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Abstract Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is among the most aggressive and metastatic malignancies, often resulting in fatal outcomes due to the lack of effective treatments. Prosapogenin A (PA), a bioactive compound prevalent in traditional Chinese herbs, has shown potential as an antineoplastic agent against various human tumors. However, its effects on ATC and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that PA exhibits significant anti-ATC activity both in vitro and in vivo by inducing GSDME-dependent pyroptosis in ATC cells. Mechanistically, PA promotes lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP), leading to the release of cathepsins that activate caspase 8/3 to cleave GSDME. Remarkably, PA significantly upregulates three key functional subunits of V-ATPase—ATP6V1A, ATP6V1B2, and ATP6V0C—resulting in lysosomal over-acidification. This over-acidification exacerbates LMP and subsequent lysosomal damage. Neutralization of lysosomal lumen acidification or inhibition/knockdown of these V-ATPase subunits attenuates PA-induced lysosomal damage, pyroptosis and growth inhibition of ATC cells, highlighting the critical role for lysosomal acidification and LMP in PA’s anticancer effects. In summary, our findings uncover a novel link between PA and lysosomal damage-dependent pyroptosis in cancer cells. PA may act as a V-ATPase agonist targeting lysosomal acidification, presenting a new potential therapeutic option for ATC treatment.

Abstract Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and its derivatives exhibit considerable effects against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with unquestioned safety. Here we investigated CAPE derivative 1ʹ (CAPE 1ʹ) monotherapy to HCC, compared with sorafenib. HCC Bel-7402 cells were treated with CAPE 1ʹ, the IC50 was detected using CCK-8 analysis, and acute toxicity testing (5 g/kg) was performed to evaluate safety. In vivo, tumor growth after CAPE 1ʹ treatment was evaluated using an subcutaneous tumor xenograft model. Five groups were examined, with group 1 given vehicle solution, groups 2, 3, and 4 given CAPE 1ʹ (20, 50, and 100 mg/kg/day, respectively), and group 5 given sorafenib (30 mg/kg/day). Tumor volume growth and tumor volume-to-weight ratio were calculated and statistically analyzed. An estimated IC50 was 5.6 µM. Acute toxicity tests revealed no animal death or visible adverse effects with dosage up to 5 g/kg. Compared to negative controls, CAPE 1ʹ treatment led to significantly slower increases of tumor volume and tumor volume-to-weight. CAPE 1ʹ and sorafenib exerted similar inhibitory effects on HCC tumors. CAPE 1ʹ was non-inferior to sorafenib for HCC treatment, both in vitro and in vivo. It has great potential as a promising drug for HCC, based on effectiveness and safety profile.

Abstract Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) markedly affects the quality of life of women, including significant financial burden. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we constructed a transcriptional profile of 30,452 single cells of the uterosacral ligament in POP and control samples, which has never been constructed before. We identified 10 major cell types, including smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, neutrophils, macrophages, monocytes, mast cells, T cells, B cells, and dendritic cells. We performed subpopulation analysis and pseudo-time analysis of POP primary cells, and explored differentially expressed genes. We verified previous cell clusters of human neutrophils of uterosacral ligaments. We found a significant reduction in receptor-ligand pairs related to ECM and cell adhesion between fibroblasts and endothelial cells in POP. The transcription factors related to the extracellular matrix, development, and immunity were identified in USL. Here we provide insight into the molecular mechanisms of POP and valuable information for future research directions.

In an underground inductive power transfer (IPT), it is inevitable to produce the phenomenon of misalignment between the transmitter and the receiver, which will reduce the output current, voltage and output efficiency of the whole IPT system. Aiming to solve this problem, a universal hybrid coupler is proposed, which can still stabilize the output in the expected range and has the ability of anti-misalignment when the X and Z directions are misaligned. The coupler is composed of a BP coupler and Γ type network. The secondary edge of the coupler introduces a Γ network, which decouples the two main coils on the same side of the receiver from the auxiliary coil and reduces the complexity of the system. The coupler can effectively reduce the coupling fluctuation caused by physical movement between the downhole transmitting end and the receiving end, thereby ensuring the stable output of the coupler. As a widely used IPT system, it can access the rest of the circuit topology whose output is independent of the load and achieve misalignment-tolerant output. Finally, based on the proposed hybrid IPT coupler theory, a 500 W misalignment-tolerant coupler prototype was built, and the compensation topologies were configured as series–series (SS) and series/inductance/capacitance/capacitor (S/LCC) structures. When the X and Z direction is misaligned, the constant current and voltage independent of the load can be output by switching the compensation topology. The experimental results are the same as the theoretical analysis.

