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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reveal the solute segregation behavior in the molten and solidified regions during direct chill (DC) casting of a large-size magnesium alloy slab under no magnetic field (NMF), harmonic magnetic field (HMF), pulsed magnetic field (PMF) and two types of out-of-phase pulsed magnetic field (OPMF). Design/methodology/approach A 3-D multiphysical coupling mathematical model is used to evaluate the corresponding physical fields. The coupling issue is addressed using the method of separating step and result inheritance. Findings The results suggest that the solute deficiency tends to occur in the central part, while the solute-enriched area appears near the fillet in the molten and solidified regions. Applying magnetic field could greatly homogenize the solute field in the two-phase region. The variance of relative segregation level in the solidified cross-section under NMF is 38.1%, while it is 21.9%, 18.6%, 16.4% and 12.4% under OPMF2 (the current phase in the upper coil is ahead of the lower coil), HMF, PMF and OPMF1 (the current phase in the upper coil lags behind the lower coil), respectively, indicating that OPMF1 is more effective to reduce the macrosegregation level. Originality/value There are few reports on the solute segregation degree in rectangle slab under magnetic field, especially for magnesium alloy slab. This paper can act a reference to make clear the solute transport behavior and help reduce the macrosegregation level during DC casting.

For studying the changes of macro-physical field in the casting process of large-scale rare earth magnesium alloy, through the numerical simulation method, a two-dimensional axisymmetric multi-physical field coupling model was established by using the multi-physical simulation software COMSOL Multiphysics. The changes of temperature field, flow field, Lorentz force, and solidification characteristics of large-size rare earth magnesium alloy with diameter of 750 mm under different electromagnetic parameters (magnetic field frequency and current intensity) in steady-state of direct-chill (DC) casting were studied. The results reveal that using a magnetic field can reduce the temperature gradient and greatly accelerate the melt flow, the depth of the sump is reduced by about 50 mm. The magnetic field intensity rises as the magnetic field frequency increases, but the skin depth of the magnetic field decreases from 64.9 mm to 36.4 mm. With the growth of current, the skin depth of the magnetic field remains unchanged, the sump increases, and the magnetic field intensity increases.

Determination of 1p/19q co-deletion status is important for the classification, prognostication, and personalized therapy in diffuse lower-grade gliomas (LGG). We developed and validated a deep learning imaging signature (DLIS) from preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for predicting the 1p/19q status in patients with LGG. The DLIS was constructed on a training dataset (n = 330) and validated on both an internal validation dataset (n = 123) and a public TCIA dataset (n = 102). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and precision recall curves (PRC) were used to measure the classification performance. The area under ROC curves (AUC) of the DLIS was 0.999 for training dataset, 0.986 for validation dataset, and 0.983 for testing dataset. The F1-score of the prediction model was 0.992 for training dataset, 0.940 for validation dataset, and 0.925 for testing dataset. Our data suggests that DLIS could be used to predict the 1p/19q status from preoperative imaging in patients with LGG. The imaging-based deep learning has the potential to be a noninvasive tool predictive of molecular markers in adult diffuse gliomas. The authors developed a deep learning model predictive of 1p/19q status from preoperative imaging in 555 lower-grade gliomas (LGG), and achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.983 in the testing dataset. They reveal that developing deep learning imaging signatures could be a noninvasive tool for predicting molecular markers in LGG.

Halogenated organic compounds are ubiquitous in water bodies due to anthropogenic activities and some of them pose a real threat to the aquatic environment and human health. That is the case of artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and haloacetic acid disinfection byproducts such as trichloroacetic acid (TCA), classified as contaminants of emerging concern. This motivates the search for rapid, cost-effective and easy-to-use analytical tools that could be deployed to facilitate the analysis of organohalide pollutants and aid in accurately monitoring water quality. This work explores the rapid detection of sucralose and TCA using a very simple miniaturized sample-to-result integrated electrochemical sensor. The device incorporates a screen-printed three-electrode electrochemical cell (SPE) where the working electrode is made of a nanocomposite of Ag nanoparticles and porous C (Ag/C). The material is prepared from bread waste, in an attempt to add value to one of the largest fractions of food leftovers and thus contribute to the sustainable circular economy. The electrochemical process behind the sensor analytical performance is initially evaluated using free Cl− ions in solution and then, the sensor is used to analyze the mentioned target analytes. A paper disk integrated over the electrode area and loaded with the reagents required for the sample conditioning makes the analysis straightforward. The sensor thus produced can be inserted in a highly compact low-power instrument connected to a mobile phone, making an easy-to-use device suitable for on-site analytical studies., The Chinese Scholarship Council fellowship (201806220063) to W.C. Duan is acknowledged. WD is enrolled in the Materials Science Ph.D. Program of the UAB (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona). The X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis laboratories of the ICMAB scientific services contributed to this work and are acknowledged. This work used the Spanish ICTS Network MICRONANOFABS which was partly supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. This work was also partially funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the Severo Ochoa program for Centers of Excellence in R&D (CEX2019–000917-S)., With funding from the Spanish government through the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000917-S).

