Bone plays an increasingly critical role in human health and disease. More noninvasive multi-scale imaging techniques are urgently required for investigations on the substructures and biological ...functions of bones. Our results firstly revealed that SWIR QDs prepared by us acted as a bone-specific imaging contrast to achieve real-time observation of bone structures both in vivo and ex vivo. The major bone structures of both Balb/C nude mice and Balb/C mice including their skull, spine, pelvis, limbs, and sternum could be rapidly and gradually identified via blood circulation after QD injection in vivo. More importantly, the binding capability of our QDs mainly depended on the biological activities of bone tissues, suggesting that our technique is suitable for in vivo live imaging. In addition, the cell imaging results suggested that the potential mechanism of our bone imaging could be ascribed to the highly specific interaction between QDs and MC3T3-E1 cells. In a word, the skeletal structures and biological activities of bones are anticipated to be observed and monitored with this QD-guided SWIR imaging strategy, respectively. This radiation-free QD-guided SWIR live imaging of bone can add new insights into a comprehensive study of bones in vivo and provide a basis for early diagnosis of bone diseases.
Effective risk assessment can reduce the economic losses and physical damage caused by marine dynamic processes, such as storm surges. Most risk assessments of marine disasters are based on regional ...parameters and discrete hazard grades. Targeted, multilevel, and multiangle risk assessments are urgently needed. This study focuses on specific types of affected infrastructure. We established a sensitivity matrix by considering the effects of different disaster causal factors on different types of affected infrastructure. Through this matrix, hazards, vulnerability, and emergency response and recovery capability were effectively combined in a risk assessment framework. We completed the risk calculation for multiple concurrent effects of disasters in areas with superimposed key infrastructure using complementary risk superposition. The hazard grade, vulnerability grade, and coefficient of emergency response and recovery capability were established based on the means of return period, characteristics of disaster distribution, types of affected infrastructure and disaster relief distance, and were continuous by solving functions, normal cumulative distributions, and analytic functions. On the basis of reasonable MIKE21 numerical simulation and abstract spatial distribution of vulnerable assets, we tested the rationality of the assessment system in the Lekima typhoon storm surge process. The results showed that the assessment system accurately reflected the risk of damage to the important infrastructure in terms of spatial distribution. Therefore, this risk assessment framework was suitable for the assessment of a marine dynamic disaster process in the lower Laizhou Bay coastal area of the Bohai Sea, China. Moreover, it provided a reference for disaster prevention and reduction, guided the way for decision making, and effectively reduced disaster losses.
Magnesium isotopic compositions, along with new Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic data and elemental analyses, are reported for 12 Miocene tourmaline-bearing leucogranites, 15 Eocene two-mica granites and 40 ...metamorphic rocks to investigate magnesium isotopic behaviors during metamorphic processes and associated magmatism and constrain the tectonic-magmatic-metamorphic evolution of the Himalayan orogeny. The gneisses, granulites and amphibolites represent samples of the Indian lower crust and display large range in δ26Mg from −0.44‰ to −0.09‰ in mafic granulites, −0.44‰ to −0.10‰ in amphibolites, and −0.70‰ to −0.03‰ in granitic gneisses. The average Mg isotopic compositions of the granitic gneisses (−0.19 ± 0.34‰), mafic granulites (−0.22 ± 0.17‰) and amphibolites (−0.25 ± 0.24‰) are similar, indicating the limited Mg isotope fractionation during prograde metamorphism from granitic gneisses to mafic granulites and retrograde metamorphism from mafic granulites to amphibolites. The Eocene two-mica granites and Miocene leucogranites are characterized by large variations in elemental and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic compositions. The leucogranites and two-mica granites have their corresponding (87Sr/86Sr)i varying from 0.7282 to 0.7860 and 0.7163 to 0.7191, (143Nd/144Nd)i from 0.511888 to 0.512040 and 0.511953 to 0.512076, 207Pb/204Pb from 15.7215 to 15.7891 and 15.7031 to 15.7317, 208Pb/204Pb from 38.8521 to 39.5286 and 39.2710 to 39.4035, and 206Pb/204Pb from 18.4748 to 19.0139 and 18.7834 to 18.9339. However, they have similar Mg isotopic compositions (−0.21‰ to +0.06‰ versus −0.24‰ to +0.09‰), which did not originate from fractional crystallization nor source heterogeneity. Based on hornblende/biotite/muscovite dehydration melting reaction and Mg isotopic variations in two-mica granites and leucogranites with the proceeding metamorphism, along with elemental discrimination diagrams, Eocene two-mica granites and Miocene leucogranites could be related to hornblende dehydration melting and muscovite dehydration melting, respectively. Mg isotopic compositions of Eocene two-mica granites become heavier compared to the source because of residues of isotopically light garnet in the source; while those of Miocene leucogranites become lighter because of entrainment of isotopically light garnet from the source region. Thus, a new model for crustal anatexis and Himalayan orogenesis was proposed based on the Mg isotope fractionation in the leucogranites and metamorphic rocks. This model emphasizes a successive process from Indian continental subduction to rapid exhumation of the Higher Himalayan Crystalline Series (HHCS). The former underwent high-temperature (HT) and high-pressure (HP) granulite-facies prograde metamorphism, which resulted in the hornblende dehydration melting and the formation of Eocene two-mica granites; while the latter experienced amphibolite-facies retrogression and decompression, which resulted in the muscovite dehydration melting and the formation of Miocene leucogranites.