To protect the battery, radio energy transmission charging typically uses constant current (CC) charging before switching to constant voltage (CV) charging to enhance battery durability. This paper proposes adding an auxiliary clamp coil to the original circuit topology. The IPT battery charger designed with the auxiliary clamp coil can achieve both constant current (CC) and constant voltage (CV) outputs. The mutual inductance between the auxiliary clamp coil and the primary side coil greatly influences the output performance of the entire IPT system, so the auxiliary clamp coil should not be too large. To solve this problem, an S-S-PS circuit with secondary compensation topology in the secondary coil is proposed. This circuit topology reduces the size of the auxiliary clamp coil, allowing it to be placed in an optimal position. When the constant voltage output critical position is reached, the IPT system can still automatically, continuously, and smoothly switch between CC and CV modes. Consequently, this approach avoids increased cost consumption associated with detecting CC-CV switching thresholds, adding wireless transmission communication modules, real-time control of the power transmitter, and active protection of the circuit during constant current charging. Finally, a 48 V/2.5 A prototype was built to verify that the IPT system has CC-CV conversion functionality.

Objective To detect pathogenic microorganisms in secondary water supply for high-rise buildings in Chongqing city and to examine the spectrum, dominant strains, virulence genes and drug resistance of the isolated pathogenic bacteria. Methods A total of 152 tap water samples were collected from secondary water supply for 152 high-rise buildings (18 stories and higher and built not later than 5 years for each of the buildings) at 6 districts of Chongqing city during 2020 and 2021. Bacteria isolation and identification, drug sensitivity test, whole genome sequencing and virus nucleic acid detection were carried out for the samples. Results Totally 128 bacterial strains were isolated from 96 samples, with single strain from 67 samples, two strains from 23 samples and three strains from 5 samples; no bacterial strain was isolated from another 56 samples. The top three bacteria frequently isolated were Bacillus (25.0% of all isolations), Pseudomonas (18.0%) and Acinetobacter (7.8%). The isolated pathogenic/conditional pathogenic strains included 10 Bacillus cereus, 6 Bacillus turingiensis, 6 Acinetobacter johnsonii, 6 Pseudomonas alcaligenes, 4 Staphylococcus haemolyticus, 3 Micrococcus luteus, 3 Mycobacterium fortuitum, 3 Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Sphingomonas oligokine and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were also detected. The isolated strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were resistant to 8 kinds of antibiotics, and those of Bacillus cereus/Bacillus thuringiensis were resistant to β-lactam antibiotics. All water samples were negative for nucleic acid of norovirus, rotavirus and novel coronavirus. The phylogenetic tree analysis with whole gene sequencing showed that the phylogenetic relationship of the two isolated Bacillus thuringiensis strains is closer to the pathogenic strain 97 – 27. Conclusion There was pathogenic bacterial contamination caused by Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and other pathogenic strains in secondary water supply of high-rise buildings in Chongqing city and human health effect of the contamination needs to be concerned.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important heat-trapping gas, or greenhouse gas, that comes from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels. On the other hand, plastic is widely used for making various products, such as medical devices and packaging bags, but it causes pollution that damages human health and the environment. Therefore, biodegradable plastic materials synthesized by using CO2 is one of the most desirable alternatives of traditional non-biodegradable plastic materials to alleviate anthropogenic CO2 and non-degradable plastic pollution. Particularly, CO2-based poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) has received increasing attention owing to its good functionalization modification advantages and its potential in the large-scale utilization of CO2. We review the synthetic routes of PPCs through incorporations of different functionalized third monomers to the polymer chains and their effects on properties of newly functionalized PPCs. The results show that the copolymerization of CO2 and propylene oxide (PO) provides a way to utilize excess CO2 for producing biodegradable and environmentally friendly polymerization products (i.e., CO2-based PPC). This offers a novel strategy for the preparation of new and potentially sustainable plastic materials.

IntroductionHealthy lung microbiota plays an important role in preventing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infections by activating immune cells and stimulating production of T-helper cell type 1 cytokines. The dynamic stability of lung microbiota relies mostly on lung homeostasis. In our previous studies, we found that Mtb virulence factor, Rv1987 protein, can mediate host immune response and enhance mycobacterial survival in host lung. However, the alteration of lung microbiota and the contribution of lung microbiota dysbiosis to mycobacterial evasion in this process are not clear so far.MethodsM. smegmatis which does not contain the ortholog of Rv1987 protein was selected as a model strain to study the effects of Rv1987 on host lung microbiota. The lung microbiota, immune state and metabolites of mice infected by M. smegmatis overexpressing Rv1987 protein (MS1987) were detected and analyzed.ResultsThe results showed that Rv1987 inhibited inflammatory response in mouse lung and anaerobic bacteria and Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Actinobacteriota and Acidobacteriota bacteria were enriched in the lung tissues correspondingly. The immune alterations and microbiota dysbiosis affected host metabolic profiles, and some of significantly altered bacteria in MS1987-infected mouse lung, such as Delftia acidovorans, Ralstonia pickettii and Escherichia coli, led to anti-inflammatory responses in mouse lung. The secretory metabolites of these altered bacteria also influenced mycobacterial growth and biofilm formation directly.ConclusionAll these results suggested that Rv1987 can attenuate inflammatory response and alter microbiota in the lung, which in turn facilitates mycobacterial survival in the host.

The ternary chalcogenide AgBiS2 has attracted widespread attention in the field of photovoltaic and photoelectric devices due to its excellent properties. In this study, AgBiS2 powders with an average diameter of 200 nm were prepared via a simple and convenient reflux method from silver acetate, bismuth nitrate pentahydrate, and n-dodecyl mercaptan. The adjustment of the ratios of Ag:Bi:S raw materials and of the reaction temperatures were carried out to investigate the significance of the synthesis conditions toward the composition of the as-synthesized AgBiS2. The results of XRD indicated that the powders synthesized at a ratio of 1.05:1:2.1 and a synthesis temperature of 225 °C have the lowest bismuth content and the highest purity. The synthesized AgBiS2 crystallizes in a rock salt type structure with the cubic Fm3¯m space group. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, ultraviolet–visible–near-infrared spectra, and photocatalytic degradation performance were employed to characterize the as-synthesized samples. The results demonstrated that AgBiS2 powders display thermal stability; strong absorption in the ultraviolet, visible, and partial infrared regions; and an optical bandgap of 0.98 eV. The obtained AgBiS2 powders also have a good degradation effect on the methylene blue solution with a degradation efficiency of 58.61% and a rate constant of 0.0034 min−1, indicating that it is an efficient strategy for sewage degradation to reduce water pollution.

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) adversely affects the quality of life of patients, while the currently available surgical and non-surgical therapies are not effective in all patients. Application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for regaining the ability to control urination has attracted interest. Herein, we reviewed the literature and analyzed recent studies on MSC-based therapies for SUI, summarized recent treatment strategies and their underlying mechanisms of action, while assessing their safety, effectiveness, and prospects. In addition, we traced and sorted the root literature and, from an experimental design perspective, divided the obtained results into four categories namely single MSC type therapy for SUI, MSC-based combination therapy for SUI, treatment of SUI with the MSC secretome, and other factors influencing MSC therapy. Although evidence demonstrates that the treatment strategies are safe and effective, the underlying mechanisms of action remain nebulous, hence more clinical trials are warranted. Therefore, future studies should focus on designing clinical trials of MSC-based therapies to determine the indications for treatment, cell dosage, appropriate surgical strategies, and optimal cell sources, and develop clinically relevant animal models to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying stem cell therapies improvement of SUI.

The preparation of composite conductive asphalt with excellent electrical properties and thermal performance is an important way to enhance the ability of conductive asphalt mixture to melt ice and snow. Nine groups of graphene/nickel/carbon fiber composite conductive asphalt were prepared based on the orthogonal test scheme, and Gr-Ni-CF-1 with Gr, Ni and CF contents of 5.9 %, 19.1 % and 0.4 % respectively was optimized based on electrical resistivity and heating rate. The effects of the electrode material, current type, voltage, temperature and lateral pressure on its electrical properties were researched, and its thermal properties were tested, including the thermal conductivity, heat distribution, ice melting performance and crack healing performance. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the distribution of Gr, Ni and CF in the sample, which was helpful to speculate its conductive mechanism. The results show that the average heating rate of Gr-Ni-CF-1 at 12 V is about 2.76 ℃/min, and its maximum increase in temperature within 9 min is about 64 ℃ at 16 V. The volt ampere characteristics of Gr-Ni-CF-1 show a nonlinear relationship, and the average electrical current value and standard deviation of Gr-Ni-CF-1 samples at 20 V DC are 0.319 A and 0.087 A, respectively, 74.7 % and 83.3 % lower than that at 20 V AC. There are simultaneous PTC effects and NTC effects and the PTCα and NTCα are 0.072 kΩ/℃ and 0.106 kΩ/℃, respectively. The electrical resistance of Gr-Ni-CF-1 decreases with the increase of lateral pressure, and it tends to be stable when the lateral pressure is above 80 N. When electric energy is applied, the heat in the sample is evenly distributed in layers, and 2 g ice can be melted in 16 min. The 2 cm× cm×2 cm Gr-Ni-CF-1 sample formed at least seven conductive paths through conductive material contact or electronic transition.