The rapid expansion of urban areas has given rise to the generation of large amounts of wastewater that pose a growing pressure on the surrounding ecosystems. Effective water quality surveillance programs demand the implementation of in-field tests to monitor water safe discharge in the environment after being adequately treated. This paper describes the manufacturing and application of a miniaturized electrochemical sensor for measuring dissolved chemical oxygen demand (COD) in surface waters entering and exiting urban wastewater treatment plants (UWWTP). Thin-film carbon electrodes are produced on Si/SiO2 substrates by a combined sol–gel material synthesis and photolithography/dry etching process at the wafer level and show superior electrochemical performance compared with the glassy carbon standard electrode. Three-electrode electrochemical cells of planar configuration are produced and the COD sensor is manufactured by electrodepositing copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) on the working electrode under controlled potentiostatic conditions. A simple fluidic electrochemical sensor device is fabricated and allows for the Cu NPs electrodeposition as well as analytical sensor performance in an automatic fashion. A linear range up to 670 mg·L-1 O2 and a limit of detection of 30 mg·L-1 O2 are achieved. The ability of this electrochemical sensor approach to monitoring the soluble organic load of urban wastewater in real-time is evaluated by analyzing three samples collected in different locations of an UWWTP. The COD values estimated with the sensor are in excellent agreement with those obtained using the standard dichromate method provided by an accredited laboratory. This analytical platform provides a robust, user-friendly low-maintenance flow sensor approach for deployed analysis of COD that could aid to control the effectiveness of water treatment processes, especially when facing water influents containing organic overloads due to changing weather conditions or any anthropogenic phenomena., The Chinese Scholarship Council fellowship (201806220063) to W.C. Duan is acknowledged. WD is enrolled in the Materials Science PhD Program of the UAB (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona). This work has also received funding from the EU Horizon 2020 framework programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 801342 (Tecniospring INDUSTRY)” and the Government of Catalonia's Agency for Business Competitiveness (ACCIÓ). The Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation is acknowledged for financial support through the Severo Ochoa programme for Centers of Excellence in R&D (CEX2019-000917-S). Some additional funding was also given by the government of Catalonia, with grants numbers 2017 SGR 1771 and 2017 SGR 765. The X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis laboratories of the ICMAB scientific services contributed to this work and are acknowledged. This work used the Spanish ICTS Network MICRONANOFABS which was partly supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. We are very grateful to Mercè Baldi and Josefina Torán for their help and for kindly providing us with the real water samples from the wastewater treatment plant., With funding from the Spanish government through the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000917-S).

The increasing awareness of the importance of water for human and environmental health has prompted the need for developing fast, user-friendly and cost-effective analytical approaches for quality control and management. This work reports the fabrication and analytical assessment of a very simple sample-to-result electrochemical sensor for discrete and precise measurements of dissolved chemical oxygen demand (COD) in water samples of urban wastewater treatment plants (UWWTP). The device is fabricated by screen printing and shows a three-electrode cell configuration including a working electrode made of a composite material comprising a porous carbon matrix and copper nanoparticles, synthesized by a customized one-pot sol-gel process. The key feature of this device is the implementation of a paper disk loaded with sodium hydroxide covering the electrochemical cell area that allows sample filtering and pH conditioning. Thus, analytical measurements are carried out by casting a 20 µL sample drop without requiring any further user intervention. The overall sensor fabrication process can be scaled up for cost-effective mass manufacturing. The feasibility and performance of this integrated device are first evaluated using glucose as a standard analyte. A linear range up to 400 mg L− 1 O2 and a limit of detection of around 26 mg L− 1 O2 is achieved, this being well below the EU legal concentration limit of 125 mg L− 1 set for effluents of UWWTPs. Three real samples are analyzed in the lab as well as on-site and COD sensor values are in agreement with those obtained with the standard dichromate method at a certified laboratory, within the error limits. This miniaturized novel sensor platform greatly simplifies the standard analytical procedure for measuring COD, facilitating rapid decentralized analysis for precise control of urban wastewater treatment., This work was partially funded by Generalitat de Catalunya, grants numbers 2017 SGR 1771 and 2017 SGR 765, and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the Severo Ochoa programme for Centers of Excellence in R&D (CEX2019-000917-S). We are very grateful to Antoni Baldi, Mercè Baldi and Josefina Torán for their help and for kindly providing us with the real water samples. The Chinese Scholarship Council fellowship (201806220063) to W.C. Duan is also acknowledged. WD is enrolled in the Materials Science PhD Program of the UAB (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona). The X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis laboratories of the ICMAB scientific services contributed to this work and are acknowledged. This work used the Spanish ICTS Network MICRONANOFABS that was partly supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation., With funding from the Spanish government through the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000917-S).

