A mechanistic model was developed for modeling the depth-dependent hardness in ion irradiated metallic materials. The model is capable of capturing the indentation size effect, ion irradiation ...induced damage gradient effect, and effect of unirradiated region acting as a soft substrate. A procedure was developed and described in detail to parametrize the model based on experimentally obtained hardness vs. indentation depth curves. Very good agreement was observed between our model predictions and experimental data of several different stainless steels subjected to various ion irradiation conditions. In addition, two hardening mechanisms are revealed in the new model. One is the well-known indentation size effect arising from the creation of geometrically necessary dislocations as the indenter pierces into the materials. The other is the irradiation hardening due to the presence of irradiation-induced defects. As a function of indentation depth h, the hardening due to indentation size effect is described by h¯∗/h, while the hardening due to irradiation first follows a power law form Phn, then changes to Z/h−Q/h3, where h¯∗, P, n, Z and Q>0 are constants. This transition occurs at the indentation depth when the plastic zone reaches the end of the irradiated layer.
•A model is proposed for the depth-depdendent hardness with ion irradiation effect.•FEM is performed for the nano-indentation process of ion irradiated stainless steels.•Theoretical results match well with different sets of experimental data.
Although most schoolchildren can dispose of their own litter, they are typically not sensitive to environmental issues in the school's public areas. How do we improve children's sensitivity to public ...environments and cultivate pro-environmental behaviours? Based on Bandura's social learning theory, this study explored the effects of various role models (teachers and peers) on the pro-environmental behaviours of children aged 7-13. A field study was conducted in which examples of postprandial garbage disposal behaviours were provided using role models and the subsequent behaviours of the children were observed. We located the experiment in a real educational context and manipulated the type of role model (teacher or peer) and the behaviour being modelled (positive behaviours involving picking up litter or negative behaviours involving littering). The results showed that different role models had different effects on the subjects' pro-environmental behaviours. Only positive demonstration by teachers significantly improved the subjects' pro-environmental behaviours, that is, teachers' picking up of garbage in front of children significantly improved the children's attention to the environment and their adoption of pro-environmental behaviours. Positive demonstration by peers, negative demonstration by teachers and negative demonstration by peers had no impact on the children's pro-environmental behaviours. The results demonstrate that teachers must be mindful of their role as role models in the educational environment and facilitate students' development of pro-environmental behaviours.
The three most common gynaecologic cancers that seriously threaten female lives and health are ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, and endometrial cancer. Glycolysis plays a vital role in gynaecologic ...cancers. Several long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are known to function as oncogenic molecules. LncRNAs impact downstream target genes by acting as ceRNAs, guides, scaffolds, decoys, or signalling molecules. However, the role of glycolysis-related lncRNAs in regulating gynaecologic cancers remains poorly understood. In this review, we emphasize the functional roles of many lncRNAs that have been found to promote glycolysis in gynaecologic cancers and discuss reasonable strategies for future research.
Background:
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the leading cause of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), is an emerging global health crisis. Lung cancer patients are at a ...higher risk of COVID-19 infection. With the increasing number of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with COVID-19, there is an urgent need of efficacious drugs for the treatment of COVID-19/NSCLC.
Methods:
Based on a comprehensive bioinformatic and systemic biological analysis, this study investigated COVID-19/NSCLC interactional hub genes, detected common pathways and molecular biomarkers, and predicted potential agents for COVID-19 and NSCLC.
Results:
A total of 122 COVID-19/NSCLC interactional genes and 21 interactional hub genes were identified. The enrichment analysis indicated that COVID-19 and NSCLC shared common signaling pathways, including cell cycle, viral carcinogenesis, and p53 signaling pathway. In total, 10 important transcription factors (TFs) and 44 microRNAs (miRNAs) participated in regulations of 21 interactional hub genes. In addition, 23 potential candidates were predicted for the treatment of COVID-19 and NSCLC.
Conclusion:
This study increased our understanding of pathophysiology and screened potential drugs for COVID-19 and NSCLC.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients are particularly vulnerable to the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19). Currently, no anti-NSCLC/COVID-19 treatment options are available. As ginsenoside ...Rg3 is beneficial to NSCLC patients and has been identified as an entry inhibitor of the virus, this study aims to explore underlying pharmacological mechanisms of ginsenoside Rg3 for the treatment of NSCLC patients with COVID-19.