Fatigue loading and hydrodynamic pressure generated by the repetitious action of moving wheels cause concrete pavement that contains Portland cement, i.e., Portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement, to undergo significant deterioration at the surface and interior. In this experimental study, a device equipped with wheels and a water pump was designed to simulate the coupled effect of fatigue loading and hydrodynamic scouring on PCC pavement. The hydrodynamic pressure was measured by a sensor under conditions involving different vehicle types and speeds. The effects of the stress level, fatigue cycle number and hydrodynamic pressure on the flexural strength, dynamic modulus, chloride diffusion coefficient and British pendulum number (BPN) of PCC were determined. The results showed that the hydrodynamic pressure was closely related to the vehicle type and speed, and trucks produced greater hydrodynamic pressure than cars moving at the same speed. The maximum pressure applied by trucks was 507.81 kPa at 80 km/h. Fatigue loading was the main cause of mechanical PCC damage; speed led to decreases in the flexural strength and dynamic modulus, whereas hydrodynamic scouring played the dominant role in the resistance of PCC to penetration by chloride ions.

Abstract Exosomes are lipid bilayer vesicles released from cells as a mechanism of intracellular communication. Containing information molecules of their parental cells and inclining to fuse with targeted cells, exosomes are valuable in disease diagnosis and drug delivery. The realization of their clinic applications still faces difficulties, such as lacking technologies for fast purification and functional reading. The advancement of nanotechnology in recent decades makes it promising to overcome these difficulties. In this article, we summarized recent progress in utilizing the physiochemical properties of nanoparticles (NPs) to enhance exosome purification and detection sensitivity or to derive novel technologies. We also discussed the valuable applications of exosomes in NPs‐based drug delivery. Till now most studies in these fields are still at the laboratory research stage. Translation of these bench works into clinic applications still has a long way to go.

Automatic fabric defect detection has been successfully applied to establish the quality quick response system for the automation of textile production. However, the image complexity and diversity of patterned fabrics have effects on the fabric defect detection, which makes it difficult for automatic quality inspection of textiles. In order to solve this problem, a novel method that sequential detection of image defects for patterned fabrics was proposed in this article. Firstly, the fabric image was segmented adaptively based on the periodic distance of the pattern, which can be used for the determination of repetitive pattern block element in fabrics, so that the defect image blocks could be identified according to the minimum principle of structure similarity; Then, the texture features of defect image blocks were extracted to match the constructed feature dictionary of defect-free image block, the defect position could be located by distance measurement and threshold segmentation. Our experiments show that the proposed method has the advantages of low computational complexity, high detection accuracy and strong applicability, by the comparison with existing approaches for defect detection of patterned fabric. Moreover, the new proposed automatic defect location method can solve the problem of deficiency caused by manual defect marking using existing image inpainting algorithms, it can be used for the automatic image inpainting of patterned fabrics without manual marking to improve the robustness of computer vision-based fabric re-engineering.

The interstitial cells in bladder lamina propria (LP-ICs) are believed to be involved in sensing/afferent signaling in bladder mucosa. Transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channels act as mechano- or chemo-sensors and may underlie some of the sensing function of bladder LP-ICs. We aimed to investigate the molecular and functional expression of TRP channels implicated in bladder sensory function and Piezo1/Piezo2 channels in cultured LP-ICs of the human bladder. Bladder tissues were obtained from patients undergoing cystectomy. LP-ICs were isolated and cultured, and used for real-time reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunocytochemistry, and calcium-imaging experiments. At the mRNA level, TRPA1, TRPV2, and Piezo1 were expressed most abundantly. Immunocytochemical staining showed protein expression of TRPA1, TRPV1, TRPV2, TRPV4, TRPM8, as well as Piezo1 and Piezo2. Calcium imaging using channel agonists/antagonists provided evidence for functional expression of TRPA1, TRPV2, TRPV4, Piezo1, but not of TRPV1 or TRPM8. Activation of these channels with their agonist resulted in release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from LP-ICs. Inhibition of TRPV2, TRPV4 and Piezo1 blocked the stretch induced intracellular Ca2+ increase. Whereas inhibition of TRPA1 blocked H2O2 evoked response in LP-ICs. Our results suggest LP-ICs of the bladder can perceive stretch or chemical stimuli via activation of TRPV2, TRPV4, Piezo1 and TRPA1 channels. LP-ICs may work together with urothelial cells for perception and transduction of mechanical or chemical signals in human-bladder mucosa.

