The purpose of this meta‐analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of denosumab, compared with zoledronic acid (ZA), in delaying skeletal‐related events (SREs) and enhancing overall survival in patients ...with advanced solid tumours and bone metastases. A systematic literature search of several electronic databases, including PubMed, Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CKNI and Web of Science with Conference Proceedings, was performed. Only randomised controlled trials assessing denosumab in comparison with ZA, in patients with advanced solid tumours and metastatic‐stage disease, were included. The primary outcome was the time to first SRE. The risk of developing subsequent on‐study SREs and overall survival were also evaluated. Three randomised controlled trials with a total of 5,544 patients with advanced solid tumours and bone metastases were included in the meta‐analysis. There were 2,776 patients treated with denosumab and 2,768 treated with ZA. The pooled analysis showed that denosumab was superior to ZA in delaying time to first on‐study SRE (odds ratio OR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.75–0.89, p < 0.0001) and multiple SREs (risk ratio: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.74–0.88, p < 0.0001). However, no significant difference was found in overall survival improvement between denosumab and ZA (OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.91–1.15, p = 0.71). This meta‐analysis indicates that denosumab is superior to ZA in delaying SREs for patients with bone metastases. No significant difference was observed between denosumab and ZA, regarding overall survival. We support denosumab as a potential novel treatment option for the management of bone metastases in advanced solid tumours.
China has implemented a large number of major infrastructure projects (MIPs) over the last three decades. Social responsibility management is crucial for MIPs' sustainable development. What is social ...responsibility of major infrastructure (MIP-SR)? To answer this question, this article proposes the concept and key issues of major infrastructure projects' social responsibility (MIP-SR) and develops a comprehensive conceptual framework for MIP-SR, which covers three dimensions: (i) project life-cycle dynamics; (ii) stakeholder's heterogeneity and (iii) social responsibility interactivity. The three-dimensional framework provides a systematic framework for MIP-SR's academic research and practical implementation, which in turn promotes the sustainable development of MIPs.
•We propose a concept of major infrastructure projects' social responsibility (MIP-SR).•We describe major conflicts in MIP-SR and key issues of MIP-SR.•We develop a three-dimension conceptual framework for MIP-SR.•MIP-SR covers three dimensions: dynamics, heterogeneity, and interactivity.
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► Catalyst-free transesterification of leather tanning waste to biodiesel. ► Kinetic modeling of FAME incorporating esterification and transesterification. ► Analysis of thermodynamic ...activation parameters of the reactions based on ACT.
Catalyst-free transesterification of leather tanning waste with high free fatty acid (FFA) content at supercritical condition was reported in this work. The experiments were performed in batch system at various temperatures (250–325°C) under constant pressure of 12MPa and methanol/fatty oil molar ratio of 40:1 for reaction time of 2–10min. Kinetic modeling of formation of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) that incorporate reversible esterification and non-reversible transesterification simultaneously was verified. The proposed semi-empirical model was fitted against kinetic experimental data over temperature range studied. The kinetic parameters (i.e. k′TE, k′E, and kE′) were determined by nonlinear regression fitting. Thermodynamic activation parameters of the reactions were evaluated based on activation complex theory (ACT) and the following results are obtained: ΔG‡>0, ΔH‡>0, and ΔS‡<0. The activation energy (Ea) of transesterification, forward and reverse esterification reactions was 36.01kJ/mol, 28.38kJ/mol, and 5.66kJ/mol, respectively.
Bone homeostasis is continually maintained by the process of bone remodeling throughout life. Recent studies have demonstrated that Wnt signaling pathways play a fundamental role in the process of ...bone homeostasis and remodeling. Intracellular Wnt signaling cascades are initially triggered by a Wnt ligand–receptor complex formation. In previous studies, the blocking of Wnt ligands from different osteoblastic differentiation stages could cause defective bone development at an early stage. Osteocytes, the most abundant and long-lived type of bone cell, are a crucial orchestrator of bone remodeling. However, the role of Wnt ligands on osteocyte and bone remodeling remains unclear. In our present study, we found that, besides osteoblasts, osteocytes also express multiple Wnt ligands in the bone environment. Then, we used a Dmp1-Cre mouse line, in which there is expression in a subset of osteoblasts but mainly osteocytes, to study the function of Wnt ligands on osteocyte and bone remodeling in vivo. Furthermore, we explored the role of Wnt ligands on osteocytic mineralization ability, as well as the regulatory function of osteocytes on the process of osteoblastic differentiation and osteoclastic migration and maturity in vitro. We concluded that Wnt proteins play an important regulatory role in 1) the process of perilacunar/canalicular remodeling, as mediated by osteocytes, and 2) the balance of osteogenesis and bone resorption at the bone surface, as mediated by osteoblasts and osteoclasts, at least partly through the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and the OPG/RANKL signaling pathway.
Observation of e+e- → γX(3872) at BESIII Achasov, M N; Albayrak, O; Ambrose, D J ...
Physical review letters,
2014-Mar-07, Letnik:
112, Številka:
9
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
With data samples collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring at center-of-mass energies from 4.009 to 4.420 GeV, the process e+e-→ γX(3872) is observed for the first time ...with a statistical significance of 6.3σ. The measured mass of the X(3872) is (3871.9 ± 0.7s tat ± 0.2 syst) MeV/c(2), in agreement with previous measurements. Measurements of the product of the cross section σe+e- → γX(3872) and the branching fraction BX(3872)→π+π-J/ψ at center-of-mass energies 4.009, 4.229, 4.260, and 4.360 GeV are reported. Our measurements are consistent with expectations for the radiative transition process Y(4260) → γX(3872).
