Abstract To solve the problem that the mechanical behavior of undisturbed loess in seasonally frozen soil area is affected by freeze-thaw action, triaxial shear tests of undisturbed loess under freeze-thaw condition were carried out. The results show that the mechanical properties of undisturbed loess are greatly affected by factors including freeze-thaw process, water content, natural density and confining pressure. Freeze-thaw action has a certain impact on the failure surface shape and stress-strain curve. Before and after freeze-thaw, the shape of the shear failure surface is complex, including single oblique failure surface, double oblique failure surface, vertical failure surface, X-shaped failure surface, bulging failure, etc. And under the conditions of low water content, low confining pressure and high dry density, the stress-strain curve tends to be softened. Conversely, the curve tends to harden. Freeze-thaw action can make the stress-strain curve transition from softening to hardening. In addition, the freeze-thaw action significantly weakens the failure strength, shear strength, cohesion, initial tangent modulus and failure ratio of undisturbed soil, but does not change the internal friction angle obviously. Also, the heterogeneity of natural soil is also an important factor affecting the mechanical parameters, failure surface shape and stress-strain curve of undisturbed loess. freezethaw freeze thaw out process content Freezethaw Freeze stressstrain stress strain freezethaw, thaw, complex Xshaped X shaped etc softened Conversely harden hardening addition strength cohesion obviously Also parameters

The low-temperature electrochemical corrosion behavior of aircraft 2024 aluminum alloy was investigated in different concentrations of potassium-acetate-type fluid, and the results showed that the corrosion medium initially impacted some corrosiveness on the 2024 aluminum alloy. However, the corrosion rate of the alloy decreased with prolonged immersion in the corrosion medium, and this was attributed to the protective effect of the corrosion products layer, which impeded the attack by the aggressive solution. Time-domain analysis of electrochemical noise measurements at -5 °C revealed the occurrence of uniform corrosion on the alloy at the initial stages of immersion, general corrosion at the middle stages of immersion, and a pitting-dominated corrosion type from the middle to late stages of immersion.

Abstract Background The main features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are abnormal follicular development and ovulatory dysfunction, which are caused by excessive apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells. Acupuncture has been shown to improve follicular development abnormalities in patients with PCOS, but its mechanism is unknown. This study hypothesized that the mechanism of acupuncture on follicular development abnormalities in PCOS patients is the inhibition of granulosa cell apoptosis through LncMEG3-mediated regulation of miR-21-3p. Methods A PCOS-like rat model was established using subcutaneous injection of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Acupuncture was performed on rats for 15 d (CV-4, RN-3, CV-6, SP-6 and EX-CA 1). Ovarian morphology was observed by HE staining, and sex hormone and AMH levels were detected by ELISA. Primary granulosa cells were isolated from each group of rats to assess the association of acupuncture treatment, LncMEG3, miR-21-3p, and granulosa cell apoptosis in rats with PCOS. Results LncMEG3 and miR-21-3p were highly expressed in the ovarian granulosa cells of rats with PCOS, and LncMEG3-mediated regulation of miR-21-3p was involved in the development of PCOS in rats. Silencing of MEG3 attenuated sex hormone dysregulation and ovarian histopathological changes in PCOS rats and promoted follicle cell development and maturation. In addition, silencing MEG3 increased the viability and number of granulosa cells. In addition, silencing MEG3 further inhibited early and late apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells in PCOS rats. Acupuncture improved polycystic ovarian morphology and sex hormone levels in PCOS rats. Acupuncture intervention increased the viability and number of granulosa cells. Acupuncture intervention inhibited early and late apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells in PCOS rats by targeting miR-21-3p via LncMEG3. Conclusion These results suggest that acupuncture can downregulate LncMEG3, thereby targeting and regulating miR-21-3p to suppress early and late granulosa cell apoptosis and normalize their proliferation. These factors ultimately compensate for abnormal follicular development. These findings shed light on the clinical potential of acupuncture as a safe treatment for follicular developmental abnormalities in PCOS. Highlights LncMEG3-mediated inhibition of miR-21-3p regulates ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis. LncMEG3 and miR-21-3p are involved in the occurrence and development of PCOS-related abnormal follicular development. CuONPs induce co-occurrence of autophagy activation and autophagic flux blockade. Acupuncture can improve the sex hormone levels and follicular development in the context of PCOS. The underlying mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of PCOS abnormal follicular development was revealed.

