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AbstractPrior neuro ergonomic studies have shown that anthropomorphic app icons produce a more attractive attention effect. In this study, we investigate whether the attention effect of anthropomorphic icons influences the perceptual decision making process and whether the behavior performance changes with different cue durations. The attentional effects of anthropomorphic icons elicited larger N250 amplitudes. For the time course of attention effect, the results showed that the response time in the 500 ms stimulus duration is significantly faster than 250 ms. The speed of information accumulation explains the attention effects of anthropomorphic icons, as in the anthropomorphic icon cues, increased N250 amplitude was only associated with higher drift rates. These results contribute to research on the spatial attention effect of anthropomorphic icons and can be demonstrated by N250 amplitude and information accumulation speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three-dimensional (3D) path planning problem of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) considering the effect of environmental wind in a dense city is investigated in this paper. The mission of the UAV is to fly from its initial position to its destination while ensuring safe flight. The dense obstacle avoidance and the energy consumption in 3D space need to be considered during the mission, which are often ignored in common studies. To solve these problems, an improved Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) path planning algorithm based on Double Deep Q-Network (DDQN) is proposed in this paper. Among the algorithms, the random obstacle training method is first proposed to make the algorithm consider various flight scenarios more globally and comprehensively and improve the algorithm's robustness and adaptability. Then, the linear soft update strategy is employed to realize the smooth neural network parameter update, which enhances the stability and convergence of the training. In addition, the wind disturbances are integrated into the energy consumption model and reward function, which can effectively describe the wind disturbances during the UAV mission to achieve the minimum drag flight. To prevent the neural network from interfering with training failures, the meritocracy mechanism is proposed to enhance the algorithm's stability. The effectiveness and applicability of the proposed method are verified through simulation analysis and comparative studies. The UAV based on this algorithm has good autonomy and adaptability, which provides a new way to solve the UAV path planning problem in dense urban scenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The Cu2+ complex formed by the coordination of disulfiram (DSF) metabolite diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC), Cu(DTC) 2 , can effectively inhibit tumor growth. However, insufficient Cu2+ levels in the tumor microenvironment can impact tumor-suppressive effects of DTC. In this study, we proposed a Cu2+ and DSF tumor microenvironment-targeted delivery system. This system utilizes hollow mesoporous silica (HMSN) as a carrier, after loading with DSF, encases it using a complex of tannic acid (TA) and Cu2+ on the outer layer. In the slightly acidic tumor microenvironment, TA/Cu undergoes hydrolysis, releasing Cu2+ and DSF, which further form Cu(DTC) 2 to inhibit tumor growth. Additionally, Cu2+ can engage in a Fenton-like reaction with H 2 O 2 in the tumor microenvironment to form OH, therefore, chemodynamic therapy (CDT) and Cu(DTC) 2 are used in combination for tumor therapy. In vivo tumor treatment results demonstrated that AHD@TA/Cu could accumulate at the tumor site, achieving a tumor inhibition rate of up to 77.6 %. This study offers a novel approach, circumventing the use of traditional chemotherapy drugs, and provides valuable insights into the development of in situ tumor drug therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) is a bowel dysfunction following sphincter-sparing proctectomy. The occurrence of LARS may affect a patient's overall quality of life (QoL) after surgery. Current research was aimed to investigate related factors of LARS and major LARS in total mesorectal excision (TME) and its relationship with QoL. Methods: This study included patients who underwent TME at authors' institutes. LARS was evaluated with an LARS score. QoL was identified using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 questionnaire, version 3.0. Appropriate statistical methods were used to ascertain risk factors for LARS and major LARS and to analyze the relationships between QoL and LARS. The primary objective was to identify related factors of LARS and major LARS. The secondary objective was to examine the relationships between QoL and LARS. Results: Multivariable analysis identified neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (odds ratio [OR] 4.923, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.335–10.379, P < .001), local anal distance from the lower edge of the tumor (OR 6.199, 95% CI 2.701–14.266, P < .001), and anastomotic leakage (OR 5.624, 95% CI 1.463–21.614, P = .012) as independent predictors for development of LARS. Meanwhile, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (OR 4.693, 95% CI 1.368–16.107, P = .014) and local anal distance from the lower edge of the tumor (OR 4.935, 95% CI 1.332–18.285, P = .017) were dramatically correlated with development of major LARS in a multivariable analysis. In the major LARS group, statistically significant differences (P < .05) were ascertained, include physical functioning, role functioning, emotional functioning, social functioning, and global health. In addition, pain and diarrhea were evidently higher. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, local anal distance from the lower edge of the tumor, and anastomotic leakage correlated strongly with development of LARS, and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and local anal distance from the lower edge of the tumor correlated strongly with development of major LARS. Meanwhile, the QoL of patients with major LARS was lower than that of patients with no/minor LARS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Osteoporosis that emerges subsequent to gastrectomy poses a significant threat to the long-term health of patients. The primary objective of this investigation was to formulate a machine learning algorithm capable of identifying substantial preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative risk factors. This algorithm, in turn, would enable the anticipation of osteoporosis occurrence after gastrectomy. Methods: This research encompassed a cohort of 1125 patients diagnosed with gastric cancer, including 108 individuals with low bone density or osteoporosis. A total of 40 distinct variables were collected, comprising patient demographics, pertinent medical history, medication records, preoperative examination attributes, surgical procedure specifics, and intraoperative details. Four distinct machine learning algorithms—extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and k-nearest neighbor algorithm (KNN)—were employed to establish the predictive model. Evaluation of the models involved receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) was employed for visualization and analysis. Results: Among the four prediction models employed, the XGBoost algorithm demonstrated exceptional performance. The ROC analysis yielded excellent predictive accuracy, showcasing area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.957 and 0.896 for training and validation sets, respectively. The calibration curve further confirmed the robust predictive capacity of the XGBoost model. The DCA demonstrated a notably higher benefit rate for patients undergoing intervention based on the XGBoost model. Moreover, the AUC value of 0.73 for the external validation set indicated favorable extrapolation of the XGBoost prediction model. SHAP analysis outcomes unveiled numerous high-risk factors for osteoporosis development after gastrectomy, including a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), hypoproteinemia, postoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) exceeding 3, steroid usage history, advanced age, and absence of calcitonin use. Conclusion: The