Based on a large-scale data mining and systemic biological analysis, this study investigated target genes, biological processes, pharmacological mechanisms, and underlying immune implications of ginsenoside Rg3 for NSCLC patients with COVID-19.
An important gene set containing 26 target genes was built. Target genes with significant prognostic value were identified, including baculoviral IAP repeat containing 5 (BIRC5), carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9), endothelin receptor type B (EDNRB), glucagon receptor (GCGR), interleukin 2 (IL2), peptidyl arginine deiminase 4 (PADI4), and solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 1B1 (SLCO1B1). The expression of target genes was significantly correlated with the infiltration level of macrophages, eosinophils, natural killer cells, and T lymphocytes. Ginsenoside Rg3 may benefit NSCLC patients with COVID-19 by regulating signaling pathways primarily involved in anti-inflammation, immunomodulation, cell cycle, cell fate, carcinogenesis, and hemodynamics.
This study provided a comprehensive strategy for drug discovery in NSCLC and COVID-19 based on systemic biology approaches. Ginsenoside Rg3 may be a prospective drug for NSCLC patients with COVID-19. Future studies are needed to determine the value of ginsenoside Rg3 for NSCLC patients with COVID-19.
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A weighted track fusion algorithm is proposed to address the complexity of conventional sea monitoring data and the lack of effective and convenient monitoring methods. The new algorithm uses local ...information entropy and fuses data from the automatic identification system (AIS) and X-band radar. The new model employs ship monitoring data to detect five types of abnormal ship behavior: speed, course, position, ship spacing, and time abnormalities. The method weights various factors using a weight matrix built up from a distance difference matrix between different track points and calculations of the distance information entropy and residual degree using information entropy theory. We tested the proposed weighted track fusion algorithm the fusion accuracy using actual data for 2813 ships, AIS, and radar track points based on local information entropy. The resulting correlation accuracy was 95.54% for 2716 ship track points and a correlation accuracy of 90.72% for 97 ship tracks. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm is suitable for fusing multiple tracks and is more robust than traditional fusion methods.
•A weighted track fusion algorithm is developed to address the complexity of conventional sea monitoring data and the lack of effective and convenient monitoring methods.•The new algorithm is based on local information entropy and the fusion of AIS and X-band radar data.•This paper proposes an innovative algorithm that compensates for incorrect speeds, headings, positions, and ship spacing; the accepted but time-abnormal mathematical model is also corrected.
Mobile microrobots with shape morphing capability show great advantages for conducting tasks in complex environments. Combination of magnetically driven locomotion and stimuli‐responsive shape ...morphing is an effective strategy to realize these microrobots. However, most existing microrobots fabricated by the combination strategy are of low locomotion efficiency due to the limited amount of magnetic material loaded. Herein, a novel scheme for coating the magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) on the surface of microrobot is proposed to increase the magnetic material loading amount. Theoretical analyses demonstrate that, below a critical size at microscale, surface coating NPs can load more magnetic material than embedding NPs into the volume due to the high surface area‐to‐volume ratio. Microrobots with both shape morphing and enhanced magnetically driven locomotion are fabricated by coating magnetic NPs on the surface of stimuli‐responsive hydrogel microstructures. It is experimentally demonstrated that surface coating ensures that the microstructure has not only an efficient locomotion but also an excellent deformability. A four‐claw microgripper is fabricated, which is smaller and has higher magnetically driven locomotion speed than the most existing shape morphing microrobots. This microgripper demonstrating carrying and delivery capabilities is of immediate interest to microobject manipulation and minimally invasive surgery.
Herein, surface coating structure is proposed to increase the magnetic material loading amount at microscale. Microrobots with both shape morphing and enhanced magnetically driven locomotion are fabricated by coating magnetic nanoparticles on the surface of stimuli‐responsive hydrogel microstructures. The magnetic nanoparticles coating ensures that the microstructure has not only an efficient locomotion but also an excellent deformability.
