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Aiming at the problem of insufficient accuracy in wind power prediction caused by the lack of target meteorological forecast data, a wind power prediction method based on spatial correlation and Stacking ensemble learning is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the spatial correlation between the target wind farm and adjacent meteorological stations is analyzed. The delay time is determined based on the extreme points of the correlation coefficient, and a wind speed time-shift dataset is constructed. Secondly, the Stacking ensemble method is used to integrate multiple algorithms to predict the wind power of the target wind farm from multiple data observation perspectives. It leverages the complementary advantages of different algorithms, enhancing overall generalization ability. Additionally, it can effectively balance search time and model performance by adopting the particle swarm optimization algorithm to search for model hyperparameters. Finally, the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method have been verified by the measured data from a wind farm in East China. The results show that it can effectively improve the wind power prediction accuracy in the case of missing data by considering the information bias at different locations with the data input and prediction models.

Hybridization coupling among plasmon modes is an effective approach to manipulate near-field properties thus optical spectral shapes of plasmonic nanostructures. Generally, mode hybridization coupling is achieved by modifying the topography and dimensions of nanostructures themselves, with few concerns about substrate-induced manipulation. Herein, we propose a composite nanostructure consisting of a gold (Au) nanodisk array and a thin Au film supported by a dielectric substrate. In this configuration, both the refractive index of the dielectric substrate and thin gold film’s thickness mediate the interaction of plasmon modes supported by upper and lower interfaces of the composite nanostructure, resulting in two hybridized plasmon modes. We systematically investigate the relationship between optical fields at the top surface of plasmon modes before and after the hybridization coupling. Specifically, the near-field amplitude at the top surface of the unhybridized modes is stronger than that of individual hybridized mode, and lower than the near-field summation of these two hybridized modes. This work not only provides a straightforward strategy for generating two plasmon modes in a nanostructure but also elucidates the variation of the optical field during the hybridization process, which is of crucial significance for applications, such as upconversion enhancement and multi-resonance sensing.

Abstract Background The revolutionary technology of smartphone-based retinal imaging has been consistently improving over the years. Smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices are designed to be portable, easy to use, and cost-efficient, which enables eye care to be more widely accessible especially in geographically remote areas. This enables early disease detection for those who are in low- and middle- income population or just in general has very limited access to eye care. This study investigates the limitation of smartphone compatibility of existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices. Additionally, this study aims to propose a universal adapter design that is usable with an existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition device known as the PanOptic ophthalmoscope. This study also aims to simulate the reliability, validity, and performance overall of the developed prototype. Methods A literature review has been conducted that identifies the limitation of smartphone compatibility among existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices. Designing and modeling of proposed adapter were performed using the software AutoCAD 3D. For the proposed performance evaluation, finite element analysis (FEA) in the software Autodesk Inventor and 5-point scale method were demonstrated. Results Published studies demonstrate that most of the existing smartphone-based retinal imaging devices have compatibility limited to specific older smartphone models. This highlights the benefit of a universal adapter in broadening the usability of existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices. A functional universal adapter design has been developed that demonstrates its compatibility with a variety of smartphones regardless of the smartphone dimension or the position of the smartphone’s camera lens. The proposed performance evaluation method generates an efficient stress analysis of the proposed adapter design. The end-user survey results show a positive overall performance of the developed universal adapter. However, a significant difference between the expert's views on the developed adapter and the quality of images is observed. Conclusion The compatibility of existing smartphone-based retinal imaging devices is still mostly limited to specific smartphone models. Besides this, the concept of a universal and suitable adapter for retinal imaging using the PanOptic ophthalmoscope was presented and validated in this paper. This work provides a platform for future development of smartphone-based ophthalmoscope that is universal.