osteoporosis prediction model derived through the XGBoost machine learning algorithm in this study displays remarkable predictive precision and carries significant clinical applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a new type of inorganic‐organic hybrid semiconductor, quantum‐confined atomically precise metal nanoclusters (MNCs) have been widely applied in the fields of chemical sensing, optical imaging, biomedicine and catalysis. Herein, we successfully design and fabricate the first example of MNC‐based spin valves (SVs) that exhibit remarkable magnetoresistance (MR) value up to 1.6 % even at room temperature (300 K). The concomitant photoresponse of MNC‐based SVs unambiguously confirms that the spin‐polarized electron transmission takes place across the MNC interlayer. Furthermore, the spin‐dependent transport property of MNC‐based SVs is largely varied by changing the atomic structure of MNCs. Both experimental proofs and quantum chemistry calculations reveal that the atomic structure‐discriminative spin transport behavior is attributed to the distinct spin‐orbit coupling (SOC) effect of MNCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a new type of inorganic‐organic hybrid semiconductor, quantum‐confined atomically precise metal nanoclusters (MNCs) have been widely applied in the fields of chemical sensing, optical imaging, biomedicine and catalysis. Herein, we successfully design and fabricate the first example of MNC‐based spin valves (SVs) that exhibit remarkable magnetoresistance (MR) value up to 1.6 % even at room temperature (300 K). The concomitant photoresponse of MNC‐based SVs unambiguously confirms that the spin‐polarized electron transmission takes place across the MNC interlayer. Furthermore, the spin‐dependent transport property of MNC‐based SVs is largely varied by changing the atomic structure of MNCs. Both experimental proofs and quantum chemistry calculations reveal that the atomic structure‐discriminative spin transport behavior is attributed to the distinct spin‐orbit coupling (SOC) effect of MNCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) are effective drug delivery carriers because of their adjustable large pore size and high porosity. In this study, complex nanoparticles containing disulfide bonds (SS) were designed and prepared as curcumin (Cur) carriers by using fucoidan (FUC) and MSN as the polymer matrix. The product was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and an N 2 adsorption and desorption test. When the mass ratio of MSN to FUC was 2:1, the nanospheres particle size was the smallest (295.6 ± 0.98 nm, −35.2 ± 0.8 mV). Furthermore, the curcumin encapsulation rate by MSN-Cur-SS-FUC was over 90%, and the cumulative release rate in 24 h was over 80% due to the combined effect of weak acidity and high glutathione concentration in the tumor site microenvironment. When the Cur concentration was 50 μg/mL, the cell viability of free Cur was 63.8%, the cell viability of MSN-Cur-SS-FUC was 14.5%, and the cell viability of MSN-SS-FUC at the same concentration remained above 74.6%. MSN-SS-FUC composite nanoparticles showed a good delivery of Cur, a lipid-soluble active compound, and provides a new delivery route for other lipid-soluble and poorly bioavailable active compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, in researches on electric vehicle routing problems, in order to improve the delivery efficiency and reduce the routing cost, many important elements are broad discussed such as the customer time window, the routing algorithm, the electric energy consumption, etc. In these, the routing algorithm is the key element to achieve a good solution. Based on this background, the paper investigates the routing algorithm, then adopts the elitist genetic algorithm and proposes an improved neighbor routing initialization method for solving the electric vehicle routing problem. In our method, the electric vehicle energy consumption is used as the main component of the routing system. The neighbor routing initialization enables the routing system to choose the close route from a suitable first customer in the initialization, which makes the routing search faster and find the global optimal route easily. The simulations on the Solomon benchmark data and the Hiland Dairy milk delivery example in Dallas, Texas, USA verifies the good performance of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Influenced by global climate, trade, and transportation factors, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) has gradually spread from southern regions to Beijing, Hebei, and other northern areas in China. In order to evaluate the risk of damage of B. dorsalis to the dominant northern fruits, an age-stage two-sex life table was used to study the fitness of B. dorsalis for peaches and apples, with oranges as the control. Our results showed that the pest can cause continuous damage on northern fruit hosts, with the damage degree being basically the same on peaches as on the southern fruit of oranges. The B. dorsalis population on peaches increased by 12,112.1 times 90 days after oviposition, easily causing great damage. Additionally, the population increased by 4311 times on apples, which may also become a potentially new host of B. dorsalis in northern China, though with relatively lower fitness. This research lays a foundation for monitoring and the formulation of efficient control strategies for B. dorsalis. Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), as a quarantine pest in many countries and regions, has shown a trend of northward diffusion in the past century in China. In order to determine whether B. dorsalis will cause great harm to the dominant northern fruits, the age-stage two-sex life tables of peaches and apples were constructed, with oranges as the control. The results showed that the developmental rate, intrinsic rate of increase (r), and finite rate of increase (λ) on oranges and peaches were significantly greater than on apples. Additionally, the prediction of population growth 90 days after oviposition revealed that the whole population on oranges and peaches increased by 13,667.3 and 12,112.1 times, respectively, indicating that B. dorsalis is very likely to endanger peach orchards. The population increased on apples by 4311 times, though this is lower than that on oranges and peaches. Overall, peaches with high fitness similar to oranges are very suitable as a host for B. dorsalis and are likely to become a new favorable host, while apples may also become a potentially new host, though with lower fitness. Therefore, the most pressing solutions to take are population monitoring, comprehensive prevention, and control in the case of any potential large-scale outbreak of B. dorsalis in northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new hydrogen peroxide electrochemical sensor based on the synergistic modification of nitrogen-doped porous carbon (NPC) and carbon nanohybrid aerogel (CNA) is proposed. NPC has been successfully synthesized from porous polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor by pre-oxidation to obtain adequate pyridinic-N, which contributes to enhance the electrocatalytic activity. Simultaneously, CNA has been also prepared by self-assembly in a hydrothermal environment without any interference followed by vacuum freeze drying. The final products were characterized by diversiform techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The results showed that the NPC with 23.18% pyridinic-N exhibited well-defined and interconnected three-dimensional (3D) porous microstructure and CNA which encapsulates γ -Fe2O3 particles was obtained. The sensor fabricated by NPC and CNA delivered a wide linear range from 60 μ M to 1680 μ M ( R 2 = 0. 9 9 4) and 1680 μ M to 3335 μ M ( R 2 = 0. 