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Background: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) include a range of neurocognitive and behavioral impairments resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Among the PAE‐related cognitive deficits, number processing is particularly affected. This study examines alterations in number processing networks and whether changes in functional connectivity mediate the adverse effects of PAE on arithmetic performance. Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was acquired in 57 children (mean (SD) age = 11.3 (+0.9) yr), 38 with FASD (19 fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or partial FAS (PFAS), 19 heavily exposed (HE)) and 19 controls. Whole‐brain correlation analyses were performed from five seeds located in regions involved in number processing. Results: Children with FAS/PFAS showed dose‐dependent reductions in resting state functional connectivity between the seed in the right (R) posterior superior parietal lobule and a cluster in the left (L) inferior frontal gyrus, and between a seed in the R horizontal intraparietal sulcus and clusters in the R precentral gyrus and L cerebellar lobule VI. HE children showed lower resting state functional connectivity in a subset of these regions. Lower functional connectivity in the two fronto‐parietal connections partially mediated the adverse effects of PAE on arithmetic performance. Conclusion: This study demonstrates PAE‐related functional connectivity impairments in functional networks involved in number processing. The weaker connectivity between the R posterior superior parietal lobule and the L inferior frontal gyrus suggests that impaired verbal processing and visuospatial working memory may play a role in number processing deficits, while weaker connectivity between the R intraparietal sulcus and the R precentral gyrus points to poorer finger‐based numerical representation, which has been linked to arithmetic computational skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive evaluation of collagen-based historical artifacts is crucial for the preservation and inheritance of cultural relics, necessitating interdisciplinary approaches that integrate scientific knowledge with practical expertise to develop effective conservation strategies. The present work was focused on a piece of historical leather armor housed in Turpan Museum, Xinjiang, China. SEM–EDS, XRD, ATR-FTIR, and NMR were carried out on this historical leather armor from macro and micro perspectives, mainly including morphology observation, composition analysis, structural assessment, which could provide both quantitative and qualitative insights into the deterioration of the historical leather armor. Additionally, the non-destructive sampling methods and the third-generation sequencing technology (TGS) were employed to identify a total of 13 bacterial species and 8 fungal species, and their metabolic pathways were predicted, providing guidance for preventive conservation and restoration strategies. By the present work, necessary fundamental knowledge might be provided for the effective preservation and inheritance of collagen-based historical artifacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia, as a distinctive feature of tumors, is closely related to tumor recurrence, metastasis, and treatment resistance. Metal-organic framework (MOF) exhibits an increasing number of advantages in cancer therapy owing to its porous structure, large specific surface area, and tunable function. The MOF nanocomposites constructed by adjusting components can effectively overcome tumor hypoxia and significantly enhance the anti-tumor effect. In this review, the hypoxic characteristics of tumors and current strategies for constructing MOF nanocomposites that can overcome tumor hypoxia are summarized, including for delivering O2 or endogenously generating O2 to elevate intra-tumor O2 content; inhibiting HIF-1 and its induced products to alleviate tumor hypoxia; reducing cellular aerobic respiration to decrease cellular O2 consumption, and exacerbating hypoxia to improve the efficacy of hypoxia-activated pre-drugs. At the same time, the applications of MOF nanocomposites applied to overcome tumor hypoxia in different therapeutic methods at the present stage are described, and finally, the challenges and opportunities in further development of MOF nanocomposites are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) provides an efficient pathway to convert CO2 into desirable products, yet its commercialization is greatly hindered by the huge energy cost due to CO2 loss and regeneration. Performing CO2RR under acidic conditions containing alkali cations can potentially address the issue, but still causes (bi)carbonate deposition at high current densities, compromising product Faradaic efficiencies (FEs) in present‐day acid‐fed membrane electrode assemblies. Herein, we present a strategy using a positively charged polyelectrolyte—poly(diallyldimethylammonium) immobilized on graphene oxide via electrostatic interactions to displace alkali cations. This enables a FE of 85 %, a carbon efficiency of 93 %, and an energy efficiency (EE) of 35 % for CO at 100 mA cm−2 on modified Ag catalysts in acid. In a pure‐water‐fed reactor, we obtained a 78 % CO FE with a 30 % EE at 100 mA cm−2 at 40 °C. All the performance metrics are comparable to or even exceed those attained in the presence of alkali metal cations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) provides an efficient pathway to convert CO2 into desirable products, yet its commercialization is greatly hindered by the huge energy cost due to CO2 loss and regeneration. Performing CO2RR under acidic conditions containing alkali cations can potentially address the issue, but still causes (bi)carbonate deposition at high current densities, compromising product Faradaic efficiencies (FEs) in present‐day acid‐fed membrane electrode assemblies. Herein, we present a strategy using a positively charged polyelectrolyte—poly(diallyldimethylammonium) immobilized on graphene oxide via electrostatic interactions to displace alkali cations. This enables a FE of 85 %, a carbon efficiency of 93 %, and an energy efficiency (EE) of 35 % for CO at 100 mA cm−2 on modified Ag catalysts in acid. In a pure‐water‐fed reactor, we obtained a 78 % CO FE with a 30 % EE at 100 mA cm−2 at 40 °C. All the performance metrics are comparable to or even exceed those attained in the presence of alkali metal cations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HER2 is overexpressed or amplified in a subset of biliary tract cancer. Zanidatamab, a bispecific antibody targeting two distinct HER2 epitopes, exhibited tolerability and preliminary anti-tumour activity in HER2-expressing or HER2 (also known as ERBB2)-amplified treatment-refractory biliary tract cancer. HERIZON-BTC-01 is a global, multicentre, single-arm, phase 2b trial of zanidatamab in patients with HER2 -amplified, unresectable, locally advanced, or metastatic biliary tract cancer with disease progression on previous gemcitabine-based therapy, recruited at 32 clinical trial sites in nine countries in North America, South America, Asia, and Europe. Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older with HER2 -amplified biliary tract cancer confirmed by in-situ hybridisation per central testing, at least one measurable target lesion per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (version 1.1), and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1. Patients were assigned into cohorts based on HER2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) score: cohort 1 (IHC 2+ or 3+; HER2-positive) and cohort 2 (IHC 0 or 1+). Patients received zanidatamab 20 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks. The primary endpoint was confirmed objective response rate in cohort 1 as assessed by independent central review. Anti-tumour activity and safety were assessed in all participants who received any dose of zanidatamab. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT04466891 , is ongoing, and is closed to recruitment. Between Sept 15, 2020, and March 16, 2022, 87 patients were enrolled in HERIZON-BTC-01: 80 in cohort 1 (45 [56%] were female and 35 [44%] were male; 52 [65%] were Asian; median age was 64 years [IQR 58–70]) and seven in cohort 2 (five [71%] were male and two [29%] were female; five [71%] were Asian; median age was 62 years [IQR 58–77]). At the time of the data cutoff (Oct 10, 2022), 18 (21%) patients (17 in cohort 1 and one in cohort 2) were continuing to receive zanidatamab; 69 (79%) discontinued treatment (radiographic progression in 64 [74%] patients). The median duration of follow-up was 12·4 months (IQR 9·4–17·2). Confirmed objective responses by independent central review were observed in 33 patients in cohort 1 (41·3% [95% CI 30·4–52·8]). 