Bread waste is a major part of food wastage which could be upcycled to produce functional materials, following the principles of the circular bioeconomy. This work shows that bread waste can be recycled and valorized to produce a composite conductive material with excellent properties for chemical sensor applications. Here, dry bread is impregnated with an aqueous solution of a silver precursor and pyrolyzed to produce a porous carbon matrix containing Ag nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 20 to 40 nm. These particles perform as catalytic redox centers for the electrochemical detection of halide ions (Cl-, Br-, and I-) and organohalide target molecules such as sucralose and trichloroacetic acid. A thorough analytical characterization is carried out to show the potential application of the developed material for the manufacturing of electrochemical sensor approaches. The material preparation is sustainable, low-cost, simple, and upscalable. These are ideal features for the large-scale manufacturing by screen-printing technologies of single-use electrochemical sensors for the rapid analysis of halogenated organic pollutants in waters., This work was partially funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the Severo Ochoa programme for Centers of Excellence in R&D (CEX2019-000917-S) and the Generalitat de Catalunya, Grants 2017 SGR 1771 and 2017 SGR 765. The Chinese Scholarship Council fellowship (201806220063) to W.D. is also acknowledged. W.D. is enrolled in the Materials Science Ph.D. Program of the UAB (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona). The X-ray Diffraction and Thermal Analysis laboratories of the ICMAB scientific services contributed to this work and are acknowledged., With funding from the Spanish government through the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000917-S).

Under the condition of strain rates of 0.001–1 s−1 and temperatures of 473–723 K, the flow behaviors of the cast-homogenized ZK10 magnesium alloy were studied through the isothermal compression test with final true strain of 1. In view of this, the Arrhenius equation subject to strain was treated with a comprehensive correction, the deformation activation energy Q of ZK10 alloy was calculated to be 181.87 kJ/mol, and a reliable flow stress model of ZK10 alloy was established. Meanwhile, the processing maps and microstructure evolution of ZK10 alloy were analyzed, which indicated that obvious dynamic recrystallization occurred during thermal compression deformation of ZK10 alloy under the above process conditions. When ZK10 alloy was hot compressed at 473 K in the instability zone, serious instability deformation and macro cracks occurred at strain rates of 0.001 s−1 and 0.01 s−1. The optimum process parameter of ZK10 alloy under the experimental conditions was obtained to be 673 K/1 s−1, and the corresponding microstructure was the most uniform and finest, which provides useful guidance for the selection of process parameters of ZK10 alloy.

The crystallization of amorphous TiO2 nanotubes, which were prepared by anodic oxidation, was carried out by a water-assisted method at low temperatures. The crystalline phase and the morphology of TiO2 nanotubes were observed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), respectively, and the photocatalytic activity was characterized by the degradation of methylene blue (MB). Results show that TiO2 nanotubes crystallized by a water-assisted method at 50 °C for 4 h exhibited high crystallinity, a preferable nanotube structure and therefore, high photocatalytic activity. Sucrose was added to the aqueous solution as a carbon source for preparing C-doped TiO2 nanotubes. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS) were used to observe the chemical state of C-doped TiO2 nanotubes. After C-doping, the crystalline phase and morphology of TiO2 nanotubes hardly changed but the bandgap of TiO2 was narrowed, which endowed TiO2 nanotubes with wide-range light absorption, significantly enhancing the photocatalytic activity. This one-step method at a low temperature of 50 °C provides a new pathway for preparing C-doped TiO2 nanotube photocatalysts with enhanced photocatalytic activity.

Thyroid cancer (THCA) is one of the commonest malignancies associated with increased recurrence. Therefore, identifying the putative molecular markers and therapeutic targets to improve the treatment of THCA is essential. The present study analyzed the potential role of tripartite motif-containing 21 (TRIM21), a member of the TRIM family belonging to the subfamily of E3 ubiquitin ligases, in the progression of THCA. Using bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemistry of THCA tissues, it was observed that TRIM21 is overexpressed in THCA tissues. The present study also found that TRIM21 is associated with lymph node metastasis and high-risk recurrence of THCA. Furthermore, it identified a promotional role of TRIM21 in THCA cell migration and invasion. In addition, the present study analyzed TRIM21-enriched pathways and co-expressed genes in THCA. The present study suggested that TRIM21 may serve as a potential biomarker for THCA prognosis.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of pulsed magnetic field (PMF) with different duty cycles on the melt flow and heat transfer behaviors during direct-chill (DC) casting of large-size magnesium alloy billet and find the appropriate range of duty cycle. Design/methodology/approach A transient two-dimensional mathematical model coupled electromagnetic field, flow field and thermal field, is conducted to study the melt flow and temperature field under PMF and compared with that under the harmonic magnetic field. Findings The results reveal that melt vibration and fluctuation are generated due to the instantaneous impact of repeated thrust and pull effects of Lorentz force under PMF. The peak of Lorentz force decreases greatly with the increasing duty cycle, but the melt fluctuation region is expanded with higher duty cycle, which accelerates the interior melt velocity and reduces the temperature gradient at the liquid-solid interface. However, PMF with overly high duty cycle has adverse effect on the melt convection and limited influence on the interior melt. A duty cycle of 20% to 50% is a reasonable range. Practical implications This paper can provide guiding significance for the setting of duty cycle parameters on DC casting under PMF. Originality/value There are few reports on the effect of PMF parameters during DC casting with applying PMF, especially for duty cycle, a parameter unique to PMF. The findings will be helpful for applying the external field of PMF on DC casting.

