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Background: Lung cancer, with high morbidity and mortality, is the commonest respiratory system neoplasm, which seriously endangers the life safety of patients. In this study, the effect of PRPS2 on cell progression was preliminarily investigated. Methods: Immunohistochemical staining, western blot and reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) were performed to verify the expression level of PRPS2 in lung cancer. Lung cancer cell lines with stable downregulation of PRPS2 were constructed in A549 cells and NCIH460 cells. The function of PRPS2 silencing on the proliferation ability was verified by the EdU and cell colony formation experiment. Scratch and transwell tests were conducted to verify the role of PRPS2 silencing on the migratory and invasive ability of cells. The impact of PRPS2 silencing on cell apoptosis and cell cycle was verified by flow cytometry test. The effects of PRPS2 silencing on apoptosis‐associated proteins were assessed by western blot assay. The function of PRPS2 silencing on tumor growth in vivo was studied through xenograft tumor experiment. Results: In comparison with normal tissues, PRPS2 was upregulated in lung cancer tissues. PRPS2 knockdown notably hindered the migratory ability, invasive ability and proliferation, but accelerated cell apoptosis. In vivo experiments confirmed that PRPS2 silencing blocked the growth of transplanted tumors. Conclusion: In lung cancer, PRPS2 silencing suppressed the malignant progression, indicating that PRPS2 might be a novel biomarker for lung cancer treatment and diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous chitosan/hydroxyapatite (Chi-HAp) composite microspheres were prepared in an aqueous solution containing chitosan, calcium nitrate, and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate by using a hydrothermal method at various temperatures. The investigation indicated that temperature significantly impacted the final product's appearance. Hydroxyapatite (HAp) coupled with dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) flakes were obviously found at 65 and 70 °C, while the latter gradually disappeared at higher temperatures. Conversely, synthesis at 90 °C led to smaller particle sizes due to the broken chitosan chains. The microspheres synthesized at 75 °C were selected for further analysis, revealing porous structures with specific surface areas of 36.66 m2/g, pores ranging from 3 to 100 nm, and pore volumes of 0.58 cm3/g. Vancomycin (VCM), an antibiotic, was then absorbed on and released from the microspheres derived at 75 °C, with a drug entrapment efficiency of 20% and a release duration exceeding 20 days. The bacteriostatic activity of the VCM/composite microspheres against Staphylococcus aureus increased with the VCM concentration and immersion time, revealing a stable inhibition zone diameter of approximately 4.3 mm from 24 to 96 h, and this indicated the retained stability and efficacy of the VCM during the encapsulating process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review discusses the current progress in the clinical use of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) and other ultrasound platforms to transiently permeabilize the blood-brain barrier (BBB) for drug delivery in neurological disorders and neuro-oncology. Safety trials in humans have followed on from extensive pre-clinical studies, demonstrating a reassuring safety profile and paving the way for numerous translational clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and primary and metastatic brain tumors. Future directions include improving ultrasound delivery devices, exploring alternative delivery approaches such as nanodroplets, and expanding the application to other neurological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Selection effect (SE) and complementarity effect (CE) are often considered as two key indicators to mediate the positive diversity-productivity relationship in the maize-legume intercropping system, as intercropping generally enables crops to use the available resources more efficiently than monoculture. Yet, it is unclear whether soil moisture drives the SE and CE transformation, plant-plant interaction, and accordingly affect the productivity. Methods: A two-year field experiment was conducted to explore the impacts of soil water status (with and without plastic mulching) on interspecific interaction and productivity and its key mechanism in the maize-faba bean intercropping system. Results: Low soil moisture reduced the net effect (NE) and land equivalent ratio (LER) with evident yield loss (NE < 0 and LER = 1.05), whereas the improved soil moisture reversed this trend and resulted in overyielding (NE > 0 and LER = 1.13). Regardless of soil moisture, faba bean was the dominant species and maize was the inferior one. Low soil moisture promoted the contribution of SE to productivity (P < 0.05). In contrast, high moisture turned to lower the competition intensity of faba bean against maize and accordingly promote the transformation of biodiversity effect from SE to CE. The main mechanism was that the water competition imposed by faba bean strips on maize ones decreased the NE through reducing photosynthetic rate and water use efficiency of maize. Conclusion: The adaptive transitions of interspecific relationship and the biodiversity effect were driven by soil water availability. This novel phenomenon should be emphasized in the crop diversity management of intercropping system in the rainfed region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the association between persistent hypertension and the compromise of both micro‐ and macro‐circulatory functions is well recognized, a significant gap in quantitative investigations exploring the interplay between microvascular and macrovascular injuries still exists. In this study, the authors looked into the relationship between brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and hypertensive retinopathy in treated hypertensive adults. The authors conducted a cross‐sectional study of treated hypertensive patients with the last follow‐up data from the China Stoke Primary Prevention Trial (CSPPT) in 2013. With the use of PWV/ABI instruments, baPWV was automatically measured. The Keith‐Wagener‐Barker classification was used to determine the diagnosis of hypertensive retinopathy. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the connection between baPWV and hypertensive retinopathy were determined using multivariable logistic regression models. The OR curves were created using a multivariable‐adjusted restricted cubic spline model to investigate any potential non‐linear dose‐response relationships between baPWV and hypertensive retinopathy. A total of 8514 (75.5%) of 11,279 participants were diagnosed with hypertensive retinopathy. The prevalence of hypertensive retinopathy increased from the bottom quartile of baPWV to the top quartile: quartile 1: 70.7%, quartile 2: 76.1%, quartile 3: 76.7%, quartile 4: 78.4%. After adjusting for potential confounders, baPWV was positively associated with hypertensive retinopathy (OR = 1.05, 95% CI, 1.03–1.07, p <.001). Compared to those in the lowest baPWV quartile, those in the highest baPWV quartile had an odds ratio for hypertensive retinopathy of 1.61 (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.37–1.89, p <.001). Two‐piece‐wise logistic regression model demonstrated a nonlinear relationship between baPWV and hypertensive retinopathy with an inflection point of 17.1 m/s above which the effect was saturated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steel slabs are key in-process products in the steel production process. The slab allocation problem is to allocate slabs to suitable orders by considering complicated technical restrictions and multiple management requirements. In practice, thousands of slabs in multiple production lines should be allocated to orders. Due to the complexity and large scale of the problem, it takes planners a long time to make decisions, and the obtained allocation schemes are usually ineffective because of the myopic nature of the rule-based methods. In this article, we present a learning-based solution method for solving a practical slab allocation problem in multiple hot rolling lines. We formulate the problem as an integer programming model, then a data-based method is adopted to evaluate the mismatching cost between slabs and orders. To effectively solve the large-sized problem, a learning-based decomposition strategy is proposed to decompose the original problem into several small-sized subproblems. Then, a branch-and-price algorithm is proposed