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Using N-vinylimidazole as the reactant and introducing different ether-based side chains pH/salt dual-sensitive poly(imidazole ionic liquid) gel (P[CnOC2vim]Cl, n=1, 2, 3) was designed and synthesized. The structure characteristic of the gel was determined by IR spectra and SEM. The swelling ratio of gel under different conditions was investigated, including releasing property for ciprofloxacin (CIP) and berberine (Ber). The results showed that P[CnOC2vim]Cl(n=1, 2, 3) gel exhibits typical pH-sensitivity and salt-sensitivity. Its swelling ratio increased first and then decreased, and reached the maximum when the value of pH was 7.4; the swelling rate is smaller under the higher concentration of the NaCl. Furthermore, P[COC2vim]Cl gel with the short ether chain has the highest release rate of CIP and Ber at pH=7.4, the release behavior is in accord with the first-order kinetic equation. With the increase of the side chain of ether group, the cumulative release rate of P[CnOC2vim]Cl(n=2, 3) gel to CIP and Ber decreased obviously, and the behavior comforts to Higuchi kinetic equation. The results suggest that P[CnOC2vim]Cl(n=1, 2, 3) gel is the pH/salt dual-sensitive potential carrier for controlled drug release.

The wood sorrel family, Oxalidaceae, is mainly composed of annual or perennial herbs, a few shrubs, and trees distributed from temperate to tropical zones. Members of Oxalidaceae are of high medicinal, ornamental, and economic value. Despite the rich diversity and value of Oxalidaceae, few molecular markers or plastomes are available for phylogenetic analysis of the family. Here, we reported four new whole plastomes of Oxalidaceae and compared them with plastomes of three species in the family, as well as the plastome of Rourea microphylla in the closely related family Connaraceae. The eight plastomes ranged in length from 150,673 bp (Biophytum sensitivum) to 156,609 bp (R. microphylla). Genome annotations revealed a total of 129–131 genes, including 83–84 protein-coding genes, eight rRNA genes, 37 tRNA genes, and two to three pseudogenes. Comparative analyses showed that the plastomes of these species have minor variations at the gene level. The smaller plastomes of herbs B. sensitivum and three Oxalis species are associated with variations in IR region sizes, intergenic region variation, and gene or intron loss. We identified sequences with high variation that may serve as molecular markers in taxonomic studies of Oxalidaceae. The phylogenetic trees of selected superrosid representatives based on 76 protein-coding genes corroborated the Oxalidaceae position in Oxalidales and supported it as a sister to Connaraceae. Our research also supported the monophyly of the COM (Celastrales, Oxalidales, and Malpighiales) clade., Highlights • Plastomes from the genus Biophytum (Oxalidaceae) and the family Connaraceae are reported for the first time. • Little plastome variation was observed among genera of Oxalidaceae. • Several divergence hotspot regions were identified in the Oxalidaceae species. • The systematic position of Oxalidaceae was confirmed as sister to Connaraceae within Oxalidales.

In general, cerebral blood flow accounts for 10–15% of cardiac output (CO), of which about 75% was delivered through the carotid arteries. Hence, if carotid blood flow (CBF) is constantly proportional to CO with high reproducibility and reliability, it would be of great value to measure CBF alternatively to CO. The aim of our study was to measure CBF in different cardiac cycles by ultrasound: Systolic carotid blood flow (SCF), Diastolic carotid blood flow (DCF) and Total (systolic and diastolic) carotid blood flow (TCF). And to investigate the direct correlation between CBF and CO. Whether the above correlation persisted when CO

