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Transformer has achieved remarkable results in various fields, including its application in modeling dynamic systems governed by partial differential equations. However, transformer still face challenges in achieving long-term stable predictions for three-dimensional turbulence. In this paper, we propose an implicit factorized transformer (IFactFormer) model, which enables stable training at greater depths through implicit iteration over factorized attention. IFactFormer is applied to large eddy simulation of three-dimensional homogeneous isotropic turbulence (HIT), and is shown to be more accurate than the FactFormer, Fourier neural operator, and dynamic Smagorinsky model (DSM) in the prediction of the velocity spectra, probability density functions of velocity increments and vorticity, temporal evolutions of velocity and vorticity root-mean-square value and isosurface of the normalized vorticity. IFactFormer can achieve long-term stable predictions of a series of turbulence statistics in HIT. Furthermore, IFactFormer showcases superior computational efficiency compared to the conventional DSM in large eddy simulation.

Rabdosia rubescens, a Chinese herbal medicine with anticancer properties, contains two active ingredients: oridonin and ponicidin. Both compounds exhibit antitumor effects by inducing tumor cell apoptosis and autophagy and inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. To further explore the differences in molecular structure and pharmacological properties between the two substances, this study employs Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy (THz-TDS) to investigate the spectral characteristics of oridonin and ponicidin in the frequency range of 0.1 to 2.3 THz. The crystal structures of the two substances are simulated using Materials Studio software and Density Functional Theory (DFT), yielding their spectra and molecular vibration modes, which elucidate the mechanism underlying the peak generation. The consistency between experimental and simulation results confirms the reliability of the experimental findings. Thus, THz spectroscopy can effectively distinguish between these two substances. Finally, a THz detection is performed on Rabdosia rubescens capsules purchased from the market, revealing the presence of absorption peaks for both substances in their absorption spectra. This provides a new approach for detecting active ingredients in Chinese herbal medicines.

Introduction Health behaviours during a public health crisis for families with vulnerable ageing relatives are worth studying. After the Chinese government’s zero-tolerance policy on COVID-19 ended at the close of 2022, a significant surge in COVID-19 cases was observed among the Chinese population. This surge exposed a notable disparity in medical resources between urban and rural areas in China, with rural regions experiencing a pronounced lag in healthcare infrastructure. Amidst this backdrop, the health-seeking behaviour for rural older adults during the COVID-19 epidemic emerged as a critical subject for investigation. Chinese society heavily relies on interpersonal relationships. As such, access to medical resources for the older adults depends on their family members. How family members access higher-quality medical resources is a subject worthy of research. This study will explore the health-seeking behaviour for rural older Chinese from the perspective of migration and social support network in COVID-19 epidemic.Methods This study used qualitative methods and conducted interviews with 20 rural Chinese families where older relatives resided. The interviewees primarily consisted of adult children of older adults, alongside two grandchildren and two older adults themselves. After interviews, thematic analysis method was used to analyse the collected data and extracted three themes based on the questions raised.Results The study found that older adults had to leverage their extended family network to access urban medical facilities and resources to prevent and manage COVID-19 infections. The study also highlighted the significant influence of structural and cultural factors on the social support networks within rural families.Conclusion Families with older adults used their social support network to access better medical resources. The social support networks of families with older adults are also influenced by other structural and cultural factors. The health-seeking behaviour of families with older adults relies on private relationship resources, which make necessary task to build public health resources in rural China.

This study investigates the efficacy of green industrial policies in stimulating green innovation within China's polluting industries, over the period 2011–2022. Focusing on 30 provinces, we assess the dynamic relationship between green industrial policy implementation and innovation in environmentally detrimental sectors. Employing Difference-in-Differences (DID) and Propensity Score Matching DID (PSM-DID) models, we analyze comprehensive provincial-level data to quantify the impact of policy measures on green technological advancements. The results reveal a significant positive correlation between green industrial policies and the rate of green innovation, particularly in regions with higher pollution levels. These findings suggest that well-structured green industrial policies can serve as effective catalysts for fostering sustainable technological innovations in polluting industries. Policy implications highlight the necessity of targeted, region-specific approaches to maximize the potential of green industrial policies in promoting environmental sustainability and economic growth.

Abstract Predictive markers and prognostic models are useful for the individualization of cancer treatment. In this study, we sought to identify clinical and molecular factors to predict overall survival in recurrent glioma patients receiving bevacizumab-containing regimens. A cohort of 102 patients was retrospectively collected from June 2011 to January 2022 at our institution. A nomogram was generated by Cox regression and feature selection algorithms based on 19 clinicopathological and 60 molecular variables. The model's performance was internally evaluated by bootstrapping in terms of discrimination and calibration. The median overall survival from the initiation of bevacizumab administration to death or last follow-up was 11.6 months (95% CI: 9.2–13.8 months) for all 102 patients, 10.2 months (95% CI: 6.4–13.3 months) for 66 patients with grade 4 tumors, and 13.8 months (lower limit of 95% CI: 11.5 months) for 36 patients with tumors of grade lower or not available. In the final model, a lower WHO 2021 grade (Grade lower or not available vs. Grade 4, HR: 0.398, 95% CI: 0.223–0.708, p = 0.00172), having received adjuvant radiochemotherapy (Yes vs. No, HR: 0.488, 95% CI: 0.268–0.888, p = 0.0189), and wildtype EGFR (Wildtype vs. Altered, HR: 0.193, 95% CI: 0.0506–0.733, p = 0.0157; Not available vs. Altered, HR: 0.386, 95% CI: 0.184–0.810, p = 0.0118) were significantly associated with longer overall survival in multivariate Cox regression. The overall concordance index was 0.652 (95% CI: 0.566–0.714), and the areas under the time-dependent curves for 6-, 12-, and 18-month overall survival were 0.677 (95% CI: 0.516–0.816), 0.654 (95% CI: 0.470–0.823), and 0.675 (95% CI: 0.491–0.860), respectively. A prognostic model for overall survival in recurrent glioma patients treated with bevacizumab-based therapy was established and internally validated. It could serve as a reference tool for clinicians to assess the extent the patients may benefit from bevacizumab and stratify their treatment response.

The growing demand for renewable energy sources like wind and solar power requires accurate and reliable forecasting techniques for effective planning and operation. This study presents an attention-based spatial-temporal graph neural network–long short-term memory (ASTGNN-LSTM) model designed to predict wind speed and solar radiation using 20 years of meteorological data from five regions in Northwest China. The ASTGNN-LSTM model shows significant performance improvements over traditional methods, such as the historical average model, autoregressive integrated moving average model, and graph convolutional network with LSTM. After optimizing the hidden layers and learning rate, the relative errors for predicting wind speed and solar radiation are reduced to 27.15 % and 6.11 %, respectively. Sensitivity analysis reveals that location data have the most significant impact on predictions. These findings demonstrate that the ASTGNN-LSTM model effectively captures nonlinear relationships and can enhance renewable energy planning and management.

Summary: Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) to trigger downstream signaling upon double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) stimulation, and the condensed cGAS colocalizes with stress granules (SGs). However, the molecular mechanism underlying the modulation of cGAS activation by SGs remains elusive. In this study, we show that USP8 is localized to SGs upon dsDNA stimulation and potentiates cGAS-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling. A USP8 inhibitor ameliorates pathological inflammation in Trex1−/− mice. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) databases indicate a positive correlation between USP8 expression and SLE. Mechanistic study shows that the SG protein DDX3X promotes cGAS phase separation and activation in a manner dependent on its intrinsic LLPS. USP8 cleaves K27-linked ubiquitin chains from the intrinsically disordered region (IDR) of DDX3X to enhance its condensation. In conclusion, we demonstrate that USP8 catalyzes the deubiquitination of DDX3X to facilitate cGAS condensation and activation and that inhibiting USP8 is a promising strategy for alleviating cGAS-mediated autoimmune diseases.

Urban commercial centers play a critical role in the development of cities, and it is of significant relevance to research the influencing variables of the urban vitality of commercial centers to improve the quality of urban commercial centers. This study employs big data to construct a multiple linear regression model in order to uncover the spatial-distribution characteristics of urban vitality and commercial sectors in commercial centers within the primary urban region of Guangzhou. The findings indicate that the commercial sectors of life, business, finance, and leisure have a substantial influence on the fluctuation of pedestrian flow in commercial centers throughout the day. Conversely, public service commercial sectors do not have a significant impact on pedestrian flow. Furthermore, the effect of various commercial sectors on the vibrancy of urban commercial centers varies, and their performance differs on weekdays and holidays. Additionally, the level of integration among commercial sectors affects the vitality of the city’s commercial space. This research presents empirical facts that can be used to optimize the logical allocation of urban commercial resources in urban planning.

Natural cellulosic materials are attractive biopolymers for their naturally abundant source, mechanical toughness, bioactivity, etc. However, porosity and flexibility remain challenges for the preparation of aerogels from natural cellulose. To maintain the characteristics of cellulose aerogels possessing the toughness of fibers and high porosity of aerogels, cellulose aerogels with three-dimensional void structures and high compressive resilience were prepared by mixing cellulose fiber suspension and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The PM 2.5 removal rate and thermal conductivity of cellulose aerogel reached 92.4% and 0.028 W/mK, respectively, when a PVA content of 0.7% was added, and the radiation cooling temperature was about 10.0°C lower than that of PE foam. The three-dimensional void structure and surface morphology of the cellulose aerogels were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cellulose aerogel porosity and pore size distribution were evaluated by a mercury intrusion meter. The crystal structure of cellulose was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy was used to investigate the infrared reflectance of cellulose aerogels. Then the air purification efficiency and radiation cooling effect of porous cellulose aerogels were evaluated in a homemade device, respectively.

The internal morphology and micro-pore distribution of Juncus effuses (JE) plant fiber were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The porosity parameters and pore size characteristics of JE fiber were measured by a mercury intrusion meter. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to reveal the chemical composition of JE fiber. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to reveal the thermal degradation behavior of JE fiber. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique was used to evaluate the crystal structure of JE fiber. Then the filtration performance of JE filters with lengths of 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 cm against particle matter (PM)10, PM2.5, and PM1.0 were compared on a home-made apparatus.

Abstract Background A nomogram is a tool that transforms complex regression equations into simple and visual graphs and enables clinicians and patients to conveniently compute output probabilities without needing medical knowledge and complex formulas. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a predictive nomogram to screen for severe caries among 12-year-old children based on risk factors in Sichuan Province, China. Methods A cross-sectional study of 4573 12-year-olds was conducted up to May 2016 in middle schools from three districts and three counties in Sichuan Province, China. All the children underwent oral examinations and completed questionnaires to assess general information, oral impacts on daily performance, dietary habits, subjective health conditions, history of dental trauma, frequency of toothache, dental visits, and knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours toward oral hygiene. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to determine which variables were significantly associated with severe caries (operationalized as DMFT ≥ 3). A nomogram was developed and validated by using the ‘rms’ package and two cross-validation methods. Results Severe caries was found in 537 of the 4573 children (11.74%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the following variables predicted a higher risk of severe caries: ‘female’ [odds ratio (OR) = 1.985, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.63–2.411], ‘urban’ (OR = 2.389, 95% CI: 1.96–2.91), ‘non-only child’ (OR = 1.317, 95% CI: 1.07–1.625), ‘very poor self-assessment of oral health status’ (OR = 2.157, 95% CI: 1.34–3.467) and ‘visited a dentist less than 6 months’ (OR = 1.861, 95% CI: 1.38–2.505). Multivariate logistic regression analysis also indicated that the following variables predicted a lower risk of severe caries: ‘middle level of urbanization’ (OR = 0.395, 95% CI: 0.32–0.495) and ‘high level of urbanization’ (OR = 0.466, 95% CI: 0.37–0.596). Both the fivefold and leave-one-out cross-validation methods indicated that the nomogram model built by these 6 variables displayed good disease recognition ability. Conclusions The nomogram was a simple-to-use model to screen children for severe caries. This model was found to facilitate non-dental professionals in assessing risk values without oral examinations and making referrals to dental professionals.