ABSTRACT The selection of key additive materials for a new type of oil-based drilling fluid was studied in this paper. The oil-based drilling fluid can strengthen well walls and ensure safety. It is suitable for high-temperature and high-pressure wells, deep wells and ultra-deep wells. A new type of high-temperature white oil-based drilling fluid was prepared by using 5# white oil as continuous phase, HIS as thickening agent, SDBS as emulsifier, and asphalt powder oxidized at 180°C as filtration agent. The results showed that the saturation concentration of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) was 4%, the saturation concentration of asphalt powder oxidized at 180°C was 4%, the saturation concentration of Tween-80 was 10%. The final resistance of high temperature and high pressure oil based drilling fluid formulation material is: No. 5 white oil + 4% SDBS + 5% modified bentonite + 4% asphalt powder oxidized at 180°C + 10% Tween-80 + 1.5% Barite + CaO. The performance evaluation of the new oil-based drilling fluid shows that shale expansion is 0.21mm, anti-temperature up to 220°C, and anti-pollution ability is good. The rheological properties, resistance of high-temperature high- pressure have been greatly improved. Therefore, the new white oil-based drilling fluid can resistance of high- temperature and also has low toxicity, which can meet the exploration and development of more complex wells.

The mutations of breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) play an important role in inherited breast cancers. Thus, the sensitive assay of the BRCA1 gene is extremely important for disease diagnosis and human health. Herein, a fast, sensitive and selective assay technique has been constructed based on fluorescent copper nanoclusters (CuNCs). The CuNCs were successfully formed with poly(AT-TA) double stranded DNA (dsDNA) as template. In the absence of the target, a strong red emission was observed under 365 nm ultraviolet (UV) lamp and a big fluorescence response was obtained. However, in the presence of BRCA1 gene, there was only weak red emission and a low response signal was produced because of the target-proximity induced quenching of the fluorescence of CuNCs. The linear range for the BRCA1 gene assay was 2-600 nM, and the limit of detection was 2 nM. The assay technique showed good selectivity, good stability and satisfactory recoveries for the detection of BRCA1 gene in diluted serum samples. Moreover, by integrating a UV lamp and a smartphone, the fluorescence sensor would be transferred to a microfluidic chip, providing a prospective application in point-of-care for monitoring breast cancer risk.

ABSTRACT While excavation activities in mountain terrain regions, the exposure of carbonaceous mudstone could deteriorate the strength under the water-rock interaction, which impacts slope stability and affects the safety of the engineering project. The present study conducted the Point Loading Test (PLT), Acoustic Emission (AE), and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to investigate the degradation of its mechanical properties under the water-rock interaction. The results reveal that: (1) The Total Organic Carbon (TOC) content and water content correspond to a negative correlation, and the carbonaceous mudstone possesses a softening boundary which makes the mudstone strength decay rapidly resulting in the strength decrease by 80% once the water content exceeds the boundary value; (2) Water-rock interaction weakens the acoustic emission capacity and the acoustic emission characteristic in the failure process of carbonaceous mudstone with different TOC can reflect the influence of water-rock interaction on its macroscopic strength and fracture structure deterioration, and the damage degree under immersion is over 50%; (3) The inhomogeneity of water-rock interaction causes unbalanced forces in the rock, as dissolved soluble minerals and oxidation-reduction of organic matter accelerate the deterioration of carbonaceous mudstone making the water-rock interaction is slowed down by the water-swelling filling of minerals in a time period. Therefore, this study has investigated the strength deterioration of carbonaceous mudstone subjected to water-rock interaction from macro-scale and micro-scale perspectives, which provides a reference for preventing and controlling carbonaceous mudstone deterioration resulting from catastrophes.