Two methyl-modified Al2O3/SiO2 xerogels, i. e. AIP-Al2O3/MSiO2 and ANN-Al2O3/MSiO2 xerogels, were prepared using aluminum isopropoxide and aluminum nitrate nonahydrate as the aluminum precursors, respectively. The appearance, density, viscosity, Gibbs activation energy for viscous flow and reaction rate constant of the sols were analyzed and compared. Their microstructures were characterized by means of powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements. The results show that the Al–O–Si bond is formed in the AIP-Al2O3/MSiO2 and ANN-Al2O3/MSiO2 xerogels. The ANN-Al2O3/MSiO2 sol has a smaller mean particle size and greater sol stability than the AIP-Al2O3/MSiO2 sol. Meanwhile, the ANN-Al2O3/MSiO2 xerogel has a smaller pore size and higher porosity. The total pore volume and specific surface area of the ANN-Al2O3/MSiO2 xerogel are 27.27% and 29.36% larger than those of the AIP-Al2O3/ MSiO2 sample, respectively. The saturated adsorption capacity of the ANN-Al2O3/MSiO2 xerogel to methylene blue is 7.15% larger than that of the AIP-Al2O3/MSiO2 xerogel.

Due to the small degree of morphological and karyotype variations, the Pleione formosana, a well-known and valuable ornamental orchid, was treated as one member of the P. bulbocodioides complex including P. bulbocodioides, P. pleionoides and P. limprichtii, as well. The taxonomy of this complex remains problematic. P. hui was described in Anfu, Jiangxi, China, but was treated as synonym of P. formosana latter, making its taxonomic status remains controversy. In this study, we used molecular, morphological and cytological analyses to identify the relationship of P. formosana and other related species. Results base on phylogenetic analyses of chloroplast DNA and nuclear ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer sequence datasets indicated that Anfu samples were obviously separated from the P. formosana accessions. Network analysis showed three different groups: the P. formosana group, the P. bulbocodioides complex and the hybrid group. Morphological analysis also showed that Anfu population was significantly different from other P. formosana populations. Results of chromosome ploidy analyses showed that P. formosana was diploid and Anfu population was tetraploid, indicating that they are not the same species. In conclusion, we suggest to exclude P. formosana from P. bulbocodiodes complex, and restore the speceies rank of P. hui.

With methyltriethoxysilane as hydrophobic precursors and aluminum isopropoxide as the aluminum source, the Al2O3/SiO2 sols and their gel materials were prepared. The effects of aluminum content (nA...

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) sol was prepared using tetrabutyl titanate as a precursor via an acid catalyzed sol-gel process. Investigation of the effects of acid content and annealing on the properties...

BACKGROUND: Thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1), which is usually expressed by lung adenocarcinomas and small cell carcinomas, is usually used to distinguish adenocarcinoma and small cell carcinoma from cells of another type of lung cancer. We examined the association between TTF-1 expression and overall survival between patients with stage IV pulmonary adenocarcinoma to investigate the role of TTF-1 as a predictive and/or prognostic tumor marker in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinomas. METHODS: Analysis of the clinicopathologic features, treatment regimens, and overall survival of 209 lung adenocarcinoma patients who had been detected for TTF-1 expression and received consecutive treatments in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. RESULTS: TTF-1 expression was positive in 166 (79%) and negative in 43 (21%) patients who were reviewed. Moreover, there was no significant difference between the clinicopathologic features of TTF-1 positive and TTF-1 negative tumors. In the multivariable review, the overall survival of TTF-1 positive tumor patients was significantly longer than that of TTF-1 negative tumor patients [22.7 vs. 11.8 months (P

Improving proton conductivity is of great importance for the further application of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) or metal–organic coordination polymers (MOCPs) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. In this paper, we proposed a new approach to increase proton conductivities in MOCPs coming from organic ligands, e.g. coordination inducement and MOCP–cocrystal composite formation strategies, which is based on the potential function of organic ligands. By employing the approach, we have successfully synthesized and characterized three crystalline compounds, PPA (1), [Cu(PPA)I] (2) and [Co(PPA)2(BDC)(H2O)2·(PPA)2(H2BDC)2(H2O)] (3) (PPA = 4-(3-pyridinyl)-2-amino pyrimidine, H2BDC = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid). These compounds show high water stabilities and different proton conducting behaviours, especially compound 3 with a proton conductivity of 2.29 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 325 K and ∼97% RH, which is higher than or comparable to those of some reported compounds. More importantly, a persistent increase in proton conductivity is observed from 1 to 3, which is about one order of magnitude. Furthermore, single crystal analyses show that coordination and hydrogen-bonding interactions play a crucial role in improving proton-conductive properties for these compounds. The study reveals that it is practical to boost the proton conductivity of crystal materials by means of their intrinsic merits and the strategy of molecular design.

