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Nowadays there has been a substantial escalation in the consumption of the global annual mortality rate due to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and the traditional stainless-steel materials used for interventional treatments are sometimes unsuitable for thinner vascular walls. Hence it is imperative to undertake a comprehensive analysis of novel materials in the field of vascular intervention, and NiTi alloys are one of the best materials among them. NiTi alloys are the shape-memory alloys that undergo a phase transformation under certain temperatures and pressures. Owing to its shape memory effect and superelastic properties, it is extensively utilized in the medical filed, representing a future direction for smart materials. As the field of medical intervention evolves, the advantages of NiTi alloys in vascular interventional medical devices are increasingly recognized due to their superior performance, garnering widespread attention. As a result, analyzing their medical applications is required in order to promote interdisciplinary integration. This review summarizes the structural properties, preparation methods, and application areas of NiTi alloys as medical devices for vascular interventions. It also analyzes the properties of NiTi alloys when used as stents or guidewires in specific scenarios, and discusses the current shortcomings, future development directions and application prospects.

Nuclear energy is essential for the future development of countries. However, both structural and functional components of nuclear power equipment are facing severe challenges of nuclear irradiation damage after experiencing irradiation growth and irradiation creep. How to avoid irradiation damage to nuclear power equipment has become a hotspot in international research and development of surface protection technology. Deposition of protective coatings on the underlying object surface or in bulk materials has been considered as a near-term solution to enhanc functional components. Different substrate materials are selected according to other service conditions within the reactor. Suitable material selection combined with relevant optimization can significantly increase the service life of materials. This review summarizes recent research on several categories of anti-irradiation coatings prepared by physical vapor deposition technology for current industrial applications. These includes metallic, ceramic, composite and high entropy alloy coatings. The review endeavors to impart a thorough understanding of the properties of these selected anti-irradiation coatings, from the fundamental aspects of their substrate materials to their practical applications across diverse settings. It explores not only the current research progress but also the potential avenues for future advancements. Additionally, the intricate relationships between coating formulations, their resistance to irradiation, and their ultimate performance in various environments are illuminated in this paper.

Abstract Background β-catenin, acting as the core effector of canonical Wnt signaling pathway, plays a pivotal role in controlling lineage commitment and the formation of definitive endoderm (DE) during early embryonic development. Despite extensive studies using various animal and cell models, the β-catenin-centered regulatory mechanisms underlying DE formation remain incompletely understood, partly due to the rapid and complex cell fate transitions during early differentiation. Results In this study, we generated new CTNNB1-/- human ES cells (hESCs) using CRISPR-based insertional gene disruption approach and systematically rescued the DE defect in these cells by introducing various truncated or mutant forms of β-catenin. Our analysis showed that a truncated β-catenin lacking both N- and C-terminal domains (ΔN148C) could robustly rescue the DE formation, whereas hyperactive β-catenin mutants with S33Y mutation or N-terminal deletion (ΔN90) had limited ability to induce DE lineage. Notably, the ΔN148C mutant exhibited significant nuclear translocation that was positively correlated with successful DE rescue. Transcriptomic analysis further uncovered that two weak β-catenin mutants lacking the C-terminal transactivation domain (CTD) activated primitive streak (PS) genes, whereas the hyperactive β-catenin mutants activated mesoderm genes. Conclusion Our study uncovered an unconventional regulatory function of β-catenin through weak transactivation, indicating that the levels of β-catenin activity determine the lineage bifurcation from mesendoderm into endoderm and mesoderm.

Soil copper (Cu) pollution is a serious environmental risk in the Panax notoginseng planting area. However, the effect of Cu on soil microbial metabolism and nutrient cycling in this area remains unknown. Therefore, Biolog ECO-plate and enzyme stoichiometry methods were utilized in this study to investigate the impact of exogenous Cu (control: 0 mg·kg−1; Cu100: 100 mg·kg−1; Cu400: 400 mg·kg−1; and Cu600: 600 mg·kg−1) on the metabolic function of soil microbial and nutrient limitation in the P. notoginseng soil. The results indicated that Cu100 significantly increased soil organic carbon (SOC), total phosphorus (TP), soil C:N, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) 9.89%, 15.65%, 17.91%, 61.87%, and 90.56% higher than the control, respectively. Moreover, the carbon source utilization ratio of carbohydrates, amino acids, and amphiphilic compounds of Cu100 also increased by 7.16%, 25.47%, and 84.68%, respectively, compared with the control. The activities of β-1,4-glucosidase, cellobiohyrolase, leucine amino peptidase, β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and phosphatase significantly decreased with increasing Cu concentration. Soil enzyme stoichiometry showed that all treatments were limited by nitrogen (vector angle < 45°; 19.045–22.081). Cu600 led to the lowest carbon limitation (1.798) and highest carbon use efficiency (CUE:0.267). The PLS-SEM model also showed that MBC, MBN, MBP, and microbial diversity positively affected carbon and nitrogen limitation (0.654 and 0.424). Soil carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, stoichiometric ratio, MBC, MBN, and MBP positively affected CUE (0.527 and 0.589). The microbial diversity index significantly negatively affected CUE (−1.490). Multiple linear stepwise regression analyses showed that CUE was mainly influenced by MBC, AP, C:P, and LAP. Thus, P. notoginseng soil can benefit soil microbial carbon and nitrogen limitations at low Cu concentrations. Clarifying the metabolic activity and nutritional status of microorganisms under Cu stress can provide some theoretical basis for realizing China's comprehensive and effective management and control policies for environmental risks from metals by 2035.