9 9 8) with sensitivities of 3.98 μ A mM − 1 and 5.56 μ A mM − 1 , respectively. Furthermore, the obtained sensor showed low detection limit (4.478 μ M, S / N = 3), good selectivity and repeatability, rapid response and satisfying practicability. A novel electrochemical sensor of hydrogen peroxide based on nitrogen-doped porous carbon (NPC) and carbon nanohybrid aerogel (CNA) is proposed. The constructed sensor shows a wide linear range (60 μM–3335 μM), low detection limit (4.478 μM), excellent selectivity (5.56 μA mM−1), good repeatability and promise to be used for determination of real sample, which can be attributed to the synergistic catalytic effects of two modified materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the security problem for a networked control system subject to deception attacks. An adversary is present to corrupt both the sensor-to-controller channel and the controller-to-actuator channel with deception signals when sensor and control data are transmitted via the network medium. We model the malicious deception signals as unknown-but-bounded signals in such a way that no priori knowledge of the attack signals is required. First, a delicate set-membership performance index is proposed for meeting the system security requirement. Second, a novel set-membership estimation method is developed to obtain the desired ellipsoidal estimation set which guarantees the enclosing of true state of the system at every instant of time. Such an ellipsoidal estimation set is then used for deriving the sufficient conditions such that the resulting closed-loop system is set-membership input-to-state-stable and achieves the prescribed security requirement. Finally, a target tracking system is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient buildup of carbon nanomaterial network with isotropic structure and performances in viscous polymer bulk has been of intense interest for abundant range of applications. Herein, a conductive and elastoplastic carbon nanohybrid preform is prepared. The strategy for assembling structurally intact carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and amphiphilic graphene oxide (GO) into integral carbon nanohybrid framework is implemented by using 2-ethyl-4-methylimidazole (EMI) during an undisturbed reaction. The as-synthesized porous carbon nanohybrid preform with sandwich cell wall was characterized with respect to wettability, electrical conductivity, and structural robustness to evaluate the structural and functional synergies from GO sheets and CNTs. Significantly increased conductivity is ascribed to the networking sp2-hybridized carbon domains interconnected by CNT bridges. The hydrogen-bonded EMI chains functioning as physical cross-linking are responsible for the elastoplasticity of carbon nanohybrid preform. A mechanism underlying is proposed for the conversion from common carbon nanomaterials to three-dimension multifunctional reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Orbital tumors are an interdisciplinary disease, and surgery is one of the main treatment methods. The oculocardiac reflex (OCR) is a condition of surgery for orbital tumors. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is an association between many surgical factors and the incidence of OCR in orbital tumor surgery. Methods: Comparisons were made between patients with and without OCR using the Mann–Whitney test, Fisher's exact test, and Chi-square test. When comparing multiple groups (groups > 2), to explain which two groups had differences, post hoc testing was used for analysis, and the differences between groups were judged according to the adjusted standardized residuals. Results: The results showed that the incidence of intraoperative OCR was different based on the different exposed operative field locations (p = 0.021). The OCR incidence in those with lesions involving the orbital apex and lesions adhering to extraocular muscles was higher than that of others (p < 0.001 and p = 0.003). In addition, multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that orbital apex involvement and extraocular muscle adhesion were highly associated with a higher incidence of OCR (p < 0.001 and p = 0.013), while the operative field located in the lateral-superior orbit was highly associated with a lower incidence of OCR (p = 0.029). Conclusion: In orbital tumor surgery under general anesthesia, lesions involving the orbital apex and lesion adhesion to the extraocular muscles were independent risk factors for OCR, and an operative field located in the lateral-superior orbit was a protective factor for OCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds/aims: Ras is a control switch of ERK1/2 pathway, and hyperactivation of Ras-ERK1/2 signaling appears frequently in human cancers. However, the molecular regulation following by Ras-ERK1/2 activation is still unclear. This work aimed to reveal whether Ras-ERK1/2 promoted the development of colorectal cancer via regulating H3K9ac.Methods: A vector for expression of K-Ras mutated at G12 V and T35S was transfected into SW48 cells, and the acetylation of H3K9 was measured by Western blot analysis. MTT assay, colony formation assay, transwell assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation and RT-qPCR were performed to detect whether H3K9ac was contributed to K-Ras-mediated cell growth and migration. Furthermore, whether HDAC2 and PCAF involved in modification of H3K9ac following Ras-ERK1/2 activation were studied.Results: K-Ras mutated at G12 V and T35S induced a significant activation of ERK1/2 signaling and a significant down-regulation of H3K9ac. Recovering H3K9 acetylation by using a mimicked H3K9ac expression vector attenuated the promoting effects of Ras-ERK1/2 on tumor cells growth and migration. Besides, H3K9ac can be deacetylated by HDAC2 and MDM2-depedent degradation of PCAF.Conclusion: H3K9ac was a specific target for Ras-ERK1/2 signaling pathway. H3K9 acetylation can be modulated by HDAC2 and MDM2-depedent degradation of PCAF. The revealed regulation provides a better understanding of Ras-ERK1/2 signaling in tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high expression of reduced glutathione (GSH) and low pH in tumor sites have encouraged new ideas for targeted drug release. The tumor microenvironment is a crucial target for studying the anti-tumor efficiency of photothermal therapy because the microenvironment plays a key role in cancer progression, local resistance, immune escaping, and metastasis. Herein, active mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles loaded with doxorubicin and functionalized with N,N′ -bis(acryloyl)cystamine (BAC) and cross-linked carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) were used to induce simultaneous redox- and pH-sensitive activity to achieve photothermal enhanced synergistic chemotherapy. The inherent disulfide bonds of BAC were able to deplete glutathione, thus increasing the oxidative stress in tumor cells and enhancing the release of doxorubicin. Additionally, the imine bonds between CMC and BAC were stimulated and decomposed in the acidic tumor microenvironment, improving the efficiency of light conversion through exposure to polydopamine. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo investigations demonstrated that this nanocomposite exhibited improved selective doxorubicin release in conditions mimicking the tumor microenvironment and low toxicity towards non-cancerous tissues, suggesting there is high potential for the clinical translation of this synergistic chemo-photothermal therapeutic agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To lessen users' feelings of unease and stress after icons are updated, this study investigates icon recognition and discrimination in terms of icon color and location under different working memory (WM) loads. At low WM load, changing the color or position of the icons has little effect on icon recognition. The icon color update will affect the user's accuracy when less information is presented, but it will not affect participants' reaction time. As for position updates, it is better to update icons' positions within the same row rather than across rows. At high WM load, although subjects responded faster to color than location, subjects were more accurate with location than with color. It can be concluded that color updates are preferred for entertaining user interfaces that demand quick responses, while location updates are preferable for human–computer interfaces that focus on accuracy. From the results of high WM load, subjects are more sensitive to color brightness. The more drastic the color difference, especially if the change level was at levels of 20% or 40%, the subjects' responses would be more obvious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Au20(PP3)4Cl4 (PP3=tris(2‐(diphenylphosphino)ethyl) phosphine), abbreviated as Au20, is the only Au nanocluster with an intrinsically chiral core without a chiral environment (chiral ligands or Au‐thiolate staples), making it a unique object to understand chiral evolution and explore chiral applications. Unfortunately, the synthesized Au20 is racemic, and its enantiomers have not yet been separated. Herein, we report a supramolecular assembly strategy with α‐cyclodextrin (α‐CD) to afford enantiopure Au20 in bulk, and an enantiomer excess (ee) value of as‐separated Au20 of 97 %. As a result of its high purity, the distinctive optical activity of Au20, which originates from electronic transitions confined in chiral cores, is fully explored. Theoretical studies reveals that the enantioseparation results from the preferential self‐assembly of α‐CD with organic ligands on the surface of right‐handed Au20. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Au20(PP3)4Cl4 (PP3=tris(2‐(diphenylphosphino)ethyl) phosphine), abbreviated as Au20, is the only Au nanocluster with an intrinsically chiral core without a chiral environment (chiral ligands or Au‐thiolate staples), making it a unique object to understand chiral evolution and explore chiral applications. Unfortunately, the synthesized Au20 is racemic, and its enantiomers have not yet been separated. Herein, we report a supramolecular assembly strategy with α‐cyclodextrin (α‐CD) to afford enantiopure Au20 in bulk, and an enantiomer excess (ee) value of as‐separated Au20 of 97 %. As a result of its high purity, the distinctive optical activity of Au20, which originates from electronic transitions confined in chiral cores, is fully explored. Theoretical studies reveals that the enantioseparation results from the preferential self‐assembly of α‐CD with organic ligands on the surface of right‐handed Au20. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To find cheap and commercially available materials that are efficient in the catalytic process is of paramount importance for practical application in both chemical and biomedical engineering. As‐purchased nanosized semiconductors are systematically investigated as catalysts in visible light driven asymmetric reactions with the help of chiral ligands. Significantly, among varied semiconductors, WO3 exhibits the best performance with 91% enantiomeric excess and 95% conversion ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is concerned with the simultaneous H∞ stabilisation problem for a physically interconnected large‐scale system working in multiple operation modes. A distributed networked control framework is developed. The network‐based distributed DOF controllers are designed, which use not only the local measurements but also the neighbouring controllers' broadcasts. The designed controllers guarantee the mean‐square stability of the large‐scale system in multiple operation modes, and achieve the prescribed H∞ disturbance attenuation level. Furthermore, the consecutive packet dropouts that occur in multiple communication channels (from the local sensor to the local controller, from the neighbouring controllers to the local controller, and from the local controller to the local actuator) are considered. Based on a stochastic control approach and an orthogonal complement space technique, a sufficient condition for the existence of the simultaneous H∞ stabilisation controllers is provided, and a parameterisation of the controller gains is derived. An iterative LMI algorithm is established to seek a feasible solution. Finally, a numerical simulation example is exploited to illustrate the validity of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel tucked flower-like SnS 2 /Co 3 O 4 structure is synthesized by growing Co 3 O 4 in the gaps between petals of SnS 2 microflowers through a facile solution method. In our strategy, the petals of the flowers are curled inwards due to the swelling force resulting from growth of Co 3 O 4 , resulting in the encapsulation of Co 3 O 4 with the SnS 2 petals forming a coating structure. The SnS 2 /Co 3 O 4 composite displays greatly improved performance in comparison with pure SnS 2 . After 100 cycles, an outstanding reversible capacity of ∼715 mAh g −1 with negligible capacity fading is achieved at current density of 100 mA g −1 for SnS 2 /Co 3 O 4 . What is more, the SnS 2 /Co 3 O 4 exhibits excellent rate capability, and a reversible capacity of up to ∼530 mAh g −1 is obtained, even at a current density as high as 1000 mA g −1 . The morphology of tucked flower-like petals and the introduction of the secondary structure of Co 3 O 4 are suggested to be responsible for the improved lithium storage capacity of the composite. The as-prepared SnS 2 /Co 3 O 4 shows promise as a potential anode material for Li-ion batteries due to its simple synthesis method and large capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powdery mildew is one of the most devastating wheat fungal diseases. A diploid wheat relative, Haynaldia villosa L., is highly resistant to powdery mildew, and its genetic resource of resistances, such as the Pm21 locus, is now widely used in wheat breeding. Here we report the cloning of a resistance gene from H. villosa, designated CMPG1-V, that encodes a U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase. Expression of the CMPG1-V gene was induced in the leaf and stem of H. villosa upon inoculation with Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici ( Bgt) fungus, and the presence of Pm21 is essential for its rapid induction of expression. CMPG1-V has conserved key residues for E3 ligase, and possesses E3 ligase activity in vitro and in vivo. CMPG1-V is localized in the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, plasma membrane and partially in trans-Golgi network/early endosome vesicles. Transgenic wheat over-expressing CMPG1-V showed improved broad-spectrum powdery mildew resistance at seedling and adult stages, associated with an increase in expression of salicylic acid-responsive genes, H2O2 accumulation, and cell-wall protein cross-linking at the Bgt infection sites, and the expression of CMPG1-V in H. villosa was increased when treated with salicylic acid, abscisic acid and H2O2. These results indicate the involvement of E3 ligase in defense responses to Bgt fungus in wheat, particularly in broad-spectrum disease resistance, and suggest association of reactive oxidative species and the phytohormone pathway with CMPG1- V-mediated powdery mildew resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing CsNIP5;1 showed more tolerance to osmotic and water loss stress. • Overexpression of CsNIP5;1 significantly enhanced resistance to water loss in citrus callus and citrus fruit. • CsNIP5;1 may affect the carbohydrate metabolism and water movement to alleviate water loss. • Both CsWRKY4 and CsWRKY28 co-regulate CsNIP5;1 in the peel of harvested citrus fruit. Plant aquaporins facilitate the transport of water across the inner membranes and play an important role in the response to water loss stress. A citrus NOD26-like intrinsic protein, CsNIP5;1, has been investigated to participate in the regulation of water permeability. In the present study, the expression profile indicated that CsNIP5;1 showed high transcription abundance in conducting tissues. Function analysis revealed that CsNIP5;1 reduced water loss of Arabidopsis rosette leaf, as well as promoted the seed germination under hyperosmotic stress. Besides, overexpression of CsNIP5;1 contributed to the alleviation of water loss in citrus fruit and citrus callus during storage. Further metabolomic profiling and RNA-seq analysis of transgenic citrus callus revealed that CsNIP5;1 may modulate the water loss by inducing the accumulation of osmotic adjustment substances and repressing the expression of other AQPs. Moreover, CsWRKY4 and CsWRKY28 were found to directly bind to the promoter and acted as opposite regulators of CsNIP5;1 during the postharvest period. These findings provide new insights into the regulatory mechanism of aquaporins in response to the water loss stress of citrus fruit during postharvest storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unit charts are a common type of chart for visualizing scientific data. A unit chart is a chart used to communicate quantities of things by making the number of symbols on the chart proportional to the number of items represented. An accurate perception of the order of magnitude is essential to evaluating whether a unit