to optimally solve the subproblems. To further speed up the solution process, a primal heuristics based on column generation is designed to solve the large-sized subproblems. The solution methods have been implemented in a steel company and effectively increased slab utilization and reduced production cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the widespread use as flame retardants, plasticizers, and organophosphate esters (OPEs) received increasing scientific interests on their occurrence and ecotoxicological research progress. This review comprehensively conducted bibliometric analysis and surveyed the OPEs occurrence in aquatic ecosystem (water, sediment, and aquatic organisms) and human-related (drinking water and sewage) over the past decade to unraveling knowledge gaps. The OPEs concentrations in water, sediment were at the range of not detected (n.d.) or several to hundreds ng/g or ng/L and exhibited landuses-specific characteristics. The electronic waste (e-waste) processing activities and sewage discharge were identified as point sources of OPEs in aquatic environment. Emission source intensity, water chemistry, and content of organic carbon were important for the partition and transfer processes of OPEs in the water, as well as hydrophobicity of OPEs dominating the absorption on the organic matter. Degradation, especially photodegradation and reductive degradation, has application potential in improving removal efficiencies of chlorinated-OPEs (Cl-OPEs) being reluctant to degrade. Generally, most surveyed OPEs have negligible ecological and health risks, whereas those OPEs with moderate threats or chronic effects on aquatic ecosystem should gain more attention. This review elucidates the status of OPEs pollution in water and highlights the need for more transport and degradation studies on traditional and emerging OPEs and metabolites to further identify potential threats on aquatic ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Drought is a deleterious abiotic stress factor that constrains crop growth and development. Post‐translational modification of proteins mediated by the ubiquitin–proteasome system is an effective strategy for directing plant responses to stress, but the regulatory mechanisms in wheat remain unclear. In this study, we showed that TaSDIR1‐4A is a positive modulator of the drought response. Overexpression of TaSDIR1‐4A increased the hypersensitivity of stomata, root length and endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) content under drought conditions. TaSDIR1‐4A encodes a C3H2C3‐type RING finger protein with E3 ligase activity. Amino acid mutation in its conserved domain led to loss of activity and altered the subcellular localization. The membrane‐bound transcription factor TaWRKY29 was identified by yeast two‐hybrid screening, and it was confirmed as interacting with TaSDIR1‐4A both in vivo and in vitro. TaSDIR1‐4A mediated the polyubiquitination and proteolysis of the C‐terminal amino acid of TaWRKY29, and its translocation from the plasma membrane to the nucleus. Activated TaWRKY29 bound to the TaABI5 promoter to stimulate its expression, thereby positively regulating the ABA signalling pathway and drought response. Our findings demonstrate the positive role of TaSDIR1‐4A in drought tolerance and provide new insights into the involvement of UPS in the wheat stress response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ampelopsideae J. Wen & Z.L. Nie is a small-sized tribe of Vitaceae Juss., including ca. 47 species from four genera showing a disjunct distribution worldwide across all the continents except Antarctica. There are numerous species from the tribe that are commonly used as medicinal plants with immune-modulating, antimicrobial, and anti-hypertensive properties. The tribe is usually recognized into three clades, i.e., Ampelopsis Michx., Nekemias Raf., and the Southern Hemisphere clade. However, the relationships of the three clades differ greatly between the nuclear and the plastid topologies. There has been limited exploration of the chloroplast phylogenetic relationships within Ampelopsideae, and studies on the chloroplast genome structure of this tribe are only available for a few individuals. In this study, we aimed to investigate the evolutionary characteristics of plastid genomes of the tribe, including their genome structure and evolutionary insights. Results: We sequenced, assembled, and annotated plastid genomes of 36 species from the tribe and related taxa in the family. Three main clades were recognized within Ampelopsideae, corresponding to Ampelopsis, Nekemias, and the Southern Hemisphere lineage, respectively, and all with 100% bootstrap supports. The genome sequences and content of the tribe are highly conserved. However, comparative analyses suggested that the plastomes of Nekemias demonstrate a contraction in the large single copy region and an expansion in the inverted repeat region, and possess a high number of forward and palindromic repeat sequences distinct from both Ampelopsis and the Southern Hemisphere taxa. Conclusions: Our results highlighted plastome variations in genome length, expansion or contraction of the inverted repeat region, codon usage bias, and repeat sequences, are corresponding to the three lineages of the tribe, which probably faced with different environmental selection pressures and evolutionary history. This study provides valuable insights into understanding the evolutionary patterns of plastid genomes within the Ampelopsideae of Vitaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glucocorticoids (GCs) are steroidal hormones produced by the adrenal cortex. A physiological‐level GCs have a crucial function in maintaining many cognitive processes, like cognition, memory, and mood, however, both insufficient and excessive GCs impair these functions. Although this phenomenon could be explained by the U‐shape of GC effects, the underlying mechanisms are still not clear. Therefore, understanding the underlying mechanisms of GCs may provide insight into the treatments for cognitive and mood‐related disorders. Methods: Consecutive administration of corticosterone (CORT, 10 mg/kg, i.g.) proceeded for 28 days to mimic excessive GCs condition. Adrenalectomy (ADX) surgery was performed to ablate endogenous GCs in mice. Microinjection of 1 μL of Ad‐mTERT‐GFP virus into mouse hippocampus dentate gyrus (DG) and behavioral alterations in mice were observed 4 weeks later. Results: Different concentrations of GCs were shown to affect the cell growth and development of neural stem cells (NSCs) in a U‐shaped manner. The physiological level of GCs (0.01 μM) promoted NSC proliferation in vitro, while the stress level of GCs (10 μM) inhibited it. The glucocorticoid synthesis blocker metyrapone (100 mg/kg, i.p.) and ADX surgery both decreased the quantity and morphological development of doublecortin (DCX)‐positive immature cells in the DG. The physiological level of GCs activated mineralocorticoid receptor and then promoted the production of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT); in contrast, the stress level of GCs activated glucocorticoid receptor and then reduced the expression of TERT. Overexpression of TERT by AD‐mTERT‐GFP reversed both chronic stresses‐ and ADX‐induced deficiency of TERT and the proliferation and development of NSCs, chronic stresses‐associated depressive symptoms, and ADX‐associated learning and memory impairment. Conclusion: The bidirectional regulation of TERT by different GCs concentrations is a key mechanism mediating the U‐shape of GC effects in modulation of hippocampal NSCs and associated brain function. Replenishment of TERT could be a common treatment strategy for GC dysfunction‐associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxic environments like those present at high altitudes may negatively affect brain function. Varying levels of hypoxia, whether acute or chronic, are previously shown to impair cognitive function in humans. Assessment and prevention of such cognitive impairment require detection of cognitive changes and impairment using specific cognitive function assessment tools. This paper summarizes the findings of previous research, outlines the methods for cognitive function assessment used at a high altitude, elaborates the need to develop standardized and systematic cognitive function assessment tools for high‐altitude hypoxia environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we successfully prepared porous composite microspheres composed of hydroxyapatite (HAp), di-calcium phosphate di-hydrated (DCPD), and chitosan through the hydrothermal method. The chitosan played a crucial role as