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Background: Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) harboring Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) mutations represent a distinct subset with unique therapeutic challenges. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been transformative in lung cancer treatment, the efficacy of ICIs in HER2-mutated NSCLC remains to be established. Methods: We systematically searched for real-world studies investigating the use of ICIs in treating HER2-mutated NSCLC, sourced from the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases. Outcomes including objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and progression-free survival (PFS) were extracted for further analysis. Results: Twelve studies involving 260 patients were enrolled in this meta-analysis. Pooled data revealed an ORR of 0.26 (95% CI 0.17–0.34), a DCR of 0.68 (95% CI 0.55–0.81), and a median PFS (mPFS) of 5.36 months (95% CI 3.50–7.21). Notably, in the subgroup receiving combined immune and chemotherapy, the ORR increased to 0.37 (95% CI 0.26–0.49), the DCR to 0.79 (95% CI 0.70–0.87), and the mPFS to 7.10 months (95% CI 5.21–8.99). Conclusions: ICIs demonstrate promising anti-tumor activity and safety in patients with HER2-mutated NSCLC. Furthermore, the combined regimen of ICIs and chemotherapy may provide a significant therapeutic option for this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a leading subtype in lung cancer, with high morbidities and mortalities worldwide. microRNA (miRNA) has appeared to play indispensable roles in a variety of solid carcinomas. The current study focused on the functions of miR‐100 in NSCLC. Methods: qRT‐PCR was performed to detect miR‐100 and HOXA1 expressions in NSCLC tissues and cells. MTT and transwell assays were used to determine the functions of miR‐100 in NSCLC cell proliferation, invasion and migration abilities. Western blot was used to measure related protein expressions. Results: qRT‐PCR results showed that miR‐100 expressions were dramatically decreased in NSCLC tissues. MTT assays indicated that miR‐100 restoration inhibited NSCLC cell proliferation. Furthermore, transwell assay was performed to determine the impacts of miR‐100 on NSCLC invasion and migration abilities. As expected, the invasion and migration capacities were significantly repressed. Direct interactions between HOXA1 and miR‐100 were also verified via dual‐luciferase reporter assays. Western blot analysis demonstrated that miR‐100 exerted suppressive functions via regulating EMT and Wnt/β‐catenin in NSCLC cells. Conclusions: Our results showed that miR‐100 served antitumor roles in NSCLC, providing new evidence of miR‐100 as a promising therapeutic biomarker in NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this study was to determine baseline salt intake levels in a sample of the adult population of Shandong province and to establish the relationship between urinary sodium excretion and blood pressure. A total of 512 participants were recruited, and all the participants provided complete 24-hour urine collections. Physical assessment and socioeconomic status of participants were collected at the same time. The mean 24-hour urinary sodium excretion of all subjects was 228.0 ± 127.5 mmol/24 hours. Estimated salt intake was higher in obese subjects (17.6 ± 8.8 g/d) compared with overweight subjects (15.6 ± 8.0 g/d) and those with a normal BMI (13.9 ± 6.8 g/d). Likewise, urinary sodium excretion of hypertensive participants was dramatically higher than that of non-hypertensive ones, the equivalent of 18.2 ± 9.1 g/d vs 13.3 ± 6.8 g/d. Urinary sodium was significantly associated with SBP (β = 1.08, P = .018) after adjustment for potential confounders. In summary, we found significantly high levels of salt intake in Shandong Province, particularly in obese and hypertension subjects. It is quite important to improve public education about reducing salt intake to control blood pressure among Shandong people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to explore whether the renin C-5312T, angiotensin II type 1 receptor A1166C, and angiotensin-converting enzyme I/D polymorphisms were associated with ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and central hemodynamics in an untreated hypertensive population. A total of 471 participants with no previous treatment for raised BP were eligible for the study. Ambulatory and central BP were measured. DD carriers had the highest daytime systolic/diastolic BP, nighttime systolic BP, 24-hour systolic BP, and 24-hour diastolic BP values, whereas carriers of DD had higher central systolic BP and augmentation index compared with those with the II genotype. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that DD genotype was independently associated with 24-hour systolic BP, 24-hour diastolic BP, central systolic BP, and central augmentation index. There was an independent association of the angiotensin-converting enzyme polymorphism with central and ambulatory BP in Chinese patients with hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CeO 2 nanoparticles based slurries are widely used for chemical mechanical polishing in integrated circuit manufacturing. However, the fundamental processes of material removal and planarization remain elusive. By combining a nanoindenter system with a homemade CeO 2 tip, we investigated the nanoscratching behavior of copper film quantitatively under both constant load and ramp load modes. Based on the evolution of the coefficient of friction, the nanoscratching behavior can be divided into three regimes. For regime I, the coefficient of friction decreases sharply along with the increasing normal load and the copper undergoes mainly elastic deformation. The friction wear begins to enter regime II once the normal load reaches a critical value from where both the coefficient of friction and scratch damage begin to exhibit a changing elastic-plastic characteristic with the increasing of normal load. In regime III, the coefficient of friction reaches a steady value and becomes independent of the normal load and the deformation of copper film enters a steady elastic-plastic state. The coefficient of friction in regime I and II can be well modeled by Hertz contact theory and the classical friction models, respectively. Detailed analysis demonstrates the transition between the two models occurs when the stress concentration approaches the yield strength of copper and the material removal rate can be predicted by adjusting the parameter of the normal force and the abrasive particle size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report molecular dynamics simulations of thermal spray coating of Cu nanodroplets on Cu substrates with different orientations, and show that the droplets crystallize by adding the closest-packed {111} planes regardless of the substrate orientations. Such preferential growth along the closest-packed planes may be common in a broad range of crystallization and melting processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are closely related to the prognosis of patients with non‐small cell lung cancer, but their effect on extensive‐stage small cell lung cancer (ES‐SCLC) remains uncertain. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in ES‐SCLC patients treated with first‐line atezolizumab or durvalumab and platinum‐etoposide. Clinical data from three hospitals were analyzed. Significant risk factors for survival were identified using descriptive statistics and Cox regression. Homogeneity was assessed using t‐tests or nonparametric tests. Kaplan‐Meier analysis revealed an association between high NLR level and median PFS and OS. Results: A total of 300 ES‐SCLC patients were included in the study. Cox regression analysis revealed that an elevated NLR level after the second treatment cycle (defined as NLRT2) was an independent prognostic factor for survival. Stratifying patients based on median NLRT2 showed significant differences in both PFS (HR: 1.863, 95% CI: 1.62–2.12, p < 0.001) and OS (HR: 2.581, 95% CI: 2.19–3.04, p < 0.001) between NLR ≥ 1.75 and NLR < 1.75 groups. mPFS and mOS were 8.2 versus 6.1 months and 13.7 versus 9.5 months, respectively. NLR was also associated with treatment efficacy and occurrence of irAEs. Further stratification based on NLR and irAEs showed that in the NLR < 1.75 group, patients with irAEs had prolonged mPFS and mOS. In the NLR ≥ 1.75 group, only mPFS showed a significant difference between patients with and without irAEs. Conclusion: NLRT2 and irAEs can predict the prognosis of ES‐SCLC patients with first‐line ES‐SCLC receiving PD‐L1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT) mediated by hematoporphyrin derivatives (HPD) on the proliferation of small cell lung cancer H446 cells and bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells. H446 cells and BEAS-2B cells were cultured in vitro with different concentrations of HPD(0, 5, 10, 12, 15, 20 μg/mL) for 4 h, and then irradiated with 630 nm laser with different energy densities (0, 25, 50, 75, 100 mW/cm2). Cell viability of H446 cells and BEAS-2B cells were detected by CCK8 assay. The cell apoptosis was observed with Annexin V-FTTC/PI double staining and Hoechst 33258. The RT-PCR examination was applied to detect the transcriptional changes of the mRNA of Bax、Bcl-2, and Caspase-9. The results of CCK8 showed that when the HPD was 15 μg/mL and the laser power density reached 50 mW/cm2, the cell viability was significantly decreased compared with the black control group. Hoechst 33258 staining showed that with the increase of HPD concentration, the cell density was reduced, and apoptotic cells increased. Flow cytometry assay revealed that the apoptotic rates of the HPD-PDT group of H446 cells and BEAS-2B cells were significantly different from those of the blank control group. The RT-PCR examination showed that the expression levels of Bax and