Search

• Laser and photochemistry were first used in restoring and transformation of PbS on painted cultural relics. • Targeted fast realization of restoring and transformation of PbS, and without damage to the base color. • Laser catalysis restoration has wide applicability to papers, the silks and other organic materials. Lead white darkening is a common disease in all kinds of painted cultural relics. In this study, a combination of laser and photodynamic technology was used to achieve controlled restoration of lead sulfide at the lead darkening site on the painted layer of cultural relics by laser catalysis with porphyrin to produce singlet oxygen. The chromatic change, micromorphology and chemical composition were systematically studied for a simulated sample with the lead darkening part of the painted layer. The results show that laser catalytic treatment can repair the color darkening that occurs by the PbS formation, while no obvious changes to the pore and microparticle structure of the painted layer and the base. In this study, the pollutant of lead sulfide was proved to be converted into lead sulfate by oxidation, and then was converted to lead white by precipitation, which was the original composition of the pigment. It is also found that the laser catalytic treatment method can effectively avoid basic layer damages of cultural relics, especially for the papers, the silks and other organic materials. This technology not only provides a new approach for the restoration and transformation of PbS on painted cultural relics, but also makes available new applications for the laser and photodynamic technology in the field of cultural relics protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death worldwide, and more therapies are needed to treat CRC. To discover novel CRC chemotherapeutic molecules, we used a series of previously synthesized novel imidazolidin-4-one derivatives to study their anticancer role in several cancer cell lines. Among these compounds, compound 9r exhibited the best anticancer activity in CRC cell lines HCT116 and SW620. We further investigated the anticancer molecular mechanism of compound 9r. We found that compound 9r induced mitochondrial pathway apoptosis in HCT116 and SW620 cells by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Moreover, the elevated ROS generation activated the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway, which further accelerated apoptosis. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant reagent, suppressed compound 9r-induced ROS production, JNK pathway activation, and apoptosis. Collectively, this research synthesized a series of imidazolidin-4-one derivatives, evaluated their anticancer activity, and explored the molecular mechanism of compound 9r-induced apoptosis in CRC cells. The present results suggest that compound 9r has a potential therapeutic role in CRC. Hence, it deserves further exploration as a lead compound for CRC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital heart defects (CHD) are structural imperfections of the heart or large blood vessels that are detected around birth and their symptoms vary wildly, with mild case patients having no obvious symptoms and serious cases being potentially life-threatening. Using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) technology to create a patient-specific 3D heart model is an important prerequisite for surgical planning in children with CHD. Manually segmenting 3D images using existing tools is time-consuming and laborious, which greatly hinders the routine clinical application of 3D heart models. Therefore, automatic myocardial segmentation algorithms and related computer-aided diagnosis systems have emerged. Currently, the conventional methods for automatic myocardium segmentation are based on deep learning, rather than on the traditional machine learning method. Better results have been achieved, however, difficulties still exist such as CMRI often has, inconsistent signal strength, low contrast, and indistinguishable thin-walled structures near the atrium, valves, and large blood vessels, leading to challenges in automatic myocardium segmentation. Additionally, the labeling of 3D CMR images is time-consuming and laborious, causing problems in obtaining enough accurately labeled data. To solve the above problems, we proposed to apply the idea of adversarial learning to the problem of myocardial segmentation. Through a discriminant model, some additional supervision information is provided as a guide to further improve the performance of the segmentation model. Experiment results on real-world datasets show that our proposed adversarial learning-based method had improved performance compared with the baseline segmentation model and achieved better results on the automatic myocardium segmentation problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Cancer remains a major clinical challenge because of the lack of effective drug for its treatment. To find out novel cancer chemotherapeutic molecules, we explored the anticancer effect of novel imidazopyridine compound 9i and also investigated the underlying molecular mechanism. Methods. Human cervical cancer cell (HeLa) viability was measured by an MTT assay after treatment with compound 9i. Clonogenicity of HeLa cells was investigated by an in vitro colony formation assay. Cell death was visualized by propidium iodide (PI) staining. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) was used to determine apoptosis and mitochondrial membrane potential in HeLa cells. The expression level of apoptosis-related proteins was also determined by western blot. Results. Compound 9i suppressed HeLa cell viability in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Compound 9i induced mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP), activated caspase cascade, and finally resulted in apoptosis. Conclusion. Compound 9i induces mitochondrial pathway-mediated apoptosis in human cervical cancer cells, suggesting that 9i could be a potential lead compound to be developed as a cancer therapeutic molecule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reduced graphene oxide (rGO) could strongly adsorb and quench the fluorescence of dye-labeled single-stranded DNA (ssDNA); thus, it is widely applied in fluorescent sensors. However, these sensors may suffer from a limited sensitivity due to the low fluorescence recovery when adding the complementary DNA (cDNA) sequence. In this work, the powerful DNA branched junctions were constructed to improve the fluorescence recovery of FAM-labeled probe on rGO. In the presence of target Pb2+, the ribonucleotide (rA) in the substrate was cleaved specifically and the catalytic hairpin assembly of three metastable hairpins was further initiated, accompanied by the formation of DNA branched junctions. Then, the liberated Pb2+ could be recyclable. Impressively, the DNA branched junctions not only hybridize with the FAM-labeled probes with a high efficiency, but also are significantly undesirable for the rGO. Thus, a high fluorescence recovery of FAM-labeled probe on rGO was expected. The integration of the high fluorescence recovery and dual-cycle signal amplification endows the sensing strategy with a good performance for Pb2+ detection, including low detection limit (0.17 nM), good selectivity, and satisfactory practical applicability. The proposed DNA branched junctions offer a novel avenue to improve the fluorescence recovery of the dye-labeled probes on rGO for biological analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microorganisms possess the capability to impact virtually any form of cultural heritage, leading to contamination, degradation, and even combined degradation, where diverse microorganism communities facilitate the decay of wooden materials. This study aims to analyze the microbial diversity of the wooden structure bridge at the Shahe Ancient bridge site in Xi'an. The objective is to investigate the correlation between microbial species and the state of wood degradation, as well as explore the relationship between wood microbial species and the potential influence of the wood preservation environment on its long-term preservation. Simultaneously, the conventional laboratory separation technique was employed to isolate the microorganisms that were contaminated by experimental ancient wood. This was done to assess the inhibitory effect of two fungicides on the dominant microorganisms found in ancient wood, identify the most effective inhibitor, and subsequently establish an experimental foundation for safeguarding ancient bridge wood structures. The primary objective of this research was to establish microbial control criteria for the enduring conservation of historical sites, while also equipping conservators with scientifically-guided data to inform future research and restoration endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have found that IDH-prone patients have higher baseline plasma angiotensin II levels than those who are IDH-resistant, and activation of the RAAS is known to be involved in LVH development, independent of afterload [[3]]. Dear Sir, We have read with great interest the paper entitled 'High ultrafiltration rate induced intradialytic hypotension is a predictor for cardiac remodeling: a 5-year cohort study' by Yu et al. [[1]]. [Extracted from the article]

Cracks are one of the most common issues affecting colored pottery relics; these can be divided into macroscopic cracks, recognizable by the human eye, and micron cracks, which cannot be observed by the naked eye. The gradual development of micron cracks eventually leads to large-scale cracks and the shedding of the coating layer. The repair of such micron cracks poses a key technical difficulty in restoring painted pottery remnants from the Western Han Dynasty. We attempt to solve this problem by reporting on a method that entails the use of a water-borne fluoropolymer material as the adhesive agent, as well as ultra-depth-of-field, digital microscopic imaging technology to build an operating platform for an optical imaging monitoring system. By making simulated ceramic samples, we systematically investigated the influences of water-borne fluoropolymer on chromaticity, adhesion, contact angle, surface morphology, and thermal stability of the paint layer. The results indicate that the color of the painted layer, when treated with the water-borne fluoropolymer, did not change, and the adhesion and contact angle of the painted layer were improved. Additionally, the outcomes of the SEM analysis show that the adhesion and hydrophobicity of the painted layer were