Two mononuclear nickel(II) complexes, Ni(L
1
)
2
(
1
) and Ni(L
2
)
2
(
2
), where L
1
and L
2
are the anions of 4-methylbenzoic acid (1-pyridin-2-ylmethylidene)hydrazide (HL
1
) and benzoic acid ...(1-pyridine-2-ylethylidene)hydrazide (HL
2
), respectively, were prepared and characterized by physico-chemical methods and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The tridentate Schiff base ligands coordinate to the Ni atoms through the pyridine nitrogen, imino nitrogen and enolate oxygen atoms. The Ni atom in each complex is six coordinated by two Schiff base ligands, to form octahedral coordination. To investigate the influence of the position of methyl group on the antibacterial activities, the complexes have been studied on the bacteria
Bacillus subtilis
,
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Escherichia coli
and
Pseudomonas fluorescens
.
A nano-sized nickel/nickel oxide/RGO (Ni/NiO/RGO) nano-hybrid was generated successfully by using a facile and green sol-gel approach, with the reduced graphene oxide as an effective component, for ...developing a high-efficiency electrode material with super-capacitance. In the novel hierarchical nano-composite, the combination of metallic nickel interfaced with the nickel oxide was created by the reduction of a nickel nitrate precursor with the carbon of the reduced graphene oxide surface, during the thermal treatment in nitrogen. The electrochemical performances of the Ni/NiO/RGO composite were measured through cyclic voltammetry tests and galvanostatic charge-discharges, as a supercapacitor material. Due to the higher conductivity and synergistic effect, the new hybrid delivered a high specific capacitance of 1027.27 F g
−1
at the charge/discharge current density of 2 A g
−1
, and 720 F g
−1
at 20 A g
−1
. After 1000 uninterrupted cycles at 5 A g
−1
, the high specific capacitance value can be still stabilized, and kept at 92.95% of the initial value of the specific capacitance for Ni/NiO/RGO. This new nano composite with RGO and Ni/NiO exhibits great promise as an electrode material for supercapacitors.
A hierarchically nanoscale Ni/NiO/RGO hybrid has been derived by a facile, green and self-assembled sol-gel way combined with thermal treatment in N
2
, giving a high performance super-capacitor with ultrahigh and stable specific capacitance.
Hypereutectic Al-Fe alloys are extremely brittle owing to the formation of coarse Fe-rich intermetallics in the Al matrix. In this study, a Ce-rich rare-earth (RE) mixture was introduced to modify an ...Al-5Fe binary alloy, and the crystallization, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the alloy were investigated. The experimental results indicated that the RE addition decreased the temperature of the primary Al3Fe phase, enhanced the temperature of the eutectic transformation, and disturbed the normal crystallization process of eutectic α-Al crystals by decreasing the intrinsic growth along the preferential close-packed (111)Al plane and promoting the growths depending on the sub-closed (200)Al plane. Furthermore, RE addition refined the primary Al3Fe phases and formed Al-Ce eutectics in the as-cast state of the alloy. Fine nodules and rods of the Al4Ce and AlCe phases containing La elements were produced through homogeneous annealing via the decomposition of the Al-Ce eutectics and precipitation of REs from the RE-enriched area. Rolling further broke up the coarser primary Al3Fe phases into short rods and particles and caused the Al-Ce and Al-Fe phases to become uniformly distributed in the Al matrix. A mixed cleavage and dimple fracture was produced by RE modification, annealing, and rolling. The optimized amount of added RE mixture for improving the microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloy was 0.9 wt%.
•RE addition decreased the primary temperature of Al3Fe phase.•RE addition inhibited intrinsic growth of eutectic α-Al along (111) plane.•RE addition promoted the growth of eutectic α-Al along sub-closed (200) plane.•RE addition refined primary Al3Fe phases and formed Al-Ce eutectics.•0.9 wt% RE was optimized for improving microstructure and mechanical properties.
Central obesity and insulin resistance (IR) are common conditions in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and in subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, few studies ...have addressed the association between hyperandrogenism (HA) and NAFLD. We aimed to determine whether variations in the free androgen index (FAI) might be associated with NAFLD prevalence.
A cross-sectional study was performed including 400 Chinese women with PCOS and 100 age, and body mass index (BMI)-matched women. The anthropometric and serum biochemical parameters related to sex steroids, glucose and lipid profiles were examined. Liver fat content (LFC) was measured by quantitative ultrasound.
The prevalence of NAFLD was 56.23% in PCOS patients and 38% in controls (P=0.001), and this prevalence increased with FAI quartile independently of obesity and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The FAI level increased from non-NAFLD group to NAFLD group. The FAI was positively associated with the metabolic parameters LFC, BMI, waist circumference, alanine aminotransferases, aspartate, triglyceride, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and was negatively associated with high-density lipoprotein. Moreover, in multivariate logistic regression analysis BMI, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), FAI, LFC and HOMA-IR were significantly associated with NAFLD. The cut-off values of FAI, LFC, BMI and hsCRP to predict NAFLD were 9.86%, 17.19%, 24.38% and 0.72%, respectively. The area under the curve for predicting NAFLD in PCOS patients showed comparable sensitivity and specificity between BMI and a new index combining FAI with hsCRP.
A higher FAI level is associated with increased LFC and NAFLD prevalence independent of obesity and IR.
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