Nano-multilayered films offer a multilayer structure arrangement at several to tens of nanometers. They have hardness, high-temperature oxidation resistance, and low wear rates, making them popular in surface protection fields, such as engineering machinery, cutting tools and molds, and electronic instruments. This paper reviews recent research progress on nano-multilayered films, including their general types, preparation methods, microstructures, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance. Furthermore, the mechanisms of the high hardness and toughness in nano-multilayered films are analyzed in detail. The future research directions for designing nano-multilayered films with improved strengthening and toughening properties are discussed.

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis in humans and other animals. Surface proteins with the LPXTG motif have important roles in the virulence of L. monocytogenes. Lmo0159 is one such protein, but little is known about its role in L. monocytogenes virulence, motility, and biofilm formation. Here, we constructed and characterized a deletion mutant of lmo0159 (∆lmo0159). We analyzed not only the capacity of biofilm formation, motility, attachment, and intracellular growth in different cell types but also LD50; bacterial load in mice’s liver, spleen, and brain; expression of virulence genes; and survival time of mice after challenge. The results showed that the cross-linking density of the biofilm of ∆lmo0159 strain was lower than that of WT by microscopic examination. The expression of biofilm-formation and virulence genes also decreased in the biofilm state. Subsequently, the growth and motility of ∆lmo0159 in the culture medium were enhanced. Conversely, the growth and motility of L. monocytogenes were attenuated by ∆lmo0159 at both the cellular and mouse levels. At the cellular level, ∆lmo0159 reduced plaque size; accelerated scratch healing; and attenuated the efficiency of adhesion, invasion, and intracellular proliferation in swine intestinal epithelial cells (SIEC), RAW264.7, mouse-brain microvascular endothelial cells (mBMEC), and human-brain microvascular endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3). The expression of virulence genes was also inhibited. At the mouse level, the LD50 of the ∆lmo0159 strain was 100.97 times higher than that of the WT strain. The bacterial load of the ∆lmo0159 strain in the liver and spleen was lower than that of the WT strain. In a mouse model of intraperitoneal infection, the deletion of the lmo0159 gene significantly prolonged the survival time of the mice, suggesting that the lmo0159 deletion mutant also exhibited reduced virulence. Thus, our study identified lmo0159 as a novel virulence factor among L. monocytogenes LPXTG proteins.

To explore the role of the membrane permease ⅡB (EⅡB) gene of Listeria pathogenicity island 4 (LIPI-4) in the virulence of Listeria monocytogenes, both an EⅡB deletion strain (∆EⅡB) and a complemented strain were constructed. In vitro experiments demonstrated that EⅡB deletion affected the biofilm formation ability of the wild-type strain (Lm928). Moreover, this deletion decreased the intracellular proliferation abilities of L. monocytogenes. Mice infected with ∆EⅡB survived longer and experienced less weight loss on days 1, 2, and 3 post-infection. The bacterial load in the liver tissue of ∆EⅡB-infected mice was significantly reduced, and a considerable decrease in the blood levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-β, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α were observed. Following EⅡB deletion, 65% (13/20) of genes were downregulated, 25% (5/20) were upregulated, and 10% (2/20) showed no change. These findings suggest that EⅡB deletion may reduce both the in vivo and in vitro virulence levels as well as the biofilm formation ability of Lm928 by downregulating the transcription levels of genes associated with virulence and biofilm formation. These findings provide a foundation for further examining the pathogenic mechanisms of LIPI-4 and EⅡB in L. monocytogenes.

Abstract Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability worldwide. However, the existing methods for evaluating OA patients do not provide enough comprehensive information to make reliable predictions of OA progression. This retrospective study aimed to develop prediction nomograms based on MRI cartilage that can predict disease progression of OA. Methods A total of 600 subjects with mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis from the Foundation for National Institute of Health (FNIH) project of osteoarthritis initiative (OAI). The MRI cartilage parameters of the knee at baseline were measured, and the changes in cartilage parameters at 12- and 24-month follow-up were calculated. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was used to extract the valuable characteristic parameters at different time points including cartilage thickness, cartilage volume, subchondral bone exposure area and uniform cartilage thickness in different sub regions of the knee, and the MRI cartilage parameters score0, scoreΔ12, and scoreΔ24 at baseline, 12 months, and 24 months were constructed. ScoreΔ12, and scoreΔ24 represent changes between 12 M vs. baseline, and 24 M vs. baseline, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was used to construct the nomogram0, nomogramΔ12, and nomogramΔ24, including MRI-based score and risk factors. The area under curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the differentiation of nomograms in disease progression and subgroup analysis. The calibration curve and Hosmer-Lemeshow (H-L) test were used to verify the calibration of the nomograms. Clinical usefulness of each prediction nomogram was verified by decision curve analysis (DCA). The nomograms with predictive efficacy were analyzed by secondary analysis. Internal verification was assessed using bootstrapping validation. Results Each nomogram included cartilage score, KL grade, WOMAC pain score, WOMAC disability score, and minimum joint space width. The AUC of nomogram0, nomogramΔ12, and nomogramΔ24 in predicing the progression of radiology and pain were 0.69, 0.64, and 0.71, respectively. All three nomograms had good calibration. Analysis by DCA showed that the clinical effectiveness of nomogramΔ24 was higher than others. Secondary analysis showed that nomogram0 and nomogramΔ24 were more capable of predicting OA radiologic progression than pain progression. Conclusion Nomograms based on MRI cartilage change were useful for predicting the progression of mild to moderate OA.