chart can effectively convey information. Previous studies have primarily focused on perceptual properties at small order-of-magnitude scales or the efficacy of pictographs in unit charts. However, few researchers have explored the perceptual effectiveness of unit charts when representing large orders of magnitude. In this study, we performed a series of sampling measurements to investigate the visual–perceptual characteristics of unit charts when representing asymmetric interactions such as large-scale numbers. The results showed that under the restriction of the current conventional display medium, unit charts still offer a significant advantage over bar charts in a single-scale visual overview. However, this comes at the cost of a longer response time. Although this study constitutes basic research, accumulating evidence about how people reason about magnitudes beyond human perception is critical to the field of information science. This study may contribute to understanding how viewers perceive unit charts and the factors that influence graphical perception. This article provides some specific guidelines for designing unit charts that may be useful to visualization designers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential advantages of 2-octylcyanoacrylate-assisted end-to-side arterial anastomosis over continuous suture-only anastomosis in the rat orthotopic small bowel transplantation (OSBT) model. OSBT was performed in 80 Sprague-Dawley rats, and they were divided into two groups. Group 1 was the study group (n = 40), using 2-octylcyanoacrylate-assisted end-to-side arterial anastomosis. Group 2 was the control group (n = 40), using a running 9–0 prolene suture only. The operation time and degree of leakage were observed. After sacrifice on postoperative days 90, histology and electron scanning microscope of arterial anastomosis were measured. The suture time and recovery time in group 1 were significantly shorter than that in group 2. First-degree leakage was observed mostly in group 1, and second-degree leakage was common in group 2. No difference was found between the two techniques considering the graft intestinal histological changes. Under electron scanning microscopy, the anastomoses of the two groups displayed no obvious difference. In conclusion, due to superior speed of operation and no toxicity to vessel wall, 2-octylcyanoacrylate-assisted end-to-side arterial anastomosis might be a quick and safe method that is much easier to apply in rat OSBT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Atherosclerosis is the primary independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease, and Liver X Receptor (LXRα and LXRβ) activation may play an antiatherosclerosis effect. In this article, we summarize the current state of knowledge of the roles of LXRs in physiology and homeostasis as well as the links between LXR action and atherosclerosis, and discuss the potential therapeutic effects of LXR agonists. Source: A MEDLINE database search was performed to identify relevant articles using the keywords "liver X receptors", "LXRs", and "atherosclerosis". Additional papers were identified by a manual research of the references from the key articles. Principle findings: Both LXR isoforms promote reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) and have anti-inflammatory activity. LXRα is the predominant receptor in the liver regulating triglyceride synthesis. The antiatherosclerotic ability of LXRs makes them attractive targets for drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. However, LXR activation induces lipogenesis and hypertriglyceridemia. The first-generation synthetic ligands of LXR increase hepatic lipogenesis and plasma triglyceride levels. New LXR ligands need to be designed without undesirable side effects. Conclusion: LXR β-selective agonists and LXR modulators, which act as agonists in macrophages and induce cholesterol efflux while they are antagonists of lipogenesis in the liver, are two critical and attractive approaches to treat atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can intercellularly transmit a wide range of bioactive molecules, and these cargoes may potentially serve as therapeutic biomarkers for preeclampsia. Herein, the current study aims to elucidate the mechanism underlying the human trophoblast cell-derived EV-mediated miRNA-mRNA network that could potentially influence the development of preeclampsia based on microarray datasets from publicly available GEO databases. Preeclampsia-related genes were retrieved from the GeneCards and CTD databases, which were then subjected to GO and KEGG enrichment analyses in an effort to identify key pathways in preeclampsia. The obtained results suggested an important role of the immune- and inflammation-related pathways in preeclampsia. Infiltration proportion of 22 immune cells was subsequently analyzed using the CIBERSORT algorithm. Placental tissues of patients with preeclampsia presented with increased proportion of resting NK cells and resting dendritic cells, while there was a reduction in the proportion of activated NK cells. Differentially expressed mRNAs were additionally predicted in the preeclampsia-related datasets retrieved from the GEO database, and then intersected with preeclampsia-related genes to identify the key genes. HLA-G was indicated as a key target gene in the development of preeclampsia and further associated with hypoxia, immune, and inflammatory pathways. The upstream microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) of the key genes were further predicted and intersected with differentially expressed miRNAs in the human trophoblast cell-derived EV-related datasets from the GEO database to obtain the key miRNAs. EVs secreted by human trophoblast cells under hypoxic conditions were associated with 3 key upstream miRNAs of HLA-G, namely miR-1273d, miR-4492, and miR-4417, which might be implicated in the development of preeclampsia via targeting of HLA-G. Collectively, our findings highlighted that EVs secreted by human trophoblast cells under hypoxic conditions transferred miR-1273d, miR-4492, and miR-4417, all of which targeted HLA-G, thus orchestrating immune- and inflammation-related pathways and consequently promoting the development of preeclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "A Perception Study for Unit Charts in the Context of Large-Magnitude Data Representation" has been retracted by the Symmetry Editorial Office due to concerns regarding major scientific errors, the validity of the findings, and the accuracy of the Data Availability Statement. An investigation was conducted by the Editorial Office and Editorial Board, but they were unable to verify the integrity of the central findings based on the provided raw material. The retraction was approved by the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Symmetry, and the authors agreed to the retraction. [Extracted from the article]

Selective organic transformations using metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and MOF-based heterogeneous catalysts have been an intriguing but challenging research topic in both the chemistry and materials communities. Analogous to the reaction specificity achieved in enzyme pockets, MOFs are also powerful platforms for regulating the catalytic selectivity via engineering their catalytic microenvironments, such as metal node alternation, ligand functionalization, pore decoration, topology variation and others. In this review, we provide a comprehensive introduction and discussion about the role of MOFs played in regulating and even boosting the size-, shape-, chemo-, regio- and more appealing stereo-selectivity in organic transformations. We hope that it will be instructive for researchers in this field to rationally design, conveniently prepare and elaborately functionalize MOFs or MOF-based composites for the synthesis of high value-added organic chemicals with significantly improved selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To study the present treatment situation and investigate a better orthodontic approach for patients with cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) through systematically reviewing the published cases and to conclude the surgical-orthodontic treatment experience of cleidocranial dysplasia.Methods: A comprehensive search for studies published through