a chelating agent to facilitate the growth of related calcium phosphates. The synthesized porous composite microspheres exhibit a specific surface area of 38.16 m2/g and a pore volume of 0.24 cm3/g, with the pore size ranging from 4 to 100 nm. Given the unique properties of chitosan and the exceptional porosity of these composite microspheres, they may serve as carriers for pharmaceuticals. After being annealed, the chitosan transforms into a condensed form and the DCPD transforms into Ca2P2O7 at 300 °C. Then, the Ca2P2O7 initially combines with HAp to transform into β tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) at 500 °C where the chitosan is also completely combusted. Finally, the microspheres are composed of Ca2P2O7, β-TCP, and HAp, also making them suitable for applications such as injectable bone graft materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zn–Cd alloys are important industrial materials which have attracted much attentions in recent years. But, few reports on Zn–Cd clusters are currently available. An interesting structural feature in previous studies is that Zn and Cd atoms do not mix in binary Zn–Cd clusters. However, the analysis based on the empirical potential function can only give very limited structure information about them. Here, geometric structures of (Zn–Cd)n (n = 1–9) clusters are globally searched by the unbiasedly genetic algorithm with DFT methods. We found that the ground state structures of Zn–Cd clusters are singlet states and prefer compact characteristics, where the Cd atoms prefer to be located on the surfaces of the structures, thus coating Zn atoms that are for the kernel growths. The Eb and Δ2E results show that the (Zn–Cd)2 and (Zn–Cd)5 clusters have higher stability than that of their neighbors. The molecular dynamics simulations verify that they still have excellent thermal stability at 700 K. The molecular orbitals and DOS reveal that the 8/20 valence electrons of the (Zn–Cd)2 and (Zn–Cd)5 clusters fill the superatomic shells resulting in electronic configurations of 1S21P6/1S21P61D102S2, respectively. Moreover, we considered different adsorption structures of (Zn–Cd)2 with one CO molecule, and only the four stable isomers are finally obtained. It is found that the CO in the form of molecule is adsorbed on the cluster, resulting in the unbroken C–O bond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to compare retinal vascular parameters and density in patients with moyamoya disease using the optical coherence tomography angiography. Methods: This clinical trial totally enrolls 78 eyes from 39 participants, and all these patients with moyamoya disease (N = 13) are set as experimental group and participants with health who matched with age and gender are considered as the control group (N = 26). Then all these participants receive optical coherence tomography angiography detection. Participants' general data are collected and analyzed. Skeleton density (SD) value, vessel density (VD) value, fractal dimension (FD) value, vessel diameter index (VDI) value, foveal avascular zone (FAZ) value are analyzed. Results: A total of 39 participants are included in this study. The SD value in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in control group (0.175 [0.166, 0.181] vs. 0.184 [0.175, 0.188], p = 0.017). Similarly, the VD value in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (0.333 [0.320, 0.350] vs. 0.354 [0.337, 0.364], p = 0.024). Additionally, the FD value in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (2.088 [2.083, 2.094] vs. 2.096 [2.090, 2.101], p = 0.022). As for the VDI and FAZ, VDI and FAZ values in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group, there was no significant difference in VDI and FAZ values between the two groups. Conclusions: Our study, using non-invasive and rapid OCTA imaging, confirmed decreased retinal vascular parameters and density in patients with moyamoya disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION The global tobacco epidemic poses a notable challenge to global health due to its association with various tobacco-related diseases. Although tobacco smoking is associated with depression, the exact mechanism by which tobacco smoking increases the risk of depression is unclear. This study explored the potential effects of tobacco smoking on depression. METHODS We used data in the analysis from the Taiwan Biobank of 27916 individuals recruited from 2015 to 2020. To investigate the associations between tobacco use and depression, the results of the depression-measuring subscale of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 as well as data on participants' tobacco consumption and other relevant covariates, were analyzed. RESULTS Participants who smoked were more likely to report depression than those who did not smoke (AOR=1.50; 95% CI: 1.21-1.86). Furthermore, depression was significantly higher in women who smoked than in their male counterparts (females: AOR=1.68; 95% CI: 1.27-2.23, and males: AOR=1.32; 95% CI: 0.96- 1.80). Women aged <55 years and who smoked were more likely to report depression, whereas this trend was not observed in those aged ≥55 years (<55 years: AOR=1.75; 95% CI: 1.23-2.48), and ≥55 years: AOR=1.58; 95% CI: 0.97- 2.56). CONCLUSIONS Tobacco smoking is a significant factor associated with depression, particularly in younger women. The increasing prevalence of tobacco use for years among younger women in Taiwan might contribute to shifts in the associations between depression and tobacco use in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) can efficiently convert solar energy into electricity, which is considered a promising approach to reduce the dependence on fossil resources. However, the development of counter electrodes (CEs) has been limited. Hence, the search for efficient earth-abundant CE materials is highly desired. Herein, an improved simple synthesis method is reported for the deep optimization of electrode activity by coupling the N-defect carbon with the NiO/Fe2O3 heterojunction (denoted as NiO/Fe2O3@NC). The carbon layers with large specific surface area and high conductivity as bridging transporters not only can maintain structural stability but full exposure to active sites. Moreover, the synergetic effect of NiO and Fe2O3 can promote I3− reduction reaction and suppress iodide ion coupling simultaneously. The obtained NiO/Fe2O3@NC serves as CEs. Compared with the unsupported NiO@NC, the Fe2O3@NC composites displayed superior electrochemical properties. Meanwhile, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of DSSC with NiO/Fe2O3@NC CE attained 8.69%, exceeding that with NiO@NC (6.51%), Fe2O3@NC (6.22%), and commercial Pt CEs (7.52%). This study would contribute to the construction and development of excellent electrocatalysts for other important reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we have successfully constructed Ag3PO4/Ag/g-C3N4 heterojunctions via the hydrothermal method, which displays a wide photo-absorption range. The higher photocurrent intensity of Ag3PO4/Ag/g-C3N4 indicates that the separation efficiency of the photogenerated electron–hole pairs is higher than that of both Ag3PO4 and Ag/g-C3N4 pure substances. It is confirmed that the efficient separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs is attributed to the heterojunction of the material. Under visible light irradiation, Ag3PO4/Ag/g-C3N4-1.6 can remove MO (~90%) at a higher rate than Ag3PO4 or Ag/g-C3N4. Its degradation rate is 0.04126 min−1, which is 4.23 and 6.53 times that of Ag/g-C3N4 and Ag3PO4, respectively. After five cycles of testing, the Ag3PO4/Ag/g-C3N4 photocatalyst still maintained high photocatalytic activity. The excellent photocatalysis of Ag3PO4/Ag/g-C3N4-1.6 under ultraviolet-visible light is due to the efficient separation of photogenerated carriers brought about by the construction of the Ag3PO4/Ag/g-C3N4 heterostructure. Additionally, Ag3PO4/Ag/g-C3N4 specimens can be easily recycled with high stability. The effects of hydroxyl and superoxide radicals on the degradation process of organic compounds were studied using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and radical quenching experiments. Therefore, the Ag3PO4/Ag/g-C3N4 composite can be used as an efficient and recyclable UV-vis spectrum-driven photocatalyst for the purification of organic pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxyapatite—gelatin microspheres with cone-like pores were synthesized via the wet-chemical method using ammonium dihydrogen phosphate ((NH4)H2PO4) and calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2·4H2O) as a source of calcium and phosphate ions with the addition of gelatin, which proved to be more osteoconductive than commercial products, such as fibrin glue and Osteoset® Bone Graft Substitute. Following the method of the previous study for loading paclitaxel (PTX), a drug entrapment efficiency of around 58% was achieved, which is much lower than that of the doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded one. Since PTX is hydrophobic while DOX is hydrophilic, the order of chitosan processing and addition of the solvent were tuned in this study, finally leading to an increase in drug entrapment efficiency of 94%. Additionally, the release duration of PTX exceeded six months. The MTT assay indicated that the effect of drug release on the suppression of cancer cells reached more than 40% after one week, thereby showcasing PTX's capacity to carry out its medicinal functions without being affected by the loading procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Civilian nurses have gradually become the main body of military nurses. Our study aimed to understand their occupational happiness and its influencing factors. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 319 civilian nurses working in 15 military hospitals in China. Based on literature review, expert consultation and combined with the characteristics of civilian positions, this study developed a questionnaire on occupational happiness of civilian nurses in military hospitals. The questionnaire includes 7 dimensions as follows: work emotion, salary, work environment, professional identity, work output, interpersonal relationship, well‑being. The demographic questionnaire and occupational well-being questionnaire of civilian nurses in military hospitals were analysed by t-test, analysis of variance and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: The occupational happiness score (3.83 ± 0.56, upper limit score: 5) was at the upper middle level. There were significant differences in occupational well-being by gender (t = -2.668, p = 0.008), age (F = 5.085, p = 0.007) and the type of city where the hospital was located (F = 15.959, p < 0.0001). The happiness score of females (3.94 ± 0.60) was higher than that of males (3.47 ± 0.54). Nurses who were over 41 years old had the highest occupational happiness. Compared with nurses younger than 30 years old, the p value was 0.004. The occupational happiness of nurses in hospitals in a “prefecture-level city” (p < 0.0001) and a “sub-provincial city” (p < 0.0001) was significantly higher than that of nurses in hospitals in a “municipality directly under the central government”. Correlation analysis showed that the higher the nurses’ satisfaction with professional identity, work output, work environment, salary, and interpersonal relationships, the higher their occupational happiness. Conclusion: Occupational happiness of civilian nurses in Chinese military hospitals was above the medium level. Gender, age, and the type of city where the hospital was located had a very significant impact on the level of occupational happiness. In addition, “professional identity”, “work output”, “work environment”, “salary”, and “interpersonal relationships” were significantly correlated with the occupational happiness of civilian nurses. They can be improved with some future lines of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, through analysis of the genome of Eleutherococcus senticosus (ES). 228 AP2/ERF genes were identified and classified into 5 groups AP2 (47 genes), ERF (108 genes), RAV (6 genes), DREB (64 genes), and soloist (3 genes). According to the AP2/ERF classification of Arabidopsis thaliana, the ES AP2/ERF proteins were subdivided into 15 groups. The gene structure and motifs of each group of AP2/ERF in ES were highly similar, which confirmed the conservation of AP2/ERF genes. The ES AP2/ERF genes were unevenly distributed on chromosomes, and a total of four pairs of tandem repeats, and 84 co-linear gene pairs were found, so the AP2/ERF genes expanded in a fragment replication manner, and dominated by pure selection during evolution. By analyzing the transcriptome data of ES under different drought stress conditions, 87 AP2/ERF genes with differential expression were obtained, of which 10 genes with highly significant differences were further analyzed and screened for qRT-PCR validation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the AP2/ERF gene of Eleutherococcus senticosus, and the bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation provided valuable information about them, which is of great significance for further research on the molecular mechanisms of ES in response to drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior studies have suggested there is a link between attitudes toward store music and customer loyalty, although this evidence has been inconsistent and inconclusive. We tested the relationship between attitudes toward store music and customer loyalty while taking into account emotional value as a mediator. Customers (N = 352) from a supermarket in China completed a paper-and-pencil survey assessing attitudes toward store music, loyalty, and emotional value. The results of structural equation modeling suggested that emotional value played a mediating role in the relationship between attitudes toward store music and customer loyalty. This study contributes to understanding of customer loyalty in response to store music and provides retailers with practical insights into increasing customer loyalty by inducing positive attitudes toward store music. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of weights is usually ignored in the study of nonlinear vibrations of plates. In this paper, the effect of structure weights on the nonlinear vibration of a composite circular plate with a rigid body is presented. The nonlinear governing equations are derived from the generalized Hamilton's principle and the von Kármán plate theory. The equilibrium configurations due to weights are determined and validated by the finite element method (FEM). A nonlinear model for the vibration around the equilibrium configuration is established. Moreover, the natural frequencies and amplitude-frequency responses of harmonically forced vibrations are calculated. The study shows that the structure weights introduce additional linear and quadratic nonlinear terms into the dynamical model. This leads to interesting phenomena. For example, considering weights increases the natural frequency. Furthermore, when the influence of weights is considered, the vibration response of the plate becomes asymmetrical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most common driver gene mutation in patients with non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation. With the introduction of EGFR‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors, the treatment prospects and prognosis of NSCLC patients with EGFR‐sensitive mutations have significantly improved. Nonetheless, therapies targeting NSCLC are still associated with a risk of primary or secondary nonclassical drug resistance mutations. In recent years, the research and methodology have led to the continuous discovery of new drugs and drug resistance targets. These explorations have also resulted in continuously discovering new drugs. Consequently, rapid advancements have been made to overcome NSCLC drug resistance. This study aimed to review the current dilemma of targeted therapy for EGFR mutation‐positive NSCLC and the coping strategies for these difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce logistics scheduling costs and energy consumption, this paper studies the slab allocation and hot-rolling scheduling integrated optimization problem that arises in practical iron and steel enterprises. In this problem, slabs are first allocated to orders and then sent to heating furnaces for heating; then, they are sent to a hot-rolling mill for rolling. A 0–1 integer programming model is established to minimize the attribute difference in the allocation cost between slabs and orders, the switching cost of hot-rolling processing, and waiting times after slabs reach rolling mills. Given the problem's characteristics, an improved differential evolution algorithm using a real-number coding method is designed to solve it. Three different heuristic algorithms are proposed to improve the quality of solutions in the initial population. Multiple parent individuals participate in the mutation operation, which increases the population diversity and prevents the algorithm from falling into the local optimum prematurely. Experiments on 14 sets of real production data from a large domestic iron and steel plant show that our improved