improved because the water-borne fluoropolymer filled up the porous structure of the painted layer and covered the pigment particles. These findings demonstrate that aqueous, water-borne fluoropolymer can be used as an adhesive agent for micron cracks. Meanwhile, via the operating platform of the optical imaging monitoring system, the micron cracks of the painted terracotta warriors and horses from the Western Han Dynasty were successfully repaired using the water-borne fluoropolymer. The results imply that the microstructure, size, and geometric spaces of the cracks can be obtained directly utilizing microscopic imaging technology. The dynamic monitoring and imaging system described above can be employed to assist prosthetists in visualizing micro-repair operations in real time, assist with fine visual operations during the repair process, and realize dynamic video recording of the entire repair process. Our work provides a simple visualization method to repair micron-scale cracks in painted pottery relics by applying modern fluoropolymer and ultra-depth-of-field digital microscopic imaging technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations of the SCN5A gene are associated with several arrhythmic syndromes including the Brugada syndrome, conduction disease, long QT syndrome type 3 (LQT3), atrial fibrillation, and dilated cardiomyopathy. We report LQT3 associated with an A1180V cardiac sodium channel mutation, previously associated with cardiac conduction block, and dilated cardiomyopathy in three generations of a Chinese family. Clinical, electrocardiographic (ECG), and echocardiographic examination was followed by direct sequencing of SCN5A and HERG to screen genomic DNA from blood samples. The proband presented with multiple syncopes from the age of 7 years and was found to share a mutation with two other members of his family. Continuous ECG monitoring after presentation showed prolonged QTc and biphasic T waves, multiple episodes of ventricular tachycardia and torsades de pointes. The other two mutation carriers showed ECG features of LQT3 without clinical symptoms. Transthoracic echocardiography showed normal cardiac structure in all three mutation carriers. This study shows LQT3 features associated with an A1180V cardiac sodium channel mutation, expanding the spectrum of phenotypes resulting from this mutation in which biophysical study has shown a persistent late Na current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Highly-ordered enzyme-free localized DNA cascade reaction (HELDCR) was designed. • The MBs were used to achieve the high loading of DNA for HELDCR. • The MBs-assisted HELDCR reduced the reaction time and enhanced the hybridization efficiency. • The integration of HELDCR and target recycling achieved the sensitive detection of Pb2+. The localized hairpin-DNA cascade reaction exhibited some fascinating merits over the traditional hairpin-DNA hybridization reaction, such as the reduced reaction time and enhanced hybridization efficiency. However, the reported localized hairpin-DNA cascade reaction usually needed the participation of expensive proteases, which limited their application. This work developed a magnetic nanobeads (MBs)-assisted highly-ordered enzyme-free localized DNA cascade reaction (HELDCR) to achieve highly efficient signal amplification. With the help of magnetically separable MBs, a novel fluorescent sensor was constructed for the ultrasensitive detection of Pb2+. In the presence of the target Pb2+, the DNAzyme chain was activated and the substrate chain was cleaved. The released DNAzyme chain could trigger the HELDCR and open the highly-ordered assembled hairpin structures (HAHs) on MBs, which promoted substantial fluorophores FAM and quenchers BHQ mutually close. The proximity of FAM and BHQ caused signal quenching, thus achieving a satisfactory performance for detecting Pb2+ with a low detection limit of 3.0 pM. The synergistic effect of the HELDCR and MBs provided an attractive and sensitive fluorescent platform for biological analysis in the homogeneous environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of a novel multifunctional fluorescence platform is of great significance to detect different toxic pollutions. In this work, multifunctional nitrogen and sulfur doped fluorescence carbon dots (N, S-CDs) were synthesized with citric acid monohydrate and thiosemicarbazide as raw materials. The quantum yield (QY) of N, S-CDs was calculated as 12%. The fluorescence intensity of N, S-CDs could be quenched obviously by Cr (VI) due to the inner filter effect, achieving a low detection limit of 0.33 nM for Cr (VI). While excessive Ba2+ was added, the fluorescence intensity could be restored. Meanwhile, based on the fact that the fluorescence of the N, S-CDs could be enhanced by toluene, the detection of toluene was achieved and the detection limit was low as 0.03 μM. Furthermore, the practical application of the N, S-CDs was assessed in the river water. The proposed N, S-CDs could provide a promising fluorescence platform for detecting different toxic pollutions. • A multifunctional fluorescence sensor was constructed successfully for detecting Cr(VI) and toluene. • The N, S-CDs were synthesized for the frist time using citric acid monohydrate and thiosemicarbazide. • The quenched fluorescence of