to April 10, 2018 was conducted using the Pubmed, Web of Science, and Embase databases. The CCD cases treated with the approach combining surgical exposure and orthodontic treatment were concluded.Results: Eight papers and 9 finished cases were included to be compared with the present case. The age of cases ranged from 9 to 28 years. Clearing the way of eruption path in early age can facilitate the spontaneous eruption of impacted teeth. For adults, combined surgical-orthodontic treatment can achieve a nearly complete dentition and stable occlusal contact, but it is time consuming and needs surgical assistance. The combination of orthognathic surgery can reduce the difficulty of orthodontic treatment and treatment duration, as well as achieve a better facial profile.Conclusion: Surgical exposure combined with orthodontic traction is an effective treatment for patient with CCD. Patient's age, demand, economic circumstances, and status of permanent dentition should be considered when making treatment plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practical applications of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) are challenged by safety concerns using liquid electrolytes (LEs). The gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) are considered as a promising candidate to solve this safety issue. In addition, using high‐mass loading electrodes is essential to achieve high energy density. However, poor interfacial contact between electrode and electrolyte remains a challenging issue, particularly for the high‐mass‐loading electrode. Here, porous channels are constructed in electrodes with high active material loading using the melamine formaldehyde sponge, and then the GPE is penetrated into porous channels of electrodes through an in‐situ thermal induced polymerization. The porous electrode structure with sufficient surface area improves electrolyte percolation and fast ion diffusion kinetics, which enables a uniform distribution of Li‐ion flux and effectively homogenizes the local current density to realize uniform Li deposition. The half cells and anode‐free full cells using the integration of porous electrodes and in‐situ polymerized GPEs exhibit excellent discharge capacity and cycle stability. This integration method is applicable for fabricating batteries with high energy density and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial fibrosis is a major complication of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) that is primarily caused by cardiac fibroblasts that are highly activated by persistent hyperglycemic stimulation, resulting in excessive collagen deposition. Calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) is a member of the G protein-coupled receptor superfamily and regulates intracellular calcium concentrations, which are associated with numerous diseases, including myocardial infarction, tumors and pulmonary hypertension. However, whether CaSR participates in the pathological process of myocardial fibrosis in DCM remains unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism via which CaSR regulates high glucose (HG)-induced cardiac fibrosis in vitro. HG treated-cardiac fibroblast (CFs) were used and western blotting, immunoprecipitation, Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, ELISA and transfection technology were performed to examine the role of CaSR. In the HG group, treatment with HG increased CaSR, α-smooth muscle actin, collagen I/III and matrix metalloproteinase 2/9 expression and enhanced autophagosome generation and CF proliferation. Furthermore, CaSR activation upregulated the expression of Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor 2 (Smurf2), which led to increased intracellular Ca2+ concentrations, increased ubiquitination levels of SKI like proto-oncogene and Smad7 and autophagy activation. Furthermore, the CaSR agonist (R568) or the CaSR inhibitor (Calhex231) and Smurf2-small interfering RNA promoted or inhibited HG-induced alterations, including the enhanced and weakened effects, respectively. Taken together, the results from the present study suggested that increased CaSR expression in CFs activated the Smurf2-ubiquitin proteasome and autophagy, causing excessive CF proliferation and extensive collagen deposition, which resulted in HG-induced myocardial fibrosis. These findings indicated a novel pathogenesis of DCM and may provide a novel strategy for the diagnosis and treatment of DCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron trifluoride (FeF 3) is highlighted as a competitive cathode for next-generation lithium and lithium-ion batteries with higher energy densities and lower cost. However, the FeF 3 cathode is typically hindered by rapid capacity fade for their poor electronic/ionic conductivity and unstable electrode/electrolyte interphase. Herein, a microcubic FeF 3 @C composite, where the nanosized FeF 3 particles (<40 nm) are encapsulated by graphitized carbon and linked through surrounding amorphous carbon matrix, is firstly synthesized through the Prussian blue microcubes. When using as the cathode of coin-type lithium batteries, it can achieve stable and ultralong lifespan (over 1000 cycles) at FeF 3 mass loading of ∼2 mg cm−2, ascribing to the compact and thick wrapping of carbon shell and stable cathode solid electrolyte interphase (CEI) during cycling. Besides, the FeF 3 –Li pouch cell, FeF 3 full batteries with pre-lithiated Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (PLLTO) and pre-lithiated mesocarbon microbeads (PLMCMB) anodes are successfully constructed. To interpret the capacity rising of as-prepared FeF 3 cathodes within initial cycles, the detailed electrochemical behaviors and electrode kinetics are investigated. The results show that the decay of the high-potential decomposition process cannot catch up with the activation of the low-potential conversion reaction The repeated electrochemical activation within initial cycles causes multiple interface and increased Li+ diffusion coefficient (resulted from the amorphization of FeF 3 particle), which induce the capacity rising. [Display omitted] • A microcubic FeF 3 @C composite was synthesized from the Prussian blue microcubes. • As-fabricated FeF 3 cathodes can realize ultra-long cycle performance at ∼2 mg cm−2 • The FeF 3 cathodes were successfully applied in pouch cell and full cell. • Rising capacity within initial cycles is resulted from the amorphization of FeF 3. • Amorphization of FeF 3 leads to the increasing Li+ diffusivity and improved kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this work, Co 3 S 4 /CNTs three-dimensional hierarchical microstructure has been synthesized through a facile sulfidation method with Co 3 O 4 /CNTs as precursor. Particularly, by controlling hydrothermal time, the optimized Co 3 S 4 /CNTs-9 composite consists of ultrathin and rich mesoporous Co 3 S 4 nanosheets (< 10 nm) with CNTs firmly intertwined inside microstructures. Benefitting from the porous and robust secondary-structure, as well as the intertwined CNTs among ultrathin active materials Co 3 S 4 nanosheets, Co 3 S 4 /CNTs-9 electrode provides fast efficient ways of ion and electron transportation. As a result, it exhibits an excellent rate performance. Charge capacity retention at 1 A g−1 is up to 80% compared with 0.1 A g−1. The enhanced extrinsic pseudocapacitive contribution is confirmed at higher rate through the cyclic voltammetry analysis at different scan rates of Co 3 S 4 /CNTs-9 electrode. Importantly, Co 3 S 4 electrode also exhibits a high initial coulombic efficiency of 82.89%, which suggests that Co 3 S 4 is a promising anode candidate for sodium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chiral metal–organic framework (CMOF) nanosheets only a few layers thick remain a virgin land waiting for exploration. Herein, the first examples of ultrathin CMOF nanosheets are prepared by the confinement growth of two‐dimensional (2D) chiral layers, which are assembled by helical metal–organic chains within microemulsion. This convenient and easily scaled up inverse microemulsion method gives a series of 2D CMOF nanosheets composed of variable metal nodes or chiral ligands. More significantly, thanks to the exceptionally large number of chiral sites exposed on surfaces, the as‐obtained CMOF nanosheets exhibit much higher enantioselectivity in chiral separation