differential evolution algorithm generates significantly better solutions in a reasonable amount of time compared with CPLEX, the simulated artificial method, and the classical differential evolution algorithm, and it can be used by practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new gold(I) self-relay catalysis reaction enabling the annulative oxygenation of propargylic alcohols with various O-nucleophiles, such as carboxylic acids, alcohols and TBHP, is reported, producing a series of functionalized benzofurans in moderate to good yields under mild conditions. This protocol benefits from the π- and σ-Lewis acid capability of gold complexes, demonstrating high molecular convergence, broad substrate flexibility, high functional group compatibility and mild conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, we revealed the electronic nature of the tubular Au26 based on spherical aromaticity. The peculiar structure of the Au26 could be an ideal catalyst model for studying the adsorptions of the Au nanotubes. However, through Google Scholar, we found that no one has reported connections between the structure and reactivity properties of Au26. Here, three kinds of molecules are selected to study the fundamental adsorption behaviors that occur on the surface of Au26. When one CO molecule is adsorbed on the Au26, the σ-hole adsorption structure is quickly identified as belonging to a ground state energy, and it still maintains integrity at a temperature of 500 K, where σ donations and π-back donations take place; however, two CO molecules make the structure of Au26 appear with distortions or collapse. When one H2 is adsorbed on the Au26, the H–H bond length is slightly elongated due to charge transfers to the anti-bonding σ* orbital of H2. The Au26-H2 can maintain integrity within 100 fs at 300 K and the H2 molecule starts moving away from the Au26 after 200 fs. Moreover, the Au26 can act as a Lewis base to stabilize the electron-deficient BH3 molecule, and frontier molecular orbitals overlap between the Au26 and BH3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiological studies suggest that fetal growth restriction (FGR) caused by gestational cholestasis is associated with elevated serum cholic acid (CA). Here, we explore the mechanism by which CA induces FGR. Pregnant mice except controls were orally administered with CA daily from gestational day 13 (GD13) to GD17. Results found that CA exposure decreased fetal weight and crown‐rump length, and increased the incidence of FGR in a dose‐dependent manner. Furthermore, CA caused placental glucocorticoid (GC) barrier dysfunction via down‐regulating the protein but not the mRNA level of placental 11β‐Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase‐2 (11β‐HSD2). Additionally, CA activated placental GCN2/eIF2α pathway. GCN2iB, an inhibitor of GCN2, significantly inhibited CA‐induced down‐regulation of 11β‐HSD2 protein. We further found that CA caused excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and oxidative stress in mouse placentas and human trophoblasts. NAC significantly rescued CA‐induced placental barrier dysfunction by inhibiting activation of GCN2/eIF2α pathway and subsequent down‐regulation of 11β‐HSD2 protein in placental trophoblasts. Importantly, NAC rescued CA‐induced FGR in mice. Overall, our results suggest that CA exposure during late pregnancy induces placental GC barrier dysfunction and subsequent FGR may be via ROS‐mediated placental GCN2/eIF2α activation. This study provides valuable insight for understanding the mechanism of cholestasis‐induced placental dysfunction and subsequent FGR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface texturing is a potential approach to achieving excellent surface performance. To realize high precision and efficiency in micro-texturing fabrication, a surface texturing method utilizing an ultrasonic surface rolling process is proposed. Firstly, the feasibility and geometric controllability of micro-texture preparation using ultrasonic surface rolling process are analyzed. Then, a contact theory model of ultrasonic rolling texturing process is established, which can describe the geometric relationship of the micro-texturing generation region. Based on the elastic–plastic theory, simulations of single-pass and multi-pass ultrasonic rolling texturing processes are developed to elucidate the formation and strengthening mechanism of micro-textures, and further characterize the effects of ultrasonic rolling machining parameters on micro-textures. A series of validation tests of ultrasonic rolling texturing are implemented on AISI 5140 steel. Simulation and experimental results show that the ultrasonic surface rolling process can fabricate micro-groove arrays with the periodic distribution. The validity of the theoretical and finite element models is confirmed by the comparison results. It is demonstrated that the ultrasonic rolling texturing process is a feasible and efficient way to fabricate controllable micro-textures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: A high-quality sample allows for next-generation sequencing and the administration of more tailored precision medicine treatments. We aimed to evaluate whether heparinized wet suction can obtain higher quality samples than the standard dry-suction method during endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided biopsy of pancreatic masses. Methods: A prospective randomized crossover study was conducted. Patients with a solid pancreatic mass were randomly allocated to receive either heparinized wet suction first or dry suction first. For each method, two needle passes were made, followed by a switch to the other method for a total of four needle punctures. The primary outcome was the aggregated white tissue length. Histological blood contamination, diagnostic performance and adverse events were analyzed as secondary outcomes. In addition, the correlation between white tissue length and the extracted DNA amount was analyzed. Results: A total of 50 patients were enrolled, and 200 specimens were acquired (100 with heparinized wet suction and 100 with dry suction), with one minor bleeding event. The heparinized wet suction approach yielded specimens with longer aggregated white tissue length (11.07 mm vs 7.96 mm, p=0.001) and less blood contamination (p=0.008). A trend towards decreasing tissue quality was observed for the 2nd pass of the dry-suction method, leading to decreased diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy, although the accumulated diagnostic performance was comparable between the two suction methods. The amount of extracted DNA correlated positively to the white tissue length (p=0.001, Spearman̕ s ρ=0.568). Conclusions: Heparinized wet suction for EUS tissue acquisition of solid pancreatic masses can yield longer, bloodless, DNA-rich tissue without increasing the incidence of adverse events [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) of polymyxin B in Chinese critically ill patients. The factors significantly affecting PK parameters are identified, and a limited sampling strategy for therapeutic drug monitoring of polymyxin B is explored. Methods Thirty patients (212 samples) were included in a population PK analysis. A limited sampling strategy was developed using Bayesian estimation, multiple linear regression and modified integral equations. Non-linear mixed-effects models were developed using Phoenix NLME software. Results A two-compartment population PK model was used to describe polymyxin B PK. Population estimates of the volumes of central compartment distribution (V) and peripheral compartment distribution (V2), central compartment clearance (CL) and intercompartmental clearance (Q) were 7.857 L, 12.668 L, 1.672 L/h and 7.009 L/h. Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) significantly affected CL, and body weight significantly affected CL and Q. The AUC0-12h of polymyxin B in patients with CRRT was significantly lower than in patients without CRRT. CL and Q increased with increasing body weight. A limited sampling strategy was suggested using a two-sample scheme with plasma at 0.5h and 8h after the end of infusion (C0.5 and C8) for therapeutic drug monitoring in the clinic. Conclusions A dosing regimen should be based on body weight and the application of CRRT. A two-sample strategy for therapeutic drug monitoring could facilitate individualized treatment with polymyxin B in critically ill patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) protects the brain but is also an important obstacle for the effective delivery of therapeutics in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Transcranial magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) has been shown to reversibly disrupt the BBB. However, treatment of diffuse regions across the brain along with the effect on Alzheimer's disease relevant pathology need to be better characterized. This study is an open-labelled single-arm trial (NCT04118764) to investigate the feasibility of modulating BBB permeability in the default mode network and the impact on cognition, amyloid and tau pathology as well as BBB integrity. Nine participants [mean age 70.2 ± 7.2 years, mean Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) 21.9] underwent three biweekly procedures with follow-up visits up to 6 months. The BBB permeability of the bilateral hippocampi, anterior cingulate cortex and precuneus was transiently increased without grade 3 or higher adverse events. Participants did not experience worsening trajectory of cognitive decline (ADAS-cog11, MMSE). Whole brain vertex-based analysis of the 18F-florbetaben PET imaging demonstrated clusters of modest SUVR reduction in the right parahippocampal and inferior temporal lobe. However, CSF and blood biomarkers did not demonstrate any amelioration of Alzheimer's disease pathology (P-tau181, amyloid-β42/40 ratio), nor did it show persistent BBB dysfunction (plasma PDGFRbeta and CSF-to-plasma albumin ratio). This study provides neuroimaging and fluid biomarker data to characterize the safety profile of MRgFUS BBB modulation in neurodegeneration as a potential strategy for enhanced therapeutic delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In recent years, lipid metabolism has been reprogrammed to meet the energy and substrate needs of tumorigenesis and development and is a potential new target for cancer treatment. However, the regulatory mechanism of lipid metabolism in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is not well understood. Methods: We first downloaded the esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) gene dataset in the GEO and TCGA databases and analyzed the central differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of ESCC through bioinformatics. Afterwards, the GSEA method was used to analyze the lipid metabolism-related pathway of the central gene in the pathological process of ESCC, and it was determined that the central gene OIP5 was significantly related to the fatty acid metabolism pathway. Our heatmap also revealed that the enrichment of the ACSL family in ESCC tissues was more pronounced than in normal tissues. We hypothesized that OIP5 can regulate the fatty acid metabolism process in ESCC cells and affect the tumorigenic ability of ESCC. Further statistical analysis and experiment were conducted to determine the lipid metabolism-related gene, OIP5′s, expression pattern and clinical significance in ESCC, analyze the effect of OIP5 expression on fatty acid metabolism-related enzymes in ESCC, revealing the specific mechanism of OIP5 that promotes ESCC development. Conclusions: Our study established a correlation between OIP5 expression and clinicopathological factors (tumor size, T stage, N stage, and clinical grade) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (p < 0.05). We have also experimentally demonstrated that OIP5 regulates ESCC fatty acid metabolism by influencing the expression of the key enzyme ACSL1 in lipid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to bimetallic MOFs (metal–organic frameworks) possessing diverse structure topologies and superior properties, herein, we used bimetallic ZIFs (zeolitic imidazole frameworks) of MOFs as precursors via the wet chemical and calcination method to fabricate zinc-embellished Co–Zn@NPC@MWCNT nanocomposites with porous conductive carbon-based networks The abundant carbon defects, zinc evaporation, and N-atom doping resulted in the emergence of dipolar/interface polarization, which is good for dielectric loss. The high porosity and large specific surface area were instrumental in the attenuation of multiple scattering and endowed the absorber with an excellent absorption performance. With merely 15 wt% filled loading and 3.187 mm thickness, the obtained composites under the optimized carbonization temperature (800 °C) exhibited double absorption peaks: the RLmin (minimum reflection loss) reached −76.18 dB@12.88 GHz and −33.09 dB@7.76 GHz, respectively. Moreover, a wide absorption bandwidth can be up to 6.56 GHz (7.2–13.76 GHz) with 3.0 mm thickness, distributed in three frequency bands: 20% of the C band, 100% of the X band, and 29.3% of the Ku band. In addition, the conductive network structure of composites was also beneficial for electromagnetic (EM)-wave absorption. An easy preparation process and low cost can further promote the commercial potential of our obtained bimetallic MOF-based material as an EM-wave absorber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS), in conjunction with circulating microbubbles, is an emerging technology that can transiently enhance the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) locally and non-invasively to facilitate targeted drug delivery to the brain. In this clinical trial, the feasibility and safety of BBB modulation in the putamen were evaluated for biweekly therapeutic agent delivery in patients with Parkinson's disease. The performance of the clinical MRgFUS system's cavitation feedback controller for active power modulation throughout the exposures was examined. The putamen was targeted unilaterally by an ExAblate Neuro MRgFUS system operating at 220 kHz. Definity microbubbles were infused via a saline bag gravity drip at a rate of 4 µL/kg per 5 min. A cavitation emissions-based feedback controller was employed to modulate the acoustic power automatically according to prescribed target cavitation dose levels. BBB opening was measured by Gadolinium (Gd)-enhanced T1-weighted MR imaging, and the presence of potential micro-hemorrhages induced by the exposures was assessed via T2*-weighted MR imaging. A total of 12 treatment sessions were carried out across four patients, with target cavitation dose levels ranging from 0.20–0.40. BBB permeability in the targeted putamen was elevated successfully in all treatments, with a 14% ± 6% mean increase in Gd-enhanced T1-weighted MRI signal intensity relative to the untreated contralateral side. No indications of red blood cell extravasations were observed on MR imaging scans acquired one day following each treatment session. The cavitation emissions-based feedback controller was effective in modulating acoustic power levels to ensure BBB permeability enhancement while avoiding micro-hemorrhages, however, further technical advancements are warranted to improve its performance for use across a wide variety of brain diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aimed to analyze whether serum prealbumin and transferrin have a higher sensitivity than albumin for detecting malnutrition and predicting survival in esophageal cancer patients. A total of 212 patients were prospectively enrolled. Serum albumin, prealbumin, and transferrin were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The association of nutritional markers with survival was analyzed. We found that malnutrition was presented in 44.5% of the patients, while 56.6% were unaware of their body weight change. The area under the curve for diagnosing malnutrition was largest for prealbumin, followed by transferrin and albumin, with optimal breakpoints of 21 mg/dL, 206 mg/dL, and 4.3 g/dL, respectively, for diagnosing malnutrition. The diagnostic sensitivity for malnutrition was 34.1-63.4% with a single marker and this increased to 80.5% with all 3 markers. In patients with normal albuminemia (≥ 4.3 g/dL), a low level of prealbumin and/or transferrin predicted malnutrition and poor prognosis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed that a low level of the nutritional marker was an independent poor prognostic factor. In conclusion, serum prealbumin and transferrin outperformed albumin in identifying esophageal cancer patients with malnutrition and poor prognosis. Checking all three markers will help with the early diagnosis of malnutrition and enable timely intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous hydroxyapatite–gelatin (Hap–Gel) composite microspheres derived by wet chemical methods were used as carriers of doxorubicin (DOX) coupled with chitosan (Chi) for treating cancers. Through X-ray diffraction, specific surface area porosimetry, chemisorption analysis and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, the crystalline phase, composition, morphology, and pore distribution of HAp–Gel microspheres were all characterized. HAp nanosized crystals and Gel