ObjectiveLymphagioma, which in most cases as benign tumors, occurs in head, neck, axilla, and mediastinum. Lymphangioma is exceedingly rare in the upper gastrointestinal tract including esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. However, the clinical characteristics, natural history, and recurrence rate after endoscopic resection remain unclear. This study aims to evaluate the characteristic findings and assess the efficacy of endoscopic techniques in the management of this disease.MethodsIn this systematic retrospective analysis, we evaluated all 24 cases of upper gastrointestinal lymphangioma resected by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and diagnosed by histopathology at our hospital from January 2012 to May 2021. We analyzed the results of endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), CT, histologic examination, and follow-up assessments.Results9 male and 15 female patients with esophageal lymphangioma were enrolled in this study, with a mean age of 54.17 ± 11.60 years (range 30-71 years). The lesions’ size varied from 2.20 to 40.10 mm, with the median size of 7.83 mm. All patients were evaluated preoperatively, whose endoscopic appearance typically appears as dilated lymphatic channels beneath the surface epithelium of the protrude mucosal or sub-mucosal lesion. Endoscopic ultrasonography revealed the presence of a honeycomb-like or grid-like mass with a heterogeneous echo pattern, and a clear boundary between the lesion and the muscularis propria layer may be helpful for the primary diagnosis of this disease. 22 patients underwent EMR and 2 patient were treated with ESD. Histologic examination revealed that the lesions contained many dilated lymphatic vessels, which confirmed the initial diagnosis of lymphangioma in all patients. No major adverse events were found during the operation or a median follow-up of 43 months (range 13–92).ConclusionsEndoscopic ultrasonography has important clinical value for the primary diagnosis of lymphangioma in the upper gastrointestinal tract. This study also suggests that endoscopic resection should be considered as a more minimally invasive, safe, feasible, and effective therapeutic option comparing to laparoscopic surgery.

The tumorigenesis of esophageal carcinoma arises from transcriptional dysregulation would become exceptionally dependent on specific regulators of gene expression, which could be preferentially attributed to the larger non-coding cis-regulatory elements, i.e. super-enhancers (SEs). SEs, large genomic regulatory entity in close genomic proximity, are underpinned by control cancer cell identity. As a consequence, the transcriptional addictions driven by SEs could offer an Achilles’ heel for molecular treatments on patients of esophageal carcinoma and other types of cancer as well. In this review, we summarize the recent findings about the oncogenic SEs upon which esophageal cancer cells depend, and discuss why SEs could be seen as the hallmark of cancer, how transcriptional dependencies driven by SEs, and what opportunities could be supplied based on this cancer-specific SEs.

Central nervous system (CNS) diseases have been a growing threat to the health of humanity, emphasizing the urgent need of exploring the pathogenesis and therapeutic approaches of various CNS diseases. Primary neurons are directly obtained from animals or humans, which have wide applications including disease modeling, mechanism exploration and drug development. However, traditional two-dimensional (2D) monoculture cannot resemble the native microenvironment of CNS. With the increasing understanding of the complexity of the CNS and the remarkable development of novel biomaterials, in vitro models have experienced great innovation from 2D monoculture toward three-dimensional (3D) multicellular culture. The scope of this review includes the progress of various in vitro models of primary neurons in recent years to provide a holistic view of the modalities and applications of primary neuron models and how they have been connected with the revolution of biofabrication techniques. Special attention has been paid to the interaction between primary neurons and biomaterials. First, a brief introduction on the history of CNS modeling and primary neuron culture was conducted. Next, detailed progress in novel in vitro models were discussed ranging from 2D culture, ex vivo model, spheroid, scaffold-based model, 3D bioprinting model, and microfluidic chip. Modalities, applications, advantages, and limitations of the aforementioned models were described separately. Finally, we explored future prospects, providing new insights into how basic science research methodologies have advanced our understanding of the CNS, and highlighted some future directions of primary neuron culture in the next few decades.