Abstract Quinoa is a kind of pseudocereal with rich nutrient, unique flavor and antioxidant ingredients. In recent years, it has received widespread attention all over the world, however, the problem of single quinoa product is increasingly prominent. Tea is one of the most popular functional beverages globally, so the development of quinoa tea has a broad market prospect. In the present review, the preparation methods of quinoa seed tea, quinoa malt tea, quinoa leaf tea, quinoa whole plant tea, quinoa fermented tea and quinoa compound tea were summarized, and the current situation and existing problems were analyzed. Based on the above investigations, some suggestions for improving the product performance were put forward. nutrient ingredients years world however prominent globally prospect review summarized analyzed investigations forward

Abstract To investigate the imaging features and clinic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). 139 RCC patients underwent MRI and CT examination before surgery, and the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values of MRI and CT in diagnosing ccRCC were analyzed and compared. There were 93 true-positive, 11 false-positive, 11 false-negative and 24 true-negative in MRI screening with sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 89.42%, 68.57%, 84.17%, 89.42% and 68.57% respectively. Whereas there were 72 true-positive, 4 false-positive, 32 false-negative and 31 true-negative in CT screening with the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 69.23%, 88.57%, 74.10%, 94.74% and 49.21% respectively. The sensitivity and negative predictive value of MRI were better than those of CT, while the specificity of CT was better than that of MRI. MRI and CT have respective advantages in the diagnosis of ccRCC. The sensitivity and negative predictive value of MRI are superior to those of CT, while the specificity of CT is superior to that of MRI. Clinically, different examinations are selected according to different situations.

The single-layered paint-spraying paper based microfluidic devices (sp-μPADs) have been for the first time integrated with the colorimetric assay. The polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) board was applied as the mask instead of the iron mask, reducing the power requirement of the cutting machine. The paint was sprayed into the paper, which blocked the pores of the paper and constructed the hydrophobic barrier on the paper. The paint barrier was highly resistant to the various kind of chemicals and the minimum channel dimensions was 1.4 mm. By using the PMMA masks with different designs, the sp-μPADs with different designs have been fabricated and successfully applied to the single analyte assay of iron or bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the simultaneous assay of copper and nickel. Moreover, the feasibility of the multiplexed assay of eight analytes was also demonstrated. The analytical performances indicated that the fabricated sp-μPADs offered a promising platform in the colorimetric assays of either single or multiple analytes.

Abstract To improve the crashworthiness and energy absorption of thin-walled tube structures, a bionic thin-walled tube was designed based on the structural characteristics of antler osteon and the principle of structural bionics and had the same inner and outer diameters and the same gradient thickness as antler osteon. A nonlinear finite element method is used to simulate the crashworthiness of a thin-walled tube with equal gradient thickness variation (EGTTS) under axial and oblique loads. The crashworthiness of EGTTS-7 (Egtts with 7 layers) was evaluated using the complex proportional assessment(COPRAS). A multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm was used to optimize the EGTTS-7 and the Pareto boundary was used to obtain the optimal structure parameters of the EGTTS-7 by using the loading angles of 0°, 10°, 20°, and 30°. It is found that the crashworthiness of the EGTTS is best when the axial load weight factor of the case is large. Compared with EGTTS and circular tubes(CT), F max can be reduced by up to 50.1% and EA can be increased by up to 22.7%.

Microstructural evolution, interfacial reaction and fracture during vacuum brazing of 50Mo-50Re alloys using amorphous alloy Fe-5.6Si-2.6B(wt%) were investigated. A binary intermetallic compound, σ(Mo2Re3) formed as parallel contiguous layers in the diffusion zone. In addition, Fe from the braze alloy, in combination with dissolved Mo from the substrate, formed two layers of binary compounds µ-Mo6Fe7 and λ-MoFe2, adjacent to diffusion zone. The unreacted Fe-based filler metal solidified as α-Fe solid solution. Fracture analysis showed that the mode of failure was mainly transgranular cleavage with partly intergranular and the fracture located on the interface of 50Mo-50Re alloy and the central area of brazing seam.

ABSTRACT Purpose To investigate the incidence and pathologic characteristics of prostate cancer (PCa) incidentally discovered at the time of radical cystectomy and its impact on overall survival. Materials and Methods A single center retrospective study of 762 male patients who underwent radical cystoprostatectomy from Jan 1994 to Dec 2012. Results Of all included patients, 132 (17.3%) were found to have PCa. Patients with incidental PCa had a significantly higher mean age (69.2 vs. 62.2 years, P=0.015). Among the 132 patients with PCa, prostate specific antigen (PSA) analysis was available in 76 patients (57.6%), with a median value of 1.06ng/mL, and 61 (80.3%) patients had a PSA value below 4ng/mL. Four hundred and thirty-six patients (57.1%) were successfully followed, with a median duration of 46.5 months. The overall 5-year survival rate was 62.1%, and the 5-year cancer–specific survival rate was 72%. PCa recurrence was defined by two consecutive PSA values of >0.2 ng/mL and rising, and no PCa recurrence occurred. According to a univariate analyses, incidental PCa was not associated with cancer-specific survival (P=0.192) or overall survival (P=0.493). According to univariate analyses, the overall survival of patients with PCa was not associated with prostate cancer staging, PSA value, or Gleason score (All P values>0.05). Conclusions Prostate cancer incidentally discovered at the time of radical cystectomy does not decrease overall survival. Patients with incidental PCa were older than those without. The PSA value before operation is not helpful for predicting incidental prostate cancers.