16 (18%) patients had grade 3 treatment-related adverse events; the most common were diarrhoea (four [5%] patients) and decreased ejection fraction (three [3%] patients). There were no grade 4 treatment-related adverse events and no treatment-related deaths. Zanidatamab demonstrated meaningful clinical benefit with a manageable safety profile in patients with treatment-refractory, HER2-positive biliary tract cancer. These results support the potential of zanidatamab as a future treatment option in HER2-positive biliary tract cancer. Zymeworks, Jazz, and BeiGene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pneumocystis jirovecii is the most common cause of fungal pneumonia in children under the age of 2 years. However, the inability to culture and propagate this organism has hampered the acquisition of a fungal genome as well as the development of recombinant antigens to conduct seroprevalence studies. In this study, we performed proteomics on Pneumocystis-infected mice and used the recent P. murina and P. jirovecii genomes to prioritize antigens for recombinant protein expression. We focused on a fungal glucanase due to its conservation among fungal species. We found evidence of maternal IgG to this antigen, followed by a nadir in pediatric samples between 1 and 3 months of age, followed by an increase in prevalence over time consistent with the known epidemiology of Pneumocystis exposure. Moreover, there was a strong concordance of anti-glucanase responses and IgG against another Pneumocystis antigen, PNEG_01454. Taken together, these antigens may be useful tools for Pneumocystis seroprevalence and seroconversion studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panax ginseng, as a kind of rare and valuable Chinese materia medica with the largest global trade volume, has been widely applied in many fields, such as medicine, food, health care, and production of daily chemical products. It is widely used in Asia, Europe, and America. However, its global trade and standardization present different features and an uneven development in different countries or regions. As the main country for its production and consumption, Panax ginseng in China is characterized by its large cultivation area and high total yield and is mainly sold as a raw material or primary processed product. By contrast, Panax ginseng produced in South Korea is mainly sold in manufactured products. Besides, European countries, as another consumption market of Panax ginseng, pay more attention to the research and development of its products. Although Panax ginseng has been widely recorded in various national pharmacopoeias and regional standards, the current standards of Panax ginseng differ in quantity, composition, and distribution, and the existing standards cannot be enough to meet the demands of its global trade. Based on the above issues, we systemically summarized and analyzed the status and features of Panax ginseng standardization and put forward suggestions on the development needs of international standardization of Panax ginseng to guarantee its quality and safety, regulate the order of its global trade, and resolve trade disputes, thereby promoting the high-quality development of the Panax ginseng industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microparticle-enhanced cultivation (MPEC) was used to enhance the production of Antrodin C by submerged fermentation of medicinal mushroom Antrodia cinnamomea. The crucial factors such as types, sizes, concentrations, and addition time of microparticles were optimized. The mechanism of MPEC on the membrane permeability and fluidity of A. cinnamomea and the expression of key genes in Antrodin C were investigated. When talc (18 μm, 2 g/L) was added into the fermentation liquid at 0 h, the promoting effect on Antrodin C was the best. The maximum yield of Antrodin C was 1615.7 mg/L, which was about 2.98 times of the control (541.7 mg/L). Talc slightly damaged the mycelia of A. cinnamomea , increased the release of intracellular constituents, and enhanced the index of unsaturated fatty acid. In addition, the key genes (IDI, E2.3.3.10, HMGCR, atoB) that might play an important role in the synthesis of the triquine-type sesquiterpene Antrodin C, were upregulated. In conclusion, talc increased the permeability and fluidity of cell membrane, upregulated the key genes and improved the biosynthesis process to enhance the yield of Antrodin C in the submerged fermentation of A. cinnamomea. • Microparticles increased the production of Antrodin C of Antrodia cinnamomea. • The permeability and fluidity of cell membrane of A. cinnamomea were affected. • The morphology of the mycelia were changed by the microparticles. • The key genes in the biosynthesis of Antrodin C were upregulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) represents an attractive promising route for melanoma treatment. However, its therapeutic efficacy is compromised by inefficient drug delivery and high glutathione (GSH) levels in cancer cells. To overcome these challenges, microneedles (MNs) system loaded with GSH-scavenging nanocomposites was presented for nitric oxide (NO) enhanced PDT. The nanocomposites consisted of S-nitroso-N-acrylate penicillamine (SNAP; a NO donor) grafted fourth-generation polyamide amine dendrimer (G4) and chlorin e6 (Ce6). Upon local insertion of polyvinylpyrrolidone MNs, G4-SNAP/Ce6 composites were fast delivered and significantly amplified the therapeutic effects during PDT, via GSH depletion and reactive nitrogen species generation. Even with a single administration and low power light exposure, MNs with G4-SNAP/Ce6 effectively halt the tumor progression. The system demonstrated better cancer ablation efficacy than Ce6 alone toward melanoma. The strategy may inspire new ideas for future PDT-related therapy for skin tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Phase III study of ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) plus metronidazole for complicated intra-abdominal infection in China. • C/T plus metronidazole was noninferior to meropenem for clinical response. • Safety was comparable between C/T plus metronidazole and meropenem groups. • C/T plus metronidazole had efficacy against extended-spectrum β-lactamase-positive Enterobacterales. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) plus metronidazole versus meropenem plus placebo for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infection (cIAI) in Chinese adult participants. In this phase III clinical trial (NCT03830333), Chinese adult participants with cIAI were randomized 1:1 to receive C/T plus metronidazole or meropenem plus placebo. The primary objective was to assess C/T plus metronidazole for noninferiority versus meropenem for clinical response rate at the test of cure (TOC; 28 ± 2 days after study start) visit in the clinically evaluable population. Secondary endpoints included clinical and microbiologic responses at the TOC and end-of-treatment (≤24 hours after last dose) visits and adverse event rates. Clinical cure at the TOC visit in the clinically evaluable population was 95.2% and 93.1% for C/T plus metronidazole and meropenem, respectively (between-treatment difference: 2.1% [95% confidence interval: -4.7%, 8.8%]); thus, noninferiority was met. Clinical responses at the TOC and end-of-treatment visits and microbiologic responses at the TOC visit were consistent with the primary efficacy endpoint. Safety was comparable between study treatment groups. In Chinese adult participants with cIAI, C/T plus metronidazole was noninferior to meropenem, with comparable safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was designed to synthesize the efficacy and safety of breathing exercises in interstitial lung disease (ILD) patients by reviewing the literature and comparing the impact of different control group types, ILD subtypes, breathing exercise action modes or methods, and intervention durations on clinical efficacy.Systematic searches were conducted across 9 electronic databases, including PubMed, to retrieve English and Chinese studies reporting on ILD patients from inception to February 12, 2024. Study selection and data extraction were independently conducted by two researchers. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The data were analysed using RevMan 5.4 and STATA 17.0 software.The search identified 25 studies. Compared to the control group, the breathing exercise group exhibited significantly improved lung function (FVC%pred: MD  =  3.46, 95%CI = 1.04 to 5.88; DLCO%pred: MD = 3.20, 95% CI = 2.91 to 3.48), dyspnoea (MRC or mMRC scale: MD = − 0.50, 95%CI = − 0.77 to − 0.22), exercise capacity (6MWD: MD = 32.65, 95% CI = 14.77 to 50.53), and HRQoL (SGRQ: MD = − 6.53, 95% CI = − 8.72 to − 4.34) in ILD patients. According to the subgroup analysis, significant improvements consistent with the overall results were observed in the control group with usual treatment. Compared with the control group, breathing exercises had varying degrees of improvement in the mixed diagnostic group, known-cause group, and fibrotic group of ILD patients; breathing exercises alone significantly improved DLCO%pred, MRC (or mMRC), and SGRQ; and the improvement in breathing exercises as part of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) was more notable. Different durations of breathing exercise could promote the efficacy of different aspects of treatment for ILD patients.Compared with usual treatment, breathing exercises can improve lung function, exercise capacity, and HRQoL in ILD patients, particularly without high requirements for intervention duration. The efficacy of breathing exercises varies for different ILD subtypes, and incorporating breathing exercises as part of PR can be more beneficial for ILD patients. No studies have shown significant risks for ILD patients engaging in breathing exercises.Methods: This study was designed to synthesize the efficacy and safety of breathing exercises in interstitial lung disease (ILD) patients by reviewing the literature and comparing the impact of different control group types, ILD subtypes, breathing exercise action modes or methods, and intervention durations on clinical efficacy.Systematic searches were conducted across 9 electronic databases, including PubMed, to retrieve English and Chinese studies reporting on ILD patients from inception to February 12, 2024. Study selection and data extraction were independently conducted by two researchers. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The data were analysed using RevMan 5.4 and STATA 17.0 software.The search identified 25 studies. Compared to the control group, the breathing exercise group exhibited significantly improved lung function (FVC%pred: MD  =  3.46, 95%CI = 1.04 to 5.88; DLCO%pred: MD = 3.20, 95% CI = 2.91 to 3.48), dyspnoea (MRC or mMRC scale: MD = − 0.50, 95%CI = − 0.77 to − 0.22), exercise capacity (6MWD: MD = 32.65, 95% CI = 14.77 to 50.53), and HRQoL (SGRQ: MD = − 6.53, 95% CI = − 8.72 to − 4.34) in ILD patients. According to the subgroup analysis, significant improvements consistent with the overall results were observed in the control group with usual treatment. Compared with the control group, breathing exercises had varying degrees of improvement in the mixed diagnostic group, known-cause group, and fibrotic group of ILD patients; breathing exercises alone significantly improved DLCO%pred, MRC (or mMRC), and SGRQ; and the improvement in breathing exercises as part of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) was more notable. Different durations of breathing exercise could promote the efficacy of different aspects of treatment for ILD patients.Compared with usual treatment, breathing exercises can improve lung function, exercise capacity, and HRQoL in ILD patients, particularly without high requirements for intervention duration. The efficacy of breathing exercises varies for different ILD subtypes, and incorporating breathing exercises as part of PR can be more beneficial for ILD patients. No studies have shown significant risks for ILD patients engaging in breathing exercises.Results: This study was designed to synthesize the efficacy and safety of breathing exercises in interstitial lung disease (ILD) patients by reviewing the literature and comparing the impact of different control group types, ILD subtypes, breathing exercise action modes or methods, and intervention durations on clinical efficacy.Systematic searches were conducted across 9 electronic databases, including PubMed, to retrieve English and Chinese studies reporting on ILD patients from inception to February 12, 2024. Study selection and data extraction were independently conducted by two researchers. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The data were analysed using RevMan 5.4 and STATA 17.0 software.The search identified 25 studies. Compared to the control group, the breathing exercise group exhibited significantly improved lung function (FVC%pred: MD  =  3.46, 95%CI = 1.04 to 5.88; DLCO%pred: MD = 3.20, 95% CI = 2.91 to 3.48), dyspnoea (MRC or mMRC scale: MD = − 0.50, 95%CI = − 0.77 to − 0.22), exercise capacity (6MWD: MD = 32.65, 95% CI = 14.77 to 50.53), and HRQoL (SGRQ: MD = − 6.53, 95% CI = − 8.72 to − 4.34) in ILD patients. According to the subgroup analysis, significant improvements consistent with the overall results were observed in the control group with usual treatment. Compared with the control group, breathing exercises had varying degrees of improvement in the mixed diagnostic group, known-cause group, and fibrotic group of ILD patients; breathing exercises alone significantly improved DLCO%pred, MRC (or mMRC), and SGRQ; and the improvement in breathing exercises as part of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) was more notable. Different durations of breathing exercise could promote the efficacy of different aspects of treatment for ILD patients.Compared with usual treatment, breathing exercises can improve lung function, exercise capacity, and HRQoL in ILD patients, particularly without high requirements for intervention duration. The efficacy of breathing exercises varies for different ILD subtypes, and incorporating breathing exercises as part of PR can be more beneficial for ILD patients. No studies have shown significant risks for ILD patients engaging in breathing exercises.Conclusions: This study was designed to synthesize the efficacy and safety of breathing exercises in interstitial lung disease (ILD) patients by reviewing the literature and comparing the impact of different control group types, ILD subtypes, breathing exercise action modes or methods, and intervention durations on clinical efficacy.Systematic searches were conducted across 9 electronic databases, including PubMed, to retrieve English and Chinese studies reporting on ILD patients from inception to February 12, 2024. Study selection and data extraction were independently conducted by two researchers. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The data were analysed using RevMan 5.4 and STATA 17.0 software.The search identified 25 studies. Compared to the control group, the breathing exercise group exhibited significantly improved lung function (FVC%pred: MD  =  3.46, 95%CI = 1.04 to 5.88; DLCO%pred: MD = 3.20, 95% CI = 2.91 to 3.48), dyspnoea (MRC or mMRC scale: MD = − 0.50, 95%CI = − 0.77 to − 0.22), exercise capacity (6MWD: MD = 32.65, 95% CI = 14.77 to 50.53), and HRQoL (SGRQ: MD = − 6.53, 95% CI = − 8.72 to − 4.34) in ILD patients. According to the subgroup analysis, significant improvements consistent with the overall results were observed in the control group with usual treatment. Compared with the control group, breathing exercises had varying degrees of improvement in the mixed diagnostic group, known-cause group, and fibrotic group of ILD patients; breathing exercises alone significantly improved DLCO%pred, MRC (or mMRC), and SGRQ; and the improvement in breathing exercises as part of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) was more notable. Different durations of breathing exercise could promote the efficacy of different aspects of treatment for ILD patients.Compared with usual treatment, breathing exercises can improve lung function, exercise capacity, and HRQoL in ILD patients, particularly without high requirements for intervention duration. The efficacy of breathing exercises varies for different ILD subtypes, and incorporating breathing exercises as part of PR can be more beneficial for ILD patients. No studies have shown significant risks for ILD patients engaging in breathing exercises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to climate change, heat events in Canada have become more extreme in intensity and frequency and will continue to do so according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's global predictions. Environmental justice research has indicated that extreme heat exposure disproportionally affects socio‐economically disadvantaged populations in cities. The objective of this research was to determine whether such a phenomenon exists in Montreal, Canada. Temperature data were obtained through in‐situ sensors and governmental weather stations, while census data were retrieved from Statistics Canada through the Census mapper. Correlation tests were run between temperature and five demographic and socio‐economic variables measured inside a 500 m buffer around the temperature sensors. The variables included Indigenous Peoples (IND), people of 65 years old and over (Over 65), people between 25 and 64 years old without a high school degree (No HS), and low‐income (LI). A positive correlation was found for LI and No HS (p < 0.05). A regression test performed with interpolated temperature and the demographic and socio‐economic variables across the study area revealed no significant correlation due to spatial heterogeneity. Key Messages: Low‐income individuals and those without a high school degree were affected by environmental injustice related to the urban heat island effect at the 500 m buffer level.Spatial heterogeneity across the Island of Montreal caused a lack of correlation between the remaining demographic and socio‐economic variables.Additional work is required to understand the contribution of urban social processes such as gentrification to the nature of this environmental injustice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iterative multireference configuration interaction (IMRCI) has been exploited to calculate the properties of small molecules. Atomisation energies of CH2(1A1), H2O, HF, CH(X2Π), OH(X2Π) and CH2(3B1), and singlet–triplet separations of CH2, NH2+, SiH2, and PH2+ are computed with MRCI and IMRCI. The accuracy of IMRCI is comparable to that of coupled-cluster singles, doubles, and perturbative triples (CCSD(T)), and better than that of MRCI. Singlet–triplet separations calculated with IMRCI are compared with the results of the second and third order Møller-Plesset perturbation theories, CCSD, CCSD(T), MRCI and FCI as well as experimental results. It is shown that the IMRCI method is both accurate and reliable. Moreover, the effect of the frozenness of the highest unoccupied molecular orbital (HUMO) on the IMRCI results is also investigated. It is demonstrated that the frozen HUMO approximation significantly lowers the computational cost of IMRCI with almost the same computational accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microscopic understanding of high-temperature superconductivity in cuprates has been hindered by the apparent complexity of crystal structures in these materials. We used scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy to study the electron-doped copper oxide compound Sr1−x Nd x CuO2, which has only bare cations separating the CuO2 planes and thus the simplest infinite-layer structure of all cuprate superconductors. Tunneling conductance spectra of the major CuO2 planes in the superconducting state revealed direct evidence for a nodeless pairing gap, regardless of variation of its magnitude with the local doping of trivalent neodymium. Furthermore, three distinct bosonic modes are observed as multiple peak-dip-hump features outside the superconducting gaps and their respective energies depend little on the spatially varying gaps. As well as the bosonic modes, with energies identical to those of the external, bending and stretching phonons of copper oxides, our findings reveal the origin of the bosonic modes in lattice vibrations rather than spin excitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-component droplets from daily activities and production processes severely degrade indoor air quality. Their health hazards and removal efficiency depend on size and composition, significantly affected by evaporation and growth. The phase transition process is complex, involving a broad spectrum of droplet sizes with diverse heat and mass transfer characteristics. Components within the droplets experience simultaneous phase transitions at differing rates and mass transfer directions. This study aims to refine the existing evaporation model of single-component droplets in continuous flows by theoretically integrating the effects of varying droplet sizes and multiple components. A multi-component droplet evaporation/growth model that spans the entire range of droplet sizes has been developed, and predictions have been made based on this model. Utilizing MATLAB, this model accurately predicts the indoor dynamics of multi-component droplets, with deviations under 16 % from experiments. It improves accuracy by over 25 % across droplet sizes via dimensionless transfer coefficients and boosts precision by over 24 % for multi-component droplets with zero-diffusion transport. The radius of the droplet after phase change can reach 8.42 × 10−6 m and remains suspended in the air for an extended period. This study establishes a solid theoretical foundation for accurately predicting the indoor distribution of multi-component droplets. [Display omitted] • An evaporation/growth model of multi-component droplets was established. • This model can describe the droplets in free