Abstract Background Alcohol-induced intestinal dysbiosis disrupts and inflammatory responses are essential in the development of alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD). Here, we investigated the effects of Fmo5 on changes in enteric microbiome composition in a model of AFLD and dissected the pathogenic role of Fmo5 in AFLD-induced liver pathology. Methods The expression profile data of GSE8006 and GSE40334 datasets were downloaded from the GEO database. The WGCNA approach allowed us to investigate the AFLD-correlated module. DEGs were used to perform KEGG pathway enrichment analyses. Four PPI networks were constructed using the STRING database and visualized using Cytoscape software. The Cytohubba plug-in was used to identify the hub genes. Western blot and immunohistochemistry assays were used to detect protein expression. ELISA assay was used to detect the levels of serum inflammatory cytokines. Lipid droplets in the cytoplasm were observed using Oil Red O staining. Apoptosis was detected using a TUNEL assay and flow cytometry analysis. ROS levels were detected using flow cytometry analysis. Nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 was observed using immunofluorescence staining. Co-immunoprecipitation was used to detect the co-expression of PPARα and Fmo5 in L02 cells. 16S rDNA sequencing defined the bacterial communities in mice with AFLD. Results Fmo5 is a key DEG and is closely associated with the gut microbiota and PPAR signaling pathway. Gut microbiome function in AFLD was significantly related to the PPAR signaling pathway. AFLD induced shifts in various bacterial phyla in the cecum, including a reduction in Bacteroidetes and increased Firmicutes. Fmo5 and PPARα co-expression in cell and animal models with AFLD, which decreased significantly. Silencing of Fmo5 and PPARα aggravated the functions of AFLD inducing apoptosis and inflammatory response, promoting liver injury, and activating the NF-κB signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro. The NF-κB inhibitor abolished the functions of silencing of Fmo5 and PPARα promoting AFLD-induced apoptosis, inflammatory response, and liver injury. Conclusion Our data indicated that the co-expression of Fmo5 and PPARα was involved in AFLD-related gut microbiota composition and alleviated AFLD-induced liver injury, apoptosis, and inflammatory response by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 to inhibit the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Immune composition is commonly heterogeneous and varies among colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. A comprehensive immune classification may act as important characteristics to predict CRC prognosis. Thus, we aimed to identify novel immune specific subtypes to guide future therapies. Unsupervised clustering was used to classify CRC samples into different immune subtypes based on abundances of immune cell populations, during which TCGA and GSE17536 datasets were used as training and validation sets, respectively. The associations between the immune subtypes and patient prognosis were investigated. Further, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between immune high and low subtypes, followed by functional enrichment analyses of DEGs. The expression levels of 74 immunomodulators (IMs) across immune subtypes were analyzed. As a result, we clustered CRC samples into three distinct immune subtypes (immune high, moderate, and low). Patients with immune-high subtype showed the best prognosis, and patients with immune-low subtype had the worst survival in both TCGA and GSE17536 cohorts. A group of 2735 up-regulated DEGs were identified across immune high and low subtypes. The main DEGs were the members of complement components, chemokines, immunoglobulins, and immunosuppressive genes that are involved in immune modulation-related pathways (e.g., cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction) or GO terms (e.g., adaptive immune response and T cell activation). The expression levels of 63 IMs were significantly varied across immune subtypes. In conclusion, this study provides a conceptual framework and molecular characteristics of CRC immune subtypes, which may accurately predict prognosis and offer novel targets for personalized immunotherapy through modifying subtype-specific tumor immune microenvironment.

Acute wounds often cause overdeveloped inflammation, which can adversely affect wound healing. Wound dressing has been widely used, but it is still challenging to achieve an effective anti-inflammation treatment due to the complex wet environment of the wounds. Here, we proposed a wound sealant, tannic acid-silk fibroin-diclofenac potassium (TA-SF-DP, TSD) hydrogels. And evaluated their wet-adhesion performance and the potency on inflammation regulation through comprehensive mechanical tests and molecular biology research. The TSD hydrogels exhibited an outstanding wet-adhesion property to porcine soft tissues even in blood (up to (38.6 ± 4.6) kPa) and strong hemostatic ability in rat tail truncation model ((reduced hemostasis time from (685 ± 55) s to (160 ± 72) s and reduced blood loss from (0.59 ± 0.07) g to (0.06 ± 0.03) g compared with the gauze group). Simultaneously, the hydrogels showed satisfactory anti-inflammatory effects (sustained reduction of inflammation at 6 h and 24 h, generally the peak and persistent state of severe postoperative reaction, respectively), which works by releasing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug DP conforming to physiological needs. Combined with the wet adhesion, anti-inflammatory property and remarkable biocompatibility, the TSD hydrogels have the potential to be a clinical wound sealant to manage acute wounds.

Physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) have been widely adopted to solve partial differential equations (PDEs), which could be used to simulate physical systems. However, the accuracy of PINNs does not meet the needs of the industry, and severely degrades, especially when the PDE solution has sharp transitions. In this paper, we propose a ResNet block-enhanced network architecture to better capture the transition. Meanwhile, a constrained self-adaptive PINN (cSPINN) scheme is developed to move PINN’s objective to the areas of the physical domain, which are difficult to learn. To demonstrate the performance of our method, we present the results of numerical experiments on the Allen–Cahn equation, the Burgers equation, and the Helmholtz equation. We also show the results of solving the Poisson equation using cSPINNs on different geometries to show the strong geometric adaptivity of cSPINNs. Finally, we provide the performance of cSPINNs on a high-dimensional Poisson equation to further demonstrate the ability of our method.

Puerarin has been reported to be useful in protection against hypoxia-induced injury. In our current study, we attempted to explore the protective effects of puerarin against hypoxia-caused damages in neural stem cells (NSCs). Additionally, the relative molecular underpinning studies preliminarily proceeded. NSCs were pre-incubated with puerarin before the hypoxic stimulus. MicroRNA-214 (miR-214) inhibitor was transfected into NSCs. Subsequently, the viability of NSCs was assessed by CCK-8 assay. Flow cytometry was employed to detect apoptotic cells after staining. qRT-PCR was performed to quantify miR-214. Western blot was applied for analyzing the expression of apoptosis-relative proteins and regulators. We found that puerarin alleviated hypoxia-induced apoptosis and maintained cell viability. Hypoxia-evoked up-regulation of miR-214 was further enhanced by puerarin. By contrast, miR-214-deficient NSCs showed the reduction in cell viability and the facilitation in apoptosis progress after pre-treatment with puerarin and stimulation in a hypoxia circumstance. Additionally, puerarin restored the phosphorylation of relative regulators, which was originally blunted by hypoxia. However, puerarin did not evidently restore the phosphorylation for response to hypoxia in miR-214-silenced NSCs. In conclusion, puerarin might be applied as a novel agent to ameliorate hypoxia-evoked damages in NSCs. Molecularly, miR-214 might be implicated in the protective roles of puerarin.

In this paper, mesoporous CuO with a novel architecture was synthesized through a conventional hydrothermal approach followed by a facile sintering procedure. HR-TEM analysis found that mesoporous CuO with an interconnected pore structure has exposed high-energy crystal planes of (002) and (200). Theoretical calculations indicated that the high-energy crystal planes have superior adsorption capacity for H+ ions, which is critical for the excellent adsorption and remarkable photocatalytic activity of the anionic dye. The adsorption capacity of CuO to methyl orange (MO) at 0.4 g/L was approximately 30% under adsorption equilibrium conditions. We propose a state-changing mechanism to analyze the synergy and mutual restraint relation among the catalyst CuO, H+ ions, dye and H2O2. According to this mechanism, the degradation rate of MO can be elevated 3.5 times only by regulating the MO ratio in three states.

In this study, the asphaltene extracted from Luntai heavy oil was oxidized by a mixture of propionic anhydride and hydrogen peroxide without and with a catalyst. Elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopy results indicated the occurrence of oxygen addition, condensation, and side chain cleavage reactions in the oxidation process. Oxidation products were divided into methanol solubles and methanol insolubles. The H/C and O/C atomic ratios of the MeOHS in the oxidation products without a catalyst were higher than those of the Luntai asphaltene. MeOHS had fewer aromatic rings than Luntai asphaltene. Compared with the oxidative reaction without a catalyst, the total mass of oxidation products and the proportion of MeOHS in oxidation products both increased after catalytic oxidation. This low-temperature oxidation technology can be used to upgrade asphaltenes, and thus can promote the exploitation and processing of heavy oil.

Chitosan–heparin nanoparticles (CS-HP NPs) can be used as potential nano-based platforms for development of drug delivery carriers. In this article, doxorubicin (Dox)@CS-HP NPs were synthesized and their physicochemical characteristics were assessed. Afterwards, their anticancer effects against gastric cancer (AGS) cells were assessed by MTT, LDH, ROS, and qPCR assays, whereas peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were used as control normal cells. It was observed that blank CS-HP NPs and Dox@CS-HP NPs showed average hydrodynamic sizes and zeta potential values of 72.95 ± 9.67 nm (PDI: 0.197), 79.68 ± 13.11 nm (PDI: 0.227) and 23.68 ± 3.69 mV, 19.37 ± 2.38 mV, respectively and Dox loading capacity (LC) in the CS-HP NPs was 7.3 ± 1.29% with an entrapment efficacy (EE) of 91.37 ± 5.27%. It was also seen that lowering the pH to within the range of cancer cells (pH 6.5) and gastric cells (pH 1.5) stimulated substantial release of the drug from Dox@CS-HP NPs relative to physiological pH. The IC50 values of Dox and Dox@CS-HP NPs were observed to be 23.37, 26.14 µg/ml and 8.57, 4.21 µg/ml in the case of PBMCs and AGS cells, respectively. It was also showed that Dox@CS-HP NPs increased the LDH release, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), mRNA levels of Bax/Bcl-2, caspase-9, and caspase-3, while did not change the expression of caspase-8 at mRNA level, indicating that Dox@CS-HP NPs activates the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. In general, it can be concluded that Dox@CS-HP NPs can induces selective anticancer effects on AGS cells.