Tumor-associated regulatory T cells (Tregs) are important effectors in the tumor microenvironment (TME), acting as accomplices in the promotion of tumor progression. Currently, the importance of removing the immunosuppressive activity in the TME has received its due attention, and Tregs have been focused on. The cytokine-receptor axes are among the essential signaling pathways in immunocytes, and tumor-associated Tregs are no exception. Therefore, manipulating cytokine-receptor pathways may be a promising effective strategy for treating various malignancies. Here, we summarize the classification, immunosuppressive mechanisms, existing immunotherapies, and potential biomarkers related to tumor-infiltrating Tregs to guide the development of effective cancer immunotherapies.

A series of Al2O3 sols were prepared by HNO3 catalysis of aluminum isopropoxide (AIP), using different molar ratios of HNO3/AIP (nH). The changes in sol densities, viscosities, refractive i...

The DFT calculation of the B3LYP level was carried out to explore the reaction mechanism of the synthesis of spirocyclo[4, 5]decane skeleton by gold-catalyzed allenyl compounds. The more accurate energy under the CH3CN solvent in the experiment is calculated by the single point energy of the SMD model. Computational studies have shown that the reaction consists of three main steps: intramolecular cycloaddition of the end group carbon atoms of allenyl and vinyl groups, the semipinacol rearrangement process in which the four-membered ring is reconstructed into the five-membered ring, the elimination reaction releases the catalyst and obtains the product. The calculation results show that Zheng et al. reported that the gold-catalyzed synthesis reaction can easily occur under the experimental conditions due to its low activation free energy (12.42–16.79 kcal/mol). Furthermore, it was found that the MOMO(CH2)2 substituent has higher reactivity than the corresponding reactant of the phenyl substituent.

Highlights • NbSe2 micro/nanoparticles were achieved by ultrasonic-assisted exfoliation. • Prolonged ageing process modifies the morphology and chemical composition. • The excellent lubricating property with low friction coefficient and longer lifetime is obtained., 2H-NbSe2 single crystal flake (ca. 2 × 2 × 0.5 mm in size) by chemical vapor transport is employed as the precursor for a top-down preparation of NbSe2 micro/nanoparticles by two kinds of processes, i.e. (1) mechanical exfoliation; (2) ultrasonic-assisted exfoliation in ethanol without ageing and with ageing for 210 days. NbSe2 micro/nanoparticles are applied on top of a Cu disk by a drop-casting process and the tribological property in sliding against a Cu pin under sliding electrical contact is investigated at room temperature. Mechanical exfoliation produces NbSe2 microplatets with typical sizes of 1 μm to 30 μ m with a thickness less than 2 μm. Ultrasonic-assisted exfoliation without aging facilitates the formation of NbSe2 micro/nanoplatets with sizes of 0.1 μm to 25 μm and nano-whiskers with 100 nm in diameter and 1 ~ 3 μm in length, but Nb2O5 and Se are also found on the basis of XPS results. Prolonged aging of the suspensions modifies the morphology by converting platets and whiskers into corrugated floccules (hybrid material), which are composed of Nb2O5, Se, NbSe2, and graphene. Notably, NbSe2 micro/nanoparticles by ultrasonic-assisted exfoliation without ageing exhibit an excellent lubricating property with low friction coefficient (0.3), mild wear, and longer wear lifetime (120 min) than that of mechanical exfoliated NbSe2 microplatets (10 min). The wear lifetime for the aged NbSe2 micro/nanoparticles can be as long as 504 min and are 4.2 times of the sample without aging, which can be a good solid lubricant for sliding electrical contact

Immunoscore can accurately predict the prognosis of patients with stage I–III colorectal cancer. However, whether it can be used to predict the prognosis of colorectal cancer peritoneal metastases (CRCPM) remains to be validated. We analyzed peritoneal and ovarian metastases in 68 patients with CRCPM. The immunoscore (IS) was based on the infiltration level of CD3+ and CD8+ T cells, whereas the TBM score was derived from the infiltration level of CD3+, CD8+, CD20+ and CD163+ cells to tumor microenvironment (TME). The predictive value of IS and TBM scores for relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with CRCPM was analyzed using Kaplan Meier curve and Cox multivariate models. Significant difference in the infiltration levels of different immune cell subtypes in primary lesions, peritoneal metastasis and ovarian metastasis were compared using t-test.CRCPM patients with high IS (>1), high TBM1 score (≥2) or high TBM2 score (≥2) had a significantly longer OS (IS: median OS, not reached vs 23 months, p = .0078; TBM1: not reached vs 21.5 months, p = .013; TBM2: 39.3 months vs 15.2 months, p = .001). On the other hand, patients with high IS had a trend of improved RFS (13.4 months vs 11.0 months, p = .067). However, TBM1 and TBM2 score has no predictive utility for RFS. Multivariate analysis revealed that IS, TBM1 and TBM2 can accurately predict OS, but not RFS. Finally, the infiltration level of CD3+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, CD20+ B cells, and CD68+ macrophage was significantly higher in peritoneal metastatic tissue and ovarian metastatic tissue, relative to primary tumor tissues.The IS and TBM score of peritoneal metastases could effectively predict OS of patients with CRCPM. Peritoneal metastasis of colorectal cancer decreased the infiltration level of T and B cells.

Background Members of the plant-specific YABBY gene family are thought to play an important role in the development of leaf, flower, and fruit. The YABBY genes have been characterized and regarded as vital contributors to fruit development in Arabidopsis thaliana and tomato, in contrast to that in the important tropical economic fruit star fruit (Averrhoa carambola), even though its genome is available. Methods In the present study, a total of eight YABBY family genes (named from AcYABBY1 to AcYABBY8) were identified from the genome of star fruit, and their phylogenetic relationships, functional domains and motif compositions, physicochemical properties, chromosome locations, gene structures, protomer elements, collinear analysis, selective pressure, and expression profiles were further analyzed. Results Eight AcYABBY genes (AcYABBYs) were clustered into five clades and were distributed on five chromosomes, and all of them had undergone negative selection. Tandem and fragment duplications rather than WGD contributed to YABBY gene number in the star fruit. Expression profiles of AcYABBYs from different organs and developmental stages of fleshy fruit indicated that AcYABBY4 may play a specific role in regulating fruit size. These results emphasize the need for further studies on the functions of AcYABBYs in fruit development.

Interdisciplinary researches are increasingly significant in the current global situation. Image Quality Assessment, or IQA, is a process to determine the level of accuracy to a single image. In IQA, usually, two essential assessments will involve, which are Subjective IQA and Objective IQA. This paper proposes a novel ’pre-assessment’ approach, combining with Subjective IQA, aiming for researchers to receive relevant knowledge which is beyond their principle professional fields, so that they can design and plan the formal Subjective and Objective IQA suitably and accordingly. In the paper, a practised example named ’Predict the Impact of Visual Distortion on Medical Images’ has been introduced throughout, which has demonstrated the efficiencies of supposed pre-assessment methodology, by necessary statistics and analysis. The paper also summarises several circumstances where recommend researchers to consider to conduct a pre-assessment, especially under interdisciplinary researches.

Purpose To analysis factors prognostic for peritoneal metastases (PM) from colorectal cancer (CRC) treated with surgery using data from two sources and investigate the origin and effective treatment of ovarian metastases (OM). Patients and Methods Data from CRC patients with PM who had undergone surgery were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (n = 639) and a single Chinese institution (n = 60). Cumulative survival was evaluated by Kaplan–Meier analysis. Factors associated with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) prognosis were assessed using Cox’s proportional hazard regression models. Results Median OS values for patients who underwent surgery were 19 and 32 months in the SEER database and Chinese center, respectively. Age was an independent predictor of OS in both datasets. Signet-ring cell cancer and perineural invasion were independent predictors of inferior OS only in the SEER dataset, while completeness of cytoreduction (CC) and peritoneal carcinomatosis index were independent predictors for OS and PFS only in the Chinese center. Median OS was 24 months in CRC patients with PM alone and 36 months in those with both PM and OM (p = 0.181). Further, median PSF in patients with PM alone was 10 months, while that in individuals with both PM and OM was 20 months (p = 0.181). Conclusion Surgical treatment of the primary and metastatic sites is effective and safe for CRC patients with PM. CC-0 is recommended for improved prognosis. Moreover, OM should be recognized as a feature of PM, and cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy is beneficial for CRC patients with OM.