The present study was designed to explore the biological role of resveratrol (RES) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the underlying mechanism. The adjuvant-induced arthritic rats were administered RES on the 12th day after model establishment, and then arthritis assessment, oxidative stress measurement, histological examination, and immunohistochemical staining were performed. The primary rat fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) were isolated and treated with RES in vitro and then cell proliferation and apoptosis assay were examined. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, luciferase reporter assay, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) determination, western blot, and quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were performed to investigate the mechanisms. RES administration decreased arthritis scores and serum levels of antioxidant enzymes, attenuated paw swelling, synovial hyperplasia, inflammatory cell infiltration, and cartilage degradation, as well as inhibited synoviocyte proliferation in synovial tissues. Further investigation indicated that RES inhibited ROS production and FLS proliferation through activating the silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway. NF-κB was confirmed to negatively regulate miR-29a-3p and miR-23a-3p expression by directly binding to its promoter. Mechanistic analyses further revealed that Kelch-like erythroid cell-derived protein with CNC homology (ECH)-associated protein 1 (Keap1), a negative regulator of Nrf2, was a downstream target of miR-29a-3p, while miR-23a-3p directly targeted cullin3 (cul3), a master regulator of ubiquitination and degradation of Nrf2. Together, the present study provided evidence that RES ameliorated RA through activation of Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway via SIRT1/NF-κB/miR-29a-3p/Keap1 and SIRT1/NF-κB/miR-23a-3p/cul3 signaling pathway.

At present, the commonly used crystallization methods of amorphous TiO2 include heat treatment and water-assisted crystallization. However, the cost of heat treatment is high and the morphology of nanotubes is easy to be destroyed, and the crystallinity of water-assisted crystallization is low. In this work, the two treatment methods were combined for the first time, and the effects of different crystallization methods on the photocatalytic performance of TiO2 nanotubes were also studied in detail. The results suggested that the composite treatment did not change the crystalline phase of TiO2 nanotubes, but the water-assisted crystallization could effectively repair the morphological damage caused by high-temperature heat treatment, thus increasing the specific surface area. Photocatalytic research showed that the TiO2 nanotubes crystallized by the composite treatment exhibited enhanced photocatalytic performance compared with those crystallized by the single method.

The prediction of clinical outcome for patients with infiltrative gliomas is challenging. Although preoperative hematological markers have been proposed as predictors of survival in glioma and other cancers, systematic investigations that combine these data with other relevant clinical variables are needed to improve prognostic accuracy and patient outcomes. We investigated the prognostic value of preoperative hematological markers, alone and in combination with molecular pathology, for the survival of 592 patients with Grade II-IV diffuse gliomas. On univariate analysis, increased neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and decreased albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR), all predicted poor prognosis in Grade II/III gliomas. Multivariate analysis incorporating tumor status based on the presence of IDH mutations, TERT promoter mutations, and 1p/19q codeletion showed that in lower-grade gliomas, high NLR predicted poorer survival for the triple-negative, IDH mutation only, TERT mutation only, and IDH and TERT mutation groups. NLR was an independent prognostic factor in Grade IV glioma. We therefore propose a prognostic model for diffuse gliomas based on the presence of IDH and TERT promoter mutations, 1p/19q codeletion, and NLR. This model classifies lower-grade gliomas into nine subgroups that can be combined into four main risk groups based on survival projections.

Background: To develop and validate a deep learning signature (DLS) from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for predicting overall survival in patients with infiltrative gliomas, and to investigate the biological pathways underlying the developed DLS. Methods: The DLS was developed based on a deep learning cohort (n = 688). The key pathways underlying the DLS were identified on a radiogenomics cohort with paired DTI and RNA-seq data (n=78), where the prognostic value of the pathway genes was validated in public databases (TCGA, n = 663; CGGA, n = 657). Findings: The DLS was associated with survival (log-rank P < 0.001) and was an independent predictor (P < 0.001). Incorporating the DLS into existing risk system resulted in a deep learning nomogram predicting survival better than either the DLS or the clinicomolecular nomogram alone, with a better calibration and classification accuracy (net reclassification improvement 0.646, P < 0.001). Five kinds of pathways (synaptic transmission, calcium signaling, glutamate secretion, axon guidance, and glioma pathways) were significantly correlated with the DLS. Average expression value of pathway genes showed prognostic significance in our radiogenomics cohort and TCGA/CGGA cohorts (log-rank P < 0.05). Interpretation: DTI-derived DLS can improve glioma stratification by identifying risk groups with dysregulated biological pathways that contributed to survival outcomes. Therapies inhibiting neuron-to-brain tumor synaptic communication may be more effective in high-risk glioma defined by DTI-derived DLS. Funding: A full list of funding bodies that contributed to this study can be found in the Acknowledgements section.