the N, S-CDs by Cr(VI) could be recovered after adding Ba2+. • The prepared N, S-CDs showed an excellent sensitivity and selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the clinical characteristics and outcomes of clinical myocarditis in pediatric patients in China. This is a multicenter retrospective study. Children diagnosed with clinical myocarditis from 20 hospitals in China and admitted between January 1, 2015, and December 30, 2021, were enrolled. The clinical myocarditis was diagnosed based on the "Diagnostic Recommendation for Myocarditis in Children (Version 2018)". The clinical data were collected from their medical records. A total of 1210 patients were finally enrolled in this study. Among them, 45.6% had a history of respiratory tract infection. An abnormal electrocardiogram was observed in 74.2% of patients. Echocardiography revealed that 32.3% of patients had a left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 50%. Cardiac MRI was performed in 4.9% of children with clinical myocarditis, of which 61% showed localized or diffuse hypersignal on T2-weighted images. Serum levels of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), and N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were higher in patients with fulminant myocarditis than in patients with myocarditis, making them potential risk factors for fulminant myocarditis. Following active treatment, 12.1% of patients were cured, and 79.1% were discharged with improvement. Conclusion: Clinical myocarditis in children often presents with symptoms outside the cardiovascular system. CK-MB, cTnI, and NT-proBNP are important indicators for assessing clinical myocarditis. The electrocardiogram and echocardiogram findings in children with clinical myocarditis exhibit significant variability but lack specificity. Cardiac MRI can be a useful tool for screening clinical myocarditis. Most children with clinical myocarditis have a favorable prognosis. What is Known: • Pediatric myocarditis presents complex clinical manifestations and exhibits varying degrees of severity. Children with mild myocarditis generally have a favorable prognosis, while a small number of children with critically ill myocarditis experience sudden onset, hemodynamic disorders, and fatal arrhythmias. Therefore, early diagnosis and timely treatment of myocarditis are imperative. What is New: • To the best of our knowledge, this multicenter retrospective study is the largest ever reported in China, aiming to reveal the clinical characteristics and outcomes of pediatric clinical myocarditis in China. We provided an extensive analysis of the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and factors impacting disease severity in pediatric clinical myocarditis in China, which provides insights into the epidemiological characteristics of pediatric clinical myocarditis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper cultural relics such as double-sided printed newspapers and periodicals represent modern cultural heritage. Severe damage such as embrittlement, decay, and dreg generally occur to paper; hence, it urgently needs conservation and restoration. Therefore, herein, a new reinforcement method for the fragile double-sided printed paper cultural relics is proposed with cotton mesh and adhesive PVA217 as reinforcement materials. Using a computer measured and controlled folding endurance tester, a pendulum tensile strength tester, pH meter, pulp viscosimeter, and other instruments, the physical properties of newspaper samples before and after aging were evaluated. In addition, the mechanical properties, chromatic aberration and surface morphology of simulated samples before and after the cotton mesh reinforcement and Japanese washi paper reinforcement were assessed. The experimental results indicate that this new reinforcement method could effectively improve the physical strength, chromatic aberration and durability of the simulated samples. Widespread applications of this cotton mesh reinforcement method for the reinforcement and protection of the red revolutionary cultural relics such as double-sided printed newspaper and periodicals during the Republic of China era are foreseeable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A Back-Propagation neural network for designing the MWBs with arbitrary radius and width is proposed and trained. • When a reasonable width of the waveguide and the equivalent radius are selected, MWBs which support three or more modes can be predicted with low excess loss (<0.1 dB) and low crosstalk (<20 dB) for each mode. • A high-performance MWB with the radius of 20 µm and supporting five modes is predicted in just a few seconds for demonstration. • The proposed design can play an important role in promoting the commercialized dense integration of multimode transmission systems. Multimode waveguide bend (MWB) is one of the most important components of on-chip mode division multiplexing (MDM) system. However, the reported design methods of MWBs are only effective for pre-determined bending radii and waveguide widths (affecting the accommodating mode number), it takes much simulation time to obtain a new structure for different width and radius. A Back-Propagation neural network for designing the MWBs with arbitrary radius and width is proposed and trained. When a