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•Reporting systematically the Mg isotopic compositions of Himalayan leucogranites and metamorphic rocks•Studying magnesium isotopic behaviors during metamorphic processes and associated magmatism•Exploring the tectonic-magmatic-metamorphic evolution of the Himalayan orogeny from an Mg isotope perspective
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The Yunnan power grid has a large-scale hydropower station, whereby the power generated at the station is transmitted via HVdc lines under an asynchronous operation mode. In the system performance ...test of the Yunnan asynchronous operation, a 0.05-Hz ultralow-frequency oscillation occurred in the grid. This ultralow-frequency oscillation is a frequency stability problem caused by instability of hydraulic turbine governing system, which is quite common in the islanded system and very rare in the normal synchronous system. The relationship between the speed governing system stability of one unit and that of the system with parallel operation units was proposed to explain that the high proportion of units with an unstable governing system will lead to system frequency instability and the reduction in loads in the traditional sense was proven to further worsen the frequency stability of the Yunnan asynchronous system. By using related measures, the ultralow-frequency oscillation of the Yunnan asynchronous system has been curbed effectively. System performance testing verified the effectiveness of the analysis and the measures.
An efficient way to access functionalized methylenecyclopropanes has been developed by palladacycle-catalyzed cyclopropanation of bicyclic alkenes with propiolates in high yields. The structure of ...the palladacycle was kept intact in the reaction, shown by 31P NMR spectrum studies. A rational mechanism has been proposed with a deuterium-labeled experiment. The usefulness of the functionalized methylenecyclopropanes has also been demonstrated.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
This study aims to elucidate the mechanism of action and impact of the "Xuanshen Yishen Mixture" (XYM) on hypertension.OBJECTIVEThis study aims to elucidate the mechanism of action and impact of the ..."Xuanshen Yishen Mixture" (XYM) on hypertension.Active components were identified and potential targets were predicted using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database. Hypertension-related targets were collected from GeneCards, DRUGBANK, OMIM, TTD, and PharmaGKB databases. Intersections of disease and drug targets were visualized using the R package "VennDiagram". A protein-protein interaction network was established via the STRING database. GO function enrichment and KEGG pathway analyses were conducted using "clusterProfiler", while "Cytoscape" was used to construct a "drug-component-target" network. Additionally, data from 60 patients with essential hypertension from the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into a control group (n = 30) and an XYM group (n = 30) based on treatment regimen.METHODSActive components were identified and potential targets were predicted using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database. Hypertension-related targets were collected from GeneCards, DRUGBANK, OMIM, TTD, and PharmaGKB databases. Intersections of disease and drug targets were visualized using the R package "VennDiagram". A protein-protein interaction network was established via the STRING database. GO function enrichment and KEGG pathway analyses were conducted using "clusterProfiler", while "Cytoscape" was used to construct a "drug-component-target" network. Additionally, data from 60 patients with essential hypertension from the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into a control group (n = 30) and an XYM group (n = 30) based on treatment regimen.Sixty active ingredients and 98 related targets were identified from Uncaria, Radix Scrophulariae, and Epimedium in hypertension treatment. Key active components such as quercetin, kaempferol, yohimbine, and beta-sitosterol were pinpointed, with PTGS2, PTGS1, AR, DPP4, and F2 as crucial targets. KEGG pathway analysis highlighted significant pathways including IL-17 signaling, TNF signaling, Relaxin signaling, and HIF-1 signaling. Clinical data indicated that XYM's therapeutic effects are comparable to those of valsartan, which significantly reduced diastolic and systolic blood pressure and demonstrated good biosafety.RESULTSSixty active ingredients and 98 related targets were identified from Uncaria, Radix Scrophulariae, and Epimedium in hypertension treatment. Key active components such as quercetin, kaempferol, yohimbine, and beta-sitosterol were pinpointed, with PTGS2, PTGS1, AR, DPP4, and F2 as crucial targets. KEGG pathway analysis highlighted significant pathways including IL-17 signaling, TNF signaling, Relaxin signaling, and HIF-1 signaling. Clinical data indicated that XYM's therapeutic effects are comparable to those of valsartan, which significantly reduced diastolic and systolic blood pressure and demonstrated good biosafety.Uncaria, Radix Scrophulariae, and Epimedium effectively mitigate hypertension through multiple components, targets, and pathways. Additionally, DPP4, IL-17, and TNF-α are identified as potential therapeutic targets for traditional Chinese medicine preparations in hypertension treatment. This study provides a foundation for further investigation into XYM's mechanisms in hypertension management.CONCLUSIONSUncaria, Radix Scrophulariae, and Epimedium effectively mitigate hypertension through multiple components, targets, and pathways. Additionally, DPP4, IL-17, and TNF-α are identified as potential therapeutic targets for traditional Chinese medicine preparations in hypertension treatment. This study provides a foundation for further investigation into XYM's mechanisms in hypertension management.
