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Coastal bridges exposed to the marine environment always suffer from non-uniform corrosion along the pier height. As the non-uniform corrosion increase, the material properties of the pier in the splash and tidal zone deteriorates significantly, affecting the seismic performance of the pier. In this study, four scaled bridge pier specimens were designed and fabricated. These specimens were subjected to different level of electrical accelerated corrosion in the proposed splash and tidal zone. Then, the cyclic load tests were conducted on the four bridge pier specimens. The hysteretic behavior, loading capacity, ductility, energy dissipation capacity and mean curvature of each specimen were analyzed. It was found that with increasing corrosion level, the load capacity, ductility and cumulative energy consumption of the specimens decreased. When the corrosion was severe enough, the location of the plastic hinge will transfer from the pier bottom to the corroded zone. more...

Backgroud: Renal transplantation, as an effective treatment for end-stage renal disease, has many clinical complications, among which delayed graft function recovery (DGF), as one of the common postoperative complications, is also a major risk factor affecting the short-term and long-term efficacy of renal transplantation. Therefore, reasonable use of DGF after renal transplantation to promote renal function recovery is of great significance for the prognosis of these patients. Methods: Based on this, 62 patients who underwent renal transplantation and developed DGF in our hospital from June 2018 to December 2021 were selected as the research objects. According to the random color method, they were divided into three groups: diosimin group (n=20), ulinastatin group (n=21), and combination group (n=21). To observe the effects of different medication regimens on renal injury markers and renal ultrasound related indexes in patients with DGF, and to lay a theoretical foundation for guiding clinical medication and improving prognosis of DGF patients. Results: After comparing the general data of the three groups, it was found that there was no significant difference (P > 0.05), indicating that there was no difference in medication results due to personal factors. The levels of Scr, CysC and BUN in the ulinastatin group after treatment were significantly better than those before treatment. The levels of renal injury markers in the combined group were significantly better after treatment than before treatment. According to the ultrasound results, there was no significant difference in the renal ultrasound indexes between the diosimine and ulinastatin groups after treatment, while the renal ultrasound indexes of the combined group were better than those of the other two groups. Conclusion: It can be concluded from the results that diosimin combined with ulinastatin can significantly reduce renal injury in patients with DGF, and can effectively improve renal function in such patients, which has a positive effect on improving prognosis. more...

Combined sewer overflow pollution has gradually become the limiting factor for the further improvement of river water quality during rain events. Setting up a comprehensive regulation method based on synchronous monitoring is essential for combined sewer overflow management. However, current studies mainly focus on single monitoring and lack a correlation between control objectives and control effects. This study establishes a new aspect of a comprehensive regulation and control method based on overflow characteristic analysis, a calculation model, and control target determination. Through synchronous monitoring of the pipe network, the sewage treatment plant, and the river course in the Liangshui River basin of China, rainfall thresholds of outlets in a combined pipe network, pre-treatment overflow, and simple-treatment overflow were 14, 9, and 16 mm, respectively, and the overflow volume was positively correlated with the rainfall. The COD (chemical oxygen demand) concentration from the pre-treatment overflow was much higher than that from the combined pipe network, and the EMC (event mean concentration) in heavy rain was higher than in rainstorms. The shortest time exceeding the water quality by overflow pollution was 1 h, and the longest time was more than 7 days. Overflow load proportions of the three links were 43.4%, 32.8%, and 23.8%, accounting for 66.3% of the total pollutant load of the river, and the best scheme of input–output ratio was to regulate the first three outlets of overflow load. Our results provide comprehensive guidance and a systematic approach for the monitoring and control of combined sewer overflow. more...

Single-walled carbon nanotube-based field effect transistors (SWCNT-FETs) are ideal candidates for fabricating sensors and have been widely used for chemical sensing applications. SWCNT-FETs have low selectivity because of the environmentally sensitive electronic properties of SWCNTs, and SWCNT-FETs also show a high noise signal and poor sensitivity because of charge trapping from Si–OH hydration of the SiO2/Si substrate on the SWCNTs. Herein, poly (4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) was used for noncovalent attachment to SWCNTs and selective binding to copper ions (Cu2+). Importantly, the introduction of a hafnium-oxide (HfO2) layer through atomic layer deposition (ALD) overcame the charge trapping by SiO2 hydration and remarkably decreased the interference signal. The sensitivity of the P4VP/SWCNT/HfO2-FET sensor for Cu2+ was 7.9 μA μM−1, which was approximately 100 times higher than that of the P4VP/SWCNT/SiO2-FET sensor, and its limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 33 pmol L−1. Thus, the P4VP/SWCNT/HfO2-FET sensor is a promising candidate for the development of Cu2+-selective sensors and can be designed for the large-scale manufacturing of custom-made sensors in the future. more...

Black phosphorus (BP) has a high charge-carrier mobility (∼1000 cm2 V−1 s−1), but the bare BP degrades rapidly in the presence of oxygen and water which limits the application of the BP. In this study, a simple, non-covalent passivation strategy is developed by modifying of the BP with hexamethylendiamine (HA). The functionalized BP exhibits good stability over 4 weeks. The organic phase interdigital electrode which is constructed by stable HA/BP and tyrosinase displays lowest noise signal (0.025 nA) and relatively low detection limit (10 nmol L−1) for bisphenol A. This work provides a new strategy for construction of novel biofuel cell, bioelectronics and biosensors. more...

High static and low dynamic stiffness vibration isolators have the advantages of high load-bearing capacity and small static displacement, but their negative stiffness components will cause a jump phenomenon at the resonance frequency. A semi-active vibration isolator with high-static-low-dynamic stiffness based on magnetorheological (MR) damper is proposed. The equivalent dynamic model of the MR semi-active vibration isolator is established, and the main resonance steady solution and stability conditions of the vibration isolation system are obtained using the average method. The influences of the basic excitation amplitude, excitation frequency, coulomb force, viscous damping coefficient, load-bearing mass, nonlinear elastic force coefficient and linear elastic force coefficient on the stability and performance of vibration isolation systems are analyzed. The results will provide a certain theoretical basis for the design of semi-active control strategies. more...

Recently, ordered structures constructed from rigid three-dimensional (3D) shaped polyhedra have been drawing general interest, with the tetrahedron being the simplest one but showing complicated assembly behaviors. Rigid tetrahedron building blocks have been shown to form quasicrystalline and crystalline phases with high packing fractions by both simulation and experiments. Nevertheless, the study of 3D tetrahedral building blocks is limited, especially in the field of supramolecular self-assembly. Here, we present an experimental study of rigid giant tetrahedral molecules constructed by attaching four bulky polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) cages to a tetrahedral perylene bisimide (PBI) scaffold. Self-assembly of these giant tetrahedra is mediated by π-π interaction between the tetrahedral PBI-based scaffolds and their overall tetrahedral symmetry. A monolithic nearly centimeter-sized hexagonal supramolecular structure was observed in the giant tetrahedron with short flexible linkers between PBI and POSS cages, while a micrometer-sized crystalline helical structure formed in that with completely rigid aromatic linkers. Their significant difference in electrical conductivity could be explained by two completely different packing models of the giant tetrahedra. more...

Patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) undergo severe loss of bone mineral below the level of lesion, and data on available treatment options after SCI is scarce. The aim of this work was to investigate the therapeutic effect of cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabis, on sublesional bone loss in a rat model of SCI. The adult male rats were exposed to surgical transection of the cord and treated with CBD for consecutive 14 days. It was found that CBD treatment elevated the serum levels of osteocalcin, reduced the serum levels of collagen type I cross-linked C-telopeptide, and enhanced bone mineral density of tibiae and femurs. Treatment of SCI rats with CBD enhanced bone volume, trabecular thickness, and trabecular number, and reduced trabecular separation in proximal tibiae, and increased ultimate compressive load, stiffness, and energy to max force of femoral diaphysis. Treatment of SCI rats with CBD upregulated mRNA expression of alkaline phosphatase and osteoprotegerin and downregulated mRNA expression of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase in femurs. Furthermore, treatment of SCI rats with CBD enhanced mRNA expression of wnt3a, Lrp5 and ctnnb1 in femurs. In conclusion, CBD administration attenuated SCI-induced sublesional cancellous bone loss. more...