Bacterial infections pose considerable health risks, emphasising the critical need for effective and biocompatible antibacterial drugs. Considerably, we developed an efficient antimicrobial system incorporating the combined potential of high-frequency ultrasound and antimicrobial drugs against bacterial infections. A ZnO–kaolinite (Kaol) composite with antibacterial properties was synthesised by growing ZnO on the Kaol nano-clay surface using the co-precipitation method. High-frequency ultrasound efficiently promotes the release of Zn2+, which enhances the antibacterial properties. Furthermore, in-depth in vitro antibacterial studies and bacterial live/dead staining experiments validate the exceptionally high antibacterial performance of the composite. Therefore, owing to the synergistic effects of high-frequency ultrasound and antibacterial properties, the as-prepared novel antibacterial composite is a promising potential substitute for conventional antibacterial agents.

The design and application of carborane polypeptide derivatives have attracted more and more attention, especially as boron carrier in the treatment of malignant tumors(BNCT). BNCT uses 10B to react with neutron capture, releasing alpha particles that kill tumor cells. As a binary targeted therapy, the key to its success is the targeting and affinity effect of boron carriers. At present, how to design more efficient boron carriers is the main problem in the development of BNCT. Polypeptides, as biological essential substances, can be taken up specifically by tumors while increasing the targeting of their derivatives, which is a great advantage of carbborane polypeptide compounds as boron carriers. In this paper, the reported carbborane polypeptide derivatives are classified and summarized for the first time, and the development potential as boron carriers for neutron capture therapy is evaluated. The summary of carbborane containing polypeptide derivatives will provide research impetus for the development of a new generation of boron carriers designed for neutron capture therapy.

Delayed wound healing induced by bacterial infection and a persistent inflammatory response remains a great clinical challenge. Herein, we reported a paintable, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory Nap-F3K-CA (Nap-Phe-Phe-Phe-Lys-Caffeic Acid) hydrogel for burn wound management based on caffeic acid (CA)-functionalized short peptides (Nap-Phe-Phe-Phe-Lys). Hydrogels are assembled by non-covalent interactions between gelators, and the incorporation of CA promotes the self-assembly of the hydrogel. After being applied to burn wounds, the hydrogel effectively adapted to irregular wound beds and maintained a moist protective environment at the wound. The Nap-F3K-CA hydrogel can scavenge ROS to relieve oxidative damage and downregulate proinflammatory levels. The Nap-F3K-CA hydrogel also displayed potent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, which reduced the incidence of wound infections. Moreover, the hydrogel exhibited good biocompatibility and hemostatic function. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the Nap-F3K-CA hydrogel significantly accelerated the repair of the skin structure including promoting collagen deposition, vascular regeneration, and hair follicle formation. These findings proved the clinical application potential of the Nap-F3K-CA hydrogel as a promising burn wound dressing.

BackgroundIn recent years, immunotherapy has been emerging as a promising alternative therapeutic method for cancer patients, offering potential benefits. The expression of PD-L1 by tumors can inhibit the T-cell response to the tumor and allow the tumor to evade immune surveillance. To address this issue, cancer immunotherapy has shown promise in disrupting the interaction between PD-L1 and its ligand PD-1.MethodsWe used mirror-image phage display technology in our experiment to screen and determine PD-L1 specific affinity peptides (PPL-C). Using CT26 cells, we established a transplanted mouse tumor model to evaluate the inhibitory effects of PPL-C on tumor growth in vivo. We also demonstrated that PPL-C inhibited the differentiation of T regulatory cells (Tregs) and regulated the production of cytokines.ResultsIn vitro, PPL-C has a strong affinity for PD-L1, with a binding rate of 0.75 μM. An activation assay using T cells and mixed lymphocytes demonstrated that PPL-C inhibits the interaction between PD-1 and PD-L1. PPL-C or an anti-PD-L1 antibody significantly reduced the rate of tumor mass development in mice compared to those given a control peptide (78% versus 77%, respectively). The results of this study demonstrate that PPL-C prevents or retards tumor growth. Further, immunotherapy with PPL-C enhances lymphocyte cytotoxicity and promotes proliferation in CT26-bearing mice.ConclusionPPL-C exhibited antitumor and immunoregulatory properties in the colon cancer. Therefore, PPL-C peptides of low molecular weight could serve as effective cancer immunotherapy.