The rotation of cells is of significant importance in various applications including bioimaging, biophysical analysis and microsurgery. Current methods usually require complicated fabrication processes. Herein, we proposed an induced charged electroosmosis (ICEO) based on a chip manipulation method for rotating cells. Under an AC electric field, symmetric ICEO flow microvortexes formed above the electrode surface can be used to trap and rotate cells. We have discussed the impact of ICEO and dielectrophoresis (DEP) under the experimental conditions. The capabilities of our method have been tested by investigating the precise rotation of yeast cells and K562 cells in a controllable manner. By adjusting the position of cells, the rotation direction can be changed based on the asymmetric ICEO microvortexes via applying a gate voltage to the gate electrode. Additionally, by applying a pulsed signal instead of a continuous signal, we can also precisely and flexibly rotate cells in a stepwise way. Our ICEO-based rotational manipulation method is an easy to use, biocompatible and low-cost technique, allowing rotation regardless of optical, magnetic or acoustic properties of the sample.

Spinal cord injury could cause irreversible neurological dysfunction by destroying the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) and allowing blood cells like neutrophils and macrophages to infiltrate the spinal cord. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) found in the human umbilical cord have emerged as a potential therapeutic alternative to cell-based treatments. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism underlying the alterations in the BSCB permeability by human umbilical cord MSC-derived sEVs (hUC-MSCs-sEVs) after SCI. First, we used hUC-MSCs-sEVs to treat SCI rat models, demonstrating their ability to inhibit BSCB permeability damage, improve neurological repair, and reduce SCI-induced upregulation of prepro-endothelin-1 (prepro-ET-1) mRNA and endothelin-1 (ET-1) peptide expression. Subsequently, we confirmed that hUC-MSCs-sEVs could alleviate cell junction destruction and downregulate MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression after SCI, contributing to BSCB repair through ET-1 inhibition. Finally, we established an in vitro model of BSCB using human brain microvascular endothelial cells and verified that hUC-MSCs-sEVs could increase the expression of junction proteins in endothelial cells after oxygen-glucose deprivation by ET-1 downregulation. This study indicates that hUC-MSCs-sEVs could help maintain BSCB’s structural integrity and promote functional recovery by suppressing ET-1 expression.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the early clinical effect of oblique lumbar interbody fusion with lateral screw fixation and percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal discectomy (OLIF-PETD) in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation with lumbar instability. Methods A total of 22 patients with lumbar disc herniation and lumbar instability from August 2017 to August 2019 were enrolled in this retrospective study. The general information, perioperative indicators and complications were recorded. The clinical outcomes and radiological outcomes were evaluated before the operation, seven days after the operation, and at the last follow-up. Vertebral fusion and degree of multifidus muscle injury were evaluated at the last follow-up. Results In this study, OLIF + PETD showed shorter incision length compared to the MIS-TLIF (P 0.05), but OLIF + PETD could avoid the multifidus injury (P

Abstract Lignin is a renewable bioresource that can be used for a variety of value-added applications. However, the effective separation of lignin from lignocellulosic biomass remains an ongoing challenge. In this study, lignin was extracted from waste palm fiber and successfully converted into a dehumidifying material. The following four process parameters of lignin extraction from palm fiber were optimized systematically and comprehensively using the response surface methodology: reaction time, extraction temperature, ethanol concentration and solid/liquid ratio. The results revealed that under the optimum processing conditions (111 min of extraction at 174 °C using 73% ethanol at 1/16 g/mL solid/liquid ratio), the extraction yield of lignin was 56.2%. The recovery of ethanol solvent was as high as 91.8%. Further, the lignin could be directly used without purification to produce lignin-based activated carbon fibers (LACFs) with specific surface area and total pore volume of 1375 m2/g and 0.881 cm3/g, respectively. Compared with the commercial pitch-based activated carbon fiber, the LACF has a higher specific area and superior pore structure parameters. This work provides a feasible route for extracting lignin from natural palm fiber and demonstrates its use in the preparation of activated carbon fiber with a remarkable performance as a solid dehumidification agent. Graphical Abstract

In 2020, China proposed the country’s dual carbon goals of peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. Under the dual carbon goals, the low-carbon transformation has become an important development direction for Chinese ports. Taking eight ports in China’s Bohai-rim port group as an example, this study adopts the Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model to evaluate the port efficiency considering the environmental factor of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The results show that the average scale environmental efficiency of the eight ports during 2005-2020 is the highest, followed by local pure technical environmental efficiency and global technical environmental efficiency. The efficiency values of each port under different environmental efficiency categories vary greatly. Overall, each port is in a state of environmental inefficiency. From port technology, input-output optimization, supervision, and management of relevant departments, recommendations for improving the environmental efficiency of ports under the dual carbon goals are put forward.

ObjectiveBalloon angioplasty (BA) has been the treatment of choice for pulmonary artery stenosis (PAS) in children. There remains, however, a significant proportion of resistant lesions. The ultra-high pressure (UHP) balloons might be effective in a subset of these lesions. In this study, we analyzed the safety and efficacy with short- to mid-term follow-up results of UHP BA for PAS in children with congenital heart defects (CHD) in our center.MethodsThis is a retrospective cohort study in a single tertiary heart center. Children diagnosed with PAS associated with CHD were referred for UHP BA. All data with these children were collected for analysis with updated follow-up.ResultsA total of 37 UHP BAs were performed consecutively in 28 children. The success rate was 78.4%. A significantly (P = 0.005) larger ratio of the balloon to the minimal luminal diameter at the stenotic waist (balloon/waist ratio) was present in the success group (median 3.00, 1.64–8.33) compared to that in the failure group (median 1.94, 1.41 ± 4.00). Stepwise logistic regression analysis further identified that the balloon/waist ratio and the presence of therapeutic tears were two independent predictors of procedural success. The receiver operating characteristic curve revealed a cut-off value of 2.57 for the balloon/waist ratio to best differentiate success from failure cases. Signs of therapeutic tears were present in eight cases, all of whom were in the success group. Perioperative acute adverse events were recorded in 16 patients, including 11 pulmonary artery injuries, three pulmonary hemorrhages, and two pulmonary artery aneurysms. During a median follow-up period of 10.4 (0.1–21.0) months, nine cases experienced restenosis at a median time of 40 (4–325) days after angioplasty.ConclusionsThe UHP BA is safe and effective for the primary treatment of PAS in infants and children with CHD. The success rate is high with a low incidence of severe complications. The predictors of success are a larger balloon/waist ratio and the presence of therapeutic tears. The occurrence of restenosis during follow-up, however, remains a problem. A larger number of cases and longer periods of follow-up are needed for further study.