polymers form porous microspheres after blending and exhibit a specific surface area of 158.64 m2/g, pore sizes from 3 to 150 nm, and pore volumes of 0.4915 cm3/g. These characteristics are suitable for carriers of DOX. Furthermore, by the addition of chitosan during drug loading, its drug-entrapment efficiency increases from 70% to 99% and the release duration increases from a 100% burst within a day to only 45% over half a year since the pores in the composite microspheres provide a shielding effect throughout the degradation period of the chitosan. According to the MTT tests, cell viability of DOX–Chi/HAp–Gel is 57.64% on day 5, similar to the result treated with DOX only. It is concluded that under the protection of pores in the microspheres, the chitosan abundant of hydroxyls combining HAp–Gel and DOX by forming hydrogen bonds indeed enhances the entrapment efficiency, prolongs the releasing period and maintains DOX's ability to perform medicine functions unaffected after loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An eco-friendly, cost-effective route for fabrication of silver (Ag) coatings on the surface of magnesium titanate ceramic by electroless plating (EP) based on a novel Ni–P activation process was developed successfully. Coarsened ceramic surface was implanted in situ abundant nano-scale Ni–P spherical active particles via facilely soaking in aqueous solution containing nickel sulphate as Ni source, sodium hypophosphite as major reducing agent and introducing a trace of sodium borohydride to induce initial deposition. The validity of the novel activation process was confirmed by the subsequent experimental fact that Ag EP coatings could deposit smoothly. The surface and cross-section micro-morphologies of typical samples and their element constituent as well as distribution were characterized by SEM and EDS. The deposition rate of Ag coatings and their comprehensive performances including appearance, electric conductivity, adhesion and microhardness were evaluated. The results indicates that the novel Ni–P process could provide the best activating effect to ensure the deposition of high-quality Ag coatings by comparison with traditional Ni–B activation and classical stannous activation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: GBA1 mutation is the most common genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD). Replacement of the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GCase) slows neurodegeneration in PD models and may be a promising disease-modifying therapy in patients with PD. However, recombinant GCase has limited penetration through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Microbubble-mediated magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) can reversibly disrupt the BBB for drug delivery.Methods: This open-label phase I study investigated the safety and feasibility of MRgFUS putaminal delivery of intravenous GCase at escalating doses (15 to 30 to 60 IU/kg) every 2 weeks in four patients with PD with GBA1 mutations.Results: BBB permeability was achieved and restored in all patients as quantified by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging after treatment. There were no serious adverse events. Two patients developed transient dyskinesia after treatment. Blinded Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor scores off medication decreased by 12% at 6 months from baseline (from 26 ± 9 to 22 ± 6). Standardized uptake value ratio on fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography imaging in the treated putamen reduced from 1.66 ± 0.14 to 1.27 ± 0.08.Conclusions: Results from this study demonstrate the safety and feasibility of MRgFUS GCase delivery in PD and support further investigation of this approach. © 2022 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) can exhibit antibody-level affinity for target molecules. However, the nonspecific adsorption of non-imprinted regions for non-target molecules limits the application range of MIPs. Herein, we fabricated PEGylated boronate-affinity-oriented ellagic acid-imprinting magnetic nanoparticles (PBEMN), which first integrated boronate-affinity-oriented surface imprinting and sequential PEGylation for small molecule-imprinted MIPs. The resultant PBEMN possess higher adsorption capacity and faster adsorption rate for template ellagic acid (EA) molecules than the non-PEGylated control. To prove the excellent performance, the PBEMN were linked with hydrophilic boronic acid-modified/fluorescein isothiocyanate-loaded graphene oxide (BFGO), because BFGO could selectively label cis-diol-containing substances by boronate-affinity and output ultrasensitive fluorescent signals. Based on a dual boronate-affinity synergy, the PBEMN first selectively captured EA molecules by boronate-affinity-oriented molecular imprinted recognition, and then the EA molecules were further labeled with BFGO through boronate-affinity. The PBEMN linked BFGO (PBPF) strategy provided ultrahigh sensitivity for EA molecules with a limit of detection of 39.1 fg mL−1, resulting from the low nonspecific adsorption of PBEMN and the ultrasensitive fluorescence signal of BFGO. Lastly, the PBPF strategy was successfully employed in the determination of EA concentration in a spiked beverage sample with recovery and relative standard deviation in the range of 96.5 to 104.2% and 3.8 to 5.1%, respectively. This work demonstrates that the integration of boronate-affinity-oriented surface imprinting and sequential PEGylation may be a universal tool for improving the performance of MIPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal cancer is of high importance to occurrence, development, and treatment resistance. As evidenced by recent studies, pathways (e.g., Wnt/β-catenin, AMPK, and Hippo) are critical to the proliferation, differentiation, and self-renewal of esophageal cancer. In addition, the above pathways play a certain role in regulating esophageal cancer and act as potential therapeutic targets. Over the past few years, the function of lipid metabolism in controlling tumor cells and immune cells has aroused extensive attention. It has been reported that there are intricate interactions between lipid metabolism reprogramming between immune and esophageal cancer cells, whereas molecular mechanisms should be studied in depth. Immune cells have been commonly recognized as a vital player in the esophageal cancer microenvironment, having complex crosstalk with cancer cells. It is increasingly evidenced that the function of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) is significantly correlated with abnormal lipid metabolism. In this review, the latest findings in lipid metabolism reprogramming in TME are summarized, and the above findings are linked to esophageal cancer progression. Aberrant lipid metabolism and associated signaling pathways are likely to serve as a novel strategy to treat esophageal cancer through lipid metabolism reprogramming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal-assisted exfoliation phenomena of boehmite particles under moderate heating rates were examined. The exfoliation that generated flakes of 5–6 nm in thickness can be achieved because of the perfect cleavage on the boehmite particles that are stripped when thermal treatments bring about dehydration and γ-Al2O3 formation in sequential phase transformation of boehmite. Examinations of the exfoliation effects were carried out on calcined boehmite single crystal particles, which were about 500 nm in diameter, and obtained at three heating rates 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 °C/min with the heating schedules. The TEM techniques, BET-N2 measurements, XRD-Scherrer equation, and AFM images were employed in the examination. That the BET values increased as increasing of exfoliated flakes reflected two stages of exfoliation. In the beginning stage, during which the BET values were <40 m2/g, the exfoliation resulted from the stress produced by dehydration. In the second stage, the increased rate of surface area was due to the additional force, which originated from the γ-Al2O3 formation. Exfoliation occurred on the cleavage planes {010}, the side pinacoid of the boehmite particle. The generation of flakes resulted in the thinning of boehmite particles. Some of the flakes preserved the external form of boehmite crystals. From the surface energy evaluations of boehmite and γ-Al2O3, it can be inferred that exfoliation is a natural way of thermal treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of high energy particle imaging detection, there is an urgent requirement for detectors with radiation hardness and thermal resistance. Here, we