To evaluate the influence of grinded particle size on the determination of aflatoxin B1(AFB1), improve the sample preparation method and the repeatability of the current national standard detection method for the determination of AFB1 of corn raw grain samples, this study uses natural AFB1-positive corn as experimental material, and four grades of samples with different particle size ranges were obtained by means of graded preparation, so as to maximize the differences of particle size distribution of samples at all levels. The influence of sample preparation on AFB1 determination values was evaluated by AFB1 determination values and coefficient of variation in samples of all levels, and the optimal sample preparation requirements and sample size were obtained and verified. The AFB1 content of different particle size samples was inversely proportional to that of the sample after grinding. When the sample weight is 5 g, it should be crushed until all through the 0.6 mm sieve. When the sample weight is 10 g, it should be crushed until all through the 0.9 mm sieve, so that the test results meet the requirements of GB/T 32465—2015《Requirements for verification & validation of detection methods and internal quality control on chemical analysis》. The results give consideration to the determination accuracy and operation efficiency of AFB1, which can be applied to the detection of other mycotoxins and has important significance for improving the detection methods of mycotoxins in foodstuff.

Abstract The neutron capture cross section of $$ ^{181} $$ 181 Ta is relevant to s-process of nuclear astrophysics, extraterrestrial samples analysis in planetary geology and new generation nuclear energy system design. The $$^{181}$$ 181 Ta( $$n,\gamma $$ n , γ ) cross section had been measured between 1 eV and 800 keV at the back-streaming white neutron facility (Back-n) of China spallation neutron source(CSNS) using the time-of-flight (TOF) technique and $$\hbox {C}_{6}\,\hbox {D}_{6}$$ C 6 D 6 liquid scintillator detectors. The experimental results are compared with the data of several evaluated libraries and previous experiments in the resolved and unresolved resonance region. Resonance parameters are extracted using the R-Matrix code SAMMY in the 1–700 eV region. The astrophysical Maxwell average cross section(MACS) from kT = 5 to 100 keV is calculated over a sufficiently wide range of neutron energies. For the characteristic thermal energy of an astrophysical site, at kT = 30keV the MACS value of $$^{181}$$ 181 Ta is 834 ± 75 mb, which shows an obvious discrepancy with the Karlsruhe Astrophysical Database of Nucleosynthesis in Stars (KADoNiS) recommended value 766 ± 15 mb. The new measurements strongly constrain the MACS of $$^{181}$$ 181 Ta( $$n,\gamma $$ n , γ ) reaction in the stellar s-process temperatures.

The MS6.2 earthquake occurred in Jishishan, Gansu Province, China, on December 18, 2023. Based on some strong seismic acceleration time histories captured by some stations of China National Strong Earthquake Observation Network and National Earthquake Early Warning Network, the spatial distribution characteristics, rupture directivity effect, hanging wall and footwall effect, response spectrum characteristics, and attenuation of the peak ground acceleration (PGA) were analyzed in this paper. It can be used as reference for the site determination of post-earthquake reconstruction and seismic design of engineering structures. The analysis shows that the spatial distribution of strong ground motion of the Jishishan MS6.2 earthquake is mainly controlled by the distribution of causative fault. Near the fault, the effect of rupture directivity is obvious. The effect of hanging wall and footwall significantly affects the distribution of PGAs for this earthquake, causing a pronounced asymmetric pattern about PGAs relative to the fault, with slower attenuation on the hanging wall compared to the footwall. The type of site obviously affects the characteristics of response spectrum. The ground motion intensity observed at the epicenter of this earthquake significantly exceeded the levels of rare and extremely rare seismic events in the current seismic design codes. The attenuation relationship of PGA obtained by regression analysis shows that ones in the 5th generation Chinese ground motion parameter zoning map for the Qinghai-Tibet region underestimate the horizontal PGA.