Copper is a common element in the environment and human body. Exposure to high concentrations of Cu2+ potentially causes health issues, such as Wilson and Alzheimer's diseases. It is of great importance for the highly selective and sensitive detection of Cu2+. In this work, a porous metal-organic framework (MOF), PCN222, is employed for the selective and sensitive determination of Cu2+. The selectivity of PCN222 relies on the interaction between Cu2+ and the porphyrin core of PCN222. PCN222 stacked with porphyrin rings exhibits solvent adaptability, which overcomes the drawback of the natural porphyrinic enzyme (such as HRP). PCN222 is used for constructing a sensor which shows a linear range of Cu2+ concentration from 0.4 to 13 μmol L-1, and its limit of detection (LOD) is 50 nmol L-1. The response time is less than 3 s, which is faster than previous methods. This work opens up a new route to MOF applications in the detection of metal ions in complex environments. more...

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates with high sensitivity and reproducibility are highly desirable for high precision and even molecular-level detection applications. Here, large-scale uniformly hybrid nanoparticle-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (NERS) substrates with high reproducibility and controllability were developed. Using oxygen plasma treatment, large-area and uniformly rough polystyrene sphere (URPS) arrays in conjunction with 20 nm Au films (AuURPS) were fabricated for SERS substrates. Au nanoparticles and clusters covered the surface of the URPS arrays, and this increased the Raman signal. In the detection of malachite green (MG), the fabricated NERS substrates have high reproducibility and sensitivity. The enhancement factor (EF) of Au nanoparticles and clusters was simulated by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations and the EF was more than 104. The measured EF of our developed substrate was more than 108 with a relative standard deviation as low as 6.64%&ndash, 13.84% over 15 points on the substrate. The minimum limit for the MG molecules reached 50 ng/mL. Moreover, the Raman signal had a good linear relationship with the logarithmic concentration of MG, as it ranged from 50 ng/mL to 5 &mu, g/mL. The NERS substrates proposed in this work may serve as a promising detection scheme in chemical and biological fields. more...

Accurate and rapid detection of foodborne pathogens is a key to prevent foodborne disease outbreaks. In this study, a novel impedance immunosensor based on a metal-organic framework (Mn-MOF-74) is used to rapidly and sensitively detect Listeria monocytogenes (L. m) in milk. Divalent manganese ions are released by the MOF reduction reaction mediated by hydrogen peroxide. Consequently, the impedance signal was detected by high conductive single-crystalline gold interdigitated microelectrode to achieve quantification of L. m. First, the capture antibodies (Ab1) are modified on the surface of the magnetic beads to generate immunomagnetic beads (MBs@Ab1), which are used specifically to separate L. m cells in the matrices. Later, the immunosensor (Mn-MOF-74@Ab2) is added to the matrices to form a sandwich complex (MBs@Ab1-L. m-Mn-MOF-74@Ab2). Henceforward, Mn2+ is released from the sandwich composite via the action triggered by H2O2. The release of Mn2+ significantly changes the impedance of interdigitated microelectrodes, leading to ultrasensitive detection of L. m. The recoveries for L. m cells at the concentration between 1.0 × 100 and 1.0 × 104 CFU/mL are 90.2%–101.7% in water and 88.5%–96.2% in milk. The detection limit of this approach for L. m cells in water and milk are 7.1 and 9.2 CFU/mL, respectively. This approach can achieve rapid quantification of L. m cells within 60 min, and can also be employed to monitor other foodborne pathogens. more...

Isobaric vapor liquid equilibria (VLE) for the binary mixtures of glycidyl butyrate(1) + acetone(2), glycidyl butyrate(1) + carbon tetrachloride(2) and glycidyl butyrate(1) + chloroform(2) at 101 kPa were studied. The experimental data were satisfactorily correlated with the models of Wilson, NRTL and UNIQUAC activity coefficients. The activity coefficients for the equilibrium data were obtained by the nonlinear least square method. The average relative deviations between experimental temperatures and calculated temperatures by the Wilson, NRTL and UNIQUAC models were 0.16, 0.16, 0.23% for glycidyl butyrate(1) + chloroform( 2), 0.38, 0.12, 0.27% for glycidylbutyrate(1) + carbon tetrachloride(2), and 0.67, 0.13, 0.54% for glycidyl butyrate(1) + acetone(2). Azeotrope behavior was not found for these systems. The thermodynamic consistency of the correlations was checked by the Herrington’s area test. more...