design a 4H-SiC pixel detector based on a $4\times4$ p-i-n diode array. The thickness of sensitive region (epitaxial layer) is up to $90 ~\mu \text{m}$ , which could realize the detection of 6-MeV tritium. The active area of one p-i-n diode is 1.6 mm $\times1.6$ mm. With an excellent design of gradual doping space modulated (GDSM) junction termination extension (JTE), the reverse bias voltage is up to 5 kV, and the average leakage current is lower than 70 pA when the reverse bias voltage is 400 V. Based on a 16-channel readout electronic system, this detector shows good performance in the position resolution experiment for 5.4-MeV $\alpha $ particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the new research direction of the fourth generation cladding material, the interface strength of SiC f /SiC-Zr and the sustain properties of Zr alloy is the key point of the research. The study utilizes the third generation SiC fiber to form the 2.5D wave structure among the outside layer of Zr alloy tube and prepare the SiC f /SiC-Zr composite material cladding tube with PyC interface through PIP. Then the boundary adhesion properties as well as the influence of PIP on the Zr alloy tube are studied in the paper. The results show that SiC f /SiC-Zr composite cladding has the density of 3.73 ∼ 3.95 g/cm3, air tightness of 9.82 × 10–10 Pa·m3/s and boundary adhesion of 80 N/mm. With the increase cycle time of PIP process, the grain grow gradually into columnar grain appearing segregation and bad effect phase and micro crack. All of this will lead to the brittleness of Zr alloy. The degradation of SiC f /SiC-Zr physical properties is due to the shrink of micro defects and the failure of Zr alloy tube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensive use of tetracyclines (TCs) has led to their widespread distribution in the environment, causing serious harm to ecosystems because of their toxicity and resistance to decomposition. Adsorption is presently the principal approach to dispose of TCs, and the development of excellent adsorbents is crucial to TC removal. Herein, a novel amorphous cobalt carbonate hydroxide (ACCH) was successfully prepared by a one-step solvothermal method, which was identified as Co(CO 3) 0·63 (OH) 0.74 ·0.07H 2 O. The ultimate adsorption capacity of ACCH for TC reaches 2746 mg g−1, and the excellent adsorption performance can be maintained over a wide pH (3.0–11.0) and temperature (10–70 °C) range. Moreover, ACCH also exhibits a wonderful adsorption performance for other organic contaminants, such as ciprofloxacin and Rhodamine B. The TC adsorption process can be reasonably described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, intraparticle model and Langmuir isothermal model. The experimental results in this work suggest that the excellent adsorption performance of ACCH is ascribed to the large specific surface area, alkaline characteristics and numerous functional groups of ACCH. Accordingly, this work provides a promising strategy for the development of highly-efficient adsorbents and demonstrates their application prospects in environmental remediation. [Display omitted] • A novel amorphous cobalt carbonate hydroxide ACCH was synthesized. • The ACCH has excellent tetracycline adsorption capacity in wide pH and temperature range. • The tetracycline adsorption on amorphous ACCH is a monolayer chemical-adsorption. • Pore filling, electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding and complexation are the main driving forces for tetracycline adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(S)‐equol, the most active metabolite of the soybean isoflavones in vivo, has exhibited various biological activities and clinical benefits. Existing studies on the heterologous biosynthesis of (S)‐equol via the engineered E. coli constructed have been significantly progressed. In the present study, the engineered E. coli was further improved to be more suitable for (S)‐equol production. The four enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of (S)‐equol and another GDH for NADPH regeneration were combined to construct the recombinant E. coli BL21(DE3). The optimal conditions for (S)‐equol production were explored, respectively. The yield of equol reached 98.05% with 1 mM substrate daidzein and 4% (wt/vol) glucose. Even when the substrate concentration increased to 1.5 mM, (S)‐equol could maintain a high yield of 90.25%. Based on the 100 ml one‐pot reaction system, (S)‐equol was produced with 223.6 mg/L in 1.5 h. The study presented a more suitable engineered E. coli for the production of (S)‐equol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 4p–4f cluster incorporated polyoxometalate (POM), namely, H18{[(H4pic)4Eu10Se13O28(H2O)12](α-GeW9O34)4·40H2O (1-Eu, H4pic = isonicotinic acid), has been first synthesized and characterized. 1-Eu features an interesting four-shell structure, representing the largest Se-4f cluster incorporated POM known to date. Besides, 1-Eu exhibits excellent Lewis acid–base catalytic activity and reusablity in catalyzing the gram-scale dehydration condensation reaction of hydrazines and 1,3-diketones to synthesize polysubstituted pyrazoles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of advanced catalyst cathode with high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activities, low cost and rich natural resource is a key to improve the electrochemical performance of rechargeable lithium oxygen batteries (LOBs). Heteroatoms-doped carbon nanomaterials as cathodes for LOBs with improved electrochemical performance have attracted great attentions. Herein, we report an approach to synthesize holey graphene and a boron doped holey graphene (B-hG) with plenty of holey structure and high B doping level of 6 at. %. Benefiting from plenty of holey structures and B related active sites to accelerate the ORR and OER kinetics, the B-hGs (e.g. , B-hG-700) cathode displays an extremely high capacity of 19698 mA h g−1 at 100 mA g−1 and long cycling stability over 120 cycles. Both experimental results and density functional theory calculations indicate that the discharge products (e.g. , Li 2 O 2) prefer to nucleate and vertically grow near holes/edges sites, which facilitates the formation of relatively isolated and uniformly distributed Li 2 O 2. Such formation process significantly reduces the agglomeration of Li 2 O 2 and effectively provides many spaces to accommodate Li 2 O 2 , thus leading to the enhanced ORR and OER kinetic. [Display omitted] • The hG was produced by annealing GO with the Mn species ,followed by an acid washing process. • 6.7at.% B was successfully doped to hG to form B-hG-700. • The B-hG-700 as cathode for LOB displays outstanding lithium storage properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thus, the objectives of the present study were to perform a molecular epidemiological survey of the occurrence and subtypes of I Cryptosporidium i spp. in Holstein cows and dairy buffaloes to assess the zoonotic potential of I Cryptosporidium i spp. in cattle in Yunnan Province. Regarding the Holstein cow farms, except for farm Binchuan-2, I C. andersoni i was observed on all farms, while I C. bovis i , I C. ryanae i , and I C. parvum i were also detected on more than three farms (Table 1). In Holstein cows, two or more I Cryptosporidium i species were found in age groups other than pre-weaned calves, and only one species, I C. bovis i , was detected in pre-weaned calves. The I Cryptosporidium i spp. sequences found in Holstein cows were identical to reference sequences JN400881 ( I C. andersoni i ), MT950118 ( I C. bovis i ), JN400880 ( I C. ryanae i ), and MF671870 ( I C. parvum i ). [Extracted from the article]

Polymer adhesives have emerged as a promising dielectric passivation layer in hybrid bonding for 3D integration, but they raise misalignment problems during curing. In this work, the synergistic effect of oxygen plasma surface activation and wetting is utilized to achieve bonding between completed cured polyimides. The optimized process achieves a void-less bonding with a maximum shear strength of 35.3 MPa at a low temperature of 250 °C in merely 2 min, significantly shortening the bonding period and decreasing thermal stress. It is found that the plasma activation generates hydrophilic groups on the polyimide surface, and the wetting process further introduces more −OH groups and water molecules on the activated polyimide surface. The synergistic process of plasma activation and wetting facilitates the bridging of polyimide interfaces to achieve bonding, providing an alternative path for adhesive bonding in 3D integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]