Gastric cancer (GC) is an aggressive malignant disease which still lacks effective early diagnosis markers and targeted therapies, representing the fourth-leading cause of cancer-associated death worldwide. The Hippo signaling pathway plays crucial roles in organ size control and tissue homeostasis under physiological conditions, yet its aberrations have been closely associated with several hallmarks of cancer. The last decade witnessed a burst of investigations dissecting how Hippo dysregulation contributes to tumorigenesis, highlighting the therapeutic potential of targeting this pathway for tumor intervention. In this review, we systemically document studies on the Hippo pathway in the contexts of gastric tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, acquired drug resistance, and the emerging development of Hippo-targeting strategies. By summarizing major open questions in this field, we aim to inspire further in-depth understanding of Hippo signaling in GC development, as well as the translational implications of targeting Hippo for GC treatment.

The neutron capture measurement of natural rhenium was performed with the time-of-flight technique at the Back-n facility of the China Spallation Neutron Source in the energy range from 1 to 500 eV of the resolved resonance region (RRR) and from 5 to 400 keV in the unresolved resonance region (URR). Prompt γ-rays originating from neutron-induced capture events were detected by four C_{6}D_{6} detectors. The pulse height weighting technique and the double-bunch unfolding method based on the Bayesian theory were used in the data analysis. To obtain reliable measurement results, background subtraction, normalization, and corrections were carefully considered. The multilevel R-matrix Bayesian code SAMMY was used to extract the resonance parameters in the RRR. An absence of resonance near 392 eV is observed in our measurement, which has been observed in previous works. The average cross sections in the URR of natural rhenium relative to ^{197}Au were obtained in logarithmical equidistant energy bins with 20 bins per energy decade. The talys code was used to describe the average cross sections in the URR; the Maxwellian-averaged cross sections (MACSs) of ^{185}Re and ^{187}Re are given from kT=5 to 100 keV. At a thermal energy of kT=30 keV, the MACS value for ^{185}Re (1469±127 mb) is in good agreement with the Karlsruhe Astrophysical Database of Nucleosynthesis in Stars (KADoNIS) recommended value (1535±62 mb) within the error bars. By contrast, the value of 1361±118 mb for ^{187}Re shows a discrepancy with the KADoNiS recommended value (1160±57 mb).

The knowledge-enhanced pre-trained language models attempt to use the structured knowledge stored in the knowledge graph to strengthen the pre-trained language models, so that they can learn not only the general semantic knowledge from the free text, but also the factual entity knowledge behind the text. In this way, the enhanced models can effectively solve downstream knowledge-driven tasks. Although this is a promising research direction, the current works are still in the exploratory stage, and there is no comprehensive summary and systematic arrangement. This paper aims to address the lack of comprehensive reviews of this direction. To this end, on the basis of summarizing and sorting out a large number of relevant works, this paper firstly explains the background information from three aspects: the reasons, the advantages, and the difficulties of introducing knowledge, summarizes the basic concepts involved in the knowledge-enhanced pre-trained language models. Then, it discusses three types of knowledge enhancement methods: using knowledge to expand input features, using knowledge to modify model architecture, and using knowledge to constrain training tasks. Finally, it counts the scores of various knowledge enhanced pre-trained language models on several evaluation tasks, analyzes the performance, the current challenges, and possible future directions of knowledge-enhanced pre-trained language models.

Gadolinium neutron capture therapy(GdNCT) is an innovative treatment that exert damage on tumor cells based on the capture reaction between thermal neutron and gadolinium. In comparison with other types of neutron capture therapy(NCT), gadolinium has the highest thermal capture cross section of any natural elements. Gadolinium-based agents are widely used in magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) as contrast agents. The improvements of multiple gadolinium-based agents have been applied to enhance therapeutic efficacy of GdNCT. In this review, principles of gadolinium neutron capture therapy were studied and diverse strategies to improve therapeutic efficacy of gadolinium-based agents were summarized. Giving a perspective on GdNCT to prompt its clinical use.