Objective: Findings among studies evaluating the effect of statin use and OA development in a 2020 meta-analysis of data from 11 observational studies of statin use and osteoarthritis (OA) revealed controversial results. We aimed to determine the associations between statin use and OA-related outcomes in an updated meta-analysis.Methods: The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020163983). A systematic literature retrieval was performed in the online databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus, from inception to 1 June 2022, for clinical studies that compared the effects of statin users vs. nonusers on OA-related outcomes risks. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses were performed to estimate the correlations between statin use and OA-related outcomes. Tendency analysis was also used to estimate dose-response effects. The risk of bias was evaluated with the Newcastle–Ottawa scale.Results: We included 23 studies involving more than 6,000,000 participants. Statin use was associated with increased OA risk (OR 1.099 [95%CI 1.002–1.206, p = 0.045]). Higher statin doses had higher OA risk (simvastatin equivalent daily of >40 mg). OA and related surgery risks were significantly reduced in statin users using antihypertensive drugs (AHDs). No significant differences were seen in other outcomes.Conclusion: This meta-analysis inferred that statin use might be associated with increased OA development, especially at higher doses. The present study highlights the importance of recognizing potential OA risk in the population with long-term and/or high-dose statin use, especially in older populations. In addition, AHDs are associated with lower OA risk and fewer surgeries in hypertensive statin users. Due to limitations of heterogeneity and confounders, more rigorous studies are needed to define the correlations between statin use and OA-related outcomes.

Abstract Background Matrix Gla (γ-carboxyglutamate) protein (MGP) is considered a strong inhibitor of ectopic calcification, and it has been associated with OA severity, although not conclusively. We utilized male Dunkin-Hartley (DH) guinea pigs to investigate the expression of MGP throughout aging and disease pathogenesis in a spontaneous model. Method Twenty-five male DH guinea pigs were obtained and nurtured to several timepoints, and then randomly and equally divided by age into five subgroups (1-, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months, with the 1-month group as the reference group). DH guinea pigs in each group were euthanized at the designated month-age and the left or right medial tibial plateaus cartilages were randomly excised. OA severity was described by modified Mankin Score (MMS) at microscopy (Safranin O/Fast Green stain). Proteomic evaluation using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) was performed to validate the age-related changes in the MGP profiles, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) methods were applied for semi-quantitative determination of MGP expression in articular cartilage. Results The histopathologic findings validated the increasing severity of cartilage degeneration with age in the DH guinea pigs. The MMS showed significant, stepwise (every adjacent comparison P

Abstract Background Osteoarthritis(OA) is a major source of pain, disability, and socioeconomic cost in worldwide. However, there is no effective means for the early diagnosis of OA, nor can it accurately predict the progress of OA. To develop and validate a novel nomogram to predict the radiographic progression of mild to moderate OA based on three-dimensional(3D)-MRI bone shape and bone shape change during 24 months. Method Analysis of publicly available data from the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) OA Biomarkers Consortium. Radiographic progression was defined as minimum radiographic narrowing of the medial tibiofemoral joint space of ≥ 0.7 mm from baseline at 24, 36, or 48 months. There were 297 knees with radiographic progression and 303 without. The bone shapes of the tibia, femur, and patella were evaluated by 3D-MRI at the baseline and at 24 months. Two nomograms were separately established by multivariate logistic regression analysis using clinical risk factors, bone shape at baseline (nomogram 0), or bone shape change at 24 months (nomogram Δ24). The discrimination, calibration, and usefulness were selected to evaluate the nomograms. Results There were significant differences between groups in baseline Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade, gender, age, and tibia, femur, and patella shape. The areas under the curve (AUC) of nomogram 0 and nomogram Δ24 were 0.66 and 0.75 (p

Abstract Background Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a serious parasitic zoonosis caused by the larvae of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. The development of an effective vaccine is one of the most promising strategies for controlling CE. Methods The E. granulosus 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (EgHCDH) gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The distribution of EgHCDH in protoscoleces (PSCs) and adult worms was analyzed using immunofluorescence. The transcript levels of EgHCDH in PSCs and adult worms were analyzed using quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR). The immune protective effects of the rEgHCDH were evaluated. Results The 924-bp open reading frame sequence of EgHCDH, which encodes a protein of approximately 34 kDa, was obtained. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that EgHCDH was expressed in both the PSCs and adult worms of E. granulosus. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that EgHCDH was mainly localized in the tegument of PSCs and adult worms. Western blot analysis showed that the recombinant protein was recognized by E. granulosus-infected dog sera. Animal challenge experiments demonstrated that dogs immunized with recombinant (r)EgHCDH had significantly higher serum IgG, interferon gamma and interleukin-4 concentrations than the phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) control group. The rEgHCDH vaccine was able to significantly reduce the number of E. granulosus and inhibit the segmental development of E. granulosus compared to the PBS control group. Conclusions The results suggest that rEgHCDH can induce partial immune protection against infection with E. granulosus and could be an effective candidate for the development of new vaccines. Graphical abstract