molecular flow and transition regime. • This model fits well with experimental data, with errors of less than 16 %. • This model was used to predict multi-component droplets in the built environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Endogenous polyphenols (EP) inhibited starch digestion in highland barley noodles. • EP caused disorder and rearrangement of starch molecules' structure. • EP transformed the starch fractions to be more resistant to thermal degradation. • EP reduced rapidly digestible starch by forming V-type structure with amylose. • EP increased resistant starch by lengthening amylopectin chain to form complexes. Highland barley is a type of grain with slow-digesting characteristics. It is worth exploring the impact of non-starch components on starch digestion. In this study, four varieties of highland barley were used to investigate the impacts of endogenous polyphenols (EP) on the relationship between starch structure, physicochemical properties, and the time course digestibility of highland barley noodles. The results showed that EP removal decreased the proportion of long-chain amylopectin and disrupted the crystalline structure, while increasing the short-range ordered structure in the residue. Significant correlations indicated that these structural changes make starch more susceptible to thermal degradation and digestion, causing a 12.60%-52.00% increase in rapidly digestible starch (RDS) and a 12.70%-25.22% decrease in resistant starch (RS). These results revealed the internal factors that affect the slow digestion characteristics of highland barley noodles from the perspective of EP and provide important reference values for a slow digestion diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microparticle-enhanced cultivation was used to enhance the production of exopolysaccharides (EPSs) from Antrodia cinnamomea. The structure and antibacterial activity of two EPSs produced by A. cinnamomea treated with Al 2 O 3 [EPS-Al (crude) and EPS-Al-p (purified)] and without Al 2 O 3 [EPS-C (crude) and EPS-C-p (purified)] were compared. It was observed that the addition of 4 g/L Al 2 O 3 at 0 h resulted in the highest EPS yield of 1.46 g/L, possible attributed to the enhanced permeability of the cell membrane. The structural analysis revealed that EPS-C-p and EPS-Al-p had different structures. EPS-C-p was hyperbranched and spherical with a Mw of 10.8 kDa, while EPS-Al-p was irregular and linear with a Mw of 12.5 kDa. The proportion of Man in EPS-Al-p decreased, while those of Gal and Glc increased when compared to EPS-C-p. The total molar ratios of 6-Glc p and 4-Glc p in EPS-Al-p are 1.45 times that of EPS-C-p. Moreover, EPSs could alter bacterial cell morphology, causing intracellular substance leakage and growth inhibition, with EPS-Al having a stronger antibacterial activity than EPS-C. In conclusion, A. cinnamomea treated with Al 2 O 3 could produce more EPSs, changing monosaccharide composition and glycosidic linkage profile, which could exert stronger antibacterial activity than that produced by untreated A. cinnamomea. • A. cinnamomea treated with the microparticle Al 2 O 3 could produce more EPSs. • The structure of purified EPS was affected by the addition of microparticles Al 2 O 3. • The antibacterial activity of EPS was stronger after Al 2 O 3 treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are facing the challenge of chloride salt hot corrosion in the marine environment. In the manuscript, 7YSZ feather-like columnar structure coatings were prepared by plasma spray-physical vapor deposition (PS-PVD). The Al 2 O 3 -modification based on in-situ synthesis was used as the strategy to improve the hot corrosion resistance of the coating. Then, the coatings were subjected to test of 900 °C NaCl thermal exposure and combustion gas-salt spray ablation. The microstructure and phase evolution results of the coatings show that NaCl has a strong corrosive effect on the as-sprayed PS-PVD TBC and leading to catastrophic oxidation. In contrast to this, the Al 2 O 3 -modified coating shows good corrosion resistance. In the hot corrosion behavior of NaCl, the metal elements in the bond layer are rapidly oxidized and accumulated on the surface of TGO layer through the electrochemical corrosion mechanism, which makes the TGO thicken rapidly. After combustion gas-salt spray corrosion, the YSZ coatings sintered and the evolution of mechanical properties were analyzed. Compared with the initial sprayed state, the hardness of the as-sprayed coating and the Al 2 O 3 -modified coating increased by 13.04 GPa and 11.47 GPa, respectively. And the elastic modulus of as-sprayed coating and Al 2 O 3 -modified coating increased by 133.00 GPa and 129.60 GPa, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main pathological features noted in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the presence of plagues of aggregated β-amyloid (Aβ1–42)-peptides. Excess deposition of amyloid-β oligomers (AβO) are known to promote neuroinflammation. Sequentially, following neuroinflammation astrocytes become activated with cellular characteristics to initiate activated astrocytes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether total flavonoids derived from Dracocephalum moldavica L. (TFDM) inhibited Aβ1–42-induced damage attributed to activated C8-D1A astrocytes. Western blotting and ELISA were used to determine the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and complement C3 to establish the activation status of astrocytes following induction from exposure to Aβ1–42. Data demonstrated that stimulation of C8-D1A astrocytes by treatment with 40 μM Aβ1–42 for 24 hr produced significant elevation in protein expression and protein levels of acidic protein (GFAP) and complement C3 accompanied by increased expression and levels of inflammatory cytokines. Treatment with TFDM or the clinically employed drug donepezil in AD therapy reduced production of inflammatory cytokines, and toxicity initiated following activation of C8-D1A astrocytes following exposure to Aβ1–42. Therefore, TFDM similar to donepezil inhibited inflammatory secretion in reactive astrocytes, suggesting that TFDM may be considered as a potential compound to be utilized in AD therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatiotemporal molecular medicine aims to emphasize the importance of integrating multi-dimensional aspects of clinical medicine and molecular medicine - "a four-dimensional and dynamical picture of the disease by integrating clinical spatialization, temporalization, phenome, and molecular multi-omics for disease diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis".1 From an anatomical point, the "four-dimensional" aspects were proposed to be the length, width, and height, with time of organ/tissue development in physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Asp et al offered an approach to establish a database of heart spatial transcriptomics which can be further perfected in the future.5 The establishment of organ-wide orchestration of gene expression will be the initial and important step to facilitate spatiotemporal molecular pathology and imaging. Asp et al demonstrated a strategy to map the comprehensive transcriptional landscape of cell types in the embryonic heart at three developmental stages and defined cell-type-specific gene expression profiles in anatomical regions of certain levels in the heart.5 This provides clear evidence that the three-dimensional gene expression profiles and organ atlas can be generated along with organ anatomic architecture named "organ-wide orchestration of gene expression.". [Extracted from the article]

Two-dimensional (2D) organometallic halide perovskites (OHPs) are promising optoelectronic materials because of their excellent stability and tunable band gaps. Herein, we report the optical and elastic properties of a newly synthesized 2D lead halide perovskite, (C9H14ON)2PbI4 (C9H14ON+ = 4-methoxyphenethylammonium), by a combined experimental and theoretical approach. Our experiments demonstrate that (C9H14ON)2PbI4 shows a strong green emission under ambient conditions which is ascribed to its band gap of 2.4 eV. Moreover, our temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) experiments in the temperature range of 143–283 K reveal that the green emission red-shifts with increasing temperature, which is primarily attributed to the synergistic effect of thermal expansion and electron–phonon interactions. The elastic properties, obtained from density functional theory calculations, reveal that (C9H14ON)2PbI4 has relatively low modulus and anisotropy compared with other 2D materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The reliability of expanded data based on Z- parameter was confirmed. • Data expansion compensated for the shortage of original experimental data. • A Z -parameter neural network integrated model was successfully established. • The training dataset size and physical model affected prediction accuracy of PINN model. • The PINN model was superior to traditional physical model for life prediction. The defects created in metallurgical and manufacturing processes generally play a decisive role in very high cycle fatigue life of engineering structures. By taking stress level, defect size and location into account, the physical Z -parameter model on fatigue life prediction was combined with artificial neural network as a new data-physics integrated approach for fatigue life prediction of 15Cr and FV520B-I steels in this work. The original data from tests were expanded based on the Z -parameter model, and the physics-informed loss function featuring Z-parameter was integrated into artificial neural network as the constraint. Results showed that the physics-informed neural network established in this work could be applied for life prediction in the very high cycle fatigue regime, and the model came with higher predictive accuracy than the physical Z -parameter model and the Mayer's model did. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • VHCF life prediction was explored with SVM, ANN and Z -parameter based PINN models. • Datasets were extended by the Z -parameter model with sound reliability. • An evaluation method was constructed to analyze and compare model performance. • A larger dataset was found having more desirable implications for model prediction. • Z -parameter based PINN model outperformed others in terms of predictive accuracy and reliability. The research on life prediction for mechanical structures in very high cycle fatigue regime is pivotal to improve structure service, but it can be costly and time-consuming to collect fatigue data. In response, the data-driven approach of machine learning emerged as a solution to data insufficiency. In this work, after extracting a small dataset of GCr15 bearing steel subjected to very high cycle fatigue tests from open literature, the Z -parameter model was applied to obtain extended datasets to establish models driven by support vector machine, artificial neural network, and Z -parameter based physics-informed neural network, respectively. With training on extended datasets and the original data as test set, fatigue life prediction for GCr15 steel was carried out and evaluated between these models. Results showed that the physics-informed neural network calibrated by Z -parameter model trained on a larger dataset featured more accurate and reliable prediction than other models did, which demonstrated effectiveness of Z -parameter in data extension and model construction as priori physics knowledge for a data-driven approach. Looking into the future, Z -parameter model deserves more attention to its employment in life prediction for more engineering materials and structures serving in the very high cycle fatigue regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatiotemporal molecular medicine is a new discipline of medicine to precisely understand the pathogenesis, history, and epidemiology, and aims to achieve prevention, diagnosis, and therapy at molecular levels for human diseases in multidimensional aspects related to a spatial and temporal context. In comparison, spatiotemporal molecular medicine presents a four-dimensional and dynamical picture of the disease by integrating clinical spatialization, temporalization, phenome, and molecular multi-omics for disease diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis. For example, transcriptomic profiles of tissues, isolated single category of cells, or single cells demonstrate tissue- or cell-specific transcriptional function as one-dimensional information of mRNA expression. Lee et al. measured genomic and expression signatures of bulk cells, single cells, and selected regional cells isolated from tumor tissues and found the therapeutic response of glioma cells depended upon genetic similarity, mutations, and heterogeneities.8 Spatiotemporal molecular medicine could provide multidimensional insights into organogenesis during which gene regulations, protein interactions, and cell-cell communications in special positions are dynamically monitored for understanding mechanisms and prediction of diseases. [Extracted from the article]

A new structure named reinforced concrete grid moment‐resisting frame (RC‐GMRF) have been adopted in high‐rise buildings in China. However, complex construction due to numerous beam‐column joints restricts the application of this structure. A novel precast reinforced concrete GMRF (PC‐GMRF) is proposed in this paper to solve this problem. Three specimens, including one traditional reinforced concrete moment‐resisting frame (RC‐MRF) as reference, were tested under reverse cyclic loading to evaluate the seismic performance. All three specimens were designed using the same amount of construction material. The experimental results showed that PC‐GMRF exhibited comparable seismic performance with that of RC‐GMRF. The load‐carrying capacity, initial stiffness and energy dissipation capacity were improved by an average of 43%, 29%, and 21%, respectively, compared with those of RC‐MRF. This study indicated that the performance of PC‐GMRF was acceptable and could be used in the moment‐resisting frame as a novel structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serum neurofilaments are markers of axonal injury. We investigated whether serum neurofilament light (sNfL) is a potential prognostic marker of functional outcome in Chinese patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). From May 2015 to December 2018, consecutive patients with AIS from the Department of Neurology of the Second Hospital of Jilin University were included. sNfL concentration was tested at baseline, and stroke severity was analyzed at admission using the NIHSS score. Functional outcome was assessed at discharge by the modified Rankin scale (mRS). The sNfL concentration was tested in 343 patients with a median value of 17.8 (IQR, 13.4–25.2) pg/ml. sNfL concentration paralleled lesion size (P = 0.035). At admission, 174 patients were defined as moderate-to-high stroke (NIHSS ≥ 5); the sNfL concentration in those patients were higher than that observed in patients with minor clinical severity [21.2 (IQR, 15.1–31.7) vs. 14.9 (11.8–19.4) pg/ml, P < 0.001]. For each 1 quartile increase of sNfL concentration, the unadjusted and adjusted risk of moderate-to-high stroke increased by 202% (with the OR of 3.04 (95% CI 2.15–4.32), P < 0.001) and 102% [2.02 (1.10–3.16), P = 0.001), respectively. At discharge, 85 patients (24.8%) had poor functional outcome (mRS, 3–6); the sNfL concentration in those patients were higher than that observed in patients with good outcome [24.1 (IQR, 18.8–33.9) vs. 15.7 (11.9–21.8) pg/ml, P < 0.001]. For each 1 quartile increase of sNfL concentration, the unadjusted and adjusted risk of poor outcome increased by 236% [with the OR of 3.36 (95% CI 2.23–5.06), P < 0.001] and 102% [2.29 (1.37–3.82), P < 0.001], respectively. The results show sNfL is meaningful blood biomarker to monitor stroke severity and functional outcome in ischemic stroke, suggesting that sNfL may play a role in stroke progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an incurable cancer resistant to traditional treatments, although a limited number of early-stage patients can undergo radical resection. Immunotherapies for the treatment of haematological malignancies as well as solid tumours have been substantially improved over the past decades, and impressive results have been obtained in recent preclinical and clinical trials. However, PDAC is likely the exception because of its unique tumour microenvironment (TME). In this review, we summarize the characteristics of the PDAC TME and focus on the network of various tumour-infiltrating immune cells, outlining the current advances in PDAC immunotherapy and addressing the effect of the PDAC TME on immunotherapy. This review further explores the combinations of different therapies used to enhance antitumour efficacy or reverse immunodeficiencies and describes optimizable immunotherapeutic strategies for PDAC. The concordant combination of various treatments, such as targeting cancer cells and the stroma, reversing suppressive immune reactions and enhancing antitumour reactivity, may be the most promising approach for the treatment of PDAC. Traditional treatments, especially chemotherapy, may also be optimized for individual patients to remodel the immunosuppressive microenvironment for enhanced therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: MicroRNAs (miRs) have a crucial regulatory role in endothelial cell function and tumor angiogenesis by inhibiting the expressions of their target genes. The participation of microRNA-384-5p (miR-384-5p) has been prominently reported in various ischemia-induced diseases such as myocardial ischemia and atherosclerosis. Hence, the present study aimed at exploring the effect of miR-384-5p on proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in cerebral ischemic stroke and investigating the associated underlying mechanism. Methods: A middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mouse model was established, with determination of the expression of cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) proteins. Next, the MCAO mice and EPCs separated from MCAO mice were injected or transfected with mimics or inhibitors of miR-384-5p, or small interference RNA Delta-likeligand 4 (si-DLL4) in order to evaluate their effect on brain infarct size, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. The relationship among miR-384-5p, DLL4, and the Notch signaling pathway was then verified by a series of experiments. Results: In MCAO mice, an increased brain infarct size and cell apoptosis in brain tissues were evident, with decreased expression of miR-384-5p, VEGF, and CD31, as well as increased DLL4 expression. After miR-384-5p mimic or si-DLL4 treatment, the brain infarct size and cell apoptosis in the brain tissues were reduced in compliance with an increased expression of VEGF and CD31. Our findings demonstrated that miR-384-5p negatively regulated the expression of DLL4, which further downregulated the Notch signaling pathway. When miR-384-5p was overexpressed or DLL4 silenced, the cell proliferation and angiogenesis of EPCs were promoted and cell apoptosis was inhibited. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that overexpressed miR-384-5p targeting DLL4 could stimulate proliferation and angiogenesis, while inhibiting apoptosis of EPCs in mice with cerebral ischemic stroke through the Notch signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As an oncogene, long noncoding RNA metastasis‐associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) can promote tumor metastasis. Hyperexpression of MALAT1 has been observed in many malignant tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the role and mechanism of MALAT1 in HCC remain unclear. Methods: Thirty human HCC and paracancerous tissue specimens were collected, and the human hepatoma cell lines Huh7 and HepG2 were cultured according to standard methods. MALAT1 and Snail family zinc finger (Slug) expression were measured by real‐time PCR, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting. Luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay verified the direct interaction between miR‐124‐3p and Slug(SNAI2) or MALAT1. Wound healing and transwell assays were performed to examine invasion and migration, and a subcutaneous tumor model was established to measure tumor progression in vivo. Results: MALAT1 expression was upregulated in HCC tissues and positively correlated with Slug expression. MALAT1 and miR‐124‐3p bind directly and reversibly to each other. MALAT1 silencing inhibited cell migration and invasion. miR‐124‐3p inhibited HCC metastasis by targeting Slug. Conclusions: MALAT1 regulates Slug through miR‐124‐3p, affecting HCC cell metastasis. Thus, the MALAT1/miR‐124‐3p/Slug axis plays an important role in HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study is aimed at evaluating the diagnostic value of blood lipid indicators (BLIs) for insulin resistance (IR) among major ethnic groups in Xinjiang, China, to identify the most valuable indicators and appropriate cut-off points for each ethnic group and to lay the foundation for the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of metabolic diseases in remote rural areas. Methods. Overall, 418 Uygurs, 331 Kazakhs, and 220 Hans were randomly included in our study. The homeostasis model assessment was the gold standard for identifying IR. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value, and the nomogram was utilized to analyze the predictive value. The size of the area under the curve (AUC) reflected the accuracy of screening and prediction. Results. Differences in races were observed in terms of IR and BLIs, and the Kazakhs had the highest IR level at 5.27 mmol/L. The correlation between IR and BLIs differed among the three races. For the Kazakhs and Hans, all BLIs, except total cholesterol (TC), were correlated to IR. However, for the Uygurs, only the triglyceride (TG) level, TG/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio, and TC/HDL-C ratio were associated with IR. After further adjustment of confounding factors, these indicators were still correlated to IR. BLIs that independently correlated to IR in the three nationalities had a certain diagnostic value for IR. In terms of the AUC size, the TG level was the highest in Uygurs, the TG/HDL-C ratio was the highest for Kazakhs and Hans, and the corresponding best cut-off points for IR were 1.515, 1.230, and 1.495 mmol/L, respectively. In addition, for each race, when the indicators with a certain diagnostic value were combined, the diagnostic value for IR was higher. Conclusion. BLIs had a certain diagnostic value for IR and could be used as a screening tool for IR among Uygurs, Kazakhs, and Hans in Xinjiang. These findings are extremely important for the prevention and treatment of IR and metabolic diseases in remote rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine oil droplets emitted by evaporation–condensation during machining are typical indoor air contaminants. Airborne particles can act as condensation nuclei, facilitating the condensation of oil vapor. The physical properties of these resultant droplets significantly affect their purification efficiency. Herein, this study aimed to elucidate the emission characteristics of oil droplets formed by evaporation–condensation affected by condensation nuclei and the purification efficiency of intense field dielectric (IFD) technology for the droplets under varying airflow velocities. Results show that the removal of condensation nuclei can effectively reduce the mass of evaporated–condensed oil droplets, and the increment in the mass of oil droplets reached 1.7 times the increment in the mass of condensation nuclei. It was more effective to reduce the mass of oil droplets by removing large condensation nuclei and decreasing the amount of evaporated soluble oil, as compared to removing smaller condensation nuclei or using straight oil. Condensation nuclei mainly contributed to the generation of oil droplets below 5 µm. For droplet diameters of 0.3–5.0 µm and airflow velocities of 0.5–2.0 m/s, the purification efficiency was within the 84–96% range. The purification efficiency of the IFD purifier for oil droplets could be improved either by increasing the size of the oil droplets or by reducing the airflow velocity. [Display omitted] • Reducing condensation nuclei can minimize the formation of oil droplets. • Nuclei size and oil components significantly affected the mass of oil droplets. • Oil droplets of 0.3–1.0 µm and 0.3–5.0 µm increased the most in count and mass by nuclei. • Using IFD to purify oil droplets has highly efficient and low resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, hexylresorcinol calix[4]arene (HRCA) is introduced into the reaction system, and HRCA-capped ZnO–Ag nanocomposites are prepared via a simple one-step reflux method. HRCA is used not only as a reducing agent for deoxidizing Ag+ to Ag, but also as a protectant for wrapping around the microstructure of the formed ZnO–Ag. The prepared samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and water contact angle. The Ag nanoparticles and ZnO adhere to each other and HRCA molecules encapsulate on the surface of ZnO–Ag nanocomposites. HRCA-capped ZnO–Ag nanocomposites with different Ag contents are investigated for use in photodegradation of organic pollutants (rhodamine B (RhB) and levofloxacin hydrochloride). The sample with 10.20 mol% Ag, denoted as ZA3, exhibits the highest catalytic activity for photodegradation of RhB and levofloxacin hydrochloride. Moreover, ZA3 exhibits high stability during photodegradation of organic pollutants even after multiple reuses. The possible photocatalytic mechanism is discussed. We believe that O 2 − and h+ are the chief active species responsible for the photocatalytic activity of HRCA-capped ZnO–Ag nanocomposite system. HRCA-capped ZnO–Ag nanocomposite is expected to be an effective photocatalyst with potential application to sewage treatment under sunlight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Table tennis players often execute one-step, side-step or cross-step to move to an appropriate position for topspin forehand. However, to our knowledge, no studies have investigated the footwork effects on lower-limb kinetics and kinematics, which are related to playing performance and injury prevention. This study examined the ground reaction forces, joint kinetics and in-shoe plantar pressure distribution during topspin forehand with three typical footwork patterns. Fifteen male table tennis players performed cross-court topspin forehands in one-step, side-step and cross-step. Force plate, motion capturing, and instrumented insole systems were used to measure ground reaction force, joint moments and plantar pressure variables. One-way ANONA with repeated measures was performed to determine any significant differences between footwork. Results indicated that participants exhibited significantly higher ground reaction force loadings, knee flexion angle, knee moment, ankle inversion and moment during side-step and cross-step compared with one-step footwork condition (p < .01). Plantar pressure data indicated that the significantly higher peak pressure were observed in the total foot, toe, 1st, 2nd and 5th metatarsal regions during side-step and cross-step (p < .01). Additionally, cross-step had induced higher peak pressure in medial midfoot and heel regions than one-step and higher peak pressure in total and 1st metatarsal regions than side-step (p < .01). These results suggest that foot orthotic designs should consider the stronger emphasis on those high-pressured areas and that the differential joint and plantar loadings in side-step and cross-step may provide useful insights to injury mechanism and training protocol development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substantial research has been devoted to elucidate the roles that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play in the regulation of both normal and pathological processes, and multiple studies have demonstrated their potential as a source of cancer biomarkers. However, several factors have slowed the development of liquid biopsy EV biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, including logistical and technical difficulties associated with reproducibly obtaining highly purified EVs suitable for diagnostic analysis. Significant effort has focused on addressing these problems, and multiple groups have now reported EV analysis methods using liquid biopsies that have the potential for clinical translation. However, there are still important issues that must be addressed if these discoveries and technical advances are to be used for clinical translation of EV cancer biomarkers from liquid biopsies. To address these issues, this review focuses on the potential application of EV biomarkers for diagnosis of major cancer types, discussing approaches for EV biomarker discovery and verification, EV clinical assay development, analytical and clinical validation, clinical trials, regulatory submission, and end user utilization for the intended clinical application. This review also discusses key difficulties related to these steps, and recommendations for how to best accomplish steps in order to translate EV-based biomarkers into clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The liver is the most common anatomical site for hematogenous metastases of colorectal cancer, and colorectal liver metastases is one of the most difficult and challenging points in the treatment of colorectal cancer. To improve the diagnosis and comprehensive treatment in China, the Guidelines have been edited and revised several times since 2008, including the overall evaluation, personalized treatment goals and comprehensive treatments, to prevent the occurrence of liver metastases, improve the resection rate of liver metastases and survival. The revised Guideline includes the diagnosis and follow-up, prevention, MDT effect, surgery and local ablative treatment, neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy, and comprehensive treatment, and with advanced experience, latest results, detailed content, and strong operability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy occurs in response to chronic blood pressure increase, and dysfunction of Ca V 1.2 calcium channel involves in cardiac hypertrophic processes by perturbing intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+] i) and calcium-dependent signaling. As a carbohydrate-binding protein, galectin-1 (Gal-1) is found to bind with Ca V 1.2 channel, which regulates vascular Ca V 1.2 channel functions and blood pressure. However, the potential roles of Gal-1 in cardiac Ca V 1.2 channel (Ca V 1.2 CM) and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy remain elusive. By whole-cell patch clamp, we find Gal-1 decreases the I Ca,L with or without isoproterenol (ISO) application by reducing the channel membrane expression in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs). Moreover, Gal-1 could inhibit the current densities of Ca V 1.2 CM by an alternative exon 9*-dependent manner in heterologously expressed HEK293 cells. Of significance, overexpression of Gal-1 diminishes ISO or KCl-induced [Ca2+] i elevation and attenuates ISO-induced hypertrophy in NRVMs. Mechanistically, Gal-1 decreases the ISO or Bay K8644-induced phosphorylation of intracellular calcium-dependent signaling proteins δCaMKII and HDAC4, and inhibits ISO-triggered translocation of HDAC4 in NRVMs. Pathologically, we observe that the expressions of Gal-1 and Ca V 1.2 E9* channels are synchronously increased in rat hypertrophic cardiomyocytes and hearts. Taken together, our study indicates that Gal-1 reduces the channel membrane expression to inhibit the currents of Ca V 1.2 CM in a splice-variant specific manner, which diminishes [Ca2+] i elevation, and attenuates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy by inhibiting the phosphorylation of δCaMKII and HDAC4. Furthermore, our work suggests that dysregulated Gal-1 and Ca V 1.2 alternative exon 9* might be attributed to the pathological processes of cardiac hypertrophy, and provides a potential anti-hypertrophic target in the heart. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Galectin-1 (Gal-1) inhibits the I Ca,L of cardiac Ca V 1.2 channels in a splice-variant specific manner. • Gal-1 reduces isoproterenol-induced fetal genes' transcription and attenuates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. • LTCC-δCaMKII-HDAC4 signaling pathway mediates Gal-1's effects on the hypertrophic cardiomyocytes. • The expressions of Gal-1 and Ca V 1.2 E9* channels are increased in hypertrophic cardiomyocytes and hearts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The asymmetric ABC-type Janus polymer composite nanorods are synthesized by the in situ preferential growth of functional materials against the molecular bottlebrush containing a triblock copolymer of poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl pentynoate-g-poly(acrylic acid))-b-polystyrene. PEO and PS single chains are terminated onto the opposite ends of the composite nanorods. The two polymer chains are responsible for amphiphilic performance, while the composite nanorod is responsible for the functionality. The Janus nanorods can stand vertically at an emulsion interface, making the interfaces easily functionalized and manipulated. Protection of the PAA molecular bottlebrush via electrostatic interaction is important to obtaining individual nanorods at high solid contents. A huge family of Janus composite nanorods is expected by changing the compositions of the two polymer chains and the nanorod. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aphid saliva plays important roles in aphid-host interactions, such as assisting aphid digestion, detoxification, activating or suppressing plant defenses. The grain aphid, Sitobion avenae, is one of the most devastating pests of cereals worldwide. In this study, we performed the transcriptome analysis of salivary glands of S. avenae. A total of 33,079 assembled unigenes were identified in the salivary glands of aphids. Of the all obtained unigenes, 15,833(47.86%) and 10,829(32.73%) unigenes showed high similarity to known proteins in Nr and Swiss-Prot databases respectively. 526 unigenes were predicted to encode secretory proteins, including some digestive and detoxifying enzymes and potential effectors. The RT-PCR and RT-qPCR results showed that all of the 15 most highly expressed putative secretory proteins specifically expressed in salivary glands. Interestingly, 11 of the 15 most highly expressed putative secretory proteins were still not matched to function-known proteins. We also detected the expression of 9 interested putative secretory proteins in aphid different tissues, including some digestive and detoxifying enzymes, effectors and Ca2+ binding proteins. The results showed that only glutathione-S-transferase 1 was specifically expressed in salivary glands. These findings provide a further insight into the identification of potential effectors involving in aphid-cereals interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are characterized by impairment in cognitive function that may or may not be accompanied by craniofacial anomalies, microcephaly, and/or growth retardation. Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI), which examines the low-frequency component of the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal in the absence of an explicit task, provides an efficient and powerful mechanism for studying functional brain networks even in low-functioning and young subjects. Studies using independent component analysis (ICA) have identified a set of resting-state networks (RSNs) that have been linked to distinct domains of cognitive and perceptual function, which are believed to reflect the intrinsic functional architecture of the brain. This study is the first to examine resting-state functional connectivity within these RSNs in FASD. Rs-fMRI scans were performed on 38 children with FASD (19 with either full fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or partial FAS (PFAS), 19 nonsyndromal heavily exposed (HE)), and 19 controls, mean age 11.3 ± 0.9 years, from the Cape Town Longitudinal Cohort. Nine resting-state networks were generated by ICA. Voxelwise group comparison between a combined FAS/PFAS group and controls revealed localized dose-dependent functional connectivity reductions in five regions in separate networks: anterior default mode, salience, ventral and dorsal attention, and R executive control. The former three also showed lower connectivity in the HE group. Gray matter connectivity deficits in four of the five networks appear to be related to deficits in white matter tracts that provide intra-RSN connections. Hum Brain Mapp 38:5217-5233, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(E)-β-farnesene (EBF) is the common active component of aphid alarm pheromone. Either or both of two orthologs of ordorant-binding proteins (OBPs), OBP3 and OBP7, recently reported in aphids, may be involved in EBF perception. The aim of this study was to investigate the respondence of the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi to its intraspecific alarm pheromone and which OBP is responsible for that response. We tested the olfactory response of the aphid R. padi to EBF and freshly crushed aphids. Then, we extracted the volatiles from crushed aphids using solid phase microextraction (SPME) for analysis with GC × GC–TOF/MS. We also cloned two OBPs cDNAs in R. padi ( RpadOBP3 and RpadOBP7 ) and expressed them in competent Escherichia coli cells. Both recombinant proteins, RpadOBP3 and RpadOBP7, bound EBF well, with RpadOBP7 having specifically stronger affinity for EBF than for other volatiles. Based on the crystal structure of the OBPs with high identity, we performed homology modeling and analyzed the interactions between RpadOBPs and EBF. In conclusion, R . padi was repelled by both EBF and crushed aphids. EBF was identified as the only volatile that acted as the alarm pheromone. Our results indicated that OBP7 is a potential molecular target to control wheat aphids by disturbing their behaviors to the alarm pheromone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The free vibration responses are divergent based on a complex time-domain damping model. The traditional step by step integration method cannot be used to calculate the time-domain responses. Based on the theoretic solution that eliminates the divergent term for the complex damping model, the equivalent viscous damping model is proposed and the corresponding average acceleration method is realized in this paper. The numerical cases show that the calculated results of the equivalent viscous damped system are convergent, which are equal to the ones of the deleted divergent term based on the complex damping model. The correctness of the proposed method is verified, and the computational efficiency is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel hydrazone covalent organic framework (TY-Hz COF) has been constructed for simultaneous detection and recovery of Au(III) with high sensitivity and excellent selectivity. The unique fluorescent properties of TY-Hz COF can be exploited to selectively detect Au(III) via fluorescence quenching, and the abundant hydrazone groups on TY-Hz COF can capture Au(III) by coordination and hydrogen bonding interactions and further reduce Au(III) to Au(0) through redox, thus possessing a high recovery efficiency and a fast kinetics (within 2 min) for Au(III) from electronic waste. [Display omitted] • A fluorescent hydrazone covalent organic framework (TY-Hz COF) has been constructed. • The TY-Hz COF can be exploited for selective and sensitive detection of Au(III). • The hydrazone groups of TY-Hz COF facilitate fast Au recovery from electronic waste. • TY-Hz COF can efficiently capture Au by coordination, hydrogen bonding and further redox. Developing a material that can simultaneously detect and recover Au(III) is economically desirable. Herein, we constructed a two-dimensional mesoporous fluorescent covalent organic framework named TY-Hz COF by integrating 1,3,6,8-tetra(4-formylphenyl)pyrene (TY) and terephthalic dihydrazide (Hz) into a π-conjugated framework for simultaneous detection and recovery of Au(III). The TY-Hz COF suspension can rapidly (10 s) and sensitively response to Au(III) with electron transfer-induced fluorescence quenching and visual color change from bright yellow to dark green, and the limit of detection is as low as 17 nM. Moreover, TY-Hz COF can capture more than 92 % Au(III) in the solution with extremely fast kinetics (within 2 min) and excellent selectivity with a maximum adsorption capacity of 1008.30 mg g−1. It is worth mentioning that TY-Hz is the first type of COF that achieves Au(III) detection, adsorption and chemical reduction simultaneously. Mechanistic studies reveal that the detection and adsorption behaviors can be attributed to the synergistic effect of reduction, coordination interaction between neutral amide functional groups and Au(III), and hydrogen bonding between protonated amides and AuCl 4 -. These results suggest that TY-Hz COF shows great potential for Au(III) detection and recovery in electronic waste (e-waste). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An open-end winding permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) has a larger range of speed regulation than normal PMSM with the same DC voltage, and the control method is more flexible. It can also manage energy distribution between two power sources without a DC/DC converter. This paper aims at an electric vehicle equipped with OW-PMSM drive system with dual power sources and dual inverters; based on analyzing the external characteristics of each winding mode, we propose a winding mode switching strategy whose torque saturation judgmental algorithm, which is insensitive to motor’s parameters, could automatically realize upswitching of the winding mode. The proposed multi-level current hysteresis modulation algorithm could set the major power source and switch it at any time in independent mode, which accomplishes energy distribution between two power sources; its two control methods, low switching frequency method and high power difference method, could achieve different energy distribution effects. Simulation results confirm the validity and effectiveness of the winding mode switching strategy and current modulation method. They also show that an electric vehicle under the proposed control methods has better efficiency than one equipped with a traditional OW-PMSM drive system under traditional control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and chemosensory proteins (CSPs) of aphids are thought to be responsible for the initial molecular interactions during olfaction that mediate detection of chemical signals. Analysis of the diversity of proteins involved comprises critical basic research work that will facilitate the development of sustainable pest control strategies. To help us better understand differences in the olfactory system between winged and wingless grain aphids, we constructed an antennal transcriptome from winged and wingless Sitobion avenae (Fabricius), one of the most serious pests of cereal fields worldwide. Among the 133,331 unigenes in the antennal assembly, 13 OBP and 5 CSP putative transcripts were identified with 6 OBP and 3 CSP sequences representing new S. avenae annotations. We used qPCR to examine the expression profile of these genes sets across S. avenae development and in various tissues. We found 7 SaveOBPs and 1 SaveCSP were specifically or significantly elevated in antennae compared with other tissues, and that some transcripts (SaveOBP8, SaveCSP2 and SaveCSP5) were abundantly expressed in the legs of winged or wingless aphids. The expression levels of the SaveOBPs and SaveCSPs varied depending on the developmental stage. Possible physiological functions of these genes are discussed. Further molecular and functional studies of these olfactory related genes will explore their potential as novel targets for controlling S. avenae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders comprise the spectrum of cognitive, behavioral, and neurological impairments caused by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was performed on 54 children (age 10.1 ± 1.0 years) from the Cape Town Longitudinal Cohort, for whom detailed drinking histories obtained during pregnancy are available: 26 with full fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or partial FAS (PFAS), 15 nonsyndromal heavily exposed (HE), and 13 controls. Using voxelwise analyses, children with FAS/PFAS showed significantly lower fractional anisotropy (FA) in four white matter (WM) regions and higher mean diffusivity (MD) in seven; three regions of FA and MD differences (left inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), splenium, and isthmus) overlapped, and the fourth FA cluster was located in the same WM bundle (right ILF) as an MD cluster. HE children showed lower FA and higher MD in a subset of these regions. Significant correlations were observed between three continuous alcohol measures and DTI values at cluster peaks, indicating that WM damage in several regions is dose dependent. Lower FA in the regions of interest was attributable primarily to increased radial diffusivity rather than decreased axonal diffusivity, suggesting poorer axon packing density and/or myelination. Multiple regression models indicated that this cortical WM impairment partially mediated adverse effects of PAE on information processing speed and eyeblink conditioning. Hum Brain Mapp 37:2943-2958, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wet chemical and pyrolytic process is used to reduce zirconium oxide uniformly distributed in liquidic polysilazane preceramic precursor via sodium borohydride and zirconium n-propoxide to form zirconium oxide embedded silicon carbonitride (ZrO 2 -SiCN(O)) ceramic composite film. Its average hardness (H*) and modulus of elasticity (E *) achieve 11.54 GPa and 101.2 GPa, respectively. Its index of elastic strain to failure, H* /E * and fracture toughness index, H* 3 /E * 2 can reach 0.114 and 0.115 GPa. The average hardness and reduced modulus of elasticity are enhanced 25.2% and 30.2% as ZrO 2 embedded in SiCN(O) ceramic film. The copper foam is coated with SiCN(O) ceramic film as the working electrode whose corrosion potential achieve 0.52 V that is 23 times higher than that of the pure copper foam. Its lowest current density is 7.42 × 10−7 A m−2 that is one hundredth of the pure copper foam as the working electrode. [Display omitted] • Strong electrochemical-mechanical coating, ZrO 2 -SiCN(O) is developed. • Its average hardness and modulus of ZrO-SiCN(O) coating achieve 11.54 and 101.2 GPa. • Its average hardness and modulus are enhanced 25.2% and 30.2% as ZrO embedded. • Corrosion potential and rate of SiCN(O)/Cu are 0.52 V and 7.56μmyear−1,respectively • The lowest current density of SiCN(O)/Cu electrode is 7.42 × 10−7Am−2via Tafel curve [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Branched-chain β-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) catalyzes the critical step in the branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolic pathway and has been the focus of extensive studies. Mutations in the complex disrupt many fundamental metabolic pathways and cause multiple human diseases including maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), autism, and other related neurological disorders. BCKDH may also be required for the synthesis of monomethyl branched-chain fatty acids (mmBCFAs) from BCAAs. The pathology of MSUD has been attributed mainly to BCAA accumulation, but the role of mmBCFA has not been evaluated. Here we show that disrupting BCKDH in Caenorhabditis elegans causes mmBCFA deficiency, in addition to BCAA accumulation. Worms with deficiency in BCKDH function manifest larval arrest and embryonic lethal phenotypes, and mmBCFA supplementation suppressed both without correcting BCAA levels. The majority of developmental defects caused by BCKDHdeficiency may thus be attributed to lacking mmBCFAs in worms. Tissue-specific analysis shows that restoration of BCKDH function in multiple tissues can rescue the defects, but is especially effective in neurons. Taken together, we conclude that mmBCFA deficiency is largely responsible for the developmental defects in the worm and conceivably might also be a critical contributor to the pathology of human MSUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The directed self-propulsion of a spherical target molecule fuelled by a chemical reaction is investigated. This source–target system consists of a spherical position-fixed source molecule and a freely moving target, separated at an initial distanceR0in solution. The irreversible chemical reaction which convertsAsolvent particle toBspecies occurs catalytically on the surface of the source molecule. This generates a non-equilibriumBsolvent density gradient from the source to the target molecule. Therefore, a directed movement of the target can be achieved due to the difference of force between the target sphere andBsolvent particles in all directions, and the target will finally be captured by the source. We have demonstrated the diffusiophoretic particle capture dynamics theoretically and described how the capture time and velocity can be affected by some key factors, such as chemical reaction rate, source and target molecule size, initial sphere separation, etc. The capture dynamics has also been studied by the coarse-grained mesoscopic hybrid molecular dynamics – multi-particle collision dynamics simulation. Great agreement has been found when we compare the simulated capture dynamics to the theoretical predictions. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Context: Seven dark-septate endophytic (DSE) fungi have been isolated from the roots of Epimedium wushanense T. S. Ying (Berberidaceae), an important medicinal plant with various pharmacological activities. Objective: The current study explores the effects of seven DSE fungi on the growth and accumulation of bioactive compounds in E. wushanense. Materials and methods: Each 1-month-old E. wushanense seedling was inoculated with one of the seven DSE fungi and was grown under greenhouse conditions for 90 d. The molecular identification of the fungi was based on the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 nuclear ribosomal gene cluster. Results: The results showed that the influence of DSE fungi inoculation varied between strains. Inoculation with DSE8 not only significantly enhanced plant height, root length, leaf area, leaf number, and shoot and root biomass but also improved the total flavonoid and icariin content, with an increase ranging from 20.24% to 237.97%. Three of the seven DSE fungi caused the inoculated plants to die, and the remaining three DSE strains showed neutral or negative effects on plant growth and the accumulation of bioactive compounds. According to the ITS sequence, DSE8 is congeneric to the genus Leptodontidium. Discussion and conclusion: The findings indicate that application of DSE8 may be valuable to facilitate the cultivation of E. wushanense with a higher biomass and improved medicinal quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]