232Th/233U fuel cycle is an alternate candidate for future nuclear energy. Neutron-induced fission cross section of 232Th is one of the important nuclear data if using thorium as the fuel in the future. 232Th(n, f) cross sections from 1 to 300 MeV were measured at China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) Back-streaming neutron facility (Back-n) relative to 235U(n, f) and n-p scattering. A fast ionization chamber for fission cross section measurement (FIXM) and a proton recoil telescope (PRT) were used to perform the measurement. The neutron energy in this measurement reaches up to 300 MeV which is supposed to be the highest among the current Experimental Nuclear Reaction Data (EXFOR) library. It stands as the only experimental data in the region of 200-300 MeV in EXFOR as well. The experimental and evaluated data of 232Th(n, f) cross section above 60 MeV are scarce, the measurement data of this work will be valuable references for future evaluation in high energy. For the data below 60 MeV, most of our data are more consistent with ENDF/B-VIII.0, excepting in the region of 1-2 MeV where our data are more in favor of CENDL-3.2.

With the improvement of alloy manufacturing level and the complexity of performance requirements, high-entropy alloys (HEAs) have gradually attracted great attention.At present,the research in the field of material processing mainly focuses on brazing and surface engineering.In the field of brazing, HEAs can be used as filler material for brazing at high temperature and low temperature, the empirical parameters related to high entropy were summarized. The application of the simulation and calculation methods such as first-principle method and calculation of phase diagram were described in the field of HEAs design for filler metals development. The latest research progress of HEAs fillers for brazing of nickel-based superalloys and dissimilar ceramics-metals, as well as low temperature packaging was introduced. The influence of welding process parameters on microstructure and properties of HEAs brazing joints was also analysed.In the field of surface engineering, the application direction and preparation methods of HEAs in film/coating were discussed. The research progress in high-temperature protective coating, hard protective layer and other application directions was summarized. At the same time, the problems existing in the research and application of HEAs in the fields of brazing and surface engineering were summarized. The future trends were put forward in order to decrease the melting temperature of HEAs filler, improve high temperature mechanical properties of welds, and develop the eutectic HEAs filler/coating.

BackgroundEarly childhood fall is a pressing global public health problem and one of the leading causes of child injury. China has a high proportion of children and a high burden of illness from falls. Therefore, educational interventions to prevent childhood fall would be beneficial.MethodsWe used the outcome of knowledge, attitude and practice questionnaire, which was conducted by Pudong New District of Shanghai Municipal Government, to summarize demographic and baseline characteristics grouped by intervention or not, and analyzed descriptive statistics of continuous and categorical variables. A logistic stepwise function model was established to study the influence of different covariables on the degree of injury, and AIC/BIC/AICC was used to select the optimal model. Finally, we carried out single-factor analysis and established a multifactor model by the stepwise function method.ResultsAttitude and actual behavior scores had significant differences. The intervention and control groups had 20.79 ± 3.20 and 20.39 ± 2.89 attitude scores, respectively. Compared to the control group (5.97 ± 1.32), the intervention group had higher actual behavior scores (5.75 ± 1.50). In the univariate analysis results, fathers' education level, mothers' education level, actual behavior and what cares for children had a significant influence on whether children got injured. In multivariate analysis, attitude had a positive influence on whether injured [odds ratio: 1.13 (1.05–1.21), P < 0.001].ConclusionEducational intervention for children and their guardians can effectively reduce the risk of childhood falls, and changes in behavior and attitude are the result of educational influence. Education of childhood fall prevention can be used as a public health intervention to improve children's health.

Mycotoxin contamination is one of the key elements arousing grain safety problems and challenges, which are thus the increasingly focus- and hot-spot research area at global level. Hence, the development of fast-time, high-accuracy, low-cost, and simple-operation detection methods for monitoring mycotoxin is critical to the guarantee of grains afety and quality. During the whole process of biosensor, specificity and selectivity of recognition elements is prerequisite for the excellent analytical performance. This paper summarized the forms of major recognition elements reported in previous publications in the last few years, and reviewed the application of biosensors based on recognition elements in monitoring mycotoxins, and the main problems existing in this researching stage were also proposed, which could provide novel ideas and new sights into the development of related studies.