Oxalidaceae is one of the most important plant families in horticulture, and its key commercially relevant genus, Averrhoa, has diverse growth habits and fruit types. Here, we describe the assembly of a high-quality chromosome-scale genome sequence for Averrhoa carambola (star fruit). Ks distribution analysis showed that A. carambola underwent a whole-genome triplication event, i.e., the gamma event shared by most eudicots. Comparisons between A. carambola and other angiosperms also permitted the generation of Oxalidaceae gene annotations. We identified unique gene families and analyzed gene family expansion and contraction. This analysis revealed significant changes in MADS-box gene family content, which might be related to the cauliflory of A. carambola. In addition, we identified and analyzed a total of 204 nucleotide-binding site, leucine-rich repeat receptor (NLR) genes and 58 WRKY genes in the genome, which may be related to the defense response. Our results provide insights into the origin, evolution and diversification of star fruit.

The Ag-loaded hydrophobic silica (Ag/M-SiO2) materials were prepared by sol-gel method with tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as precursor and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) as hydrophobic modifier. Contact angles, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectra were used to characterize the as-prepared Ag/M-SiO2 materials. The antibacterial properties of the Ag/M-SiO2 materials were evaluated against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The results indicated that the appropriate calcination temperature of keeping the hydrophobicity of Ag/M-SiO2 materials is 300∼500°C. Ag element exists in Ag/M-SiO2 materials as the elemental form and hydrophobic Si-CH3 groups have been successfully introduced into the Ag/M-SiO2 materials. The qualitative and quantitative antibacterial experiments showed that the antibacterial activity increased with the increase of silver content. When the molar ratio of Ag/TEOS is increased to 0.10, the Ag/M-SiO2 materials showed good antibacterial dissolution and broad-spec...

The role of tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) in predicting the prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains controversial. This is especially so because the prognostic significance and clinicopathological relevance of different subtypes of TAMs in the immune microenvironment of CRC have not yet been established. To assess the clinicopathological and prognostic value of pan-macrophages, M1-macrophages or M2-macrophages in patients with CRC. Comprehensive searched on the Medline/PubMed, Web of Science (WoS) and Google Scholar databases was conducted to identify relevant studies published up to April 2019. The association between overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) or disease-free survival (DFS) and TAMs was analysed by meta-analysis. A total of 3749 patients from 17 studies were included. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) indicated that high-density pan-macrophages improved OS (HR 0.67, P = 0.02). The pooled HR for M2-macrophages showed that high M2-macrophages infiltration was significantly associated with shorter OS (HR 2.93, P

Purpose In colorectal cancer (CRC), whether the immune score can be used to predict the clinical prognosis of the patient has not been completely established. Besides, the prognostic values of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in different anatomical locations, counting sites, and subtypes have been controversial. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to analyze and determine the prognostic value of TILs indices including TIL subsets, infiltrating sites, and anatomical sites. Methods Relevant literature was obtained by searching PubMed and Google Scholar. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) of the overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) was computed to investigate the prognostic significance of CD3+, CD8+, CD45RO+, and FOXP3+ T cells. Results A total of 22 studies involving 5108 patients were included in the meta-analysis. In CC, based on T cell subtypes analysis, the final results indicated that CD8+ and FOXP3+ infiltrating cells, but not CD3+ T cells were prognostic markers for DFS and OS. In addition, with regard to the counting location of TILs, subgroup analysis revealed that only high FOXP3+ infiltrates in the tumor stroma (ST) were significantly associated with OS (HR = 0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.22–0.67, P = 0.0007), whereas in invasive margin (IM), high density of CD3+ infiltrating cells indicated increased DFS (HR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.62–0.93, P = 0.008). At the tumor center (TC), high CD8+ T cells infiltration was associated with improved DFS (HR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.38–0.65, P