reasonable width of the waveguide and the equivalent radius are selected, MWBs which support three or more modes can be predicted with low excess loss and low crosstalk for each mode. A high-performance MWB with the radius of 20 µm and supporting five modes is predicted in just a few seconds for demonstration. The back propagation (BP) neural network proposed in this paper provides a highly efficient and flexible method for the design of MWBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a Tara thangka (from a complete set of 21) dating to the mid-Qing Dynasty (1776–1839 CE) at Daxingshan Temple in Xi'an, Shaanxi, China was analyzed using various techniques, including portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (p-XRF), Raman spectroscopy (RS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), optical microscopy (OM), and mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Through a multi-analytical methodology, in situ non-invasive testing was complemented with an analysis of a limited number of samples. By complementary evidence derived from the above analyses, it can be determined that the thangka was painted on a hemp substrate, with common colorants such as cinnabar, orpiment, gold, azurite, and malachite, and porcine glue as binding material. These results provided important scientific data for the production crafts of the precious Tara thangkas, contributing to the revelation of its value in art history and enabling conservators to make informed conservation decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The importance of the library environment for archival preservation. • Mildew proof and fire proof file packaging material. • Archive storage strategies for micro-environmental interventions. • Low carbon and environmental protection storage of archives. • Mildew proof and flame retardant properties of inorganic nanomaterials. Archives, books and other cultural classics represent precious cultural wealth in every nation. However, the interaction between the paper components and external environmental factors decreases paper durability, leading to the gradual loss of paper cultural relics. This includes the impact of fungi and fire on books, documents, maps and paper works of art leading to incalculable and irreversible cultural losses. In addition, fungal metabolites induce a wide range of allergic reactions that threaten the health of library/archive professionals and users. Given this, it is urgent to explore an alternative archive storage strategy to enhance the comprehensive control of archive mould disease. The preservation environment of paper affects its preservation time and quality, and microenvironment regulation is an important approach to the preventive protection of paper cultural relics. In the present study, inorganic materials were introduced into the archive packaging box to alter the microenvironment and enhance the mould and fire prevention effect without affecting the paper performance. Archive packaging boxes have good anti-microbial effects, with a low content of carbon and nitrogen sources effectively blocking the growth and colonization of mould, creating a microenvironment blocking the growth of surrounding mould, and significantly blocking the occurrence of fire, which could effectively improve storage capabilities and staff health in libraries. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flood control initiated Chinese civilization. Chinese civilization has a long history, and Chinese ancestors invented "aquatic engineering technology" for flood control and water management, including the Fascine body, as early as two thousand years ago. The Fascine body is a structure used to protect the bank and prevent breaching of an ancient Chinese flood control project. Excavation of the Shahe ancient bridge ruins in Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, China led to discovery of a Fascine body structure. Through 14C dating, fibre, slice observations, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analyses and SEM energy spectrum analyses of the fascine material, microbes in the structure and the surrounding soil were identified, the dominant microbial community was analyzed, and microbial diseases were controlled in a targeted manner. Research on the fascine bank ruins identified the width and length boundaries of the Shahe ancient bridge, determined the exact age of the Shahe ancient bridge, provided important materials for research on ancient bridges, river embankments and other ruins, and provided important clues for the traffic and layout around Chang'an during the Qin and Han Dynasties of Chinese history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On‐chip mode‐division multiplexing (MDM) can increase the transmission capacity of a single optical bus waveguide. It is of great significance for the MDM systems to design the multimode waveguide bends (MWBs) with compact sizes. A method of designing the MWB using the inverse design algorithm is presented in this paper. Ultra‐compact MWBs with high performances are realized by changing the curvature radius of the waveguide curve, and the fabrication process only requires a single step photo‐lithography and plasma etching. The three‐mode bent waveguide with an effective radius of only 9.35 µm is designed and tested. The