Abstract Aramid fibers are widely used in many cutting‐edge fields, including space, aviation, military, and electronics. However, their poor UV resistance and surface inertness seriously hinder their utilization, especially in harsh environments. Here, a dual‐layer ultrathin Al2O3–TiO2 coating with a thickness of 70–180 nm is fabricated on aramid fibers by a modified atomic layer deposition (ALD) method. The tenacity of ALD‐coated aramid fibers decreases only by ≈0.85% after exposure to intense UV light (4260 W m−2) under high temperature (>200 ℃) for 90 min, which equals to continuous exposure to sunlight for about 17 500 days. The as‐prepared aramid fibers also show excellent laundering durability, thermal and chemical stabilities. This work presents a green and damage‐free approach to achieve the highly anti‐UV aramid fibers without sacrificing their outstanding performance, which is expected to guide material design for future innovations in functional fibers and devices.

Abstract Purpose To investigate the effect of miR‐107 on the growth and metastasis of gastric cancer (GC) and elucidate the probable mechanisms. Methods The expression of miR‐107 and FAT4 in GC tissues and cells were detected using qRT‐PCR. Bioinformatics and dual luciferase reporter gene assays were used to analyze the relationship between miR‐107 and FAT4. miR‐NC, miR‐107 inhibitor, pcDNA3.1‐FAT4 and siRNA‐FAT4 were transfected into AGS and MKN‐45 GC cell lines, respectively. The proliferation and migration abilities of GC cells after transfection were evaluated using the MTT assay, scratch test and transwell assay. The expression of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers: E‐cadherin, N‐cadherin, vimentin and related proteins of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway were determined using western blot. The xenograft tumors of nude mice were observed to assess the tumorigenicity of GC cells in vivo. Results MiR‐107 was up‐regulated, while FAT4 was down‐regulated in GC tissues and cells (P

Background/Aims: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease. Intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) play important roles in inflammatory processes. P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling regulate ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and MCP-1 expression. Angiotensin (Ang) II upregulates ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and MCP-1 expression through the P38 MAPK and NF-κB pathways. Ang-(1-7) may oppose the actions of Ang II. We investigated whether Ang-(1-7) prevents Ang II-induced ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and MCP-1 expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Methods: ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and MCP-1 expression was estimated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); P38, NF-κB, and p-IκB-a expression was estimated by western blotting. Results: Ang-(1-7) inhibited Ang II-induced ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and MCP-1 expression and secretion in HUVECs. Ang II sharply increased P38 MAPK phosphorylation, which was inhibited by pretreatment with Ang-(1-7). Moreover, Ang-(1-7) significantly inhibited Ang II-induced IκB-a phosphorylation and NF-κB P65 nuclear translocation. The MAS receptor antagonist A-779 abolished the suppressive effects of Ang-(1-7). Conclusion: Ang-(1-7) attenuates Ang II-induced ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and MCP-1 expression via the MAs receptor by suppressing the P38 and NF-κB pathways in HUVECs. Ang-(1-7) might delay the progression of inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis.

Aiming at the effects on network performance of terminal user perception, a kind of high efficient positioning terminal performance issues called five steps was put forward, and through the real log data billed experiment, the effectiveness and efficiency of this method was verified. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that, the “five steps”save the multifarious dimension analysis, and it has the advantages such as simple and clear, strong objectivity, low computing duplication, strong practicability, and so on. Expanding the system after the flat design can be billed in the data type, in order to meet the different needs of the business.