A novel Pd/SiO₂ inorganic-organic composite material was developed for the selective separation of H₂ from a mixture of H₂ and CO₂. Its thermal stability and microstructure calcined under N₂ atmosphere were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and N₂ sorption-desorption measurements. Pd element in Pd/SiO₂ gel material exists in PdCl₂ form, calcination at 350 °C can result in the complete transformation of Pd

The batch reaction experiments have been made for the first time to investigate the effect of ionic structure on the reactivity and selectivity of the trioxane-forming reaction catalyzed by a Bronsted-acidic ionic liquid (IL). The ILs considered include 1-cyclohexyl-2-pyrrolidinonium trifluoromethanesulfonate ([NCyP][TfO]), 1-cyclohexyl-2-pyrrolidinonium benzenesulfonate ([NCyP][BSA]), 1-cyclohexyl-2-pyrrolidinonium p -toluenesulfonate ([NCyP][ p -TSA]), 1-octyl-2-pyrrolidinonium 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonate ([NOP][DNBSA]), 1-octyl-2-pyrrolidinonium benzenesulfonate ([NOP][BSA]), 1-octyl-2-pyrrolidinonium methanesulfonate ([NOP][MSA]), and 1-octyl-2-pyrrolidinonium trifluoromethanesulfonate ([NOP][TfO]). It is found that the yield of trioxane in the reaction solution correlates inversely with the Hammett acidity function H 0 of the aqueous solution of the corresponding ILs. Variation of the cation structure from [NCyP] + to [NOP] + exerts little influence on the yield and the selectivity of trioxane in the reaction solution. Using [TfO] − or [DNBSA] − in place of [MSA] − or [BSA] − apparently increases the yield of trioxane, but only slightly increases the concentration of formic acid in the reaction solution. The continuous production experiments have been made to investigate the performance of [NOP][MSA], [NOP][DNBSA], [NCyP][TfO], and H 2 SO 4 as an extraction distillation agent. Such effect of [NCyP][TfO] considerably overrides that of H 2 SO 4 . The yield and the selectivity of trioxane are both increased when [NCyP][TfO] is used instead of H 2 SO 4 at a reaction time 5 h.

The densities and viscosities are measured in the temperature range (293.15 to 308.15) K and atmospheric pressure for the ternary systems [NMP][MSA] (1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinonium methanesulfonate) + LaCl3 (lanthanum chloride) + H2O, [NMP][BSA] (1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinonium benzenesulfonate) + LaCl3 + H2O, and [NMP][p-TSA] (1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinonium p-toluenesulfonate) + LaCl3 + H2O and their binary subsystems LaCl3 + H2O, [NMP][MSA] + H2O, [NMP][BSA] + H2O, and [NMP][p-TSA] + H2O. The densities and viscosities of the ternary systems are estimated using the literature equations and the corresponding properties of their binary subsystems. The comparisons of the predicted and the measured results are made.

Background The biological function of squalene epoxidase (SQLE), an important rate-limiting enzyme in downstream cholesterol synthesis, is to convert squalene to 2-3 oxacin squalene. The expression of SQLE in lung cancer is abnormal. We conducted this study to investigate the effect of SQLE expression on lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) proliferation, migration, and invasion and its role in extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling. Methods Cell Counting Kit 8, wound healing, and Transwell assays; Western blotting; and quantitative real-time PCR were used to investigate the effect of SQLE in a lung SCC H520 cell line. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to identify the prognostic significance of SQLE. Results Overexpression of SQLE promoted lung SCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion, whereas knockdown of SQLE expression showed the opposite effect. SQLE can interact with ERK to enhance its phosphorylation. SQLE may contribute to the pathogenesis of lung cancer by modulating ERK signaling. Further survival analysis indicated that high expression of SQLE indicated poor prognosis in lung SCC. Conclusion Our study presents novel evidence of potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets for lung SCC therapy and prognosis.