The liquid–solid catalytic reaction of epichlorohydrin and sodium butyrate with tetrabutylammonium bromide as a phase transfer catalyst was studied in this paper. The shrinking core model was applied. The analysis of the reaction based on the kinetic model showed a reaction-controlled regime at temperatures varying from 90 to 100°C. The exterior diffusivity was removed between 300 and 400 rpm. The internal diffusivity was removed when the particle size was 2 × 10–4 m. Reaction rate constants were calculated at different temperatures. The correlation was obtained when the proposed kinetic model was applied to all the experimental data for predictive evaluations and the activation energy was 37.01 kJ mol–1. more...

A novel impedance biosensor was developed based on the interdigitated microelectrodes using H2O2 to reduce SiO2@MnO2 nanocomposites into Mn2+, resulting in significant impedance changes in the rapid and ultrasensitive detection of Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium). The captured S. typhimurium monoclonal antibodies (MAb1) were assembled on the outer layer of the magnetic beads (MBs) for specific enrichment and isolation of S. typhimurium cells in complex samples. The recognized S. typhimurium monoclonal antibodies (MAb2) were immobilized on the surface of the SiO2@MnO2 nanocomposites, which could react with the MBs- S. typhimurium conjugates to form the MBs- S. typhimurium -SiO2@MnO2 sandwich complexes. The MnO2 on the surface of the sandwich complexes was reduced into Mn2+ by using H2O2 achieving obvious impedance change that could be detected by the interdigitated microelectrodes. The recoveries for S. typhimurium cells at the concentrations between 2.0 × 101 and 2.0 × 105 CFU/mL were 83.1 %–97.0 % in the spiked milk samples. The limit of detection of this biosensor for S. typhimurium cells in the spiked milk samples was 21 CFU/mL. This approach possesses the merits of simple operation, high sensitivity, and low cost, potentially enabling this device to be a lab-on-a-chip for rapid screening of foodborne pathogens. more...

To promote the technical training and scientific popularization of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in China, the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Specialized Committee of Chinese Research Hospital Association combined with the Science Popularization Branch of the Chinese Medical Association wrote "2018 National consensus on cardiopulmonary resuscitation training in China". The formation was based on the general outline about "2016 National consensus on cardiopulmonary resuscitation in China", and to implement the important strategies included the "three pre" policy, prevention, precognition, and pre-warning, before the cardiac arrest (CA); the "three modernization" methods, standardized, diversified and individualized, during the CA; and the "three life" strategies, the rebirth, the extra and the extended, after the CA; and also combined with the concrete National conditions and clinical practice of China area. The document summarized the evidence of published science about CPR training till now, and recommend the establishment of "the CPR Training Triangle" according to the Chinese National conditions. The bases of the triangle were system, training and person, the core of which was CPR science. The main contents were: (1) The "three training" policy for CPR training: the cultivation of a sound system, which included professional credibility, extensive mobilization and continuous driving force, and the participation of the whole people and continuous improvement; the cultivation of scientific guidelines, which included scientific content, methods and thinking; and the cultivation of a healthy culture, which included the enhancement of civic quality, education of rescue scientifically, and advocate of healthy life. (2) The "three training" program of CPR training: training professional skills, which included standard, multiple, and individual skills; training multidimensional, which included time, space, and human; and training flexible, including problem, time, and innovation oriented. (3) The "three party" direction of CPR training, the application for achievement translation, which included scientific translations, skill propagators, and cultural advocates; the precision disseminators, which included accurate communication sources, channels, and dissemination of the audience; and theoretical innovation guides, which included scientific, popular science and communication theory. That integrated the wisdom of scholars, melt the thought of genius, and created the act of envoy for Chinese and foreign CPR training. The training program should be suitable for different trainee, no matter who is trainer or trainee. The release of the expert consensus on the 2018 CPR training will make the National CPR education into the new training era with definite direction, clear target and fully standard of China. more...