PurposeThis study aims to evaluate the potential of C-reactive protein to lymphocyte count ratio (CLR) for the prediction of surgical site infection (SSI) following posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) and the instrumentation of lumbar degenerative diseases.MethodsIn this retrospective study, we considered patients with a lumbar degenerative disease diagnosis surgically treated by the instrumented PLIF procedure from 2015 to 2021. Patient data, including postoperative early SSI and other perioperative variables, were collected from their respective hospitalization electronic medical records. The receiver operator characteristic curve was constructed to determine the optimal cut-off value for CLR, and the ability to predict SSI was evaluated by the area under the curve (AUC). According to the cut-off value, patients were dichotomized with high- or low-CLR, and between-group differences were compared using univariate analysis. The independent impact of CLR on predicting SSI was investigated by multivariate logistics regression analysis.ResultsA total of 773 patients were included, with 26 (3.4%) developing an early SSI post-operation. The preoperative CLR was 11.1 ± 26.1 (interquartile range, 0.4–7.5), and the optimal cut-off was 2.1, corresponding to a sensitivity of 0.856, a specificity of 0.643, and an AUC of 0.768 (95% CI, 0.737–0.797). CLR demonstrated a significantly improved prediction ability than did lymphocyte count (P = 0.021) and a similar ability to predict an infection as C-response protein (P = 0.444). Patients with a high CLR had a significantly higher SSI incidence than those with a low CLR (7.6% vs. 0.8%, P

A series of TiN/AlN-Ni multilayer films with different modulation layer thicknesses were prepared by magnetron sputtering. Their microstructures and mechanical properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Therein, fracture toughness of multilayer films was determined by indentation method. The hardness and elastic modulus of all multilayers are greatly improved by introducing an AlN-Ni modulation layer. When the modulation-layer thickness is 2.4 nm, and the hardness and elastic modulus are the highest at the value of 39 GPa and 447 GPa, respectively, which is ascribed to Koehler strengthening and alternating stress hardening. Meanwhile the fracture toughness reaches the maximum, namely 5.49 MPa·m1/2. It is attributed to the indentation-induced phase transformation of c-AlN to w-AlN and the formation of a good coherent interface. With further increasing the thickness of the AlN-Ni modulation layer, the multilayer film gradually becomes an amorphous structure, resulting in the decrease of hardness and toughness.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative bone and joint disease that can lead to disability and severely affect the quality of life of patients. However, its etiology and pathogenesis remain unclear. It is currently believed that articular cartilage lesions are an important marker of the onset and development of osteoarthritis. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of multifunctional regulatory RNAs that are involved in various physiological functions. There are many differentially expressed lncRNAs between osteoarthritic and normal cartilage tissues that play multiple roles in the pathogenesis of OA. Here, we reviewed lncRNAs that have been reported to play regulatory roles in the pathological changes associated with osteoarthritic cartilage and their potential as biomarkers and a therapeutic target in OA to further elucidate the pathogenesis of OA and provide insights for the diagnosis and treatment of OA.

Abstract Background To detect the development, function and therapeutic potential of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT); analyze a related gene expression dataset, including data from neonates, infants, and children with congenital heart disease (CHD); compare the data to identify the codifferentially expressed (DE) mRNAs and lncRNAs and the corresponding miRNAs; generate a potential competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network; and assess the involvement of immunocyte infiltration in the development of the EAT. Methods Multiple algorithms for linear models for microarray data algorithms (LIMMA), CIBERSORT, gene-set enrichment analysis (GSEA), and gene set variation analysis (GSVA) were used. The miRcode, miRDB, miRTarBase, and TargetScan database were used to construct the ceRNA network. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of the DE mRNAs were performed. Results Thirteen co-DE mRNAs and 47 co-DE lncRNAs were subsequently identified. The related categories included negative regulation of myoblast differentiation, regulation of ion transmembrane transport, and heart development, which were primarily identified for further pathway enrichment analysis. Additionally, the hub ceRNA network in EAT development involving MIR210HG, hsa-miR-449c-5p, and CACNA2D4 was generated and shown to target monocyte infiltration. Conclusion These findings suggest that the pathways of myoblast differentiation and ion transmembrane transport may be potential hub pathways involved in EAT development in CHD patients. In addition, the network includes monocytes, MIR210HG, and CACNA2D4, which were shown to target the RIG-I-like receptor signaling pathway and PPAR signaling pathway, indicating that these factors may be novel regulators and therapeutic targets in EAT development.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a cosmopolitan zoonosis caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus, which affects humans and a wide range of mammalian intermediate hosts. Parasite tetraspanin proteins are crucial for host-parasite interactions, and therefore they may be useful for vaccine development or disease diagnosis. In the present study, the major antigen coding sequence of tetraspanin 11 (Eg-TSP11) from E. granulosus was determined. The results of immunolocalization showed that Eg-TSP11 was mainly located in the tegument of adult worms and protoscoleces. Western blotting analysis showed that the serum from dogs injected with recombinant Eg-TSP11 (rEg-TSP11) could recognize Eg-TSP11 among natural protoscolex proteins. Moreover, the serum from dogs with E. granulosus infection also recognized rEg-TSP11. Serum indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays demonstrated that IgG levels gradually increased after the first immunization with rEg-TSP11 compared with those in the control group. Furthermore, the serum levels of interleukin 4, interleukin 5, and interferon gamma were significantly altered in the rEg-TSP11 group. Importantly, we found that vaccination with rEg-TSP11 significantly decreased worm burden and inhibited segment development in a dog model of E. granulosus infection. Based on these findings, we speculated that rEg-TSP11 might be a potential candidate vaccine antigen against E. granulosus infection in dogs.