The fracture characteristics of reactive powder concrete in different volume content of steel fiber are researched in this paper, combining with the photoelastic coating method and the mathematical analytical software MATLAB. More precisely, the wholly integrated initiation, stable propagation, and final failure stages of precast cracks in three-point bending specimens of reactive powder concrete in different volume content of steel fiber are directly recorded and systematically analyzed. Besides, the photoelastic fringe distribution graphs from the vicinity of the precast cracks of specimens are obtained. Based on the experimental results and fracture mechanics theory, the mechanical property of reactive powder concrete, fracture energy, ductility index, initial fracture toughness, and unstable fracture toughness are quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. The research achievements indicate that there is a stable crack propagation process before the instability failure of the three-point bending beam specimen of reactive powder concrete. The fracture process of the structure includes three stages, namely, the crack initiation, stable propagation, and instability failure. The order of the photoelastic fringe, critical effective crack length, crack initiation load, and maximum load of test parameters in the three-point bending beam specimen of reactive powder concrete increases with the increase of the fiber volume ratio. Based on the numerical treatment for the whole curves of each specimen group, the softening curve and the double fracture parameters of reactive powder concrete are obtained. Besides, the calculated critical effective joint length, initiation toughness, toughness increment, and unstable fracture toughness increase with the increase of the steel fiber volume ratio, by analyzing the measured initiation load, maximum load, and critical effective joint length. The research results can be treated as an important basis and reference for the engineering design and safety assessment of reactive powder concrete.

The continuous rise in the energy demand has shifted the extraction environment in oil and gas fields towards a more hostile environment, and has ultimately increased the corrosion of extraction and transmission facilities. One of the most effective solutions for mitigating the corrosion problem is the use of corrosion-resistant metals. In this paper, we investigated the corrosion behavior of 80S steel that was being employed in an oilfield underground gathering pipeline at different temperatures and partial pressures of H2S and CO2 using an autoclave. Moreover, the loss-in-weight method was used to simulate the corrosive environment in the oilfield. Electrochemical studies were then carried out to investigate the corrosion mechanism. The results show that: (1) In the corrosive environment of CO2 and H2S coexistence, temperature is a major factor affecting the corrosion rate of 80S steel, and increase in temperature accelerates the corrosion process. (2) Corrosion rate is also affected by the CO2 and H2S partial pressure ratio; high S content at high temperatures will inhibit the corrosion process, and vice versa for low temperature. (3) With an increase in the temperature, the corrosion potential decreases, corrosion current density increases, and polarization curve gradually moves to the right. (4) The shape of the cathodic branch moves in the X-negative direction by increasing S content, and the cathodic reaction is jointly controlled by activation and diffusion processes, when the temperature is 100 °C, whereas the anodic branch of the polarization curve at a 3% concentration of Na2S.9H2O changes significantly and a passivation zone appears. (5) The results of the impedance spectra showed that the impedance radius of the metal decreases significantly at increasing temperatures. In addition, the Warburg impedance showed a more pronounced diffusion phenomenon with the increasement of H2S concentration.

The filling material of the karst collapse column (KCC) is easy to be activated by mining. During this process, the mechanical properties of KCC fillings change, and its water resisting capacity constantly deteriorates and thus often leads to water inrush disaster. In this study, the samples of KCC fillings were taken on-site and then were remolded by the consolidation drainage method. The variation laws of the compressive strength, tensile strength, cohesive stress, internal friction angle, and permeability of the filling samples with respect to the consolidation pressure and moisture content were tested and analyzed. Based on an engineering example, the yield and activation and particle loss of the filling material of the KCC are analyzed. A mechanism for the lagging water inrush of KCC in the process of mining is proposed. The main results of the present study can be concluded concisely as follows. (1) The KCC fillings show obvious soft rock characteristics in the process of uniaxial compression and Brazilian split. The ratio of the uniaxial compressive strength to splitting tensile strength is between 12 : 1 and 8 : 1. The larger the consolidation pressure or the smaller the moisture content, the larger the ratio. (2) With the increase of consolidation pressure or the decrease of moisture content, the uniaxial compressive strength, elastic modulus, splitting tensile strength, cohesive stress, and internal friction angle of the filling material of the KCC increase linearly, while its permeability increases exponentially. (3) When the crack field of the surrounding rocks of the stope is connected with the KCC, its filling material will continue to yield, activate, and migrate under the fluid-solid coupling effect and finally result in the lagging water inrush from the KCC.