A series of highly active C-aryl glucoside SGLT2 inhibitors containing a biphenyl motif were designed and synthesized for biological evaluation. Among the compounds tested, compound 16l demonstrated high inhibitory activity against SGLT2 (IC50 = 1.9 nM) with an excellent pharmacokinetic profile. Further study indicated that the in vivo efficacy of compound 16l was comparable to that of dapagliflozin, suggesting that further development would be worthwhile. more...

To objectively and standardly compare the bare-handed CPR and Thumper cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPR recovery effect based on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) Utstein model.A retrospective study was conducted. CPR adult patients admitted to the Emergency Room of First Hospital of Qinhuangdao in Hebei Province from January 2015 to January 2017 were enrolled. Seventy patients who underwent CPR using the Thumper cardiopulmonary resuscitator were included in the Thumper CPR group; 80 patients who underwent manual hand-held CPR were included in the bare-handed CPR group. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and return of spontaneous breathing, and blood gas analysis indexes of recovery for 5 minutes and 15 minutes [arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaOThere was no significant difference in gender, age and cardiac arrest (CA) causes between the two groups. Compared with the bare-handed CPR group, the ROSC rate in the Thumper CPR group was significantly increased [68.57% (48/70) vs. 51.25% (41/80), χIn the process of emergency rescue, Thumper cardiopulmonary resuscitator is more successful than bare-handed CPR. The recovery rate of Thumper cardiopulmonary resuscitator is more conducive to save manpower and obtain better metabolic effect, which is worthy of clinical promotion and application. more...

In the article, we compared "2016 national consensus on cardiopulmonary resuscitation in China" and "2015 American Heart Association guidelines on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care" with their definition, orientation, characterization, quantifying and thinking mode. Chinese consensus on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) emphasizes the concept of "survival cycle" and focuses on the victim, it defines the rate of survival in its broad sense, and the thinking mode of the document is typically oriental style. However, American guidelines on CPR emphasize the concept of "survival chain" and the rescuer, it defines the rate of survival in its narrow sense, and the thinking mode is western style. The Chinese consensus cited American guidelines as part of references, and specialized them locally according to the current situation in China. In Chinese consensus, the cycle of survival covers three periods, pre-arrest phase, intra-arrest phase and post-resuscitation phase. In the pre-arrest phase, "three-prevention" policies should be adopted, which are precaution, pre-identification and early warning. During intra-arrest phase, CPR should be carried out with "three-ways" strategies, which are standardization, diversification and individuation. The "three lives" general plans should be considered during the post-resuscitation phase, which are demutation, transcending and extension. Chinese consensus on CPR has provided an omnibearing, overall-process and three-dimensional program with Chinese wisdom. more...

The spread of new coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2) follows a different pattern than previous respiratory viruses, posing a serious public health risk worldwide. World Health Organization (WHO) named the disease as COVID-19 and declared it a pandemic. COVID-19 is characterized by highly contagious nature, rapid transmission, swift clinical course, profound worldwide impact, and high mortality among critically ill patients. Chest X-ray, computerized tomography (CT), and ultrasound are commonly used imaging modalities. Among them, ultrasound, due to its portability and non-invasiveness, can be easily moved to the bedside for examination at any time. In addition, with use of 4G or 5G networks, remote ultrasound consultation can also be performed, which allows ultrasound to be used in isolated medial areas. Besides, the contact surface of ultrasound probe with patients is small and easy to be disinfected. Therefore, ultrasound has gotten lots of positive feedbacks from the frontline healthcare workers, and it has played an indispensable role in the course of COVID-19 diagnosis and follow up. more...

In the present study, the effect of initial body temperature changes on myocardial enzyme levels and cardiac function in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients was investigated. A total of 315 AMI patients were enrolled and the mean temperature was calculated based on their body temperature within 24 h of admission to hospital. The patients were divided into four groups according to their normal body temperature: Group A, 0.05). Significant differences in lactate dehydrogenase at 12 and 24 h following admission were observed between groups A and D (P0.05). Significant differences in glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase at 12 and 24 h following admission were observed between groups A and D (P0.05). However, no significant differences were identified in cardiac function index between all the groups. Therefore, the results of the present study indicated that AMI patients with low initial body temperatures exhibited decreased levels of myocardial enzymes and TNT. Thus, the observation of an initially low body temperature may be used as a protective factor for AMI and may improve the existing clinical program. more...