Background To develop a radiomics signature for predicting overall survival (OS)/progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with medulloblastoma (MB), and to investigate the incremental prognostic value and biological pathways of the radiomics patterns. Methods A radiomics signature was constructed based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from a training cohort (n = 83), and evaluated on a testing cohort (n = 83). Key pathways associated with the signature were identified by RNA-seq (GSE151519). Prognostic value of pathway genes was assessed in a public GSE85218 cohort. Findings The radiomics-clinicomolecular signature predicted OS (C-index 0.762) and PFS (C-index 0.697) better than either the radiomics signature (C-index: OS: 0.649; PFS: 0.593) or the clinicomolecular signature (C-index: OS: 0.725; PFS: 0.691) alone, with a better calibration and classification accuracy (net reclassification improvement: OS: 0.298, P = 0.022; PFS: 0.252, P = 0.026). Nine pathways were significantly correlated with the radiomics signature. Average expression value of pathway genes achieved significant risk stratification in GSE85218 cohort (log-rank P = 0.016). Interpretation This study demonstrated radiomics signature, which associated with dysregulated pathways, was an independent parameter conferring incremental value over clinicomolecular factors in survival predictions for MB patients. Funding A full list of funding bodies that contributed to this study can be found in the Acknowledgements section.

The 2016 WHO classification of central nervous system tumors has included four molecular subgroups under medulloblastoma (MB) as sonic hedgehog (SHH), wingless (WNT), Grade 3, and Group 4. We aimed to develop machine learning models for predicting MB molecular subgroups based on multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics, tumor locations, and clinical factors. A total of 122 MB patients were enrolled retrospectively. After selecting robust, non-redundant, and relevant features from 5,529 extracted radiomics features, a random forest model was constructed based on a training cohort (n= 92) and evaluated on a testing cohort (n= 30). By combining radiographic features and clinical parameters, two combined prediction models were also built. The subgroup can be classified using an 11-feature radiomics model with a high area under the curve (AUC) of 0.8264 for WNT and modest AUCs of 0.6683, 0.6004, and 0.6979 for SHH, Group 3, and Group 4 in the testing cohort, respectively. Incorporating location and hydrocephalus into the radiomics model resulted in improved AUCs of 0.8403 and 0.8317 for WNT and SHH, respectively. After adding gender and age, the AUCs for WNT and SHH were further improved to 0.9097 and 0.8654, while the accuracies were 70 and 86.67% for Group 3 and Group 4, respectively. Prediction performance was excellent for WNT and SHH, while that for Group 3 and Group 4 needs further improvements. Machine learning algorithms offer potentials to non-invasively predict the molecular subgroups of MB.

In this work, a series of AuPNR6 - 50 aerogels with different percentages of {110} facets (from ∼12 to 36%) were controllably prepared and then used to investigate their performance (specific activity and long-term stability) toward ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR), in which PNR represents the particle number ratio of 6 nm Au NPs to 50 nm Au NPs. It is found that their specific activity and long-term stability highly depend on the sum of the percentage of the {100} and {111} facets and the percentage of {110} facets, respectively. In addition, Au246 - 50 aerogels with the highest percentage of {110} facets can possess excellent long-term stability (retaining about 95% of the initial current) but still have excellent specific activity (about 90.42 mA cm-2). Thus, the specific activity and long-time stability of AuPNR6 - 50 aerogels toward EGOR can be well balanced by controlling the proper percentage of {110} facets on their surfaces. Therefore, the successful fabrication of AuPNR6 - 50 aerogels with greatly improved long-term stability and excellent specific activity not only provides a novel method for the design of electrocatalysts but also would boost the commercial development of direct ethylene glycol fuel cells.

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) can generate and enhance the nonlinear optical (NLO) response and has been widely used in biosensing, optical bistability, optical switch, and modulator, surface-enhanced spectroscopies, etc. Here, the two-dimensional (2D) Au & Ag hybrid plasmonic NP network (Au & Ag HPNN) were synthesized by assembling Au and Ag NPs in ethanol solvent and transferring onto a CaF2 substrate. The frequency-domain finite element method (FEM) simulations were performed to explore their LSPR properties, demonstrating the broadband optical responses throughout visible, near-infrared and mid-infrared regions. The ultrafast carrier relaxation times were determined to be 3.9, 5.6, and 8.6 ps, while the nonlinear absorption coefficients were −1.12 × 104, −1.71 × 104, and −2.54 × 104 cm/GW, respectively, for the three wavelengths matching the LSPRs peaks at 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 μm bands. Furthermore, passively Q-switched (PQS) solid-state lasers operating at 1062.8, 1990.8, and 2947 nm were demonstrated with 2D Au & Ag HPNN based saturable absorbers. This work not only reveals desirable ultrafast broadband NLO responses of 2D HPNN, but also provides a platform for investigating their applications in nanophotonic devices., This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of China (Grant No. 61675116, 61975095, 61775093, 615751109), Development Program for Public Welfare in Shandong (2017GGX20134), and the Young Scholars Program of Shandong University (Grant No.2017WLJH48). The Chinese Scholarship Council fellowship (201806220063) to W.C. Duan is also acknowledged.