compared with their bulk counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chiral metal–organic framework (CMOF) nanosheets only a few layers thick remain a virgin land waiting for exploration. Herein, the first examples of ultrathin CMOF nanosheets are prepared by the confinement growth of two‐dimensional (2D) chiral layers, which are assembled by helical metal–organic chains within microemulsion. This convenient and easily scaled up inverse microemulsion method gives a series of 2D CMOF nanosheets composed of variable metal nodes or chiral ligands. More significantly, thanks to the exceptionally large number of chiral sites exposed on surfaces, the as‐obtained CMOF nanosheets exhibit much higher enantioselectivity in chiral separation compared with their bulk counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capturing the cracking process during prototype loading tests of segmental lining is crucial for the design of tunnel structures. This paper presents an application case history of 3D digital image correlation technique to monitor the cracking behaviour of concrete lining during prototype loading tests of a special-shape tunnel. The principles based on the displacement field to identify cracks, to determine the onset of cracking and to calculate the crack width were defined. The cracking behaviour at the three measurement regions was discussed. In particular, three distinct cracking stages corresponding to different deformation statuses were identified including a primary deformation stage with small deformation, a steady-state cracking stage with a constant cracking rate and an accelerating cracking stage with an increasing cracking rate. The bearing capacity of segment structures corresponding to the crack width prescribed by the Chinese design code was obtained. This study has shed light on the application of non-contacting optical techniques to capture the deformation characteristics of concrete structures in the full-scale experiments as well as civil engineering practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference 1 Lin Y., Tang Y., Zhu Y., Song F., Tang W. A Perception Study for Unit Charts in the Context of Large-Magnitude Data Representation. A Perception Study for Unit Charts in the Context of Large-Magnitude Data Representation. Post hoc multiple comparisons were determined using the Tamhane procedure, and the results showed that the mean I JND i of unit charts when representing tens digits (M = 7.35 px) is significantly lower than that when characterizing hundreds digits (M = 8.38 px) and thousands digits (M = 9.29 px). [Extracted from the article]

As a newly developed aspheric machining technology, elastic deformation molding process (EDMP) can convert complex aspheric surface machining to simple flat surface machining and has been successfully applied to aspheric surface machining. But during the machining process, workpiece made of brittle materials sometimes fractured, which seriously affected the reliability of the new machining method. In this paper, fragment analysis of fractured workpiece and finite element analysis of thermal stress have been carried out. Water leakage was observed during machining process which caused a high temperature difference inside workpiece, and the corresponding maximum thermal stress was up to 7 MPa near the boundary of contact area. Considering the tensile stress caused by elastic deformation in attaching process, the total tensile stress on attached surface of workpiece has exceeded the admissive bending strength of workpiece material which caused random fracture. Sealing measures like the use of silicone rubber sealant can effectively improve the stability of elastic deformation molding process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Chronic radiation enteritis (CRE) is one of the most feared complications of abdominal or pelvic radiation therapy and the treatment of CRE is difficult and often controversial. Recent progress in molecular biology has shed some light on the pathogenesis of CRE, which is characterized by fibrosis. The purpose of this article is to summarize the current state of knowledge of molecular aspects of radiation induced intestinal fibrosis and to discuss potential therapeutic targets.Methods: A review of the up-to-date published literature involving the possible molecular cascades in radiation-induced intestinal fibrosis and prospective targets for CRE were performed using the Pub-Med search engine.Results: Fibrosis development is correlated with transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and its downstream effector Smad3, which stimulates fibrogenic downstream mediators, such as connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). Ras homologue (Rho) and Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) signaling pathway have been shown to play important roles in the development of CRE. The inhibition of these pathways ameliorated radiation-induced intestinal fibrosis in vitro and in animal studies; however, the relationship between the Smad3 and Rho signaling pathways has not been elucidated.Conclusions: Rho/ROCK and TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathways have been shown to play a key role in intestinal fibrogenesis, which might provide with effective possibilities for clinical intervention. Understanding the cooperation between Smad3 and Rho, may therefore be critical to our overall understanding of fibrosis development and maintenance of CRE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To measure serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels and NPC1L1 mRNA and protein as an index of cholesterol absorption during the development of chronic rejection (CR) in a rat model of intestinal transplantation.Methods: Rats were randomly divided into two groups: Group 1 (n=20) underwent syngenic Lewis-to-Lewis transplantation and Group 2 (n=20) underwent allogenic F344-to-Lewis transplantation as well as treatment with FK506. Blood samples and intestinal tissue were procured on the 190th day after operation. Histological changes were analyzed and the semiquantitative scores of histological parameters were compared. The serum levels of cholesterol and triglyceride were determined. The expression of Niemann-Pick C1 Like 1(NPC1L1) mRNA and protein were analyzed by Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively.Results: All the animals survived for the 190 days. The appearance and histology of isografts were almost normal whereas the allografts displayed thickened bowel wall and mesenteric fibrosis, concentric intimal thickening and interstitial fibrosis and inflammatory infiltration. The histology scores displayed a significant difference between the allografts and isografts (P < 0.001). No differences were observed for triglycerides for the two groups. The serum cholesterol levels increased significantly in the allogenic group in comparison with the syngenic group (P=0.034), while no difference was observed for triglyceride levels between groups. RT-PCR showed that the expression of NPC1L1 of allografts increased significantly (P=0.004). Immunohistochemistry confirmed RT-PCR findings.Conclusions: Neointima formation and mesenteric fibrosis were the dominant pathological features. The increased expression of NPC1L1 might contribute to hypercholesterolemia, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of transplant arteriosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] This study aimed to lay theoretical foundation for establishing the database of biological characteristics of raccoon dogs with different coat colors. [Method] Reddish-brown ussuri raccoon dogs, wild ussuri raccoon dogs and Jilin white raccoon dogs were used as experimental materials in this study. Chromosome specimens were prepared by peripheral blood lymphocyte culture, to analyze chromosome number of ussuri raccoon dogs with different coat colors. [Result] Frequencies of cells with diploid chromosome number of 56 in reddish-brown ussuri raccoon dogs and wild ussuri raccoon dogs were 86% and 83% respectively, indicating that the chromosome number of reddish-brown ussuri raccoon dogs and wild ussuri raccoon dogs was 56.The frequency of cells with diploid chromosome number of 56 in Jilin white raccoon dogs was 70%, which was lower than that of other two varieties, while the frequency of cells with In - 57 was higher