Probability distribution P(n) of size of the clusters combined by mobile grain boundary atoms at different temperatures. Display omitted
Dynamics of grain boundary (GB) atoms in the bulk ...nanocrystalline aluminium is investigated by means of a large-scale molecular dynamics simulation. It is found that the GB atoms in the nanocrystalline aluminium display the glassy dynamics. Their dynamic features are, on one hand, similar to those in the glass systems and bicrystal GBs, in terms of the time-correlation functions of mean-square displacement (MSD) and non-Gaussian parameter (NGP). But on the other hand, these GB atoms also demonstrate some different dynamic behaviors due to the more complicated microstructure. In particular, the immobile GB atoms are localized into their equilibrium positions due to the strong cage effect, and they are mainly at the surfaces of grains, especially the large grains, while the mobile GB atoms are active and can easily hop away from the cage around them. These mobile GB atoms gather together at the surfaces of small grains and the triple junction regions of GBs, and they form some abnormally big clusters. The size distribution of these clusters significantly deviates from the power law.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
In wireless local area network (WLAN), improving the quality of service (QoS) of users is often at odd with striking fairness among users. In this work, we suggest that in WLAN, multiple types of ...network resources should be jointly allocated to users to achieve “QoS fairness”, which is a new fairness concept targeting at balancing QoS and fairness in WLAN by allocating multiple types of network resources to users. To this end, we first transform user QoS requirements to multi-resource demands and apply the dominant resource fairness scheme to allocate network resources for each user. We prove several salient QoS-based fairness properties based on a model mapping between QoS and resources. We further discuss about more general conditions for diverse mapping models where QoS fairness properties can be satisfied. We find that the QoS fairness properties can be guaranteed as long as the mapping model meets a few practical requirements, indicating the wide applicability of our scheme. To consolidate our multi-resource allocation scheme, we design a practical protocol for WLAN. The simulation results validate that the QoS fairness can be guaranteed in practical WLAN scenario.
The aqueous micro batteries (AMBs) are expected to be one of the most promising micro energy storage devices for its safe operation and cost-effectiveness. However, the performance of the AMBs is not ...satisfactory, which is attributed to strong interaction between metal ions and the electrode materials. Here, the first AMBs are developed with NH
as charge carrier. More importantly, to solve the low conductivity and the dissolution during the NH
intercalation/extraction problem of perylene material represented by perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA), the Ti
C
T
MXene with high conductivity and polar surface terminals is introduced as a conductive skeleton (PTCDA/Ti
C
T
MXene). Benefitting from this, the PTCDA/Ti
C
T
MXene electrodes exhibit ultra-high cycle life and rate capability (74.31% after 10 000 galvanostatic chargedischarge (GCD) cycles, and 91.67 mAh g
at 15.0 A g
, i.e., capacity retention of 45.2% for a 30-fold increase in current density). More significantly, the AMBs with NH
as charge carrier and PTCDA/Ti
C
T
MXene anode provide excellent energy density and power density, cycle life, and flexibility. This work will provide strategy for the development of NH
storage materials and the design of AMBs.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Emerging evidences suggest that GSTM1 and GSTT1 are involved in the detoxification of carcinogens, and polymorphisms in this gene that result in a loss of enzyme activity may increase the risk of ...renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Thus, to evaluate the association of GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms and RCC, we performed an updated meta-analysis of 10 case-control studies by RevMan 5.2, and the publication bias was tested using STATA 11.0. The meta-analysis showed that the single locus GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms were not significantly associated with a risk of RCC in a recessive model. However, that wild-type genotype versus the dual null genotype of GSTM1-GSTT1 showed a positive association with RCC risk (OR = 0.70; 95% CI = 0.51-0.98; P = 0.04). In another analysis of subjects exposed to pesticides, we found that the GSTM1 wild-type genotype was associated with increased RCC risk in Europeans (OR = 2.72; 95% CI = 1.54-4.82; P = 0.0006). We also identified an association between the GSTT1 wild-type and lower RCC TNM staging (I + II versus III + IV: OR = 1.88; 95% CI = 1.09-3.26; P = 0.02). This meta-analysis suggests that there may be a relationship between the GSTM1 and GSTT1 wild-type genotype and RCC.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK