W-silicide coatings were deposited on tungsten substrate by using hot dip silicon-plating method under various temperatures. The phase composition, microstructure, and concentration distribution of ...elements were investigated. The results show that the W-silicide coatings consist of WSi2 layer and interface layer (W5Si3 layer), and the WSi2 coatings have a strong preferred orientation on the (211) and (206) crystal faces. The hot dip temperature has a significant effect on thicknesses and grain sizes of coatings. With the increase of hot dip temperature, the thicknesses of WSi2 layer and W5Si3 layer, and grain sizes increase obviously. Moreover, a high silicon concentration is observed at coating surface when the temperature is 1560 °C, and the highest silicon concentration is about 46 wt% (84.79 at.%).
Since electrical connectors are weak links in the circuit system of industrial equipment, any contact failure can lead to system collapse. The existing contact degradation models only focus on the ...static contact, ignoring that the contact position of separable connectors can be changed, which makes the model unable to describe the instability of contact resistance. In this paper, the contact spot characteristics of separable electrical connectors are analyzed. Based on the statistical analysis of contact spots whose positions change randomly, a contact degradation model for separable electrical contacts is established. The model is a multi-parameter nonlinear Wiener process, which can describe the increase in contact resistance caused by the growth of oxide film, and can also reveal the instability of contact resistance caused by position changes. Then a step-by-step parameter estimation method is proposed to solve the problem that nonlinear model parameters are difficult to calculate. Finally, an accelerated degradation experiment is designed to test the model, and results show that the model is in good agreement with the experimental data, and the failure mechanism is also in line with expectations.
•Random variation of spot positions lead to unstable contact resistance.•Wiener progress is suitable to describe the random fluctuation of contact resistance.•The oxide film thickness is proportional to the contact resistance fluctuation range.•Statistical modeling of contact spots based on failure mechanism.
Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a severe illness, characterized by premature menopause with a markedly decrease in ovarian function, which leads to infertility. Si-Wu-Tang (SWT), also called “the ...first prescription of gynecology” by medical experts in China, is widely used as the basic formula in regulating the menstrual cycle and treating infertility. However, the potential effect and underlying mechanisms of action of SWT on the treatment of POF have not yet been elucidated.
This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effect and underlying molecular mechanism of action of SWT on the treatment of POF in C57BL/6 mice.
The main compounds of SWT were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). POF model groups were established by a single intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (Cy, 100 mg/kg). SWT or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were administered via oral gavage for 28 consecutive days. Ovarian function and pathological changes were evaluated by hormone levels, follicular development, and changes in angiogenesis. Furthermore, statistical analyses of fertility were also performed.
Treatment with SWT significantly improved estrogen levels, the number of follicles, antioxidant defense, and microvascular formation in POF mice. Moreover, SWT significantly activated the Nrf2/HO-1 and STAT3/HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathways to promote angiogenesis, resulting in a better fertility outcome when compared to the model group.
Our findings indicated that SWT protected ovarian function of Cy-induced POF mice by improving the antioxidant ability and promoting ovarian angiogenesis, thereby providing scientific evidence for the treatment of POF using SWT.
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•SWT improves ovarian function in POF mice.•SWT facilitates oxidation resistance and angiogenesis to protect ovarian function.•SWT activates Nrf2/HO-1 and STAT3/HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathways to promote angiogenesis.
Lung adenocarcinomas (LUADs) that display radiologically as subsolid nodules (SSNs) exhibit more indolent biological behaviour than solid LUADs. SSNs, commonly encompassing pre-invasive and invasive ...yet early-stage adenocarcinomas, can be categorised as pure ground-glass nodules and part-solid nodules. The genomic characteristics of SSNs remain poorly understood.
We subjected 154 SSN samples from 120 treatment-naïve Chinese patients to whole-exome sequencing. Clinical parameters and radiological features of these SSNs were collected. The genomic landscape of SSNs and differences from that of advanced-stage LUADs were defined. In addition, we investigated the intratumour heterogeneity and clonal relationship of multifocal SSNs and conducted radiogenomic analysis to link imaging and molecular characteristics of SSNs. Fisher's exact and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used in the statistical analysis.