Study on effective disposal and utilization of sewage sludge has recently been the target of growing interest in China. However, potential risks are associated with the use of sludge due to its contamination with toxic organics, heavy metals and pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, a screening assessment was conducted on sewage sludge samples collected from 17 different sewage treatment plants in Beijing, based on a batch of in vitro bioassays, including a set of recombinant gene yeast assays for endocrine disruption, and an ethoxy resorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) assay using H4IIE cells for aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ah-R) agonistic activities. Our results suggested that moderate levels of estrogen receptor agonistic activities (0.9 ng E2·g−1 to 6.8 ng E2·g−1, dw), but relative higher androgen receptor antagonistic activities (nd to 45%), progestin receptor antagonistic activities (nd to 80%) and Ah-R agonistic activities (1390 to 6740 pg 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)·g−1, dw) were found in sewage sludge samples. However, there were no significant correlations between the toxic effects of sewage sludge and the sewage treatment processes. In addition, the 17β-estradiol (E2) equivalent quantity (EEQ) level of the sewage sludge was increased after the composting treatment, whereas the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) level of sewage sludge composted was much lower than that of sewage sludge. more...

The (vapour + liquid) equilibria (VLE) data for the binary system of glycidyl butyrate (1) and epichlorohydrin (2) was studied at (100, 88.66, and 56) kPa. Azeotropic behaviour has not been found in this work. The activity coefficients were obtained by the non-linear least squares method based on minimization from the equilibrium data. Average relative deviations between calculated values and the experimental data of temperature are all lower than 0.99% for the three models at the three different pressures investigated. The root mean square deviations (RMSD) of gas phase compositions y1 and temperatures are all lower than 0.0099 and 1.1 K for 100 kPa, 0.0094 and 4.5 K for 88.66 kPa and 0.0095 and 3.7 K for 56 kPa. The thermodynamic consistency of the calculated data is checked by the Herrington method. The experimental VLE data are compared with the correlated values obtained by means of the NRTL, UNIQUAC, and Wilson models. more...

The development of peptide drugs and therapeutic proteins is limited by their rapid clearance in liver and other body tissues by proteolytic enzymes, and consequently peptides and proteins are difficult to administer except by injection. There is a growing effort to circumvent these problems by designing strategies to deliver these drugs to specific site of the body. Among them, this peptide carrier presents several advantages for protein therapy including stability in physiological buffer and lack of toxicity. Here, we have been developing a novel bioadhesive polymer matrix that protects entrapped proteins and peptides from degradation by serine protease. Poly(2-lactobionamidoethyl methacrylate-ran-3-acrylamidophenylboronic acid-ran-methoxypolyethylene glycol methacrylate) glycopolymers were synthesized and could self-assemble into the sub-micro particles. The loading capability of insulin, as a drug model, and the insulin release from the particles were assessed. The inhibitory effect of the particles toward trypsin, elastase, and chymotrypsin was evaluated in vitro. Insulin was effectively encapsulated, up to 10%, and could be stained release in vitro. These glycopolymers displayed a strong inhibitory effect toward these exopeptidases. Therefore, novel glycopolymers with excellent inhibitory activity against proteolytic enzymes and reasonable mucoadhesivity might be a useful tool in overcoming the enzymatic barrier to the mucosal delivery (e.g. nasal and buccal) of therapeutic peptides or proteins. more...

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects of cationic nanoliposome-mediated gene therapy combined with immunotherapy for colon cancer treatment. Methods Recombinant plasmids containing green and red fluorescent protein reporter genes were constructed using gene cloning methods. Gene-carrying cationic nanoliposomes were prepared based on the electrostatic adherence principle and then transfected into dendritic cells (DC), which were transplanted into colon cancer cells. Results Recombinant plasmids containing green or red fluorescent protein reporter genes were successfully constructed by gene cloning and confirmed by restriction enzyme digestion and sequencing. Gene-carrying cationic nanoliposomes were transfected into colon cancer cells, and good gene expression was detected. A better level of apoptosis was observed in the combined group of tyrosine kinase receptor 3 ligand (FL) and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), while the lowest level was detected in the control group. The parameters in the FL and TRAIL groups were between the above-mentioned combined group. Conclusion Cationic nanoliposomes have the advantage of being gene carriers. The joint therapeutic effects of the two genes are superior to those of a single gene. Gene therapy combined with immunotherapy has significant implications for cancer treatment. more...