The transport properties of ionic liquids (ILs) are crucial properties in view of their applications in electrochemical devices. One of the most important advantages of ILs is that their chemical–physical properties and consequently their bulk performances can be well tuned by optimizing the chemical structures of their ions. This will require elucidating the structural features of the ions that fundamentally determine the characteristics of the nanostructures and the viscosities of ILs. Here we showed for the first time that the “rigidity”, the order, and the compactness of the three-dimensional ionic networks generated by the anions and the cation head groups determine the formation and the sizes of the nanostructures in the apolar domains of ILs. We also found that the properties of ionic networks are governed by the conformational flexibility and the symmetry of the anion and/or the cation head group. The thermal stability of the nanostructures of ILs was shown to be controlled by the sensitivity of the conformational equilibrium of the anion to the change of temperature. We showed that the viscosity of ILs is strongly related to the symmetry and the flexibility of the constitute ions rather than to the size of the nanostructures of ILs. Therefore, the characteristics of the nanostructures and the viscosities of ILs, especially the thermal stability of the nanostructures, can be fine-tuned by tailoring the symmetry and the conformational flexibility of the anion.

Background Pain on injection is an acknowledged adverse effect (AE) of propofol administration for the induction of general anesthesia. Flurbiprofen axetil has been reported to reduce the pain of injection. However, results of published papers on the efficacy of flurbiprofen axetil in managing pain on injection of propofol are inconsistent. Material/Methods We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of studies to appraise the efficacy and safety of flurbiprofen axetil for controlling pain induced by propofol injection. The pooled risk ratio (RR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) was calculated employing fixed- or random-effects models, depending upon the heterogeneity of the included trials. Results Compared with the placebo group, flurbiprofen axetil allows more patients to have no pain (RR 3.51, 95% CI 2.22–5.55, p=0.000), and decreases the cumulative number of patients with mild, moderate, and severe pain on injecting propofol (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.58–0.86, p=0.000; RR 0.59, 95% CI 0.46–0.75, p=0.000; RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.16–0.38, p=0.000, respectively). In the stratified analysis by the doses, flurbiprofen axetil at a dose of over 50 mg was found to be effective in reducing propofol-induced pain on injection; however, there were no significant differences in relieving pain between treatment and placebo groups with flurbiprofen axetil at a dose of 25 mg. In terms of drug safety, there were no adverse effects (AEs) reported between flurbiprofen axetil-based regimens and placebo regimens. Conclusions Flurbiprofen axetil, an injectable prodrug of flurbiprofen, can significantly prevent or relieve the pain induced by propofol injection. More studies are required to assess its adverse effects.

A large-transparent single crystal of 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide monohydrate ([C16mim]Br·H2O) with 4-mm length was firstly obtained in the water–trichloromethane–toluene growth system (Vwater:Vtrichloromethane:Vtoluene = 0.1:1:2). The crystal structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction method. It crystallizes in the triclinic system, space group P-1, with unit cell parameters a = 5.4962(15) A, b = 7.839(2) A, c = 27.279(8) A, α = 94.375°(4), β = 91.500°(5), γ = 101.999°(4), Z = 2, V = 1145.2(5)A3, Dc = 1.176 Mg/m3, μ = 1.804 mm− 1, F(000) = 436, the final R1 = 0.0497, wR2 = 0.1154. The 3D supramolecular structure is constructed through the weak interactions between imidazolium cations, Br− anions and lattice water molecules. The long alkyl chain to imidazolium ring and lattice water molecules play an important role in the self-assembled process. Moreover, it is proposed that [C16mim]Br has the aggregation behavior in water at the higher concentration and the possible self-assembled structure is the interdigitated pattern.

The microstructure of annealed Ti 50 Ni 24.9 Cu 25 Y 0.1 alloy was studied through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurements. It has been shown that the microstructure was composed of the B19 martensite. The temperature, frequency and strain amplitude dependences of the internal friction (IF) in the Ti 50 Ni 24.9 Cu 25 Y 0.1 alloy were investigated by dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA), as well as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurement. The DSC results indicated that only a stage of the phase transformation took place and yttrium (Y) solid-solution narrowed the transformation hysteresis. The IF kept a high value in the stage of martensitic phase and the phase transformation due to the addition of Y element during nonisothermal process. The isothermal internal friction curves were observed in our work.