Background/Aims: CDH18 (cadherin 18) is specifically expressed in the central nervous system and associated with various neuropsychiatric disorders. In this study, the role of CDH18 in glioma carcinogenesis and progression was investigated. Methods: The expression of CDH18 and its prognostic value in patients with gliomas were analyzed in public database and validated by real-time PCR/immunohistochemical staining (IHC) in our cohort. CCK-8 assay, transwell migration assay, wound healing assay, clonogenic assay and tumorigenicity assay were used to compare the proliferation, invasion and migration ability of glioma cells with different expressions of CDH18. iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic analysis were used to reveal the downstream target of CDH18. Rescue experiments were conducted to further validate the relationship between UQCRC2 and CDH18. Results: The expression of CDH18 was depressed in a ladder-like pattern from normal tissues to WHO IV gliomas, and was an independent prognostic factor in TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas), CGGA (the Chinese glioma genome-atlas) and our glioma cohorts (n=453). Functional experiments in vitro and in vivo demonstrated that CDH18 inhibited invasion/migration, enhanced chemoresistance and suppressed tumorigenicity of glioma cells. UQCRC2 was identified as the downstream target of CDH18 by proteomic analysis. The expression of UQCRC2 was gradually absent as the WHO grades of gliomas escalated and was positively correlated with the expression of CDH18. Furthermore, in vitro assays demonstrated that down-regulation of UQCRC2 partly reversed the inhibition of invasion/migration ability and chemoresistance in CDH18 overexpressed glioma cell lines. Survival analysis demonstrated that combined CDH18/UQCRC2 biomarkers significantly influenced the prognosis of glioma patients. Conclusions: The present research demonstrated that CDH18 exerted its tumor-suppressor role via UQCRC2 in glioma cells and CDH18 might serve as a therapeutic target for treating gliomas.

In this work, a series of Au aerogels with exposed {110}-facets were successfully synthesized by Ostwald-ripening between two differently-sized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). On the basis of the results of de-convoluting CV analysis and size variation of large Au NPs during their formation process, it is found that the size ratio (R) between two differently-sized Au NPs is crucial for the occurrence of surface reconstruction during the Ostwald-ripening process. Moreover, the R can be used to estimate the extent of surface reconstruction and the critical R for the occurrence of surface reconstruction in our case is about 5. Furthermore, Au6-50 aerogels with the highest ratio of {110}-facets (up to 35.5%) show excellent performance in glucose detection, and offer a short response time of 2 s, an ultrahigh sensitivity (2044.71 μA cm-2 mM-1) and the ultralow limit of detection (0.58 μM). In addition, they also exhibit good reproducibility and long-term durability. Therefore, our work provides a new way for the fabrication of Au aerogels with controlled ratios of facets by size-dependent surface reconstruction.

Background: The 2016 WHO Classification of Central Nervous System tumors has included four molecular subgroups under medulloblastoma (MB) as sonic hedgehog (SHH), wingless (WNT), Grade 3 and Group 4. We aimed to develop machine learning models for predicting MB molecular subgroups based on multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics, tumor locations and clinical factors. Methods: 122 MB patients were enrolled retrospectively. After selecting robust, nonredundant and relevant features from 5529 extracted radiomics features, a random forest model was constructed based on a training cohort (n = 92) and evaluated on a testing cohort (n = 30). By combining the radiographic features and clinical parameters, two combined prediction models were also built. Findings: The subgroup can be classified using an 11-feature radiomics model with a high area under curve (AUC) of 0.8264 for WNT and modest AUCs of 0.6683, 0.6004 and 0.6979 for SHH, Group 3 and Group 4 in testing cohort, respectively. Incorporating location and hydrocephalus into the radiomics model resulted in improved AUCs of 0.8403 and 0.8317 for WNT and SHH, respectively. After adding gender and age, the AUCs for WNT and SHH were further improved to 0.9097 and 0.8654, while the accuracies were 70% and 86.67% for Group 3 and Group 4, respectively. Interpretation: The prediction performance was excellent for WNT and SHH, while that for Group 3 and Group 4 needs further improvements. Machine learning algorithms offer potentials to non-invasively predict molecular subgroups of MB. Funding Statement: This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81702465, 61571432 and U1804172), the Science and Technology Program of Henan Province (No. 182102310113, 192102310123 and 192102310050). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: The Human Scientific Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University has approved the protocol of this study (No. 2019-KY-176).