Abstract Background Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have gained credibility as a therapeutic tool partly due to their potential to secrete factors such as cytokines and chemokines. Recently, exosomes, which mediate intercellular communication by delivering biomolecules such as mRNA and miRNA into recipient cells, have gained attention as a new and valuable therapeutic strategy in regenerative medicine. However, the potential role of exosomes secreted by adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (adMSC-Exos) in collagen metabolism is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of adMSC-Exos on collagen metabolism in cultured fibroblasts from women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Methods Periurethral vaginal wall tissues of postmenopausal women with or without SUI were collected during transvaginal surgical procedures. Primary fibroblasts were cultured from periurethral vaginal wall tissues, and the levels of type I collagen mRNA and protein were examined by qRT-PCR and western blotting. MSC were isolated from human adipose tissue by enzymatic digestion. Exosomes were prepared by ultracentrifugation of adMSC-conditioned medium (adMSC-CM) and were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and western blot analyses. The effects of adMSC-CM and adMSC-Exos were assessed using qRT-PCR and western blotting. Results The type I collagen content was significantly decreased in periurethral vaginal wall tissues and cultured vaginal fibroblasts from women with SUI. adMSC-CM increased the expression of the col1a1 gene in vaginal fibroblasts from women with SUI. adMSC-Exos could be successfully isolated from adMSC-CM and could be transferred to fibroblasts efficiently. adMSC-Exos increased the expression of col1a1 in vaginal fibroblasts from women with SUI, and when the fibroblasts were treated with adMSC-Exos, the expression levels of TIMP-1 and TIMP-3 in fibroblasts were upregulated, with significant downregulation of MMP-1 and MMP-2 expression levels. Conclusions adMSC-Exos increased type I collagen contents by increasing collagen synthesis and decreasing collagen degradation in vaginal fibroblasts from women with SUI. adMSC-Exos may be a novel therapeutic approach for treating SUI.

A Cr-free Ni-based self-lubricating composites with MoS2 and Ag as lubricants were fabricated by the powder metallurgy method. The microstructures were examined. The mechanical properties and tribological behaviors of the composites were evaluated from room temperature to 800 °C. The fractography was observed and the fracture mechanisms were analyzed. The morphologies and the phase compositions of worn surfaces were determined and the wear mechanisms were elaborated. The results indicate that MoS2 did not completely decompose after sintering, and the NiMoAl-MoS2-Ag composite has the best tribological properties (0.22, 1.68 × 10−5) at 800 °C. The main wear mechanisms are micro-ploughing and plastic deformation. The improvement of tribological properties was attributed to the formation of the lubricating film consisting of NiO, Mo oxides, various molybdates, and Ag particles. The reactions resulting in these compositions are proposed. The mechanical properties degrade with the rise of temperature and the addition of lubricants. Both NiMoAl and NiMoAlAg alloys exhibit micro-void accumulation fracture while the composites with MoS2 reveal intergranular fracture.

The recent emergence of low-dimensional copper-based halide perovskite Cs3Cu2I5, for use in optoelectronics and radiation detection, has evoked considerable interest. Presently, Cs3Cu2I5 single crystals grown using solution methods barely have clearly defined crystal planes and the crystal quality remains inferior. In this work, we have achieved high-quality Cs3Cu2I5 single crystals featuring prominent crystal habit planes through reducing the growth rate by controlling the concentration of I- ions via the addition of formic acid. The slow reaction between I3- and formic acid at a lower growth temperature can effectively control the concentration of I- ions in the solution, thereby reducing the growth rate and extending the metastable growth range simultaneously. This optimized process can yield high-quality single crystals, with a reduced full width at half maxima (FWHM) of 0.047° for the X-ray rocking curve on the (002) natural crystal habit plane, a substantially improved energy resolution of 7.1% for a photon energy of 511 keV, and an increased absolute light yield to 39 000 photons per MeV. Our study demonstrates that the reaction-controlled growth may be an effective way to improve the crystal quality of the copper-based halide perovskite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]