Abstract To know more about the potential roles of endophytic fungi in the formation mechanism of Daodi medicinal material, diversity and communities of culturable endophytic fungi in three types of tree peonies were investigated. Endophytic fungi of three types of tree peonies were isolated and identified. The diversity was analyzed. Bayesian trees constructed by MrBayes 3.2.6 after phylogenetic analysis of the ITS sequences. The endophytic fungi potential for synthesis of natural products was assessed by means of detecting NRPS and PKS gene sequences. In total, 364 endophytic fungi isolates representing 26 genera were recovered from Paeonia ostii ‘Feng Dan’, Paeonia ostii ‘Luoyang Feng Dan’, and Paeonia suffruticosa ‘Luoyang Hong’. More culturable endophytic fungi appeared in P. suffruticosa ‘Luoyang Hong’ (206) compared with P. ostii ‘Feng Dan’ (60) and P. ostii ‘Luoyang Feng Dan’ (98). The fungal community of P. ostii ‘Feng Dan’ had the highest richness and diversity. PKSs and NRPS detection rates of endophytic fungi from P. ostii ‘Feng Dan’ are both the highest among the three types of tree peonies. Results indicate that endophytic fungus is an important factor of Daodi Cortex Moutan forming, and endophytic fungi in peony are related to genuineness of Cortex Moutan.

In this study, the effects of geraniin on osteoprotegerin/receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand(OPG/RANKL) in regulating the proliferation of osteoblasts and suppression of osteoclast-like cells (OLC) in OLC-osteoblast co-cultured system in vitro were investigated. Osteoblasts were cultured and identified with alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gomori stain, and mineralized nodule stain. OLCs were isolated from long bones of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and identified with tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase(TRAP) stain. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay was used to examine the proliferation of osteoblasts, and immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization to analyze the expression OPG/RANKL in osteoblasts co-cultured with osteoclasts under the action of geraniin, respectively. Geraniin could regulate the proliferation of osteoblasts MC3T3-E1, decrease the number of OLC in OLC-osteoblast co-cultured system, and inhibit the bone resorption areas and resorption pits of OLC in vitro experiments. Geraniin could promote the mRNA and protein expression levels of OPG and suppress those of RANKL in osteoblasts. These results indicate that geraniin has a promoting effect on the proliferation of osteoblasts and an inhibitory effect on the osteoclastic bone-resorption through regulating OPG/RANKL signaling pathway in OLC-OB co-cultured system.

The mortality of patients with mycotic aneurysms is high, especially in East Asia, and infection by Salmonella species is the most common. Our study aimed to improve prognosis of adult mycotic aneurysms with early diagnosis and accurate treatment. Four adult patients with mycotic aneurysm caused by Salmonella were included and analyzed by single-center retrospective analysis. Cases reported in the literature during the past 10 years were also summarized. The average age of the 4 male patients was 61.25 years, while that of the 53 cases reported in the literature was 65.13 years. Hypertension, diabetes, and atherosclerosis were common complications. Most patients presented fever and experienced pain at the corresponding position of the aneurysm. Laboratory examination found an increased number of white blood cells accompanied by an increase in inflammatory markers. Most aneurysms were found in the abdominal aorta, while the rupture of an aneurysm was the most common complication. The mortality rates were 21.43 and 7.14% after open surgery or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) intervention, respectively. The recurrence rates of infection were 0 and 17.85% for both treatments, respectively. The mortality rate of mycotic aneurysm caused by Salmonella infection was high in middle-aged males with hypertension, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. The possibility of a Salmonella-infected aneurysm should be considered in these high-risk groups presenting chills, fever, chest, and back pain. Open surgery was superior to EVAR treatment in the clearance of infected foci and the reduction of postoperative recurrence. The recurrence of postoperative infection can be prevented by intravenous antibiotic therapy for 6 weeks post-surgery.