Caspase-9 mRNA in the HPD-PDT group were up-regulated, while the expression levels of Bcl-2 mRNA were down-regulated significantly. HPD-PDT can inhibit H446 cells and BEAS-2B cells growth. The mechanism may be related to up-regulating the expression levels of Bax and Caspase-9 mRNA and down-regulating the expression levels of Bcl-2 mRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 85% of lung cancer which is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy in China. Colon cancer associated transcript 1 (CCAT1) acts as an oncogene in enhancing tumor progression. However, the effects of CCAT1 in NSCLC remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of CCAT1 in NSCLC. Methods: Wound healing and transwell assays were performed to measure cell migration. RT‐qPCR was employed to calculate the mRNA level of CCAT1 and miR‐490. Results: High expression of CCAT1 was observed in NSCLC tissues and cells, with low expression of miR‐490. CCAT1 promoted the proliferation and metastasis of H1299 and A549 cells, while miR‐490 had the opposite effect. CCAT1 could specifically bind to miR‐490 and regulate its expression. MiR‐490 partially reversed the inhibitory effect of CCAT1 on cell proliferation and metastasis. Conclusions: The CCAT1/miR‐490 molecular axis has been shown to be important for the treatment of NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper presents the results of studies on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a near β-Ti alloy processed with different ageing approaches. Influences of intragranular ultrafine α precipitates and grain boundary α layer on mechanical properties in Ti-55531 alloy were analyzed. The results indicate that the precipitation microstructure of the duplex aged alloy exhibits a uniform size and acicular α precipitated orientation shows an angle of approximately 60°. While the morphology of secondary α precipitates in single-step aged samples appear the irregular distribution and heterogeneous size. With the final ageing time increasing, the morphology of intragranular α precipitates and grain boundary α phase brings out a distinct coarsening. The single-step aged alloy can yield a better combination of the ultimate tensile strength (1265 MPa) and ductility (9%). However, the ultimate tensile strength of the duplex aged alloy even reaches 1368 MPa but it breaks at the stage of elastic deformation. The fracture mode of Ti-55531 alloy changes from predominantly dimple fracture in single-step aged samples to predominantly faceted and cleavage type fracture in duplex aged samples causing by the differences of intragranular α precipitates and the interface between grain boundary α layer and intragranular microstructure. Highlights • High strength β-Ti alloys are widely used for their excellent properties. • To reach an excellent combination of strength and ductility, it is attractive to explore the right heat treatment system. • While compared to the conventional single-step ageing process, duplex ageing could change the development and refinement of secondary α precipitations in near/metastable β-Ti alloys resulting varying in performance. • Therefore it is of scientific significance and engineering value to understand the influence of duplex ageing on the formation of secondary α precipitates and mechanical properties for this type of alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shear stress driven grain boundary (GB) migration was found to be a ubiquitous phenomenon in small grained polycrystalline materials. Here we show that the GB displacement shift complete (DSC) dislocation mechanism for GB shear coupled migration is still functioning even if the geometry orientation of the GBs deviates a few degrees from the appropriate coincidence site lattice (CSL) GBs. It means that any large angle GB can have a considerable chance to be such a 'CSL-related GB' for which the shear coupled GB migration motion can happen by the GB DSC dislocation mechanism. We conclude that the CSL-DSC bi-crystallographic lattice structure in GB is the main reason that GB can migrate under shear stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The size of abrasive particle has a great impact on the fundamental friction behavior and mechanical properties of the abrasive during ultra-precision polishing performance. Here, the size effect of the tribological behavior and mechanical properties of CeO2 single abrasive were studied. Experimental results show that the size effect plays a role on coefficient of friction (COF) of each regime in single-asperity sliding friction, especially in ploughing and cutting regimes. The residual depth of the scratch and COF both decrease with the increase of the CeO2 tip radius. These results relate to the mechanical properties of CeO2 nanoparticles. We found that the effective modulus increases with the decrease of abrasive size, which corresponds to the size effect of the single-asperity sliding friction experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are