CA) to regulate multiple physiological and developmental processes, including molting, metamorphosis, and reproduction. During the last century, significant progress has been achieved in elucidating the JH signal transduction pathway, while less progress has been made in dissecting the regulatory mechanism of JH biosynthesis. Previous work has shown that receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling regulates hormone biosynthesis in both insects and mammals. Here, we performed a systematic RNA interference (RNAi) screening to identify RTKs involved in regulating JH biosynthesis in the CA of adult Blattella germanica females. Results: We found that the epidermal growth factor receptor (Egfr) is required for promoting JH biosynthesis in the CA of adult females. The Egf ligands Vein and Spitz activate Egfr, followed by Ras/Raf/ERK signaling, and finally activation of the downstream transcription factor Pointed (Pnt). Importantly, Pnt induces the transcriptional expression of two key enzyme-encoding genes in the JH biosynthesis pathway: juvenile hormone acid methyltransferase (JHAMT) and methyl farnesoate epoxidase (CYP15A1). Dual-luciferase reporter assay shows that Pnt is able to activate a promoter region of Jhamt. In addition, electrophoretic mobility shift assay confirms that Pnt directly binds to the − 941~ − 886 nt region of the Jhamt promoter. Conclusions: This study reveals the detailed molecular mechanism of Egfr signaling in promoting JH biosynthesis in the German cockroach, shedding light on the intricate regulation of JH biosynthesis during insect development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aim to investigate the association of time-averaged hematuria (TA-hematuria) with the progression of IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Based on TA-hematuria during follow-up, 152 patients with IgAN were divided into a hematuria remission group (≤28 red blood cells [RBCs]/μL) and a persistent hematuria group (>28 RBCs/μL). The persistent hematuria group had a higher percentage of patients with macroscopic hematuria, lower levels of hemoglobin and TA-serum albumin, and more severe renal pathologic lesions. The composite endpoint is defined as a doubling of the baseline SCr level (D-SCr), or the presence of ESRD. During the mean follow-up of 58.08 ± 23.51 months, 15 patients (9.9%) reached the primary outcome of ESRD and 19 patients (12.5%) reached the combined renal endpoint. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the persistent hematuria group had a lower renal survival rate. The persistent hematuria patients who were incorporated with proteinuria (≥1.0 g/day) and low TA-serum albumin (<40 g/L) had the worst renal outcomes. Multivariate Cox regression indicated that TA-hematuria (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.004, 95% CI: 0.001, 0.008; p = 0.010) was independently associated with the progression of IgAN. Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated the optimal TA-hematuria cutoff value for predicting the progression of IgAN was 201.21 RBCs/μL in females and 37.25 RBCs/μL in males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melt-blowing technology is an important method for directly preparing micro-nanofiber materials by drawing polymer melts with high temperature and high velocity air flow. During the drawing process, the melt-blowing fiber not only undergoes a phase change, but also has an extremely complex coupling effect with the drawing airflow. Therefore, in the numerical calculation of the flow field, the existence of melt-blowing fibers is often ignored. In this paper, based on the volume of fluid method, a numerical study of the flexible fiber/air-coupling flow field of an annular melt-blowing die is carried out with the aid of computational fluid dynamics software. The results show that the pressure distribution in the different central symmetry planes of the ring die at the same time was basically the same. However, the velocity distribution may have been different; the velocity on the spinning line varied with time; the pressure changes on the spinning line were small; and velocity fluctuations around the spinning line could cause whiplash of the fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show the existence of certain Love-type surface waves propagating in an anisotropic elastic plate of rotated Y-cut quartz bonded to an isotropic elastic half space. A transcendental frequency equation that determines the dispersion relations of the waves is obtained, which reduces to the classical frequency equation for Love waves in isotropic elasticity when the anisotropy quartz plate is replaced by an isotropic elastic plate. The frequency equation is solved using MATLAB. Multiple branches of dispersion curves are found and plotted. Displacement profiles are also plotted, showing the penetration depth of the waves into the half space. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: This paper proposes and analyzes a numerical method for solving the coupled Stokes and Darcy problem, an interface problem between a fluid, governed by Stokes equations, and a flow in a porous medium, governed by Darcy equations. The method employs conforming finite elements for the velocity field in both Stokes and Darcy subdomains. Optimal-order error estimates are established. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In Xenopus, several TGFβs, including nodal-related 1 (Xnr1), derriere, and chimeric forms of Vg1, elicit cardiac and visceral organ left–right (LR) defects when ectopically targeted to right mesendoderm cell lineages, suggesting that LR axis determination may require activity of one or more TGFβs. However, it is not known which, if any, of these ligands is required for LR axis determination, nor is it known which type I TGFβ receptor(s) are involved in mediating left-side TGFβ signaling. We report here that similar to effects of ectopic TGFβs, right-side expression of constitutively active activin-like kinase (ALK) 4 results in LR organ reversals as well as altered Pitx2 expression in the lateral plate mesoderm. Moreover, left-side expression of a kinase-deficient, dominant-negative ALK4 (DN-ALK4) or an ALK4 antisense morpholino also results in abnormal embryonic body situs, demonstrating a left-side requirement for ALK4 signaling. To determine which TGFβ(s) utilize the ALK4 pathway to mediate LR development, biochemical and functional assays were performed using an Activin-Vg1 chimera (AVg), Xnr1, and derriere. Whereas ALK4 can co-immunoprecipitate all of these TGFβs, including endogenous Vg1 protein from embryo homogenates, functional assays demonstrate that not all of these ligands require an intact ALK4 signaling pathway to modulate LR asymmetry. When AVg and DN-ALK4 are co-expressed, LR defects otherwise induced by AVg alone are attenuated by DN-ALK4; however, when functional assays are performed with Xnr1 or derriere, LR defects otherwise elicited by these ligands alone still occur in the presence of DN-ALK4. Intriguingly, when any of these TGFβs is expressed at a higher concentration to elicit primary axis defects, DN-ALK4 blocks gastrulation and dorsoanterior/ventroposterior defects that otherwise occur following ligand-only expression. Together, these results suggest not only that ALK4 interacts with multiple TGFβs to generate embryonic pattern, but also that ALK4 ligands differentially utilize the ALK4 pathway to regulate distinct aspects of axial pattern, with Vg1 as a modulator of ALK4 function in LR axis determination and Vg1, Xnr1, and derriere as modulators of ALK4 function in mesoderm induction during primary axis formation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In HEK293S cells expressing opsin, rhodopsin regenerates on addition of all-trans retinol. This study was to determine if key proteins in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) are present in these cells. Cellular retinoid binding protein, cellular retinoic-acid binding protein, RPE65, caveolin-1-α- and -β-isoforms, interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein, and 11-cis retinol dehydrogenase, but not lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (LRAT), were identified by Western blot analysis. LRAT transcripts were found by RT-PCR and Southern blot analysis. Small interference RNA specific to LRAT reduced ester formation, confirming that the enzyme is present. Therefore, HEK293S cells contain the functional components of the retinoid cycle found in the RPE. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Examines the wear behavior and the nono-structure of the surface layer of Hadfield steel under impact loading. Formation of nano-sized grains embedded in the amorphous structures; Relation of the wear weight loss to the impact cycle; Measurement of the volume-structure of the nano-sized grains and the amorphous structures.

A sensitive monoclonal antibody against quinocetone (QCT) was produced. Subsequently, the quantum dots‐based indirect competitive fluorescent immunosorbent assay (ic‐FLISA) for the rapid detection of QCT in animal feed was developed. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 4.39 ng/ml, the limit of detection was 0.252 ng/ml, and the detection ranged from 0.515 to 37.150 ng/ml. The recoveries of the spiked QCT in the animal feed ranged from 96.48 to 102.52% and the coefficient of variation ranged from 2.20 to 6.59%. The established ic‐FLISA has high sensitivity which can provide an ideal tool to detect QCT in animal feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lomefloxacin (LMF), a third-generation fluoroquinolone antibacterial agent, is often used to treat bacterial and mycoplasma infections. However, due to its prolonged half-life and slow metabolism, it is prone to residues in animal-derived foods, posing a potential food safety risk. Therefore, it is particularly urgent and important to establish a method for detecting lomefloxacin. In this study, direct and indirect competitive fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay (dc-FLISA and ic-FLISA) based on quantum dots (QDs) was established for the detection of LMF. As for dc-FLISA, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) and limit of detection (LOD) were 0.84 ng/mL, 0.04 ng/mL, respectively, the detection ranges from 0.08 to 9.11 ng/mL. The IC50 and LOD of ic-FLISA were 0.43 ng/mL and 0.03 ng/mL, respectively, meanwhile the detection ranges from 0.05 to 3.49 ng/mL. The recoveries of dc-FLISA and ic-FLISA in animal-derived foods (milk, fish, chicken, and honey), ranged from 95.8% to 105.2% and from 96.3% to 103.4%, respectively, with the coefficients of variation less than 8%. These results suggest that the dc-FLISA and ic-FLISA methods, which are based on QD labelling, are highly sensitive and cost-effective, and can be effectively used to detect LMF in animal-derived foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The structures optimized by a DFT method were compared with the X-ray structures. • The title compounds of vibrational properties were analyzed. • The molecular surfaces were clearly described by MEP. • The chemical reactivates of the molecules were calculated from HOMO-LUMO energy data. • The interactions and stabilities of the title