The median somatic mutation rate across the SSN cohort was 1.12 mutations per Mb. Mutations in
were the most prominent and significant variation, followed by those in
,
,
and
A
. The differences between SSNs and advanced-stage LUADs at a genomic level were unravelled. Branched evolution and remarkable genomic heterogeneity were demonstrated in SSNs. Although multicentric origin was predominant, we also detected early metastatic events among multifocal SSNs. Using radiogenomic analysis, we found that higher ratios of solid components in SSNs were accompanied by significantly higher mutation frequencies in
,
,
and
, suggesting that these genes play roles in the progression of LUADs.
Our study provides the first comprehensive description of the mutational landscape and radiogenomic mapping of SSNs.
Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are emergent pollutants, which have sparked widespread concern. They can infiltrate the body via ingestion, inhalation, and cutaneous contact. As such, ...there is a general worry that MPs/NPs may have an impact on human health in addition to the environmental issues they engender. The threat of MPs/NPs to the liver, gastrointestinal system, and inflammatory levels have been thoroughly documented in the previous research. With the detection of MPs/NPs in fetal compartment and the prevalence of infertility, an increasing number of studies have put an emphasis on their reproductive toxicity in female. Moreover, MPs/NPs have the potential to interact with other contaminants, thus enhancing or diminishing the combined toxicity. This review summarizes the deleterious effects of MPs/NPs and co-exposure with other pollutants on female throughout the reproduction period of various species, spanning from reproductive failure to cross-generational developmental disorders in progenies. Although these impacts may not be directly extrapolated to humans, they do provide a framework for evaluating the potential mechanisms underlying the reproductive toxicity of MPs/NPs.
When capillary flow occurs in a uniform porous medium, the depth of penetration is known to increase as the square root of time. However, we demonstrate in this study that the depth of penetration in ...multi-section porous layers with variation in width and height against the flow time is modified from this diffusive-like response, and liquids can pass through porous systems more readily in one direction than the other. We show here in a model and an experiment that the flow time for a negative gradient of cross-sectional widths is smaller than that for a positive gradient at the given total height of porous layers. The effect of width and height of local layers on capillary flow is quantitatively analyzed, and optimal parameters are obtained to facilitate the fastest flow.
•3D rGCSs was fabricated using a one-step chemical deposition process on 3D reduced GOA.•The rGCSs demonstrated excellent antibacterial properties via colony counting experiments.•The antibacterial ...killing rate was up to 100% for E. coli and S. aureus.•rGCSs is an ideal antibacterial candidate for practical applications in sewage systems.
Three-dimensional (3D) graphene/nano-copper scaffolds (rGCSs) was fabricated using a one-step chemical deposition on 3D reduced graphene oxide architecture (rGOA). The nano-copper was conformably grown on the rGOA substrate with a uniform morphology. Due to combined effects between the graphene skeleton and the nano-copper, the rGCSs demonstrated excellent antibacterial properties in the colony counting experiments. In addition, an rGCSs device was designed to further investigate the antibacterial performance for sewage management. The antibacterial killing rate was up to 100% for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and the nano-copper deposits were immobilized on the reduced graphene oxide sheets during the circulation process. This suggests that rGCSs is a highly-efficient antibacterial candidate for practical applications in sewage systems.
Trihelix transcription factors are thought to feature a typical DNA-binding trihelix (helix-loop-helix-loop-helix) domain that binds specifically to the GT motif, a light-responsive DNA element. ...Members of the trihelix family are known to function in a number of processes in plants. Here, we characterize 20 trihelix family genes in the important ornamental plant chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium). Based on transcriptomic data, 20 distinct sequences distributed across four of five groups revealed by a phylogenetic tree were isolated and amplified. The phylogenetic analysis also identified four pairs of orthologous proteins shared by Arabidopsis and chrysanthemum and five pairs of paralogous proteins in chrysanthemum. Conserved motifs in the trihelix proteins shared by Arabidopsis and chrysanthemum were analyzed using MEME, and further bioinformatic analysis revealed that 16 CmTHs can be targeted by 20 miRNA families and that miR414 can target 9 CmTHs. qPCR results displayed that most chrysanthemum trihelix genes were highly expressed in inflorescences, while 20 CmTH genes were in response to phytohormone treatments and abiotic stresses. This work improves our understanding of the various functions of trihelix gene family members in response to hormonal stimuli and stress.
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