DNA methylation of promoter regions is often associated with epigenetic silencing of gene expression, and DNA methyltransferase (DNMTs) has been used to suppress gene expression. In order to explore the synergistic roles of two methyltransferase members Dnmt3a and Dnmt1, we constructed expression plasmid that could express a recombinant DNMTs consisting of the C‐terminal domains of both Dnmt3a and Dnmt1 fused to a zinc finger domain which binds to the PD‐L1 promoter of human prostate cancer cells (DU145). Programmed death ligand 1 (PD‐L1, B7‐H1, CD‐274) is a transmembrane protein widely expressed on antigen‐presenting and other immune cells. The interaction of PD‐L1 with its receptor PD‐1 is considered an ‘immune checkpoint' for possible cancer therapy. DU145 cells treated with the Dnmt3aC‐1C plasmid showed significantly reduced expression of PD‐L1 as compared to Dnmt3aC or Dnmt1C alone. Our results show that the fusion of Dnmt1 improves the methylation activity of Dnmt3a and enhances its biological functions. This combinatorial strategy can be used to better control PD‐L1 expression to support cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) response against tumors.

ND steel is a low alloy steel that resists the dew point corrosion of sulfuric acid.To improve the special performance of ND steel, the chemical composition of ND steel not only contains conventional elements but also adds corrosion-resistant elements, such as Cu, Cr, and Ni.During the solidification process, the molten steel will undergo a phase change reaction.Owing to the differences in the distribution coefficients and diffusion coefficients of solute elements in different phases, solute elements will be redistributed in the solid-liquid two-phase region during solidification, which will lead to microsegregation of solute elements.The microsegregation of solute element makes the zero strength temperature and zero plasticity temperature (ZDT) of steel decrease, which makes the temperature range of brittleness expand and deteriorates the mechanical property of high temperature of the continuous casting billet, and finally increases the probability of inducing surface cracks.This paper takes the microsegregation of solute elements as the research background.Herein, a microsegregation model for the solute in the solidified two-phase region of an ND steel continuous casting billet was established.In the model, the effects of elements C, S, and P on high-temperature mechanical parameters and solute redistribution of steel in its solid-liquid two-phase region were studied, and the variation law of the segregation ratio of elemental P with cooling rate (CR) was also explored.According to the analysis of the model results, when the initial C content was between 0.075%and 0.125%, with an increase in the initial C content, segregation of P and S elements intensified, and the temperature drop at the solidification end became larger, leading to the increase in the brittle temperature range.According to the analysis of the model results, increasing the initial content of P and S will decrease the segregation ratio of P and S elements but will increase the enrichment content of P and S elements in the residual liquid phase between dendrites, directly leading to the decline of ZDT.Analysis of the model results shows that the Cu content in ND steel is lower than the critical content that significantly increases the crack sensitivity, and the segregation ratio of Cu element is at a low level during solidification.Therefore, elemental Cu cannot dominate the induced crack in ND steel during solidification.Finally, within a certain range of cooling rate fluctuation, the segregation ratio of P will decrease slightly with increasing CR.

In order to meet the requirements of MHz high frequency driving in SAW(surface acoustic wave)-electronic cigarette atomization chip, a novel driving and controlling circuit has been designed and developed based on MCU control and DDS(direct digital frequency synthesis) technology, which is composed of MCU control module, signal generation module, signal processing module, human-machine interaction module, and power supply module. The systematic test platform has been setup, and the working performance of the driving and controlling circuit has been tested and analyzed. The results show that the circuit can realize sinu- soidal signal output with high frequency from 0 MHz to 65 MHz, small frequency error(~0.02%-1.9%), and adjustable power up to 4.5 W. Further, the circuit also shows significant performances with stable and reliable signal output, high precision, wide frequency range, and strong load driving capability. The work of this paper will potentially drive the application of SAW technology in the atomization of E-liquid, and the circuit can also be extended to be applied in other fields in SAW-microfluid atomization.