theoretical excess losses of TE0, TE1, and TE2 mode are less than 0.04 dB in a wide spectral range of 1500 to 1600 nm, and the crosstalks between all guided modes are all less than −29 dB. For the fabricated 90° waveguide bend the measured excess losses are 0.17, 0.04, and 0.16 dB at the central wavelength of 1550 nm, respectively, and the crosstalks between all three modes are less than −21 dB in the wavelength range from 1520 to 1600 nm. The proposed design method can be also extended to more mode‐channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthen cultural ruins and their subsurface environments act as carriers or support for aboveground cultural heritage artefacts, and groundwater has been identified as the most important factor accelerating the destruction of ruins. In this paper, a wooden structure on the site of the Xianyang Shahe ancient bridge is taken as the research object. Through geotechnical surveys and site sample analyses, the relationship between the environment and cause of damage at the site is explored. Fluctuations in groundwater level are found to affect the movement of water and salt, thereby accelerating deterioration and allowing microbes and other soil inhabitants and plants to erode the ruins. Furthermore, strong correlations are revealed between the stratigraphy of the area and both ruin status and sample analysis results. Geotechnical investigation data are used to predict the effects of various damaging factors on long-term preservation and the underlying mechanisms and to propose feasible, long-term countermeasures for preservation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obtaining ideal gene delivery vectors is still a major goal in cancer gene therapy. CAMEL, a short hybrid antimicrobial peptide, can kill cancer cells by membrane lysis. In this study, we constructed a series of non-viral vectors by attaching fatty acids with different chain lengths to the N-terminus of CAMEL. Our results showed that the cellular uptake and transfection efficiency of acyl-CAMEL started to significantly increase from a chain length of 12 carbons. C18-CAMEL was screened for gene delivery because it had the highest transfection efficiency. Surprisingly, C18-CAMEL/plasmid complexes displayed strong endosomal escape activity after entering cells via endocytosis. Importantly, C18-CAMEL could deliver p53 plasmids to cancer cells and significantly inhibited cell proliferation by the expression of p53. In addition, the C18-CAMEL/p53 plasmid complexes and the MDM2 inhibitor nutlin-3a showed significantly synergistic anticancer activity against MCF-7 cells expressing wild-type p53. Conclusively, our study demonstrated that conjugation of stearic acid to antimicrobial peptides is a simple and successful approach for constructing efficient and economical non-viral vectors for cancer gene therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regio- and stereoselective ring-opening of spiro-epoxyoxindoles with ammonia has been reported for the construction of 3-hydroxy-3-aminomethyloxindoles in high yields (up to 90%) and enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) under mild and catalyst-free conditions. The reaction could be scaled up to the gram-scale and be used in the synthesis of analogues of dioxibrassinin and spirobrassinin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the analysis of edible oils, saponification is well known as a useful method for eliminating oil matrices. The conventional approach is conducted with alcoholic alkali; it consumes a large volume of organic solvents and impedes the retrieval of analytes by microextraction. In this study, a low-organic-solvent-consuming method has been developed for the analysis of benzo[a]pyrene in edible oils by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Sample treatment involves aqueous alkaline saponification, assisted by a phase-transfer catalyst, and selective in situ extraction of the analyte with a supramolecular solvent. Comparison of the chromatograms of the oil extracts obtained by different microextraction methods showed that the supramolecular solvent has a better clean-up effect for the unsaponifiable matter from oil matrices. The method offered excellent linearity over a range of 0.03- 5.0 ng mL−1 ( r > 0.999). Recovery rates varied from 94 to 102% (RSDs <5.0%). The detection limit and quantification limit were 0.06 and 0.19 μg kg−1, respectively. The proposed method was applied for the analysis of 52 edible oils collected online in China; the analyte contents of 23 tested oil samples exceeded the maximum limit of 2 μg kg−1 for benzo[a]pyrene set by the Commission Regulation of the European Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in infants in the world. The study of CHDs has come a long way since their classification and description. Although transcriptional programmes that are impaired in individuals with CHDs are being identified, the mechanisms of how these deficiencies translate to a structural defect are unknown. In this study, using high-throughput microarray analysis and molecular network analysis, FXN was identified to be the most differentially expressed key gene in CHD. By TargetScan analysis, we predicted FXN was the target gene of miRNA-145 and miRNA-182. Through real-time PCR analysis of clinical samples and experiments