Bevacizumab (Bv) can be used synergistically with fluoropyrimidine‐based chemotherapy to treat colorectal cancer. Whether and how it affects the delivery of fluoropyrimidine drugs is unknown. The ...present study aimed to explore the effect of Bv on the delivery of 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) to tumors and the underlying mechanism from metabolic perspective. Bv enhanced the anti‐tumor effects of 5‐FU in LoVo colon cancer xenograft mice and increased the 5‐FU concentration in tumors without affecting hepatic 5‐FU metabolism. Interestingly, Bv remarkably upregulated thymidine phosphorylase (TP) in tumors, which mediated the metabolic activation of 5‐FU. Although TP is reported to promote angiogenesis and resistance, the combination of Bv and 5‐FU resulted in anti‐angiogenesis and vessel normalization in tumors, indicating that the elevated TP mainly contributed to the enhanced response to 5‐FU. Bv also induced TP upregulation in LoVo cancer cells. Treatment with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) antagonist apatinib and VEGFR2 silencing further confirmed TP upregulation. Bv and apatinib both enhanced the cytotoxicity of 5‐FU in LoVo cells, but there was no synergism with adriamycin and paclitaxel. We further demonstrated that the effect of Bv was dependent on VEGFR2 blockade and specificity protein 1 activation via MDM2 inhibition. In summary, Bv enhanced the accumulation of 5‐FU in tumors and the cytotoxicity of 5‐FU via TP upregulation. We provide data to better understand how Bv synergizes with 5‐FU from metabolic perspective, and it may give clues to the superiority of Bv in combination with fluoropyrimidine drugs compared to other chemotherapeutic drugs in colon cancer.
Our study found that bevacizumab (Bv) enhanced the accumulation of 5‐FU in tumor and the cytotoxicity of 5‐FU via TP upregulation through VEGFA/VEGFR2‐Sp1 pathway. We provide data to better understand how Bv synergizes with 5‐FU from a metabolic perspective, and it may give clues to the superiority of Bv in combination with fluoropyrimidine drugs compared to other chemotherapeutic drugs in colon cancer.
Usually, it is indispensable for traditional functional robots to use flexible joints that integrate sophisticated machinery and control systems to achieve precise operability and efficient mobility. ...At the microscale, however, the conventional design of functional joints is generally not suitable due to the limitation of the manufacturing process on such a tiny size. Herein, a strategy for the design of smart microjoints (SMJs) that undergo controllable active deformation by triggering a size‐dependent layer‐by‐layer sequential swelling effect on SMJs in response to external stimuli is developed. The optimal encoding of SMJs that enables microcrawlers to achieve superior crawling speed (0.15 body length s−1) and efficiency (1.1 body length per step), as well as controllable locomotion, is demonstrated, e.g., migration along/against the stimuli source or along a preplanned path. A path toward constructing soft actuators/robots at the microscale with high adaptability and controllability for broad engineering applications is offered.
The concept of smart microjoints (SMJs) is proposed and designed by the computer‐aided finite‐element method, which can achieve controllable active deformation in response to external stimuli. Bionic microcrawlers are developed by encoding SMJs, which can realize a superior crawling speed, efficiency, and programmable locomotion. Herein, a novel strategy for structural designs, functional assembly, and optimizations of soft microrobots is presented.
This study aimed to investigate the role and the possible mechanisms involved in the immunoregulation of experimental periodontitis by Th17/Treg.
Experimental periodontitis was established by silk ...thread ligation with
daubing in the bilateral maxillary second molar of Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Alveolar bones were scanned by Micro-CT. Histological examination was stained with H&E. The proportions of Th17 and Treg cells in peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry. RT-PCR was used to measure the expression of RORγt, Foxp3 mRNA in the gingival tissues. The concentrations of IL-17, IL-10, and TGF-β in peripheral blood and gingival crevicular fluid were measured by ELISA.
Experimental rats showed profound bone resorption and inflammatory cell infiltration. The percentages of Th17 significantly increased in the peripheral blood, which was consistent with gingival tissues study that Th17 cells related transcription factor RORγt mRNA and IL-17 increased in the course of periodontitis. The percentages of CD25
Foxp3
Treg significantly increased in the peripheral blood, which was consistent with gingival tissues study that Treg cells related transcription factor Foxp3 mRNA and cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β increased in the course of periodontitis. The ratio of Th17/Treg cells was significantly increased in the peripheral circulation, however, the Th17/Treg balance is in wave motion in inflamed gingival tissues in the different stages of periodontitis.
Th17/Treg balance may be associated with the progression of periodontitis and pathological tissue destruction. Moreover, local inflammation would result in the up-regulation ratio of Th17/Treg in peripheral blood, which may influence some periodontally involved systemic diseases.
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