β2 integrins are transmembrane receptors that exist widely in human immune cells and participate in pathological processes such as chronic inflammation, thrombosis, and malignant tumor formation. They mainly mediate intercellular adhesion, coordinate the ingestion of extracellular matrix components, and regulate cytoskeleton formation, thereby regulating cell signaling. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint disease that causes joint pain and increases disease burden; it has a high prevalence among populations worldwide. Previous studies have reported that β2 integrins are overexpressed in OA and may play an essential role in the occurrence of OA. The important roles of β2 integrins in the maturation and differentiation of osteoclasts, the regulation of bone homeostasis, and the polarization and migration of macrophages have also been reported. The present review aims to highlight the role of β2 integrins in OA pathogenesis and outline their potential for serving as therapeutic targets.

To accurately analyze the temperature rising and locate the hot-spot of oil-immersed transformer windings, a hybrid method based on the dimensionless least-squares finite element method (DLSFEM) and upwind finite element method (UFEM) is proposed in this paper. To solve the fluid-thermal coupling problem, the sequential iteration method was utilized. After that, the two-side equilibration method and the Jacobi preconditioned conjugate gradient method were used to solve the equations. Moreover, a product-level experimental platform for oil-immersed transformer windings was built. The influence of the turn-to-turn insulation and gravity on the temperature was discussed, and the results show that the influence is significant. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, a comparison between the simulation results of the proposed method and experimental results were made, which shows a good agreement. Aiming at verifying the efficiency of the proposed method, the convergence of the proposed method was compared with that of the commercial computational fluid dynamic (CFD) software Fluent. The results indicate that the convergence speed of the proposed method is much faster than that of Fluent, which means a better performance of the new method.

In the context of the COVID-19 epidemic, enhancing the transport of analyte to a sensor surface is crucial for rapid detection of biomolecules since common conditions, including low diffusion coefficients, cause inordinately long detection times. Integrated microfluidic immunoassay chips are receiving increasing attention for their low sample volume and fast response time. We herein take advantage of asymmetric ICEO flow at a bipolar sinusoidal electrode to improve the rate of antibody binding to the reaction surface based on finite element modeling. Three different microfluidic cavities are proposed by changing the positions of the surface reaction area. We further investigate the relationship between binding enhancement and reaction surface positions, Damkohler number, and the voltage and frequency of the AC signal applied to the driving electrodes. Furthermore, the influence of the AC signal applied to the sinusoidal bipolar electrode on antigen–antibody-binding performance is studied in detail. Above all, the simulation results demonstrate that the microfluidic immune-sensor with a sinusoidal bipolar electrode could not only significantly improve the heterogeneous immunoassays but also enable efficient enhancement of assays in a selected reaction region within the micro-cavity, providing a promising approach to a variety of immunoassay applications, such as medical diagnostics and environmental and food monitoring.

Abstract Background The monoclonal antibody daratumumab, approved for treating myeloma, targets CD38, a protein on myeloma and also on CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells. Because mobilized CD34+ cells are critical for stem cell transplant, we investigated the in vitro activity of daratumumab on mobilized CD34+ cells from myeloma patients with no prior exposure to daratumumab. Methods We determined the number of CD38 molecules per CD34+ cell, and whether daratumumab bound to CD34+ cells, whether C1q bound to daratumumab-coated CD34+ cells and whether daratumumab-related complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) occurred. We also examined CD34+ cell progenitor cell colony capacity in assays with pre-plating incubation of CD34+ cells with daratumumab alone or with daratumumab and the CD59 inhibitory antibody BRIC229, and also assessed CD34+ cell responses to increasing doses of daratumumab in caspase 3/7 activity assays. Results Although 75% of mobilized CD34+ cells co-express CD38, CD38 was minimally present on CD34+ cells compared to Daudi and KG-1 controls, C1q did not bind to daratumumab-coated CD34+ cells, and CDC did not occur. CD34+ cells incubated in complement-rich human serum with daratumumab alone or with daratumumab and BRIC229, and then plated in progenitor cell assays, produced similar numbers of colonies as controls. In progenitor cell assays with cryopreserved or fresh unselected or CD34-selected cells, daratumumab did not affect progenitor cell capacity, and in caspase 3/7 activity assays CD34+ cells were not affected by increasing doses of daratumumab. Conclusion In vitro, daratumumab is not toxic to mobilized CD34+ progenitor cells from myeloma patients.