The present study aims to investigate the expression and significance of the anti-apoptotic gene Bag-1 in colorectal cancer and to evaluate the relationship between the gene and the disease.Bag-1 expression was examined in 320 colorectal cancer and 30 normal colorectal tissue samples using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the immunohistochemical staining (streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method.Using RT-PCR, Bag-1 was observed to be expressed in colorectal cancer tissues, but not in normal colorectal tissues. The expression of Bag-1 in colorectal cancer was closely correlated with pathologic grade, distant metastasis, Dukes stage, and prognosis, but it was not correlated with the pathologic type, tumor diameter, depth of invasion, and lymph node metastasis.Bag-1 protein was found to be overexpressed in colorectal cancer. They might be regarded as a biomarker for the diagnosis of the early stages of colorectal cancer. In addition, they have particular significance for the prognosis of colorectal cancer. more...

Background The aims of this study were to investigate the expressions and significance of the antiapoptotic genes Bag-1 and Bcl-2 in colon cancer and to evaluate their relationship. Methods The expressions of Bag-1 and Bcl-2 were examined in 128 colon cancer and 20 normal colon tissue samples by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical technique (streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method). Results Bag-1 and Bcl-2 were expressed in colorectal cancer tissues but not in normal colorectal tissues by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. The expression of Bag-1 in colon cancer was closely correlated with pathologic grade, distance metastasis, Duke stage, and prognosis, but it had no effect on the pathologic type, tumor diameter, depth of invasion, and lymphoid node metastasis of the cancer. By contrast, Bcl-2 had no significant correlation with all the clinical and pathologic factors. There was a positive correlation between Bag-1 and Bcl-2 in the development of colon cancer. Conclusions High expressions of Bag-1 and Bcl-2 proteins in colon cancer were found. They might be regarded as biomarkers for the diagnosis of the early stage of colon cancer. In addition, they have significant relevance for the prognosis of colon cancer. more...

Guided by the metabolism information of SQ109, derivatives with substituted geranylamine moiety or substituted admantane ring of SQ109 were synthesized and evaluated as antituberculosis agents. Among all tested compounds, compound 11c showed the most potent antituberculosis activity with MIC value of 0.3 microM against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. more...

In this paper, the definition of finite-time H ∞ control is presented. The system under consideration is subject to time-varying norm-bounded exogenous disturbance. The main aim of this paper is focused on the design a state feedback controller which ensures that the closed-loop system is finite-time bounded (FTB) and reduces the effect of the disturbance input on the controlled output to a prescribed level. A sufficient condition is presented for the solvability of this problem, which can be reduced to a feasibility problem involving linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). A detailed solving method is proposed for the restricted linear matrix inequalities. Finally, examples are given to show the validity of the methodology. more...

quality; Local standard of Beijing Abstract. The effectiveness of A 2 /O—MBR integrated process has been studied for domestic wastewater reclamation to meet the latest Beijing pollutant emission standards. Experimental results showed that high DO concentrations in the aerobic tank improved CODCr, NH3-N, and TP removals, whereas the TN removal increased initially and then decreased. Increasing the internal reflux ratio promoted the removal of TN, howbeit negligibly affected the removals of CODCr, NH3-N, and TP. The removals of CODCr, NH3-N, and TN rose with HRT, but the extent of rising became limited as HRT larger than 9 h. Membrane fouling rate increased with running time, and accelerated by improving membrane flux. When the system parameters are set at optimized conditions, i.e. the DO concentration of 2.0 mg/L, the internal reflux ratio of 250%, HRT of 9 h, and ozonation for 20 min, the major water quality of outlet remains stable and meets Grade A of Beijing local standards for new wastewater treatment plant (DB 11890-2012). more...