than that of other two varieties. [Conclusion] The chromosome number was 56 for reddish-brown ussuri raccoon dogs and wild ussuri raccoon dogs, and it was 56 or 57 for Jilin white raccoon dogs, which represented polymorphism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), is a cosmopolitan agricultural pest and causes great damages each year. Afidopyropen is a novel insecticide with high efficacy against even the insecticides resistant M. persicae. However, the sublethal and transgenerational effects of afidopyropen on M. persicae is not clear. In the present paper, sublethal and transgenerational effects of afidopyropen on biological traits of M. persicae were determined based on the age-stage, two-sex life table theory. The afidopyropen was more toxic against M. persicae than other widely used insecticides, with LC 50 of 0.086 mg/L. The treatment with LC 5 , LC 15 and LC 25 concentrations of afidopyropen remarkably reduced the longevity and fecundity of F 0 M. persicae by 15.9–64.4% and 24.3–76.7%, respectively, compared with those of the control. The life history traits of F 1 generation including the pre-adult development time, mean total longevity, pre-adult survival rate, total pre-oviposition period and fecundity were significantly affected after treatment of the F 0 with afidopyropen, and the population parameters, including the net reproductive rate (R 0), intrinsic rate of increase (r) and finite rate of increase (λ) were also remarkably decreased, while the mean generation time (T) was extended by 6.94%. Among four development and reproduction related genes investigated, JHEH was downregulated by 31.8–38.0% in the afidopyropen treated F 0 generation, while the EcR and JHAMT were overexpressed and the Vg was significantly downregulated in F 1 generation compared to the control group. All these data indicated that the afidopyropen had significant sublethal and transgenerational effects on M. persicae. These results provide insights into comprehensively understanding of the insecticidal effects of afidopyropen on M. persicae as well as the management of resistant M. persicae. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer who have 5-year survival rates of ~5% are typically in the advanced stage. Pancreatic cancer has become the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States and there is still a lack of effective treatments to improve patient survival rate. Hence, the purpose of the present retrospective study was to assess the potential clinical impact of repeated high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) combined with iodine-125 (125I) interstitial brachytherapy for the treatment of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who were ineligible for or declined surgery and chemotherapy. A total of 52 patients diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer were included in the study. At least one course of HIFU therapy combined with percutaneous ultrasound-guided 125I seed implantation was administered to each patient. The clinical assessment included an evaluation of Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score at baseline, and at 1 and 2 months after combined therapy. Pain intensity was additionally evaluated with the numerical rating score (NRS). Overall survival (OS) times and survival rates at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after combined treatment were evaluated. Adverse events commonly associated with HIFU and 125I seed implantation were recorded, and the severity of adverse events was graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4. All 52 patients received successful repeated HIFU treatment combined with 125I seed implantation and were included in the analysis of efficacy and safety. The median OS time of patients was estimated to be 13.1 months (95% CI, 11.3–14.8). The survival rates at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months were 100.0, 86.5, 61.5 and 53.8%, respectively. The mean KPS score was 62.7±6.3 at baseline, 73.7±7.9 at 1 month and 68.8±6.5 at 2 months after combined treatment. KPS score increased significantly after combined therapy. The mean NRS score was 6.7±1.6 at baseline, and 4.7±1.7 and 5.4±1.5 at 1 and 2 months after combined treatment, respectively. The number of patients with severe pain and the NRS score were both significantly lower at 1 and 2 months after 125I seed implantation compared with those at baseline. No serious complications were detected during the follow-up period. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated the survival benefit and improvement in quality of life of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer receiving repeated HIFU treatment combined with 125I interstitial brachytherapy, which may provide new ideas and methods for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chronic allograft rejection, which is manifested as chronic allograft vasculopathy (CAV), continues to refrain the long-term success of small bowel transplantation (SBTx). The pathway mediated by the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and its ligand, high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1), may contribute to the pathogenesis of CAV, given that they were involved in the process of allograft rejection. n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which have been discovered to attenuate CAV, may have potential impacts on this pathway. The present study investigated whether n-3 PUFAs attenuated CAV via the regulation of the HMGB1-RAGE pathway in a chronic rejection model of rat SBTx. We revealed that the expression of HMGB1 and RAGE was increased in CAV-bearing vessels as well as endothelial cells isolated from these vessels. Oral administration of fish oil with high levels of n-3 PUFAs following SBTx significantly reduced the HMGB1 and RAGE expression, which coincided with the amelioration of CAV. In contrast, feeding of corn oil that contained low levels of n-3 PUFAs had no favorable effects on CAV development and failed to decrease the HMGB1 and RAGE expression. These results indicate that protective effects of n-3 PUFAs on allograft vessels exist via down-regulation of the HMGB1-RAGE pathway. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Direct methane oxidation into value‐added organic oxygenates with high productivity under mild condition remains a great challenge. We show Fe‐O clusters on nodes of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with tunable electronic state for direct methane oxidation into C1 organic oxygenates at 50 °C. The Fe‐O clusters are grafted onto inorganic Zr6 nodes of UiO‐66, while the organic terephthalic acid (H2BDC) ligands of UiO‐66 are partially substituted with monocarboxylic modulators of acetic acid (AA) or trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). Experiments and theoretical calculation disclose that the TFA group coordinated with Zr6 node of UiO‐66 enhances the oxidation state of adjacent Fe‐O cluster due to its electron‐withdrawing ability, promotes the activation of C−H bond of methane, and increases its selective conversion, thus leading to the extraordinarily high C1 oxygenate yield of 4799 μmol gcat−1 h−1 with 97.9 % selectivity, circa 8 times higher than those modulated with AA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct methane oxidation into value‐added organic oxygenates with high productivity under mild condition remains a great challenge. We show Fe‐O clusters on nodes of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with tunable electronic state for direct methane oxidation into C1 organic oxygenates at 50 °C. The Fe‐O clusters are grafted onto inorganic Zr6 nodes of UiO‐66, while the organic terephthalic acid (H2BDC) ligands of UiO‐66 are partially substituted with monocarboxylic modulators of acetic acid (AA) or trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). Experiments and theoretical calculation disclose that the TFA group coordinated with Zr6 node of UiO‐66 enhances the oxidation state of adjacent Fe‐O cluster due to its electron‐withdrawing ability, promotes the activation of C−H bond of methane, and increases its selective conversion, thus leading to the extraordinarily high C1 oxygenate yield of 4799 μmol gcat−1 h−1 with 97.9 % selectivity, circa 8 times higher than those modulated with AA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]