molecules were investigated by NBO analysis. In this present work, the title compounds 2-((4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl) phenoxy)methyl)benzonitrile (A) and N -(3-bromobenzyl)-4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2 -dioxaborolan-2-yl)aniline (B) were synthesized and their structure were characterized by spectroscopy (FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and MS). The single crystals of the title compounds were confirmed by X-ray diffraction, and the optimized molecular crystal structures were determined based on DFT calculations using B3LYP/6–311 G (2d, p) basis set, which were compared with the X-ray diffraction. The results of the conformation analysis indicated that the molecular structure optimized by DFT were consistent with the crystal structure determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction. DFT and TD-DFT calculations at B3LYP/6-311G (2d, p) level of theory were performed for comparative analysis of spectroscopic data (UV-Visible, 13C NMR), geometrical parameters, MEP, FMO and NBO analysis. Furthermore, reliable vibrational assignments which have been made on the basis of characteristic vibratinonal absorption bands of the title compounds. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rational design and construction of transition metal catalysts with high performance and low cost are imperative for liquid hydrogen storage materials. In this study, carbon-stabilised ultrathin Co-doped Co x O y nanofilms (C–Co/Co x O y NFs) are prepared by an ionic liquid/water interface strategy for sodium borohydride (NaBH 4) hydrolysis. Owing to its two-dimensional (2D) NFs structure and the protective effect of the composite carbon, C–Co/Co x O y NFs catalyst exhibits remarkable activity and durability in hydrogen generation from NaBH 4 hydrolysis. The hydrogen generation rate achieves 8055 mL·min−1·g Co −1 and the catalyst can be recycled more than 20 times, surpassing most of the reported metal-based catalysts under comparable conditions. This excellent 2D Co-based NFs structure with numerous active sites assists in the activation of NaBH 4 and water molecules to promote hydrogen production. These results provide an in-depth understanding of hydrogen generation from NaBH 4 hydrolysis, as well as an effective strategy for rationally designing 2D NFs catalysts with high activity and durability. [Display omitted] • Stabilized cobalt-based nanofilm exhibit outstanding activity for NaBH 4 hydrolysis • Cobalt-based nanofilm assists the activation of NaBH 4 and water molecules. • Carbon prevent the formation of Co(OH) 2 and avoid the loss of active Co The design and construction of transition metal catalysts with high performance and low-cost characteristics are imperative for liquid hydrogen storage materials. In this study, we prepared ultrathin carbon-stabilized Co-doped Co x O y nanofilms (C–Co/Co x O y NFs) using an ionic liquid/water interface strategy for sodium borohydride (NaBH 4) hydrolysis. Owing to its two-dimensional (2D) NF structure and the protective effects of the composite carbon, the C–Co/Co x O y NF catalyst exhibited remarkable activity and durability for hydrogen generation from NaBH 4 hydrolysis. The hydrogen generation rate reached 8055 mL·min−1·g Co −1 (5106 mL·min−1·g Cat −1) and the catalyst could be recycled more than 20 times, surpassing most reported metal-based catalysts under comparable conditions. In addition, the exceptional 2D Co-based NF structures, with numerous active sites, assisted in the activation of NaBH 4 and water molecules, promoting hydrogen production. Thus, these results provided an in-depth understanding of hydrogen generation from NaBH 4 hydrolysis, and an effective strategy for rationally designing highly active and durable 2D NF catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Mixing precursors of g-C 3 N 4 in a deep eutectic system enables the formation of a homogeneous liquid. • Through the formation of DESys, the g-C 3 N 4 with unique structure enhances photochemical activity. • The obtained g-C 3 N 4 demonstrated superior photocatalytic activity in degrading ciprofloxacin. Graphitic carbon nitride (GCN) has emerged as a promising semiconductor for visible-light photocatalysis owing to its favorable electronic band structures and stability. However, conventional GCN materials face challenges such as limited light absorption and specific surface area. The choice of precursors significantly influences GCN properties. Mixing different precursors, such as urea and ammonium thiocyanate, in a deep eutectic system (DESys) enables the formation of a homogeneous liquid and the synthesis of GCN with unique structures, enhancing photochemical activity. Through adjustments to the DESys composition and synthesis conditions, the synthesis of GCN-DESys has been optimized, with the optimal conditions being a mixture of ammonium thiocyanate and urea at a ratio of 1:4, heated at 550 °C for 3 h. Characterization of GCN-DESys revealed a mixed layered and velvety structure, forming a heterojunction distinct from traditional GCN. With a degradation mechanism investigation, GCN-DESys demonstrated superior photocatalytic activity in degrading ciprofloxacin under visible light, outperforming traditional GCNs. GCN-DESys, synthesized through the new approach, shows outstanding photocatalytic performance owing to its unique structure and enhanced charge separation. Mechanism analysis revealed the pivotal involvement of hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and superoxide radicals (·O 2 –) in the photocatalytic degradation process. The formation of