Most traditional mold fluxes are Newtonian fluids, and their constant viscosity has certain limitations in continuous casting. A new non-Newtonian fluid mold flux with shear-thinning behavior, i.e., a mold flux with a relatively high viscosity at lower shear rates and a relatively low viscosity at higher shear rates, is required to satisfy the mold-flux performance requirements for high-speed continuous casting. The addition of a certain amount of B2O3 to a CaO–SiO2–Na2O-based mold flux can result in a shear-thinning property. To obtain an improved understanding of the mechanism of this characteristic, a molecular-dynamics simulation method was used to study the microstructural changes of the mold flux. Structural changes of mold-flux samples were analyzed and verified by Raman spectroscopy. The results of the two methods were almost the same, both resulted from the addition of B2O3 and changed the microstructure and degree of polymerization of the mold flux, which resulted in the shear-thinning property of the mold flux. This non-Newtonian fluid mold flux was used in square-billet casting tests, and the quality of the slab was improved effectively.

Background/Aims: Anoctamin1 (Ca2+-activated Cl- channel, ANO1) is a specific marker of the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in the gastrointestinal tract, and are candidate proteins that can function as pacemaker channels. Recently, novel selective ANO1 inhibitors were discovered and used to study Ca2+-activated Cl- channels. Therefore, to investigate whether ANO1 channels function as pacemaker channels, selective ANO1 inhibitors were tested with respect to the pacemaker potentials in ICC. Methods: Whole-cell patch-clamp recording, RT-PCR, and intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) imaging were performed in cultured ICC obtained from mice. Results: Though CaCCinh-A01 (5 µM), T16Ainh-A01 (5 µM), and MONNA (5 µM) (selective ANO1 inhibitors) blocked the generation of pacemaker potentials in colonic ICC, they did not do so in small intestinal ICC. Though nifulmic acid (10 µM) and DIDS (10 µM) (classical Ca2+-activated Cl- channel inhibitors) also had no effect in small intestinal ICC, they suppressed the generation of pacemaker potentials in colonic ICC. In addition, knockdown of ANO1 reduced the pacemaker potential frequency in colonic ICC alone. Though ANO1 inhibitors suppressed [Ca2+]i oscillations in colonic ICC, they did not do so in small intestinal ICC. T-type Ca2+ channels were expressed in the both the small intestinal and colonic ICC, but mibefradil (5 µM) and NiCl2 (30 µM) (T-type Ca2+ channel inhibitors) inhibited the generation of pacemaker potentials in colonic ICC alone. Conclusion: These results indicate that though ANO1 and T-type Ca2+ channels participate in generating pacemaker potentials in colonic ICC, they do not do so in small intestinal ICC. Therefore, the mechanisms underlying pacemaking in ICC might be different in the small intestine and the colon.

BACKGROUND The injection of nanoscale zero valent iron particles (nZVI) into groundwater has been recently developed as an in-situ groundwater remediation technology. Most researches focused on how to remove a single type pollutant and the related mechanism. However, cases on the coexisting multiple pollutants in groundwater should not be ignored. OBJECTIVES To synthesize the bentonite-supported nanoscale Fe/Ni bimetals(B-Fe/Ni), in order to remove typical pollutants of trichloroethylene (TCE) and hexavalent chromium[Cr(Ⅵ)] which exhibit high reactivity and are more stable to remediate contaminated water. Also, to assess the performance of B-Fe/Ni on the removal of coexisting TCE and Cr(Ⅵ) and to determine the reaction mechanism. METHODS B-Fe/Ni was synthesized by one-step method and the batch experiments were conducted on the removal of TCE coexisted with different concentration of Cr(Ⅵ) by B-Fe/Ni. The samples of B-Fe/Ni were characterized before and after the reaction, and the contents of TCE and Cr(Ⅵ) were also monitored. RESULTS B-Fe/Ni can efficiently remediate Cr(Ⅵ) and TCE in water. B-Fe/Ni (1 g/L) could completely remove Cr(Ⅵ) (50 mg/L) in 2 h in the presence of coexisting TCE (0.1 mmol/L). However, the degradation rate of TCE by B-Fe/Ni was decreased with increased initial concentration of Cr(Ⅵ) (0, 10, 30, 50 mg/L). According to TEM-EDS and XPS for B-Fe/Ni before and after reaction, it is shown that Fe-Cr co-precipitation from the fast interaction of B-Fe/Ni with Cr(Ⅵ) occupied the reactive sites on the surface of B-Fe/Ni, mitigating the degradation of TCE. According to the final products of TCE degradation, it is shown that TCE was completely dechlorinated. CONCLUSIONS B-Fe/Ni is suitable for the remediation of groundwater combined pollution. In practical applications, it is necessary to consider the mutual influence of multiple pollutants and select the appropriate reagent dosage and injection method. The proposed method has important theoretical significance and application for the development of ZVI repair technology.