During neurological surgery, neurosurgeons have to transform the two-dimensional (2D) sectional images into three-dimensional (3D) structures at the cognitive level. The complexity of the intracranial structures increases the difficulty and risk of neurosurgery. Mixed reality (MR) applications reduce the obstacles in the transformation from 2D images to 3D visualization of anatomical structures of central nervous system. In this study, the holographic image was established by MR using computed tomography (CT), computed tomography angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of patients. The surgeon's field of vision was superimposed with the 3D model of the patient's intracranial structure displayed on the mixed reality head-mounted display (MR-HMD). The neurosurgeons practiced and evaluated the feasibility of this technique in neurosurgical cases. We developed the segmentation image masks and texture mapping including brain tissue, intracranial vessels, nerves, tumors, and their relative positions by MR technologies. The results showed that the three-dimensional imaging is in a stable state in the operating room with no significant flutter and blur. And the neurosurgeon's feedback on the comfort of the equipment and the practicality of the technology was satisfactory. In conclusion, MR technology can holographically construct a 3D digital model of patient's lesions and improve the anatomical perception of neurosurgeons during craniotomy. The feasibility of the MR-HMD application in neurosurgery is confirmed.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text, Glioma is the most common malignant tumor in the central nervous system (CNS). Lower-grade gliomas (LGG) refer to Grade II and III gliomas. In LGG patients, seizure often appears as an initial symptom and play an important role in clinical performance and quality of life of the patients. To date, the relationship between the onset of seizures and the molecular pathology in gliomas is still poorly investigated. In this study, we investigate the potential relationship between isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)/telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (TERTp) mutations and preoperative seizures in patients with LGG. 289 adult LGG patients were enrolled in this study. Data of clinical characteristics and molecular pathology were acquired. Sanger sequencing was used to detect IDH/TERTp mutations. Chi-square test was performed to determine if the IDH/TERTp mutations were associated with seizures and seizure types. In 289 LGG patients, preoperative seizures accounted for 25.3% (73/289), IDH mutations accounted for 34.3%(99/289), and TERTp mutations accounted for 44.3% (128/289). The correlation analysis demonstrated that IDH mutation is a significant factor influencing the occurrence of tumor-related epilepsy (P

By adjusting the oxidation voltage, electrolyte, anodizing time and other parameters, TiO2 nanotubes with high aspect ratio can be prepared by oxidation in organic system because anodic oxidation method has the advantage of simple preparation process, low material cost and controllable morphology. This review focusses on the influence of anodizing parameters on the morphology of TiO2 nanotube arrays prepared by anodizing. In order to improve the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanotubes under visible light and to prolong the life of photo-generated carriers, the research status of improving the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanotubes in recent years is reviewed. This review focusses on the preparation and modification of TiO2 nanotubes by anodic oxidation, which is helpful to understand the best structure of TiO2 nanotubes and the appropriate modification methods, thus guiding the application of TiO2 nanotubes in practical photocatalysis. Finally, the development of TiO2 nanotubes is prospected.

Effects of Gd addition on microstructure, corrosion behavior and mechanism of cast and extruded MgZn1.2GdxZr0.18 alloys are investigated through microstructure observation, weight loss and electrochemical tests. Increasing Gd from 0 to 2.0 at.%, grains are refined, MgZn2 phase, W-phase and X-phase are formed successively, and basal texture intensity is decreased. The significantly decreased grain size by extrusion and Gd addition induces formation of protective Gd2O3 and MgO layer. The extruded MgZn1.2Gd2.0Zr0.18 alloy shows decreased corrosion rate of 3.72 ± 0.36 mm/year, owing to fine and homogeneous microstructure, dual-role (micro-anode and barrier) of X-phase, compact oxidation layer and basal crystallographic texture.

Four annular coils arranged vertically that have been loaded with two pulsed currents with different initial phases were used to create out-of-phase pulsed magnetic field (PMF) during direct-chill (DC) casting of magnesium alloy. A 2D axisymmetric mathematical model that couples electromagnetic field with fluid field and thermal field was established based on the finite element method by using COMSOL Multiphysics software. A two-step approach was adopted to handle the coupling problems, which the varying Lorentz force and Joule heat were treated as the averaged values during the steady calculation of DC casting process. Effects of coil connection strategies on the resulting Lorentz force, melt flow and solidification characteristics during DC casting of magnesium alloy under out-of-phase PMF were investigated and discussed. Results show that the application of magnetic field greatly strengthens the melt convection when compared to no magnetic field. Using out-of-phase PMF could control the range and intensity of melt convection by changing coil connection strategies, achieving lower overheating in the central part and higher temperature uniformity from the center to the edge or reducing the sump depth than a single PMF in which four coils are connected in series and loaded with the same pulsed current.