in cell lines, we confirmed that miRNA-145 but not miRNA-182 directly binds to the 3′ UTR region of FXN and negatively regulates its expression. We further found that through targeting FXN, miRNA-145 regulates apoptosis and mitochondrial function. In general, our study confirmed the differentially expressed FXN regulates the development of CHD and the differential expression was under the control of miRNA-145. These results might provide new insight into the understanding of the CHD pathogenesis and may facilitate further therapeutic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ischemic disease is a large class of diseases that is harmful to human health. The primary treatment for the ischemic disease is to recover the blood perfusion and relieve the tissue hypoxia and the shortage of the nutrients in the supply of nutrients. In recent years, investigations found that IGF-1 has a protective effect on cardiovascular disease, especially in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. Investigation into molecular mechanism of ischemia-reperfusion injury may offer potential targets for the development of novel diagnostic strategies. In this study we defined IGF-1 was differentially expressed in the I/R model of the Mus musculus and IGF-1 was the target gene of miR-29a and Let7f. After ischemia-reperfusion, the expression of miR-29a and Let7f increased, while the expression of IGF-1 decreased significantly in the animal model assay. Further studies have found that IGF-1 could inhibit cell apoptosis signaling pathway, thus protecting the reperfusion injury. These results provide new understanding of ischemia-reperfusion injury, with the hope of offering theoretical support for future therapeutic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curling disease in long historical photos significantly affects the presentation of cultural heritage information. However, people lack attention to the formation process and microstructural changes of photo curling. In this article, a long historical photo (1912–1949 AD) collected by the Second Historical Archives of China was taken as the research object, and the formation process and cause of the curling were further explored. Firstly, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray energy disperse spectrometer (EDS), and other instruments were used to analyze the material composition of the long historical photo. It was found that the photographic paper was made of gelatin, barium sulfate, and plant fiber layers. Then, the effects of hygrothermal environments on curling and contraction in the gelatin layer and simulated photographic paper were explored. Meanwhile, the formation process and main influence factors of the curling were preliminarily revealed. The morphological analysis by SEM was carried out to identify the inner correlation between the microstructure and curling of photos. Finally, the possible formation cause of photo curling was analyzed. This study provides a scientific basis and experimental data for the preservation and restoration of long historical photos based on gelatin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve hierarchical superhydrophobic surfaces in a high efficiency and time-saving process, a rapid and reproducible ultrasound-accelerated polydopamine coating strategy is proposed to construct hierarchical-structured superhydrophobic surfaces on various commercial substrates. Benefiting from the rapid and repeated ultrasound-assisted process, it significantly prolongs the life-span of superhydrophobic surfaces in utilization of oil collection and oil/water separation. • Ultrasound-accelerated strategy is proposed to construct superhydrophobic surfaces. • Superhydrophobic sponges are promising candidates for oil collection. • Superhydrophobic surfaces can be recovered via ultrasound-assisted process. The currently available superhydrophobic coating techniques that utilize mussel-inspired polydopamine coating to construct hierarchical superhydrophobic structures require multiply procedures and are time-consuming processes. Here, we propose an ultrasound-accelerated strategy to various commercial sponges with hierarchically structured superhydrophobic surfaces by briefly submerging sponges into a slightly alkaline aqueous mixture comprising dopamine hydrochloride (DA) and dodecyltrimethoxysilane (DTMS) under ultrasound. The ultrasound is found significantly accelerate the hierarchical surface structures from PDA, while only minorly influences the hydrolysis of DTMS that hydrophobically modifies the surface of PDA. As a result, the hierarchical superhydrophobic surfaces are formed within 25 min. In addition, the superhydrophobicity of the surface can be recovered by repeating this ultrasound-assisted process, provided that the superhydrophobic feature is vanished or lost during their use in a harsh environment. These superhydrophobic sponges are superior materials for oil collection from water, in a durably robust, efficient and recyclable manner with multi-life span. This strategy presents a rather high efficient and time-saving process for constructing/recovering hierarchical superhydrophobic surfaces, which may be useful for the rapid engineering commercial materials with restorable superhydrophobic surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]