Background/Aims: Deguelin is a natural rotenoid that shows anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. Rotenoids prevent oxidative damage and potentiate natural antioxidant activity in diabetic conditions, suggesting utility in treating diabetes and its complications. Here, we evaluate the potential efficacy of deguelin against diabetic neuropathy (DN). Methods: DN was induced by streptozotocin followed by daily treatment with deguelin (4, 6 or 8 mg/kg) for 14 days. Blood glucose was measured, neurobehavioral tests for nociception and motor coordination were performed, and neuron conduction velocities were analysed electrophysiologically. We also assessed (Na+-K+) ATPase activity, performed a reactive oxygen species assay, measured the levels of various markers of oxidative stress, and of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, conducted immunoblotting studies for proteins and ELISA for inflammatory cytokines. Results: Deguelin significantly suppressed mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia, as well as cold allodynia, and partially restored the conduction velocities of neurons in DN rats. Significantly decreased expression levels of capspase-3 in DRG neurons, and increased (Na+-K+) ATPase activity in sciatic nerves, were observed. In addition, deguelin decreased glucose levels, attenuated oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, and elevated levels of H2S, nuclear respiratory factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1, suggesting a disease-attenuating effect of deguelin in DN rats. To shed light on the underlying mechanism of action of deguelin, insulin- and dimethyl fumarate (BG-12)-treated groups were also included. Insulin suppressed glucose levels and BG-12 produced effects on Nrf2 levels similar to 8 mg/kg deguelin, confirming involvement of the Nrf2 pathway in the beneficial effects of deguelin against DN. Conclusions: Deguelin attenuated DN by decreasing oxidative stress and plasma glucose levels via the Nrf2 signalling pathway.

Oral cancer accounts for 3-5% of all cancers worldwide. The present study was undertaken to investigate the correlation between overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and various grades of oral cancer, and to ascertain the inhibitory effect of propolis in the human oral carcinoma cell line. For ex vivo studies, 45 patients with oral submucous fibrosis (OSF; n=15), oral leukoplakia (OLP; n=18) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC; n=18) were recruited, and a biopsy was done to determine COX-2 protein expression by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC). For the in vitro study, COX-2 levels were measured in human oral epidermal carcinoma cell line by immune blotting and IHC. The results of ex vivo studies by Western blotting revealed that COX-2 protein levels were highly upregulated in OSCC tissue, followed by OLP and OSF. The levels of COX-2 expression also showed a positive correlation with the grade (severity) of each oral precancerous and cancerous condition. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed the presence of intense COX-2 staining in the cells of OSCC tissue, equivalent to the OLP and OSF specimens. In the in vitro study of oral carcinoma KB cells, Western blotting and IHC analysis showed that caffeic acid phenyl ester (CAPE)-rich propolis and celecoxib, a standard COX-2 inhibitor, markedly downregulated COX-2 expression. These results suggest that propolis exhibits a chemopreventive potential by lowering COX-2 expression in the oral carcinoma KB cell line. Hence, propolis might be used as an adjuvant therapy for treating oral cancer with standard chemotherapy drugs.