Abstract Background The zoonotic parasite, Giardia duodenalis (syns. G. lamblia and G. intestinalis), has been widely reported in humans and animals, including rodents. The bamboo rat, a rodent species belonged to the subfamily Rhizomyinae, is farmed in China because of its medicinal and edible values. However, no information of G. duodenalis infection was available in bamboo rats prior to the present study. Here, the prevalence and genetic diversity of G. duodenalis in bamboo rats from Hunan Province of China were investigated. Results Of 480 faecal samples collected from six farms located in four cities (Wugang, Chenzhou, Huaihua and Jishou) of Hunan Province, 52 (10.8%) were positive for G. duodenalis infection by using a nested PCR approach targeting the beta giardin (bg) gene. Significant differences (P < 0.01) in prevalence were found among different age groups and geographical localities, and among different farms in Wugang city. Sequence analysis revealed existence of the zoonotic assemblage B and genetic diversity of G. duodenalis in these animals. Multilocus genotyping analysis also indicated broad genetic diversity of assemblage B isolates in these bamboo rats. Conclusions This is the first report of the infection and genetic variations of G. duodenalis in bamboo rats. These findings will provide basic data for implementing effective strategies to control giardiasis in bamboo rats.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are reprogrammed somatic cells by defined factors, and have great application potentials in tissue regeneration and disease modeling. Biomaterials have been widely used in stem cell-based studies, and are involved in human iPSCs based studies, but they were not enough emphasized and recognized. Biomaterials can mimic the extracellular matrix and microenvironment, and act as powerful tools to promote iPSCs proliferation, differentiation, maturation, and migration. Many classic and advanced biofabrication technologies, such as cell-sheet approach, electrospinning, and 3D-bioprinting, are used to provide physical cues in macro-/micro-patterning, and in combination with other biological factors to support iPSCs applications. In this review, we highlight the biomaterials and fabrication technologies used in human iPSC-based tissue engineering to model neuromyopathic diseases, particularly those with genetic mutations, such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Congenital Heart Diseases (CHD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Objective: To evaluate the effects of dried ginger rhizome (DGR; Zingiber officinalis (WILLD.) ROSC.), prepared as a membrane, in minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis (miRAS) treatment and explore its mechanism of action by detecting changes in levels of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in saliva. Methods: Fifty-nine miRAS patients were enrolled in this study. The number of participants in the dried ginger rhizome membrane (DGRM) group was 30, and 29 were in the placebo membrane (PM) group. Sixty sealed envelopes containing either type of membrane were coded randomly. Investigators and participants were blinded to group assignments. A visual analog scale (VAS) was used for pain, follow-up information for healing time, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to measure the concentrations of EGF and TNF-α. Results: In terms of VAS, there was a significant difference between pre- and post-DGRM treatment (P .05). A significant difference was observed in the healing time between the two groups (6.08 (2.712) vs. 8.04 (2.142) days). The mean healing time in the DGRM group was shorter than that in the PM group (P

Abstract Background Spinal cord astrocyte swelling is an important component to spinal cord edema and is associated with poor functional recovery as well as therapeutic resistance after spinal cord injury (SCI). High mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) is a mediator of inflammatory responses in the central nervous system and plays a critical role after SCI. Given this, we sought to identify both the role and underlying mechanisms of HMGB1 in cellular swelling and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) expression in cultured rat spinal cord astrocytes after oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R). Methods The post-natal day 1–2 Sprague-Dawley rat spinal cord astrocytes were cultured in vitro, and the OGD/R model was induced. We first investigated the effects of OGD/R on spinal cord astrocytic swelling and HMGB1 and AQP4 expression, as well as HMGB1 release. We then studied the effects of HMGB1 inhibition on cellular swelling, HMGB1 and AQP4 expression, and HMGB1 release. The roles of both toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in reducing cellular swelling resulting from HMGB1 inhibition in spinal cord astrocytes after OGD/R were studied. Intergroup data were compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Dunnett’s test. Results The OGD/R increased spinal cord astrocytic swelling and HMGB1 and AQP4 expression, as well as HMGB1 release. Inhibition of HMGB1 using either HMGB1 shRNA or ethyl pyruvate resulted in reduced cellular volume, mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum swelling, and lysosome number and decreased upregulation of both HMGB1 and AQP4 in spinal cord astrocytes, as well as HMGB1 release. The HMGB1 effects on spinal cord astrocytic swelling and AQP4 upregulation after OGD/R were mediated—at least in part—via activation of TLR4, myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88), and NF-κB. These activation effects can be repressed by TLR4 inhibition using CLI-095 or C34, or by NF-κB inhibition using BAY 11-7082. Furthermore, either OGD/R or HMGB1 inhibition resulted in changes in IL-6 release. IL-6 was also shown to mediate AQP4 expression in spinal cord astrocytes. Conclusions HMGB1 upregulates AQP4 expression and promotes cell swelling in cultured spinal cord astrocytes after OGD/R, which is mediated through HMGB1/TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling and in an IL-6-dependent manner.

Objective: To study the possible etiology of bitter taste in the mouth and its diagnostic significance by an epidemiological survey on its associated diseases and influence factors. Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted by recruiting patients from four Grade 3A hospitals in Beijing. The questionnaire incorporated five aspects i.e. general information, gustation, behavior, symptomology and past medical history. SPSS20.0 software package was used for data analysis. T-test and chi-square test were selected for evaluation. An observation of the correlation between different causative factors and the symptoms of bitter taste was analyzed by Logistic regression. Results: Smoking and excessive consumption of meat and emotional stress were the risk factors, while eating fresh fruits and vegetables were key protective elements against the manifestation of bitter taste in the mouth. The incidence of bitter taste was high in patients suffering from gastroesophageal disease, hepatic and gallbladder diseases and neurological diseases. Conclusion: Bitter taste is a common symptom in hospitalized patients, especially in patients with gastroesophageal reflux and liver and gallbladder diseases and the link to smoking, dietary and emotional stress. It is found that smoking is a sole risk factor for the manifestation of bitter taste.

This article discusses the factors influencing the yields of molybdenum Kα radiations from a pulsed-power driven needle-and-blade diode for the application of real-time x-ray diffraction of shocked solids. Based on our 300 kV/10 kA pulsed power stand, electrical properties (diode voltage, current and deposited energy) and energy spectrum were evaluated under different diode configurations. It is found that the diode voltage plays an important role in the production of Kα radiation. A large emission angle was beneficial for obtaining higher Kα photon yields and the deposited power on diode could be generally used to predict the Kα radiation. These results are helpful to guide the development of pulsed power diode for dynamic x-ray diffraction applications.