these radicals on the surface of the GCN-DESys contributes to the efficient degradation of ciprofloxacin. This study contributes to understanding the preparation of advanced photocatalytic materials through the formation of DESys-based liquid mixture, highlighting the potential of GCN-DESys as an efficient solution for pollutant degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT imaging improves lesion detection compared to early [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT in patients with prostate cancer. However, the sole use of delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT has been limited due to the insufficient number of photons obtained with standard PET/CT scanners. The combination of early and delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA standard PET/CT may be considered, and it is challenging to incorporate into a high-demand clinical setting. Long field-of-view (LFOV) PET/CT scanners have higher sensitivity compared to standard PET/CT. However, it remains unknown whether the image quality of solitary delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA LFOV PET/CT imaging is adequate to satisfy clinical diagnostic requirements. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the image quality of delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA LFOV PET/CT and examine the feasibility of utilizing delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA LFOV PET/CT imaging alone in patients with prostate cancer. Methods: The study sample consisted of 56 prostate cancer patients who underwent [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 LFOV PET/CT scanning between December 2020 and July 2021. All patients were subjected to early LFOV PET/CT imaging at 1-h post-injection as well as delayed LFOV PET/CT imaging at 3-h post-injection using [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11. The image quality and diagnostic efficiency of solitary delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 LFOV PET/CT imaging was analyzed. Results: The results showed that delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 LFOV PET/CT yielded satisfactory image quality that fulfilled clinical diagnostic benchmarks. Compared to early imaging, delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 LFOV PET/CT demonstrated heightened lesion SUVmax values (11.0 [2.3–193.6] vs. 7.0 [2.0–124.3], P < 0.001) and superior tumor-to-background ratios (3.3 [0.5–62.2] vs. 1.7 [0.3–30.7], P < 0.001). Additionally, delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 LFOV PET/CT detected supplementary lesions in 14 patients (25%) compared to early imaging, resulting in modifications to disease staging and management plans. Conclusions: In summary, the findings indicate that the image quality of delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 LFOV PET/CT is satisfactory for meeting clinical diagnostic prerequisites. The use of solitary delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 LFOV PET/CT imaging in prostate cancer simplifies the examination protocol and improves patient compliance, compared to [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 standard PET/CT which necessitates both early and delayed imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) was isolated from some human cases recently and the infected patients manifested respiratory dysfunction and acute neurological symptoms. However, no effective drug or vaccine, preventing the progression of PRV infection, is available. Nectin-1 was the only reported receptor for PRV cell entry both swine and human origin, representing an excellent target to block PRV infection, and especially its transmission from pigs to humans. A PRV-gD specific mAbs (10B6) was isolated from hybridomas and its neutralizing activities in vitro and in vivo were determined. 10B6 exhibited effective neutralizing activities in vitro with IC 50 = 2.514 μg/ml and 4.297 μg/ml in the presence and absence of complement. And in vivo, 10B6 provided 100% protection against PRV lethal challenge with a dose of 15 mg/kg. Further, 10B6 could bind to a conserved epitope, 316QPAEPFP322, locating in gD pro-fusion domain, and finally blocks the binding of PRV-gD to nectin-1. Moreover, 10B6 showed an effective inhibition on PRV cell-attachment in a cell type-independent manner and could also block the virus spreading among cells. 10B6 exhibited effectively neutralizing activities to Chinese PRV variant strain in vitro and in vivo by blocking gD binding to nectin-1, implied both prophylactic and therapeutic interventions against PRV infections. • A PRV-gD specific mAbs (10B6) was isolated. • 10B6 exhibited effective neutralizing activities in vitro and in vivo. • 10B6 blocked the binding between PRV gD and nectin-1 to neutralize virus. • A linear neutralizing epitope of PRV-gD (316QPAEPFP322) was firstly reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a case study of a 35-year-old man with a history of uraemia who presented with increased tumor marker levels. The patient underwent both [18F]F-FDG PET/CT and [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 total-body PET/CT scans. The [18F]F-FDG PET/CT showed increased FDG uptake in osteogenic destructive bones and extensive calcification, while the [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT revealed FAPI uptake in the same lesions as well as additional abnormal foci. The study suggests that FAPI PET/CT may be superior to FDG PET/CT in diagnosing and assessing kidney fibrosis and related calcium phosphorus metabolism disorders in chronic kidney disease. [Extracted from the article]