The corrosion behavior and mechanism of as-cast and as-extruded Mg-Zn-Gd-Zr alloys with specific ternary phases are investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM), scanning Kelvin probe force microscope (SKPFM), immersion and electrochemical tests. Lamellar X-Mg12GdZn, net-like W-Mg3Gd2Zn3 and strip-like I-Mg3Zn6Gd phases form successively. The eutectic W-phase owns the highest potential difference of 120 mV with Mg matrix, accelerating micro-galvanic corrosion. Continuously distributed and undersized I-phase leads to uniform corrosion. The as-extruded Mg-3Zn-11Gd-0.6 Zr alloy exhibits superior corrosion resistance, due to the relatively low potential difference between X-phase and matrix, the corrosion barrier effect and typical {0002} texture components.

Inflammation and immunoreaction markers were correlated with the survival of patients in many tumors. However, there were no reports investigating the relationships between preoperative hematological markers and the prognosis of medulloblastoma (MB) patients based on the molecular subgroups (WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4). A total 144 MB patients were enrolled in the study. The differences of preoperative hematological markers among molecular subgroups of MB were compared by One-way ANOVA method. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the curves of progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The comparison of survival rates in different groups were conducted by the Log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was used to evaluate independent prognostic factors. Increased preoperative NLR (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, PFS, P = 0.004, OS, P P = 0.028, OS, P = 0.003) predicted poor prognosis in patients with MB, while preoperative MLR (monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio), MPV (mean platelet volume), PDW (platelet distribution width), and AGR (albumin-to-globulin ratio) were revealed no predictive value on the prognosis of patients with MB. Furthermore, high preoperative NLR and PLR predicted unfavorable prognosis in childhood MB patients. However, preoperative NLR and PLR were not associated with the prognosis in adult MB patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated preoperative NLR (PFS, P = 0.029, OS, P = 0.005) and PLR (PFS, P = 0.023, OS, P = 0.005) were the independent prognostic factors in MB patients. Emphatically, the levels of preoperative NLR and PLR in Group 3 MB were significantly higher than those in WNT MB. High preoperative NLR was associated with unfavorable OS in Group 3 (P = 0.032) and Group 4 (P = 0.027) tumors. Similarly, increased preoperative PLR predicted poor PFS (P = 0.012) and OS (P = 0.009) in Group 4 tumors. Preoperative NLR and PLR were the potential prognostic markers for MB patients. Preoperative NLR and PLR were significantly associated with the survival of Group 3 and Group 4 tumors.

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a very common neoplasm of the head and neck in the world. Long noncoding RNAs play key roles in cell infiltration, fate, apoptosis, and invasion. However, the functional role and expression of LINC00339 remains unclear in LSCC. In this study, we showed that the expression level of LINC00339 was upregulated in LSCC tissues and cell lines. LINC00339 silencing suppressed the proliferation, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression of LSCC cells. In addition, we showed that LINC00339 acted as a sponge of miR-145, and LINC00339 silencing promoted the expression of miR-145 in Hep2 cell. Furthermore, the expression of miR-145 was lower in LSCC tissues than in their paired normal samples and the miR-145 expression level was negatively correlated with LINC00339 expression in LSCC tissues. The knockdown of miR-145 promoted the proliferation, invasion, and EMT progression of LSCC cells. Finally, we indicated that LINC00339 silencing inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and EMT progression of LSCC cells by suppressing the miR-145 expression. These data suggested that LINC00339 acted as an oncogene in the development of LSCC, partly by regulating the miR-145 expression.

It is well known that the activity and stability of electrocatalysts are largely dependent on their surface facets. In this work, we have successfully regulated surface facets of three-dimensional (3D) metallic Aum-n aerogels by salt-induced assembly of citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) of two different sizes and further size-dependent localized Ostwald ripening at controlled particle number ratios, where m and n represent the size of Au NPs. In addition, 3D Aum-n–Pd aerogels were further synthesized on the basis of Aum-n aerogels and also bear controlled surface facets because of the formation of ultrathin Pd layers on Aum-n aerogels. Taking the electrooxidation of small organic molecules (such as methanol and ethanol) by the resulting Aum-n and Aum-n–Pd aerogels as examples, it is found that surface facets of metallic aerogels with excellent performance can be regulated to realize preferential surface facets for methanol oxidation and ethanol oxidation, respectively. Moreover, they also ind...

High-quality gold (Au) nanospheres (Au-NPs) with a diameter of 52 nm were prepared by the seeded growth method. The mid-infrared (MIR) nonlinear saturable absorption properties were measured by a balanced twin-detector measurement technique. With the as-prepared Au-NPs saturable absorber (SA), an efficient passively Q-switched laser was realized at 2.95 μm for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. Under an absorbed pump power of 4.0 W, a maximum output power of 268 mW was obtained with the shortest pulse width of 734 ns and repetition rate of 91 kHz, corresponding to the pulse energy up to 2.95 μJ. The results indicate that Au-NPs are promising candidates as SAs for MIR laser pulse generation.