An experimental investigation of solar-assisted heat pumpa drying mango has been conducted. A new solar-assisted heat pump drying system with a secondary heat recovery was setup, which can operate independently in solar drying mode and heat pump drying mode, or operate in a joint mode. An evaporator of the heat pump and a heat exchanger were adopted to recover the waste heat from the exhaust moist air from the drying chamber for increasing the utilization of energy. The mango slices of 80 kg were spread over 40 trays in the form of a single layer for the drying test with the hot air of 45°C. The experiments were conducted to dry the mango with solar drying mode and heat pump drying mode for studying the performance of the new drying system. The time durations were 6.5 h with the solar drying mode and 10.7 h with the heat pump drying mode for drying the mango, respectively. Moreover, the efficiency of the solar-assisted drying mode was 6% higher than the heat pump drying mode and the power consumption of 3.5 kW h could be saved by using the solar-assisted heat pump mode. The coefficients of performance were 3.48 and 3.69 for the heat pump drying mode and the solar-assisted heat pump mode, respectively. The average efficiency of the heat exchanger for recovering the waste heat could reach 41.7% during the whole working process.

A 120 kWp building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system was installed on the south facade of the Solar Energy Research Institute building in Yunnan Normal University. The area of the curtain wall was 1560 m2 (26 m × 60 m), which consisted of 720 semitransparent monocrystalline silicon double-glazing PV panels. This paper studied the yearly and monthly variations of power generation in terms of solar data and meteorological parameters. The total amount of power generation of the BIPV system measured from October 2014 to September 2015 was 64.607 MWh, and the simulation results with TRNSYS (Transient Systems Simulation Program) provided the 75.515 MWh predicted value of annual electricity production with the meteorological database of Meteonorm, while, based on the average value of the performance ratio (PR) of 60% and the life cycle assessment (LCA) of the system, the energy payback time (EPBT) of 9.38 years and the potential for pollutant emission reductions have been evaluated and the environmental cost is RMB ¥0.01053 per kWh. Finally, an economic analysis was carried out; the net present value (NPV) and the economic payback time of the BIPV system were estimated to be RMB ¥359,347 and 15 years, respectively.

Little is known about the effects of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) treatment on acute cerebral inflammation and injuries after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), though they have shown promising therapeutic potentials in ischemic stoke.An ICH model was established by stereotactic injection of collagenase VII into the left striatum of male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Six hours later, ICH rats were randomly divided into two groups and received intracerebrally 10 μl of PBS with or without 1 × 10(6) of iPSCs. Subsequently, neural function of all ICH rats was assessed at days 1, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 42 after ICH. Inflammatory cells, cytokines and neural apoptosis in the rats' perihematomal regions, and brain water content were determined on day 2 or 3 post ICH. iPSC differentiation was determined on day 28 post ICH. Nissl(+) cells and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)(+) cells in the perihematoma and the survival rates of rats in two groups were determined on post-ICH day 42.Compared with control animals, iPSCs treatment not only improved neurological function and survival rate, but also resulted in fewer intracephalic infiltrations of neutrophils and microglia, along with decreased interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and increased IL-10 in the perihematomal tissues of ICH rats. Furthermore, brain oedema formation, apoptosis, injured neurons and glial scar formation were decreased in iPSCs-transplanted rats.Our findings indicate that iPSCs transplantation attenuate cerebral inflammatory reactions and neural injuries after ICH, and suggests that multiple mechanisms including inflammation modulation, neuroprotection and functional recovery might be involved simultaneously in the therapeutic benefit of iPSC treatment against hemorrhagic stroke.

The CA125 antigen is found in the serum of many patients with serous ovarian cancer and has been widely used as a disease marker. CA125 has been shown to be an independent factor for clinical outcome in this disease. In The Cancer Genome Atlas ovarian cancer project, MUC16 expression levels are frequently increased, and the highest levels of MUC16 expression are linked to a significantly worse survival. To examine the biologic effect of the proximal portion of MUC16/CA125, NIH/3T3 (3T3) fibroblast cell lines were stably transfected with the carboxy elements of MUC16. As few as 114 amino acids from the carboxy-terminal portion of MUC16 were sufficient to increase soft agar growth, promote matrigel invasion, and increase the rate of tumor growth in athymic nude mice. Transformation with carboxy elements of MUC16 was associated with activation of the AKT and ERK pathways. MUC16 transformation was associated with up-regulation of a number of metastases and invasion gene transcripts, including IL-1β, MMP2, and MMP9. All observed oncogenic changes were exclusively dependent on the extracellular "ectodomain" of MUC16. The biologic impact of MUC16 was also explored through the creation of a transgenic mouse model expressing 354 amino acids of the carboxy-terminal portion of MUC16 (MUC16c354). Under a CMV, early enhancer plus chicken β actin promoter (CAG) MUC16c354 was well expressed in many organs, including the brain, colon, heart, kidney, liver, lung, ovary, and spleen. MUC16c354 transgenic animals appear to be viable, fertile, and have a normal lifespan. However, when crossed with p53-deficient mice, the MUC16c354:p53+/- progeny displayed a higher frequency of spontaneous tumor development compared to p53+/- mice alone. We conclude that the carboxy-terminal portion of the MUC16/CA125 protein is oncogenic in NIH/3T3 cells, increases invasive tumor properties, activates the AKT and ERK pathways, and contributes to the biologic properties of ovarian cancer.

Nature Communications 6 Article: 8754 (2015); Published: 30 Octomber 2015; Updated: 8 August 2017 In Fig. 3 of this Article, the numbers of isolates studied for the fimH41_Newp, fimH44_Newp and fimH45_Newp alleles were inadvertently swapped. The correct version of Fig. 3 appears below as Fig. 1.