among the materials that have been consistently developed in the field of nanomaterials in recent years, and have become essential in the field of materials science and engineering, due to their outstanding chemical stability, wide band gap, and high exciton binding energy. However, currently available preparation methods face challenges in efficient tuning of the morphology and microstructure of the target product and in realization of facile large-scale production. Scientists still struggle with accurately controlling the targeted morphology and microstructure, achieving large-scale production, and surface modification of organic functions. Ultimately, this review will encourage more research on ZnO-NPs and promote their practical applications in materials science and engineering. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative low‐density lipoprotein (ox‐LDL) is a risk factor for atherosclerosis. Ox‐LDL leads to endothelial injury in the initial stage of atherosclerosis. In this study, we investigated the role of ox‐LDL in endothelial injury and macrophage recruitment. We demonstrated that ox‐LDL promoted a dose‐dependent phosphorylation of caveolin‐1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Phosphorylated caveolin‐1 increased ox‐LDL uptake. Intracellular accumulation of ox‐LDL induced NF‐κB p65 phosphorylation, promoted HMGB1 translocation from nucleus to cytoplasm and cytochrome C release from mitochondria to cytoplasm, and activated caspase 3, resulting in cell apoptosis. NF‐κB activation also facilitated cavolin‐1 phosphorylation and HMGB1 expression. In addition, caveolin‐1 phosphorylation favored HMGB1 release and nuclear translocation of EGR1. Nuclear translocation of EGR1 contributed to cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1. The extracellular HMGB1 induced the migration of PMBC‐derived macrophages toward HUVECs in a TLR4‐dependent manner. Our results suggested that ox‐LDL promoted HUVECs apoptosis and macrophage recruitment by regulating caveolin‐1 phosphorylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superelasticity in nanoscale materials is of profound fundamental interest. Despite extensive research into low-dimensional systems such as nanowires and nanobeams, no compelling evidence exists for superelasticity in high-dimensional systems. Here, we demonstrate that a copper bicrystal with a ∑3{112} twin boundary (TB) during shear loading and unloading cycles exhibits nonhysteretic superelasticity. The upper bound of total recoverable shear strain associated with superelastic deformation is 24.8%. ∑3{112} TB under shear loading dissociates into two phase boundaries (PBs) with different characteristics, constituted by two phases with FCC and 9R structures. The transformation between these two phases, assisted by the reversible migration of tilt PB during loading and unloading cycles, accounts for the superelasticity. The driving force for the superelasticity is the potential energy difference per atom of the two phases. However, the irreversible migration of mixed tilt/twist PB with energy dissipation is responsible for strain hardening. This work, the first observation of nonhysteretic superelasticity in a copper bicrystal, may shed light on the design of bulk materials with superelasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sintering and SPS were used to successfully prepare CC-NS- W interface. • Massive NS migration to rational square convex for forming lubrication film. • Excellent lubrication ascribed to sufficient enrichment of NS in nanocrystalline film. • Low-hardness film on a hard convex reduced sliding damages to maintain good lubrication. • W, Nb 2 AlC, oxides resisted the scrapping damage of film to enable tribological behaviors. Cross-shaped microconcave (CC) cooperated with the Nb 2 AlC-Sn (NS) to enhance their collaboration lubrications, thereby extended W alloy-base application scope while retaining their longevity and high accuracy. On sliding tribo-pair systems, tribological behavior of 0.5CC-NS was more excellent than those of another CC-NS. This was mainly attributed to the following reasons: (1) enough NS in the 0.5CC-NS helped a lubrication film formation; high bearing abilities of convex squares accepted massive loads to reduce film damage. (2) Convexity of 13.26 ± 0.52 GPa nano-hardness supported the low-hardness film (1.41 ± 0.19 GPa), made Nb 2 AlC and Sn produce nanocrystallines to maintain excellent lubrication. (3) W -alloys, Nb 2 AlC and metallic oxides appeared in the film to assist the convex square for an effective resisting to the damages. (4) sliding wear of the films avoided their direct contacts of matching pair, facilitated excellent tribological behaviors of the 0.5CC-NS- W. 0.5CC-NS interfaces were helpful in providing important references for construction of friction interfaces of power-driven gears for arresting enhancements of tribological abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]